{"id":323,"date":"2017-05-23T16:07:46","date_gmt":"2017-05-23T20:07:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aligncenter.org\/?p=323"},"modified":"2017-05-24T16:58:18","modified_gmt":"2017-05-24T20:58:18","slug":"newsletter-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aligncenter.org\/newsletter-7\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsletter #7"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\"align<\/p>\n

We start this edition of Align Center with wisdom gained from a life\u00a0intertwined with animals, an illustrated description of mental load, a nudge from Zen Habits, and a reminder of the power of metacognition. Then we talk apples, summer podcasts, and a long read on science’s progress in the fight against cancer. Finally, I\u00a0share the behavioral economics classic and the related\u00a0quote I’m pondering, plus some gems in the digs.<\/p>\n

\u25e6 selected words<\/h1>\n

What Animals Taught Me About Being Human<\/a><\/h2>\n

“Animals don\u2019t exist in order to teach us things, but that is what they have always done, and most of what they teach us is what we think we know about ourselves.” A gentle, poetic reflection of an eccentric child’s love for creatures that started with a curiosity for insects beneath rocks and evolved into lessons on the way to move about the world with patience, empathy and love learned from a life co-existing with animals.
\nnytimes.com (10min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

You Should’ve Asked<\/a><\/h2>\n

Two weeks after the French article went viral, this Oatmeal-style explanation of “Mental Load”, gets the English treatment. By a Parisian who writes about “politics, things that make you think, and recreational breaks”, this article is so on point it’ll have you and your partner discussing the division of labor in the household (ideally directly communicated, not passive aggressively shared via Facebook).
\nemmaclit.com (10min illustrated read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

We Aren’t Built To Live In The Moment<\/a><\/h2>\n

The average person think three times more about the future than the past \u2014 but for what evolutionary purpose? And how does all this future-thinking serve us in the present? Psychologist Martin Seligman explains why human beings are unique in our power of prospection, gathering the latest research and advances in brain imagery to examine our pre-occupation with the future, giving insight into how our conscious and unconscious thoughts help us now.
\nnytimes.com (10min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Small Actions, Huge Impact<\/a><\/h2>\n

Have a project that’s been on back burner for years? Start a new habit, but couldn’t get it to stick? Overwhelmed by all the things there are to do? Some sage advice on the tiny actions that lead to small victories in your path of growth.
\nzenhabits.net (2min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Turning B+ Students to A Students in 15 Minutes<\/a><\/h2>\n

A recent study from Stanford split university students into two groups: the first were prompted to think about how they were studying, and the second, a control group. The findings are in line with recent research on self-regulation and metacognition as the most effective educational interventions. The best part? It doesn’t take much time to incorporate these simple strategies, and you can actually learn faster by studying smarter.
\nqz.com (5min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Your Fresh Apples Are a Year Old<\/a><\/h2>\n

I wasn’t always an apple fan (the fruit, not the company). I grew up eating Red Delicious, the dark red, stereotypical apple that stands upright on a schoolteacher’s desk. This large, often mushy, thick-skinned variety is so bad that The Atlantic wrote an article about it<\/a>. Then Royal Gala and Fuji came into my life, soon to be replaced by the perfectly crisp and sweet Ambrosia, a chance hybrid from BC. Now in Quebec, I get to try new varieties like Empire and Cortland year-round. But wait, apples only grow in autumn, so how are these apples still so crispy? Part of me didn’t want to know, but after talking with the farmer, curiosity and the Internet led me to the hidden truth. Note: this article never mentions the magic chemical by its brand name, SmartFresh, which I’ll let you research\/judge on your own.
\nbbc.com (4min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 listen in<\/h1>\n

Summer Podcast Preview<\/a><\/h2>\n

Many Serial fans were disappointed with season two, leaving the controversial S-Town as this year’s undisputed podcast darling. The winter has been slow, but there’s a lot to look forward to this summer: Invisibilia’s back for a third season after a long hiatus, a familiar voice leads a new science podcast for kids and the documentary experts from ESPN are bringing 30 for 30 to the podcast world. An excellent compilation of 12 of the most anticipated podcast shows, with debut dates from May to July.
\nvulture.com (6min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Food + Science = Victory!<\/a><\/h2>\n

An investigative food journalist translates science into action steps for the public by revealing common food misconceptions and writing about nutrition. Also hear from a science-obsessed chef on how to make the best hamburger, why you should use vodka in everything, and his unique path from waiter to one of the coolest jobs in the world as managing culinary director at SeriousEats.com. Also, learn a simple trick to keep garlic’s healing properties (let it sit for 10 minutes after crushing) and a few more things you didn’t know about food.
\nfreakonomics.com (36min podcast)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 eat well<\/h1>\n

Best Cauliflower Soup Ever<\/a><\/h2>\n

A year-round crop in some parts, I grew up never understanding why my mom would force feed us this bland cabbage relative. Back then I’d only had it one way \u2014 steamed \u2014 so it’s no wonder it’d be much later before I discovered cauliflower’s versatility and surprising nutritional profile (35% of your daily Vitamin C in 100g\/3.5oz). When picking, look for large, healthy, green leaves which protect the delicate florets. I substituted soy milk and the results still turned out super creamy.
\nfood.com (30min recipe)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 read slow<\/h1>\n

The War on Cancer<\/a><\/h2>\n

In this special report, Popular Mechanics visits the labs of the top research centers and interview the scientists leading the charge against the group of diseases that kills more Canadians than any other cause \u2014 more than heart disease, stroke, and accidental death combined. In this eye-opening survey of our current progress, learn about the different fronts being waged against cancer including Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot project, Artificial Intelligence, microbiome gut transplants, cell therapy, genome sequencing and Napster founder Sean Parker’s role in combining the fragmented research field to do with cancer what has been done with HIV \u2014 turning it into a survivable disease.
\npopularmechanics.com (49min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 current read<\/h1>\n

Thinking Fast and Slow<\/a><\/h2>\n

Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and one of the most important psychologists of our time, Daniel Kahneman’s contributions to the field of human behavior have reshaped cognitive psychology. The Guardian even wrote a piece<\/a> titled “Daniel Kahneman changed the way we think about thinking. But what do other thinkers think of him?”. With Amos Tversky, their decades of research into understanding how we think and choose reveals how irrational we are, along the way discovering many of the cognitive biases that influence our thoughts and decision making. Published in 2011 and instantly on several “best of” and “book of the year” lists, it’s been on my to-read for far too long. So far it looks to join Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational<\/a> and Robert B. Cialdini’s Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion<\/a> as my favorite behavioural psychology books of all-time.
\nThinking Fast and Slow (499p book)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 dig this<\/h1>\n

The most interesting tidbits from the web from the last two weeks:<\/p>\n