Last week I decided to do something that I have wanted to do for a long time but never really dared to do. I went off the mobile network for nearly four days. And that is the reason why last week’s edition of Curiosity was delayed until today. I intend to write about my experience of going off-the-grid in some time.
1.
Cassette tapes are making a surprise comeback in Japan
In an era where digital streaming services dominate the music industry, a surprising retro revival is taking place: the comeback of the cassette tape. Once thought to be a relic of the past, the humble rectangle of magnetic film is experiencing a renaissance, charming a new generation of music enthusiasts with its nostalgic appearance and distinctly warm and rich sound.
This will probably remain a niche area for enthusiasts, but it is heartening to see an analog tech still finding acceptance amongst the youth.
2.
Statutory warning - News is injurious to your health
In the past few decades, the fortunate among us have recognised the hazards of living with an overabundance of food (obesity, diabetes) and have started to change our diets. But most of us do not yet understand that news is to the mind what sugar is to the body. News is easy to digest. The media feeds us small bites of trivial matter, tidbits that don't really concern our lives and don't require thinking. That's why we experience almost no saturation. Unlike reading books and long magazine articles (which require thinking), we can swallow limitless quantities of news flashes, which are bright-coloured candies for the mind. Today, we have reached the same point in relation to information that we faced 20 years ago in regard to food. We are beginning to recognise how toxic news can be.
Out of the approximately 10,000 news stories you have read in the last 12 months, name one that – because you consumed it – allowed you to make a better decision about a serious matter affecting your life, your career or your business. The point is: the consumption of news is irrelevant to you. But people find it very difficult to recognise what's relevant. It's much easier to recognise what's new. The relevant versus the new is the fundamental battle of the current age. Media organisations want you to believe that news offers you some sort of a competitive advantage. Many fall for that. We get anxious when we're cut off from the flow of news. In reality, news consumption is a competitive disadvantage. The less news you consume, the bigger the advantage you have.
3.
GLP-1 is causing muscle loss along with reducing weight
As drugs like Ozempic become increasingly popular for weight loss, more doctors and patients are looking for ways to counteract the muscle loss that can happen on these medications — and companies are racing to meet that demand.
Nutritionists and meal-delivery services are creating plans to help patients pack in enough protein. And drug companies including Eli Lilly, which makes Mounjaro and Zepbound, are looking to develop combination treatments that prevent muscle loss.
“These weight loss drugs, they basically cause the development of frailty in older patients in months instead of years,” said Dr. Mitchell Steiner, the CEO of Veru.
“Just because we’re losing weight doesn’t always mean we’re getting healthier,” said Dr. Michelle Hauser, obesity medicine director of the Stanford Lifestyle and Weight Management Center.
Doctors tend to recommend two simple fixes to fight muscle loss: eating protein and doing strength training.
Thought of the Week
“Nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost legendary. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Perseverance and determination alone are omnipotent.”
~ Calvin Coolidge
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