FEAST OR FAMINE

Apparently there are 11 packing personality types that define you as a traveller, according to Cheapflights ( The Advertiser , October 29, 2015). The Holy Roller is the person who rolls their clothes. They believe that rolling minimises wrinkles and saves space. It says you’ve been around the block or two and will keep on rolling because you like the tried-and-true approach. The Back-Packer is a die-hard adventurous nature-seeker who laughs at suitcases with wheels. They are outdoor enthusiasts, students, or people who have just quit their job to travel the world. The Over-Packer packs way too much stuff because their favourite saying is ‘what if’ – e.g. ‘what if I want to go horse riding?’ Or ‘what if I want to go running and walking?’ They love hypothetical scenarios and prefer to have options on holiday. The Carry-On Connoisseur doesn’t check in luggage – everything goes with them to their seat and overhead locker. They are organised, practical, minimali...

In 1988 the international community aimed to eradicate polio globally. A similar thing had been done once before with the eradication of smallpox in 1974 ( Devex , October 27, 2015). Consequently polio cases were reduced by 99.9%. Only Afghanistan and Pakistan are still reporting cases of the polio virus, but these are fewer and fewer. Now the World Health Organization (WHO) will concentrate on reducing tuberculosis (TB) from 2016 to 2030 by 90%. What lessons can WHO learn from the eradication of polio? Polio eradication had specific targets, with specific indicators to measure success – which were monitored regularly.  Polio eradication had traditional methods for reducing the spread, but it also learned to innovate and try new techniques. Polio eradication involved local communities and trusted social influencers to champion the cause, educate and advocate, as well as monitor progress, and deliver the vaccines. Local community leaders served their own and a...

Saturday October 31 is Halloween. It evolved from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain. The Celts used the day to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. They also believed that the transition between seasons, from autumn to winter, was a bridge to the world of the dead. These days some countries celebrate Halloween with ghosts and ghouls and sweets and candy. October 27 was a full moon, and a super moon. Known as the Hunter’s Moon, it is the advent of winter. It was the last super moon for 2015. There was one in August and September (a total lunar eclipse). Super moon is not the official name – it is actually the perigee of the moon. This super moon was not an eclipse, but as with all super moons, it was at its closest point to the Earth in its orbit. Therefore it looked brighter by 30% and bigger by 14%. The next super moon will be October 16, 2016. Also on October 31 is the flyby of asteroid 2015 TB145. Because it occurs on Halloween it is ca...

Ten years ago New Scientist published an article on brainpower – and how to beat mental decline, such as dementia, or at least minimise it by one simple philosophy – maintain the brain. In other words, use it or lose it. People who lead active, mentally stimulating lives, who are more intelligent and better educated, seem to be protected from the mental decline that comes with age ( New Scientist , October 27, 2005). Some psychologists and neuroscientists call this ‘cognitive reserve’ or ‘brain padding.’ The higher the reserve, the more damage to the brain that can be sustained without showing signs of mental decline. But the idea is controversial, or seen to be ‘nonsense.’ With brain scanning equipment, scientists can study the effects of mental decline. Epidemiologists (people who study diseases) confirm that people with high literacy and IQ cope better with the decline of their mental faculties. They recover better from stroke, head injury, intoxication, and poisonin...