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I didn’t fully understand the limits of my body until this past June, when I fell down my fire escape and floated outside myself in a near-death experience, much like the ones Peter Fenwick — a psychiatrist who researched end-of-life phenomena — documented over the course of his career. (Dr. Fenwick died on Nov. 22 at 89.)I was at my own housewarming party, standing on the fire escape with two friends, when I fell, tumbling around 12 feet and hitting my head. I lost consciousness for several minutes.As my friends tell it, the paramedics arrived quickly, detached the screen from…

Though tiny houses were once considered an affordable alternative to brick-and-mortar homes, many examples nowadays are luxurious and have a price tag to match. Dragon Tiny Homes recalls the small living movement’s humble roots with a compact model that doesn’t break the bank at just US$50,000.The Aria is based on a double-axle trailer and is finished in engineered wood. It has a length of 20 ft (6 m), making it the same size as European models like Baluchon’s Hytta. The interior is clad in shiplap.Its entrance opens onto the kitchen, which is quite basic but does contain a sink, an…

In early 1988, the British neuropsychiatrist Peter Fenwick found himself drowning in letters from people who believed they had survived an encounter with death.“I slowly floated down a tunnel, not afraid in any way but looking forward to something,” one man wrote to him. “When it came I was absolutely at peace and going towards the most wonderful light. Believe me, it was great. No worries, problems or anything, just wonderful.”In another letter, a woman described walking down a country lane and coming upon golden gates.“Inside was the most beautiful garden, no lawn, path or anything else, but flowers of…

In the world of ugly shoes, we’ve had some real bangers. First was the Croc, a rubber one-piece shoe best suited as a doorstop – that is until you tried one on and realized it might be the most comfortable thing you’ve ever put on your foot, despite the scornful looks from your peers. Then came the Kanye/Adidas collaboration-abomination called the Yeezy, with a history so tumultuous we hesitate to even bring it up. Cue the new Syntilay, the world’s first entirely AI-designed and 3D-printed piece of thermoplastic polyurethane to call itself a shoe. The exact composition of the slide-type…

James Arthur Ray, an Oprah-endorsed motivational speaker who spent two years in prison for manslaughter after the 2009 deaths of three people in a sweat lodge, the culmination of a three-day spiritual program he ran in the Arizona desert, died on Jan. 3 in Henderson, Nev. He was 67.His brother, Jon Ray, announced the death on social media. He did not say where in Henderson Mr. Ray died or cite a cause, but he did say the death was unexpected.Mr. Ray was struggling to succeed as a motivational speaker when he appeared in “The Secret,” a 2006 documentary made by…

Nissan is taking a break from releasing overnight camper van concepts in all sizes and styles to present a concept more rightfully classified a day camper. What it lacks in sheltered sleeping and cooking amenities, it makes up for with a wavy ergonomic trailer lounge and slide-out coffee bar/entertainment system. When life gives you lemons, don’t be afraid to take a break and drink some lemonade below your umbrella, letting all the stress drip off like a light, invigorating rain. We feel like a broken record repeating the spiel about just how many camper vans and leisure vehicle concepts Nissan…

You may be among the millions of people who have seen a surprisingly specific warning like this on the labels of drugs you take:Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while using this medication.Such warnings are issued for dozens of substances, including docetaxel, a cancer drug; erythromycin, an antibiotic; and some statins, the cholesterol-lowering drugs prescribed to more than a third of American adults over 40.The problem is a set of molecules, furanocoumarins. High levels of furanocoumarins interfere with human liver enzymes, among other processes. In their presence, medications can build up to unhealthy levels in the body. And grapefruits…

HMD is known for its budget-friendly Android phones and tablets, and it’s now launched a potentially life-saving product for adventurers. Its OffGrid accessory pairs with any smartphone and enables texting via satellite networks – so you can reach people from the middle of nowhere.The device is built tough and compact, so it should be able to take a beating in the great outdoors. It works with Android and iOS handsets, and connects to the Skylo satellite network that’s powered other communication gadgets and services in the past, including the seemingly discontinued Motorola Defy Link. Presently, it offers satellite coverage in…

Richard M. Cohen, an outspoken and award-winning television news producer whose career was eventually derailed by the ravages of multiple sclerosis, which he wrote about in a best-selling memoir, died on Dec. 24 in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., a village in Westchester County. He was 76.His wife, the former “Today” show host Meredith Vieira, said his death, in a hospital, was caused by acute respiratory failure.Mr. Cohen spent more than 20 years in the news business, working with luminaries like Ted Koppel at ABC and Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather at CBS. But he tackled a different subject when he wrote…

When the design greats at Pininfarina teamed with California startup AC Future on the dramatic eTH expanding electric motorhome for CES 2024, the unique vessel seemed unlikely to be anything more than a folder full of renderings. But a year later, it’s much more: a complete multi-expanding prototype with a sliding floor plan luxe enough to make show goers trapped inside the walls of CES 2025 want to break free on an open road trip with no defined end date. Before a rather harried wind-down into the 2024 holidays, we were considering compiling a “best of” look at the expanding…