Health Archives - The Six Fifty

Remote work rises and Caltrain ridership plummets: How Silicon Valley has changed three years since COVID

Each year, Joint Venture Silicon Valley, a regional nonprofit think tank, publishes its Silicon Valley Index, a report chock-full of data points attempting to paint a point-in-time portrait of the region. This year's data points confirmed a lot of what I'd observed anecdotally in my own circles: Essentials like housing, transportation, food and child care feel more expensive than ever.

Start the new year with the Peninsula’s best personal growth deal: Free college classes and a deeply discounted gym membership

With community college courses free for San Mateo County residents this semester, we've compiled our top 20 favorite classes from American Sign Language to zoology.

Palo Alto High alum’s new book ‘The Silence that Binds Us’ sheds light on difficult topics

Though the bestselling author and former Peninsula high school administrator Joanna Ho is known for writing children's picture books, she was compelled to write her latest release, a young adult novel called “The Silence that Binds Us,” after a couple of encounters she had years ago.

International film festival brings documentaries back to Peninsula theaters

Particulates matter: 10 questions for a Stanford researcher on the health hazards of wildfire smoke

Discussing health, wildfires and how unprecedented smoke is affecting us long term A view from Twin Peaks in San Francisco—at 8a.m. on September 9, 2020—the day the skies turned orange over the Bay Area. (Photo by Charles Russo) For the past four years, autumn in California has become synonymous with wildfire season. Each year has brought new fires, traumas and complications to the state with far-reaching consequences. This has culminated with 2020 ...

Shuttered gyms & dumbbell price gouging: COVID-19 is threatening the 650’s fitness scene

Shuttered gyms & dumbbell price gouging: COVID-19 is threatening the Peninsula’s diverse fitness scene Here’s how you can help (and maybe develop some muscles and skills in the process) The gym at the YMCA of Silicon Valley location in Mountain View is shut down. In just one example of local creativity to stay useful, the space has been repurposed as a child care center for the children of health care workers. (Photo by Magali ...

Can Floating Naked Inside a Redwood City Strip Mall Simplify Your Life? We Found Out.

Illustration by Shannon Corey “What if there’s a fire?” my girlfriend asked. “Would anyone come and get you?” Not the positive re-enforcement I was hoping for before stepping into my first float in a sensory deprivation chamber, the latest wellness fad to come to the Peninsula. I had psyched myself out all weekend, watching the 1980 movie Altered States and a Vice News documentary, both about bad trips in sensory deprivation chambers. Now structure ...

Silicon Valley Triathletes Want To Pump Up Your Workout

Max Fennell is a professional triathlete. Winter is the season we all declare we’ll get fit but many of us don’t actually hit the gym until summer arrives…or later. We spoke with three current and former Silicon Valley triathletes about how they keep their workouts fresh and fun and what specific exercises they recommend for getting back into shape. Bench V-crunches Max Fennell, a professional triathlete since 2014, recommends starting a new exercise routine by ...