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Showing posts from April, 2020

Making decisions by proxy

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Struggling to make decisions that are in our own best interest is something most of us have experienced at some point in our lives, or perhaps even experience on a regular basis. We know something would be good for us, but we can't seem to make lasting progress on achieving it or implementing it into our lives. The decision to lose weight, get in shape, get our health back on track - back to the glory days of our youth - is something many of us aim for, but ultimately fail at achieving. For my entire life as a young adult, I was, what is known in the world of body-building as, a 'hard-gainer'. My problem was not losing weight, but, in fact, gaining weight. The first time I made the decision to gain weight, I failed. The fifth time was no different. This track record of failure came to a protein-shake-fueled halt the moment I made one small, but incredibly significant, change to my approach. I've always had difficulty committing to a plan. I could create them.

The importance of the handshake, and what could replace it.

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This article inspired the creation of this video: https://youtu.be/0pQh1B4VH9g The handshake is a short-lived, but important part of the greeting procedure in many societies. It’s extremely common in greetings between men, but is also seen when the genders greet each other (as well as women greeting other women), particularly in business and politics where gender equality is centre stage. A handshake can convey information about the possible intentions of the parties, such as the type of relationship that each party wishes to create or maintain; and the self-perceived or actual social status of each party relative to one another. Further, and perhaps contradictorily, it is also an extremely effective social leveler; often communicating a message of equality between the parties. It says, “a hierarchy may exist, and my position on it may be above yours, but in this current medium, and in this current moment, of exchange, we are effectively equals.” Handshakes are also used when ma

The Reality of (the general public wearing) Face Masks

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First up, an introduction to face masks! There are a huge variety of face masks, most of which are designed to protect the wearer or those around them from becoming infected with some type of contagious pathogen, with exceptions such as those designed for fashion or non-medical non-health related purposes. Firstly let’s talk about the two main types of face mask; the surgical mask, and the N95 respirator. The difference between these two masks can be easily understood and remembered by comparing them to scarves and umbrellas. A scarf keeps you warm by trapping your body heat close to your body - it keeps the warm air around your body from escaping. The warm air around your body is analogous to the contagious particles that you might spread around when you cough. This is the primary purpose of a surgical mask. It keeps the sick wearer from spreading their germs around. An umbrella, on the other hand, prevents the rain from affecting you, the user of the umbrella. The rain