October 18th, 2005 by Ventaur
There has been a lot of discussion lately among certain circles about polyphasic sleep. It is a way of sleeping that differs from the “norm” by breaking up sleep into many phases, as opposed to one continuous sleep phase. There is not much official research into this practice by sleep researchers; it’s not their goal in research. However, there have been a few independent researchers of the technique that are not necessarily accredited in medicine or biology; thus, rendering their findings speculative and less than trusting.
On the other hand, there have been plenty of reports on the human sleep cycle. Many findings indicate that we sleep in intervals of 90 minutes. We simply repeat the 90 minute cycles throughout the night. Try it sometime. Make note of when you go to bed one night and when you awake. You should notice that, on average, that time is a multiple of 90 minutes. It may vary slightly based on how long it actually took you to fall asleep and whether or not you awoke during the night to go to the bathroom, etc.
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September 5th, 2005 by Ventaur
Recent events in the south have caused me to voice a dormant opinion.
Hurricane Katrina ripped through the southern U.S. without mercy. The hardest hit states declared a state of emergency as the damage began to pile up. People were not only struggling with the idea of losing their homes and livelihoods; they were faced with death and separation. These are the facts.
So, what is my dormant opinion? Well, as with many crises, some people make the choice to take advantage of such a situation. I’m referring to people that commit crimes during these times; looters in particular. Dare I say, I am upset to see and hear of these acts at any time, but I am enraged during a state of emergency. It’s utterly appalling to me that these morons would detract emergency personnel from their duties of rescue. So much so, I have decided to contact my senators and congressmen with a petition for new law.
This certainly is not the first time that looting, and other crimes, have reared up during a time of distress. I strongly feel that these thugs should be tried and punished under completely different circumstances than the “normal”. I believe all crimes committed during a state of emergency should be tried as federal offenses. Let’s face it; these criminals are interfering with federal assistance, as well as state officials. Our tax money is put to good use assisting those states in need during and after such disasters, yet a few jackasses put lives in danger with their actions and waste the valuable resources needed.
Let’s not stop there! If convicted of a lesser crime (like looting) during a state of emergency, these idiots should be sentenced to hard labor targeted at rebuilding homes, businesses, roads, bridges, entire communities, etc., in places with the most need as a result of the emergency. In other words, if you decide to loot during a hurricane (or other disaster), get caught and convicted, you will be forced to rebuild the very homes and businesses you looted.
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