In the author’s word….

Immigration is hard on the brain…..Each time the plastic brain acquires culture and uses it repeatedly, there is an opportunity cost: the brain loses some neutral structure in the process, because plasticity is competitive.

The book further adds that

Immigration is usually an unending, brutal workout for the adult brain, requiring a massive rewiring of vast amount of our cortical real estate.

When I was reading this, I didn’t think a great deal about this. Now, when I think about that, it makes a lots of sense why some people (atleast people I interact with regularly) are behaving in a particular way. I didn’t mean to offend any one and I’m not in a position to tell that my point is scientifically correct. I always have the question about the sudden changes in the behaviour and personality in some adults of my community once they migrated to Canada and it dawned to me this could be the reason.

On a different note, researchers have found that meditation increases the gray matter in the brain. The research also confirmed that those who meditate regularly has better focus and good control over their emotions. Interesting !!!!
What is your opinion?

Groundhog Day or Groundhog’s Day is a traditional festival celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2. If the ground hog emerges and sees his shadow on this day, there will be 6 more weeks of winter. The origins of the tradition aren’t clear and its not backed up by any scientific facts.

The country’s most famous weather predicting groundhog Willie did not see his shadow when he woke up from his slumber Saturday in Wiarton, Ontario. So there will be an early spring this year. If its true everyone would be relieved a bit when cleaning up their drive ways after yesterdays snow storm.

There is also a movie called Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray. ]]> http://www.shout-it-loud.com/blog/2008/02/02/early-spring-in-ontario/feed/ 0 http://www.shout-it-loud.com/blog/2008/01/21/american-dream/ http://www.shout-it-loud.com/blog/2008/01/21/american-dream/#comments Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:41:16 +0000 admin http://www.shout-it-loud.com/blog/2008/01/21/american-dream/

If you ever wondered what is meant by the phrase ‘American Dream’. Here is a definition from the library of congress website.
In the book The Epic of America, James Truslow Adams used this term first.

“that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”

Basically ‘American Dream’ implies material prosperity. But the hard truth is that material prosperity doesn’t always lead to happy life. This is the most efficient platform or system in the face of the planet to become financially successful for an ordinary person. End of that success journey (if there is one) doesn’t guarantee happiness.

Habitual jeans can be recognized by the Maltese cross on the back pockets.Nicole Colovos and husband Michael Colovos created Habitual jeans in 2001 from their studio in New York.

How the phrase formed.
Habitual – after the “habit forming” nature of jeans.”