text: Pubdate: Tue, 04 Dec 2012 Source: Reporter, The (Vacaville, CA) Copyright: 2012 The Reporter Contact: http://www.thereporter.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/472 MARIJUANA RESEARCH WELCOME Last week's news reports that Humboldt State University had developed an institute devoted to marijuana research instantly drew plenty of jokes. "We already have a college research institute devoted to marijuana," cracked late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. "It's called college." Even wags at The Reporter got into it, suggesting a name for the center that would accommodate an appropriate acronym: Humboldt Institute for Ganja Hypotheses (HIGH). If nothing else, the idea of putting a marijuana research center in Humboldt County -- a Northern California coastal community that is to marijuana what the Appalachian Mountains were to moonshine during Prohibition -- seems absurdly appropriate. Which is exactly what the academics at Humboldt State are saying. "If anyone is going to have a marijuana institute, it really should be Humboldt State," said economics professor Erick Eschker, who is co-chairing the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research with sociology professor Josh Meisel. The 11 academics taking part in the institute have fertile topics for research right in their own back yard, such as marijuana cultivation's impacts on wildlife, the use of pesticides and fertilizers in growing marijuana or the economic and public health impacts of marijuana production on rural communities. Another proposed study will look at the chemical and medicinal properties of the drug. It's the kind of information that voters and elected officials need to make rational decisions about marijuana. That, in fact, is how the idea for the institute came about. Two years ago, when California voters were asked to legalize marijuana, the public discussion that resulted showed "there were a lot more questions than there were answers," Professor Meisel told The Times-Standard of Eureka, one of The Reporter's sister publications. California voters rejected Proposition 19, but with Colorado and Washington state voters approving similar measures last month, it's certain to come up again here. When it does, it would be helpful to have reliable information from a legitimate research institute that is looking at the situation in California as well as pulling in data from Colorado and Washington's experience. Aside from the issue of personal or recreational use, this country also needs more and better research on medical marijuana. If it is truly an effective medicine, then the federal government needs to reclassify it. If the anecdotal evidence about its effectiveness isn't supported, then patients ought to be told. As much as we might want to chuckle about a marijuana research institute at Humboldt State, we need more evidence-based information about the topic. Kudos to the researchers there for attempting to provide it. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom


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Our library instruction sessions are tailored specifically to your course and assignments and will help your students become expert researchers by:
Covering the basics
Introducing advanced sources & search techniques
Reducing fear
We realize many students are hesitant to ask for help, so these sessions are designed to give students the opportunity to meet a "real live" librarian. Students will be encouraged to approach the information desk or make an appointment with a librarian when they need assistance with an assignment.
Increasing efficiency
After a library instruction session, students should be able to retrieve information more efficiently - with less frustration. Our aim is to improve the quality of their work and increase independence in learning.In person or online
Class sessions are the most popular and useful means of library/information gathering instruction. However, we can also create online research guides for your class, embed ourselves in your Blackboard course as well as work with you in creating inventive and effective assignments.Contact us to set up a library instruction session for your students!

subset: commoncrawl


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From Conservapedia
(Redirected from Chips)
Chips are a traditional British working-class method of preparing potatoes. The potatoes are peeled and sliced, generally into finger-sized slivers, and deep fried in lard or oil.
This is either done at home, in a special chip-pan, or often the chips are purchased from a chip shop, a common fixture in any British town, and often the centre of the local community.
Fish and chips is a common meal, though chip shops will also sell pie and chips, sausage and chips, deep-fried Mars bars, and pickled eggs. Common accompaniments are mushy peas, gravy or curry sauce.
French Fries are an imitation of chips made with reconstituted potato pulp.
Americans use the word "chips" to refer to potato crisps.


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hello everyone,
I was just wondering that what tools do you people use for network auditing. By this I mean that what different applications do you deploy to gather the information of different equipment ( computers + other equipment with a network interface ) on your network ( both hardware and software). I came across AIDA 32 enterprise and network edition[1] and PSTools suite[2] on sysinternals.
Do not forget to mention the links and your experience with the tool. You can mention both shareware and freeware. This thread would definitly earn me some positive antipoints. Lolz....Besides primary reason for this thread is to share your experiences with a reliable and efficient network auditing tool.
P.S. Soon, I ll be requiring AO valuble input towards drafting my backup and security policy ( i will start a separate thread for this soon )....
[1] http://www.filesclub.com/download/aida32_97972.html
[2] http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/fr.../pstools.shtml


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Avoiding Nighttime Lows
Nighttime hypoglycemia can be the result of a number of factors in people with diabetes, according to Howard Wolpert, M.D., Director of the Joslin Diabetes Center Insulin Pump Program. It's important to learn what causes low blood glucose reactions, so you can figure out how to prevent them from happening.
Causes of Nighttime Hypoglycemia
Having an active day or exercising close to bedtime with diabetes can decrease your blood glucose and cause a hypoglycemic reaction during sleep. Consuming alcohol in the evening can also put you at risk for a lower blood glucose level. This is a result of your liver clearing the alcohol from your blood, instead of producing glucose.
In addition, some people forget that their bolus/fast-acting insulin lasts for up to five to six hours. If you have a late dinner and go to sleep a couple hours later, your blood glucose may be normal before going to bed. However, since the insulin you took for dinner is still acting in your body, your blood glucose could drop during the night.
Signs of Nighttime Hypoglycemia
Signs that you've experienced nighttime hypoglycemia can include:
- Sweating: waking up with damp clothes/sheets
- Waking up with a headache
- Having nightmares
You may also wake up with a higher blood glucose reading, which is a result of your body rebounding from the overnight low. Experiencing a fast heartbeat and anxiety before bed may be an indication of approaching hypoglycemia.
Ways to Avoid Nighttime Hypoglycemia
Your target blood glucose reading before bed should be at least 140 mg/dl, Wolpert says. Before you go to bed, consider all of the causes of nighttime hypoglycemia, and if you think you're at risk, have a snack before heading to sleep. If you use an insulin pump, one option is to reduce your basal rate.
If you find yourself experiencing nighttime lows often, you may want to consider purchasing a continuous glucose monitoring device (CGM), which alerts you when you're experiencing a low blood glucose or a high, suggests Wolpert. It may also be a good idea to speak with your doctor about adjusting your insulin regimen.
To make an appointment with a Joslin physician, please call (617) 732-2400.
Related Links
To register and learn about Joslin's Blood Glucose Awareness Training workshop, click here.
Blood Sugar Monitoring Owner's Manual offers all the guidance one needs to understand why blood glucose monitoring is important, when and how to check blood glucose, setting target goals, potential "road blocks" and how to get around them.
Click here, to purchase this book from the Joslin Store.
Page last updated: November 07, 2019


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During the week, you know our life is no mystery: we are here working hard to make you happier and your horse healthier. But what do we do on the weekend, you ask? The mystery is revealed! Read about what SmartPakers did this past week and see if any of our adventures sound similar to yours…
My best friend and I went on a road trip to Iowa City, IA to watch the first (hopefully annual!) Eastern Iowa Carriage Classic. This pleasure driving show recognized by the ADS (American Driving Society) had something for everyone: lots of timed cones courses, dressage, Carriage Dog, Reinsmanship, Turnout, the ever-popular Gambler's Choice, and a short but exciting Pleasure Pace. I hadn't planned on participating–just watching and taking pictures–but a driver asked if I would be her passenger on the Pace so off I went! Good practice walking a course, calculating the optimum time, and schooling in-hand the scary water obstacle and covered bridge! – Dr. Lydia Gray, SmartPak Staff Veterinarian
Last weekend I went camping in the White Mountains in NH. Even though it was a bit hot, I was able to find some cool spots, including a great overlook with a breeze and a hiking trail that followed along (and sometimes through) a stream. – Katie G., Customer Care
Spent a week in VT at GMHA – just amazing. Started with the horse trials last weekend where Tally was a superstar – dressage photo credits to Abby Clutz and jumping shot thanks to Joan at FlatlandsFoto. Stayed up there for the Area 1 USEA/USDF Adult Camp – learned SO much, came home Saturday tired but elated with our progress. Thanks to all the clinicians – what a stellar group. Went for a hike up Mt. Monadnock on Sunday with Maria from Merchandising and Melissa and Jill from Equifit – beautiful day for a climb, although windy up top! – Jen B., SmartPak Retail Store
Although I have Rex leased out, I am lucky to have to opporunity to ride him once in a while. The girl who leases him was nice enough to let me ride him around at a local show this weekend (thanks Hannah!), and we even competed in our first flat class! The weather was rainy in the morning, but the sun came out at around noon and the rest of the day was gorgeous. It was a long day, but I had a blast! – Kaitlyn Z., Marketing
I was in Clearwater Fl this past weekend and ran into the Hulkster, And my wife Lela graduated nursing school and got her RN, here is her celebratory morning jogging outfit (check out those guns) – Matt S., IT
This Sunday I volunteered at a dressage show that was held at my barn. After scribing for half the day, I brought my new, young horse out to see the goings on! It was a beautiful day and the perfect change to introduce him to the hustle and bustle of a horse show right in his own back yard. He was interested in checking out the trailers and all the visiting horses, but mostly he was interested in grazing. 🙂
-Jessica (Jno), Marketing
This weekend we celebrated my dog Chloe's 5th birthday; I've had her since she was a puppy so it's hard to believe she is 5 already! She enjoyed some time in the dog park with friends (Chloe is on the left), got a new bed, and some doggie ice cream for dessert. I also went to visit my retired horse Riker this weekend and gave him a much-needed bath. His newfound cleanliness lasted approximately 3.5 minutes before he rolled- but at least his tail was still white! Last but not least I finished the weekend with a lesson on my mare Luna. We're practicing for our next dressage show in 3 weeks and focused on some of the basics like suppleness and activity. It was a great weekend spent with all of my beloved animals! – Kerri V., Marketing
Last weekend (and all of last week) I was on vacation with my family in Spain and Portugal. My parents love to travel and I'm lucky that they still like to bring me along on their trips! The nine day trip went by really quickly in a whirlwind of sightseeing and we had a blast. We saw a lot of amazing places, but my favorite had to be the Alhambra, an incredible royal palace in Granada. – Lexi K., Marketing
I had a fun dog filled weekend! This Saturday I worked from home and SmartPaker Sarah G's dog Taylor kept bringing me all of his toys to play with, it was very cute! I am also dog sitting for SmartPaker Jackie M's dog Rue this week. On Sunday Sarah and I took Taylor and Rue to Natick to the retail store to do a little clearance shopping, we even go to SmartPak on our days off 🙂 Taylor and Rue had a great time at the store and felt right at home! – Marisa C., Customer Care
This weekend was filled with fun in the sun and plenty of theater! The sunny parts included a four-mile run with my boyfriend's and my dog, Sprocket, and a trip to fellow SmartPaker Sara's pool (she also has a very wonderful dog named True). The theater parts included a trip to see the new Star Trek in 3D (it was awesome) and a fabulous outing to see The Adams Family musical! My aunt Betsy works on The Adams Family tour and she was kind enough to get tickets for me, my boyfriend, his mom, his younger sister, and the awesome foster child that's staying at his mom's house right now. The show was fantastic and the girls all loved having the opportunity to get dressed up. What a great way to end the weekend! – Sarah P., Marketing
A lot of exciting things happened last weekend. I officially marked the beginning of summer with the first beach trip of the season! I just love being such a short drive from the Cape, and it was great to break in my new bathing suit and start working on my tan. But even MORE exciting than that—I officially booked my trip to LONDON for the end of the summer!! I lived in London three summers ago for a study abroad, and I've been homesick for it ever since —now FINALLY I get to go back! I'm going with my friend Meg, and it's her first trip to London, so I'm excited to be her tour guide and revisit all my old favorite spots, go for a few runs in Kensington Gardens, and eat some Cadbury! The weekend before was also a blast. I went home to visit my family, and my boyfriend came along for the adventure. The best part was the riding lesson I had on my new horsey love, Rory, who you might remember from my gushing about him a few weeks ago. He was even more amazing and sweet since the last time I rode him! And it's a good thing he's like a giant, comfy couch, because I did a fair amount of work without my stirrups. My boyfriend, although he's a little afraid of horses, agreed to tag along and do a photo shoot of our lesson (he's a photographer, which is super handy…), and Rory was a star! We got a few adorable shots, and every time I look at them, I just want to hug Rory's giant, adorable face. But can you blame me?? Oh, and I broke in my new pair of Piper Breeches by SmartPak for the photo shoot—they're my NEW FAVORITE BREECHES, hands down!! They're so so comfortable, flattering, fun, and affordable—my trainer wanted a pair! The Pipers are not only too fun to have just one, they're too AWESOME to have just one! If there were 20 colors, I'd buy them all. – Lindsay B., Creative
I thought this past weekend would be one that would be quiet and relaxing, but boy was I wrong! On Friday night I came home to a greeting from my husband that I was not expecting at all. He had picked out a new PUPPY to complete our little family. She came complete with a big bow and a nametag that read "Happy Anniversary". I am beyond excited for this new addition and she is the cutest (Ok, I might be somewhat partial 🙂 ) little bundle of energy. My husband and I lost our black lab earlier this year to cancer and had been feeling a little lost without a dog in the house so this surprise couldn't have come at a better time! Even though she has had us up every 2 hours the past few nights (hence the reason for me being wrong about the quiet, relaxing weekend I had planned), it has been worth every single second!
Meet Gretta!
– Ashley W., Customer Care
I spent last weekend in Maryland with my Fiancés' family to watch the Great Chesapeake Bay swim. Their family has been participating in it for over 25 years, and between two generations, have made the 4.4 mile swim along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge over 80 times! This year they had six family members participate in the 4.4 mile swim and two in the 1 mile challenge. We had beautiful weather, great food, and great company! – Claire G., IT
I had a busy weekend filled with some of my favorite things! My border collie Merlin came to cheer me on at my triathlon near Cape Cod on Saturday (although I think he'd prefer to compete than be on the sidelines!) It was a fabulously fun time and I had a great race! Sunday I visited my family in Connecticut and had a great ride on my friend's horse, Stroker. I rode him in the new Rockin' SP Single Ear Headstall and Rockin' SP Split Reins and I absolutely LOVED them! The headstall fit perfectly and I loved the weight and feel of the reins. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend! – Veronica H., Merchandising
My animal-loving Barn Manager, Michele, is learning how to care for well yes, a baby raccoon. This is Choo-Choo. She is sadly the only one in the litter that safely made it across the road in front of Michele's house. Choo-Choo can't really see in the day, but she is adorable regardless. Michele is planning to help her grow up a bit then release her in early Fall. Until then, her cuteness will be a staple at my barn. – Susan T., Barn Marketing


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After three weeks of back to back tradeshows, Jeremy Jones and the Jones Snowboards crew were starting to get a little twitchy. It was time to find pow…now!
Racing out of the ISPO tradeshow in Munich, Jeremy and a posse of Jones team riders, distributors and dealers headed into the Austrian backcountry outside of Innsbruck for a pow surf session at the Lizumer Hutte. The Lizumer Hutte is located in the Wattental Valley on a military installation at 2,109 m. Surrounded by stunning peaks, the Hutte made the perfect setting for shredding, socializing and learning more about the limitless potential of splitboarding.
Not a tradeshow booth in sight out here. "Juxtaposed from the chaos of the tradeshows, getting into the mountains and totally disconnecting is the perfect example of why we are in this industry," said Jeremy about the mission. Photo – Hansi Heckmair.
"It was a really fun event with low expectations that yielded way better results than anticipated," said Jeremy. "Location was great, snow was great, but the crew was what made the journey all-time." Photo – Hansi Heckmair.
German Jones Rep Morritz Grotepass got a sweet taste of what Jones Snowboards is all about barrelling into this bowl of powdered sugar. Photo – Hansi Heckmair.
Jones Snowboards Brand Director Chad Perrin was fired up to earn and burn some turns in the Alps. Photo – Hansi Heckmair.
There was no time to waste. Blower pow awaited! Bryce Kloster from Karakoram clicks together his shred stick with a quickness. Photo – Hansi Heckmair.
Bibi Pekarek-Toelderer lays into the fluffy stuff only a couple hours from home. Photo – Hansi Heckmair.
Mitch Toelderer blasts an ollie into the untouched. Photo – Hansi Heckmair.
Epic terrain above the Lizumer Hutte.
"One of my goals in starting Jones Snowboards was to inspire people to get into the mountains. This was my first opportunity to share that with some of the folks I work closely with. It was an incredible experience for all," said Jeremy. Photo – Hansi Heckmair.
Toeside bliss for Chad Perrin. "The echoes of hoots and hollers reverberated through the trees every run," said Perrin. "No doubt all the military guys stationed in the area could here us loud and clear!" Photo – Hansi Heckmair.
Good times deserve good schnapps! Anton Nigg, the Hutte Boss of Lizumer, made sure the Alpine Tequila was flowing steady.
Big thanks to Klaus Zwirner, Anton Nigg, Mitch Toelderer and all the extended Jones family for helping make the trip possible!


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Ex-adviser: Vince Young needed loan for $300,000 party
- Young needed a seven-figure loan during the 2011 lockout for a birthday party
- Ronnie Peoples said he contacted Pro Player Funding LLC about loan after being told Young already paid for party
- Young is challenging %241.7 million judgment against him
DALLAS (AP) — The former financial adviser for ex-NFL quarterback Vince Young said under oath that he arranged a high-interest, seven-figure loan for Young during the 2011 lockout because the player wanted to throw himself a $300,000 birthday party even though he was running low on funds.
Ronnie Peoples, president and CEO of Peoples Financial Service Inc. in Raleigh, N.C., said during a videotaped deposition last month that he contacted New York-based Pro Player Funding LLC about the loan after being informed that Young had already paid for the party.
"I think we still would have been OK to go ahead and survive until the next season, but he had a birthday event coming up that he paid 300 and some thousand dollars for," Peoples testified. "That's what prompted that call."
A transcript of Peoples' deposition, taken Jan. 16 in Raleigh, was obtained by the Associated Press.
Young's attorney, Trey Dolezal, said Peoples' account contains numerous inaccuracies, including the statement regarding the birthday celebration.
"I have no idea what he's talking about with the birthday party and neither does Vince," Dolezal said.
Young is challenging a $1.7 million judgment obtained against him in New York last July by Pro Player. The sum represents the balance of $1.9 million borrowed at 20% interest in the former University of Texas star's name in May 2011. Young, who has been out of football since he was cut by the Buffalo Bills before last season, was one of more than a dozen NFL players who obtained loans from Pro Player during the lockout.
He testified during a deposition in December that he "probably" signed some of the loan documents in the presence of a notary at a law office in Houston. But he said he had no need for a loan, never sought one and didn't have access to the proceeds.
That account was disputed by Peoples, who testified that he personally discussed the loan with Young at a meeting in Houston. Moreover, funds from the loan, which closed a day before Young's 28th birthday, were used to satisfy the quarterback's "obligations," Peoples said.
"We've got accountability to what happened to the money and a breakdown of the money, you know, once that loan closed, because that was actually reimbursement costs and stuff that Vince had incurred from borrowing money from others," Peoples testified.
Dolezal said Young never had a meeting with Peoples in which the loan was discussed.
"He does believe he may have signed three pieces of paper that were notarized, but he was told they were banking instruments, that they needed his signature for some banking documents," Dolezal said.
Young did not say anything about being told he was signing "banking" documents in his deposition, but Dolezal said that will be included when his client is questioned under oath again.
Peoples testified that he was contacted by an associate in Houston a day after Young led Texas to its national championship-clinching victory against USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl and was asked if he'd be interested in helping with the quarterback's finances. Peoples said he ultimately received $65,000 a year to perform duties that included paying Young's bills.
Even with the $26 million in guaranteed money Young received from the contract he signed with the Tennessee Titans in 2006, the quarterback was in a financial bind after five seasons in the NFL, according to Peoples. Asked to describe Young's financial situation in May 2011, Peoples replied: "Not good."
Peoples said Young's monthly expenses were unpredictable, sometimes running as high as $200,000.
"It's almost like I can have a $30,000 budget that I know we had to pay here, but then, you know, I get an invoice for a Ferrari that he just bought for $176,000, and they want their money," he testified.
Dolezal said it's possible Young was on shaky financial ground in 2011 and just didn't know it.
"The fact is we don't have documentation to show where about $5 to $7 million is," he said.
Young has filed a lawsuit in Houston in which he claims Peoples and his former agent, Major Adams, misappropriated $5.5 million. The suit, filed five days after the Pro Player loan went into default, also asserts that the loan was another scheme to defraud the quarterback.
Peoples testified that he was asked to arrange the loan by Adams and Young's uncle, Keith Young, a former middle school teacher who assumed the role of business manager for his nephew.
However, Adams testified in his deposition that he had no involvement in the loan and that he had been fired by Vince Young before it was procured.
Peoples' attorney, David Chaumette, said his client mistakenly mentioned Adams in his testimony because he often was asked by both the agent and Keith Young to secure loans for Vince Young.
Keith Young did not respond to phone and email messages seeking comment. He has yet to give a deposition.
Another lawsuit filed by Vince Young in New York calls Pro Player "a predatory lender with a history of loaning funds to football players on extraordinary onerous terms" and accuses it of harassing him. The company has denied the charge.


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Festival of Gadgets at the Churchill Club With Guest Geek: Google's Marissa Mayer
Last night, Walt Mossberg and I co-hosted our annual holiday gadget fest for the Churchill Club in Silicon Valley.
Now in its fifth year, it was called "Making a List: The Fifth Annual What's Hot and What's Not in Personal Technology" and took place in Palo Alto, Calif. Our guest were Marissa Mayer of Google and tech consultant Greg Harper.
Walt and I typically show off several devices we think are interesting and try to identify some important trends.
Here's a video of Walt, Greg and Marissa at the event:
(I still am having problems with the Brightcove player, so I uploaded the video to YouTube.)
For example, Walt showed the new Amazon Kindle electronic book reader (which he did not actually like so much in his review of the device this week), as well as the new version of Sony's e-book offering. He also showed some new cellphones that are trying to mimic the Apple iPhone. His take: Great software in consumer electronics is key this year.
I showed new robotic devices from iRobot–the new version of its popular Roomba vacuum and its new wireless gutter cleaner called the Looj. We had an actual gutter on stage, full of leaves I made my much-abused assistant Ed Daly collect from a gardener's truck we found on a suburban street.
And every year, we've brought in uber-gadget geek and tech consultant Harper, who always brings in a truckload of cutting edge and sometimes freaky stuff. That included an egg-shaped speaker that dances from, of course, Japan, as well as a solar battery charger, a $400 laptop and a vanity mirror that is a Webcam in disguise. Harper posited that all devices would have to be always connected going forward.
And, also annually, we invite a celebrity geek from well-known tech companies. In the past, we've had Google's Larry Page, Jerry Yang of Yahoo, RealNetworks' Rob Glaser and Chad Hurley of YouTube–geeky guys all. But Mayer, one of Google's top execs, proved the nerdiest with a wide range of cool stuff.
She showed off a keyboard whose keys had embedded LCD screens, a wireless rabbit, an alarm clock that can jump off your nightstand and a T-shirt with a wireless signal locator in it. She also did a demo of exactly what the new Google Android operating system for cellphones looks like. Take careful notes: It looks an awful lot like the iPhone.


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Blighty's one and only astronaut, Tim Peake of the European Space Agency, has just embarked on a bold mission into an environment where few human beings have ever ventured: that of the saturation diver, semi-permanently adapted to life under high pressure and able to survive only deep underwater or inside pressurised containers.
Test pilot, teacher, test pilot, boffin
As a member of NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) expedition 16, Peake has now left the surface off Key Largo in Florida and descended to the Aquarius habitat on the seabed. He and the rest of the NEEMO 16 crew will live and work in and around Aquarius for the next fortnight, using the buoyancy underwater to simulate and practice for operations at an asteroid in deep space beyond the orbit of the Moon.
Aquarius is an ambient-pressure habitat and the surface of the "moon pool" in its entrance/exit chamber is situated at 47 feet below the surface, meaning that the pressure inside is approximately 2.5 times normal. As any diver fule kno, breathing air at this depth a human being must return to the surface within a couple of hours or risk decompression sickness (DCS, "the bends") as nitrogen absorbed into the body fluids fizzes out damagingly.
But Peake and his fellow aquanauts won't bother, simply remaining under pressure as they practice their zero-gravity procedures and returning to the Aquarius between dive sessions. After around a day, their body tissues will be able to absorb no more nitrogen at that pressure - they will be saturated. When their two weeks are up, they will close a pressure door between themselves and the moon pool (to avoid flooding the habitat) and gradually reduce their local pressure over a period of almost 16 hours, releasing the nitrogen from their systems so slowly that the bubbles remain tiny and harmless. Then they'll exit the habitat via an airlock and swim up to meet a boat which will take them back to Florida.
There's some risk involved in such a mission, as the aquanauts won't be able to simply swim up to the surface in the event of a problem with their dive gear or the habitat - they could expect a nasty or even potentially fatal DCS episode if they did that. Technically this is indeed "saturation diving", as NASA proudly says.
However real sat divers would probably sneer at the idea of the aquanauts being like them: commercial saturation divers working offshore typically remain under pressures of 6 bar or more (equivalent to 160+ feet). They have more to contend with than just DCS - at such pressures there are also issues of nitrogen narcosis ("the rapture of the deeps") and, at greater depths still, High Pressure Nervous Syndrome. As a result they must breathe helium/oxygen or exotic helium/hydrogen/oxygen trimixes to stay functional, and their compression and decompression schedules at the beginning and end of a task period last days, not hours.
There's another difference too. Commercial sat-diving operations are ruled by considerations of economics and safety as opposed to the somewhat mysterious imperatives which have placed the one-of-a-kind government funded Aquarius on the sea bed. It's a lot simpler to run and maintain a pressure habitat on the surface where you can get at it easily, so that's how commercial sat divers live during their stint under pressure: inside a small set of linked pressure chambers generally mounted aboard a ship, barge or offshore rig. When it's time to do a job, one of these chambers (the "bell") is detached from the others with divers inside and lowered down to depth by a crane. Once the job is done, the divers get back into the bell again, seal it and are hoisted up to mate on to the main saturation living complex (the "bin", in North Sea parlance).
One thing's for sure: it'll all be rather strange for Tim Peake, who is from one of the mainstream astronaut communities - that of military test pilots. Peake, before being selected by the ESA, was a Major in the British Army Air Corps and an Apache attack-chopper test pilot*. There have been diver astronauts - perhaps the most famous being former US Navy diving officer Heidemarie "Toolbag" Stefanyshyn-Piper, who gained worldwide notice even among her high-profile peers after she dropped a bag of tools into the Earth's atmosphere while spacewalking outside the International Space Station. However serious diving background is rare for an Aquarius "aquanaut": Peake's fellow NEEMO 16 members are also from mainstream 'naut communities. Mission commander Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger is a NASA "educator astronaut" (a teacher by trade), Japanese 'naut Kimiya Yui is another military test pilot and Steve Squyres - not an astronaut at all, though a regular Aquarius habitué - is a Mars boffin.
Though NEEMO 16 is nominally focused on preparation for a deep-space asteroid mission, it remains unclear just when any such mission will set out - and deeply unclear that any of the NEEMO 16 team will be on it when it does. For the foreseeable future, Peake, Metcalf-Lindenburger and Yui can hope only for a stint on the space station - most probably just one and that if they're lucky, as there are many more astronauts wanting a berth on the orbiting outpost than it can find space for in its remaining likely lifetime.
There's loads more on NEEMO from NASA here, and enthusiastic blog posts from Peake here and here. ®
*This is no doubt a source of much chagrin in the RAF, whose head stated a few years ago that any British astronauts should naturally come from the airforce. Peake seems likely to become the second real British 'naut as and when he flies on a space mission, following Helen Sharman who went into orbit as part of the UK/Russian Project Juno way back in 1991. (Trivia: Peake is the second British Army major named Tim to be chosen as a 'naut - Sharman's understudy in '91 was Major Timothy Mace, also of the AAC.)


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My pinger has some problems in Windows 7. Using it with proxies from NH proxies.
How many threads do you recommend?
I think it has so many links in qeue that's it's crashing. Could it be?
It always has so much more difficulty to run than Indexed, Proxies or main NH SEO. It's like the handicaped relative of them all.
I wonder how I could help him operate better and faster.
Thank you, congrats for the whole package


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Call for Media: new data on global sea level changes
PR 29 2012 - A unique 18-year run of satellite readings showing global sea level changes in unprecedented detail will be unveiled next week. Media representatives are invited to Italy's lagoon city of Venice on 24 September to find out more.
The data, obtained by radar altimeters on multiple satellites, show regional increases of sea level by up to 10 mm each year, such as in the Philippine Sea. Decreases of 10 mm per year have been detected in some areas. On average, the global sea level rises about 3 mm every year.
With this new, high-resolution dataset, scientists can get a much clearer picture on regional trends and year-to-year variations.
Media representatives will have the opportunity to discuss the data with scientists at the '20 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry Symposium' at the Venice Convention Centre Palazzo del Casinó on 24 September.
Held in a city where sea level is of particular significance, the symposium is organised by ESA in collaboration with the French space agency, CNES.
The week-long event will focus on the challenges overcome to develop our current understanding of Earth's surface variations observed by radar altimeters – the spaceborne sensor that records the height of the global sea surface, freshwater bodies, land and ice.
Future developments to advance our understanding of oceans, coastal processes, the cryosphere and other themes like freshwater storage will also be discussed.
Programme 24 September
Opening session: 09:00–13:00
The symposium will begin with welcomes from the mayor of Venice, Giorgio Orsoni, the Head of the ESA Earth Observation Science, Applications and Future Technologies Department, Maurice Borgeaud, and the head of Earth observation for CNES, Pascale Ultré-Guérard.
Keynote presentations will highlight the challenges, results and future of altimetry.
The plenary session will also be streamed live on ESA's website.
Press briefing: 13:00–14:00
During the press briefing, speakers will discuss the importance of radar altimetry to our understanding of climate. Particular attention will be paid to sea level rise and its impact on Venice.
Speakers will include:
- Pierpaolo Campostrini, Director of Consortium for Coordination of Research Activities Concerning the Venice Lagoon System (CORILA)
- Pascale Ultré-Guérard, Head of Earth Observation, CNES
- Maurice Borgeaud, Head of the ESA Earth Observation Science, Applications and Future Technologies Department.
The briefing will end with a question and answer session, and journalists will have the opportunity to interview the keynote speakers from the plenary session.
Media may attend the whole conference.
Media registration
Media interested in attending the conference are requested to register at: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMAJLDY37H_index_0.html


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Thayer Students Tackle a 'Real-World Problem' in Haiti
Dartmouth Now
June 4, 2013
For Robbie Cholnoky '13, Kevin Dahms '12, Robbie Moss '12, and Annie Saunders '12, four Thayer BE students who will graduate in less than a week, a good portion of their final year was spent focusing on an unlikely place—rural Haiti.
The student team took on the task of fixing an inefficient water system in rural Haiti as part of the two-term senior course, ENGS 89/90: Engineering Design Methodology and Project Initiation/Completion.
With support from Thayer School of Engineering, The Dartmouth Center for Health Care Delivery Science (TDC), and the Dartmouth Class of 1980, Cholnoky, Dahms, and Saunders spent two weeks of the extended winter break in Fond des Blancs, Haiti, a rural town on Haiti's southern peninsula. There they studied various aspects of the unreliable water distribution system that serves as the main municipal water source for roughly 4,000 people in the community.
The engineering problem was presented in an engineering class at the beginning of fall term as a potential project, which Cholnoky, Dahms, Moss, and Saunders ultimately chose to take on in the hope that it would lead to sustainable improvements in water, sanitation, and the health of the community. Assistant Professor of Engineering Solomon Diamond served as the team's faculty adviser for the project. Studio Art Senior Lecturer Jack Wilson and Associate Professor of Engineering Vicki May, both who have spent time working in Haiti in the last three years, also provided guidance during the project and accompanied three of the students to Fond des Blancs in December...
...Since the students' time in Haiti, they have completed the second term of the senior capstone course. The team's final project involved developing recommendations for a cost-effective solar-powered water pump, preparing a comprehensive instruction manual, and putting together a preliminary grant proposal for St. Boniface to submit to funding agencies for the improved water pump system...
..."It was inspiring to experience the enthusiasm and insight that they brought to the project and I was particularly impressed with the comprehensive view and the discipline with which they approached their work," Wilson says. "The outcome is a great tribute to the broad-based engineering education that they have received at Dartmouth."


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|Version 25 (modified by 9 years ago) (diff),
Pony Mode
pony-mode provides various Django integration features for working on django projects - management commands, runserver, shell and dbshell within emacs, template syntax highlighting, and more. Github page: https://github.com/davidmiller/pony-mode
Editing Django templates with Emacs
This page lists some helpers to edit django templates with the Emacs editor.
Status: works well.
MUltiple MAjor MOde is an extension for Emacs that allows one buffer to use multiple modes for different stretches of text. It's bundled with nXhtml, and now includes a django-html-mumamo-mode for Django templates. This uses django-mode from django-mode.el above for the django parts and html-mode for the html parts. (In addition it uses css-mode for css parts etc.)
django-html-mumamo-mode provides:
- Syntax highlighting aka font locking
- Indentation of template tags
- ... and all the benefits of nXhtml
To get nXHTML (includes django-html-mumamo-mode), download the nxHTML package release directly from the web site at: http://ourcomments.org/Emacs/DL/elisp/nxhtml/zip/nxhtml-2.08-100425.zip
Downloading it from the Launchpad branch site will give you the latest snapshot, but there may be issues with the latest build so it is not recommend.
And append:
(autoload 'django-html-mumamo-mode "~/.emacs.d/nxhtml/autostart.el") (setq auto-mode-alist (append '(("\\.html?$" . django-html-mumamo-mode)) auto-mode-alist)) (setq mumamo-background-colors nil) (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.html$" . django-html-mumamo-mode))
to your .emacs. See the issue reported at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1146701/turning-off-chunk-coloring-in-emacs-nxhtml-mode to understand why the setq statement is needed. The add-to-list line is used to force any HTML file loaded into django-html-mumamo-mode.
To use django-html-mumamo-mode run:
M-x django-html-mumamo-mode
Sample screenshot:
New django-mode, django-html-mode
Status: works well.
The latest and greatest mode for all things Django is here. You can add this as a git submodule if you manage your Emacs configuration with Git, or just download if you don't. This mode includes snippets for YASnippet, Emacs functions for executing manage.py commands and jumping. Included django-html-mode is based on nxml-mode. Both modes have functions for quickly marking strings for translation.
The setup looks like this:
(add-to-list 'load-path "path-to/django-mode/") (require 'django-html-mode) (require 'django-mode) (yas/load-directory "path-to/django-mode/snippets") (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.djhtml$" . django-html-mode))
Old modes
Status: old, download link does not work.
I've started hacking on an editing mode for Django templates in Emacs. (Please note that this is the first time I ever do Emacs Lisp, and that what I currently have is nothing more than a start. If you can come up with fixes or improvements, these are much appreciated).
The most obvious benefit that it provides at the moment is syntax highlighting of variables and blocks.
It knows about the Django default tag names and uses a different coloring for comments. At the moment it is configured to automatically kick-in for files with extension
.djhtml (I made it up that way, in order not to clash with other defaults one may have with .html files). Of course you can invoke it with
M-x django-mode in any buffer.
You can get it here: http://unicoders.org/code/hacks/trunk/django-mode.el (link dead)
Put it somewhere where Emacs can find it then add this line to your
.emacs file:
(load "django-mode.el")
This is a sample screenshot of the results with the "Charcoal Black" color theme:
Status: unmaintained.
There is another emacs django template mode. It is derived mode from html (sgml).
There is an updated and improved version of this mode on: https://code.edge.launchpad.net/~eopadoan/+junk/django-html-mode
- Updated the supported tags to current (django 1.0b3).
- Added auto-close command (
C-c ]).
To get, run on a shell:
bzr branch lp:~eopadoan/+junk/django-html-mode
Note: The django-html-mode code does not appear to support template tag indentation.
Attachments (4)
emacs-django-template.png (50.4 KB) - added by 14 years ago.
Screenshot of Django template in GNU Emacs
nxhtml-django-html-mumamo.png (52.7 KB) - added by 10 years ago.
Screenshot of Django template in GNU Emacs with nXhtml.
- 00.png (59.8 KB) - added by 8 years ago.
python-django-menu.png (111.1 KB) - added by 7 years ago.
Project buffer with menu
Download all attachments as: .zip


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Thanks Joe, I appreciate the assist!MVP is on board as a card sponsor. Just received 36 Proton Volts. Vibram is also on board as a card sponsor. I should receive their contribution soon.Thanks to MVP and Vibram, the winner of each 2nd round card, and 3rd round card will receive a free disc as a prize for winning their card!
I'm very happy to add The Hollywood Casino and Hotel to our list of sponsors. Hotel: The Hollywood Hotel has generously offered a discount for your stay during the tournament of $89 per night. Just mention the booking code "FLIGHT" at the time of booking to get the discounted rate. This will also help us track guests brought into The Hollywood Hotel by the tournament and it's advertising. Call 1-888-436-7737 to book your room(s). They are conveniently located minutes away from the Channahon Course.Epic Buffet: They have also offered a $6 discount that can be used at The Epic Buffet. Dig into a never-ending parade of flavors - Prime rib, seafood, pasta, salads, a sweet collection of delectable desserts, and plenty more. The Epic Buffet is a great place to eat and relax after your rounds. Details on the discount, and how to get it will be included in your players pack.Hole Sponsor: The Hollywood Casino has also generously offered to provide two certificates good for one free dinner, and a one night stay at The Hollywood Hotel! These will be given away to two lucky players over the course of tournament weekend.https://www.hollywoodcasinojoliet.com/Remember to support our sponsors, as they support disc golf!


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The Change Number feature allows you to change the phone number associated with your WhatsApp account on your same phone. This feature is intended to be used before you verify your new number.
Using the Change Number feature in WhatsApp will:
If you use our Change Number feature, your chat history will continue to be available on your phone with the new phone number as long as you continue using the same phone.
To change your phone number within WhatsApp, follow these steps:


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Group Gives 17-Year-Old $50,000 for His Gun Innovations
Sep. 11, 2014 5:45pm Elizabeth Kreft
There's a group from Silicon Valley that just gave a 17-year-old $50,000 to keep playing with guns.
The Smart Tech Challenges Foundation, based in California's tech capital, announced it is funding a young innovator from Colorado who is integrating a biometric sensor into a firearm that requires an authorized user's fingerprint to discharge — and they claim the sensor is 99.99% accurate with fingerprint recognition — even with partial prints.
(Image source: Smart Tech)
Kai Kloepfer, a high school student from Boulder, Colorado, is the first benefactor of the $1 million Smart Tech for Firearms Challenge, which will award grants to a total of 15 innovators "who are working to improve firearm safety by developing personalization features in firearms, locking devices, and ammunition systems," the foundation said in a release.
"It's going to be my generation – the ones who have grown up with digital technology and electronic integration – that will lead the way in the development and adoption of smart gun technology," Kloepfer said. "This type of technology has previously only existed in science fiction movies. But young people are open to exploring our options as consumers and as innovators. I have real hope that we can apply biometric technology to firearms in order to reduce accidental deaths and injuries, and to prevent tragedies."
Ron Conway, an established Silicon Valley tech investor and the founding donor to the Smart Tech Challenges Foundation, said it's time for a major upgrade in gun technology.
"We need the iPhone of guns," Conway said in an interview with the Washington Post.
And with the hefty attention Apple gained Tuesday with their next round of iPhone and Apple Watch smart technology, gun investors who want to push the industry into the biotech realm may get real support. "The entrepreneur who does this right could be the Mark Zuckerberg of guns," Conway added.
Smart Tech released the following info:
"Kai is receiving the $50,000 grant to apply toward the integration of a fingerprint scanner, which can be programmed for a virtually unlimited number of users, from a plastic model of a Beretta Px4 Storm onto a live firearm. The sensor that Kai is working with boasts a 99.99% accurate fingerprint recognition rate—even with partial prints. He has already used a part of his Foundation grant to purchase a professional-grade 3D printer to create new parts for his prototype.
Smart Tech says the young engineer began working on his technology partly as a response to the movie theater shooting at the Aurora, Colorado, just about an hour's drive from his home. Kloepfer will be speaking at TEDx Mile High: CONVERGENCE in Denver, Colorado on September 13 to discuss his innovative technological approach to firearms safety.
Follow Elizabeth Kreft (@elizabethakreft) on Twitter.


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Free delivery on all orders over £35 (Valid UK only)
Funny Green Hungry Monster
This playful bedroom print is the perfect addition to your child's wall art. Illustrated with a funny light green hungry monster containing the wording 'Om Nom Nom', this print is the ideal bedroom decor for every little boy.
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Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
In this diptych, TOP: Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney appears on a television monitor while conducting a Google+ "hangout" town hall at the Google Chicago headquarters March 20, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. BOTTOM: During Romney's "hangout," the traveling pool of journalists who follow Romney were sequestered in a meeting room called "Adventures in Babysitting," where handwriting on the wall told people to turn off an Xbox game when finished.
When Getty Images' Chip Somodevilla embarked on a four day assignment photographing the Mitt Romney campaign in northern and central Illinois, he found it a perfect opportunity to explore his new found photographic hobby: Instagram.
He had just started using the iPhone 4G in January and became intrigued with the camera's instant gratification, its many shortcomings, and the social media network enjoyed by millions of other iPhone photographers (reportedly coming soon to Android).
"Instagram is just pure joy," said Somodevilla. "Shooting photos for Getty is fun, that's my job and I love it, but Instagram is a different kind of fun."
"You have to be so much more careful when taking pictures with your iPhone," said Somodevilla. "You have to really concentrate on taking the actual picture, and take time to learn the camera's limitations."
And the limitations are many, especially compared to the pair of Canon 5D Mark IIs he carries on assignment. According to Somodevilla, working around the limitations is where the fun begins. His editor, Pancho Bernasconi, Senior Director of Photography News & Sports at Getty Images, couldn't agree more.
"A change of format makes a photographer see things differently; it allows them to stay alert." Bernasconi said. "If it makes them stop and think about the frame, breathe different air, then that's good."
As a staff photographer for Getty Images in Washington D.C. speed and accuracy is of the essence. "My number one responsibility is to deliver the best image first, especially when it matters, and that's a job I take very seriously," said Somodevilla. That's why you'll never see him reaching for his iPhone when the picture really matters.
"If I don't post to my Instagram, no big whoop, I won't lose any sleep over that," said Somodevilla. "Miss getting the picture I was assigned to shoot, you better believe that I will definitely lose sleep over that."
BUT, along comes an assignment like following a candidate on the campaign trail…
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
In this diptych, TOP: The empty stage after Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's Illinois GOP primary victory party at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel March 20, 2012 in Schaumburg, Illinois. BOTTOM: European Pressphoto Photographer Tannen Maury (L) and AP photographer Steven Senne file photographs from their laptops on the Romney press bus.
"When you cover a campaign, you go inside the bubble," said Somodevilla. "You're thrown in the press bus for hours with TV and newspaper reporters, photographers and bloggers, and you go where the candidate goes." Days can be long, and there is a lot of waiting. For instance, on one of the four days with Romney, Somodevilla spent ten hours on the bus for two press events.
With this extra time, Somodevilla thought he would develop his own Instagram style. He saw inspiration in the work of New York Times great, Stephen Crowley, and decided to explore the thousand-year-old art form of diptychs. A diptych is a set of images that work as a pair, where their association gives them more meaning than being displayed alone.
For Somodevilla, they're like little visual columns.
"He is a sophisticated story teller, and these add another layer," said Bernasconi. "Chip, in a way is acting like his own art director, telling little stories with a point of view."
Somodevilla admits there are no rules when he creates his diptychs, but they all have certain themes. Each diptych shares the same geography or moment in time, and they're usually shot at the same event. Often, a diptych doesn't mean anything. They're just a pairing of images that look good together.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
In this diptych, TOP: Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney delivers an economic speech at the International House at the University of Chicago March 19, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. BOTTOM: Members of the Romney traveling news media pool cover an economic speech from the press riser in the back of the auditorium at the university.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
In this diptych, TOP: Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (C) is surrounded by a wall of Secret Service agents during a pancake brunch at American Legion Post 246 March 18, 2012 in Moline, Illinois. BOTTOM: Romney supporters eat free pancakes while waiting for the arrival of the candidate.
"Pancake breakfast with Romney" was one of Somodevilla's first campaign diptych creations. The inspiration was simple. He was waiting for Romney and so were the members of American Legion Post 246.
"When you're covering the campaign trail, you're dropped out of the sky in a foreign land and people stare at you like an alien," said Somodevilla. "You walk around, start talking to people and scour the room looking for real moments."
It's what he calls shooting around the frame. If there is an important image to be made, he'll always reach for his DSLR first, and when he is sure he's got the frame, then he might take a photo for Instagram.
"We (photojournalists) are a hard group to contain. We're always looking for something real," he said.
On another assignment, he made one of his more intriguing pair of images. "Romney at Google Chicago HQ," according to Somodevilla has been interpreted by his Instagram followers several different ways.
The pair of photographs was taken at Google headquarters in Chicago, while the press was kept in the affectionately named, "Adventures in Baby Sitting" room. The only access to Romney was watching him on a screen participating in a Google "hangout." The sign in the lower half of the diptych refers to the XBox that was in the room to occupy the journalists. Somodevilla states that the pairing has nothing to do with Romney, but everything to do with campaigning as a whole.
"The whole thing was so intangible," Somodevilla said. "And I thought this isn't real. If you want you can turn it on or you can turn it off."
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
In this diptych, TOP: A television remote control and HBO program guide sit on the shelf of a hotel room March 17, 2012 in Moline, Illinois. BOTTOM: A large, table-top diorama of Moline International Airport includes a tiny scale model of Air Force One, the plane that ferries the president of the United States across the country and around the world.
He doesn't always know the outcome of his diptychs. Often Somodevilla will shoot one image and find its mate later in the assignment, and that's why he never uses the Instagram app to shoot his photos.
To create a diptych, Somodevilla always starts with the iPhone camera. First of all, it's easier to access when the phone is in standby, and secondly it allows him to edit his images with a little more thoughtfulness.
Second he takes the selected photos into his post production app of choice, snapseed, and adds selective focus and filters.
After the images are selected and the adjustments to the images have been made, he uses framemagic to create the diptych. Only then does he distribute the images on Instagram.
Somodevilla created his Romney campaign diptychs for fun, and had no plans to distribute the images through the Getty wire. The use of filters and effects goes against his definition of traditional news photography, even though Getty has made the images available to clients on their website.
If Somodevilla has any advice for novice mobile phone photographers it would be to take lots of pictures and push every button, "Pushing all the buttons is how we learn."
Be sure to follow Somodevilla at somophoto on Instagram.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
In this diptych, In this diptych, TOP: A television news producer keeps track of exit poll numbers on a whiteboard during Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's Illinois GOP primary victory party at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel March 20, 2012 in Schaumburg, Illinois. BOTTOM: A Rhythm and Blues band performs for the Romney supporters during the primary night party.


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Added to Your Shopping Bag
The Dallas Mavericks Women's Core Classic 9TWENTY Adjustable Cap features a tonal team color fabrication throughout the cap. A tonal Mavericks logo is embroidered at the front panels with the logo also making an appearance on a woven tab at the rear alongside an adjustable D-Ring closure.
Made of 100% Cotton Woven
- Style#: 80583801
- Color: BLUE


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Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford passes away at 88 – USA TODAY
Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford, the grandson of auto pioneer Henry Ford, died this morning, according to Ford Motor Co.
Ford, 88, had been increasingly reclusive around the team in recent years as his health became fragile. He made one appearance at training camp last summer, was in a wheelchair when he attended home games at Ford Field, and had at least three previous heart operations.
The team president and a Ford Motor Co. executive in the early 1960s, Ford bought the Lions for $4.5 million in the fall of 1963 and has run the organization for the past 50 years.
APPRECIATION: William Clay Ford Sr. was top auto executive
The Lions won just one playoff game in Ford's tenure, a 38-6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in January of 1992, and the owner had a dubious relationship with his fan base.
Known by players and executives within the organization and across the league for his uncommon wealth and generosity, Ford was frustratingly loyal to the men he put in charge of running his team.
Russ Thomas spent 22 years as general manager and made one playoff appearance. Wayne Fontes is both the winningest and losingest coach in team history. And Matt Millen amassed a league-worst 31-84 record as GM from 2001-08.
Millen, in an interview last fall, said Ford's loyalty was a product of his upbringing and the lessons he learned living a fruitful but private life.
The two men grew close during weekly conversations both at the Lions' Allen Park headquarters and at Ford's Grosse Point home. They talked, Millen said, about history, football and faith, often with Ford eating baloney sandwiches on white bread.
"I loved Mr. Ford," Millen said. "I think the world of him. Like I said, I wish the people of Detroit could know him the way I know him. I came away a better person for knowing him and I probably didn't return the favor, but I thought the world of him."
Bobby Ross, the Lions head coach from 1997-2000, said he had offers from two other teams to be head coach when he opted to come to Detroit because of Ford.
TIMELINE: The life and Lions ownership of William Clay Ford
"He was a wonderful man," Ross said. "I mean, from the first day that I meant him on my interview to the very last, he's a special human being. And not only that, but a really good owner. Took an interest in the players, a strong interest. I mean every ball game at home he'd be down in that dressing room walking around, talking to the players, a good hour, hour and a half before the game. Maybe two hours before. And then I would meet with him after every home game for probably a couple hours. And we'd go over everything and I'd give him the run down. He was involved, but yet he let you do your job, too.
"That's what I liked about it, he was very involved and I liked that, I thought that was good. But he was just a good, good kind man, too. I don't know that I could have had a better person to work for than that man right now."
Ford is survived by his wife Martha, and his four children, Martha, Sheila, Elizabeth and Bill Jr., the team's vice chairman who's taken an active role in the Lions front office in recent years.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Birkett writes for the Detroit Free Press.


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Dr Oz demonstrates how fingernails relate to your health: spoon nails – pigmented bands – nail beading!
February 5, 2011
The state of your nails can say a lot about your health. Dr. Oz revealed in 2008 how to assess the health of your fingernails, and he described 3 conditions your nails are trying to tip you off to: 'spoon nails', 'pigmented bends' and 'nail beading'.
If you have not heard of these problems before, then this could be very interesting! Doctor Oz said that most people do not examine their nails, but the color, shape and texture of your nails could be major warning signs of medical issues. First of all, you should feel the texture of your nail and look for a rounded shape. Dr Oz said other healthy nail characteristics include a nail being rectangular in shape and having a Lunula, a white crescent shape towards the base of the nail (especially in the thumb nail).
NOTICE: Be aware that the nail conditions may not be always a reliable indicator for the medical problems mentioned – a thorough health assessment is always required to make a diagnosis.
Spoon nails: iron deficiency?
Dr Oz said that spoon nails (koilonychia) are where you can imagine scooping out the center portion of your nail with a spoon. When water touches your nail, it sits on top and accumulates rather than rolling off. Dr Oz said that Iron Deficiency can cause Spoon Nails. When you have Spoon Nails, your blood supply cannot get to the center of your nail to make it grow strong.
Pigmented bands: melanoma?
Dr Oz said that healthy nails should be pink, but if you have dark vertical stripes on your nails (pigmented bands), especially if you are African American, this could be a sign of melanoma. There are also non-cancerous bands, but you must have a doctor examine it to find out.
Nail beading: thyroid problems?
Dr Oz said that you can get nail beading, which looks somewhat like the texture that builds on the side of candle as it burns and drips the wax down the side. After Dr Oz showed a picture of Nail Beading though, it looked more to me like have ridges in your nails, which I have… so I am a tad bit concerned now. If you have Nail Beading, Dr Oz said it could be caused by Thyroid Problems, blood flow changes to your nails, hormonal problems or even Diabetes.
Doctor Oz said that if you have any of these nail conditions, go see a dermatologist or a general doctor. View the Dr Oz episode about fingernails HERE.
Koilonychia – a.k.a. the 'spoon nail' – relates to many causes!
August 30, 2009
What is koilonychia?
Koilonychia (a.k.a. 'spoon nails') occurs when the free edge of the nail is turned inside out (everted), resulting in a concave fingernail.
What causes koilonychia?
Two common causes of koilonychia are:
• thyroid abnormalities;
But koilonychia can also be caused by direct trauma, excessive use of oils and soaps, or other more rare medical problems such as:
• impaired peripheral circulation;
One must also be aware that in the hands of children a 'spoon nail' may occur as a normal condition of the nail (not caused by a disease).
PHOTO – An example of 'spoon nails' (koilonychia):
• Common disorders in the fingernail & toe nail!
• News about fingernails!
• Koilonychia is a common nail disorder in the hands of children


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Why do we need a UN High Commissioner for Future Generations?
Find the Spanish version here and the French version here.
What is Future Justice?
Our vision of Future Justice is to change the unsustainable trends and promote policy solutions that create fair conditions and a better quality of life for current and future generations.
Resources & Downloads
Take a look at our extensive library of future justice literature and archives, as well as our own publications, studies and presentations.
Where in the World?
Take a look at the range of mechanisms from around the world, all designed to help recognise future generations.


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Matthew Jonas / Longmont Times-Call
Matthew Jonas / Longmont Times-Call
Matthew Jonas / Longmont Times-Call
More than a dozen of Longmont resident Chris Robbie's friends and family members gathered near a pavilion at McIntosh Lake on Monday to cheer him on as he crossed a lime-green finish line made of streamers and balloons.
Robbie, wearing worn tennis shoes and a green shirt that has "15 marathons, 15 days, 15 teachers" on the back, crossed the finish line around 11:15 a.m. to the cheering fan club.
Robbie, 24, completed 15 marathons in 15 days to raise awareness and money for a school in Uganda supported by his nonprofit organization, Enduring Communities.
Enduring Communities
To donate to Chris Robbie's efforts to help fund a school in rural Uganda, visit 15foruganda.com
After visiting the rural Ugandan village of Kito in 2012, Robbie and a group of friends started Longmont-based Enduring Communities to support the Kito Community School. Since the nonprofit launched in February 2013, the school has expanded from a one-room schoolhouse with 10 students to a 10-room facility with 330 students, thanks to help from Enduring Communities.
During the past 15 days, Robbie's challenge has raised nearly $11,000 for the school, about $250 short of his goal.
Robbie sought $11,250 during his challenge, which would cover the salaries of the 15 faculty and staff members at the Kito school for a year, he said.
Despite the shortfall, Robbie was confident Monday that the remaining amount would come through before Monday when he heads back to Kito to visit the school.
Since June 16, Robbie has run more than 390 miles along Colorado's Front Range including Lyons, Frederick, Erie, Lafayette, Boulder, Niwot, Mead and Longmont.
During each marathon, Robbie said, he walked about one of the 26 miles to have a snack and drink some water before picking up the speed. He averaged about five hours and 40 minutes per marathon, getting faster as he went.
Robbie's time Monday was about five hours and 30 minutes.
The toughest day was Day 8 in Erie, Robbie said.
The early mornings and physical strain were getting to him. It was hard to walk that morning, so Robbie started slow, he said. But within a few minutes he was feeling better, warming up his muscles, jogging and then eventually running to the finish.
Robbie blogged every day about his runs on 15foruganda.com/run-blog, and tracked his mileage and time using the Map My Run app on his phone.
Roberta Lozinski, Robbie's mom, said she had no doubt that her son could handle the mental struggle from the exhausting feat, but she worried about his physical health almost constantly during the 15-day challenge.
"My legs feel pretty good actually," Robbie said after he crossed the finish line Monday. "Mentally, it has been really challenging. But physically, everything feels good."
After finishing his marathons, Robbie was looking forward to a beer and a spicy burrito, two things he stayed away from during the more than two-week feat.
"No more bananas or PB&Js," Robbie said.
The marathons pushed his physical and mental limits, Robbie said, but thinking about the excitement he will see in Uganda next week when he presents the money to the students and faculty made it all worth it.
"It's amazing what you can do when to push yourself mentally," Robbie said. "I pictured the kids and the teachers and just the village and how much this would help them, and that kept me going."
Contact Times-Call community reporter Whitney Bryen at 303-684-5274 or email@example.com.


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RNDM - Words and Music - 2012
12.10.12 2:30pm
What do you get when you take Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, his Three Fish bandmate Richard Stuverud on drums, and toss in the prolific Joseph Arthur? It's an accidental match, but a great band, called RNDM. The guys' debut album, Acts, was created in only four days, and its release recently brought the trio to New York City where I caught up with them at Electric Lady Studios.
[recorded: 11/06/12]


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Advising & You
Helping you succeed @ DU
Davenport offers students the support of an academic advisor to aid in their academic pursuits and development as professionals. Davenport strongly believes in a developmental advising model which guides students through their academic plans to support their career objectives.
Academic advising is available at every campus to assist students in:
- selecting courses
- discussing curriculum change implications
- answering questions related to academic programs and policies
- reviewing progress towards graduation.
Students are responsible for being aware of and meeting all curriculum requirements, including any changes that may occur therein.


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*Note: Sorry, dear readers, I don't have any pics up just yet. My hubby took off for the mountains with the hard drive in his bag, so you will have to use your imagination in the meantime ;)
One of my very first posts on this blog was about a dear friend and one of my all time favorite people the world, my old driller Jimmy. He seemed to be a cake-reader favorite, so today I thought I would tell you the story of how it all began, five years ago this month.
Our first meeting would prove to set the tone of our relationship, and took place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on one of those scorching hot southern summer days, the likes of which surely prompted the invention of iced tea. My boss had set up the details for that particular job, and I was merely to show up and oversee. This was my first time in the field without supervision, and I was nervous and anxious about the job. My boss had given me but few instructions: We were to hand auger in the right-of-way as deep as we could go, then install two wells. Oh, and don't hit a gas main and blow the place up.
Gee, was that all?
Now, here I am, still a newbie in the field, a nervous twenty-something year old girl clutching a clipboard and a pen, wearing OSHA approved safety glasses and a bright orange vest. My crisp new polo shirt was tucked into my squeaky clean cargo pants, and my fresh-out-of-the-box steel-toed boots hadn't a scuff on them.
It wasn't long before a dark blue Chevy work truck pulls up, and out comes Jimmy. He was in his mid fifties, about my height, and fairly fit. He was decked out in a pair of old jeans and tee shirt, with a thoroughly stained Alabama Crimson Tide hat perched on his head (which I later discovered would be an absolute staple).
"Good Morning," I said with a polite smile pasted on my lips. "Are you Jimmy?"
"You bet I am," he replied with a nod of his head. "Where 're we drillin?" He looked around at my neat cones and the wax pen "x" I had carefully draw on the pavement. "Bout there?"
He had a way of talking that was fast but with a pronounced southern accent, like he was in a hurry but couldn't help but linger over his favorite syllables, so he made up time by dropping either the beginning or end of a word.
"Yes sir, that's one and the other is around the building."
Before another word was spoken, a huge, noisy, diesel fuel belching dinosaur of a drill rig roared into the parking lot.
"Bunch o' idiots, what took em' so long," he muttered, shaking his head. He started gesturing to the men in the rig in a manner that seemed to say where the hell have you been, get your lazy butts over here boy without saying a word.
"Uh," I stammered, "What's that for?" I look down at my notes, and there in my own handwriting are the words "hand auger" underlined and followed by three exclamation points. I look up again at the enormous rig and the three men spilling out of it.
"Your boss says you need a hole, so we gonna drill you a hole." He smiled winningly at me while I stared back dumbly. He started directing his workers this way and that to get things in place.
I looked on helplessly as the men scurried about, ancient hardhats pressed on their heads and cigarettes dangling from their lips. My stomach lurched as I mentally tallied the costs of four men and a drill rig as opposed to one man and a hand auger.
My boss was going to kill me.
No, this wasn't my fault. I was where I was supposed to be, decked out in all of the appropriate safety gear. I had business cards with my name scrawled on them and even an official clipboard, for heaven's sake. Everyone knows you have to listen to he guy (or girl) with the clipboard. I straightened my shoulders and said, "Um, these holes need to be hand augured."
"What?! Boss-man didn't say nothin' 'bout that. Listen, you need some holes drilled, and we can punch 'em in right quick with this here rig. Now stand back." He turned on the rig and started maneuvering it over the marking. One of the workers, who I would later learn is his youngest son, shook his head in the background with a role of his eyes.
Jimmy pushed and pulled the little levers, authoritatively hollering at his men to get the first rod ready. I looked down at the sidewalk, and the spider web of spray painted markings indicating the various priceless utilities beneath our feet. The mental cash register cha- chinged over and over in my head, adding several zeros to the end of the amount for when the drill rig nicked the water main, or the aforementioned gas line.
I stared in disbelief at the man, who had just completely disregarded what I was trying to say. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead and I swear I could hear the local news playing from the future. Tonight at eleven, reckless and negligent Environmental Specialist blatantly ignores boss's instruction, knocking out cable to over 7 million customers. Said customers vow revenge by strapping the culprit to a pole and doling out lashes with a wet noodle.
"No!" I exclaimed, swearing off pasta for the near future. "These holes have to be hand augured." He raised one eyebrow at me, but I forged on. "We are in the right-of-way with all kinds of utilities, and the deal was, the holes have to be drilled by hand. We are paying you to do the job, so either do it my way or get out of my way so that I can do it myself."
Jimmy stared at me for a moment, and I inwardly cringed at my outburst. Slowly, though, he cracked a smile and turned off the drill. "Alright, girl, lets do it your way." He winked at me and turned back to order his men to get the dag-gummed thing the hell out of the way. Didn't they know we was hand augering?
From the very first, I learned that Jimmy could be one hell of a bully if you let him. He's been in the business for more than four decades and liked to do things his way, which for the most part means that his way usually is the best way. Through the years Jimmy became an invaluable professional resource to me, as well as an unlikely friend who I would (indeed who I have) trust with my life. When he reverted to his bull-headed self on occasion, I smiled at the memory of that first encounter, and how I whipped my very first good ol' boy into shape. And whenever my sass wasn't enough, he could always be bought with cookies :)
Speaking of which, today I'm offering up one of the single best cookie recipes in the history of mankind. Seriously, try them and I defy you not to agree with me!
Now, I want to hear about someone you actually stood up to, and was better for it. A character like Jimmy? A bully-turned-friend from school? Perhaps even your parents? And let me know if you want more Jimmy—I've got a pile of anecdotes just waiting to be told ;)
ANNNDDDDD..... Since it has been too hot for shipping cupcakes, I am offering a package of these cookies PLUS (or one or the other if you don't want both) your choice of one of the below pictured brand new books to one lucky commenter! Just chime in to be automatically entered. Winner will be announced on next Tuesday's blog. Good Luck!
Double Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Modified from a recipe given to me by my friend Wendy :)
1/2 cup butter - softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 and 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 bag Heath Toffee Bits
1 cup Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
1 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together butter and both sugars until fluffy (a few minutes) Add vanilla and eggs, mix until just blended.
Mix together flour, baking soda and salt, and slowly mix into batter. Add the toffee and both chocolates, mixing well.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, bake 9-12 minutes, or until done.


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Is This Plant Protein Actually Harming Your Gut & Sabotaging Your Weight Loss? A Doctor Explains
Do you ever wonder why certain foods—"healthy" ones included—zap your energy and give you embarrassing digestive troubles? Well, you're not alone. As a matter of fact, many of the health foods you've learned to love have a sneaky built-in defense mechanism…and it could be wreaking havoc on your insides.
Through many years of research, I've found that very small things can cause big health problems. That's exactly the premise of my new book, The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers of "Healthy" Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain, which shares how one plant protein could play a role in your health woes.
Meet lectins, the plant protein that could be harming your gut.
After nearly 20 years of researching the optimum nutritional treatments for myself and my patients, I've discovered lectins. These tiny proteins live inside certain plants and act as a defense mechanism by making their predator ill when eaten. I think they play a huge role in America's health crisis.
A lectin is a type of protein (susceptible to various diseases, bacteria, and viruses) that forces carbs (sugars, starches, and fibers) to clump together and even attach to certain cells in your body when you eat them. Often, lectins can get in the way of important cells communicating with one another. And when that happens, the body's response is usually inflammation or some other type of reaction to toxicity, like nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting. A break in cellular communication can also result in symptoms like fatigue or forgetfulness.
Trust me, 12 years ago, if I was reading my own book claiming that one tiny plant protein—in collaboration with other disrupters—was the cause of so much illness, such as diabetes, aching joints, Parkinson's disease, depression, IBS, infertility, cancer, baldness, brain fog, weight gain, and more…I would have thrown it in the trash. However, after successfully treating tens of thousands of patients by cutting out lectins and adding polyphenol- and prebiotic-rich foods to their diet—I'm convinced. That is more than enough proof even for a perpetually skeptical mind like mine.
What common foods contain lectins?
So, where are these lectins lurking? Believe it or not, they are in many "healthy" foods, of all places! Whole wheat flour, cashews, legumes, eggplant, corn, brown rice, tomatoes, and sunflower seeds are just a few examples.
In the book, I go into great detail about which foods are "lectins bombs" and other pressing questions that include: If we've eaten wheat for thousands of years, why is it making us sick now? What has changed? How do lectins cause harm in the human body? How do you know if you are lectin intolerant? If you're still presenting symptoms after trying many other diets and plans, lectins could be to blame.
Here's how to reduce your lectin intake.
For our purposes today, I'd like to give you a few helpful tips in reducing your lectin intake (even if you are eating gluten-free—yes, gluten is a type of lectin!) with these common "healthy" foods that contain lectins:
1. Tomatoes:
Any of the nightshade vegetables are full of lectins. To reduce the amount in tomatoes, peel the skin and remove the seeds before eating.
2. Whole grain breads:
If you must have bread, it's better to eat white bread than whole grain, seed, or wheat germ breads. I explain why in my book.
3. Beans:
Make sure to pressure-cook them to eliminate much of the lectin content. Avoid canned or processed beans, such as a store-bought bean dip.
4. Cashews:
Cashews are not nuts at all but seeds. We are not meant to eat seeds of any kind. Instead, eat ¼ cup of pecans, walnuts, or macadamia nuts a day.
And of course, here are some plants that you should be eating regularly for their health-boosting qualities: olives and olive oil, leafy greens (kale, Swiss chard, spinach), cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli), and avocados.
Want to know if following the Plant Paradox diet will help you? The book comes out today, April 25, and is available nationwide. But for mindbodygreen readers, here's an exclusive look at the introductory chapter.


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Constraints affect the range of possible configurations by eliminating some of the potential changes that could be made to a configuration. This procedure shows how to set the cpu.pinned property.
In the following examples, cpuid is an integer.
Become superuser, or assume a role that includes the Process Management profile.
The System Administrator role includes the Process Management profile. For more information about roles, see Using the Solaris Management Tools With RBAC (Task Map) in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.
Modify the cpu.pinned property in the static or dynamic configuration:


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Bye 2009
2009 I think 2009 was the year of knitting for others for me. I finished a couple of old projects for myself, but almost nothing I started fresh in 2009. January:I finally finished Celtic Dreams February:I went to Madrona with E (Poking My Eyes Out) and finished the sample mitten from class. March:I love stripey […]Read More..>>


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This is for a research project I'm doing.
We hear a lot about the public, institutional harm caused by various types of religion - the Catholic Church withholding birth control; the abusive exorcism of children accused of witchcraft; discrimination against women; discrimination against gay people; child-abuse by priests; there is a long list.
However there is other harm done too, which we don't hear so much about. I'm thinking mainly of the harm carried out at a grass-roots level, in the home or in the community. Some examples I can think of are: unhealthy sexual repression; people assuming that their actions are legitimate because they are religious, while not bothering to check if they are following good principles; someone being rejected by their family because they have turned atheist; psychologically vulnerable people being freaked out by heaven and hell.
I'd like to hear about your experiences. I do intend to publish what I find, but only in the most broad, vague terms, without wanting to identify anybody. As soon as the discussion is played out, I'll let you know, make a copy for myself and then delete the discussion. If you have any objections to my publishing your story (in the most general way) then you must say. In fact, before I publish anything, I'll run it past you first so that you can check it.
I take the position that religion can have the most profound positive effects as well as negative.
Views: 131
I have. Being pretty religious in Highschool, and now being very nonreligious, I have almost no friends left from my teenage years. Not that I care too much (they are all insane ;) ) but it still sucks to have 'close' friends cast you out of their lives because they are afraid of what my lack of faith will do to them, their children, etc.
When I was young, my christian parents made sure that all of my social activities revolved around the church. And they were very careful to select my friends from only christian kids that that they approved of.
I was taught that anyone who wasn't a christian was evil, immoral, ignorant, unsuccessful, and lazy. Especially non-theist women. They were to be avoided at all costs.
When I finally got out on my own, I was amazed to find that non-theists were actually nice, considerate, loving, and caring people. It was (and still is) very difficult to make friendships with people.
Thanks for your replies, I appreciate it. I sound like a scientist in a white coat with a clipboard. There's a much better discussion post on the same subject, here:
How has religion had a negative effect on you? Posted by Lizard M


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Collection No 5
Sensing peers into our subconscious and promises to change the way designers work.
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." – Albert Einstein
The human brain remains one of the least understood structures in the natural world. Yet over the past two decades, researchers have developed a growing kit of remarkable tools that are beginning to shed new light on the inner workings of our most complex organ.
Even our perception of our day-to-day lives plays out in two versions, the interplay of which we don't fully comprehend. The first version unspools in our conscious mind, of which we are constantly aware. The second unfolds in the intuitive, unconscious mind, a realm that remains largely hidden from us. For millennia, most cultures maintained a dominant belief that the conscious mind ought to control and suppress the intuitive one.
However, scientists are beginning to learn we may have had this backward. They are becoming increasingly convinced that how we experience the world—our perception, behavior, memory, and social judgment—may be driven more by the mind's subliminal, pre-cognitive processes than by the conscious ones.
As the neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor puts it in her book My Stroke of Insight, "We live in a world where we are taught from the start that we are thinking creatures that feel. The truth is, we are feeling creatures that think." In other words, even when we believe we're thinking our way towards a logical solution, we are often simply feeling our way towards a decision we've pre-made via intuition.
This revelation fundamentally challenges much of what we thought we knew about human decision-making. Further, it raises important questions about design and how it may be perceived by such highly emotional, irrational beings.
Might there be an opportunity to leverage this revised understanding about the role of the emotional, pre-cognitive mind and apply it directly to the business of design? Might we be able to use neuroscience to help us build reflexive experiences that could better respond to the emotional state of a user?
Until recently, such a suggestion would have sounded preposterous. However, the convergence of low-cost wearable sensors, and powerful analytics capable of sifting through petabyte-scale datasets, is quickly changing the conversation.
Affective Sensing
So how might we gain a view into the subconscious, emotional mind? We must dig into the bedrock of human emotion, the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is the part of our peripheral nervous system—that is, existing beyond the brain and spinal cord—that helps our brain deal with both external environmental demands and internal emotional states, such as psychological stress. The ANS is, thus, the single most direct and reliable physiological indicator of our emotional selves.
For nearly a decade, Rosalind Picard and her team of researchers at MIT's Media Laboratory have been working to understand how machines might measure the ANS to interpret human emotional states. For Picard, doing so begins with a suite of passive sensors that captures data about a user's physical state or behavior.
Developments in wireless and computer vision-based technologies have recently enabled this so-called affect detection to be conducted remotely. This is a critical step as it frees the user from the laboratory setting, allowing them to move normally and behave naturally in their home, office or elsewhere.
Some of the affect data Picard's team gathers is actually very similar to the cues humans use to perceive emotions in others. For example, a video camera might capture facial expressions, body posture and physical gestures, while a microphone might capture speech patterns, tone and inflections. Other sensors go beyond human perception, detecting changes in skin temperature and electrodermal activity.
The next challenge is how to extrapolate emotional information from the massive flows of heterogeneous data that result from these sensor-based studies. This is done using machine learning techniques able to process different modalities, including speech recognition, natural language processing, or facial expression detection. These modalities can either generate labels—such as 'confused' or 'angry'—about a given person's state, or plot coordinates on a valence-arousal space diagram.
Not surprisingly, these systems perform best when they combine a number of different signals, such as facial expressions, postures, gestures, speech, word-choice, or physiological response. The finding echoes human behavior: the more indicators machine learning systems are able to asses, the more confident they become at identifying emotion.
New Design Frontiers
Traditionally, design research has relied on self-description of the rational mind, often via user-feedback surveys, opinion polls, and interviews. Unfortunately, these testing methods draw from a level of awareness that is a cloudy soup of bias, ego, and constructed memory. This is why focus groups often miss the mark. People are either completely unaware of, or unable to articulate, their true, subconscious, emotional impulses.
Sensing technology promises a better way. Using wearable and remote affective sensors to collect emotional data from users in real-time—at the very instant they interact with a product, service, or interface—could deliver better insights more quickly and at a lower cost than conventional methods. Affective sensing also opens up the opportunity for longitudinal studies that might monitor the evolution of behavior over time.
Notably, data collected through these technologies is digitally native, unencumbered by interpretive filters of language, social mores, taboos, and faux pas. This suggests truer responses will emerge from potentially sensitive contexts where individuals might otherwise be unwilling to report their uncensored feelings.
Affective sensing also allows for dynamic analysis of moment-to-moment reactions that does not require introspective responses from participants. It promises to parse the measurement of perception into finer slices too, detecting responses that precede conscious awareness.
As our ability to measure subliminal emotions advances, we may learn to influence these emotions. After all, if the unconscious mind communicates in feelings, rather than words, shouldn't we be speaking back to it? How then might we apply what we learn about human emotions to design more compelling and meaningful experiences?
The idea is less far fetched than some may think: the evolution of affective sensing is underway and gaining speed. Location tracking via our smartphones and via our web browsing habits has already become an accepted—even welcome—way to personalize how we use information and communicate. It's not a great leap to imagine that well-executed affective sensing may very well become normalized as the technology matures.
Imagine if investment banks could limit the amount traders are wagering if sensors detected they were angry. On our roads, cars might automatically limit the speed of frustrated or overly distracted drivers. Affective sensing could have dramatic implications across many industrial sectors, including financial, automotive, retail, healthcare, and education.
What if retail displays or advertisements could reconfigure themselves based on a user's sensed state of happiness, irritation, or curiosity? Or what if an online learning system could adapt to maintain the focus and attention of a pupil with attention deficit disorder?
The promise of affective sensing casts an entirely new light on the design process and presents an exciting opportunity at the frontier of interface and experience design, for both designers and users alike.
Modes Of Affective Sensing
Emotional Speech
Changes in the autonomic nervous system indirectly alter speech, which provides a way to recognize affect from shifts in vocal patterns. For example, speech produced in a state of fear, anger, or joy becomes faster, louder, and more precisely enunciated, with a higher and wider pitch range. Other emotions such as tiredness, boredom, or sadness, lead to slower, lower-pitched, and more slurred speech. Emotional speech processing recognizes the subject's emotional state by analyzing speech patterns. Vocal parameters and prosody features such as pitch variables and speech rate are analyzed through pattern recognition. Interestingly, many speech characteristics are independent of semantics or culture, which makes this technique very robust.
Voice patterns and speech can be measured either on or off of the body with conventional microphones. This creates the opportunity to use microphones in smartphones to measure human affect.
Cardiovascular Response
In simplest terms, the cardiovascular system consists of the heart, arteries, veins, and other vessels through which oxygenated blood is delivered to the periphery and deoxygenated blood returns to the heart. Psychologically, this system is responsive to affective states, motivation, attention, and reflexes. Additionally, these responses have been commonly linked to vulnerabilities in physical and mental illness. A host of related tests serve as reliable cardiovascular indicators of ANS activity. These track heart rate variability, cardiac output, and respiration rates and include impedance cardiography (ICG), electrocardiograms (ECG), and electroencephalograms (EEG).
Electrodermal Activity (EDA)
Electrodermal activity is a measure of skin conductivity, which is a function of how moist the skin is. EDA measures responses in the eccrine sweat glands, which are widely distributed across the body, but are most densely distributed in the hands and soles of the feet. As the sweat glands are controlled by the body's nervous system, there is a correlation between EDA and the arousal state of the body. The more aroused a subject is, the greater the skin conductivity and EDA reading. EDA can be measured using two small silver chloride electrodes placed on the skin. A small voltage is applied between them and the conductance is measured by a wearable sensor. This sensor can be battery powered and portable, relaying conductivity information in real time via wireless links. Currently, there is no remote method to measure EDA.
Facial Gesture Detection
From his cross-cultural research in Papua New Guinea, psychologist Paul Ekman proposed the idea that facial expressions of emotion are not culturally determined, but universal. Defining expressions in terms of muscle actions, Ekman conceived a system to formally categorize the physical expression of emotions. This theory was later codified into the concept of the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). Today, webcams are the sensor of choice for detecting affect from facial gestures, largely because the test subject can be studied in a very repeatable location with their face in plain view. In the near future, it is possible to imagine that human emotion could be detected from other cameras in the environment, including CCTV security cameras, at ATMs, on public trains and busses, etc.
frog is a global design and strategy firm. We transform businesses at scale by creating systems of brand, product and service that deliver a distinctly better experience. We strive to touch hearts and move markets. Our passion is to transform ideas into realities. We partner with clients to anticipate the future, evolve organizations and advance the human experience.