tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-337575742024-03-13T11:57:32.843+00:00Brett Jordan's two penn'orthMy half-baked, biased and flawed opinions on a range of life issuesBrett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-91492301899201797842007-12-20T08:08:00.000+00:002007-12-19T22:30:16.418+00:00That's all folks!Just a quick note to say that I'm winding-up this blog for an indefinite period of time. If you're a regular visitor, thanks for stopping by. I'm leaving it online, so articles will still be 'findable'.I will be continuing my online presence via my primary blog and my Flickr site.------------Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-53836912707281547132007-12-18T08:10:00.000+00:002007-12-18T08:25:16.859+00:00Christmas holidaysI used to think that the Christmas break would be a brilliant time to 'get things done', read that novel, write that article.It never happened. The things didn't get done. The novel wasn't opened. The article was not typed. And I got frustrated.So now I 'go with the flow'. I eat and drink too much. I talk with friends and family. I watch TV. I get a lot of sleep. I enjoy Christmas a lot more and Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-38035756726819877202007-12-13T08:10:00.000+00:002007-12-13T07:39:11.293+00:00Avoiding stagnationWithout mental and physical challenge, humans become enervated and depressed. But a surplus of either can lead to similar symptoms. Maintaining a cycle of various kinds of activity and rest will help to keep your body and mind working efficiently.STRESSWhen our muscles and bones are stressed beyond their usual capacity, minor damage occurs at a cellular level. When we are mentally stressed, Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-1995252103859940022007-12-11T08:00:00.000+00:002007-12-11T07:52:47.014+00:00Keeping up with the newsThe Week reports:"Few of us have time to read one newspaper from cover to cover, let alone the hundreds of newspapers and magazines published in the UK and overseas every week. Britain's daily and Sunday newspapers amounts to around 5,800 pages. Almost ten million words. Every week."So, keeping up to date with what's happening - and understanding all the issues behind the headlines - is difficultBrett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-37682477447167321192007-12-06T05:43:00.000+00:002007-12-06T07:57:58.938+00:00Don't multi-task, switchWhenever possible, prioritise the jobs you have to do, and do them one at a time.You'll do them better, quicker and with less stress.------------Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-90303900926299724912007-12-04T08:06:00.000+00:002007-12-04T08:10:46.258+00:00In search of the perfect penMy favourite writing implement is a battered old Sheaffer fountain pen. I've got other more expensive fountain pens, but none of them have the correct 'balance', write as smoothly or deposit such a heavy density of ink.The problem with the Sheaffer is that (like most fountain pens) it requires regular refilling and cleaning. And it doesn't enjoy travelling. It can also be temperamental in its inkBrett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-29427017097121829082007-11-29T08:46:00.000+00:002007-11-29T09:06:27.338+00:00JournallingJournal keeping is a good way of collecting your thoughts and feelings.- Fill in the top of each day's entry with the day, date, time.- Write whatever you are feeling, don’t hold back anything.- Keep your journal safe from prying eyes. - Try and write something every day. - You can write as if praying to God, talking to yourself, or to no one in particular, the important thing is that you write!-Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-69031227661907116972007-11-27T08:43:00.000+00:002007-11-27T08:46:25.869+00:00Planning for next yearMost new year resolutions are made in a haze of over-indulgence. Which is why they usually consist of vague plans to eat less and exercise more.Why not schedule a couple of hours in the next couple of weeks, get a writing implement and some paper, look back on this year, and work out some goals for next year.- Make measurable, achievable goals.- Don't make too many.- Make them over a variety of Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-905786602272583502007-11-22T08:00:00.000+00:002007-11-22T08:42:11.354+00:00DDT - busting some mythsaei.org reports: [edited]DDT is probably the single most valuable chemical ever synthesized to prevent disease. It has been used continually in public health programs over the past sixty years and has saved millions from diseases like malaria, typhus, and yellow fever. Despite a public backlash in the 1960s, mainstream scientific and public health communities continue to recognize its utility andBrett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-59679818140842487302007-11-20T08:16:00.000+00:002007-11-20T08:22:55.738+00:00Hate me all you like...but Christmas is just 5 weekends away.If you celebrate Christmas (or are forced to celebrate Christmas), then now is the time to start making lists (and checking them twice) of people to send cards to, buy presents for, etc.And to buy cards, and to start writing them, a few each evening, rather than having to spend a tedious day (or two) writing them in one go.And if you haven't got loads left Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-16621572939960265302007-11-15T14:39:00.000+00:002007-11-15T09:05:06.360+00:00The power of twoRegular exercise can be a lonely and dispiriting business. Whatever the ads show you, it's not all smiles and vitality. An awful lot of it is about turning up and getting it over and done with.Exercising at home is an attractive prospect, with no gym fees or travelling required. However, the majority of home gym equipment gets a week of usage before gathering dust in the corner of a bedroom or Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-20605178163596518192007-11-13T08:37:00.000+00:002007-11-13T08:40:07.419+00:00Kitchen Essentials #1: The 1 Litre Pyrex JugApart from its primary use as a measuring/pouring device, the 1 litre Pyrex jug makes an excellent microwave receptacle. Being made of glass, baked beans and curry won't permanently stain it. The glass handle remains cool enough to remove the jug from the microwave one-handed without scalding your hand.Its squat form factor means it is unlikely to topple.You can see the contents, allowing you to Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-9285700463213762682007-11-08T08:27:00.000+00:002007-11-08T08:31:18.834+00:00Keeping things in perspectiveLife involves struggle. For most people reading this blog, it's far less of a struggle than for the majority of the people on this planet. However, we all have days when life seems particularly difficult. Here's a simple checklist to help put things in perspective.- Stop what you're doing.- If possible, go outside.- Fill your lungs with air. Slowly breathe out. Repeat.- Consciously relax your Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-3773935847544681952007-11-06T08:12:00.000+00:002007-11-06T08:13:10.652+00:00Kill the apostrophe?As someone who loves words, this web site made me think...kill the apostrophe reports: [edited]"This website is for those who want to remove the apostrophe from the English language, on the basis that it serves only to annoy those who know how it is supposed to be used and to confuse those who dont."Many of the calls to defend traditional apostrophe usage are little more than unthinking Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-37729609056666284632007-11-01T08:24:00.000+00:002007-11-01T08:38:10.060+00:00Breakfast50g blueberries50g raspberries15g raisins15g almonds15g walnuts1 small appleWashed down with 100ml apple juice, diluted to 300ml.About 400 calories, tasty, a good mix of carbohydrate, fat, protein and micronutrients, and surprisingly filling.------------Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-49645200898482258922007-10-30T08:27:00.000+00:002007-10-30T09:25:09.970+00:00Just in caseThe human body requires a wide range of minerals, vitamins and nutrients if it is to work efficiently. The problem is that no one seems to know exactly what they do, and how much of them we need.People all over the world live full and healthy lives living on simple, unvaried and unsupplemented diets. However, some cultures have diets deficient in certain essential (Japan's population suffer a Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-90778801305010841742007-10-25T06:58:00.000+00:002007-10-25T06:58:23.086+00:00Making a differenceFollowing on from Tuesday's post...Defeating Global Poverty reports: [edited]On Tuesday, I participated in a dinner event sponsored by the Seattle International Foundation featuring Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. His talk included these statistics:- Grameen Bank in Bangladesh is now serving 7.5 million clients (avg. family size of 5 => 35M+ people)- 27,000 staff- 80% of poor in Bangladesh are Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-33404565784020122752007-10-23T07:08:00.000+00:002007-10-23T07:09:46.458+00:00Role models #2: Muhammad YunusDefeating Global Poverty reports: [edited]Muhammad Yunus (along with Grameen Bank, which he founded) has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering work in microcredit. This is a very powerful statement about the power of the microfinance revolution to help alleviate hopeless poverty.Here are some of the things that impress me about Yunus:He is an innovator. The Grameen Bank has Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-1083535308924249112007-10-18T07:14:00.000+00:002007-10-18T07:15:25.777+00:00Obesity cure discoveredThe largest ever UK study into obesity, government-funded and compiled by 250 'experts', has concluded that excess weight is now the norm in our 'obesogenic' [eurrgh!!! Ed.] society.My favourite quote was this one:"Individuals can no longer be held responsible for obesity and government must act to stop Britain 'sleepwalking' into a crisis. Dramatic and comprehensive action is required to stop Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-53768431650103009462007-10-16T07:28:00.000+00:002007-10-16T13:17:39.981+00:00Healthy heels and elbowsAs we age, our skin gradually loses its elasticity. I've never been one to 'bother' with any kind of moisturising regime, but as I entered my forties, I noticed that I was developing 'elephant elbows'. The skin was becoming very dry, with a tendency to crack and (eughh) bleed. And my heels were heading the same way.My good friend Emma recommended I try Body Shop's Hemp Hand Protector cream. I didBrett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-59589728626423002572007-10-11T07:10:00.000+00:002007-10-11T07:15:02.395+00:00Watch your mouthThe five main steps in maintaining good oral hygiene are:Flossing (at least once a day)Done properly this will remove the plaque and particles of food between your teeth, and under the gumline. If you're not sure how to floss properly, a quick Google will provide hundreds of sites eager to show you how.Tooth Brushing (at least once a day)Electric toothbrushes have come down a lot in price over Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-39290403229412859492007-10-09T07:02:00.001+00:002007-10-09T08:30:39.154+00:00TeethHuman teeth are composed of:EnamelEnamel is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance of the body. 96% of enamel consists of minerals, primarily hydroxyapatite (crystalline calcium phosphate). Enamel varies in thickness, up to 2.5mm.DentinSupporting the enamel and forming the majority of the tooth, this porous, yellow-hued material is a mineralised tissue with an organic matrix of Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-84923391593940484412007-10-04T07:14:00.000+00:002007-10-04T07:23:17.342+00:00Indian takeawayDean Mahomet was born in Patna, India in 1759. He moved to England in 1784 after joining the East Indian Company.In 1810 he established the Hindoostan Coffee House at 34 George Street, Portman Square, which was (allegedly) the first Indian restaurant in Britain. In 1812 he declared bankruptcy. Dean was eventually appointed 'Shampooing Surgeon' to King George IV.From this inauspicious start, Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-87751518435706691772007-10-02T07:26:00.001+00:002007-10-02T07:47:41.876+00:00Don't wait until you feel like itSome people adore physical activity. Give them the slightest chance to go for a long walk, or a cycle ride, or a trip to the local swimmerama and they jump at the chance.These people make up about 1% of the population.Most of us would much rather slump.The problem is that the long-term effects of slumping include:- lower energy levels- lower abilities to cope with stress- depression- lower Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33757574.post-74174976960757779212007-09-27T07:54:00.001+00:002007-09-27T09:43:27.871+00:00FruitMost fruits consist of carbohydrates, a small amount of protein and very little fat (Avocados being a notable exception).Fruits also contain dietary fibre, vitamins and micro-nutrients. No one seems to be quite sure how much of these things we need, but we do know that if we don't get any of them, our body suffers.So, fruit is 'good food'. But what very few people dare to say is that fruit is Brett Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07567439475008154845noreply@blogger.com0