Future thrills

The Chinese are building long term industrial strategies – they are going for the indispensable rare earths, the little known materials that are used in high tech equipment and special products. The products are glasses, ceramics, catalyzers, powders, lasers, mobile phones, liquid crystals, solar panels, missile systems, defence equipment, phosphors….. World production is about 125.000 tons, of which the Chinese consume about 50%. Expected growth is about 10% per year.

The rare earths are 17 metals with special properties, like the lanthanides, lanthan, lutecium, yttrium, scandium.

Mongolia, Australia, Africa, Asia: the Chinese are there, and they are themselves by far the largest producer. The US and Japan are worried, exports are blocked, the prices are skyrocketing, and industries are at stake. There is illegal traffic in these products too. China and Japan are having contentions, and the Japanese feel the heat. Replacements are not possible in the short term. The industrialized West is being overtaken by the industrialized China?

A crisis is brewing as the Chinese are tightening supply, using it to gain advantages, increasing costs. Did the West sleep in class?

Could the West negotiate its way out of this one, or will there be tougher action? And the UN?

In one month – September to October 2010 – Chinese production is reduced by 75% – due to environmental and quality requirements – so where are we heading? Power play or just improving production facilities?

Researchers are finding out more about how the body works, and now it is about training. To keep your own body dynamic you must engage in tough physical activity.

Hard long slogs are all right, but it seems it is more efficient to engage in high-intensity interval training. You get your fitness into place in a much shorter time by pushing yourself to the limit over a short time, say 20-30 seconds, then resting for several minutes and so on 4-8 times. Even ultra-intense training may be part of the method.

Short-burst training is also less boring, so as the results are the same why not try it. Research is continuing, but care must be taken – do not get up from the couch and right into physical bursting. And remember it hurts – because it must to have effect.

There are other effects to be considered too: The energy you use in your life, the kind of diet you are on, your age and general condition. Intensive training gives you more time to do other things in your life – you may become more efficient.

Aging is strongly related to inactivity, and many researchers say we need physical hardship to live well and long. Good stress it is called. Your genes have lot to say as to what life you will have, but by being intensive you can create your own reality and bypass your own genetic “problems”.

It is becoming clearer all the time – your body must be used, often and most likely daily, and it is probably all right to be very tough with it.