Latest news with #WilliamJames
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Is time ‘moving faster' for you too? There's a reason you feel this way, says Charles Assisi
Each time my editor at the Hindustan Times, Zara Murao, reminds me that it's time to write this column, we both laugh and shudder at once. Has it been two weeks already? Wasn't it just the other day she reminded me of my last deadline? It's the middle of the year already; how did it pass by so fast? An astronomical clock in Prague. To make better sense of time, seek out precious or new experiences. As we create memories, time 'stretches', researchers say. (Shutterstock) These aren't the only times this sensation hits. There have been many moments this year when I've looked up from my desk and felt like I've lost entire weeks. A project I started work on 'just the other day' has turned out to be months old. My pile of summer reads has gone untouched. Suddenly, we are well into the monsoon. If you've felt this too — that 2025 is somehow moving faster than usual — you're not alone. And no, this isn't the poetic imagination of tired minds. There is scientific theory, in fact, to explain this experience. One of the most enduring insights in this regard comes from the 19th-century American thinker and psychologist William James. He famously observed that time feels slower when one is younger because we are encountering the world in high-resolution. Everything is new, and our brains are soaking it in. As we create rich, detailed memories, time appears to stretch out (remember the interminable wait to turn seven; I need a minute, now, to remember what year I'm in). As we age, James's theory goes, our routines harden, sameness sets in, and we stop noticing the details. We stop encoding novelty, because there is less of it. When memory is thin, he says, time collapses in retrospect. This is why a new experience, a new place, travel or time spent in groups stands out (and seems to go by more slowly). Since the pandemic, most of us live lives of far greater sameness than we did before Covid-19. Habits have changed, social circles have shrunk. The calendars are full again, but the experiences blur together. We check off tasks, attend meetings, cycle through content. But by the end of the day, we're not quite sure where the time went. It was particularly comforting, and intriguing, to me to hear the clinical psychologist Kuldeep Datay, whom I have known for some years and who is affiliated with the Institute for Psychological Health (IPH) in Mumbai, concur. 'The years do seem to be moving faster,' he said. 'It seems to be a function of two things: the pace of life in our cities, and the sameness of our days. Most of our days are so similar, we can go through them on autopilot.' Sameness of course is a luxury; it indicates stability and ease. But as with anything good, have we breached the limit and ended up with too much? Paired with other aspects of life in the social-media age, have we tipped the scales too far? I believe Kuldeep strikes at the heart of the matter when he speaks of the pace of our cities. Take my younger daughter. She and her pre-teen friends live days filled with new sights, experiences and information. Even their slang is constantly evolving. As their brains record more memories per unit of time, a single afternoon can feel like a week. A school day can feel endless. A summer seems to stretch on for a lifetime (and have half a lifetime's experiences packed into it). Their minds aren't as cluttered with deadlines and calendar entries. They live far more in the present, with little concept of time as a resource. I am already seeing this fade with my elder daughter. Amid schedules and exam stress, her teenage life is more repetitive: classes, homework, endless scrolling. 'This year flew by,' she said to me in December, for what I think was the first time. There is biology and math at play too, as psychologists have pointed out. Proportionality theory, which I find equal parts elegant and sobering, suggests that time appears to speed up as we grow older because each year becomes a smaller fraction of our lived experience. To a 10-year-old, a year is 10% of their life. To a 50-year-old, it is 2%. This, they theorise, is part of why childhood summers lasted longer, and adult Decembers seem to arrive faster each year. Of course, culture plays a crucial role. We live in a world that celebrates speed: 2x video speeds. 10x growth. Rapid iterations. Even rest has become something to optimise. We measure time not by its texture, but by how efficiently it was used. What can we do to course-correct? The answer, ironically, is to deliberately slow down. Not in a vague, Instagram-zen way, but by actively working towards novelty, mindfulness and presence. Be more aware of what you are doing as you do it. Stay in the moment. Make time for moments of nothing: watch the clouds change shape, put the phone down for the duration of a conversation. Feel the fullness of time again. (Charles Assisi is co-founder of Founding Fuel. He can be reached on assisi@
Zawya
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Zawya
UK says new car, aerospace tariffs with US to start by end of June
Britain said on Wednesday it expected new tariff arrangements with the United States on cars and aerospace to come into force by the end of the month, following the signing of an agreement two days ago. (Reporting by Muvija M, writing by Sarah Young; editing by William James)
Wales Online
25-05-2025
- General
- Wales Online
Common item you should never leave outside in May as it will attract rats
Common item you should never leave outside in May as it will attract rats Gardening experts at William James have warned that rat populations can quickly explode in the warmer weather, and have shared some simple ways to keep them away Following these tips will help avoid rats wrecking havoc in your gardens (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) With the sunshine welcoming more of us outdoors, it's important to be mindful that pests like rats might also be frequenting our gardens. While it may seem straightforward to resort to poison in dealing with these irritants, such methods can seriously harm local wildlife, neighbourhood pets, and are particularly inadvisable for pet owners. Gardening gurus at William James have proposed alternative measures, such as eliminating potential attractions for rats in your garden, especially bird feeders. They advise: "Rats eat grains and seeds, so if you have bird feeders or squirrel feeders in your garden, it's best to take them down for a while until the rat problem is resolved." Known for their opportunistic nature, rats will dwell where they can easily detect food, making bird feeders a prime target. Bird feeders might be attracting Rats to your garden (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) Seeds dropped during birds' feeding sprees, when paired with a feeder placed close to structures like sheds, fences or trees, provide effortless access for climbing rats. Limiting fill in bird feeders and bringing them indoors at dusk is considered effective, given rats' nocturnal tendencies, reports the Express. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Article continues below Some individuals employ the tactic of adding chilli powder to bird feed since it deters rats who are irritated by spice, whereas birds remain unaffected and might even relish it. Nevertheless, the most efficacious measure against rats as temperatures rise is maintaining a tidy garden devoid of accessible food sources. It is crucial there is no food source in your garden to reduce the number of rats (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) The specialist advised: "The first step is to make sure there are no food sources for the rats in your garden. This means clearing up any spilt bird seed or pet food, and making sure all compost bins are securely covered." It's wise to also shield any water features in your garden, such as a bird bath at night-time, as rats tend to be attracted to these more as it gets warmer. With many berry plants like strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries poised to start bearing fruit in May, it's crucial to maintain them well and ensure there are no dropped fruits for rats to nibble on. Your furry friend might help reduce the rats in your garden (Image: Getty Images ) Rats, with their highly developed olfactory senses, will naturally gravitate towards areas with attractive odours, so vigilance in protecting your crops is key as summer approaches. Employ netting over berry bushes, consider cultivating them in raised beds for extra safety, but arguably the most effective safeguard for any keen gardener might be a feline friend, whose presence alone can deter rats. Article continues below The expert remarked: "Natural predators can be a great way to help keep rats away from your garden. If you have a cat, it can help to keep the rat population down." Furthermore, encouraging the presence of other natural adversaries of rats, such as owls and foxes, can act as an efficient rat deterrent, negating the need for harmful chemicals in your green space.
Associated Press
02-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
GenBio Is excited to share how functional foods improve liver structure and function
Diet plays a key role in maintaining liver health ''Is life worth living? It all depends on the liver.' — William James'— William James ALISO VIEJO, CA, UNITED STATES, May 2, 2025 / / -- Functional foods improve liver structure and function Fats are an important part of the human diet as a major source of energy. Around 90% of the fat stores are on top of muscle, so just under the skin. However, excessive dietary fat intake leads to fat deposition around internal organs such as the heart, intestines, and liver. The liver is critical to maintaining the functioning of the body as it processes nutrients from the diet, produces key hormones, and removes harmful compounds. Further, optimal human immunity to ward off pathogens relies on a healthy liver. Deposition of fat in the liver is defined as fatty liver disease. This is common in obese patients, but the same pathology is also found in lean individuals, especially Asians. Fat deposition leads to stress on the liver cells by increased inflammation and organ damage. The liver cells then secrete cytokines, small signalling protein messengers that modify inflammatory and immune responses. The major liver cytokines are the many members of the interleukin family that allow fine control of these systems throughout the body as some are protective and anti-inflammatory, while others are pro-inflammatory causing cell stress and reduced function. Chronic fatty liver disease is predominantly a proinflammatory state, ultimately causing death of liver cells, which are then replaced by collagen as liver fibrosis. Since diet can promote liver damage, can dietary changes reverse this damage? The first steps in the treatment of fatty liver are the loss of body weight by diet, together with increased exercise. Like fatty liver disease, diet-induced obesity is a state of chronic low-grade inflammation leading to damage throughout the body, especially to the cardiovascular system and the liver. This is shown as increased inflammatory mediators in the blood, increased infiltration of inflammatory cells, together with increased collagen deposition in organs such as the heart and liver, hypertension, and decreased contractility of the heart. Obesity and fatty liver disease can be modified by increased chronic dietary intake of anthocyanins, the red-purple colors found in some plum varieties from Australia such as the Queen Garnet and Davidson plums. In vivo research has demonstrated improved liver structure and function, improved heart contractility, decreased blood pressure, improved insulin responses and reduced abdominal obesity following chronic intake of these plums. Thus, these plums fit the definition of functional foods as sources of anthocyanins that provide nutrition as well as modifying chronic diet-induced liver and heart disease. Todd D. Sonoga GenBio Inc. +1 9497058021 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Facebook X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
National Observer
24-04-2025
- Business
- National Observer
If we're in an economic war, why aren't we talking about war taxes?
"The one thing that can stop the rise of the far right is the one thing mainstream parties are currently not prepared to deliver: greater equality. The rich should be taxed more, and the revenue used to improve the lives of the poor." — Writer and Guardian columnist George Monbiot 'War-taxes are the only ones men never hesitate to pay, as the budgets of all nations tell us.' — Philosopher William James, from his 1910 essay 'The Moral Equivalent of War' Many of our leaders rightly say that Trump hasn't merely imposed tariffs — the US President has declared 'economic war' on Canada. We are experiencing an assault on our economy, employment and sovereignty, all aimed at softening us up to accept annexation. In the face of this, much like the early days of the COVID pandemic, we are invited to make common cause; 'we're all in this together', our leaders implore — elbows up! But if we are indeed standing on the breach of an economic war, how best to sustain social solidarity — a widespread feeling of shared sacrifice and purpose? And relatedly, why are our leaders failing to institute what is normally understood to be a foundational price of war, namely, tax increases on corporations and upper-income people? Wartime, after all, is generally financed by special war taxes, with a particular duty borne by those most fortunate. That's why the First World War saw the introduction of Canada's income tax. Social solidarity requires fair taxation and shared sacrifice, writes Seth Klein Yet in contrast, we seem to be entering the current fight with our aspiring leaders doing just the opposite — competing over who can provide the biggest tax cuts, with the largest gains going to the most comfortable. Is this a serious fight or a phony war? Successful mobilization requires that people make common cause across class, race and gender — and that the public have confidence that sacrifices are being made by the rich as well as middle- and modest-income people. Meaning they require social solidarity and inequality is toxic to maintaining social solidarity (not to mention confronting the far right). In times of crisis, cutting taxes is a backwards impulse; what is actually required is an increase in revenues to pay for the programs that will be urgently needed. As the saying goes, in an emergency, 'everyone has to do their bit.' This is a key lesson from the history of mobilization, both successful and unsuccessful efforts. During the First World War, for example, inequality and grotesque levels of profiteering in Canada undermined social solidarity and undercut recruitment efforts (it's one of the reasons for that war's conscription crisis that nearly tore the country apart). After all, how can we expect thousands to voluntarily offer to make the ultimate sacrifice while others are making a killing? Consequently, at the outset of the Second World War, the Mackenzie King government took bold steps to lessen inequality and limit windfall profits. Not only did the Second World War see the introduction of Canada's first major income-transfer programs (unemployment insurance and the family allowance), but it also saw new progressive taxes established, including a severe excess profits tax that capped profits at their pre-war average. These measures were pivotal to sustaining social solidarity during WWII. Fast-forward to more recent years, and we can all remember the whiplash of the first year of the COVID pandemic, when, as a country, we went from low social solidarity prior to the outbreak, to a post-war highpoint of social solidarity (as we gathered in the evenings to bang pots and pans), to pissing away all that goodwill — all in the space of 10 months. And how was that solidarity squandered? Because despite the 'we're all in this together' mantra of our political leaders, it turns out we weren't. Some were making huge sacrifices (working on the frontlines of the pandemic or losing their jobs), while others were making out like bandits — as in the First World War, the pandemic saw rampant corporate profiteering that played a key role in driving up the cost of living (as economist Jim Stanford explains here). Time to raise taxes on wealth and the well-to-do 'No great fortunes can be accumulated out of wartime profits.' — J.L. Ilsley, Canada's Second World War finance minister 'Public scarcity in times of unprecedented private wealth is a manufactured crisis, designed to extinguish our dreams before they have a chance to be born.' — The 2015 Leap Manifesto As I wrote in a recent column, the Canadian corporate sector is currently sitting on over $700 billion in cash deposits. It was Mark Carney, when still Bank of Canada governor in 2012, who described such extraordinary sums of idle cash as 'dead money.' That money should be 'legislated back to work' — conscripted into service — via taxation. One of Carney's first acts as Prime Minister (supported by the Conservatives) was to reverse the Trudeau government's controversial, albeit well-advised, plan to tighten the capital gains tax exclusion from 50 per cent to one-third, a move that would have improved equality. In justifying this gift to some of the wealthiest among us, Carney said that 'our builders should not be penalized.' But by what strange logic should a construction worker — an actual builder — pay income tax on all their income, while someone who makes money from money pays income tax on only half their income? If this is a moment of crisis, then it is surely time to institute new taxes on wealth and windfall profits. Yet neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives are proposing this. In contrast, the NDP platform contains robust proposals for both, as do the Greens (although the Greens' most expensive plank is a large and misguided increase to the basic personal exemption, a policy that provides maximum benefits for upper-income households) . Alex Hemingway, senior economist with the BC Society for Policy Solutions, has published an excellent proposal for a federal tax on the net wealth of the super-rich that could generate $32 billion a year, with 'rates of 1% on net wealth above $10 million, 2% above $50 million and 3% above $100 million. A narrow wealth tax of this kind would capture only the richest 0.5% of Canadians, or about 87,000 families.' Hemingway also proposes new progressive taxes on property that would capture a modest share of the windfall benefits that have accrued to property owners in this overheated housing market. The federal NDP estimates its proposed tax on windfall corporate profits would raise about $1.6 billion a year, while a 15 per cent minimum tax on book profits could raise about $4 billion a year. And as I've written previously, a 15 per cent export tax on Canada's oil and gas exports to the US could raise $25 billion a year. The point here is that in a wealthy country such as ours, the options are many to pay for a wartime-scale transformation. While many are indeed struggling to make ends meet, overall as a country, scarcity should not be the guiding ethos. And the lessons from history — as we face today's threat and the need for mobilization — are twofold. First, to appreciate how inequality serves as a barrier to cross-society mobilization. And second, to understand that effective mobilization requires policies that fulfill a promise that we will better look after one another, that we will guarantee good jobs and income support to all, that people will be treated with dignity and fairness, and that everyone will appropriately ante into the effort.
