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People Who Walk On Glass Bridges Shouldn't... that's it!

1/29/2021

Since the beginning the year 2000, humanity and engineering have taken a new step together: Glass bridges and boxes hanging out in space. The newest way to experience beautiful scenery and the wonders of nature and still satisfy the need for an adrenaline rush.

A MESSAGE FROM AMYGDALA
All humans share a tendency to search for new and more complex experiences, and all humans experience fear. While it may feel uncomfortable, fear is your amygdala – a small almond-shaped bundle of neurons in the middle of your brain -- sending
Image Source: you a message that you may be headed for danger.
youtube.com/WVriShkwkc&featuree
Apparently, Thrill Seekers have an unusually high craving for the sensation of new intense experiences, and an insensitive or malfunctioning amygdale. There have always been thrill seekers and risk takers who took on the impossible feats to achieve the exotic new experience. It takes a certain combination of traits and factors to create ultimate thrill seekers like Evel Knievel. For those less driven, we have many extreme sports. Both of these types are likely addicted to adrenaline.

Then there are the rest of us. We have to resort to roller coasters and the like for the adrenaline rush, or if that is too intense, read a fingernail biting book or see a white-knuckle movie that makes you grip the arms of the seat. In other words, we want to experience the emotions and adrenaline rush without the risk.

The operative words being: "without risk".

HANGING OUT IN SPACE
If you can’t fly to space for the ultimate weightless experience, at least you can “hang out in space”. According to engineer Roopinder Tara, “Glass, never the first choice for bridge decks, is nevertheless becoming a thing… Impractical material and impractical bridges, but good entertainment.” Here are a few of the most popular glass bridges.

● Grand Canyon Skywalk
The Americans initiated the trend of walking in space as a tourist attraction with the opening of the Grand Canyon Skywalk in 2007, located at Eagle Point in Arizona near the Colorado River. The Skywalk itself is a bridge shaped liked a horseshoe cantilevered beyond the edge of the west side of the Grand Canyon. The bridge has a glass walkway allowing visitors to look straight down at the vertical drop of 500 to 800 feet.

▲Image source: en.wikipedia.org/Grand_Canyon_Skywalk ▲ Image Source: maverickairlines.com/skywalk-grand-canyon.aspx

The $30 million Skywalk, owned by the Hualapai Indians, is a joint venture between the tribe and David Jin of Las Vegas. Designed by Architect Mark Johnson, the cantilever can bear at least 71 million pounds, withstand winds over 100 miles per hour, and endure an 8.0 earthquake. Capacity is limited to 120 people at a time.

● Tianmen Mountain Cliffside Glass Walkway
The Chinese, with their penchant for bigger, longer, taller, and more dramatic combined with their superb engineering skills, didn’t wait too long to get on trend with a series of glass walkways and bridges that inspire vertigo.

The Tianmen Mountain Cliffside Glass Walkway, Hunan, China, was the first in a series to open to the public in November of 2011. It is certainly the most dramatic. This one virtually clings to the vertical cliffs at an altitude of 4,600 feet above the ground … three Empire State Buildings on top of each other. https://earthtripper.com/glass-walkway-4600-feet

These mountains in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, is the location which inspired part of the Avatar movie. There are three glass walkways in this park.

Image credit: Getty Images
Image Source: www.redbull.com/glass-skywalks

Image Source: boredpanda.com/glass-bridge-tianmen

This portion of the walkway is named the Coiled Dragon Cliff which is only 5.2 feet wide. Still, the walkway is always full of tourists, and most of them 325-foot-long don’t seem to have any fear of heights.

▼This woman is posing herself for a selfie; ▼The other doesn’t seem too sure of thing.

Image Source: boredpanda.com/glass-bridge-tianmen Image Source: weirdasianews.com/2011/glass-bridge

● Dachstein Skywalk
Dachstein Skywalk, Salzburg, Austria, sometimes called the Bridge to Nowhere, is a glass overhang type of structure. Opened in July of 2013, the bridge resides at 8,858 feet in the Alps. Consisting of a glass bottomed viewing platform, a suspension bridge, and the Stairway to Nothingness -- an infeasible looking precipice of 14 steps offers a dramatic view over the Dachstein Glacier.

Source of Images: nina-travels.com/dachstein-sky-walk

● Aiguille Du Midi Glass Box
Opened in December, 2013, this glass box in Chamonix, France, hanging at an altitude of 12,600 feet, is claimed to be the closest you can get to Mont Blanc without crampons. This famous needle, which is one of the highest in Chamonix, has been a tourist destination for more than 60 years.

Now, in just 20 minutes -- after a very long wait, tourists report -- the Aiguille du Midi cable car will take you from the centre of Chamonix into the high mountains to the Aiguille du Midi viewing platform.

Image Credit: B. Delapierre Image Source: darkroom.baltimoresun.com/french-alps
Image Source: redbull.com/8-amazing-glass-skywalks

Stepping into the glass box and looking down makes it worth the wait. There is nothing but 1,000 feet of emptiness under your feet looking down at Bossons Glacier, except for the half-inch-thick triple-layered glass which you won’t even see while you float in the air.

● Haohan Qiao Glass Bridge
Located in Pingjiang in Shiniuzhai National Geological Park, China, this suspension bridge is called Haohan Qiao, which means Brave Man’s Bridge. When it opened in 2015, CNN reported that it swayed a bit but assured readers that the glass panes are 25 times stronger than normal glass and encased in a steel framework. When you are almost 600 feet above the ground, and the nothingness beneath you is moving, that fact is small consolation.
Prior to 2015 there was a bridge made of wood stretching 1,000 foot over the chasm between two mountain peaks.

Image Credit: Geddy Images Images Credit: ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images
Image Source: redbull.com/amazing-glass-skywalks Image Source: latimes.com//la-trb-china-glass-bridge

● Columbia Icefield Skywalk
Located in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, opened in April 2014. Similar to the Grand Canyon overhang, it is also referred to as Glacier Skywalk. The area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

From this U-shaped walkway juts out 100ft from the cliff, giving tourists the thrill of looking straight down 1,000 feet or experiencing the powers of glaciers which formed this part of the Canadian Rockies.

▲ Source of Images: banffjaspercollection.com/columbia-icefield ▲ Image Credit: GETTY Images ▲
Image Source: redbull.com0/amazing-glass-skywalks

● Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge
The Chinese outdid themselves when they constructed the Zhangjiajie glass bridge between two mountain cliffs in central Hunan province. The longest and highest glass bridge in the world, Zhangjiajie is 1,400 feet long, 20 feet wide, and almost 1,000 feet above the canyon below.

The bridge was opened in August, 2016, with a great amount of hoop-la and media events,”including one where people were encouraged to try and smash the bridge’s glass panels with a sledge hammer, and another where they drove a car across it.” theguardian.com/2016/worlds-longest-glass-bridge.

Image Credit: vcg via Getty Images Image Credit: Getty Images
image source: huffingtonpost.com/zhangjiajie-grand-canyon Image Source: redbull.com/amazing-glass-skywalks

Image Credit: vcg via Getty Images
huffingtonpost.com/zhangjiajie-grand-canyon

Unfortunately, the facility was closed just 13 days after it open to the public. A spokesperson from the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon’s marketing and sales department reported to CNN “We’re overwhelmed by the volume of visitors.”

The bridge is made of 99 panels of clear glass, and was designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan to carry 8,000 visitors per day.

The spokesperson said the demand was ten times that. Officials said on Chinese microblogging site Weibo that while there hadn’t been any damage to the bridge, that it was being closed due to the “urgency to improve and update” the facility.

It has since been reopened, if you want to put this on your bucket list. If China is too far, there are many other such glass bridges and boxes springing up around the world. There are also plenty of walkways and suspension bridges which will leave you breathless. You can see from the photo below that the bridge doesn’t need to be glass.

Trift Bridge in Switzerland JUST SAYIN’
Image Source: latimes.com/travel/china-glass-bridge □

Sources:
http://forwarddiving.com/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-choice/201508/can-you-be-addicted-adrenaline
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-sky-walk-ready-bihars-first-glass-bridge-to-offer-great-view-check-pics/367856
https://www.engineering.com/story/glass-bridges-the-new-thrill-ride
https://triponzy.com/blog/glass-bridges-in-the-world/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/resolution-not-conflict/201402/thrill-seeking-what-parts-your-brain-are-involved

https://www.coursera.org/learn/psychology-of-thrill-seekers
https://www.redbull.com/int-en/8-amazing-glass-skywalks
https://www.redbull.com/int-en/8-amazing-glass-skywalks#:~:text=Check%20out%208%20of%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20wonderful%20glass,4%20Tianmen%20Mountain.%205%20Ngong%20Ping%20360.
https://www.capbridge.com/explore/
https://www.menarakl.com.my/index.php/attractions/tower-experience/sky-box
https://visitanf.com/kinzua-sky-walk-kinzua-bridge-state-park/
https://www.onetravel.com/going-places/glass-bottomed-spots/
https://www.weirdasianews.com/2011/11/24/glass-bridge-death-offers-tourists-thrills-chinese-mountains/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon_Skywalk
https://www.traveloffpath.com/the-top-5-most-terrifying-glass-bridges-in-the-world/#:~:text=Top%205%20Terrifying%20Glass%20Bridges.%201%201.%20Zhangjiajie,5%205.%20Glacier%20Skywalk%20-%20Jasper%2C%20Canada.%20
https://www.chinaeducationaltours.com/guide/article-glass-bridges-in-china.htm
https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/8-amazing-glass-skywalks
https://www.chinahighlights.com/zhangjiajie/attraction/zhangjiajie-glass-bridge.htm
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/08/dont-look-down-officials-close-chinese-glass-skywalk-pane-shatters
https://www.chinahighlights.com/zhangjiajie/attraction/zhangjiajie-glass-bridge.htm
https://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/The-glass-bridge-across-China-s-Grand-Canyon-is-12861214.php
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/03/worlds-longest-glass-bridge-closes-for-maintenance-two-weeks-after-opening
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/travel/2017-08/03/content_30341367.htm
http://english.sina.com/news/2017-08-02/detail-ifyiswpt4981113.shtml
http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2013/12/step-into-the-void-french-alps/#1
https://www.boredpanda.com/glass-bridge-tianmen-mountain-zhangjiajie-national-forest-park-hunan-china/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
http://www.nina-travels.com/dachstein-sky-walk-schladming-austria/
https://www.upi.com/News_Photos/Entertainment/Glass-bridge-opens-in-Hunan/fp/9603/
https://www.weirdasianews.com/2011/11/24/glass-bridge-death-offers-tourists-thrills-chinese-mountains/
https://www.altoonamirror.com/life/area-life/2018/04/so-big-so-green-traveling-the-wilds-of-pennsylvania/
https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/attractions/columbia-icefield-skywalk
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/zhangjiajie-grand-canyon-closed_us_57c97c4de4b0a22de09599ca?
https://earthtripper.com/glass-walkway-4600-feet-above-ground-tianmen-mountain/#:~:text=Up%20in%20the%20Tianmen%20Mountain%20there%20is%20a,State%20Buildings%20stacked%20on%20top%20of%20each%20other%21

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ALIEN BEEHIVES: The Bungle Bungle Range

1/22/2021

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Image Credit: Philip Schubert / Shutterstock
Image Source: theatlantic.com/photo-trip-bungle-bungles/

BILLINGJAL
Imagine trekking through the Australian outback and suddenly coming upon landforms that appear to be giant alien beehives. Wow! And we thought we had problems with African killer bees. What creature could have built these monumental hives?

Not to worry. These are only part of the Bungle Bungle Range in Australia’s Purnululu National Park [pronounced as ‘Boornoolooloo]. The hive-looking rock formations are believed to be the result of erosion of a very ancient meteorite crater. Sediment deposited in the crater 350 to 375 million years ago has slowly eroded from wind and rain, carving out these cones and spires of porous conglomerate rock. Hence, its Aboriginal name Billingjal, which means “Sand Falling Away”.

LOCATION: Way Way Out Back
Australia is a big continent. You probably won’t run into Purnululu National Park -- also known as the Bungles National Park -- by accident.

The park is located in a remote area in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. The nearly 600,000 acre national park is located approximately 190 miles south of Kununurra, with Halls Creek located to the south. The national park is managed by the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation in conjunction with the traditional Aboriginal owners. The black dot in the ▼ upper left is the park location. .

By User:Brisbane, User:Martyman - Derivative of File:Northern Territory locator-MJC.png based on
File:Kimberley_region_of_western_australia.JPG and File:Regions_of_western_australia_nine_plus_perth.png., CC BY 3.0,
Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org/

HISTORY
The Aboriginal Karjaganujaru people have occupied this area for 20,000 years. They continue to have a strong relationship with the land and know it well. Much of what is known about the ancient people comes from carvings and burial sites within the caverns, boasting how a civilization could exist for so long unknown to the modern world.

▲ A Dream Time Ceremony ▲Image credit: courtesy Tourism Western Australia▲
Image Source: aboriginal-art-australia.com/aboriginal-dreaming Image source: longhorntours.blogspot.com/archive.html

The Karjaganujaru people, sometimes miscalled the Kija, are part of a small language group of Aboriginal Australians in the East Kimberly area. Kija, also spelled Gija and Gidja, is now spoken by only a few hundred people.

Other than the Aboriginal owners of the land and some locals, the Bungle Bungle Range and its unique landforms were unknown to the rest of the world until 1982 when film-makers arrived to produce a documentary about Kimberley. The area became a National Park in 1987 and was also declared a World Heritage Site in 2003.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Bungle Bungle Range is located on the plains fringing the eastern Kimberley region. Originally, the region consisted of ancient sea beds which over millions of year were covered over by layers of the mineral dolomite. The range is believed to be the eroded remnant of a former impact crater known as the Piccaninny Crater.
Image Source: NASA - Satellite imagery taken from NASA World Wind software (by screenshot)
Image Source: en.wikipedia.org/Piccaninny_crater ▼

The beehive shaped landforms, called bungles, are composed of sandstone and conglomerates, which are rocks composed of pebbles and boulders cemented together by finer material. The domes are located on the edge of the range. Areas of new domes are in the making as erosion continues toward the center of the mass.

Image Credit: ▲ Jon Connel on Flicker [creative commons]
Image Source atlasobscura.com/bungle-bungle-range

Image Credit:▲ Peter Ruckstuhl
Image Source: en.wikipedia.org/Bungle_Bungle_Range

▲Image Credit: Nichollas Harrison - Own work May 2016
Image Source: : theatlantic.com/photo-trip-bungle-bungles

Besides the Bungles themselves there are wonderful caverns and streams to explore, although visitors are strictly controlled. There are organized tours, but most of the area is not accessible for wandering around because of the fragile nature of the environment.

▲Entrance of Echidna Chasm
Image Credit: Philip Schubert / Shutterstock
Image Source: theatlantic.com/photo-trip-bungle-bungles

Cathedral Gorge
Image Credit:Philip Schubert / Shutterstock
Image Source: theatlantic.com/photo-trip-bungle-bungles

THE COLORFUL HIGHLIGHT
The most impressive feature of the bungles is the colored striations of material exposed as erosion and wind have carved the bee hives.

The distinct orange-and-black-ringed pattern running all down the surface of the bungles is caused not only by the conglomerate nature of their make-up but from water getting trapped in denser layers, allowing algae to grow and form the darker colorations.

Image Credit: Nichollas Harrison - Own work May 2016 Image Source: bunglebungleguidedtours.com.au/purnululu
Image Source: en.wikipedia.org/Bungle_Bungle_Range

The darker stripes in the sedimentary rock have a higher clay content and hold enough moisture to support cyanobacteria which grow on the surface, a few millimeters into the rock. This protects the outer layer and helps prevents erosion.

This protective layer is easily displaced. Allowing tourists to scramble around the bungles unsupervised or hike off the trails would result in damage to the protective layer, speeding up the erosion.

▲ Source: bunglebungleguidedtours.com.au/purnululu ▲Image Credit: Cultura Rm/Art - Wolfe Stock/Getty Images
Image Source: redbull.com/surreal-peaks

Composed of Conglomerate rock is composed of rounded to sub-angular gravel-sized fragments of smaller rock broken off other rocks by physical weathering. Most contain fine grained sand sediments like, silt and clay, cemented together by calcium carbonate, iron oxide, silica, or hardened clay.

Since the lighter layers have less clay, they tend to dry quickly. Cyanobacteria grow there without the moisture, so those area lack the protective coating. Without it, the iron in the sandstone oxidizes, creating the rust colored orange striations.

Voilà, we have grey and orange stripped bee hives, another marvel of Mother Nature.

ANOTHER INTERESTING PLACE TO PUT ON YOUR BUCKET LIST.
□
Sources:
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/10/photo-trip-bungle-bungles/599794/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bungle_Bungle_Range
http://www.worldeasyguides.com/australia/purnululu-national-park/
https://www.australiaunwrapped.com/bungle-bungle-range/
https://www.mindat.org/loc-272710.html
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bungle-bungle-range
https://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/bungle-bungles-ranges.html
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/pacific/australia/western-australia/
https://www.aboriginal-art-australia.com/aboriginal-art-library/understanding-aboriginal-dreaming-and-the-dreamtime/
https://www.thekimberleyaustralia.com/
https://bluethumb.com.au/lyn-watts/Artwork/aerial-view-of-purnululu-bungle-bungles-east-kimberley
http://longhorntours.blogspot.com/2012_07_01_archive.html
https://www.redbull.com/int-en/10-surreal-peaks

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bungle-bungle-range#:~:text=These%20Australian%20rock%20formations%20look%20like%20Martian%20beehives,the%20erosion%20of%20a%20very%20ancient%20meteorite%20crater.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1729507-d258795-Reviews-Bungle_Bungle_Range-Purnululu_National_Park_Kimberley_Region_Western_Australia.html

https://www.bunglebungleguidedtours.com.au/about-us/purnululu-national-park-tours/#:~:text=Purnululu%20National%20Park%20Facts%20The%20Bungle%20Bungle%20Range,the%20range%20reaches%20578%20metres%20above%20sea%20level.

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COULD DR. SHELDON COOPER BE WRONG? Eidetic vs. Photographic Memory

1/15/2021

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My family loves The Big Bang Theory sitcom and have watched every episode multiple times.

I believe I have most of them memorized. I’m sure Sheldon could tell us precisely how many… he has an eidetic memory he keep reminding his colleagues and viewers.

Does he? Could he be wrong [God forbid]?

No one can say for sure. Well, they can say it and do, but none of the experts seem to agree. This turns out to be a very contentious question… not about Dr. Cooper, but about the whole phenomenon.

STARTING WITH DEFINITIONS
The very fact that, across the board, there seem to be inconsistencies in dictionary definitions of both terms (eidetic and photographic memory), does not bode well … we’re not discussing an exact science. Some define the terms to be exactly the same; some not quite.

Definition of Eidetic Memory Definition of photographic Memory

Ability to remember things in exact detail.

Collins Dictionary

Ability to remember things in exact detail, as if you can see them

Marked by or involving extra-ordinary accurate and vivid recall especially of visual images

Merriam Webster

An unusual ability to remember things completely and exactly as they were seen, read, etc.

No exact match found for “Eidetic memory. Did you mean: virtual memory, read-only memory?

Oxford Dictionary

The ability to remember things accurately in great detail after seeing them.

The ability to recall an image from memory with high precision for a brief period after seeing it only once, without using a mnemonic devices.

en.wikipedia.org

Referring to the ability to recall pages of text or numbers, or similar, in great detail.

Do we score one point for Sheldon or not?

Apparently Eidetic memory is a real phenomenon, but in relation to images. Dr. Cooper and his writers imply that he can remember everything he ever saw [images and words] and heard. But, sadly, that is not the case. The reader scores three points if he remembers even two of the definitions above.

EIDETIC MEMORY
Eidetic memory is the ability to see an object soon after you look away, some claim in great detail. For most people, the image lasts mere seconds or less than one second; longer for someone who is eidetic.

One of the difference between ordinary mental imagery and eidetic images is the that the eidetic images are externally projected, experienced as "out there" rather than in the mind. This form of memory is controlled primarily by the posterior parietal cortex of the parietal lobe of the brain, the part that processes visual stimuli and retains images.

For most of us, these images are retained only for a few short seconds before being discarded. However, in the case of an eidetic memory “the information is relayed to the short-term memory banks for storage, allowing it to be recalled for days, weeks, or months when it will be discarded or relayed to long-term memory,” according to Nicole
Basley writing for betterhelp.com/advice/memory/. Image Source: shortform.com/photographic-and-eidetic-memory/

Contrary to Beasley’s statement, current scientific consensus says the length of time any memory stays in short-term is 20 to 30 seconds. According to science.howstuffworks.com/ “Short-term memory has a fairly limited capacity; it can hold about seven items for no more than 20 or 30 seconds at a time.” https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/human-memory2.htm

Perhaps individuals with eidetic memory are able to retain memories of images in short term memory for a much longer period of time that the average Joe.

The amount of research in this field is limited and "The Truth" out there may prove to be different some day, but so far eidetic memory is found in 2 to 10% of children from age 6 to twelve, but not in adults.

Author Andres Hudmon suggests that “Children possess far more capacity for eidetic imagery than adults, suggesting that a developmental change (such as acquiring language skills) may disrupt the potential for eidetic imagery.“ psy-minds.com/what-is-eidetic-memory/

Sheldon loses two points.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY
Photographic memory is the ability to recall an image for a much longer period. Merriam Webster’s definition: “Photographic Memory: an unusual ability to remember things completely and exactly as they were seen, read, etc.”

The research on this phenomenon is even less than on eidetic memory. The act of remembering everything ever heard, seen, or smelled forever is not possible, according to scientists. Even using a more restrictive definition of time and capacity, there is no scientific evidence to backup the existence of a photographic memory. Only one case of its existence was recorded in scientific literature, and the research has some holes in it.

Even those who do believe photographic memory exists, concede that individuals with photographic memories may not retain memories for a long period. Most photographic memories only last a few months at most, as they are not relayed to long-term memory. [This last claim makes me wonder how they would know that.]

It appears that photographic Memory is still within the realm of science fiction for now.

HYPERTHYMESIA
Maybe Dr. Cooper’s memory, instead of eidetic, is another case of Hyperthymesia.

Hyperthymesia, called Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, is the condition of possessing an extremely detailed autobiographical memory. People with Hyperthymesia remember an abnormally vast number of their life experiences – some say every day of their lives -- in great detail, as well as public events that are personally significant to them.

There are only 25 people identified with this ability [who are known to science] and one of them is an actress, former Taxi star Marilu Henner. Individuals affected explain their memories as uncontrollable associations when exposed to a trigger; something they see, hear, eat, etc. Once triggered, the memory comes without hesitation or conscious effort.
The condition was not identified, as far as science was concerned, until 2006, by a team of researchers at the University of California who were working with a woman who could recall an impossible number of events in her life, with dates and details. The team discovered that people with hyperthymesia spent an unnaturally long period of time thinking about their past.

Research has shown that although these individuals have remarkable memories about their personal life, they do not demonstrate any unusual powers of memory in other ways. In fact, they often have a poorer than average memory for other information.

TAKE AWAY
We may have a real Dr. Sheldon Cooper with us, nor are we capable, yet, of photographic memories, but never underestimate the power and versatility of the human mind.

Just sayin’.

Sources:
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_memory#:~:text=From%20Simple%20English%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia%20A,somewhat,%20but%20stress%20the%20recall%20of%20visual%20information.

https://brainmanagement.com/the-difference-between-eidetic-memory-and-photographic-memory/#:~:text=There%20is%20no%20difference%20between%20the%20two%20when,would%20be%20the%20visual%20compone

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/memory/difference-between-eidetic-memory-and-photographic-memory/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eidetic_memory
https://theydiffer.com/difference-between-eidetic-and-photographic-memory/
https://www.semicoop.com/comic/eidetic-memory/

https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/23/is-photographic-memory-real-2/#:~:text=So%20in%20the%20end%2C%20photographic%20memory%20is%20real%2C,comment%20on%20this%20post%20and%20talk%20about%20it%21

https://www.magneticmemorymethod.com/eidetic-memory/#:~:text=The%20scientific%20evidence%20in%20support%20of%20eidetic%20memory,had%20it,%20but%20this%20is%20difficult%20to%20prove.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-there-such-a-thing-as/
https://www.shortform.com/blog/difference-between-photographic-and-eidetic-memory/
my.ilstu.edu/~dmmcbri/pics.html

https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/human-memory2.htm
https://psy-minds.com/what-is-eidetic-memory/#:~:text=By%20contrast,%20photographic%20memory%20may%20be%20defined%20as,information%20and%20then%20recite

https://www.godupdates.com/former-taxi-star-marilu-henner-autobiographical-memory/#:~:text=One%20Of%20Twelve%20Marilu%20Henner%20has%20what%E2%80%99s%20called,her%20role%20on%20Taxi,%20which%20aired%20from%201978-1983.

https://www.blogarama.com/arts-and-entertainment-blogs/1282742-fact-everything-blog/20260174-hyperthymesia

http://affinitymagazine.us/2019/01/06/the-real-life-perfect-memory-hyperthymesia/#:~:text=Hyperthymesia%20was%20discovered%20in%202006,%20by%20a%20team,to%20recall%20a%20seemingly-impossible%20number%20of%20personal%20events.

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WHERE DID I LEAVE MY GLASSES? The Differences Between Natural Aging, Dementia and Alzheimer’s

1/8/2021

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HOT TOPICS AT THE SENIOR CENTER
In my age group it isn’t unusual to talk about the trials and tribulations of getting old. In fact, one of the worst parts of aging is that the main topic of conversation is our personal health.
Image Source: fayetteville-ar.gov/

That’s important, but there are other things going on in the world. Every now and then an intellectual conversation would be refreshing. But I digress!

During these conversations it has become apparent to me that many people use interchangeably, and incorrectly, the terms Dementia and Alzheimer’s. I decided to find out the details, primarily so I can correct my contemporaries from a position of knowledge. One of the signs of aging is the diminishing or loss of social “filters”.

Since both the terms Dementia and Alzheimer’s have been around for more than a century, the confusion has no doubt existed a long time as well, presumably because both conditions affect overall memory, cognitive and behavioral aspects of patients.

DEMENTIA
Dementia is an “umbrella” term applied to a collection of symptoms caused by various conditions. It is a syndrome of decline in mental function and most always is irreversible.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause for dementia, accounting for an estimated 60 to 80 percent. However, the second most common cause is vascular dementia a.k.a. high blood pressure. Other types of dementia include:
■ Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
■ Frontotemporal dementia
■ Huntington’s disease
■ Parkinson’s disease
■ Alzheimer’s disease
■ Normal pressure hydrocephalus
■ Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

According to an article on the website pediaa.com/, some forms of Dementia can be caused by vitamin deficiencies or drug interactions. Those types, once identified, can be reversed.
Doctors rely on behavioral changes and symptoms to diagnose dementia, including but not limited to, the following: Image Source: medium.com/difference-between-alzheimers-dementia ▼

■ Disorientation
■ Disorganization
■ Language impairment
■ A change in communication skills
■ Mood and/or Personality Change
■ Memory loss
■ Changing thinking skills
■ Poor judgment and reasoning skills
■ Decreased focus and attention
■ Problems in spatial skills.

Now, doctors generally agree that irritability, depression, and anxiety can be early signs of oncoming dementia.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Alzheimer’s disease is a slowly progressive and fatal deterioration of the brain. Scientists and the medical profession believe the disease has two offenders: the buildup of two proteins in the brain: amyloid beta, which forms plaques on the brains, and tau which, in excess, causes the neurons in the brain to tangle (NFT).

Amyloid Beta Protein
“Amyloid beta monomers (single peptides which are short chains of amino acids) aggregate into soluble oligomers (small aggregates of peptides), which then combine to form insoluble fibrils (long aggregates of peptides) and plaques.”1 medicalnewstoday.com/articles/

The accumulation and formation of plaques is believed to be due to an imbalance in production and inadequate clearance in the brain. These plagues lead to neuro-degeneration before the initial symptoms are noticeable.

◄Image Source: petridishtalk.com/2011/

Tau Protein
Tau is a protein contained within the thread-shaped extension of the nerve cells. In a healthy brain, Tau helps form the necessary structures that transport nutrients within the nerve cells. As part of the disease, these structures crumble into tangles. This prevents the delivery of nutrients to the nerve cells, which then leads to cell death.

Diagram shows two neurons: a healthy cell and a neuron with Alzheimer's disease. Tau hypothesis. Neurofibrillary tangles.

Diagnosis
In the past, the only way to be sure a person had Alzheimer’s was to examine the brain of the deceased patient during an autopsy for the plaques and tangles formed by the disease.

Thanks to advances in medical science, a patient can request a PET scan or cerebrospinal fluid sampling, which can tell with 95% accuracy if tangles and plaques are present.

Unfortunately, since most insurance companies don’t cover either procedure, most people who are candidates as Alzheimer’s patients won’t get the tests. Sad to say, it is still a process of elimination based on symptoms. The signs of dementia usually do not appear in a patient until the mid to later stages Alzheimer’s disease, which means the disease has been progressing for a long time.

WHAT ABOUT NORMAL AGING?
I had always heard that Dementia was what happened to the normal brain when a person got old, but according to my research, that is not the case. Except for blood pressure, Dementia is caused by particular diseases as named above. [Maybe high blood pressure is considered a disease, but I’m not getting into that.]

A hallmark of aging is memory loss, which people tend to associate with both Dementia and Alzheimer’s, but in fact, memory loss does not always accompany those conditions, just as memory problems don’t necessarily indicate dementia.

According to the National Institute on Ageing, “Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. As people get older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. As a result, some people may notice that it takes longer to learn new things, they don't remember information as well as they did, or they lose things like their glasses. These usually are signs of mild forgetfulness, not serious memory problems…"
blog.presbyterianhomes.org/age-related-memory-loss-dementia

Normal Aging Memory Loss
■ Making a bad decision

■ Forgetting what day it is
■Searching for the right word to use during a conversation
■ Forgetting to pay a monthly bill

■ Losing a commonly used item, like keys or glasses
■Forgetting the name of a recently made acquaintance
■ Difficulty driving to a new location
■ Typical mood fluctuations consistent with their personality

Signs of Dementia
■ Consistently demonstrating poor decision-making skills
■ Forgetting what season it is
■ Struggling to maintain a conversation

■ Experiencing problems with managing finances
■ Misplacing things frequently and being unable to locate them within the house
■ Forgetting the name of a close friend or family member
■ Getting lost while driving in familiar places
■ Dramatic mood swings or changes in personality.

There are numerous lists and charts that attempt to convey the difference, primarily for aging seniors and their family to identify symptoms that warrant medical attention. The following is one of the best.

Image Credit: Alzheimer’s Team on Facebook.
Image sources: https://cookwithkathy.wordpress.com/2018/07/26/whats-the-difference-between-dementia-and-alzheimers-disease/
https://kateswaffer.com/2014/12/08/dementia-vs-normal-ageing/

GOOD NEWS!
I’m fairly confident that so far I’m just aging normally and, best of all, I’m armed for the next conversation on the topic. And so are you.
Just Say’in!
□
Sources:
1.Querfurth HW, LaFerla FM. Alzheimer’s disease. N Engl J Med. 2010;362(4):329-344
https://medium.com/aginginbeauty/what-is-the-difference-between-alzheimers-disease-and-dementia-84a571b6b50d
blog.presbyterianhomes.org/difference-age-related-memory-loss-dementia

https://pediaa.com/difference-between-dementia-and-alzheimers/

https://www.sinaihealth.ca/news/whats-difference-alzheimers-disease-dementia/

https://cookwithkathy.wordpress.com/2018/07/26/whats-the-difference-between-dementia-and-alzheimers-disease/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324425#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20hallmarks%20of%20Alzheimer%E2%80%99s%20disease%20is,protein%20helps%20these%20microtubules%20remain%20straight%20and%20strong.
medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ (Alzheimer's: How do tau tangles grow? (medicalnewstoday.com)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/tau

https://petridishtalk.com/2011/05/30/feed-your-head-a%CE%B2-tau-apoe/

http://www.radiantnursing.com/blog/dementia-evaluation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV1BqpOyHmM

https://sites.google.com/a/adrcconnections.org/adrc/dementia-friendly/brain-health

The Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease Begins With Amyloid Beta Accumulation in the Brain | Identify Alzheimer's Disease (AD) - Biogen

identifyalz.com/pathophysiology-of-alzheimers-disease.htm

https://www.medpagetoday.org/geriatrics/alzheimersdisease/15322?vpass=1

https://simplyhealth.today/12-signs-dementia/?utm_source=%2Balzheimer&utm_medium=dementiasymptoms&utm_campaign=bing_us&msclkid=16cd62876edd11f6bc553d6a6d329cdd

https://www.aarp.org/health/dementia/info-2018/difference-between-dementia-alzheimers.html?CMP=KNC-DSO-Adobe-Bing-Health-DementiaSpotlight&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Health_Dementia_Research_Exact&utm_term=dementia%20versus%20alzheimer%27s

https://www.catchitearly.com/?cid=PPC-MICROSOFT-Condition_Information_General_Unbranded_Phrase%7ES%7EPH%7EUB%7ENER%7EHCP%7ECON-alzheimer%27s+disease-NA-p57945689409&gclid=662049bb5e841786ed51164938ee45fe&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=662049bb5e841786ed51164938ee45f

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NEW YEAR HUMOR

1/1/2021

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2021 has arrived at least! The year is welcomed with open arms after 2020. It at least brings new hope. Let’s start it out with humor. Laughter is the best medicine.

JANUARY FIRST
A short poem by Wm. E. Coombs

The dawn of January 1 sheds cold and lonely light
on evidence of a mighty thurst and revelry by night.
But do we sit and rest our weary frame?
Oh,no!
For we must go to Rose Parade and football game.
Now it’s January 2,
Get up you bum, there’s work to do!

TWELVE THINGS TO CONSIDER
Internet wisdom – Author unknown

12 things to consider as we get closer to closing the door on one of the most horrible years of our lifetime.

• The dumbest thing I ever bought was a 2020 planner.
• I was so bored I called Jake from State Farm just to talk to someone. He asked me what I was wearing
• 2019: Stay away from negative people. 2020: Stay away from positive people.
•.The world has turned upside down. Old folks are sneaking out of the house & their kids are yelling at them to stay indoors!
• This morning I saw a neighbor talking to her dog. It was obvious she thought her dog understood her. I came into my house & told my cat. We laughed a lot.
• Every few days try your jeans on just to make sure they fit. Pajamas will have you believe all is well in the kingdom.
• Does anyone know if we can take showers yet or should we just keep washing our hands?
• This virus has done what no woman has been able to do. Cancel sports, shut down all bars & keep men at home!
• I never thought the comment, “I wouldn’t touch him/her with a 6-foot pole” would become a national policy, but here we are!
• I need to practice social-distancing from the refrigerator.
• I hope the weather is good tomorrow for my trip to the Backyard. I’m getting tired of the Living Room.
• Never in a million years could I have imagined I would go up to a bank teller wearing a mask & ask for money.

READER’S DIGEST NEW YEAR HUMOR
https://www.rd.com/article/new-years-jokes/

Q: What is a New Year’s resolution?
A: Something that goes in one year and out the other.

Q: What do snowmen like to do on New Year’s Eve?
A: Chill out.

Q: What do New Year’s parades have in common with Santa Claus?
A: No one is awake to see either of them.

Q: Why do you need a jeweler on New Year’s Eve?
A: To ring in the new year.

My New Year’s resolution is to stop hanging out with people who ask me about my New Year’s resolutions.

Q: What did the little champagne bottle call his father?
A: Pop!

Q: What’s a cow’s favorite holiday?
A: Moo Year’s Eve.

Q: Where can you find comedians on New Year’s Eve?
A: Waiting for the punchline.

Q: What do farmers give their wives at midnight on New Year’s Eve?
A: Hogs and kisses!

Q: What did the ghost say on January 1st?
A: Happy Boo Year.

Q: What do you call always wanting a date for New Year’s Eve?
A: Social Security.

Q: What’s a digital camera’s New Year’s resolution?
A: 1080p.

Q: Where can you go to practice math on New Year’s Eve?
A: Times Square.

Q: Why should you put your new calendar in the freezer?
A: To start off the new year in a cool way.

Q: What do you tell someone you didn’t see on New Year’s Eve?
A: I haven’t seen you for a year!

Q: What happened to the man who shoplifted a calendar on New Year’s Eve?
A: He got 12 months!

Q: What is corn’s favorite holiday?
A: New EARS Day!

Q: What’s the one group that hates New Year’s Day?
A: The New Year’s Eve clean-up crew.

• Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up for new year’s. Middle age is when you’re forced to.
• An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.
• My grandparents had resolutions like donating more time and money to charities. I’ve decided to make my own coffee once a week.
• I see no need to make more New Year’s resolutions when the ones already on the books aren’t being enforced.
• This New Year’s, I’m going to make a resolution I can keep—no dieting all year long.
• I was going to quit all my bad habits for the new year, but then I remembered that nobody likes a quitter.
• The only “homework” you want your dog to chew up is your list of New Year’s resolutions.
• If you’re enjoying these New Year’s jokes, you’ll want to check out these New Year’s cartoons that are hilariously spot-on.

RESOLUTION 1: LEARN TO MANAGE YOUR TIME. RESOLUTION #2: GIVE UP GAMBLING
DAVE CARPENTER FOR READER'S DIGEST CARTOON RESOURCE/SHUTTERSTOCK

RESOLUTION #3: DON’T LET OTHERS JUDGE YOU RESOLUTION #4: GET A HAIRCUT
Barbara Smaller/Everyone’s A Critic/ MIKE SHAPIRO
Courtesy Princeton Architectural Press

RESOLUTION #5: GIVE UP ALL OF THAT PASTA RESOLUTION #6: STOP SNOOPING
DAN MISDEA DAVE CARPENTER

RESOLUTION #7: DOUBLE CHECK ALL EMAILS RESOLUTION #8: GIVE LESS ADVICE
SUSAN CAMILLERI KONAR FOR READER’S DIGEST PHIL WITTE FOR READER’S DIGEST

RESOLUTION #9: READ MORE RESOLUTION #10: IMPROVE YOUR SPELLING
HARLEY SCHWADRON FOR READER’S DIGEST AN PIRARO/BIZARRO.COM

RESOLUTION #11: DISCONNECT FROM TECHNOLOGY
LIAM FRANCIS WALSH/THE NEW YORKER COLLECTION

LAUGH, BE HAPPY (but wear a mask, social distance, and wash your hands often) AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A BETTER 2021!

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