Over its more than 1,100-year history, the Alhambra in Granada Spain was nearly destroyed four times. A reverence for the cultural significance and awe for the physical magnificence of the palace/fortress stopped its destruction. Today more than three million people a year have the chance to experience this unique World Heritage Site.
How to Be a Happy Husband
What is the secret of being a happy husband? The author offers suggestions from his own considerable experience. Research shows that husbands are happiest when they let their wives influence them.
Senescence: Killing Zombie Cells May Slow Aging
Some cells in the body stop dividing and remain active. They damage tissue and lead to aging-related diseases. Researchers have found that killing these "zombie" cells can restore tissue, help the body resist disease, and increase health span and life longevity.
The Chance to Be Free
After being booted out of his second marriage, the author faced a choice. He could move in the same direction, creating a swath of suffering, or he could take his life into his hands and learn to care for himself. He had the chance to be free.
How to Be in the Moment As Much as Possible
Staying in the moment is almost cliche. But it is the key to being happy. What are some simple, natural cues we can use in our bodies and minds to bring us back, over and over, to the truth of the moment?
What to Know About Hearing Loss
Loud noise is part of everyday life. Loud noise is also a serious health risk. Once hearing is damaged or lost, it cannot be restored. What are the signs of hearing loss? What can you do to prevent it?
How to Live Mindfully With Chronic Pain
The author returned from traveling with a pinched nerve in his neck. As the pain turned permanent, he embraced it, believing that moving toward the pain strengthens us while making us softer. When we make pain our ally, we find gratitude and an appreciation for life.
Published in Elephant Journal
The City of Arts and Sciences,
Valencia, Spain
The author toured The City of Arts and Sciences, an entertainment-based, cultural and architectural complex in Valencia, Spain. The City of Arts and Sciences is the most modern tourist destination in Valencia, and one of the 12 treasures of Spain. The complex is comprised of six stunning, state of the art buildings, the designs of which are abstract, yet based on natural forms
Kindness Toward My Father
When his aging father asked for help, the author faced a dilemma. Given their troubled history, he had every right to say no. But was that the person he wanted to be? The choice he made led him to his true self.
Published in The Kindness Blog
What is the Sound of One Hand Clapping?
Hakuin Ekaku transformed fear into realizing that compassion for others is life's purpose. To awaken to this truth, Hakuin faced doubt in his mind, meditating on conundrums. He created one of the greatest of all: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" Hakuin, who lived near Japan's Mount Fuji in the eighteenth century, advocated discipline and living a virtuous life.
"Be Sure to Take Folic Acid," the Good Doctor Said
The neurologist said if you take nothing else, be sure to take folic acid. Why folic acid? Is it good for the brain, or just good for you in general? Folic acid helps cells with their chemical processes. It forms and grows red blood cells. Lack of folic acid can cause serious and lethal health problems. But the question remains: what does folic acid have to do with the brain?
Stupid Traffic Laws in the United States
Did you know it is against the law to drive blindfolded in Alabama? In Florida, if you have an elephant, goat, or alligator attached to your car, you must feed the parking meter. Every state in the Union has on its books silly and outdated traffic laws. Here is a conpendium of 60 ridiculous traffic laws in the U.S. of A.
We Eat Too Much Salt
(Potassium Can Help)
We each eat about three pounds of salt a year, nearly twice as much as we should. Too much sodium (salt) causes high blood pressure and kidney problems. Potassium interacts with sodium to lower our risk of cardiovascular disease. Fewer than two percent of us take in enough potassium. Too little potassium leads to problems with our muscles, breathing, and digestion. Think whole, unprocessed foods.
The Woman Who...Series
The Woman Who
Invented Computer Programming
Daughter of poet, Lord Byron, Ada Lovelace studied mathematics from age four. Ada's lineage and natural brilliance put her in the company of prominent scientists. She became a colleague of mathematician Charles Babbage, who developed a computer called the Analytical Engine. Ada provided an algorithm that is considered the first computer program. Ada is seen as the first computer programmer.
The Woman Who Was a Comet
Maria Mitchell was America's first professional female astronomer. In 1847, she discovered "Miss Mitchell's Comet," which won her a gold medal from the King of Denmark and instant fame. During her illustrious career, Maria added immensely to the field of astronomy, was hired as the first professor at Vassar College in 1865, and opened doors to women in science and in life.
The Woman Who Created a Monster
Mary Shelley wrote the Gothic/Horror novel, Frankenstein, when she was nineteen. Although the book is one of the most famous novels ever published, Shelley long lived under the shadow of her famous poet husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Mary Shelley's life was filled with triumph, love, and horrible loss. She has emerged in modern times as a gifted writer and original genius in her own right.
The Woman Who Kept Her Seat
In 1884, Ida B. Wells was removed from a train for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman. She wrote a newspaper article reporting on her mistreatment. As an investigative journalist, Wells exposed the occurrences and causes of the lynching of black citizens in the post-Civil War South. She worked relentlessly as a crusader to improve the lives of African Americans in the United States.
The Woman Who Found the West
Sacagawea traveled five thousand miles through wilderness with her infant son as a member of Lewis and Clark's exploration of the Louisiana Territory and trailblazing to the Pacific Ocean. Her natural skills, knowledge, and resourcefulness ensured the survival and success of the Expedition. Sacagawea is a face of the women's rights movement and one of the most honored women in American history.
The Woman Who Would Not Take No
Upon graduation from college, Patsy Takemoto Mink was refused admission to medical school because she was a woman. So, she went to law school. No law firm in Honolulu would hire her because she was a woman, so she ran for Congress. She was the first Asian-American woman and the first minority woman to serve. In her 14 terms, she helped pass major legislation, including the Title IX Amendment.
The Woman Who Painted The Last Supper
When Sister Plautilla Nelli entered a convent in 1548 at age 14, the friar encouraged her to paint devotional works of art. She was the first known Renaissance women painter in Florence, Italy. Florence has the richest tradition in the world of paintings of The Last Supper. In the 1570s, Nelli added her masterwork, as the first woman to paint the subject. Giorgio Vasari called Nelli a virtuosa.
The Woman Who Schooled Spies
Vera Atkins was an officer in British Intelligence during World War Two. She worked in the French Section of the Special Operations Executive to train women and men to parachute into France behind Nazi lines. Atkins recruited, trained, dispatched, and tracked her secret agents. After the war, she established the causes of death of 117 agents who did not return, including 14 women agents.