Chill out, calm down, chillax. We hear these messages frequently. The truth is, most of us don’t care to comply. In our time, we have seen the rise of the anti-relaxation movement. Given the choice between lowering tension and increasing arousal and excitation, loads of us prefer sensory overload to sensual enlargement. But it’s not […]
All Coked Up (8/25/14)
Coke Channels Its Inner Monster Stoked and coked. The coca in Coca Cola was cocaine until 1929. Now the corporate giant has bought about of fifth of Monster Energy Drinks for $2.15 billion, hoping to further caffeinate its products and profits – and us. Why Did Coke Buy Monster? Money. The energy drink “niche” is […]
Give Us A Child Till She’s Seven (3/5/13)
What the Jesuits Taught Some claim the maxim comes from St. Ignatius Loyola himself. Yet the idea proclaimed by the Jesuits was old – give us a child till he’s seven and we’ll have him for life. It works. Many years ago a young son of my ancestors was kidnapped during a Russian pogrom. His […]
Lifestyle in a Can? The Power of Energy (1/8/13)
Powered by Energy Tired out by the holidays? Energy can be yours. Instantly. You’ll work better. Perform better. Stay bright and alert (so claims of 5 Hour Energy) Or you can achieve “Monster Energy”. In seconds, you can“Unleash Your Beast.” The newest fracas about energy drinks, a $10 billion industry and the most rapidly growing beverage […]
Are Energy Drinks Safe? (11/20/12)
Are They Safe? Energy drink manufacturers say yes – absolutely – they’re safe. They have evidence, many studies. Proof. They may be correct. But it would be best to have independent clinical epidemiologists check the data; outfits like the Cochrane Collective or the National Institute of Medicine should provide impartial reviews. Why Are People Concerned? […]