Eh? What did he say?
"According to the United Nations, the elderly population of the world is growing at its fastest rate ever," says newly established website Fathom Information Design. "By 2050, there will be more than two billion people aged 60 or over."
How to forget better
"Have you ever found yourself daydreaming and had difficulty remembering what you were doing before the temporary escape? If the answer is yes, then you are normal," reports Rick Nauert for Psych Central News. "Now, new research finds that the memory loss is more pronounced if your mind drifts farther - to memories of an overseas vacation instead of a domestic trip, for example, or a memory in the more distant past. … One practical application of the research might be for people who want to forget about something. 'If there's something you don't feel like thinking about, you're better off remembering a more distant event than a close event, to try to put it out of your mind for a while,' says Peter F. Delaney of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.' "
A singular occurrence
Excitement unexpectedly broke out at a cricket match in Britain, with a fan claiming to have been struck by a meteor. Jan Marszel, 51, and Richard Haynes, 52, were watching Sussex play Middlesex in a County Championship when a 3-inch (7 cm) rock fell from the sky, according to The Daily Telegraph. The rock split in two when it landed close to the pitch. Mr. Marszel, an IT consultant, said: "One piece bounced up and hit me in the chest and the other ended up against the boundary board. It came across at quite a speed - if it had hit me full on it could have been very interesting." The two men kept the chunks and said they would be happy for experts to examine them.
Killer air pollution
"First came news that air pollution from traffic increases the risk of sudden cardiac death among people who have lung or heart disease … Then came news that air pollution might also have a direct relationship with increased risk of suicide," reports Rachel Cernansky for Planetgreen.discovery.com. "An Atlanta-based study, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, found that the traffic pollution is associated with reduced heart rate variability, which in turn increases risk of sudden cardiac death. … As if that's not scary enough, another study, this one in South Korea, has demonstrated a link between suicide and high levels of particulate pollution. New Scientist also reports that 'researchers who in the 1990s linked air pollution to asthma in a large group of Taiwanese children have now found that those with the condition were subsequently more likely to have killed themselves.' "
Skishing
"Fishing hasn't changed much over the years. Then along came Paul Melnyk," writes Christopher Rhoads in The Wall Street Journal. "During a surfcasting tournament [in Montauk, N.Y.]in the mid-1990s, Mr. Melnyk landed a striped bass large enough to be in contention. Then word got around that he was swimming offshore in a wetsuit with a fishing rod when he caught it. The tournament committee responded by banning fish caught while swimming. … Practitioners interviewed agree [Mr. Melnyk]coined the sport's name: 'skishing.' It's a mix of skiing and fishing. The idea is to hook a fish big enough to tow the angler through the water." Among the risks of the pastime are boats and strong currents whipping skishers out to sea. Skishing is typically done at night, when bass are thought to do most of their feeding."
Boxing's kayo
"[W]at causes a knockout? Concussions, and lots of them," Marita Vera writes in Popular Mechanics magazine. "While it often seems as though the effect is caused by a single well-placed shot, it is usually the result of many quick punches. Each punch creates a concussion (technically defined as any head injury that causes a disruption of neurological function), and each concussion brings the boxer closer to a state of darkness. … 'After a brain injury, the heart must supply sufficient blood flow for the brain to repair itself. If the demand outweighs the supply the brain then shuts down and leads to an eventual loss of consciousness,' says Dr. Anthony Alessi, a neurologist and ringside physician for the Connecticut State Boxing Commission. 'That's when I know to end the match, because if we keep going the fighter is going to die.' "
Zip, zap, zop
"Be present in the moment," Zach Ward tells about a dozen people standing in a loose circle inside the DSI Comedy Theatre, reports Mary Cornatzer in The (North Carolina) News & Observer. Then he shouts "Zip," and points at a woman in the circle. "Zap," she answers, pointing to another. "Zop," is the answering call. And so it goes, words flying. Next, after a few deep breaths, they take turns throwing pretend daggers at each other. … Flexibility, thinking on their feet, adapting and reacting to their partners are among the lessons that Mr. Ward teaches not just to aspiring improvisational actors and standup comedians but to professionals who want an edge in the business world.
Thought du jour
"Though courtship turns frogs into princes, marriage turns them quietly back." - Marge Piercy, quoted in the Daily Mail