This facinating clip from NPR about Canadian Novelist Howard Engel describes how despite contracting Alexia from a stroke which left him unable to read, he still retained the ability to write.  I am constantly amazed at how complex our brains are.

“Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things — from alien abductions to dowsing rods — boils down to two of the brain’s most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are, and how they get us into trouble.”

Very interesting look at how the fashion industry thrives despite a complete lack of copyright protection.  The lack of IP litigation keeps the fashion industry constantly changing, open to newcomers, and increasingly profitable.  If only the software industry could be more like this.

This video by Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, is an enlightening look at the effects of fructose and lack of fiber in modern diets. He demonstrates that excessive fructose consumption and fiber deficiency cause detrimental effects on insulin production and the hunger response in the human body, leading to a major cause of the obesity epidemic.  This is a long, but very interesting lecture and very worth the watch.

This fantastic talk by Jesse Schell explores the current and future state of the game industry by exploring how games use the psychology of consumers and break through into the real world.  A great watch for both game designers and new business owners alike.

I made Ckicken Tikka Masala today for dinner, based off of a recipe I found on youtube by vahchef.

It turned out amazing, and was fairly easy to make.

“Enhance section… A-6″

Having worked in Social Media monitoring for the last several years, I spent a good deal of my time researching how ideas and memes spread online.  This fantastic video from Derek Sivers cleverly illustrates the concept in an entertaining and concise fashion.