ACCORDING to a new study dreaming helps us remember.
The results of the study were reported at the American Psychological’s Society’s annual conference.
Researchers showed volunteers three words and then told them to find a word which would link them together.
Volunteers were shown so many words that it was hard for them to remember the linking words.
There was a break of several hours and then the volunteers were shown the same words again.
During the break some of the volunteers had a nap with REM sleep, when we are supposed to dream a lot.
The other volunteers slept without REM, and the final group did not sleep, but had a quiet period.
The researchers found those in the REM sleep group did the best in the second trial, and they recorded a 40% increase in their scores.
This year’s Ryder Cup looks like being a close contest.
Europe and America both have fiery characters in Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin.
Last time Europe had Nick Faldo as captain. Although he was a great golfer, he proved to be a poor captain and the team lost for the first time since 1999.
This time I think the contest will go to the wire and the Europeans could have the upper hand.
The event this year is being held in October, I don’t know the reason for this as it is usually held in September.
Monday, 16 August 2010
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Red spot makes difference
THE Open this year was not as close as at Turnberry in 2009, but it had a worthy winner in South African Louis Oosthuizen.
He seemed very focussed on the final day and he did not look like he would throw his lead away.
Sports psychologist, Karl Morris, helped him prepare for last week’s event, which he won by seven shots from England’s Lee Westwood.
So how did Karl Morris help him prepare? Morris said a red spot was marked on the glove of Oosthuizen.
He was then told to look at the spot and focus his mind at the start of his pre-shot routine.
It was said that this was the key to Oosthuizen looking so focused before every shot.
Oosthuizen was part of the management company ISM, which includes Lee Westwood, former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan and Darren Clarke.
It may not have been a close open at St Andrews, but the viewer of the event got a sense of the history of the course.
You can see why the players say they get a shiver down their spine when they play the course.
St Andrews has some of the most iconic holes in golf, such as the 17th and the 18th.
I think the R&A are right to hold The Open Championship there every five years.
He seemed very focussed on the final day and he did not look like he would throw his lead away.
Sports psychologist, Karl Morris, helped him prepare for last week’s event, which he won by seven shots from England’s Lee Westwood.
So how did Karl Morris help him prepare? Morris said a red spot was marked on the glove of Oosthuizen.
He was then told to look at the spot and focus his mind at the start of his pre-shot routine.
It was said that this was the key to Oosthuizen looking so focused before every shot.
Oosthuizen was part of the management company ISM, which includes Lee Westwood, former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan and Darren Clarke.
It may not have been a close open at St Andrews, but the viewer of the event got a sense of the history of the course.
You can see why the players say they get a shiver down their spine when they play the course.
St Andrews has some of the most iconic holes in golf, such as the 17th and the 18th.
I think the R&A are right to hold The Open Championship there every five years.
Monday, 12 July 2010
The Open Championship
IT was sad to read that Seve Ballesteros will not be playing at St Andrews in The Open Champions’ Challenge.
There would not have been a dry eye in the Scottish town, or among those watching on television, if he had competed in the event.
The Daily Telegraph also ran a very moving interview with him where he was reported as saying: “You know, for everything in life, there is always a beginning and there is always an end. This is the tough part, the most difficult thing, when you see that it is coming: the end.”
Let us hope that the light is not fading from this charismatic golfer.
The Open Champions’ Challenge will be played next Wednesday, it is being staged a day before the 150th Anniversary Open Championship.
For the Challenge each team will have a captain. The captains of the seven teams are the most senior competitors, Peter Thomson, whose team of Tiger Woods, Sir Nick Faldo and Mark Calcavecchia boast a total of 12 Open Champioships between them. Thomson will not play because of medical reasons.
The Open Champions’ Challenge will be played over holes 1, 2, 17 and 18 of The Old Course.
This year’s Open will be played from Thursday, with the Claret Jug being presented on Sunday evening.
The winner this year will receive £850,000, which compares with the last three years when the champion has collected £750,000.
“The Open Championship sits at the forefront of world golf and it is appropriate that our prize fund reflects that position in the game,” said the R&A’s chief executive, Peter Dawson.
There would not have been a dry eye in the Scottish town, or among those watching on television, if he had competed in the event.
The Daily Telegraph also ran a very moving interview with him where he was reported as saying: “You know, for everything in life, there is always a beginning and there is always an end. This is the tough part, the most difficult thing, when you see that it is coming: the end.”
Let us hope that the light is not fading from this charismatic golfer.
The Open Champions’ Challenge will be played next Wednesday, it is being staged a day before the 150th Anniversary Open Championship.
For the Challenge each team will have a captain. The captains of the seven teams are the most senior competitors, Peter Thomson, whose team of Tiger Woods, Sir Nick Faldo and Mark Calcavecchia boast a total of 12 Open Champioships between them. Thomson will not play because of medical reasons.
The Open Champions’ Challenge will be played over holes 1, 2, 17 and 18 of The Old Course.
This year’s Open will be played from Thursday, with the Claret Jug being presented on Sunday evening.
The winner this year will receive £850,000, which compares with the last three years when the champion has collected £750,000.
“The Open Championship sits at the forefront of world golf and it is appropriate that our prize fund reflects that position in the game,” said the R&A’s chief executive, Peter Dawson.
Monday, 14 June 2010
What makes a great album
EVER brought something and then wondered why you purchased it.
Last week I decided to buy Katie Melua’s new album called the house as I had heard the first single of it called The Flood and had really liked it.
Also it is produced by William Orbit who had worked with Madonna on her ray of light album, which is among my favourite.
However on playing the house, I was disappointed with what I heard.
The songs at the start of the album sound very similar, although I have not listened to the whole disc yet.
It may be one of those albums that grow on you, the more you listen to it.
Although a great album is one which hooks you in the first time you play it.
Abbey Road by The Beatles is, arguably, an example of a great album.
The songs seem to flow seamlessly.
Abbey Road’s Side Two (I have got the lp) is exceptional.
It starts with Here Comes The Sun and finishes with The End.
There are some other great tracks in it, such as Come Together and Something.
Another good album – but a bit darker – is Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
Good tracks on it include Money and Us and Them.
Last week I decided to buy Katie Melua’s new album called the house as I had heard the first single of it called The Flood and had really liked it.
Also it is produced by William Orbit who had worked with Madonna on her ray of light album, which is among my favourite.
However on playing the house, I was disappointed with what I heard.
The songs at the start of the album sound very similar, although I have not listened to the whole disc yet.
It may be one of those albums that grow on you, the more you listen to it.
Although a great album is one which hooks you in the first time you play it.
Abbey Road by The Beatles is, arguably, an example of a great album.
The songs seem to flow seamlessly.
Abbey Road’s Side Two (I have got the lp) is exceptional.
It starts with Here Comes The Sun and finishes with The End.
There are some other great tracks in it, such as Come Together and Something.
Another good album – but a bit darker – is Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
Good tracks on it include Money and Us and Them.
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Are pollen levels down?
IS the pollen count lower this year as I don’t seem to be suffering as much from hay fever?
Around June I normally get horrendous hay fever and I think it is linked to the tree pollen.
It results in a runny nose, sore eyes and a dry throat. Although this year I don’t seem to have had those symptoms yet. But I don’t want to tempt fate.
Will Andy Murray this year become the first British tennis player since Fred Perry to win a singles grand slam?
His form since losing to Roger Federer in the Australian Open has been mixed, so the chances of him winning must be slighter than last year.
He lost in the last 16 at The French Open, but I think his best opportunity is at The US Open because that is his favourite tournament.
Meanwhile, one of Alfred Hitchcock’s finest films was shown last Tuesday afternoon on Channel 4. Although I missed it.
Psycho and The Birds may be more famous, but North by Northwest I think is more gripping.
First it has one of the most famous scenes in the film – the one where Cary Grant is being shot as from a crop-dusting plane.
And secondly it is action packed and has a cracking storyline with many twists and turns to boot.
Around June I normally get horrendous hay fever and I think it is linked to the tree pollen.
It results in a runny nose, sore eyes and a dry throat. Although this year I don’t seem to have had those symptoms yet. But I don’t want to tempt fate.
Will Andy Murray this year become the first British tennis player since Fred Perry to win a singles grand slam?
His form since losing to Roger Federer in the Australian Open has been mixed, so the chances of him winning must be slighter than last year.
He lost in the last 16 at The French Open, but I think his best opportunity is at The US Open because that is his favourite tournament.
Meanwhile, one of Alfred Hitchcock’s finest films was shown last Tuesday afternoon on Channel 4. Although I missed it.
Psycho and The Birds may be more famous, but North by Northwest I think is more gripping.
First it has one of the most famous scenes in the film – the one where Cary Grant is being shot as from a crop-dusting plane.
And secondly it is action packed and has a cracking storyline with many twists and turns to boot.
Monday, 17 May 2010
One lucky EuroMillions winner
The winner of Friday’s £84m EuroMillions jackpot has yet to be made public.
If one person has won the prize they will have almost as much money as the singer Robbie Williams and Rolling Stone Charlie Watts. And they would be 789th on the list.
The winning numbers were 1, 17, 31, 43, 47 and the Lucky Star numbers were 2 and 3.
Lottery operators - Camelot - said that the millions could be in the winner’s account by today (Monday).
The last big winners of the EuroMillions were a man from Cirencester who shared £113m with a Spanish winner.
Research done in Toronto and published in The Sunday Times has showed that youngsters who learn to lie at an early age have better developed brains and therefore could end up at the top of the pile.
They believe lying uses many brain processes, for example combining sources of information and using the knowledge for their own gains.
The study looked at 1,200 children, from the ages of 2-16.
According to the study the most deceitful age was 12.
Meanwhile, The Monaco Grand Prix - where sport meets glamour - was held on Sunday.
This is the most colourful venue on the Grand Prix circuit. It is also very gruelling for the drivers as there is little room for manoeuvre on the circuit.
It is held at the same time as the Cannes Film Festival, so a handful of A-list celebrities are guaranteed to be walking the pit lane before the race.
If one person has won the prize they will have almost as much money as the singer Robbie Williams and Rolling Stone Charlie Watts. And they would be 789th on the list.
The winning numbers were 1, 17, 31, 43, 47 and the Lucky Star numbers were 2 and 3.
Lottery operators - Camelot - said that the millions could be in the winner’s account by today (Monday).
The last big winners of the EuroMillions were a man from Cirencester who shared £113m with a Spanish winner.
Research done in Toronto and published in The Sunday Times has showed that youngsters who learn to lie at an early age have better developed brains and therefore could end up at the top of the pile.
They believe lying uses many brain processes, for example combining sources of information and using the knowledge for their own gains.
The study looked at 1,200 children, from the ages of 2-16.
According to the study the most deceitful age was 12.
Meanwhile, The Monaco Grand Prix - where sport meets glamour - was held on Sunday.
This is the most colourful venue on the Grand Prix circuit. It is also very gruelling for the drivers as there is little room for manoeuvre on the circuit.
It is held at the same time as the Cannes Film Festival, so a handful of A-list celebrities are guaranteed to be walking the pit lane before the race.
Monday, 10 May 2010
Waiting for a compromise
THIS year’s general election was more gripping than those of 2005, 2001 and 1997.
In the last three elections Labour returned to power with a convincing majority.
But this year no-one was sure how the result would go. However it was predicted that a hung parliament was a distinct possibility.
So I am astounded that no party had made any plans for that result.
David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown should have each put together an action plan, in case there was a hung parliament.
Labour and the Lib Dems could have talked about what they would do in the event of a hung parliament and the Tories-Lib-Dems done the same.
This would have prevented the state of limbo we are currently going through. The result was known on Friday and a government has not been formed yet. How long will it take for a conclusion to be reached?
There are many issues that need to be resolved in the country and a government must be found sooner rather than later. We can’t afford to waste more time.
Meanwhile, I was very disappointed that Liverpool finished in seventh place in this year’s Premier League, below Man City, Aston Villa and Tottenham.
That’s another season gone without any silverware.
Something must now be done to try and reverse the fortunes of this great club.
In the last three elections Labour returned to power with a convincing majority.
But this year no-one was sure how the result would go. However it was predicted that a hung parliament was a distinct possibility.
So I am astounded that no party had made any plans for that result.
David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown should have each put together an action plan, in case there was a hung parliament.
Labour and the Lib Dems could have talked about what they would do in the event of a hung parliament and the Tories-Lib-Dems done the same.
This would have prevented the state of limbo we are currently going through. The result was known on Friday and a government has not been formed yet. How long will it take for a conclusion to be reached?
There are many issues that need to be resolved in the country and a government must be found sooner rather than later. We can’t afford to waste more time.
Meanwhile, I was very disappointed that Liverpool finished in seventh place in this year’s Premier League, below Man City, Aston Villa and Tottenham.
That’s another season gone without any silverware.
Something must now be done to try and reverse the fortunes of this great club.
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