A Natasha Richardson skiing accident and the nature of instant information

Today we have been given yet another example of how unconfirmed reports about a celebrity can spread like wild fire on the internet - even if there are vocal denials of the reports to the contrary. Case in point: well known actress Natasha Richardson, wife of famed actor, Liam Neeson, has been holidaying at a Montreal ski resort in the province of Quebec, Canada. On Monday she reportedly took a fall off the hill at the bottom of a ski run and was pretty banged up. Despite the fact that she was apparently okay and able to walk with assistance afterwards, there are stories now circulating that she is in fact brain dead and that her body is being flown back to New York for relatives to say their final good-byes. Wow, this is a serious discrepancy. Anyway, for the story details here is just one example of the reports now floating about on the web:

According to unconfirmed reports, Natasha Richardson has been declared brain dead after a ski accident Monday at a Canadian resort. The New York Post reports that the actress' unnamed friends say she is brain dead and is on her way to New York for friends and family to say goodbye. But there's been no official confirmation of this terrible news.

A spokesperson at Sacre Coeur Hospital in Montreal, where Richardson, 45, was taken Monday night, would only say Richardson is no longer in Canada. Richardson was feeling fine for nearly an hour Monday after falling on a beginner's run during a private ski lesson. The British-born Richardson was not wearing a ski helmet during ski lesson on the Nansen, a beginners’ run.

Richardson was at the bottom of the run, in what is known as the flats, during the midafternoon lesson when she fell and tumbled down the hill. Media reports said her sons, Micheal, 13, and Daniel, 12, were with her at the time of the accident. She did not hit anyone or anything before coming to a stop and the ski instructor was by her side within seconds, the spokesperson for Sacre Coeur said. There was no sign of injury, no cut or bleeding.

Two ski patrollers helped Richardson but she was able to walk to her room at the resort’s Quintessence Hotel, where she'd been staying since Sunday. Britain's BBC reports that a member of Richardson family, who asked not to be named, said the family was "very distressed."

We pray that this report of her being brain dead is not true and that Natasha, a terrific actress, wonderful mother and loving wife, will be OK.

Vivimind: The future of over the counter memory protection?

You might have previously heard some talk about Vivimind as an over the counter nutraceutical, but you might still be asking yourself, 'what is it really, and what does it do?' That is a relevant question. The simple answer is that Vivimind is an overthecounter nutraceutical memory protection therapy. The hive mind behind Vivimind, OVOS Natural Health Inc. , claims that their new Vivimind product is a recently patented product which is based on a naturally occurring ingredient named homotaurine. Homotaurine is known to bind to beta-amyloid (also known as A-beta) proteins and subsequently reduce the deposition of the A-beta proteins in the Human brain.

This is relevant because a number of scientists have come to believe that the gradual build up of a specific toxic protein (the A-beta) is detrimental\harmful to the brain. When this protein buildup attains excessive levels\amounts, it can often cause neurons (brain cells) within the brain to malfunction and eventually die. When our neurons are damaged or die, communication and/or signaling problems occur inside the brain that ultimately affect our memory and learning abilities. The loss of these brain cells is reflected by an eventual shrinkage of the region from which they are lost: the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with learning and memory.

When describing the effects of their Vivimind over the counter preventative therapy, OVOS makes the following claim:

VIVIMIND is scientifically proven to protect memory function, based on the naturally occurring ingredient, homotaurine, found in seaweed. VIVIMIND:

* Protects the brain structure associated with memory and learning
* Preserves memory
* Sustains brain cell health
* Maintains verbal skills and comprehension ability
* Supports planning and execution skills

( source: Ovos Health )


When presenting the varied test results for their new product, Vivimind, Ovos make the following claims relating to their success:


In a groundbreaking study performed in Canada and the United States using brain scans (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)), VIVIMIND was shown to significantly reduce the loss of brain volume in the hippocampus. In fact, VIVIMIND was proven to preserve 68% more brain volume versus placebo (like a sugar pill).
Individuals taking VIVIMIND also performed better on memory and thinking tests compared with individuals taking placebo. VIVIMIND was found to improve cognitive performance (verbal skills, memory, comprehension ability, planning and execution skills) by 33% versus placebo.
( source: Ovos Health )

Considering its impressive potential for an aging population, one can begin to comprehend why the inventors of Vivimind are excited about finally releasing it onto the market; if it is perceived by the general public to be of some preventative value, then its commercial potential could be quite massive as well. Given the the potential financial windfall at stake here, obviously the first few months of marketing and sales will be of incredible importance. It will be quite intriguing to see how effectively Vivimind clicks with its primary market in particular, and the individual consumer in general.