Lisa Mosconi’s The XX Brain summarizes the latest research on women’s brains. I learned a lot from The XX Brain. I did not know women are four times more likely than men to have headaches and migraines. Women are way more likely to have a brain tumor. Women are more likely to die of a stroke when they suffer a stroke. Women battle anxiety and depression at higher rates than men do. And, most ominously, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. That’s the Bad News.

But Mosconi also presents Good News about women’s brains: they allow women to multi-task far better than men. Women have better verbal memory than men. Mosconi explores the latest findings on how women can protect their brains. I found The XX Brain fascinating reading! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Foreword
Introduction: Reclaiming Women’s Health
PART 1. TAKE IN: THE RESEARCH BEHIND THE PRACTICE
1. The Inner Workings of the Female Brain
2. Dispelling Myths Around Women’s Brain Health
3. Unique Risks to Women’s Brain Health
4. The Brain’s Journey from Pregnancy to Menopause
PART 2: TAKE ACTION: GET TESTED
5. The Age of Precision Medicine
6. Medical History and Laboratory Tests
7. Fill Out the Questionnaires
PART 3: TAKE CHARGE: OPTIMIZE YOUR BRAIN HEALTH,
MINIMIZE YOUR RISKS
8. Hormones, Antidepressants, and Other Meds: Do You Need Them?
9. Food Matters for Your Gray Matter
10. Eight Steps to a Well-Nourished Brain
11. Supplements for Women’s Brains
12. Women and Exercise: Could Less Be More?
13. Be Mindful: Stress, Sleep, and Balance
14. More Ways to Protect Your Brain
Conclusion: Arrivederci, for Now
Appendix A: Where to Find Help
Appendix B: Diet Plan and Recipes
Acknowledgments
Notes
Index

In April, 23andMe launched a study of the millions of profiles in its DNA database to see if blood type had any effect on covid-19. The results are in and here’s what they found:

Of the over 750,000 participants, those with Type O blood were between 9% and 18% less likely than individuals with other blood types to have tested positive for the virus.

There was little difference in susceptibility among other blood types. After accounting for factors like age and pre-existing conditions, the findings were the same.

I’m Type O Negative so this sounds like Good News to me. But, I’m still wearing a mask and social distancing until a vaccine is available. With many states dealing with rising rates of coronavirus, danger abounds. Stay safe!

What better movie to watch during Stay-at-Home than Rear Window where James Stewart stays home and witnesses a murder.

Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film from 1954 captures the current climate of prolonged home confinement that begins as a portrait of boredom. Few movies show the mental state that results from being stuck in the same room for an extended period of time: the restlessness, the longing to get back to “normal” life, and the quest to find something to occupy one’s mind during this period of time.

Rear Window was adapted by screenwriter John Michael Hayes from a Cornell Woolrich short story, “It Had to Be Murder.” James Stewart stars as L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies, a Greenwich Village photojournalist temporarily incapacitated due to a shattered leg.

I’ve always considered Rear Window to be Hitchcock’s best film. Some may argue that Vertigo or North By Northwest are superior. But in this Age of Coronavirus, Rear Window should speak to us all. Do you have a favorite Hitchcock film? GRADE: A

The Great SF Stories #23 (1961) features one of my favorite Jack Vance stories: “The Moon Moth.” And, this is a particularly apt story to reread during the coronavirus pandemic because the action takes place on a planet where everyone wears masks. An assassin lands on the planet and must be found. The mystery, and its solution, are clever and unique. “The Moon Moth” is a brilliant story!

Another of my favorite SF mystery stories, “Hiding Place” by Poul Anderson, shows up here. Nicholas van Rijn has to identify hidden aliens among a menagerie of strange life-forms.

Other excellent stories in this volume include Brian W. Aldiss’ haunting “Hothouse.” Ann McCaffrey’s “The Ship Who Sang” launched a series of novels. Cordwainer Smith (aka, Paul M. A. Linebarger) never wrote a more disturbing story than “A Planet Named Shayol” which explores the frontiers of punishment.

Analog (once Astounding Science Fiction) and Galaxy dominate the selections in this anthology.

The Great SF Stories #23 (1961) is another top-notch volume! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION by Martin H. Greenberg 9

1. “The Highest Treason” by Randall Garrett (ANALOG, January 1961) 13
2. “Hothouse” by Brian W. Aldiss (THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SF, February 1961) 75
3. “Hiding Place” by Poul Anderson (ANALOG, March 1961) 112
4. “What is This Thing Called Love?” by Isaac Asimov (AMAZING, March 196) 154
5. “A Prize for Edie” by J. F. Bone (ANALOG, April 1961) 168
6. “The Ship Who Sang” by Anne McCaffrey ( THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SF, April 1961) 174
7. “Death and the Senator” by Arthur C. Clarke (ANALOG, May 1961) 195
8. “The Quaker Cannon” by Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth (ANALOG, August 1961) 217
9. “The Moon Moth” by Jack Vance (GALAXY, August 1961) 243
10. “A Planet Named Shayol” by Cordwainer Smith (GALAXY, October 1961) 281
11. “Rainbird” by R. A. Lafferty (GALAXY, December 1961) 320
12. “Wall of Crystal, Eye of Night” by Algis Budrys (GALAXY, December 1961) 333
13. “Remember the Alamo!” by T. R. Fehrenbach (ANALOG, December 1961) 356

Jeff Meyerson suggested that I post about Girl Groups so here is a volume from the Women & Songs series that fits the bill. If you were around in the Sixties, most of these songs should be familiar to you. How many of these songs do you remember? Any favorites here? GRADE: B+

TRACK LIST:

1. Chapel of Love (Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector) [2:49]
   • (performed by The Dixie Cups)
2. The Loco-Motion (Gerry Goffin/Carole King) [2:27]
   • (performed by Little Eva)
3. Baby It’s You (Burt Bacharach/Hal David/B. Williams) [2:40]
   • (performed by The Shirelles)
4. He’s So Fine (Ronald Mack) [1:54]
   • (performed by The Chiffons)
5. The Shoop Shoop Song (Rudy Clark) [2:16]
   • (performed by Betty Everett)
6. The Boy from New York City (George Davis/John T. Taylor) [3:08]
   • (performed by Ad Libs)
7. Tell Him (Bert Russell) [2:38]
   • (performed by Exciters)
8. Remember (Shadow Morton) [2:20]
   • (performed by Shangri-Las)
9. Johnny Angel (Lyn Duddy/Lee Pockriss) [2:22]
   • (performed by Shelley Fabares)
10. Easier Said Than Done (Larry Huff/William Linton) [2:10]
    • (performed by Essex)
11. Chains (Gerry Goffin/Carole King) [2:32]
    • (performed by Cookies)
12. A Lover’s Concerto (Sandy Linzer/Denny Randell) [2:42]
    • (performed by Toys)

My last SUPERCUTS haircut was in February 2020. When the coronavirus hit, all barbershops and hair salons closed in New York State. Now that we’re in Phase 2 of the Reopening, barbershops and hair salons are now open for business. Today, I’m getting my hair cut. Diane has an appointment with her hairstylist on Friday.

Diane did cut my hair about a month ago (you can read about it here). But Diane learned that a career in hair design was not for her. So I’m heading back to SUPERCUTS. With the temperatures in the 90s here today, less hair will feel much much cooler. How are you and your hair getting along?

So far, 71 feels fine. I’m celebrating with a Paula’s Donut and Paula’s wonderful coffee.

Later, the celebration will go on with my favorite pizza for dinner. Diane wanted to bake me a Birthday cake, but the temperatures today are supposed to reach 90 degrees! I’d rather not have the oven going in this kind of weather. In Normal Times, Diane and I would be going to a movie and then head to a swanky restaurant for dinner. But in the Coronavirus Era, a wonderful Paula’s Donut and a yummy pizza will have to do.

“Prosecutors are investigating the actions of two Buffalo police officers who were suspended without pay on Thursday night after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester, who was hospitalized with a head injury.

The video taken by WBFO, a local radio station, shows the man, identified on Friday as Martin Gugino, approaching a group of officers during a protest stemming from the death of George Floyd. He was identified by the Western New York Peace Center, a nonprofit that named him in a Facebook post, saying he is a peace activist and a member.

After the video shows Mr. Gugino stopping in front of the officers to talk, an officer yells “push him back” three times; one officer pushes his arm into Mr. Gugino’s chest, while another extends his baton toward him with both hands. Mr. Gugino flails backward, landing just out of range of the camera, with blood immediately leaking from his right ear.

An officer leans down to examine him, the video shows, but another officer then pulls the first officer away. Several other officers are seen walking by the man, motionless on the ground, without checking on him.”

That’s the story that made the New York Times and most major news outlets. The video of the incident has been viewed 70 million times. Buffalo has been under a curfew for most of the week after some stores were looted earlier in the week.

What’s the state of the protests in your neighborhood?

Fred Blosser mentioned the great comic book writer Gardner F. Fox. Fox also wrote a variety of Science Fiction and Fantasy paperbacks. I just happened upon Fox’s Kyrik: Warlock Warrior which was published by a fringe paperback publisher, Leisure Books, back in 1975. As the cover says–“In the tradition of CONAN”–Kyrik is a fighter and powerful tactician.

But Kyrik first appears in this novel as a small statue. An evil sorcerer imprisoned Kyrik in this statue for a thousand years! A beautiful sorceress named Aryalla finds the statute and casts the spell that frees Kyrik. In return, Aryalla wants Kyrik to help her overthrow the dictator Devadonides. Devadonides relies on the evil sorcerer, Jokaline, to keep him in power.

Kyrik, with his sword Blue Fang, and Aryalla with her Magic, Gardner F. Fox launches them on an adventure worthy of Conan. Sure, this is a pastiche of the Real Thing, but if you’re looking for Sword & Sorcery action, Kyrik is a fun substitute. GRADE: B