StumbleUpon | 8ight's blog posts

http://8ight.stumbleupon.com/review/11669976/

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 05:37:27 -0700

What to improve in StumbleUpon, fast..

..in order to not lose users to other/newer social netsites

StumbleUpon is one of the richest user content based social apps out there. What it really lacks is an efficient interface to access that content. Even the new "Profile Page" look is under all critique: how do I search my own material? Why can't I search say either my Reviews or my Favorites...etc.etc I could potentially use StumbleUpon for a LOT more.. all it needs is proper search capacity.. for now I use a Google hack but damn does it suck.

http://8ight.stumbleupon.com/review/11017793/

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:32:01 -0700

Thanks for Nothing Windows Vista

A little rant here: Windows Vista is appalling in its absolute inability to add anything useful to the Windows experience whatsoever - the font smoothing and fonts in general are badly broken (blurred and inconsistent throughout the interface) and ultimately only manageable if one choses to disable the whole Aero interface altogether (thereby disabling most, if not all, of the user visible innovation introduced in Vista).

The end result is that Vista comes off as a bastard child of Windows XP: very akin to the horrendous Windows ME that followed Windows 98. Even the most basic things the like the Windows Explorer have been BADLY messed up.

When then faced with having to tweak the system one runs into the fact that all the systems dialogs are exactly the same as in XP only now they're scattered in a million subsections of ugly flashy GUI overlays that are stupidly annoying and, worse, inconsistent to navigate (this now rivals most Linux distros). My original reason for installing Vista was to do software testing but having now tried I really think this version of Windows should be left to rot on the shelves - not even worth a try.

As a last kick the crotch Vista introduces a number of "security" enhancements such as Windows defender and others that all have the dubious thing in common that they're unbelievably nontransparent in their setup (settings are again scattered over the "security center", the individual tools and so forth). Also, whether or not the user is actually safer when using them is completely in the unknown.. really the LAST thing EVER that one would want from security tools.

http://8ight.stumbleupon.com/review/3548548/

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 13:20:47 -0800

Ginkgo Biloba Summary Posting

This StumbleUpon posting contain a wide range of links to informative pages concerning the effect of Ginkgo Biloba on the human organism. Headlines link to overview LEF.org articles on subject. Other links are all HubMed related.

Anti-Aging Effects of Ginkgo Biloba
Excerpt: "A study published in 2003 concluded that ginkgo extract improves the general mental health and quality of life of elderly adults with normal cognitive function (Cieza A et al. Effects of Gink- go biloba on mental functioning in healthy volunteers. Arch Med Res. 2003 Sep;34(5):373-81.). Sixty-six healthy volunteers aged 50-65 participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that evaluated ginkgo extract's effect on mental functioning. The participants took 240 mg of ginkgo extract or a placebo daily for four weeks. At baseline ... the characteristics ... in the placebo group and ginkgo extract group were similar ... subjects who took ginkgo extract saw significant improvements in their self-perceived mental health and quality of life. Participants who took ginkgo extract performed markedly better on action and reaction tests, and also reported improved mood, providing further evidence of the efficacy of ginkgo extract." Also: "...review underscores the potential benefits of Ginkgo biloba in cardiovascular diseases"[1]. Lastly, Ginkgo seems an overall neuroprotecter: "Substantial experimental evidence indicates that EGb761 has neuroprotective potency"[2]

Anti-arthritic behavior of Gingko Compounds
Excerpt: "Ginkgetin, a biflavone from Ginkgo biloba leaves, was previously reported to be a phospholipase A2 inhibitor and this compound showed the potent antiarthritic activity"[1]. Even better: "Ginkgetin (10-20 mg/kg/day) strongly reduced arthritic inflammation in an animal model of rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (86% inhibition at 16 days at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day) via intraperitoneal injection, while prednisolone (5 mg/kg/day) showed 79% reduction.", ergo, it shows better result than the stuff people are injected with once it gets really bad (while at the same time, very unlike prednisolone, protecting cells in the rest of the organism)[2]. Of relative interest is also a study showing that Ginkgo works in concert with other NSAIDs: "Results suggest that GbE may be of clinical value as an anti inflammatory and analgesic drug alone or in conjunction with NSAIDs"[3]

Cognitive Enhancement
Excerpt: "... there is scientific support for memory enhancement even in young healthy people. Following just a single dose of 600 mg of ginkgo extract, a significant memory improvement was demonstrated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study using Sternberg's memory scanning test. The effect lasted for several hours (Subhan et al. 1984). In [a] randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled crossover study, 31 volunteers aged 30-59 years were given multiple doses of 50 or 100 mg; a single dose of 120 or 300 mg; or placebo during the day of testing. A psychometric test battery was administered before the first dose and at frequent intervals during the day until 11 hours after the last dose ... effect of ginkgo in healthy volunteers was most evident with the 120-mg dose; more apparent in the oldest age group of 50-59 years; and [most] pronounced for short-term memory ... (Rigney et al. 1999)."

Extending Life Span through Ginkgo
Excerpt: "An unexpected finding occurred in a study published in Physiology & Behavior (1998, Vol 63, No 3 pp-425-433). The study was designed to ... assess cognitive function. What surprised the scientists, however, was the rats administered ginkgo lived a mean of 31 months compared to 26.4 months in the placebo group. In human equivalency terms, these results indicate that ginkgo could extend life span by 11 years. The scientists who conducted this study went into quite a bit of detail to explain why ginkgo may have produced this unexpected longevity benefit, and suggested that life span studies on ginkgo extract be initiated to confirm these initial results."

That's all - now run and get that Ginkgo :)