Author: Elias Goulart

Posted on by Elias Goulart

7 Mental Models For Problem-Solving To Avoid Catastrophic Mess

Problem-solving rarely comes to mind until we’ve implemented a fix. That’s why we often say: “Oh, I had to do this, instead. Not go with the usual fix.” We think more about alternative solutions after we’ve encountered a problem, not before that. Why this is the common way we act? And can we do something about it?

To solve problems faster and better. It’s not enough to have experience in a given field. After all, life places us in all kinds of situations. Incidents where we don’t always have prior knowledge, but we still need to act in some way.

This is among the reasons why it is so difficult to emerge successful in every possible situation. We fail. And we fail often.

Fortunately for us. We can learn basic rules that can be applied to virtually everything.

No, I’m not talking about wishy-washy things like “Believe in Yourself!”

I’m talking about something more practical.

I’m talking about the process of problem-solving.

Good problem-solving is good thinking. And good thinking happens when you add more cognitive shortcuts to your mental toolbox. That is, understand the best mental models for problem-solving.

Why Mental Models Are Important In Problem-Solving?

Mental models are exceptionally useful when dealing with problems. They provide a cure that prevents our flawed way of thinking from steering us towards the wrong choice.

The main benefits are the following three:

  1. Pause and don’t allow your initial solution to be the actual solution.
  2. Understand what type of biases can distort your thinking.
  3. Find better solutions by avoiding assumptions and focusing on real facts.

Now, since we know how mental models help with problem-solving. Let’s see what are the best tools you should consider adding to your mental toolbox:

The 7 Mental Models For Problem Solving:

You can read more in the following link:

7 Mental Models For Problem-Solving To Avoid Catastrophic Mess

Author:   IVAYLO DURMONSKI

 

YOUR DOG KNOWS YOU ARE SICK!

Posted on by Elias Goulart

I will do anything I can to avoid admitting I’m sick. I take a double dose of my usual allergy medication when my nose gets stuffy. I blame my building’s dry heating system for my scratchy throat. I chalk up my lethargy and malaise to the fact that I spend roughly 14 hours a day on the internet.

The one symptom I cannot ignore, however, is my dog’s tiny head, resting on my leg during a portion of the day when she’s usually ignoring me. When she knows, I can no longer pretend I don’t.

Midge, my 12-pound rescue pup, isn’t the world’s most affectionate dog. We get along great, but she has her own hobbies: horrifically dismembering her cute little plush toys, chewing through her chew-proof bed. But as soon as even a mild head cold starts to take hold of me, my dog is transformed. She’s no longer her usual self, jabbing a dagger paw into my ribs to prod me into throwing her ball. Instead, she’s Doctor Midge, Medicine Chihuahua, ready to nurse me back to health by cuddling up against me (or on top of me) at all times.

Although I’m of the firm belief that my dog is a unique and special angel, it’s easy to find tales of other pets comforting or guarding their people during times of illness or injury. I was sick recently, and as Midge was glued to my side, friends told me about their own pets attending to them around the clock after everything from surgery to stomach troubles. (For the record, Midge didn’t care when I sliced my hand open while washing dishes last month.)

According to researchers who study canine cognition, it’s usually not just pet owners’ imagination. Pups really do know when their humans are having a rough time, and they use a rich variety of signals to figure it out. Not only can your pet tell when you have the sniffles, but domestic dogs have shown an aptitude for detecting both much more minute mood fluctuations and far more serious physical conditions.

“Dogs are preternaturally sensitive to changes in their people,” says Alexandra Horowitz, the head of the Horowitz Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College. “If a person is infected with a virus or bacteria, they will smell different.” Some illnesses change a person’s odor so profoundly that even other people can notice it, but dogs are able to smell changes in their people that would escape human senses, or that are so early on that the sick person barely feels any different. That’s because dogs have exponentially more powerful senses of smell than humans: They can have as many as 300 million olfactory receptors in their nose, as opposed to a paltry 6 million for the average person.

Researchers have also found that a person’s mood, which can be an indicator of a larger illness, triggers a dog’s sense of smell. Human emotions manifest physically in chemosignals that are emitted by the body, and dogs are adept at deciphering those changes.

Beyond smell, dogs also pull information from a person’s voice in order to sense changes. In 2014, researchers discovered that dogs have an area of the brain, similar to one found in humans, that allows them to decipher emotional cues in the tone of a speaker’s voice, beyond what they’d be able to pick up from familiar words alone. That’s why Midge wags her little tail when I excitedly ask her if she’s my boo boo, even though she doesn’t know what that is. (To be fair, neither do I.) A person’s voice can also carry indicators of depression, lethargy, or other bad feelings.

What’s not understood quite so well is what dogs make of these changes. “We’re sending out lots of cues, of just the sort that dogs are specialized in attuning to,” says Horowitz. “Whether they think that it means ‘sickness’ is not clear.” What we perceive as concern on a dog’s part might be more like increased curiosity or suspicion that something is wrong with us, and sticking close by is a great way to glean more information about the situation.

Also, “concern might be vigilance,” says Horowitz. If your pup is worried about your well-being, he or she might turn into the guard dog you never knew you had. In these situations, a dog insists on being the closest living being to you when you’re sick or tries to prevent others from accessing you while you convalesce. Depending on the size and temperament of the dog, that might make keeping a flu patient hydrated a little tricky, but rest assured, Horowitz says, the pup means well.

Over centuries of breeding, domestic pups have become even more finely attuned to humans than they are to any of their fellow dogs. When coupled with their incredible sensory abilities, such an intense connection is potentially an enormous boon to human health. Beyond common seasonal illnesses, some dogs have also shown the ability to accurately detect malaria, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. And beyond detection, research suggests that dog ownership can have a variety of health and mood benefits in and of itself. Dogs can help people relax, and they can be a comfort to those with autism or those who are dealing with post-traumatic stress.

Among dogs, chihuahuas aren’t known for having an especially acute sense of smell, but they are said to be particularly protective of their owners. Midge has been known to fight the vacuum for my safety. Even if she is more run-of-the-mill house pet than disease-detecting superdog, it feels nice to have a warm little pup fall asleep on your lap, potentially out of concern for your well-being, when you’re feeling cruddy.

In a certain sense, she is helping. Next time she kicks me in the ribs to expel a toy from my hands, I won’t hold it against her.

 

The Atlantic / Amanda Mull

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR MOBILE DEVICE

Posted on by Elias Goulart
Introduction

“The pandemic has revolutionized the way we communicate. Gone are the days when we had to get off the couch to talk with coworkers and employees. Nowadays, you just need access to a cell phone to Zoom, send emails, and schedule meetings. This convenience comes at a price, though.

With over 15 billion cell phones in the world, it’s no wonder that malicious actors turn to mobile devices to steal data and private information. Remote work and BYOD cultures have paved an even easier path for hackers to target enterprise employees. One of the most damaging attacks: mobile phishing.”

Source: Security Boulevard, 2022.

 

 

TIPS

This blog content tries to help on understanding some basic aspects of mobile security and how to use them day-by-day.

Initially, the images bellow give some important hints when using your device outside home.

They were published by National Security Agency (USA).

 

 

How to store food in the fridge

Posted on by Elias Goulart

 

 

INTRO

Keeping your fridge organized doesn’t just make it easier for you to take stock of your inventory—it also has an impact on how long your foods and beverages stay fresh. While it may be tempting to throw a block of cheese on any shelf or keep a container of juice in the center console when you run out of room on the door, these actions can actually make grocery items perish faster.

To prevent this, it’s important to know where exactly each food group—including drinks and condiments—should live in your fridge. “When you’re considering organizing your fridge, it’s important to take the first step of ensuring your fridge is set to a safe temperature,” says Brittany Saunier, executive director at Partnership for Food Safety Education. “Using an appliance thermometer that you can find at most stores, set your fridge to 40 degrees or below. This temperature range slows down the growth of bacteria that may be on your food.”

After ensuring the appliance is set to the correct temperature, begin organizing by moving certain grocery store staples—think dairy, meats and fish, and fruits and vegetables—into their designated areas in your fridge.

Upper Shelves 

One of the most easily accessible areas of your fridge are the upper shelves, which is why it’s the perfect spot for grab-and-go foods. “The upper shelves should be utilized to keep leftovers and ready-to-eat food items—foods that are intended for direct consumption with no cooking or other processing needed,” says Carla L. Schwan, Ph.D., assistant professor and extension food safety specialist director at the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Examples of foods that can be stored on the upper shelves include dips, leftover pizza, and deli-type salads, like coleslaw and potato salad. 

Middle Shelves 

The middle shelves of your refrigerator are where the temperature is the coldest and the most consistent. According to Schwan, the coldness slows the growth of spoilage (which leads food to deterioration) and pathogenic organisms (which make you sick). For that reason, she says dairy products like milk, eggs, and cheese should be stored there.

 

 

 

 

 

Lower Shelves

Like the middle shelves, the temperature on the bottom shelves of your appliance is also consistently cold. For that reason, raw meats, poultry, and fish should be kept on the lower levels of your fridge. “Additionally, by storing raw meats and poultry on the bottom shelves, you also reduce the risk of cross contamination by preventing the meat juices from dripping on top of other food items that may not be cooked at higher temperatures than meats and poultry,” says Schwan.

 

Crisper Drawers 

The crisper drawers in your fridge should be reserved for fruits and vegetables because they’re designed for effectively controlling humidity. Schwan says that some newer models have at least two crisper drawers that are classified into low and high humidity. “The low humidity drawer is designed to introduce some airflow, while the high humidity drawer is closed off completely,” she says.

Low Humidity

Fruits and vegetables release ethylene, a gas that promotes the ripening process of produce. Some fruits and vegetables produce excess ethylene—cantaloupes, peaches, avocados, kiwi, papayas, apples, and pears—and should be kept in the low humidity drawer. “Its design introduces airflow and removes some of the ethylene from the drawer, keeping the produce fresher longer,” Schwan says.

High Humidity

Some fruits and vegetables are more sensitive to ethylene than others—think strawberries, broccoli, lettuce, peppers, cucumbers, squash, and sweet potatoes—and will ripen and spoil faster. The high humidity drawer is where these foods should be kept.

“Its design is closed off completely and prevents the loss of moisture from vegetable tissues, allowing produce to stay fresher longer,” Schwan says. If your fridge doesn’t have these two subsections, just be sure to keep high ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables away from those that are sensitive to the gas.

 

Side Doors

Just as there’s a coldest area in your fridge, there’s also a warmest spot: The doors. “For this reason, the fridge door shelves should be utilized to store items that can endure temperature fluctuation and will not spoil as quickly,” says Schwan. She recommends keeping condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, and dressings) as well as nonperishable drinks (bottled water, soda), in this section of your fridge.

Author: Madeline Buiano
Source: https://www.marthastewart.com/

 

 

 

 

 

BEST WAY TO COOK SALMON

Posted on by Elias Goulart

 

Salmon Method: Slow-Roasted in the Oven

  • Method Details: Roast skin-down at 275°F for 15 to 35 minutes, or until fish hits temperature of 120°F
  • Cooking Time: 28 minutes
  • Rating: 5/10

About this method: Slow roasting seemed like the obvious starting point, but I was worried that the technique I chose to follow was almost too low at 275 degrees F. It did end up taking me toward the longer end of the suggested cooking time of 15 to 35 minutes, but it earned points for simplicity: Just brush the fillet with some EVOO, season it, and let the oven do its thing. 

Results: I wasn’t a fan of how often I had to keep checking the temperature of the fish, and it was tough to pull it out at precisely 120 degrees; it registered 123 degrees when I pulled it out. It certainly was moist! I almost didn’t think it was cooked, it was so juicy. The low oven temp also meant that there wasn’t a lot of carryover cooking happening once it was out of the oven either, making it next to impossible to dry the salmon out using this method. But the flesh was still bright, seafood-counter red and didn’t feel quite as firm as I’d have liked, and the flavor was just so-so. Without high temperatures to crisp skin or cook the proteins and render the fats, it was kind of bland. (If you’re still a fan of this method’s hands-off cooking, though, we think our own slow-roasted salmon recipe, which adds a lot more flavor and aromatics, may be good for you and would have ranked higher).

 

Salmon Method: Poached in Olive Oil

  • Method Details: Heat olive oil in a deep pan to 120°F. Bake the fish in the hot oil for 25 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 1 hour plus 25 minutes
  • Rating: 6/10

About this method: This less-traditional method, a kind of salmon confit, is often used to cook tuna in its own fat. As the directions specified, I seasoned the fillet and let it come to room temperature before placing it in an oven-safe pan and covering it with olive oil. It’s really important to fully submerge the entire fillet if you want it to cook evenly, and that can mean a lot of oil. Heat over low heat until the oil reaches 120 degrees F, at which point you’ll transfer the entire pan to a 225-degree F preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Results: I will admit that this method yielded the best-tasting salmon — but what would you expect from cooking something in fat? The oil infused the fillet with flavor and kept it moist, but not wet, and cooked it to just-yielding perfection. But the technique is fussy, and messy, and expensive (you can reuse the oil, but how often are you really poaching fish?) and despite starting the fish at room temperature, I felt the cooking was still uneven, with some spots flakier and others more rare. 

 

Salmon Method: Sous Vide

  • Method Details: Cook in a sealed sous vide bag at 120°F for 30 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 30 minutes plus at least 30 minutes marinade time
  • Rating: 8/10 

About this method: If you’re treating salmon like steak (as you should), then sous vide might be your jam. Fans of this technique, which is basically cooking vacuum-sealed proteins gently in a water bath, love its precision, which allows you to choose the exact doneness of your fish. I opted for 120 degrees F, which the accompanying chart described as “very moist, tender, and flaky.” After bringing the pot of water to that temperature and attaching my Joule sous vide, I placed my seasoned, oil-coated salmon in a bag into the water and set the timer. The device kept the water temperature at a constant while I walked away and did other things. 

Results: The cook time of 30 minutes is a bit longer than other methods, but you don’t need to pay attention and can use that time to prep side dishes. There’s also no cleanup involved after, and the salmon was superb and just as described. I prefer my salmon a little firm and flaky and maybe this close to being overdone, and this hit that mark exactly. The only fussy bit is needing to use a marinade if you want to add any aromatics or flavors. Also, of course, needing a sous vide setup, which is still not a common piece of gear for most home cooks.

 

Salmon Method: Baked in a Parchment Paper Packet

  • Method Details: Bake in a crimped-shut parchment paper packet at 375ºF for 12 to 14 minutes.
  • Cooking Time: 15 minutes 
  • Rating: 8.5/10

About this method: Cooking en papillote is the fancy French way for saying “in paper.” Parchment packets are designed for cooking individual portions, and basically steam the contents so everything comes out moist and delicious. I followed this method, but only added salmon and oil, no vegetables, to the parchment oval, then crimped the edges and put the whole baking sheet in a 375-degree F oven.

Results: Now this is a foolproof method, and fast, too. I reduced the cooking time slightly since I was doing salmon solo, but even at 12 minutes a thermometer read 144 degrees. I thought for sure my fillet would be overcooked and dry, but was surprised to discover it was far from it. Some areas were pinker than others, but overall it was tasty, plenty moist, yet still slightly firm. And the cleanup was effortless. 

 

Salmon Method: Brined and Pan-Seared 

  • Method Details: Brine for 15 minutes in salt water. Sear in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat for 12 to 16 minutes total, flipping once.
  • Cooking Time: About 30 minutes total 
  • Rating: 10/10

About this method: Wet brining has always worked wonders on chicken for me, and salmon spends half its life in salt water anyway, so this method made sense to me. After a quick 15-minute soak, I patted the fillet off and placed it in a dry, cold pan, fired the heat to medium-high, and cooked it for six minutes per side. Boom, done.

Results: I love anything you can start in a cold pan because I’m too impatient for pre-heating. This method didn’t use fat but somehow still managed to deliver the fish that was almost as flavorful as the fillet cooked in oil. The combination of brine and higher heat produced a moist, flaky fillet with a still-pink and tartare-esque center, like a perfectly medium-rare steak. It was fast, easy, and delicious. Winner, winner, salmon dinner.  

By:  Jill Waldbieser

Source: https://www.thekitchn.com/best-salmon-cooking-method-skills-showdown-23004976

Our 2021 Christmas Party!

Posted on by Elias Goulart

Our 2021 Christmas Party!

 

…This world is wild as an old wives’ tale,
And strange the plain things are,
The earth is enough and the air is enough
For our wonder and our war;
But our rest is as far as the fire-drake swings
And our peace is put in impossible things
Where clashed and thundered unthinkable wings
Round an incredible star.

To an open house in the evening
Home shall men come,
To an older place than Eden
And a taller town than Rome.
To the end of the way of the wandering star,
To the things that cannot be and that are,
To the place where God was homeless
And all men are at home.

by G.K. Chesterton

 

 

 

Scary Night!!

Posted on by Elias Goulart

SCARY NIGHT!!!

Saint Francis said: “Life is short and death is certain!” Therefore, we need to know how to take advantage of the moments we have.
Halloween is part of North American culture and can be seen as ugly and dark, or as happy and fun, especially for children.
Our party was a special moment for our Co-op, where we enjoyed good conversations, experienced smiles, and shared friendships. Still, the pizzas and delicacies were delicious.
We would like to thank the Social Committee for its dedication to the preparation, organization of the event, and the beauty of everything done.
Let the next event come!!

 

Our Summer BBQ!

Posted on by Elias Goulart

Moments of the life!

Life is a set of moments!

Most of them are unique; we would like they could last forever.

Saturday, August 28th, was a particular time when we shared time, conversations, and a delicious barbecue.

Thanks to everyone who gives time, effort, and heart to make it happen. 

Thanks to all who came and also to those who couldn’t be present!