Ray Kurzweil, a scientist, seems to be talking about science fiction, but according to him, it is all very real.  He sites the extreme acceleration of our understanding of genes and computer technology as the main driver behind these incredible advances.  In around twenty years, he predicts that scientists will be able to reprogram our bodies “stone age software” and then halt, and eventually reverse aging.

According to Mr. Kurzweil, when The Second Third is in its 50’s, our blood cells will be replaced by nanobots that are thousands of times more efficient, we will be able to sprint for 15 minutes without taking a breath, swim for an hour without needing oxygen, write a book in minutes, and use our minds to virtualize any experience.

We will be powered by bionic hearts and artificial organs of every type.  Heart attacks and disease will be a thing of the past.  We will be starting our accent ( or decent) into a future of immortality as cyborgs.

Blah Blah Blah

I certainly hope this is true, but for some reason I remember hearing things like this before.  Actually, my hover-car is about 9 years past due.  Not to mention, I am still waiting for my robot house-maid, personal jet-pack, meal in a pill, my apartment in the sky, city under the sea, hover board,  and my vacation to distant planets.  All of these things were predicted to have happened by the futuristic year 2000.  As a kid I put a great amount of effort into planning on how I would take advantage of all these great things, and I have yet to be rewarded for my efforts.

Keep your fingers crossed, but I get the feeling that none of us are gonna make it out of this alive.

Check out the original article HERE

I’m sure we all remember the comical videos we were forced to watch in high school about doing testicular self-exams.  Actually, I don’t really remember the video, I was too busy laughing and looking away.  In my school, they guys who looked at the video were accused of being gay and generally uncool.  It was the job of myself and other douches like me to monitor the bleachers in search of any eye that might wonder towards the screen.  Once discovered, it was also our job to make the peepers life as miserable as possible.

Surprisingly though, that’s kind of your one chance at Testicular Cancer awareness education.  Not since then have we been educated or warned about the very real danger this common from of cancer presents to young men.  When you are kid, admitting to checking your balls is akin to the dreaded idea of openly admitting masturbation.  As an adult, however, it is something that we all need to do.  In fact, it should be a part of your regular routine.

Even if you are not experiencing any symptoms you should make a habit of doing a self-exam every month.  The only way this self-exam could be considered gay, is if you are wearing ass-less chaps and another guy is checking your balls for you. Even then, it might not be gay.

To do this examination, follow these steps:

• Stand in front of a mirror. Look for any swelling on the skin of the scrotum.
• Examine each testicle with both hands. Place the index and middle fingers under the testicle while placing your thumbs on the top.
• Gently roll the testicle between the thumbs and the fingers. Remember that the testicles are usually smooth, oval shaped and somewhat firm. It’s normal for one testicle to be slightly larger than the other. Also, the cord leading upward from the top of the testicle (epididymis) is a normal part of the scrotum. By regularly performing this exam, you will become more familiar with your testicles and aware of any changes that might be of concern.
• If you find a lump, call your doctor as soon as possible. Testicular cancer is highly treatable, especially when identified early.

Getting old sucks, but it will suck more with only one ball.  So do your part to make sure you make it out of your thirties.  If you think the self-administered testicular exam is bad, just wait for the definitely not self-administered prostate exam.  I have first-hand experience with this that I will detail in a future article.

If interested, you can read all about Testicular Cancer HERE.

I recently went to the doctor for a routine checkup and when I received the results of my blood-work  the cholesterol numbers were not looking too good.  I was a little surprised because I view myself as being in relatively good shape.   My diet could be better, but overall it’s really not so bad.  It is certainly better than a lot of people I know.  I go to the gym regularly and lead a fairly active lifestyle on the weekends.  I’m not out running marathons or anything, but I do plenty of city/dog walking.

My numbers were 200 for cholesterol – HDL was 30, LDL was 123, and Triglycerides were 250.

The American Heart Association gives the following recommendations.

Cholesterol: Less than 200 is “desirable”

HDL: Greater than 40 for men and greater than 50 for women

LDL: Less than 100 is “optimal”

Triglycerides: Less than 150 is nomal

Overall, my numbers are not so far off the mark. They are not good, but not the worst either.  My doctor mentioned that in a lot of ways having cholesterol levels like mine are the most dangerous kind to have.  They are the type of numbers that promote complacency and silently damage your body over several years.  In fact, most people who drop dead of a heart attack in their 40’s are those who had only moderately high cholesterol levels in their thirties.

This is actually true for many health problems.  Right now, while in your thirties, is the time when you can really make a difference in your long-term health.  This is the decade where you can make or break your health for the rest of your life.  Don’t wait until you are in your forties or fifties to start thinking about being healthy.  Much like financial investing, the earlier you start the better off you will be.

So, if you have not done so.  Go get your cholesterol checked to see where you stand.

Seriously though, I think we all hoped that acne was a thing for greasy, prepubescent teenagers to deal with, but as it turns out it also inflicts reasonably hygienic adults as well. Whether it be small pimples here and there, or giant boil-like zits, adult acne can be really embarrassing and is just plain annoying.

The good news is that for most of us adult acne is a choice. Sure, there are some who have hormonal imbalances or other health issues that spur their acne, but for most of us this is not the case. It is simply a matter of taking care of your skin.

Here is what you should do:

1) Gentle face wash: A gentle face wash will help prepare your skin for benzoyl peroxide. Removing surface oils allows the benzoyl peroxide to penetrate more easily. Washing very gently helps avoid irritation. While scientists and doctors do not know exactly what causes acne, they do know that irritation alone can make it worse.

2) Plenty of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide: Benzoyl peroxide oxygenates skin. Acne bacteria cannot live in oxygenated environments. Benzoyl peroxide is also a mild drying and peeling agent which is thought to help keep pores from clogging.  You’ll be using 2.5% benzoyl peroxide because clinical studies have shown it is just as effective as 5% and 10% but much less irritating. Remember, irritation alone can aggravate acne.

3) Good moisturizer: Because you’ll be using lots of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, your skin will most likely be dry and a little flaky. Applying a good moisturizer will help keep your skin in balance and allow you to go out into public with non-flaky, normal looking skin.  Yeah, that’s right, a moisturizer.

Check out these videos for step by step instructions.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

We would all like to make it out of our thirties alive.  However, not all us will.  According to the CDC 16,433 of us will die in accidents this year.  Not surprisingly 42% of those accidents are automobile related.  What is surprising though, is that 39.4 percent of those accidents are poisonings!

I have always associated poisoning deaths with children or animals.  Generally speaking, you would not expect that an adult would be at a high risk for an accidental poisoning.  The CDC does not provide more granular data on the specific sources of poisons, but you gotta wonder what hell these people are getting into.

So my friends – Drive safe and make sure you don’t mix any bleach into your Gin & Tonic.

Here are the top 10 causes of death for thirty-somethings this year:

1) Accidents – 16433
2) Cancer – 7899
3) Heart Disease – 7310
4) Suicide – 6156
5) Homicide – 3806
6) HIV – 2784
7) Diabetes – 1334
8) Cerebrovascular Disease
9) Liver Disease
10) Influenza & Pneumonia

I would also like to point out how disturbingly large the dark purple chunk is.