Author Archive
Beta, Chasing Alpha
March 15th, 2010
The Toll Of Diabetes — MSN Health & Fitness asked me to write this piece in support of an awareness campaign by the American Diabetes Association. There are staggering statistics on this disease, which is at epidemic proportions in several nations. As the scientist at ADA expressed it to me, the western world has been “kind enough” to export this disease to underdeveloped nations.
* * Working on a website overhaul. Please reach me at rich@maloof.biz . * *
Great gig this past Friday thanks to the local musician’s collective. Benefit local food drives. Toys for Tots, too.
Lallof Out Loud
March 24th, 2010
British publisher Constable & Robinson is publishing a UK edition of This Will Kill You. Great news for co-author HP Newquist and me, though fingers are crossed they correct the spelling of my name on their revised cover. I’ve been addressed as Rich Malloff, Rich Malone, even Rich Meatloaf — but this is a new one.
What Was I Saying?
March 29th, 2010
Last week I spoke with a neuropsychologist from the Alzheimer’s Foundation, who explained to me why only “novel and complex” activities help improve memory function in the brain. The conversation with Paul D. Nussbaum, PhD, helped form the basis of Train Your Brain for a Healthy Memory, now a feature on MSN Health & Fitness.
A Little Help For Haiti
February 1st, 2010
Friend and fellow musician Pete Prown asked me to contribute guitar and harmonica to a track he recorded for a prog-rock benefit album. The Haiti Projekt is available now by digital download, and every dime goes straight to the American Red Cross’s work in Haiti. This is Pete’s gig but I was happy to be a part of it.
Shades of Gray
May 3rd, 2010
Writing the Brain & Body column for MSN has put me in touch with some wildly intelligent people. Some column installments explore the bleeding-edge work of neuroscientists while other pieces collect the gee-whiz facts that come up along the way. 7 Weird But True Facts About the Brain is among the latter.
Research for this article turned up brain benders like the Checker Shadow Illusion shown here. The boxes marked A and B are the exact same shade of gray. No fooling.
Here are some additional lightness illusions that will mess with your head.