Strokes

Taken from, and thanks to, ferragus.

It was fairly obvious at Xmas that dad had experienced a stroke, but the signs can be subtle, especially in the case of mini-strokes. If you don't notice, the person can be heading for something much more major...

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

Ask the individual to SMILE.

Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE
(Coherently) (ie. It is sunny out today)
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 (999 in UK) immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February.

Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people, you can bet that at least one life will be saved. Pretty good odds, I'm thinking...

Life and the library

Worked this morning (1.5K on the new novel), then went to yoga, and then went into the new library.

Brighton library used to be housed in the Dome, which originally was the stable block belonging to the Royal Pavilion. Then it moved to a temporary and deeply horrible building, and now it is in an ultra-new, environmentally designed new place in the middle of town.

It is apparently 'bioclimatic', which means that it utilises local climatic and geographical conditions: a glass facade protected by plait blinds, so that as the sun climbs higher over the year, the blinds kick in and the building doesn't overheat. It has wind towers on the roof, which suck air up through hollowed piping inside the building's core. So, allegedly, it's designed to heat and cool itself.

It's certainly a lovely space inside - very nicely designed, though a little short on er, you know, actual *books.* Still, they're stocking mine, so that's all that matters, right? It isn't? Oh.

And I had a bounce from F&SF.

Collect Britain

About 650 dialect recordings of people all over the country and lots more beside. Thanks to my friend Kat for forwarding this to me:

http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/collections/

I ink therefore I am

( Read more... )

It just goeth to show....

That online quizzes are not all they're cracked up to be....

...How can I be as Islamic as I am pagan? Not that there's anything wrong with Islam per se, but since I am supposed to be a member of a druidic order. Oh well.

You scored as Buddhism. Your beliefs most closely resemble those of Buddhism. Do more research on Buddhism and possibly consider becoming Buddhist, if you are not already. In Buddhism, there are Four Noble Truths: (1) Life is suffering. (2) All suffering is caused by ignorance of the nature of reality and the craving, attachment, and grasping that result from such ignorance. (3) Suffering can be ended by overcoming ignorance and attachment. (4) The path to the suppression of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right-mindedness, and right contemplation. These eight are usually divided into three categories that base the Buddhist faith: morality, wisdom, and samadhi, or concentration. In Buddhism, there is no hierarchy, nor caste system; the Buddha taught that one's spiritual worth is not based on birth. </td> Buddhism 67% Hinduism 63% agnosticism 58% Islam 54% paganism 54% Judaism 42% Satanism 42% atheism 25% Christianity 13% Which religion is the right one for you? (new version) created with QuizFarm.com