January 9, 2011

Patrolling the Web this Week

Below are some of my favorite articles and websites I've come across in the past two weeks. I hope readers find them just as insightful and/or entertaining as I do.

A slam dunk for mental health: via Zev Yaroslavsky. As some of you might know, Ron Artest, famous NBA basketball player infamous for his erratic behavior and anger outbursts, has recently sold his 2009 Lakers Championship ring to raise money for The Los Angeles Department of Mental Health. Below is a great in depth interview where Artest explains why he feels so close to this cause.


Ron Artest speaks to Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health from Alysa Solomon on Vimeo.

People Problems Masquerading as Business Problems: By Dan Pallota. Rarely do business and social work collide on the Harvard Business Blog, but the author of the article manages to do so just beautifully. Company founder of Pallotta TeamWorks and president of Springboard, Pallotta talks about the importance of deciphering between work-related problems and life-related problems in employees' lives. He believes that the ability to recognize this difference is the key to increasing worker productivity. His advice? "Make psychological and spiritual well-being as much a priority in your company as all of your other key operating indicators." America could really use more CEOs like Dan Pallota.

Isabelle Caro, Anorexic Model, Dies at 28: By William Grimes. This is truly a tragic story. Isabelle, widely known for her anti-anorexia campaign, lost her life to complications from Anorexia Nervosa in November of last year. It is unforgivable that women die from this completely preventable disorder.

Operation Beautiful: By Caitlyn Boyle. I stumbled across this blogger's website two weeks ago and have loved it ever since. Operation Beautiful is a way for complete strangers to communicate inspiring messages to each other, by means of sticky notes left in public places (bathroom stalls, drug stores, supermarkets, schools, etc.). I really liked today's phrase of the day: “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” I have yet to discover an Operation Beautiful sticky note in Los Angeles, but perhaps I will create one this week.

Simple guide to speaking foreign languages: By zenhabits. This article could not have been more timely for me. Zenhabits, a blog I consistently follow, has some really great tips on how to become fluent in a language (in three months!). While my expectations for learning a second language are not quite as bold, I believe his philosophy of speaking the language for at least an hour a day is crucial to the success of mastering another language. Looks like I'll have to find a way to start speaking outside of my Spanish class on Fridays.

Newer antipsychotics overused: By Julie Steenhuysen. According to a recent study, newer antipsychotic medications are being dolled out to patients without hard, scientific evidence to justify the prescription. Originally created to treat psychoses, these medications are now being used by doctors to treat depression, bipolar disorder and even autism. Among the drugs are Risperdal, Zyprexa, Abilify, and Seroquel.

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