MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'ali'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:14:49 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813264&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcjyuOJ8FHdw%2F By David RittgersI make the case that domestic military detention for all terrorism suspects isn’t necessary in this piece over at the Huffington Post. Legislative proposals by Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) would mandate military detention instead of criminal prosecution for all those suspected of international terrorism. I oppose this policy change for reasons both principled and practical: If the civil rule of law handles terrorist threats adequately, then invoking military jurisdiction is a counterproductive overreaction. That was the case with one of the handful of domestically detained enemy combatants, Ali al-Marri. Al-Marri was an honest-to-goodness Al Qaeda sleeper agent masquerading as an exchange student. The FBI indicted him on charges that could have car... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813264 Tue, 10 May 2011 16:42:55 +0100 4813264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464480&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FrGK3mnQK-UY%2F By Christopher PrebleHosni Mubarak's decision to step down as president of Egypt is welcome news. He could have taken a cue from Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, resigning quickly in the face of overwhelming popular opposition. Such a move on Mubarak's part would have avoided much of the confusion that has gripped Egypt for more than two weeks. At least 300 people have been killed during the protests, but thankfully Mubarak's exit was achieved without even more bloodshed. These protests were driven by popular discontent with Mubarak, rising food prices, rampant corruption, and limited political and economic opportunity. The Obama administration generally resisted calls to place the United States in the middle of what was a purely internal matter. Those who called for a heavy-handed U.... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464480 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:50:55 +0100 4464480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4441957&cid=t_307615_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F02%2Famerican-surgeon-dr-tanveer-zamani-denies-rumors-marriage-pakistani-leader%2F Dr. Tanveer Zamani has issued a statement denying that she recently married or even ever met the Pakistani Prime Minister Asif Ali Zardari. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4441957 Sun, 06 Feb 2011 20:35:16 +0100 4441957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118806&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2010%2F10%2Fcrossing-the-road-to-real-reform-or-how-american-medical-education-can-or-cant-meet-the-acas-call-to.html By ALI KHAN, MD, MPP “So, why didn’t I take the ROAD again?” It’s a question that I regularly hear from many of my co-residents in internal medicine – and no, we’re not questioning our travel routes to the hospital.... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118806 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4118806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105627&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2010%2F10%2Fcrossing-the-road-to-real-reform-or-how-american-medical-education-can-or-cant-meet-the-acas-call-to.html By ALI KHAN, MD, MPP “So, why didn’t I take the ROAD again?” It’s a question that I regularly hear from many of my co-residents in internal medicine – and no, we’re not questioning our travel routes to the hospital.... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105627 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4105627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082352&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FlhmWWiX9Q6Y%2F An inspiring quote may be just what you need to turn your day around.  Here are 25 of the most inspiring quotes ever spoken or written. 25 Inspiring Quotes: I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” –Muhammad Ali “You can have anything you want if you are willing to give up the belief that you can’t have it.” –Robert Anthony “There is no man living that can not do more than he thinks he can.” –Henry Ford “Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal, and I will give you a stock clerk.” –J.C. Penny “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” –Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee “It’s... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082352 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 06:04:29 +0100 4082352 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3998953&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGC_n9iMKfms%2F By Malou InnocentEarlier this year, both The New York Times and The Washington Post confirmed that the Obama administration authorized the CIA to kill American-born, Yemeni-based Islamic cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki. Several people I admire and respect—and who are far more versed in the legal aspects of the “war on terror”—have already weighed in on whether the U.S. Government is authorized to kill U.S. terror suspects abroad, so I defer to those experts. But what’s interesting is that the U.S. Government has killed “many Westerners, including some U.S. passport holders” in Pakistan’s tribal areas dating all the way back to the Bush administration, according to Bob Woodward’s new book. Jeff Stein over at WaPo’s SpyTalk writes th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3998953 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:08:39 +0100 3998953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3823184&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FOcxrlSDUksQ%2F We’re often told that hard work gets us ahead. That’s true to an extent – if you put effort and focus into something, you’re going to achieve more than if you go at it in a half-hearted way. But it’s all too easy to get sucked into working long hours, ticking tasks off a list, without being all that effective or successful. Instead of just working hard – putting in lots of hours – look for ways to work smart. Why? Because smart work means you’re more likely to reach your goals. Sadly, it’s all too possible to work hard without any recognition and without achieving success. Sure, you might be up to date with all your emails … but that might not bring you any nearer to winning a promotion, or to starting your own business. Plus, when we’r... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3823184 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 06:25:26 +0100 3823184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3786285&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FcsU5GqTsOpE%2F Have you ever been surprised at how much you can fit in when you’re at a conference? When we have a schedule provided for us, we manage to get from one event to the next at the right time; the imposition of external timings means that even if we’d like to stick with one task a little longer, we move on quickly. We deal with emails in brief breaks, sending shorter replies than usual, ditching any junk without even opening it. In day to day working life, though, we tend to find ourselves struggling to stick to self-imposed schedules. One or two things overrun; emails and phone calls come in; our boss dumps an urgent task on us. However beautiful your schedule looks, just writing it out isn’t going to help you. Don’t Over-Plan The biggest mistake which most of us make when it comes to... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3786285 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 01:11:41 +0100 3786285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629910&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FNVZM5FnX2y8%2F “Daydreamer” courtesy of Nelsonius We all have times when we’re just not in the mood to get on with work. Perhaps we’re feeling tired or apathetic, or weeks of stress have finally caught up with us. Maybe we’re just having a hard time staying on task – Facebook, Twitter, webcomics and other distractions seem, well, more distracting than usual. So how can you stay on-task and on-track when you don’t feel like working? 1.    Do Something Else! Okay, it’s not always possible – but how about doing something else instead? If you’re trying to force yourself to work on your small biz at the weekend and you’re feeling fed up, then the best solution may well be to simply take a break. You can end up wasting a lot of energy by pushing yourself on by sheer willpower ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629910 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:18:02 +0100 3629910 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603902&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FGFXWKW1BMmU%2F So you’ve got something you’re really passionate about. Perhaps it’s a hobby which you think you could turn into a business. Or a community project, or a novel you’re writing, or a diet or exercise routine which you’re really taking seriously this time. The problem is, you’ve got a day job. It takes up most of your time and energy each day. So how can you find the energy to get anything else done? I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not easy. I wrote fiction, then a blog, alongside a day job, and I started out freelancing while still working full-time. It was tough, and it wasn’t a situation I’d have wanted to sustain in the long term – but it was necessary while it lasted. Although I ditched the day job a couple of years ago, ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603902 Thu, 27 May 2010 06:34:54 +0100 3603902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3599363&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXLX84oX8KM8%2F By Neal McCluskeyOver at Matt Yglesias’ blog, Ali Frick wants to know why she hasn’t detected any “conservative outrage” over the great Texas textbook tangle. Strangely, though, she only critiques Cato by name. That’s odd because (a) Cato is a libertarian organization, not conservative, and (b) there are many other libertarian — as well as truly conservative — think tanks out there. Unfortunately, those things are just the beginning of the post’s odd twists. Before I get into the weirdness, though, let me cop to the charge of relative silence. I’ve been meaning to hit the Texas situation harder, but have been dealing with a much greater education threat to the country — truly national curriculum standards — as well as ot... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3599363 Tue, 25 May 2010 16:18:00 +0100 3599363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3592435&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FcT0oCgN63ck%2F If you’ve been reading personal development blogs for any length of time, you’ll have come across plenty of posts about goals. We’re all expected to have them. We’re told that having goals means we’ll be happy high-achievers, storming through life as we check off yet another item on our to-do list. And yes, setting goals for yourself can help you to stay focused on what you want from life. It can help to counter our bias towards short-term thinking and short-term results. But even if you’ve diligently written down your goals, if you’ve created your vision board or made check-lists galore, you might still have a nagging sense that’s something’s wrong. Here’s why: Writing Down Your Goals Isn’t Magic At some point, you’v... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3592435 Mon, 24 May 2010 15:38:26 +0100 3592435 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560533&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FVDcWYnrPsEE%2F Do you ever feel that you’re so caught up in the day to day and hour to hour routines of life that you never get a chance to step back and see the bigger picture? Do you get lots done, but without a real sense of accomplishment? Have you ever reached the end of a busy week and wondered what the point was? I expect we all feel like that from time to time – but for some people, it’s the norm. Perhaps you’re juggling studies and work, or work and family, or multiple projects and goals. Maybe you have a nagging sense that there’s something wrong or that your priorities are skewed – and you keep promising yourself that you’ll be less busy next week/month/year. The problem is, you always seem to be busy. You’ve got lots on, and your attention is on the det... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560533 Thu, 13 May 2010 15:41:43 +0100 3560533 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3530075&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FTDJttlEXErE%2F Do you find yourself procrastinating a lot? (You might even be procrastinating right now, reading this blog post while you should be working or cleaning or ordering the groceries online.) Procrastination can be a real problem for some of us, leading to wasted hours and days, and a lot of frustration. Often, we think that to cure ourselves of procrastination, we need to concentrate harder, focus ourselves better and become more self-disciplined. But I don’t believe that procrastination is a disease. It’s more like a symptom. And by figuring out – and addressing – the underlying cause, you’ve got a good chance of ending your procrastination habit. So, what might the causes be? You’re Working Too Hard Okay, sometimes procrastination is more like laziness than hard ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3530075 Tue, 04 May 2010 04:48:15 +0100 3530075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3503018&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F7-78m_pkNAg%2F Ever had a day (or, more likely, a week) when you felt a bit miserable, for no clear reason? Perhaps you were stressed and felt disorganised and over-busy. Maybe it seemed like everything was piling up on you. When you feel like you have little energy and no motivation, it’s easy to start spiraling down into feeling worse and worse. You might want to make big changes in your life, like losing weight or changing careers, but you just can’t summon up the strength to get going. You feel unhappy but you’re not sure how to fix what’s wrong. A great place to start, and to give yourself a quick boost, is to start clearing some clutter out of your life. Why It Works You’ve probably had the experience of moving to a new apartment, or going on holiday and staying in a h... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3503018 Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:19:08 +0100 3503018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3454237&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FGKAhbfvA7ew%2F Many of us place a lot of importance on being productive. We want to achieve our goals, succeed in our ambitions, and accomplish something worthwhile. That’s all great … but sometimes it  can go too far. Have you ever pushed yourself too much, only to end up producing poorer quality work … or worse, getting sick or ending up just plain miserable? To be truly productive over the long-term, you need to take care of yourself. In his bestselling self-help book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey distinguishes between our actual “production” and our “production capability”, explaining that we need to pay attention to the latter in order to continue to have the former. So how can you take care of your ability to keep on working to... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3454237 Fri, 09 Apr 2010 06:12:18 +0100 3454237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429480&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FTnZXTGAusig%2F With personal finance, as with so many areas of life, we have a tendency to swing between extremes. Often, an excess of spending – with accompanying credit card debt, clutter and stress – prompts us to take a good hard look at our finances. We make all sorts of good resolutions: a plan to reduce our debt, a savings account for our emergency fund, and so on … and somewhere along the way, we pick up the idea that we should only spend money on absolute essentials. We might start off sensibly, cutting down on unnecessary spending to put some money aside for the future. But before long, we end up obsessing about every penny, denying ourselves even tiny treats like a weekly coffee or a magazine, because it’s a “waste of money”. Are You Enslaved by Your Money? Usually,... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429480 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:38:41 +0100 3429480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3416004&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fblisstree-photo-of-the-day-3%2F OK, today we’re cheating a little, but at least it’s for a good cause. All of the following photos from last Saturday’s Earth Hour were so cool, we couldn’t pick just one to feature. So here are eight for your viewing pleasure. Las Vegas, Before & After Earth Hour 2010 (Photo: WWF) Parthenon Temple at Acropolis in Greece, Before & After Earth Hour 2010 (Photo: boston.com) Mohammed Ali mosque at Cairo's Salahadeen Citadel, Before & After Earth Hour 2010 (Photo: boston.com) Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Before & After Earth Hour 2010 (Photo: WWF) Post from: BlissTree Blisstree Photo of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3416004 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:34:56 +0100 3416004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3416396&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F90zvnWBtXwU%2F Would you like to have more money in your pocket – without having to do any extra work? For many of us, the easiest way to boost our savings is to cut back on how much we’re spending. Whether you’re channeling money into an emergency fund, or whether you’ve got your heart set on that dream vacation, saving an extra few hundred dollars each month might seem out of reach right now. But there are plenty of ways to cut what you spend, without missing out on what you love. I’m listing five big wins below – rather than giving you a bunch of little tips. Even one of these could easily save you $100+ per month. 1.   Cancel Unused Subscriptions Go through your bank or credit card statement and look for recurring payments (you might want to check PayPal too). Are you re... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3416396 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 06:06:16 +0100 3416396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3399237&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2Fn8xN3LVrW7w%2F “Which Direction I (You Are Here)” Courtesy of Vido Drago Whether you’re studying on a college program, for a career qualification, or just for personal interest, you’ll want to make a success of it. But few of us have the luxury of being able to just study – life has to go on as well. You’ve probably already figured out that having a plan helps you to study consistently (rather than giving up, or cramming in hours of work just before exams). But how can you make sure you actually stick to the plans which you’ve made? Be Realistic Firstly, be realistic. Many of us are prone to over-estimating how much we can get done – and studying is a high-energy, intense activity which requires a lot of concentration. You simply can’t focus at that level for... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3399237 Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:37:27 +0100 3399237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3350260&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fr3rCPCjdcVU%2F By David RittgersWashington is consumed once more with the problem of terrorism, driven by the dual pressures of an unsuccessful terrorist attack on commercial aviation and upcoming elections that give politicians an incentive to speak in terms of war. We are again treated to the ridiculous argument that a terrorist attack is either an act of war or a criminal violation but never both. Senators McCain and Lieberman recently proposed a bill that mandates military detention for domestic terror suspects instead of civilian criminal justice proceedings — an approach that sidelines half of our domestic counterterrorism tools. The Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010 would use military detention to incapacitate suspected terrorists. Choosing military det... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3350260 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:18:34 +0100 3350260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3335593&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FPO9DlGF6zSE%2F “Into The Bloom” courtesy of PopArtMachine I’m sure you’ve noticed that a lot gets said about productivity – not just here on Pick the Brain, but around the web. We’re always keen to squeeze a little bit more out of our day, fighting against all the interruptions and distractions of modern life. It’s easy to end up struggling much harder than you need to, though, by trying to be productive in the wrong ways, at the wrong times. Working with your body clock and your natural peaks and troughs of energy lets you maximize your productivity all day long … rather than struggling through several miserable hours by sheer willpower, only to end up too tired and tetchy to carry on working. Morning Lark or Night Owl? A great place to start is figuring out whether or not y... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3335593 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:05:50 +0100 3335593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3318701&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F3PD1jnhk_fs%2F Have you ever started off a project feeling really enthusiastic about it – perhaps even to the point that you were losing sleep? Whether it was a new business direction, or book, or piece of art, or home improvement, or diet … it had you gripped. In the early stages, you found yourself thinking about it in the shower, jotting down ideas in the evening, wondering “what if…” But somewhere along the way, you simply lost motivation. Perhaps you let your diet slide for a while and just couldn’t get up any enthusiasm to restart. Maybe you stopped writing your novel for months, and stopped caring too. Or you woke up one day and realised you dreaded grinding through any more of the steps in that business plan. We know what it’s like to be motivated – and we know what it’s... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3318701 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:12:33 +0100 3318701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3288063&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FQmz9TMVNsAI%2F “Never Wake Up” courtesy of Heiko Muller I bet you’ve had days when you just want to stay under the duvet. Maybe you slept badly, or perhaps you just can’t face dragging yourself out of bed and facing your to-do list. Yet you know that if you could get up when you want to every day – rather than at the last minute possible – you’d be able to accomplish a lot more of your goals. Here are nine ways to wake up ready to rock, roughly in order of when you’ll need to do them the day before. Feel free to add your own tips in the comments! 1.    Exercise During the Day There are plenty of great reasons to exercise, and I won’t rehash them all here. Many people, though, find that exercising helps them to sleep well at night – yet another health-boosting benefit. If yo... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3288063 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:03:35 +0100 3288063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3254765&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F_zcHPkP_Be0%2F When you were a child, you often had to wait for permission to do something. Perhaps you needed to be a certain age before you were allowed to use the oven or cross the road by yourself. Maybe you needed to ask mom before you got a snack. Even as a teen, you had to stick to rules: curfew, acceptable music volume, homework… Once you’re eighteen, you’re free to do what you want (within the bounds of legality). So why do we get stuck waiting for permission? You’ll know what I mean, even if you’ve never consciously acknowledged it. Maybe: You’re waiting for someone to say that you’re good enough before you’ll allow yourself to paint/write/sing/act You won’t take that course or qualification until you’re “ready” There are some things you’d love to try – but you�... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3254765 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:03:31 +0100 3254765 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3223511&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FYf9_usk5hTU%2F A lot of people have quite a fatalistic attitude towards self-discipline. They see themselves as essentially undisciplined people who lack the stamina to follow through on their decisions. They might talk about a “procrastination problem” or “no will power”. They blame their lack of self-discipline for their inability to get their business off the ground, or finish college, or successfully quit smoking or diet. I don’t believe that any of us are lost causes when it comes to self-discipline. I also don’t think that any of us are born with iron wills or great tenacity: it’s something which we learn. Short-Time Pleasure A lack of self-discipline is often the result of a focus on short-term pleasure over long-term rewards. You might have experienced this a lot as a teen or in col... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3223511 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:26:27 +0100 3223511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3205155&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FCFZa1yzLp_g%2F Back in November, I went away for a weekend’s retreat, and it was one of the best things I did last year. I have a lot going on in my life, and clearing that space meant juggling some commitments around – but it was well worth it. I felt much happier and more relaxed than I had done in a long time, and I came back from the weekend determined to keep some of that “quiet space” in my regular life. I expect that you’re similarly busy. You probably find it hard – logistically and emotionally – to find any time for yourself. When you do get a gap in your day, you end up filling it with chores or emails or tasks that have been on your to-do list for months. And when it comes to the evening, you probably don’t have the energy to do much more than turn the television on. Even when ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3205155 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:32:14 +0100 3205155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3179022&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FOpP46Vsruwc%2F Image courtesy of The Huffington Post You know what it’s like to feel unmotivated. You sit and stare at your to-do list, and nothing on it inspires you at all. It’s just a string of tasks that you wish you didn’t have to do. Simply getting started seems to take an unfathomable amount of effort. Yet, you don’t always feel that way. You know what motivation feels like, too. You have times when you can’t wait to get started on something – a much-anticipated trip, a big project that you’ve been looking forward to sinking your teeth into, a new course that you’re taking, or a job which is going to be so satisfying when it’s done. So how can you make sure that you are motivated, whatever the task at hand? Psychologists distinguish between two forms of motivation, intrinsic and ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3179022 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:57:27 +0100 3179022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3156691&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F6kzgjf8KUSI%2F Have you ever thought about quitting your job and working for yourself? Maybe it’s an idle whim that you have from time to time – or perhaps a much more serious intention. Whether it’s your two-hour commute, your gossiping colleagues, the office politics, the boss, the boring work or the inflexible hours, your job just isn’t much fun. It’s definitely not your true passion. If “quit the day job” is one of your resolutions for 2010, you’ll find lots of encouragement around the internet. I’m a fan of plenty of freelancing and self-development blogs, and many writers can’t wait to extol the virtues and pleasures of being your own boss and working for yourself. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy working for myself; I get to work in the comfort of my home, doing what I love... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3156691 Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:28:41 +0100 3156691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3111719&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FrzBN5C_lwiA%2F At the end of a year, we tend to look back at what we’ve accomplished – and what we want to go on and achieve. I know that in past years, I’ve often wondered where my time went. Do you feel like that, as though you’ve not really managed to do all that much over the past twelve months? Do you feel like you’re constantly busy – but without much to show for it? We’ve all got twenty-four hours in the day and, like it or not, your time is going somewhere. Here’s how to find out where – and how to make some adjustments to ensure more of your time is being spent on exactly what you want to spend it on. Time Logging Known as time logging or time tracking, this is the practice of recording what you do at intervals throughout the day. It might sound like a waste of time – but it�... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3111719 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:51:23 +0100 3111719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3089610&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FcnJYWh3hm34%2F Who’s in charge of your life? That might sound like a strange question. But bear with me here. How often have you said something like: I’d start my own business if only my partner was more supportive. It’s my uncle’s fault that I smoke. Well, I wouldn’t drink so much if it wasn’t for my friends. My boss really stresses me out. I can’t quit my job to travel the world … what would people think? I have to lose weight so that I can look more attractive. In each of these cases, there’s a “should” or a “can’t” that’s been dictated by someone other than you. Perhaps it’s a family member, your peer group, or society as a whole. And many of us are prone to ditching responsibility in this way. I know that I, for one, find it much easier to blame my problems on s... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3089610 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:07:10 +0100 3089610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3063504&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2Fc5vIdLQih8U%2F If you’ve ever struggled with time management (and who hasn’t?), I’d bet you’ve given the advice to prioritize. You make a list of all the things that need to be done – and even doing that is scary. Then you try to rank them in order of which ones matter the most. It’s often really difficult to figure out priorities: is Report X more important than Call Y? Is following up with Prospect A going to bring in more money than keeping Client B sweet? And in life as a whole, is having time to exercise more important than taking your kids to a movie? Trying to prioritize can often just create more stress: maybe the things at the top of the list get done, but the items further down are still important – and you hate to neglect them. Or perhaps your boss, partner or teachers place diff... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3063504 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:41:47 +0100 3063504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3059911&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FXiP319-6nNY%2F Are you the sort of person who gets really fired up and excited by new ideas, who dives straight in … and who then loses enthusiasm and ends up with dozens of half-finished projects all on the go at the same time? If so, I can sympathize! In the past, I’ve had all sorts of works-in-progress – like novels, craft projects, self-study courses, ebooks – on the go. I tend to jump on new things with lots of energy, only to find that I’ve taken on too much to cope with. Of course, you’ll probably know all the drawbacks of having lots of partially-completed projects hanging around. If your projects are ones which pay (like articles, ebooks, websites), then you’re not making any money because nothing’s finished. If your projects are related to a hobby, particular a crafty one, y... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3059911 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:52:28 +0100 3059911 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056613&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpTtGkihLqT0%2F Political repression is old news.   Thuggish regimes have been holding their citizens prisoner for centuries.  But Iran’s government now is borrowing an innovative Soviet and Nazi tactic:  targeting family members of dissenters, even those living in the U.S. Reports the Wall Street Journal: His first impulse was to dismiss the ominous email as a prank, says a young Iranian-American named Koosha. It warned the 29-year-old engineering student that his relatives in Tehran would be harmed if he didn’t stop criticizing Iran on Facebook. Two days later, his mom called. Security agents had arrested his father in his home in Tehran and threatened him by saying his son could no longer safely return to Iran. “When they arrested my father, I realized the email was no joke,&#... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056613 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:34:35 +0100 3056613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3045069&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FCr7W4koA5Kw%2F Image Courtesy of Vintage Roadside’s @ Flickr Did the word “free” in the title grab your attention? We live in the internet age, where we’re growing more and more accustomed to getting things for free. Whether it’s information from blogs and online newspapers, services like email and Twitter, or images, videos and music tracks, it’s all free and it’s there for the taking. The problem is, “free” could be costing you a lot more than you think. “Free” Short-Circuits Your Brain In his book Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely discusses the power of “free” – and how it seems to short-circuit our logical thinking: In one trial of one study we offered students a Lindt Truffle for 26 cents and a Hershey’s Kiss for 1 cent and observed the buying behavior: 40 percent ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3045069 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:41:01 +0100 3045069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3015483&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FL66oOPpGi4k%2F Image Courtesy of Jimheid/Flickr I spent last weekend on retreat, taking 48 hours out of my life to get away to a secluded countryside retreat center where I could have a chance to rest, relax and reflect. This opportunity made me think about what types of time we have in our lives: all hours are not necessarily equal, and time management advice doesn’t always address this. These are six key types of time which we need: Creative and productive Physically energetic and active Playful and entertaining Learning and developing Reflective and spiritual Restful and relaxing Do you have a gut feeling for which sorts of time you tend to focus on – and which you might be neglecting? Creative and Productive This type of time is the sort which much advice focuses on. It’s the time in ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3015483 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:08:11 +0100 3015483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2989440&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FbhQbjCHvsao%2F I’ll bet you’ve got a number of started or almost-started projects that you’d love to do. Perhaps you dream of starting your own business, writing a novel, learning a foreign language, or taking a qualification. Or maybe you want to get the attic cleared out, organise your files, or repaint the hallway. It could even be that you know you need to take the time to exercise, meditate or journal … but you never get around to it. The problem is, your life is already full, and you end up busy with all the day-to-day things, unable to find time for what you really want to do. Here are some ways to make the time that you need: Use Your First Hour How often have you told yourself that you’ll get to your big project or your novel or your spring cleaning once everything else is done? An... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2989440 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:56:20 +0100 2989440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2985105&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FbhQbjCHvsao%2F I’ll bet you’ve got a number of started or almost-started projects that you’d love to do. Perhaps you dream of starting your own business, writing a novel, learning a foreign language, or taking a qualification. Or maybe you want to get the attic cleared out, organise your files, or repaint the hallway. It could even be that you know you need to take the time to exercise, meditate or journal … but you never get around to it. The problem is, your life is already full, and you end up busy with all the day-to-day things, unable to find time for what you really want to do. Here are some ways to make the time that you need: Use Your First Hour How often have you told yourself that you’ll get to your big project or your novel or your spring cleaning once everything else is done? An... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2985105 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:56:20 +0100 2985105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2954833&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FJnbjp0yexqw%2F We’ve all been there: the alarm goes off, we’re feeling groggy, reach out and slap it to snooze. Five minutes later, the same things happens. We switch the alarm off again. The thought of getting out of bed seems like way too much effort. We know that, once we get up, we have to launch into the day – that to-do list we made last night, those  chores that need doing… If you have to get yourself up to get to work by 8am, you’ll manage it. But if you work for yourself, if you’re a student, or if it’s the weekend, it can be a lot tougher. Why do we end up talking ourselves into staying in bed … even when, if we think about it rationally, we’d much rather be getting on with something than going through the alarm-snooze-alarm-snooze cycle of supremely low-quality sleep... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2954833 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:41:43 +0100 2954833 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927600&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FEPMhexaVKKw%2F Bob was a normal sort of guy. One day, he set the goal of making a million dollars. He took a job in sales because he figured that was the quickest way to get there. And, after a few years of hard and determined work, he did. Bob’s a success, right? Bob’s the guy we all want to be – whether we’re in sales, or in a big company, or working for ourselves. But – here’s the rest of Bob’s story. During his time on the road, he barely saw his wife and kids. He missed them, sure, but he thought there’d be plenty of time for them after he’d got that money safely in the bank. Bob didn’t pay any attention to what he ate. He didn’t have time to exercise. He barely had time to eat. He made that million, but in the process, he severely compromised his health – and lost his famil... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927600 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:21:39 +0100 2927600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920514&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FZPEYJagoUQs%2F In Western society, we often think of “learning” in very narrow terms: it’s what we do in school, and once we’ve got our college degree, the learning phase is over – it’s time to work. Of course, things aren’t really that black and white: we carry on learning after we’ve left school, and not just in our careers but in every aspect of our lives. And learning often doesn’t equate to taking qualifications or passing exams. Approached the right way, learning isn’t a process of ticking boxes on a curriculum or course outline – it’s about exploration, growth and enrichment. Learning Adds Depth to Your Life For me, the primary reason to keep learning new things is because I enjoy it. It’s not quite the same enjoyment that I get... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920514 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:25:16 +0100 2920514 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2908930&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FhUBiSJscjRE%2F Some mornings, you don’t want to get out of bed. Your goals and projects don’t fire you with enthusiasm – they make you feel exhausted. It seems like you’ve been working on them forever, and you still have a long way to go. You feel like you’re beating your head against a brick wall. You’re not making progress – or you’re forcing yourself onwards with gritted teeth, if you are. This happens with all sorts of goals in different areas of life: You dread going to the gym because you’re finding it so boring You can’t face spending another evening working on your side business Your garage is still full of junk, even though you’ve spent several weekends trying to clear it Your novel is languishing in a bottom desk drawer You’re swamped by books and papers and journals fo... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2908930 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:22:23 +0100 2908930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2891034&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FeKbcK99oMic%2F Do you feel as though you’d accomplish so much more in your life if it wasn’t for all the obstacles in your way? Perhaps you’ve started on the journey towards numerous goals over the past few years … only to get knocked off course by all sorts of things. If you’ve ever been on a diet, you might have faced obstacles like a vacation, Thanksgiving dinner, a box of chocolates, a busy or draining week… If you’ve tried to write a book, your obstacles might have been social obligations, a lack of time or space to sit down and concentrate, no feedback or support… If you’ve never managed to save up as much money as you’d like, you may have come up against obstacles like your car breaking down, invitations to pricy events, the irresistible impulse buy, or the expenses... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2891034 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:48:11 +0100 2891034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886797&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FgMIxGeMM50E%2F I’m a professional writer. I work for blogs and the occasional magazine, and in the past I’ve written for clients who wanted website copy. My fiction has also been published, including a couple of competition prizes. Small successes, perhaps; but even these wouldn’t have happened without a strong level of writing confidence. Since I write for a number of blogs, I often get questions from would-be writers. Something which crops up frequently is a lack of confidence. Many (surprisingly good) writers never send pieces to an editor, or agonise over every post they write on their own blog. It doesn’t need to be that way. Good writing isn’t the preserve of a few lucky individuals – after all, none of us were born able to write! And, in the 21st century, many stifl... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886797 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:59:13 +0100 2886797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2872102&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FJ9ycI2qHBUk%2F Right now, how many goals do you have? How many big projects and ventures are you involved with? Whether they’re related to your career, your family, your community activities or your personal life, have a quick think through them. If you’re like most people, chances are you have too many goals – and you’re not going to see as much success as you’d like. In general, the fewer goals you have at any one time, the more likely you are to succeed in meeting them all. Limit Your Goals – Don’t Limit Your Potential Most of us have been through times when we’ve tried to do it all at once. Sometimes, this actually works: a health scare encourages us to turn our life around – everything from our eating habits to our career. (Jonathan Fields shares his story i... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2872102 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:33:34 +0100 2872102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842841&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2Fiwj-juYxRdM%2F There’s one crucial relationship in your life that I’m pretty sure you’re neglecting. And if you’re one of those people who gives a lot of themselves to others and always drops everything to give a friend a hand, you’re definitely neglecting it. Nope, it’s not your relationship with your partner, your mom, or even your kids. Important as those are, this is even more crucial. It’s a relationship I can guarantee you’ll have from the day you’re born till the day you die. It’s your relationship with yourself. So often, the one person in life who we criticise, judge, condemn and ignore is ourself. We decide that our needs don’t matter. If everyone else in our life walked out, this one relationship would be all we had left. And wh... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842841 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:27:13 +0100 2842841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807917&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FA9gtvC5SpA8%2F Image courtesy of LittleStar If you’re reading Pick the Brain, it’s a fair bet that you have goals. You might even have written them down. Perhaps you read them every day, or have them pinned to a notice-board. How many of those goals are materialistic ones? How many are focus on a dollar amount or a particular purchase? I’ve been reading a book by Jack Canfield recently, and while I’ve found plenty of good advice in it, I’ve also been a little disturbed at times by his seeming equation of “success” with money and material goods: Here are the life purpose statements of some of my friends. It is important to note that they have all become self-made millionaires through the fulfilment of their life purpose. (Jack Canfield, The Success Principles, pg30 in UK edition) It’s a co... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807917 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:00:43 +0100 2807917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734307&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FrIJr-_D4W7Q%2F Many of us have a tendency to spend money frivolously. I’m not talking about the rare folk who run up insane credit card debts on things they just can’t afford – but people like you. Maybe you always come out of the grocery store with a few things you don’t need … and which eventually end up in the trash. Maybe you can’t resist buying new books, even though there’s a great library nearby. Maybe you end up buying things online when you’re surfing the net in the evenings. Spending money unnecessarily is just a habit – but it’s one that can be detrimental to your financial goals. Here are five things you can do to break that habit and take back control of your spending. 1.    Always Use Cash If you find that every time you go to the mall, you end up with a few more ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734307 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:11:31 +0100 2734307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2678907&cid=t_307615_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F7XQnvt11AqQ%2F Do you always think the best of people – or do you think the worst? It’s so easy to make assumptions and to find ourselves falling into a judgmental or critical frame of mind – both about people we know well (like family members) and about complete strangers. So why worry about changing your thoughts? So long as you don’t go around being verbally or physically abusive towards others, what does it matter what you think of them? The danger of letting yourself think angrily or negatively about others is that the thoughts tend to rebound on you: your internal voice will start to be more self-critical. Plus, your relationships will suffer; perhaps you won’t make contact with a potential new friend, just because you had a bad first impression, or you might find yourself unable to patch... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2678907 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:58:48 +0100 2678907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645328&cid=t_307615_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2FQiLmgUY0bmI%2F Separated at birth - Margot... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645328 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:20:47 +0100 2645328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2610970&cid=t_307615_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2FQiLmgUY0bmI%2F Separated at birth - Margot... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2610970 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:20:47 +0100 2610970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441525&cid=t_307615_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2FMYRT6yfMEEs%2F Guess the chiclet... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441525 Thu, 28 May 2009 04:15:14 +0100 2441525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405033&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FJ3_UiV5SNg8%2F The Senate Judiciary Committee hearings produced an ugly picture of the role torture played in interrogating Al Qaeda leaders. The testimony of former FBI agent Ali Soufan shows how traditional intelligence techniques worked on Abu Zubaydah and “enhanced” techniques did nothing to advance national security interests: Immediately after Abu Zubaydah was captured, a fellow FBI agent and I were flown to meet him at an undisclosed location. We were both very familiar with Abu Zubaydah and have successfully interrogated al-Qaeda terrorists. We started interrogating him, supported by CIA officials who were stationed at the location, and within the first hour of the interrogation, using the Informed Interrogation Approach, we gained important actionable intelligence. We were once again... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405033 Wed, 13 May 2009 20:01:58 +0100 2405033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2398599&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2vaYXbmgKcE%2F We want to talk to the Afghans about corruption.  They want to talk to us about killing civilians. Reports the London Times: Up to 100 civilians, including women and children, are reported to have been killed in Afghanistan in potentially the single deadliest US airstrike since 2001. The news overshadowed a crucial first summit between the Afghan President and Barack Obama in Washington yesterday. President Obama, after White House meetings with President Karzai of Afghanistan and Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistani President, pledged “every effort to avoid civilian casualties” in the war against the extremists. His comments followed the expression of deep regret by Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, during an earlier appearance with Mr Karzai in Washington. News of the airstrike... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2398599 Thu, 07 May 2009 12:36:26 +0100 2398599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2389847&cid=t_307615_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2FEGcobwUTLMg%2F Want to know how to magically... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2389847 Tue, 05 May 2009 14:21:31 +0100 2389847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382262&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcaICLqS9N7s%2F Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri pleaded guilty to conspiring with al Qaeda leaders to commit acts of terrorism yesterday.  He could be sentenced up to 15 years in prison, though he has spent nearly half that awaiting trial and may get credit for the time already served. Al-Marri was an exchange student who arrived in the United States on September 10th, 2001 as an al Qaeda sleeper agent.  Read the government’s declaration of facts used to detain him.  This is the stuff of movies; the FBI took a dangerous man off the streets when it arrested him. Unfortunately, the government took him out of the criminal justice system and asked that the charges against him be dismissed with prejudice (meaning that they cannot be re-filed in the future).  He became a domestically detained enemy combatan... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382262 Fri, 01 May 2009 15:23:19 +0100 2382262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2284347&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FjcbiBWG_GLw%2F Hoping to derail the re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President Obama today gave an unprecedented appeal to the Iranian people in a special video message. In it, he offers a “new beginning” of engagement to end the nearly 30 years of hostile bilateral relations.  This video comes less than a month after the administration wrote a letter to the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamene’i, who, as opposed to Ahmadinejad, truly controls the apparatus of government and has the final say on the country’s nuclear ambitions. Khamene’i sent a congratulatory letter to Obama after he won the presidency.  My colleague, Justin Logan, has written extensively on U.S. policy toward Iran, such as here and here, to name a few. He argues — a... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2284347 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:08:22 +0100 2284347 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2270277&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F-y1gVavF3_w%2F Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, the exchange student from Qatar who was detained by the FBI with alleged ties to al-Qaeda, sat for years in a military brig in South Carolina as the only domestically detained enemy combatant. The Bush Administration used al-Marri to test a legal theory aimed at keeping suspected terrorists in military prisons indefinitely. President Obama has reversed that ruling, and has moved al-Marri into civilian courts. The Supreme Court is no longer hearing al-Marri’s appeal. In Monday’s Cato Daily Podcast, Legal Policy Analyst David Rittgers says that there’s nothing that will stop future administrations from again reversing the policy. This is creating this legal cul-de-sac where we can have military detention domestically…and the reason that they... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2270277 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:08:11 +0100 2270277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2172728&cid=t_307615_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2F535645057%2F Many people consider Lindsay... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2172728 Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:06:28 +0100 2172728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1552949&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F2008%2F06%2F28%2Firan-nuclear-watch-iran-will-play-disrupt-gulf-oil-route-card%2F Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) shakes hands with General Yahya Rahim Safavi — the former chief of the Revolutionary Guards — while his newly-appointed successor General Mohammad Ali Jaafari looks on during a meeting in Tehran. Khamenei pledged that Iran will never yield to Western pressure over its nuclear program, and it would outsmart “drunken and arrogant” Western opponents in the standoff. (September 2007) In a shocker, Iran says if it is attacked that they will disrupt Persian Gulf Oil routes and attack neighboring states that support the attackers. The Revolutionary Guards said Iran would impose controls on shipping in the vital Gulf oil route if Iran was attacked and warned regional states of reprisals if they took part, a newspaper reported on Saturday. Fear of an escalation in... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1552949 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:40:41 +0100 1552949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1375069&cid=t_307615_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F04%2F15%2Fali-is-the-first-female-biggest-loser%2F Well, we have a winner…and she’s female! Moments ago, Ali became the first female winner ever on NBC’s The Biggest Loser. With a total of 112 pounds dropped in a 6 month period, Ali does not look the teensiest bit like her old self. She now looks fit, healthy and happy as can be. The thing that strikes me most about Ali is her “In It To Win It” attitude. She said she was going to be the first female Biggest Loser, and by golly, she was. That seems to be a key to long-term weight loss. You have to become the person you want to be, instead of just thinking of becoming that person. To do so, of course, takes effort each day, one day at a time. Small things here and there add up to make a giant difference. And while it’s unlikely that the majority of us will... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1375069 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:16:46 +0100 1375069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=966878&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D5760 US Vice President Dick Cheney speaks to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy annual Weinberg Founders Conference in Lansdowne, Virginia. Cheney said the United States and its allies would not permit Iran to get nuclear weapons and warned of “serious consequences” if it continues to enrich uranium. Cheney: US will not let Iran go nuclear The United States and other nations will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday. “Our country, and the entire international community, cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills its grandest ambitions,” Cheney said in a speech to the Washington Institute for Near East Studies. He said Iran’s efforts to pursue technology that would allow them to build a nuclear weap... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=966878 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:33:17 +0100 966878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=658628&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D5067 Cox & Forkum: Party Crasher Moscow could aim nuclear weapons at targets in Europe as part of “retaliatory steps” if Washington proceeds with building a missile defense system on the continent, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday. Speaking to foreign reporters days before he travels to Germany for the annual summit with President Bush and the other [...] (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=658628 Wed, 06 Jun 2007 01:17:24 +0100 658628 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=650612&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D5046 Iran’s nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, right, shakes hand with Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief at Quinta palace in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, May 31, 2007. Both sides are in Madrid to discuss Iran’s disputed nuclear program. Iran stalls again. The quotes: “The issue is that any Iranian civilian nuclear program really can’t have the fuel cycle [...] (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=650612 Sat, 02 Jun 2007 03:45:55 +0100 650612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=644613&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D5029 Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani speaks to the press at Mehrabbad airport in Tehran. Larijani said Iran would not halt uranium enrichment, on the eve of talks with the EU foreign policy chief over Iran’s controversial nuclear programme. Iran continues to stall as they develop their uranium enrichment program (nuclear weapons development) and ignores United [...] (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=644613 Wed, 30 May 2007 19:01:10 +0100 644613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=544262&cid=t_307615_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2F109133740%2F I found out about Ali Baba via del.icio.us and a quick blog search showed that Joerg has already mentioned it before. So what is Ali Baba? According the the website “Ali Baba parses PubMed abstracts for biological objects and their relations as discussed in the texts. Ali Baba visualizes the resulting network in graphical form, thus presenting a quick overview over all information contained in the abstracts.” There is a lot more detail about the kind of information available on the About page. The list of features is quite large and appears to be quite useful. For example, you can visualize the known or suspected genes associated with Parkinson’s disease using a simple query like “parkinson disease genetic cause”. The result is the following graph The appli... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=544262 Sun, 15 Apr 2007 01:50:49 +0100 544262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=530749&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D4731 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaks at a ceremony in Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, 300 kms 186 (miles) south of capital Tehran, Iran, Monday April, 9, 2007. Iran announced Monday that it has begun enriching uranium with 3,000 centrifuges, a dramatic expansion of a nuclear program that has drawn U.N. sanctions and condemnation from [...] (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=530749 Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:38:04 +0100 530749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=524091&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D4714 Leading Seaman Faye Turney shares a joke at Heathrow Hostages reunited with family after 14-day ordeal After 13 days of fear and worry, the 15 British sailors and marines held captive in Iran were finally reunited with their families today. The 14 men and one woman arrived by Sea King helicopter at Royal Marines Base Chivenor, near [...] (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=524091 Fri, 06 Apr 2007 03:35:13 +0100 524091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=519832&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D4709 AP: Britain calls for direct talks with Iran Britain called for direct talks with Iran over 15 captive Britons Tuesday after speaking for the first time with the chief Iranian negotiator. The announcement followed the sudden release of an Iranian diplomat in Iraq that raised new hope in resolving the standoff. In a statement late Tuesday, Prime [...] (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=519832 Wed, 04 Apr 2007 10:38:05 +0100 519832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=517531&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D4706 A technician works in the control room at the uranium conversion facility in Isfahan, 450 km south of Tehran, February 3, 2007. Russia’s leading nuclear scientist said on Monday that it was just a question of time before Iran developed a nuclear weapon and it should be stopped. ABC News: Iran Nuclear Bomb Could Be Possible [...] (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=517531 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 07:52:03 +0100 517531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=473805&cid=t_307615_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D4589 Update: Deal Reached on U.N. Sanctions Vs. Iran An Iranian technician works at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facilities (UCF), February 2007. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said the UN Security Council lacked any legitimacy, as the world body prepared a second package of sanctions over Iran’s disputed nuclear programme. AP: World powers agree on new Iran sanctions A proposed new [...] (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=473805 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:00:04 +0100 473805