Monday, July 20, 2026
On Broadway in Vancouver. Spring of 2019.
Broadway is a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In Vancouver’s numbered avenue grid system, it runs in place of a 9th Avenue, between 8th and 10th. The street has six lanes for most of its course. Portions of the street carry the British Columbia Highway 7 designation.
The route begins as “West Broadway” at the intersection of Wallace Crescent and 8th Avenue, in the affluent residential neighbourhood of West Point Grey, a few kilometres east of the University of British Columbia (UBC). Past Alma Street, Broadway takes over from 10th Avenue as one of Vancouver’s major thoroughfares, as it enters Greek West Broadway (or Greektown) section of Vancouver’s Kitsilano district. East of here are several blocks of generally trendy, upscale shops interspersed with low-rise apartment blocks and small supermarkets. The surrounding neighbourhoods generally consist of large, older homes dating from the early twentieth century, many of which have been subdivided into rental suites.
As Broadway approaches Arbutus Street, the commercial establishments become larger before transitioning into a mix of small to mid-size apartment blocks. East of Burrard Street, the apartment blocks get progressively taller, and commercial establishments larger and busier. Between Burrard and Main Street, Broadway can be considerably congested by vehicular traffic. Past Granville Street, Broadway yields completely to medium-to-large commercial structures and high-rise apartments and condominiums. Between Cambie and Main, the commercial establishments become smaller and somewhat more downscale.
At Ontario Street, two blocks west of Main, the route becomes “East Broadway.” After bisecting Main and Kingsway, traffic on Broadway eases somewhat, and the character returns to a mix of small-to-medium apartment buildings and commercial establishments, interspersed with older homes – all considerably less affluent than those to the west. At Commercial Drive, Broadway passes by the Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain Station. Past here for several blocks, the neighbourhood consists predominantly of older residential homes.
As Broadway travels east of Renfrew Street, the neighbourhood once again becomes mixed, with older homes to the north and larger industrial, commercial, and warehouse establishments to the south. Broadway finally ends at Cassiar Street, just short of the Vancouver-Burnaby boundary, where it becomes the Lougheed Highway.
Broadway was created at the turn of the 20th century, along with other gridded roads south of False Creek, to meet the needs of an expanding population in Vancouver. The name of the route was changed from 9th Avenue to Broadway in 1909, at the behest of merchants around Main Street (at that time the hub of Vancouver commerce), who felt that it bestowed a more cosmopolitan air. Commercial establishments originally spread out around the intersections of Cambie and Main Streets, while the character of the rest of the route remained predominantly single-family dwellings.
By the 1970s, the length of Broadway had become a major arterial route in Vancouver, conveying commuters from downtown to the neighbourhoods of the west and east sides. With the growth of UBC and the expansion of the Vancouver General Hospital (one block south of Broadway between approximately Oak and Cambie), traffic demands accelerated. In the 1990s, the agency then responsible for public transit in Greater Vancouver — BC Transit — introduced an express bus route, the 99 B-Line, to help reduce congestion. The Vancouver transportation plan for Broadway notes that congestion is such that the bus service is at capacity, and will not be eased until a new rapid transit line is built paralleling the street. It is anticipated that the SkyTrain’s Millennium Line will be extended to Central Broadway by 2021; the extension is expected to connect with Canada Line at Broadway-City Hall Station, at the intersection of Broadway and Cambie Street.
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) Nootropic Review: Benefits, Side Effects & Dosage
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| https://nootropicology.com/palmitoylethanolamide-pea/ |
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a unique nootropic that can help people with ADHD, anxiety disorders, and depression. It has also been shown to improve memory in animal studies.
What is Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)?
Palmitoylethanolamide, or PEA, is made in the body naturally to alleviate pain and inflammation. Many plants and animals also synthesize PEA like:
- Soy lecithin
- Soybeans
- Egg yolk
- Peanuts
... and alfalfa are all high producers of PEA.
Since its discovery in the 1950s, scientists have been interested in PEA. It has potential as a pain reliever, but there is a lack of large-scale safety and efficacy data.
Nonetheless, PEA has also been found to have anti-inflammatory properties, which is why it's often used in supplements for people who are diagnosed with arthritis or other inflammatory conditions.
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) has also been found to work on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain, which is why it has become increasingly popular in the biohacking-sphere.
The fact that Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) has been shown to work on the cannabinoid receptors, is the reason for its anxiolytic, antidepressant, and cognitive effects.
Palmitoylethanolamide's Mechanism of Action
PEA activates the energy-boosting, fat-burning, and anti-inflammatory PPAR alpha.
PEA inhibits pro-inflammatory genes and the synthesis of numerous inflammatory chemicals by activating this important protein.
PEA activates the bliss gene, FAAH, which degrades natural anandamide.
This results in increased amounts of soothing anandamide in your system, allowing you to relax and feel better.
It may also activate cannabinoid receptors (CB2 and CB1).
The palmitic acid in PEA might be the basis for its synthesis. The body's starting point for PEA production is saturated fatty acids.
It has also been claimed that consuming extra palmitic acid or other dietary fats will not boost PEA creation in the body. This is because your body only uses PEA when it is needed to relieve inflammation or pain, and its levels vary considerably throughout the day.
The most effective approach to get PEA's advantages is to use standardized supplements or PEA-rich meals, according to researchers.
Their idea remains in the realm of hypothesis at this time.
Benefits of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)
One study found that PEA can reduce chronic neuropathic pain by influencing neurotransmitter signaling.
This is mainly due to its anti-inflammatory properties, which help with managing inflammatory conditions like arthritis and other diseases.
It can also be used as a supplement for people who are dealing with symptoms of depression or anxiety.
PEA has also been shown to improve memory, learning, and brain processing in animals.
It may do this by increasing the release of dopamine from neurons involved in cognition-related processes like motivation and attentional control.
This is why it has become increasingly popular for people who take Nootropics and want to improve their focus and attention spans.
PEA's effects on these neural circuits resemble those of conventional ADHD medications.
PEA has also been shown to be effective in analgesic in rats.
It was found to work on the mu-opioid receptor, which is thought to be responsible for its painkilling effects.
At this time, there isn't enough research to determine whether it has similar effects in humans.
Many other benefits of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) are just beginning to be discovered.
Let's take a closer look at each benefit below...
Pain Relief
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is an anti-inflammatory agent with analgesic effects.
It has been used in different types of pain management, including nerve and muscle aches.
This may be due to its ability to influence neurotransmitter signaling at the spinal level by activating descending inhibitory pathways that block the transmission of pain signals.
PEA also reduces chronic neuropathic pain by influencing neurotransmitter signaling.
It does this primarily through its anti-inflammatory properties, which are beneficial for managing inflammatory conditions like arthritis and other diseases.
Brain Health and Regeneration
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) may even be able to promote the growth of new neurons.
It can do this by activating PPAR alpha, which is a protein that encourages cell differentiation and regeneration in different parts of your body.
This also makes it useful for people who want to improve their memory or reduce cognitive decline.
PEA has been shown to have a positive effect on cognitive abilities in animals with dementia-like symptoms from neurodegenerative disorders or brain injury.
This is thought to be due to its ability to improve memory, learning, and the processing of stimuli by increasing dopamine output from neurons involved in cognition-related processes like motivation and attentional control.
PEA's effect on these neural circuits is similar to the effects of conventional ADHD medications.
Hormone Regulation
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) also regulates many hormones in your body.
It can do this by either increasing or decreasing the production of certain hormones, depending on what is needed for a given situation.
For example, it has been shown to reduce cortisol levels when they are elevated due to stress and fatigue.
This means that PEA may help improve sleep quality and provide energy to deal with stress.
On the other hand, it increases insulin production in diabetics who have hyperglycemia by reducing glucagon levels.
This makes PEA useful for people who are dealing with diabetes or hypoglycemia.
Symptoms of Depression And Anxiety
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) has been studied for its mood-elevating effects in animals.
It works by neurotransmitter signaling to activate the release of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
The inhibition of these chemicals is thought to be responsible for feelings of depression or anxiety which makes PEA useful as a treatment for depression and anxiety.
One study found that PEA improved symptoms of depression in mice treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
This is why more research on Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) as an anti-depressant medication has been called for by many people who are dealing with depression.
Overall, Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a very promising nootropic compound that has many positive health benefits for improving quality of life.
Side Effects of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)
Some people have reported that they experience mild side effects when taking PEA supplements or consuming high-fat meals with lots of palmitic acids, like indigestion and nausea.
Other side effects include:
- Muscle twitches and cramps
- Drowsiness or fatigue
- Loss of appetite
These side effects might be due to PEA's ability to activate the energy-boosting PPAR alpha protein in the body, which may also be responsible for its anti-inflammatory effects.
If you want to minimize your risk of experiencing side effects, it's best to take PEA supplements that are standardized for their active ingredient and remember to consume electrolytes.
The best way to take Palmitoylethanolamide
Palmitoylethanolamide is a fatty acid derivative.
Because it takes some time for Palmitoylethanolamide to build up in our bodies, certain effects may not be apparent right away.
The pain-relieving benefits of PEA are the most time-sensitive of its effects.
However, don't be discouraged, since many individuals have had excellent results with PEA after supplementing it for 2-4 weeks.
This implies that if you want to get the most out of Palmitoylethanolamide, you must take it regularly.
When it comes to dosage, the standard dose for Palmitoylethanolamide is 400 mg-800mg, twice a day.
To maximize absorption, you should time your supplement intake with meals that contain dietary fats.
In Summary
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a fatty acid derivative that has been studied for its mood-elevating effects in animals.
It works by neurotransmitter signaling to activate the release of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
The inhibition of these chemicals is thought to be responsible for feelings of depression or anxiety which makes PEA useful as a treatment for depression and anxiety.
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is best taken regularly and at a dose of 400-800 mg, twice per day.
Finally, remember to take PEA supplements with meals that contain dietary fats for maximum absorption.
Grover Furr on the big lies about Joseph Stalin
American professor Grover Furr talks about his book Trotsky’s “Amalgams.” Trotsky's Lies, The Moscow Trials As Evidence, The Dewey Commission.
Grover Carr Furr III (born April 3, 1944) is an American professor of Medieval English literature at Montclair State University, best known for his books on Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. He has published many books on this subject.
Friday, July 17, 2026
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley – UNESCO World Heritage Centre
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| https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/208 |
The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley represent the artistic and religious developments which from the 1st to the 13th centuries characterized ancient Bakhtria, integrating various cultural influences into the Gandhara school of Buddhist art. The area contains numerous Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as fortified edifices from the Islamic period. The site is also testimony to the tragic destruction by the Taliban of the two standing Buddha statues, which shook the world in March 2001.
Brief synthesis
Enclosed between the high mountains of the Hindu Kush in the central highlands of Afghanistan, the Bamiyan Valley opens out into a large basin bordered to the north by a long, high stretch of rocky cliffs. The Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley comprise a serial property consisting of eight separate sites within the Valley and its tributaries. Carved into the Bamiyan Cliffs are the two niches of the giant Buddha statues (55m and 38m high) destroyed by the Taliban in 2001, and numerous caves forming a large ensemble of Buddhist monasteries, chapels and sanctuaries along the foothills of the valley dating from the 3rd to the 5th century C.E. In several of the caves and niches, often linked by galleries, there are remains of wall paintings and seated Buddha figures. In the valleys of the Bamiyan's tributaries are further groups of caves including the Kakrak Valley Caves, some 3km south-east of the Bamiyan Cliffs where among the more than one hundred caves dating from the 6th to 13th centuries are fragments of a 10m tall standing Buddha figure and a sanctuary with painted decorations from the Sasanian period. Along the Fuladi valley around 2km southwest of the Bamiyan Cliffs are the caves of Qoul-i Akram and Lalai Ghami, also containing decorative features.
Punctuating the centre of the valley basin to the south of the great cliff are the remains of the fortress of Shahr-i Ghulghulah. Dating from the 6th to 10th centuries CE, this marks the original settlement of Bamiyan as stopping place on the branch of the Silk Route, which linked China and India via ancient Bactria. Further to the east along the Bamiyan Valley are the remains of fortification walls and settlements, dating from the 6th to 8th centuries at Qallai Kaphari A and B and further east still (around 15km east of the Bamiyan Cliffs) at Shahr-i Zuhak, where the earlier remains are overlaid by developments of the 10th to 13th centuries under the rule of the Islamic Ghaznavid and Ghorid dynasties.
The Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley represent the artistic and religious developments which from the 1st to the 13th centuries characterised ancient Bactria, integrating various cultural influences into the Gandharan school of Buddhist art. The numerous Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as fortified structures from the Islamic period, testify to the interchange of Indian, Hellenistic, Roman, Sasanian and Islamic influences. The site is also testimony to recurring reactions to iconic art, the most recent being the internationally condemned deliberate destruction of the two standing Buddha statues in March 2001.
Criterion (i): The Buddha statues and the cave art in Bamiyan Valley are an outstanding representation of the Gandharan school in Buddhist art in the Central Asian region.
Criterion (ii):The artistic and architectural remains of Bamiyan Valley, an important Buddhist centre on the Silk Road, are an exceptional testimony to the interchange of Indian, Hellenistic, Roman and Sasanian influences as the basis for the development of a particular artistic expression in the Gandharan school. To this can be added the Islamic influence in a later period.
Criterion (iii):The Bamiyan Valley bears an exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition in the Central Asian region, which has disappeared.
Criterion (iv): The Bamiyan Valley is an outstanding example of a cultural landscape which illustrates a significant period in Buddhism.
Criterion (vi): The Bamiyan Valley is the most monumental expression of the western Buddhism. It was an important centre of pilgrimage over many centuries. Due to their symbolic values, the monuments have suffered at different times of their existence, including the deliberate destruction in 2001, which shook the whole world.
Integrity
The heritage resources in Bamiyan Valley have suffered from various disasters and some parts are in a fragile state. A major loss to the integrity of the site was the destruction of the large Buddha statues in 2001. However, a significant proportion of all the attributes that express the Outstanding Universal Value of the site, such as Buddhist and Islamic architectural forms and their setting in the Bamiyan landscape, remain intact at all 8 sites within the boundaries, including the vast Buddhist monastery in the Bamiyan Cliffs which contained the two colossal sculptures of the Buddha.
Authenticity
The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley continue to testify to the different cultural phases of its history. Seen as a cultural landscape, the Bamiyan Valley, with its artistic and architectural remains, the traditional land use and the simple mud brick constructions continues to express its Outstanding Universal Value in terms of form and materials, location and setting, but may be vulnerable in the face of development and requires careful conservation and management.
Protection and management requirements
The monuments and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley are public property, owned by the State of Afghanistan. However, large parts of the buffer zone are in private ownership. Many documents defining the ownership were destroyed during the decades of conflict and civil unrest, and are now being re-established. The State Law on the Protection of Historical and Cultural Properties (Ministry of Justice, May 21st 2004)is in force and provides the basis for financial and technical resources.
The management of the serial property is under the authority of the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) and its relevant departments (Institute of Archaeology and the Department for the Preservation of Historical Monuments), as well as the Governor of the Bamiyan Province. The Ministry of Information and Culture has a provincial local office representative in Bamiyan. There are 8 guards specifically protecting the site against vandalism and looting, with additional resources provided by the Ministry of Interior in the form of a dedicated police contingent for the protection of cultural property (Police unit 012).
At present, the management system is provisional with help from the international community for the appropriate administrative, scientific and technical resources. Since 2003, UNESCO has been leading a three-phase safe-guarding plan for the property. Its focus has been to consolidate the Buddha niches, to safeguard the artefacts that survived the destruction of the Buddha statues and to render the site safe, notably by pursuing the complex de-mining operations at the site. A Management Plan for the property is under preparation with the objective to prepare and implement a programme for the protection, conservation and presentation of the Bamiyan Valley, to undertake exploration and excavation of the archaeological remains, and to prepare and implement a programme for sustainable cultural tourism in the Valley. The Governor of the Province is responsible for the implementation of a regional development plan, which includes rehabilitation of housing, provision of health and educational services, and development of infrastructure and agriculture.
In March 2011, it was concluded by Afghan officials and international experts at a meeting of the 9th Bamiyan Expert Working Group hosted by UNESCO that the World Heritage site is potentially ready to be removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger by 2013, pending continued progress in addressing security risks, the structural stability of the remains of the two giant Buddha sculptures and their niches, the conservation of the archaeological remains and mural paintings and implementation of the Management Plan.
The Greatest Games of All Time – Chrono Trigger
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| https://web.archive.org/web/20060610051222/http://www.gamespot.com/features/6147770/index.html |
The Original Time Trotters
Chrono Trigger
Platform: Super NES | Genre: Role-Playing Game
Publisher: Squaresoft | Developer: Squaresoft | Released: 1995
As the 16-bit era waned and the world looked to the 3D graphics and CD storage of the next generation of consoles, who would've thought the era's heaviest hitter would release arguably its finest work to date on one of those very systems about to enter obsolescence? That's precisely what happened when role-playing titan SquareSoft delivered Chrono Trigger--an entirely original Super NES role-playing game of incredibly high quality--just days before the historic September 1995 launch of the PlayStation. Though the impact of Sony's entry into the video game market is still being felt today, Chrono Trigger's charming personality and top-notch gameplay kept many RPG fans clinging to their Super NESs months after the PlayStation came onto the scene.
Based on the enormity of Chrono Trigger's development pedigree, it's a wonder the game even came close to matching RPG fans' wild expectations. The project was helmed jointly by Hironobu Sakaguchi and Yuji Horii, respectively the creators and overseers of the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series (and if you don't know what those are, well, just quit reading now). Those two names alone assured every RPG fan in the know would look forward to Chrono Trigger with a quickened pulse.
But that wasn't nearly the end of the game's development "dream team," as it came to be called. Dragon Ball creator and longtime Dragon Quest character designer Akira Toriyama threw his artistic expertise into the ring, and famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu contributed to the game's splendid score. Even the lesser known members of the team went on to make names for themselves, such as writer Masato Kato and revered composer Yasunori Mitsuda, both of whom helped create Xenogears and its spiritual successor, the Xenosaga series.
Chrono Trigger's epic adventure put you in the middle of a valiant effort to save the world. Sounds like old hat for an RPG, right? But the game's sublimely rendered storyline spanned not just continents but epochs, as you visited and revisited the same locations in time periods hundreds, thousands, even millions of years apart. Events were woven into the storyline such that your actions in one time period had a direct and gratifying effect on circumstances in a later period. And the storyline had a natural flow. You didn't start out with power over time itself at your command; in fact, you didn't even start out planning to save the world. Rather, you were yanked into the game's larger-than-life events just by being an innocent bystander, and every time you discovered a new ability or were thrust into a new era, it was by the seat of your pants. You got the feeling you and your cohorts were being dragged along by the storyline's crazy goings on, but in true RPG fashion, you got the chance to rise to the occasion and prove your valor anyway.
At the outset, you took control of Crono, a spunky redheaded kid with little to say but a big heart all the same. Over the course of your adventure, you collected a diverse cast of characters from every time period, including Crono's present-day friends, princess Marle and Lucca the inventor; the futuristic tin-can Robo; Frog, the valorous, amphibious knight; and even the dark wizard Magus, who started out as the bad guy but turned out to be simply misunderstood. Ultimately you were fighting against Lavos, a malevolent alien parasite that had perverted the future and begun to suck the life from the planet, dooming the world to a horrible dystopian fate. As you progressed, the game played with the "silent protagonist" concept--which has become de rigueur in so many games since--to immerse you more fully in the game. Crono himself never spoke, and the other characters occasionally made light of this fact--but they certainly gabbed among themselves enough to make up for your main character's dramatic shortcomings.
Besides, Crono was the type to let his sword do all the talking. Though Square's RPGs had been cutting party size consistently--first five characters in Final Fantasy IV, then four in Final Fantasy VI, and finally a scant three in Chrono Trigger--there were plenty of offensive and defensive options available to your trio of fighters. In lieu of a vanilla magic system, you had a "tech" system that encompassed pure magical spells, physical special attacks, and hybrids of the two. The best part was that each of the seven playable characters could team up in tandem or even in triplicate to perform double techs and triple techs, compounding the number of available special attacks and sending your offensive power skyward. Some of Chrono Trigger's boss battles could drag on seemingly without end, so you needed all that power to get through some of the toughest fights.
Then there were the endings...all dozen of them. Chrono Trigger did the multiple-endings thing before multiple endings were cool, man. There was, of course, the "real" ending in which you saved the world, got the girl, and floated off into the sunset clinging to a balloon (and then there were a couple of variations on this theme). But one of the most interesting things about Chrono Trigger was that, since you were navigating so many places and time periods, you had a multitude of opportunities to "beat" the game, even with many of the plot's most important events yet to take place! This could potentially leave a character-in-distress in limbo, for instance, or leave another character in the wrong time period. In short, finishing the game early made for a host of bizarre or amusing alternate endings that were utterly different from the final ending and all worth viewing in their own right. Of course, any committed player considered these mock endings to be mere diversions, as you had to play through to the climactic final battle to get the closure only the full resolution could provide.
Chrono Trigger was a class act from every conceivable angle. It had dense, rewarding RPG gameplay; a memorable and endearing cast of characters; a complex storyline; vibrant, expressive graphics; and one of the most cherished game soundtracks in history. The game was widely hailed as an instant classic, and really, how many 16-bit Japanese RPGs can claim such unlikely characters as Doom cocreators John Romero and Tom Hall among their staunchest fans? Chrono Trigger was later released on the PlayStation in a standalone package and then in the Final Fantasy Chronicles collection, though the cartridge original remains the definitive version. But whatever format you have access to, anyone who has an interest in quality gaming owes it to themselves to play Chrono Trigger.
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
SOME REASSEMBLY REQUIRED | An MCU Complete Retrospective - 2
It’s Part Two of a Four Part complete MCU retrospective, journeying from 2012 to 2015 to chronicle the development of Marvel’s Phase Two.
Building from The Avengers’ box office success, to opening the cosmic side with the Guardians of the Galaxy, and finally reassembling Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to battle Ultron.
Covering the good, the bad, and everything in between as Marvel cemented its place as a box office champion throughout Phase Two.
This is… A Complete Retrospective on the Marvel Cinematic Universe… PART TWO.
THE COMPLETE TIMELINE:
00:00 - 2012: Phase Two Begins
00:02:04 - 2012: Comic-Con 2012
00:04:00 - 2012: Phase Two takes shape
00:06:21 - 2012: Iron Man 3 trailer
00:08:16 - 2013: Phase Two Casting
00:09:13 - 2013: Iron Man 3 superbowl
00:10:23 - 2013: Iron Man 3 trailer 2
00:10:50 - 2013: Captain America 2 begins production/Thor 2 trailer
00:11:57 - 2013: IRON MAN 3
00:19:01 - 2013: Iron Man 3 reception/Contract Disputes
00:21:13 - 2013: Agents of SHIELD greenlit
00:21:59 - 2013: Casting Continues
00:23:33 - 2013: Comic-Con 2013
00:26:40 - 2013: Thor 2 trailer 2
00:27:06 - 2013: Phase Two Casting/Agent Carter One-Shot
00:28:38 - 2013: Agents of SHIELD Begins
00:30:52 - 2013: Captain America 2 first trailer
00:31:55 - 2013: THOR: THE DARK WORLD
00:40:18 - 2013: Reception to Thor 2
00:40:50 - 2013: Agents of SHIELD S1 Continued
00:41:52 - 2013: Phase Two Continues/Paul Rudd cast
00:42:39 - 2014: Ant-Man/Age of Ultron casting/All Hail the King One-Shot
00:43:48 - 2014: Captain America 2 superbowl/trailer 2
00:44:18 - 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy teaser trailer
00:45:28 - 2014: Assembling a Universe documentary
00:46:18 - 2014: Agents of SHIELD S1 Continued
00:47:34 - 2014: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
00:56:18 - 2014: Reception to The Winter Soldier
00:56:53 - 2014: Agents of SHIELD Winter Soldier tie-in
00:59:08 - 2014: Guardians trailer 2
00:59:53 - 2014: Edgar Wright leaves Ant-Man
01:01:24 - 2014: Comic-Con 2014
01:04:35 - 2014: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
01:12:58 - 2014: Reception to Guardians of the Galaxy
01:13:47 - 2014: Phase Three Develops
01:14:30 - 2014: Agents of SHIELD S2 Begins
01:15:10 - 2014: Phase Three Continues to Develop
01:16:05 - 2014: Avengers: Age of Ultron teaser trailer
01:17:15 - 2014: Phase Three Announcement
01:21:27 - 2014: Age of Ultron extended teaser
01:22:19 - 2014: Agents of SHIELD S2 Continued
01:23:40 - 2015: Agent Carter Season 1
01:24:21 - 2015: Ant-Man teaser/Age of Ultron trailer 2
01:25:28 - 2015: Spider-Man joins the MCU
01:26:58 - 2015: Age of Ultron trailer 3
01:28:08 - 2015: Agents of SHIELD S2 Continued
01:29:49 - 2015: Russos hired for Infinity War/Ant-Man trailer 2
01:30:49 - 2015: AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON
01:40:03 - 2015: Reception to Age of Ultron
01:40:35 - 2015: Agents of SHIELD S2 Age of Ultron tie-in
01:41:39 - 2015: Marketing for Ant-Man
01:42:35 - 2015: ANT-MAN
01:49:40 - 2015: Reception to Ant-Man/Conclusion
Sunday, July 12, 2026
On Broadway in Vancouver. Spring of 2019.
Broadway is a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In Vancouver's numbered avenue grid system, it runs in place of a 9th Avenue, between 8th and 10th. The street has six lanes for most of its course. Portions of the street carry the British Columbia Highway 7 designation.
The route begins as "West Broadway" at the intersection of Wallace Crescent and 8th Avenue, in the affluent residential neighbourhood of West Point Grey, a few kilometres east of the University of British Columbia (UBC). Past Alma Street, Broadway takes over from 10th Avenue as one of Vancouver's major thoroughfares, as it enters Greek West Broadway (or Greektown) section of Vancouver's Kitsilano district. East of here are several blocks of generally trendy, upscale shops interspersed with low-rise apartment blocks and small supermarkets. The surrounding neighbourhoods generally consist of large, older homes dating from the early twentieth century, many of which have been subdivided into rental suites.
As Broadway approaches Arbutus Street, the commercial establishments become larger before transitioning into a mix of small to mid-size apartment blocks. East of Burrard Street, the apartment blocks get progressively taller, and commercial establishments larger and busier. Between Burrard and Main Street, Broadway can be considerably congested by vehicular traffic. Past Granville Street, Broadway yields completely to medium-to-large commercial structures and high-rise apartments and condominiums. Between Cambie and Main, the commercial establishments become smaller and somewhat more downscale.
At Ontario Street, two blocks west of Main, the route becomes "East Broadway." After bisecting Main and Kingsway, traffic on Broadway eases somewhat, and the character returns to a mix of small-to-medium apartment buildings and commercial establishments, interspersed with older homes - all considerably less affluent than those to the west. At Commercial Drive, Broadway passes by the Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain Station. Past here for several blocks, the neighbourhood consists predominantly of older residential homes.
As Broadway travels east of Renfrew Street, the neighbourhood once again becomes mixed, with older homes to the north and larger industrial, commercial, and warehouse establishments to the south. Broadway finally ends at Cassiar Street, just short of the Vancouver-Burnaby boundary, where it becomes the Lougheed Highway.
Broadway was created at the turn of the 20th century, along with other gridded roads south of False Creek, to meet the needs of an expanding population in Vancouver. The name of the route was changed from 9th Avenue to Broadway in 1909, at the behest of merchants around Main Street (at that time the hub of Vancouver commerce), who felt that it bestowed a more cosmopolitan air. Commercial establishments originally spread out around the intersections of Cambie and Main Streets, while the character of the rest of the route remained predominantly single-family dwellings.
By the 1970s, the length of Broadway had become a major arterial route in Vancouver, conveying commuters from downtown to the neighbourhoods of the west and east sides. With the growth of UBC and the expansion of the Vancouver General Hospital (one block south of Broadway between approximately Oak and Cambie), traffic demands accelerated. In the 1990s, the agency then responsible for public transit in Greater Vancouver — BC Transit — introduced an express bus route, the 99 B-Line, to help reduce congestion. The Vancouver transportation plan for Broadway notes that congestion is such that the bus service is at capacity, and will not be eased until a new rapid transit line is built paralleling the street. It is anticipated that the SkyTrain's Millennium Line will be extended to Central Broadway by 2021; the extension is expected to connect with Canada Line at Broadway-City Hall Station, at the intersection of Broadway and Cambie Street.
Thursday, July 9, 2026
What Is Luteolin Good For: From Inflammation to Brain Health - ScienceInsights
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| https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-luteolin-good-for-from-inflammation-to-brain-health/ |
Luteolin is a plant compound with strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, found in high concentrations in herbs like thyme, parsley, and oregano. It works primarily by blocking a key inflammatory switch in your cells, which gives it a surprisingly wide range of potential benefits, from calming allergic reactions to protecting brain cells and skin. Most of the evidence comes from lab and animal studies, with human research still in early stages, but the findings so far are notable.
How Luteolin Fights Inflammation
Luteolin’s core benefit is its ability to interrupt the inflammatory cascade at a fundamental level. Your cells contain a protein complex called NF-κB that acts like a master switch for inflammation. When triggered by injury, infection, or stress, this switch flips on and ramps up the production of inflammatory molecules. Luteolin prevents that switch from activating. Specifically, it stops a critical part of the NF-κB complex from entering the cell nucleus, where it would otherwise turn on genes that produce inflammatory chemicals like IL-6 and TNF-α.
In lab studies using human cells, pretreatment with luteolin cut NF-κB activation roughly in half compared to untreated cells. It also reduced the production of reactive oxygen species, the unstable molecules that cause oxidative damage to tissues. This dual action, dampening both inflammation and oxidative stress simultaneously, is what makes luteolin relevant to so many different health conditions.
Allergy and Histamine Relief
Luteolin is one of the more effective natural mast cell stabilizers identified in research. Mast cells are immune cells that release histamine and other irritating chemicals when they detect an allergen. This release is what causes the itching, swelling, sneezing, and congestion of an allergic reaction. Luteolin inhibits mast cell degranulation, the process of those cells dumping their contents, and has been shown to decrease histamine levels in animal models of allergic airway inflammation.
It also blocks the intracellular calcium spike that mast cells need to activate and interferes with the physical process of secretory vesicles fusing with the cell membrane. In practical terms, it helps keep mast cells calm rather than reactive. A related form, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, has also been shown to reduce leukotriene production from mast cells. Leukotrienes are the inflammatory molecules responsible for airway constriction in asthma.
Brain Health and Neuroinflammation
One of the more promising areas for luteolin is brain health, particularly its ability to quiet overactive immune cells in the brain called microglia. When microglia become chronically activated, they pump out inflammatory molecules like TNF-α and IL-1β that can damage neurons and contribute to brain fog, mood issues, and neurodevelopmental problems.
Luteolin blocks this microglial activation and reduces the neurotoxic chemicals they produce. It also dampens histamine, IL-6, IL-8, and tryptase released from mast cells in the brain. In animal models of autism spectrum disorder, luteolin attenuated autism-like behaviors in mice and decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines in brain tissue. In clinical observations, children with ASD who received luteolin-based formulations showed improvements in attention and sociability. One documented case involved a 10-year-old boy who showed meaningful improvement in social symptoms and resolution of a persistent bedwetting problem that had been a major concern for his parents.
A clinical trial registered on ClinicalTrials.gov is testing 500 mg of luteolin daily (split into two doses) for its effects on memory in healthy adults over a two-week period, signaling growing interest in its cognitive benefits beyond neurological conditions.
Blood Sugar and Metabolic Health
In animal studies, luteolin improved insulin resistance in obese mice that had also undergone ovary removal, a model designed to mimic postmenopausal metabolic changes. Mice on a high-fat diet that received luteolin showed better fasting blood glucose, lower insulin levels, and improved insulin resistance scores compared to untreated mice on the same diet.
The mechanism appears to involve macrophage behavior in fat tissue. Obesity triggers immune cells in fat to shift toward a pro-inflammatory state (called M1 polarization), which worsens insulin resistance. Luteolin suppressed this inflammatory shift, reducing the number of pro-inflammatory macrophages in fat tissue. While this hasn’t been confirmed in human trials yet, the metabolic pathway it targets is the same one involved in type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in people.
Skin Protection Against UV Damage
Luteolin protects skin from the type of damage caused by UVB radiation, the wavelength responsible for sunburn and long-term photoaging. In animal experiments, luteolin applied to skin reduced UVB-induced redness and wrinkle formation. At the cellular level, it works by preserving collagen.
UV exposure activates enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that break down collagen fibers in the skin, leading to sagging and fine lines. Luteolin inhibited the activation of these collagen-degrading enzymes in a dose-dependent manner, meaning higher concentrations provided more protection. At the same time, it increased collagen production by boosting the signaling pathway that tells cells to build new collagen. It also reduced oxidative stress in skin cells by supporting an internal antioxidant pathway. These combined effects suggest potential as a topical anti-aging ingredient, though most current evidence comes from lab and animal models.
Anticancer Properties in Lab Studies
In cell culture studies, luteolin inhibited the growth of multidrug-resistant cancer cells, including lines that had developed resistance to standard chemotherapy drugs. It triggered cancer cell death through multiple pathways simultaneously: generating reactive oxygen species inside cancer cells, causing DNA damage, activating a DNA damage response pathway, and depleting the proteins that cancer cells use to avoid self-destruction. It also activated the enzymes (caspases) that execute programmed cell death and caused DNA fragmentation in treated cancer cells.
What made these findings particularly interesting is that luteolin killed the drug-resistant cancer cells without interfering with the drug transport proteins that pump chemotherapy drugs out of cells. This means it could potentially complement existing treatments rather than working against them. However, these are strictly lab findings, and no human cancer trials have established clinical benefit.
Best Food Sources of Luteolin
The richest dietary sources are fresh herbs. According to USDA data, thyme, parsley, oregano, and fennel leaves each contain over 50 mg of luteolin per 100 grams. Among common vegetables, celery, hot peppers, and spinach are the best sources, with 10 to 50 mg per 100 grams. Sweet peppers and Brussels sprouts contain moderate amounts (5 to 10 mg per 100 grams), while lettuce, beets, cabbage, and cauliflower provide smaller quantities under 5 mg.
The major dietary contributors of luteolin for most people are celery, chili peppers, sweet peppers, lettuce, and spinach, simply because these are eaten in larger quantities than dried herbs. Adding a generous handful of fresh parsley or thyme to a dish is one of the easiest ways to significantly increase your intake.
Absorption and Supplement Considerations
Luteolin’s biggest limitation is its bioavailability. While about 54% of ingested luteolin is technically absorbed (including both free and metabolized forms), the amount that circulates in your blood as active, free luteolin is only about 17.5%. The rest is rapidly converted into metabolites by your liver and gut, which may have different or reduced activity.
Supplement formulations attempt to work around this. Approaches include nanocarrier delivery systems, cyclodextrin complexation, and phospholipid complexes, all designed to protect luteolin from being broken down before it reaches your bloodstream. If you’re considering a supplement, look for formulations that specifically address bioavailability rather than plain luteolin powder. Human clinical trials have used 500 mg per day, split into two 250 mg doses.
Luteolin from food sources is generally considered safe with minimal to no side effects. One caution: like other flavonoids, luteolin can interact with certain medications by affecting transport proteins that influence how drugs are absorbed and metabolized. In rat studies, luteolin altered the way the body handled a sedative compound by interfering with membrane transporters. If you take medications with a narrow dosing window, it’s worth checking for potential interactions before supplementing at high doses.
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Sunday, July 5, 2026
M.E.: Lives devastated - and sufferers told it's made up
For years many doctors believed M.E. - the long term neurological condition which causes debilitating pain and fatigue - was “all in the mind” of those who were suffering.
That means many of the 250,000 people in the UK estimated to have the disease have struggled to find appropriate medical care.
There's no known cure, and a new government plan to deliver improved treatment and research which was promised by the end of last year, has yet to materialise.
Friday, July 3, 2026
Not All Sleep Is Restorative — What to Know About Improving Your Rest
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| https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/restorative-sleep |
If you woke up this morning feeling rested and refreshed, you probably got what’s called restorative sleep.
In basic terms, restorative sleep happens when brain activity during sleep helps restore your body and mind, essentially resetting you for another day of activity.
Although experts continue to study what happens during sleep, they’ve found evidence to suggest your body and brain accomplish a lot during shut-eye, including muscle repair, protein synthesis, and tissue growth.
Not getting enough restorative sleep can affect your health, not to mention your ability to function during the day.
In this article, we offer more insight into what happens when you don’t get enough restorative sleep, plus tips on getting quality shut-eye.
Restorative vs. nonrestorative sleep
Only the last two stages of sleep, deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, are considered restorative, Nicole Avena, PhD, assistant professor of neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, told Healthline.
“During deep sleep, the body repairs and regrows tissue, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system,” Avena said.
REM sleep, the stage where you typically dream, is essential for learning, memory, and cognition.
Sleep is nonrestorative when you wake up feeling unrefreshed despite having slept the recommended number of hours.
Avena explains that while feeling a little tired from time to time is normal, regularly feeling so tired you can’t focus or find yourself falling asleep at your desk is not.
What causes nonrestorative sleep?
Conditions that can cause nonrestorative sleep include:
- insomnia
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- restless leg syndrome
- sleep apnea
- narcolepsy
- lung disease
Keep in mind, though, that when you have trouble getting quality sleep that leaves you feeling refreshed, underlying health concerns aren’t necessarily to blame.
Life stressors can also impair your ability to get a good night’s rest, as can poor sleep hygiene, Avena said. Both can contribute to nonrestorative sleep.
Other things that can disrupt your regular sleep cycle include:
- shift work
- jet lag
- having young children
- providing regular care for someone with an illness
- anxiety
- chronic pain
- certain medications
- hot flashes from menopause
- alcohol
- caffeine
What happens when you don’t get enough restorative sleep?
Not getting enough restorative sleep can affect your health in a variety of ways.
Short-term consequences include:
- difficulty getting through the day without dozing off
- trouble with memory
- problems with concentration and focus
Over time, poor sleep can also factor into chronic conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Regular nonrestorative sleep can even affect mental health and contribute to depression and other mental health conditions, said Avena.
Additionally, one 2020 study involving 2,827 Chinese teens suggests a link between not getting enough restorative sleep and lower quality of life.
Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep per night, ideally going through four to five sleep cycles.
As you get older, your chances of developing a sleep disorder or experiencing poorer quality sleep tend to increase.
According to the American Psychological Association, research suggests that as you age, you’re more likely to develop conditions or experience stressors that lead to sleep troubles, which can, in turn, decrease the time you spend in deep or REM sleep.
Increasing restorative sleep
If you’ve ever struggled to fall asleep, you’re probably aware that dozing off and staying asleep for the ideal 8 hours is often a lot more complicated than it sounds.
Still, a few small changes can make it easier to get the amount of restorative sleep you need on a regular basis.
Improve your sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene doesn’t mean showering before bed — though if that’s what helps you fall asleep, go for it.
Rather, sleep hygiene refers to habits that contribute to quality sleep.
Stress relief
Ever found yourself lying awake, worrying about the problems that popped up during the day or the challenges tomorrow has yet to reveal?
You’re not alone in the least. Stress is common, and high levels of stress can have a negative impact on your sleep.
You may not be able to completely cut all sources of stress from your life, but finding ways to better manage it can go a long way toward helping you get more restorative sleep.
A few coping strategies to consider:
- yoga
- meditation before bed
- talking with a therapist
Practice good self-care
Taking care of your physical health can also lead to better sleep.
Avena recommends:
- getting regular exercise
- staying hydrated
- eating a balanced diet
Melatonin supplements could also help you fall asleep faster and potentially get better sleep when taken at the correct time. It’s always a good idea to ask a doctor or pharmacist before trying melatonin. They can offer more guidance on whether it’s right for you.
When to see a healthcare professional
“Everybody feels tired sometimes, but excessive sleepiness isn’t normal,” Avena said.
It’s not always possible to address sleep problems yourself, especially when you have a sleep disorder.
So, if you’ve already tried a perfectly relaxing bedtime routine and still have trouble falling asleep — and staying awake during the day — it may be time to consider professional support.
Connecting with a primary care physician or a sleep specialist becomes even more important when you:
- doze off involuntarily throughout the day
- have problems remembering things or concentrating on tasks
- struggle to fall asleep
- can’t stay asleep
- snore loudly
- experience involuntary leg movements while sleeping
- notice symptoms of depression
Avena also recommends connecting with a sleep specialist if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or lung disease. These conditions may sometimes result from sleep apnea, a treatable but serious condition where you temporarily stop breathing during sleep.
Preparing for your appointment
Before meeting with a sleep specialist, Avena recommends writing out a list of your symptoms and any questions you have. That way, you won’t forget anything you want to bring up with your doctor during the appointment.
It’s also worth keeping a sleep diary in the week or so before your appointment. It can give your doctor more information about your sleeping patterns.
The bottom line
Trouble getting restful sleep on a regular basis can happen as a symptom of sleep disorders or other health conditions.
If restorative sleep regularly evades you, seeking professional support is a good next step.
Quality sleep doesn’t have to be the stuff of dreams. You can try these 17 tips to sleep better right now.
On Broadway in Vancouver. Spring of 2019.
Broadway is a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In Vancouver's numbered avenue grid system, it runs in place of a 9th Avenue, between 8th and 10th. The street has six lanes for most of its course. Portions of the street carry the British Columbia Highway 7 designation.
The route begins as "West Broadway" at the intersection of Wallace Crescent and 8th Avenue, in the affluent residential neighbourhood of West Point Grey, a few kilometres east of the University of British Columbia (UBC). Past Alma Street, Broadway takes over from 10th Avenue as one of Vancouver's major thoroughfares, as it enters Greek West Broadway (or Greektown) section of Vancouver's Kitsilano district. East of here are several blocks of generally trendy, upscale shops interspersed with low-rise apartment blocks and small supermarkets. The surrounding neighbourhoods generally consist of large, older homes dating from the early twentieth century, many of which have been subdivided into rental suites.
As Broadway approaches Arbutus Street, the commercial establishments become larger before transitioning into a mix of small to mid-size apartment blocks. East of Burrard Street, the apartment blocks get progressively taller, and commercial establishments larger and busier. Between Burrard and Main Street, Broadway can be considerably congested by vehicular traffic. Past Granville Street, Broadway yields completely to medium-to-large commercial structures and high-rise apartments and condominiums. Between Cambie and Main, the commercial establishments become smaller and somewhat more downscale.
At Ontario Street, two blocks west of Main, the route becomes "East Broadway." After bisecting Main and Kingsway, traffic on Broadway eases somewhat, and the character returns to a mix of small-to-medium apartment buildings and commercial establishments, interspersed with older homes - all considerably less affluent than those to the west. At Commercial Drive, Broadway passes by the Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain Station. Past here for several blocks, the neighbourhood consists predominantly of older residential homes.
As Broadway travels east of Renfrew Street, the neighbourhood once again becomes mixed, with older homes to the north and larger industrial, commercial, and warehouse establishments to the south. Broadway finally ends at Cassiar Street, just short of the Vancouver-Burnaby boundary, where it becomes the Lougheed Highway.
Broadway was created at the turn of the 20th century, along with other gridded roads south of False Creek, to meet the needs of an expanding population in Vancouver. The name of the route was changed from 9th Avenue to Broadway in 1909, at the behest of merchants around Main Street (at that time the hub of Vancouver commerce), who felt that it bestowed a more cosmopolitan air. Commercial establishments originally spread out around the intersections of Cambie and Main Streets, while the character of the rest of the route remained predominantly single-family dwellings.
By the 1970s, the length of Broadway had become a major arterial route in Vancouver, conveying commuters from downtown to the neighbourhoods of the west and east sides. With the growth of UBC and the expansion of the Vancouver General Hospital (one block south of Broadway between approximately Oak and Cambie), traffic demands accelerated. In the 1990s, the agency then responsible for public transit in Greater Vancouver — BC Transit — introduced an express bus route, the 99 B-Line, to help reduce congestion. The Vancouver transportation plan for Broadway notes that congestion is such that the bus service is at capacity, and will not be eased until a new rapid transit line is built paralleling the street. It is anticipated that the SkyTrain's Millennium Line will be extended to Central Broadway by 2021; the extension is expected to connect with Canada Line at Broadway-City Hall Station, at the intersection of Broadway and Cambie Street.
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