What I Learnt Today

Can you compress two hundred years of social and economic history into a 4 minute youtube video?

Yes, if you are Hans Rosling, The Jedi Master of Data Visualization, (and the Professor of International Health at the Karlinska Institute.)

Prof Rosling is also director of the Gapminder Foundation – ‘Unveiling the Beauty of Statistics for a Fact Based World’.

Gapminder is a non-profit foundation based in Stockholm. Our goal is to replace devastating myths with a fact-based worldview. Our method is to make data easy to understand. We are dedicated to innovate and spread new methods to make global development understandable, free of charge, without advertising. We want to let teachers, journalists and everyone else continue to freely use our tools, videos and presentations.

In the video below, life expectancy is plotted against income for every country since 1810. “Instead of studying history one year at the university, you can watch this video for less than five minutes”, according to Gapminder. 

(Australia is a small red circle that leads the world during the early 1900s and thereafter always orbits like a moon around the US)

This particular segment was made as part of a BBC Documentary, the Joy of Stats. You can experience your own joy at Gapminder World. (One for you, Laura)

What I Learnt On 31st January in other years

31st January 2011 Security Screening Shortcuts at Sydney Airport

What is the single best thing we can do for our health?

Stop smoking? Lower our cholesterol? Take Aspirin? Lose weight? Take vitamins?

There is one treatment that has been demonstrated in multiple studies to improve life expectancy (23%), decrease cardiovascular disease, prevent progression to diabetes (58%), prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s (50%), improve the pain and disability of arthritis (47%), prevent fracture in osteoporosis (41%), reduce the incidence of anxiety (48%) and depression (47%), reduce fatigue and increase overall quality of life.

And that treatment is……….

Over to you Professor Mike Evans.

What I Learnt On 30th January in other years

30th January 2011 A Hunter Doesn’t Shoot a Bear

For an overnight stay in Tokyo, how can you go past the Shunjuku City Hotel N.U.T.S?

The City Hotel N.U.T.S. (New Uarban Time and Space!) has a family room that sleeps five on traditional Japanes tatami mats (rare in Tokyo to find a room that sleeps three) – as well as Western-style rooms.

And it certainly is the only hotel on wotif that proudly features an iPod dog.

It’s new room just come out which is designed by Japanese architecture named upsetters.Size of room is 30sqm with traditional japanese tatami style.It’s furnished with private bath toilet,internet,refrigerator,hair dryer,flat TV,I pod dog,welcome drink

The welcome drink comes from a free Coke vending machine in the lobby, which is a good thing as you get to spend a bit of time there waiting for the lift, which only takes three at a time. (NUTS may have removed the Coke machine after our boys drank the entire month’s supply for greater Tokyo)

The only problem is that for those who are keen on a bit of a smork after a week’s skiing, at NUTS ‘you are allowed to smork in only smorking area’.

What I Learnt On 29th January in other years

29th January 2011 Old Parliament House

Waiting room. I hate when they make you wait in the room. ‘Cause it says “Waiting room.” There’s no chance of not waiting, ’cause they call it the waiting room, they’re going to use it. They’ve got it. It’s all set up for you to wait. – Jerry Seinfeld.

What I Learnt On 28th January in other years

28th January 2011 Sidere Mens Eadem Mutato – Nothing ever changes at Uni

Dear God, 

My prayer for 2012 is for – 

A fat bank account & a thin body.

Please don’t mix these up like you did last year.

AMEN!

(Hat Tip to Rabbit)

What I Learnt On 27th January in other years

27th January 2011 Life is Simple – Part One: Relationships