Leonard Cohen's tortured love affair with Zen Buddhism
Leonard Cohen was waiting for the miracle to come, and he waited half his life away. For three decades, the Jewish poet pop star studied Zen Buddhism. At 65, he finally saw small miracles. ‘There was just a certain sweetness to daily life that began asserting itself,” Cohen told The Guardian in Read More...
Colombia peace deal: Government and Farc reach new agreement
The Colombian government and the Farc rebel group have announced a new peace agreement, six weeks after the original deal was rejected in a popular vote. Alvaro Uribe, a former president who led the "no" campaign, was involved in this round of negotiations intended to end 52 years of civil war. The Read More...
Daimler boss tells German Greens he shares vision of zero-emission cars
The chairman of Germany's largest luxury carmaker, Daimler-Benz, braved boos and a frosty reception as guest speaker at a Greens party congress on Sunday to tell delegates he too wants CO2-free cars on the roads. Dieter Zetsche, whose company is demonized by many Greens, said the firm had not Read More...
Which milk is most nutritious: soy, cashew, almond or coconut?
Question: Which kind of milk is more nutritious: almond, soy, coconut or cashew? Answer: “It varies based on the company,” said Sara Haas, a dietitian speaking on behalf of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “I encourage people to be label readers.” Vegans and others Read More...
Aruba commits to 100% renewable energy
While many nations are taking steps toward energy independence, Aruba is diving in. In 2012, the small island nation pledged to transition to 100 percent renewable energy within eight years. Justin Locke is director of the island energy program at the Carbon War Room, an international nonprofit. He Read More...
Is Bitcoin the answer to Zimbabwe's currency woes? Some economists think so
Tendai Biti sits in his office in a leafy Harare suburb, contemplating another collapse of the Zimbabwean economy. Thanks to a chronic shortage of United States dollars, the country is running out of cash. There are long queues outside every bank, with some customers forced to wait overnight for a Read More...
Working less improves productivity and wellbeing
Americans work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more hours per year than British workers, and 499 more hours per year than French workers. But they are not more productive. Yes, there’s compelling evidence that slowing down and actually "doing nothing" can improve productivity Read More...
Smart windows save energy and promote productivity
Windows play a key role when it comes to saving energy. The principle loss of energy in buildings is through windows: A pane of glass can lose or gain up to 10 times the amount of heat than a same sized wall space. Smart windows are changing that. On sunny days, they automatically tint to block Read More...
Research shows probiotics help thinking and memory for people with Alzheimer’s
Eating yogurt and taking probiotic supplements helps improve the thinking and memory for people with Alzheimer’s disease, research has found. In a clinical trial involving 52 people, those who drank a daily dose of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium bacteria for 12 weeks showed improvements on Read More...
Message to the new president: Free trade and immigration stimulate the economy
With the arrival of president Trump, protectionism seems to be on a winning course. Trump has vowed to restrict the movement of people and goods into the United States, discarding trade agreements, raising tariffs, curtailing immigration, and constructing walls around the country. It’s urgent to Read More...