http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/06/23/edmonton-research-day-night.html

Scientists at the University of Alberta have arrived at the amazing conclusion that the brains of early risers are different than those of night owls. Ya think? I’ve always suspected that early birds are actually a different species. Now we know.

What’s interesting is this:

“Using magnetic resonance imaging-guided brain stimulation, neuroscientists tested muscle torque and the excitability of pathways through the spinal cord and brain.

“We found that the brains of morning people are more excitable in the morning and evening people are completely opposite,” neurophysiology researcher David Collins said Tuesday.”

So, the spine and brain of night people are in synch, and the spine and brain of morning people are not. In other words, we of the slow start persuasion are more efficient once we finally get moving. Our body and mind are in harmony.

Nice that science has finally vindicated my slowpoke morning performances. Now, if Mr. Collins would just tell my boss ….

http://www.infowars.com/paul-mccartney-calls-for-meat-free-day-to-cut-cow-gas/

This article begins:

“Paul McCartney, the former Beatle and vegetarian pop star, asked fans to go meatless on Mondays to help slow global warming by reducing the amount of gaseous emissions from farm animals.”

Yes, according to Paul, belching cows are contributing to the destruction of the environment. Not that I’m against meatless Mondays, since I’m largely vegetarian anyway, but I find it hard to believe that domestic livestock are such a problem. Didn’t North America used to be covered with bison herds? Didn’t they burp? Why are our current herds so much more gassy? Is commercial feed the problem?

Okay, okay, I’m not a scientist and I really don’t know what I’m talking about. I think it’s cool that the feed people are finding a diet that’s more digestible for the cows. If I were a cow, I’d be grateful.

However, the part of me that likes a good conspiracy theory is wondering if this is some media spin sleight-of-hand. I’ve smelled farms and I’ve smelled refineries. If we’re talking global destruction of the environment by pure and simple stinky test, my money is still on big oil, not Bossy the Cow.

Want your calling card to stand out from your competitors’? Today’s bizarre product is business cards made from beef jerky. Check it out at http://www.meatcards.com/

According to their web site:

We start with 100% beef jerky, and SEAR your contact information into it with a 150 WATT CO2 LASER.
Screw die-cutting. Forget about foil, popups, or UV spot lamination. THESE business cards have two ingredients: MEAT AND LASERS.

Okay, but what exactly does this say about your business? You’re beefy? You’re jerky? You’re tough and chewy, but lightly spiced? You’re covered in pocket lint and leave grease stains?

On the other hand, you can brand your business while your stationery is still on the hoof.

Okay, so I’m far from the most up-to-date about what’s upcoming on TV, so this is quite out of date–that is, from last January. However, this tickled my fancy enough that I thought it worth a mention. I came across the mention of a new series being developed on Fox by Michael Dougherty. It sounds like Sex and the City but with werewolves, and it’s called Bitches. Basically, four gals seducing and subsequently munching their way through the NYC dating scene.

I so want to write for this show.

Anyway, according to what I read, this gem is in the hopper for script development. What that means for us viewing audience couch potatoes, I dunno. I think there are about 10,000 opportunities for new shows to die on the vine. Given that the articles I read were already six months old, that might have already happened, but I hope not. This sounds way too funny.

Last week I put my head down and thought–fine, I’ll work non-stop and get through as much icky stuff as I can. No day job, no housekeeping, no errands, just computer time on those due-date have-to items hanging over my head.

The results are in. I accomplished: one set copy edits for SCORCHED, one set teaser pages, one essay for an anthology, and one homework assignment. Bonus amount of homework reading. Deadlines met; obligations fulfilled.

I lived to fight another day. Back to work this morning to shovel paper off my desk.

I haven’t been doing a lot of blogging outside of my weekly Silk and Shadows gig because I encountered a black hole. This basically means that the gods snicker, make everything in your life time-sensitive and equally urgent and more than you can possibly handle, and leave you to it. Unfortunately, that much pressure tends to send me into hiding. I have a high threshold for business, but I seem to be hell-bent on figuring out where the outside extremes of tolerance are.

Mission accomplished. I found ‘em.

I’m off work this week with a schedule tacked to the fridge with what I’m supposed to accomplish each day. Am I keeping up? About two-thirds’ worth, but I wisely built in a catch-up day next Saturday. Welcome to my summer holidays.

If I meet all my deadlines, I’m going to think up a major reward.