Yoga on My Wii Fitness Board

I am having difficult time making it to the fitness center to do classes in yoga.  There are only two classes a day and I am either commuting to work or at work most of the time.  But, I discovered a yoga program on my Wii fitness.  It makes use of the Wii fitness board to detect balance and shifts in balance.  There is a tutorial for each pose and you select a "trainer" to lead you through the exercises.  During a variety of poses, I have to stay within a yellow circle and follow the breathing.  It is not adapted for floor mat poses but does give instruction for positions and breathing.  I wish that there were more programs like this to use at home.

A Look at Some of the Different Forms of Yoga

 


An experienced social worker and animal shelter employee, Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough enjoys keeping active. One of Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough’s favorite pastimes is yoga.

As people begin to research yoga studios, they may find the multitude of types to be overwhelming. Beginners often choose hatha yoga, which is a slow-moving type that focuses on basics. Practitioners of this variety typically focus on finding the right posture and holding it for a few breaths.

Another good option for beginners, Bikram yoga takes place in a heated, humidified room. Furthermore, one will find that all Bikram studios rely on the same sequence of postures over the course of 90 minutes, thus facilitating the practice’s rapid adoption. Bikram beginners should go slow and take breaks when needed.

A more challenging form of yoga, Ashtanga mimics Bikram in maintaining an order for its poses. In Ashtanga, there are six series of varying difficulty that individuals work through as they progress.

A generally high-intensity type of yoga, Ashtanga is somewhat less intense than Vinyasa, which focuses on breath and movement together. Individuals do not remain in poses very long, so Vinyasa provides a great workout.

Another popular style of yoga is Iyengar, which often uses props like ropes, straps, and blocks. In Iyengar, teachers are very picky about body position and working effectively within the existing range of motion.

Key Advice for Traveling to Developing Countries

Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough serves as a staff supervisor with St. Francis Animal Rescue in Venice, Florida. An avid traveler in her free time, Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough particularly enjoys visiting developing countries.

When visiting developing countries, individuals need to keep certain things in mind. For example, patience is necessary when traveling throughout the developing world. Sometimes, vans meant for six people will accept three times that number. Traveling can take much more time than expected, depending on the condition of bridges, roads, and the like. 

Travelers should also expect to get ripped off to some extent. Often imagining that they can haggle for the same prices as locals, many of these individuals will get agitated, if not hostile, when the vendor refuses to make concessions. In general, foreigners pay more, but chances are good that the purchase price is still relatively low given conversion rates. Haggling skills are important in developing countries. Part of haggling entails walking away after pointing out that the price is too high.

In general, travelers should avoid giving money to people on the street, but supporting local business is a different matter. The best way to help the local economy is to avoid chains and make purchases from area vendors instead.

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL THOUGHTS

This dates for the 2017 Sundance Film Festival are January 19 to January 29, 2017.  I was tied to an academic calendar for most of my career and unable to attend this film festival as the new semester usually commenced by mid-January.  Since retirement, however, all has changed and it has been a favorite journey to make.   Accommodations can be very expensive in Park City but prices are reasonable in Salt Cake City, especially for the weekend venues.   If you ski, there are ski areas in and around Park City with few ski lines during the film festival.  The bus transportation network in Park City gets you back and forth to the film venues efficiently.  My favorite films for the past several years have been the documentaries, both foreign and domestic.  The mountain scenery is breathtaking and it is worth the drive to leave Park City and go to the original Sundance Resort.

The Misery of Travel Over the Holidays

Long ago I vowed never to fly or drive over Thanksgiving after years of flight delays and traffic jams.  Christmas has a larger time frame but I have found that flying on Christmas Eve, later in the day, and returning on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day to be rather seamless days to travel to see loved ones.  It has worked well for many years and hopefully in 2016.

How the ASA Used Social Science to Influence Policy

 



A staff supervisor at the St. Francis Animal Rescue of Venice, Florida, Patricia Lynn Hough received her PhD in sociology from Freie Universitaet Berlin, where she graduated magna cum laude. Patricia Lynn Hough is also a member of the American Sociological Association (ASA), where she serves on the committee on women's issues.

Established in 1905, the ASA is the premier organization for sociologists in the United States. With more than 13,000 members, the association is committed to advancing sociology not only as a profession in the service of public welfare but also as a scientific discipline.

The ASA is an active entity that uses social science to effect change. One recent example is the organization's key role in influencing the US Supreme Court’s June 2016 ruling in the affirmative action case of Fisher v. the University of Texas at Austin. The case challenged the school's admission process, which used race as a factor in deciding acceptance.

For its part, the ASA supported the university in this admission model, citing scientific research that listed the educational benefits of a diverse student body, including better classroom environments and a decline in prejudice. The Supreme Court eventually sided with the university, allowing it to continue its current admission system.

The Parliament of the World's Religions

 


Longtime medical professional Patricia Lynn Hough is currently semiretired but applies her expertise as a supervisor at St. Francis Animal Rescue. Outside of her professional endeavors, Patricia Lynn Hough has volunteered with several nonprofit organizations and charities. Among these, she was a volunteer and attendee of the 2004 Parliament of the World’s Religions, held in Barcelona, Spain.

The Parliament of the World’s Religions is a global interfaith movement that began in 1893 as part of an effort to foster religious dialogue among all faiths. In 1988, the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions was founded as a nonprofit organization to promote this mission.

The Barcelona, Spain, parliament drew over 9,000 attendees from more than 70 countries. The event was held July 7, 2004, through a partnership between the Universal Forum of Cultures and UNESCO. The event focused on providing attendees with strategies to work toward a better world, while also promoting peace, justice, and living together in harmony. In addition to the 2004 event in Spain, parliaments have been held in locations in the United States, South Africa, and Mexico.