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Photo by  Rene Asmussen  from  Pexels #1 One wonders if some of the feelings of verbal loss have to do with age at which we peak, the '40s, in that verbal ability seems to rise from our teens, peak in midlife, and decline in our senior years. Peak verbal ability might be in the forties, and although my vocabulary is still increasing - I do NYT Sundays/Thursdays, but could only finish Mondays when I was younger - at 60, it means coming down from a 99th percentile high for other activities. As to the volume of information, we have at our disposal, although true that it can longer go through large stores, there are increases in the noise levels of the brain, adding to the decline in recovery speed. #2 I think I'm still the same forgetful person I was when I was a young adult but 4 aspects have changed, resulting in fewer mistakes: - Development of Habits / Conscientiousness - Electronic systems/software - Using alternatives ways of doing things, ...

Photo by  Pixabay  from  Pexels Article:  Opinion | The Academic Apocalypse - The New York Times If we were living in a better society, one focused on the quality of life, where one could pursue one's interests, even if less remunerative and survive, maybe the humanities could be sustained. I work in one of those 'hot' professions as a software developer, and until recently in finance. in my years there I interest in the humanities or the social sciences to be almost nonexistent. There were many opinions, but generally ignorant. The unbalanced worlds of technology and finance have no art and at times no heart. That said, some reasons, as well as some not mentioned by others: Technology - That's where the money is, along with anything else the works with technology Inequality: The wealthy can't make money from the arts, although they might enjoy it privately or at events, so it is underfunded Funding: Students are cash cows milked for tuit...

Photo by  Guduru Ajay bhargav  from  Pexels Article:  Keeping Aging Muscles Fit Is Tied to Better Heart Health Later - The New York Times One comment, one gripe, comment first: Generally, muscle mass is to some degree correlated with well-being and health, so this finding is not so new, but also, not indicative that activity is the cause. The human body is a system and the result of the system is muscularity, dependent on hormones and one's natural dispositions. However cliched, reductions in testosterone (or much more complicated variations) might affect muscle mass, heart health, fat mass, emotional well-being, etc. My gripe is the usual one: The study needs a well-controlled, with comparative treatments and a control group, to differentiate the effects of preserving muscle mass. This study, and this presentation, does nothing except make the same mistake many do, assume correlation of muscle mass with well-being is causative. The author correctly hedges...

Article:  The Myth of the Urban Boomer - The New York Times There is an allure to the suburbs for me, but only the density of the greenery, having nearby forests and woods. The suburbs themselves are something I privately deride, rows of environmentally-harmful, often cookie-cutter housing, the ugliness of strip malls, and the irritations of car ownership. We were lucky to have bought our condo in 2008, near the beginning of the mini-RE crash in Manhattan, and before the rise of the luxury market, in a large, quiet, condo overlooking a 3-acre park. I have a 15-minute walk to work. I take long walks on weekends to see how the different areas change or through Central Park, visit museums, and stop at a cafe or two to read. NYC is where we want to be, except maybe in another city, maybe the west coast or in Europe (a bit of fantasy). Even when my spouse and I are both retired, urban living will likely be our preference, although, as mentioned before, there is always the allur...

Photo by  Tatiana Fet  from  Pexels Article: The Big Myth Behind the ‘Real New Yorker’ - The New York Times Adams is little different from Trump and his nativists. The latter blames immigrants and foreign countries for the problems of economic and social inequality, then uses that blame to manipulate the ignorant. The rise of inequality has little to do with the people that come to New York, those immigrating from outside the country or those migrating from inside the US. Like most, they come for a better life, for work, and for family. The Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam believed that diversity was a root of their success, and defended it. Without a doubt, that diversity is part of what makes New York thrive, makes it safer, and makes it interesting. On the other hand, there are sweetheart deals to developers to make luxury high-rises, a dearth of affordable housing development, short-term rental industries reducing housing supply, opaque legal vehicles allowing...

Photo by  Jose Francisco Fernandez Saura  from  Pexels Article: What Makes Someone a New Yorker? - The New York Times The rise of inequality has little to do with the people that come to New York, those immigrating from outside the country or those migrating from inside the US. Like most, they come for a better life, for work, and for family. Without a doubt, they are part of what makes New York thrive, make it safer, and provide its diversity. On the other hand, there are sweetheart deals to developers to make luxury high-rises, a dearth of affordable housing development, short-term rental industries reducing housing supply, opaque legal vehicles allowing foreigners to park their money here, and a financial industry that pays highly and earns outsize profits. Cities are magnets for inequality, and there is little being done to rein it in, to make life equitable for those not part of the upper strata. Adams is little better than Trump and his nativists. Trump b...