Why older people die during heat waves
An article in yesterday’s New York Times, entitled “Sweatology”, talks about how important it is that we sweat. Sweat cools us off, yes. But the article also describes why different people sweat different amounts, and one factor is age.
“…beginning about age 60 both sexes sweat less, even if they are in good physical condition, and even if they become seriously overheated. Thus the statistics that during heat waves the elderly are at highest risk of heat stroke.”
I didn’t know I would sweat less when I get older. Maybe this means I should move to Florida now, and retire to San Francisco when I’m 60, instead of the other way around. And perhaps that I should spray my father intermittently with a misting bottle during his visit to Boston this week. Happy 60-plus-2-weeks, Dad!
I’m so lucky.
I’m trying to be better about reminding myself how lucky I am, in so many ways. I tend to forget these things, and I end up taking much of it for granted. One of the things I’ve certainly taken for granted is the place I went to college.
I’ve spent a few days during the past week working in the Stanford libraries — I’m out in the Bay area for a long vacation, and am trying to get some work done here and there.
It’s just amazingly beautiful here. The campus is huge, open, green, and sunny. Right now I’m on the second floor of Meyer, looking out at Hoover Tower and the enormous eucalyptus in front of Green Library. When I was here for school, I just thought this was normal… laying around on the grass, skating at night down the floors of the parking garages, cooking dinner for my co-op, jumping over to the city, sitting out in the sun next to the red fountain, dashing off on my bike from Mirrielees to the Med School. I was so absorbed in my personal life and classwork that I don’t know that I ever stopped to realize what I was a part of. It’s strange how you grow to take the most familiar things for granted.
Hey! That’s My Fish!
I got a chance to try a new board game last time I was in the Bay Area (thanks, Rachel!), called “Hey! That’s My Fish!”. You should play this game because it’s simple, fast, fun, inexpensive, and can even be played with two people. Or just because it’s called Pingvinas in its original language.
I know some people will throttle me for suggesting this, but this game reminded me of my first (and only) few games of Go, because it involves capturing territory, tracking shapes/areas, and cutting people off. Except you get colorful wooden penguins and can play with eight-year-olds.
Why you shouldn’t put hydrocortisone on your face for too long
[I’m going to purge some old post drafts over the next couple of days.]
At the beginning of the summer, I had a spat of illness, including the flu, persistent coughing, and a rash.
Let’s talk about the rash, since such things are always so topical. I had pink skin peppered with red bumps on the lower left side of my face, and it was super itchy. So I decided to put some hydrocortisone on it, right?
Apparently not. My tube of cream says “Do not use on the face except if advised by a doctor”, which seemed a little mysterious to me. But here’s why:
- Hydrocortisone can thin the skin and brings capillaries to the surface (if prescription-strength and/or used for more than a few days at a time). On your leg, capillaries under thin skin isn’t so bad, but on your face, it can be unsightly. ((Explanation, and “Prominent capillaries” picture near bottom of http://dermnetnz.org/treatments/topical-steroids.html))
- Steroids are absorbed much more easily on the face, and higher absorption can cause adrenal gland suppression or Cushing’s syndrome. ((http://dermnetnz.org/treatments/topical-steroids.html))
From National electronic Library for Medicines ((Word DOC from NeLM)):
When topical hydrocortisone was approved for over-the-counter sale, the use of a steroid on delicate facial skin was not considered an appropriate indication. Long-term and/or high strength steroids can damage the skin (1,2), and on the face this would be particularly noticeable. These problems have not been demonstrated with short-term OTC hydrocortisone, but form a theoretical basis for caution. In addition to this, some common skin conditions affecting the face can be caused or made worse by hydrocortisone (eg impetigo, rosacea, and acne) (1,2). Therefore all over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams and ointments have “use on the face” as a contra-indication, and pharmacists are not allowed to sell them for this purpose.
Patients with skin conditions affecting the face ought to see their GP first, rather than self-medicating. GPs can prescribe hydrocortisone for use on the face, having first assessed the appropriateness of doing so.
My doctor ended up telling me I could use the over-the-counter stuff on my face, if I only needed it for a few days. (“It’s the prescription stuff you really have to worry about.”)
Romanesco
In honor of getting to see Benoît Mandelbrot speak yesterday at IBM in Cambridge, and of his mention of the crazy-cool cauliflower/broccoli mix romanesco, I tried to draw a 2-D version of the fractal veggie in Processing. I wanted to project it onto cones, but I just don’t have the time right now.
This is a fractal-like thing I made up from Fermat’s spiral and discs, which I’ve been playing around with lately.
Another really nice photo of romanesco
Nice collection of photos and commentary on romanesco and fractals
Hiking on the water
I got really lucky today at the MIT Sailing Pavilion. I had gone back to brush up on the skills I’d learned last Sunday, and when I was all done practicing by myself (having narrowly escaped both capsizing on the first turn, and concussion to my head on a jibe), I ran into one of my instructors, who offered to take me out one-on-one, and teach me how to sail upwind.
With some forceful commands and good patience, Bashar taught me how to do these things on my own:
- Hiking — leaning way out on the boat towards the wind, to counterbalance the sail being pushed strongly in the opposite direction. It’s FUN. The boat heels so much that I could swear we were (intentionally) inches from capsizing. The photo below (by flickr user good_day) shows what it looks like to hike out.
- Running — sailing directly (or almost directly) downwind. This felt very relaxing and peaceful, but I am told to watch out for the unexpected jibe.
- Close-hauled — trying to sail as directly upwind as you can, by pulling the sail in close and zig-zagging, tacking at ~ 90° angles.
I had tons of fun and even got to sit in the boat while we raced with the Advanced Racing class. My thighs and back are killing me, though, and I might not be able to walk tomorrow. :-D
Sailing
I went to “Sailing Bootcamp” yesterday at the MIT Sailing Pavilion along the Charles River. I learned about wind, water, boats, and most importantly, what it feels like to pull on a sail and turn a rudder on a Tech Dinghy. My partner and I magically avoided capsizing, and only collided five times with other dinghies in the crowded class. (“Dinghy”!)
We had an easterly breeze on the Charles yesterday, which seemed to pick up and die down very suddenly. I’d never had reason to notice how dramatic those changes can be around here, and I’m excited about the challenge it poses for some future sailing.
Here’s my excitable and entertaining instructor, Henry, giving a high-tech demo of wind interacting with a sailboat:
Fermat’s spiral + Processing => applet!
The obsession with the spirals continues… but! It is almost over, for now anyway. I didn’t want to put it aside until I had made something I could share with people.
And here is that something. Come play with ze nue applet! Make pretty pictures and hypnotize yourself!
omphaloskepsis
From Wikipedia:
“Omphaloskepsis is the contemplation of one’s navel as an aid to meditation.”
Apparently people who practice omphaloskepsis have taken Fermat’s spiral as their symbol.
T.T. the Bear’s Place
Finally went to local music club T.T. the Bear’s last night, to see my friend Nick play with his band, On Fire.
Nick is a guy who was playing at places like this almost before he set foot in them as an audience member. He plays electric viola, along with five other band members who play all manner of things (including, from their myspace page, trumpet and “thundertube wizardry”). To give you an idea of what they sound like… from their homepage: “On Fire has been listening to: Starflyer 59, Arcade Fire, Pelican, Low, Unwound, GusGus, Blonde Redhead and more.” They sounded great.
Flickr pictures tagged with “ttthebears”
Same pictures, sorted by “most interesting”
It was good to finally see the inside of T.T. the Bear’s, which I must have walked past 50 times in the last few months. It’s just the perfect size, like a large living room, with pool room and bar attached. Noisy and cozy.
And my big question: Where did the name come from?
On Cantabrigia:
You may have seen a show at T.T. the Bear’s, but do you know the story of Tough Teddy? He was the beloved pet teddy bear hamster of owners Bonney Bouley and Miles Cares, who opened their Cambridge club in 1985 and found themselves needing a name — and fast.
“I hate telling this story,†said longtime booking agent Randi Millman. “I swear I should make up a story about the name, but there’s the truth as I’ve heard it. God help us.â€
