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Why We Snap
August 16th, 2010
Even the world’s greatest mental-health experts can’t predict what will cause a psychological snap. A bad performance review? Difficult clients and customers? Not having the images show in the left-hand bar of your web page?
The slang term “snap,” as used in the sense herein, derives from a branch being bent and strained until the wood — the fiber that holds it together — can’t hold anymore. Apparently that’s what happened this past week inside the mind of Steven Slater, the JetBlue flight attendant turned news chum.
For the Why We Snap feature posted on MSN.com, I spoke about freak-outs and faux folk heroes with Dr. Philip Muskin, MD, professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University, who is a specialist in workplace stress. He chilled me out.
Patriot Games
July 2nd, 2010
When you’re out there celebrating life, liberty, and the American way this holiday weekend, be sure not to overlook the “life” part. According to the Nat’l Highway Traffic Safety Administration, far more high-speed crash fatalities occur on July 4th than on other holidays. It won’t come as much surprise that the statistics closely follow DUI numbers. For fatal auto crashes, July 4th is second only to January 1st.
Beyond the booze, staying safe this weekend is a simple matter of enjoying fireworks from a distance, being smart about sunscreens, and making sure the drunk guy behind the grill doesn’t undercook your burger.
Enjoy the 4th. And if you are going to tilt a few back, toast a round to our troops.
Do’s and Donuts
June 18th, 2010
As Father’s Day rolls around each year, men’s health becomes the subject for a number of writing assignments. Do’s & Donuts has run on MSN Health & Fitness for the past few years. It explains that dads really can enjoy their steak and potatoes and still follow advice from the physician sources at Men’s Health Network.
The story’s closing point was nicked off of the latest version, so here’s a quick summary: A long-term term study quoted by the American Psychiatric Association found that retired men were happiest when they had a good marriage and were involved with their family and community. These factors outweighed priorities like financial security that governed their younger lives.
Happy Father’s Day, fellas. Enjoy your family, enjoy your grill, and enjoy a good long life. May your sons do the same. 
Carpools & Cannibals
June 14th, 2010
It was a very unique evening in Maplewood, NJ, this past Friday. Writers and comedians took the stage at The Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts to present pieces based on the theme of family dysfunction.
The artists’ lab Studio B invited several performers including CJ Prince, novelist Elizabeth Trundle, Dina Perlman, and myself to present original pieces to a full crowd. House band 3rd Gear peppered the evening with their full-speed rock & roll, and were even kind enough to invite me to sit in on the closer, “Tumblin’ Dice.”
Courtesy David Mehlman
The piece I read was entitled To Benny, Who Didn’t Have To Leave Me Under The Car Seat Even If I’m Not His Favorite Toy Anymore. I’ll post it here for anyone who asks.
Big thanks to Studio B’s bold and talented organizers, Marcy Thompson and Jenny Turner Hall.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Great gig this past Friday thanks to the local musician’s collective. Benefit local food drives. Toys for Tots, too.
Welcome
February 2nd, 2010
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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.