A report says older adults who test their minds with increasingly difficult projects have better mental ability than those who do less demanding activities.

    To keep our brains sharp as we age, we are often told to keep our minds active. As the old saying goes, “Use it or lose it.” But, there is very little scientific evidence to support than.

Denise Park is head of the university's Center for ? Vital Longevity. She designed a study in which she and her tern placed 221 healthy aging and older adults into one of three groups.

    “We asked people to learn new things, like quilting or photography. We asked other people to just do fun things like being in a social group function but were not likely to have a very large effect.”

    The subjects took part in their assigned activities for 15 hours a week over three months. At the end of that time, the researchers found that the adults who learned new skills, such as digital photography, showed the greatest improvements on memory tests.

    No improvements were seen in the results of those in the social group that did activities together like going on field trips. There were also no improvements among the third group that listened to classical music or did crossword puzzles.

    Denise Park believes one reason for improved memory in the active learning group is that its members were being pushed to learn new skills. The other groups took part in what she call receptive activities. Learning new skills may not cure age-related mental decline. But, Ms. Park thinks being mentally active slows down the process.

Denise Park says the latest information shows that the improvements lasted for at least a year. She and her team plan to do longer follow-up studies with all three groups. She also is interested in learning whether taking part in demanding mental activities delays the development of conditions like Alzheimer's disease.

    TEEN ZONE

    ANNOUNCEMENTS

    At the Newton Public Library

    REGISTER FOR A SUMMER OF STORIES

    Sign up and receive your reading log at the Circulation Desk. Record books you read over the summer and have a parent sign next to each title. The top five readers will receive prizes such as gift cards, magazine subscriptions, and movie tickets.

    TEEN ZONE RESOURCES

Look to the Teen Zone's “Ready Reference” comer for all the help you need to locate information on the Internet. Ms. Frye, the librarian, will share tips on keyword searches to find interesting information about certain books. You must have a signed parent permission slip before using the computers. Access is limited to 30 minutes and is on a first-come, first-served basis.

    EVENTS

    Poetry Session                Monday, June 16                6:00-8:00 P.M.

    Teen poets can be literary celebrities for a night by reading their original work at this special event. Friends and family members are encouraged to attend and show their support. A few original poems may be selected for publication in the next library newsletter. Food and drinks will be provided

Learn Origami                Wednesday, June 4                3:00-4:00 P.M.

    This class provides books and instruction in the ancient Japanese art of folding colourful squares of paper into shapes, such as birds, insects, or flowers.

Eco Crafts with Jasleen        Wednesday, June 11            3:00-4:00 P.M.

    Make earth-friendly crafts from recyclable materials. With guidance from a talented teacher and books, you will make new creations from everyday items. Start recycling today, and bring items to share with the group.

Magazine and Book Art        Wednesday, June 18            3:00-4:00 P.M.

    The library needs to beautify the walls of the Teen Zone. We will be transforming artwork from old books and magazines into unique masterpieces to frame and hang on the walls. Put your creative spin on some photographs, and help ensure that the Teen Zone remains the highlight of the library.

    Note: Registration is required for all the events. Register at the Circulation Desk or by calling 1-800-290-5992. Space is limited, so reserve your spot soon!

    The O. Henry Museum

    The aim of the O. Henry Museum is to collect, preserve, and interpret artifacts，works and archival (档案的) materials relative to the author, for literary» educational, and historical purposes that are accessible to the public. The museum was set up in 1934, under the authority of the City of Austin, and is both a National Register Property and a National Literary Landmark.

    The O. Henry Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5:00 pm. Admission is free. Tours are also available for free. Please contact the museum at least one week in advance to schedule a tour for a group of 10 or more. Metered parking is available on the street in front of the museum. The museum's gift shop has for sale T-shirts, coffee mugs, DVDs, and an array of books by and about O. Henry.

    Group tours:

    We ask for one-week advance notice of groups more than 10 people, including schools, church groups, and organizations.

    Donations:

    Donations greatly benefit the museum and its programs. Inquire about contributing.

    Volunteer:

    Contact us about volunteering at the museum. We are currently in need of a gardener and a volunteer docent (讲解员).

    Staff:

    Valerie Bennett, Curator valerie. bennett@ci. austin. tx. us

    Michael Hoinski, Culture & Arts Education Specialist michael. hoinski@ci. austin. tx. us

    Elizabeth Taylor, Docent

    Location: 409 East Fifth Street, Austin, Texas 78701

Ecobee3 Smarter WiFi Thermostat

    Smart thermostats have become the face of smart home technology for most, but depending on what your home is like, it's possible to say the ecobee3 is superior.

    Most of the smart thermostats carry the same benefits, including the ecobee3. They can learn your preferences and schedules, and then adjust the temperature accordingly. They're better-looking and more enjoyable to use than the basic pieces of plastic that occupy most households. Their very presence will probably make you more conscious about saving energy. And once you're able to heat up or cool down your house from your phone, without having to get out of bed, you won't want to go back.

    If you live in a larger household, the ecobee3 can be much more convenient—provided you pick up a couple more remote sensors. Yes, it gets pretty expensive at that point, but having those gives you effective control over the temperature in different rooms around your house. In comparison, other thermostats' measurements are largely limited to the area in which they' re installed (安装).

    If you live in a smaller place, that's no big deal; the ecobee3 still has distinct advantages. It is touch-enabled and more spacious, making it less annoying when you want to enter a WiFi password, see weather information, and so on. Still, all the smart thermostats are pretty great. Which one is best just depends on whether you need a whole-home solution or a more straightforward one. For now, if it's the former, go with the ecobee3.

    Ecobee3 Smarter WiFi Thermostat with Remote Sensor, available at all shopping websites.

What a Messy Desk Says About You

    For some time, psychologists have been studying how personality traits affect health and health-related choices. Not surprisingly, they have found that people blessed with innate conscientiousness, meaning that they are organized and predictable, typically eat better and live longer than people who are disorderly. They also tend to have immaculate offices.

    What has been less clear is whether neat environments can produce good habits even in those who aren't necessarily innately conscientious. To find out, researchers at the University of Minnesota conducted a series of experiments. In the first experiment, they randomly assigned a group of college-age students to spend time in two office spaces, one of which was very neat, the other wildly cluttered (乱堆) with papers and other work-related stuff. The students spent their time filling out questionnaires unrelated to the study. After 10 minutes, they were told they could leave with an apple or a chocolate bar. Those students who sat in the orderly office were twice as likely to choose the apple as those who sat among the mess.

    A second experiment, however, found that working in chaos has its advantages, too. In this one, college students were placed in a messy or a neat office and asked to dream up new uses for Ping-Pong balls. Those in messy spaces generated ideas that were significantly more creative, according to two independent judges, than those in offices where stacks of papers and other objects were neatly arranged.

    The results were something of a surprise, says Dr. Vohs, the leader of the study. Few previous studies found much virtue in disorder. The broken window theory, proposed decades ago, holds that even slight disorder and neglect can encourage indifference and poor discipline.

    But in the study by Dr. Vohs, disordered offices encouraged originality and a search for novelty. In the final portion of the study, adults were given the choice of adding a health "boost" to their lunchtime smoothie that was labeled either "new" or "classic." The volunteers in the messy space were far more likely to choose the new one; those in the tidy office generally chose the classic version. "Disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition," Dr. Vohs and her co-authors conclude in the study, "which can produce fresh insights."

    The implications of these findings are also practical. "My advice would be, if you need to think outside the box for a future project", Dr. Vohs says, "then let the clutter rise and free your imagination. But if your primary goal is to eat well or to go to the gym, pick up around your office first. By doing this, the naturally messy can acquire some of the discipline of the conscientious."

    Dannis was waiting at the airline ticket counter when he first noticed the young woman with shiny black hair pulled tightly into a knot. She wore black boots of soft leather. Dannis struggled to see her face, she was ahead of him in line, but it was not until she bought her ticket and turned to walk away that he realized her beauty, which was fair-skinned and big-eyed. She seemed aware that he was staring at her and lowered her gaze abruptly.

    When next he saw her, Dannis was buying a magazine and became aware someone was pushing him. At first, he was startled (受惊吓的) that anyone would be so close as to touch him, but when he saw who it was, he smiled.

    "Busy place," Dannis said.

    She looked up at him and blushed. Wordlessly, she moved away and joined the crowds in the terminal.

    Dannis was at the counter with his magazine, but when he reached into his pocket for his wallet, the pocket was empty. Where could I have left it? His mind was racing, the credit cards, the cash, the identification card... "The girl who was so near to me!" he said to himself. All at once he understood she had stolen his pocket. What shall he do?

    Dannis gritted his teeth. When glancing around for the police, suddenly, he spotted the black-haired girl, seated against a front window of the terminal. She seemed absorbed in a book.

    "Where is my wallet?" he yelled. The black-haired girl glanced up from her reading, with a confused look on her face. Dannis glared at her and shouted, "You stole my wallet!" The crowds began to gossip. The girl turned deadly pale, looking so restless that words failed her. A strange silence hung in the air. Abruptly, she leaped from the seat and tried to escape from the crowds.

    Dannis grabbed her by the arm. At exactly that moment, a policeman approached them and asked about what happened. Dannis hastened to explain it while the girl frowned with a shake of her head. After further enquiries, the policeman took out a wallet and handed it to Dannis, adding that someone had found it in the toilet.