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**"It is the reinstatement of the vague and inarticulate to its proper place in our mental life which I am so anxious to press on the attention." - William James
Vagueness is hard to defend. To be vague is to be imprecise, unclear, ambiguous. In an age that worships precise information, vagueness feels like willfull laziness.
And yet, as William James pointed out, vagueness is not without virtues. Sometimes, precision is dangerous, a closed door keeping us from imagining new possibilities. Vagueness is that door flung wide open, a reminder that we don't yet know the answer, that we might still get better, that we have yet to fail.
James would be delighted by a new study, led by Himanshu Mishra at the University of Utah and Baba Shiv at Stanford, which outlines the cognitive benefits of the vague and inarticulate. The scientists begin by describing all the new consumer devices and gadgets providing us with highly precise feedback:
For instance, technologically advanced bathroom scales can now give measurements of weight, body fat, and hydration levels within two and even three decimal places. People can find out exactly how many calories they are eating, how much weight they can lift, and how many steps they walk in a typical day. The overarching belief exemplified by the use of such technologies could be summed up by the phrase, "If I can measure it, I can manage it." In other words, people seem to believe that precise information increases their likelihood of performing better and meeting personal goals (e.g., improving physical strength or losing weight).
The problem with precision, though, is that it can often be discouraging. Let's say you want to lose 10 pounds. After following a strict diet for a few days, you then decide to weigh yourself. The good news is that you have lost weight. The bad news is that you've only lost 4 pounds. While that represents progress, it probably feels pretty disappointing, since you've already worked hard and you're not even half way to the goal. As a result, you might become a little less motivated, which means that you start to cheat on your diet. Before long, those pounds are back - you've been undermined by the precise feedback. The larger point is that the exactitude of the scale made it impossible to ignore the lack of success, which makes us more likely to surrender. And this is where vagueness comes in: when information is ambiguous we typically settle on more generous interpretations - Perhaps we've lost eight pounds! Perhaps we're just retaining water! - which means that we stay motivated. In this sense, vagueness is a useful delusion, a nifty means of remaining committed to long-term goals. Reality is a deterrence.
To demonstrate the benefits of vagueness, the scientists invented a fake measure of health called the Holistic Health Index, or HHI, which purported to measure "the healthfulness of a given lifestyle." Each week, thirty nine subjects were given information about how they scored on the HHI, based on measurements of their weight and hydration levels.
Some subjects were given a precise readout of their HHI, which they could compare to the ideal HHI. Others were given an HHI range that varied by 3 percent in either direction - it was a deliberately vague form of feedback. What the researchers found was that the less precise feedback led to far more weight loss, especially for those already overweight. For instance, while those with an initial HHI of 75 gained, on average, one pound over the course of the experiment after being given precise feedback, those given vague feedback lost nearly four pounds. That's because the vagueness provided an illusion of proximity to the ideal, thus making the goal seem more achievable. The fuzziness of the facts kept them motivated. The same logic, of course, should apply to any long-term goal (saving for retirement, studying for a difficult test, etc.) that provides us with plenty of feedback along the way. Here are the scientists:
Is the eternal quest for precise information always worthwhile? Our research suggests that, at times, vagueness has its merits. Not knowing precisely how they are progressing lets people generate positive expectancies that allow them to perform better. The fuzzy boundaries afforded by vague information allow people to distort that information in a favorable manner.
The practical takeaway is that the weight scales of the future should focus on giving us vague feedback. Forget those decimal points - we need error bars and imprecise estimates. Nothing keeps us motivated like not knowing better.
Bonus benefit of vagueness: According to an experiment led by Catherine Clement at Eastern Kentucky University, one way to consistently increase our problem-solving ability is to rely on vague verbs when describing the problem. That's because domain-specific verbs - actions which we only perform in particular contexts - inhibit analogical reasoning, making us less likely to discover useful comparisons. However, when the same problem is recast with more generic verbs - when we describe someone as "moving" instead of "sprinting," for instance - people are suddenly more likely to uncover unexpected parallels. In some instances, Clement found that the simple act of rewriting the problem led to impressive improvements in the performance of her subjects.
PS. A big thanks to Paul Kedrosky for the original link.
Image: N.J../Flickr


text: Last Thursday evening, Chestnut Hill College claimed its first home-court volleyball victory of the season, sweeping the visiting Lions of Lincoln University, 25-8, 25-16, 25-20. Here, Griffins junior Mary Markowski (two kills, four blocks), at left, tips the ball over the net towards Lincoln's Erin Rucker (#14). With a total of 16 kills, freshman Abby Gruver led the attack for CHC (3-5). (Photo by Tom Utescher)

subset: commoncrawl


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{A recent BUZZ post referenced Trish McIntire's post on garage sales, and the Today show recently had a segment on garage sales, stating that many municipalities are imposing more regulations on such events. Here is a rerun that discusses my alternative to the agita of having a garage sale.}
In the summer Americans usually clean out their closets, attics, basements, and garages to get rid of "stuff" they no longer need or want.
While some items are true garbage and need to be thrown away, many others still have a useful life – and can be put to good use by someone else.
What do you do? You can have a sidewalk, yard or garage sale and try to make some extra money. Not what I would do. Do you really want the great unwashed masses tramping through your yard or garage, and possibly your house as well? This activity usually wastes a full day, is loaded with potential for agita, and in the end you never get what your stuff is really worth. During the last hour of the sale you often end up almost giving away what is left just to get rid of it.
A better idea is to donate your unwanted, but still usable, items to a church or charity. With this method you may ultimately end up with about 1/4 to 1/3 of the current market value of the stuff in your pocket (depending on your federal and state tax brackets) – which is probably not much less than you would end up in a yard sale anyway – you avoid the agita, and you get to help out a needy cause.
If you itemize you can deduct the "fair market value" of used items donated to charity. According to the IRS, fair market value is the price a "willing, knowledgeable buyer would pay a willing, knowledgeable seller when neither has to buy or sell."
You are responsible for determining what the items you are donating are worth. The charity is not required to, and in most cases will not, provide you with a value. There are several online guides to help you come up with a number. Click here for the Salvation Army valuation guide.
Whenever you make a contribution of used items you should always make and keep a detailed listing of the items you are donating with the condition and value of each set of items (i.e. 6 pairs of men's pants, good condition, $60.00, 5 pairs of men's shoes, good condition, $75.00). You may want to attach a copy of the listings to your tax return.
You cannot deduct the contribution of a used item unless it is in at least "good" condition. Donations of clothing and household items with a minimal monetary value, such as used socks or underwear, are also not deductible
When using a local charity's bin at the mall to make your donation be sure that what you are dropping off on any one day is not worth more than $250.00. If the total value of items donated to a charity in a single day is more than $250.00 you must have a written acknowledgement from the charity with its name and address, the date of the contribution, and a description of the items donated. The acknowledgement must also indicate whether you received any goods or services from the charity in exchange for the donation.


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WASHINGTON — The nation's top spy on Monday requested a broad review into "the US government's handling of intelligence information leading up to the Boston Marathon bombings," according to an internal memo, the latest sign that top officials are concerned that critical warning signs may have been missed that could have prevented the worst terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11.
The review, sought by James. R. Clapper, the director of national intelligence, will be overseen by the Intelligence Community Inspector General, which is responsible for investigating waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct within the nation's 17 intelligence agencies.
The probe comes amid mounting evidence that US intelligence and law enforcement agencies possessed information indicating that at least one of the two suspected bombers, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, had militant tendencies and traveled to the Russian province of Dagestan, home to several Islamic terrorist groups.
Both Tsarnaev and his mother, Zubeidat, were also added to at least two terrorist databases in 2011 at the request of the CIA but neither received any follow up after an initial FBI investigation earlier that year conducted at the request of Russia's Federal Security Service.
The new review of agencies' handling of information prior to the attack will be conducted in conjunction with the inspectors general from the CIA, Department of Justice (which oversees the FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security, which "have agreed to conduct coordinated reviews of the intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies involved," according to the memo, a copy of which was obtaiend by The Boston Globe.
The twin bombs that went off near the finish line in Copley Square on April 15 killed three and wounded more than 200 others, while an MIT police officer was shot to death during the hunt for the suspects in which Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed and his brother, Dzokhar, was captured.
Bryan Bender can be reached at email@example.com.


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Search Results
Risk Management and Insurance Review journal
- Editor-in-Chief: Mary A. Weiss
- Published Date: Dec 11, 2012
Risk Management and Insurance Review publishes respected, accessible, and high-quality applied research, and well-reasoned opinion and discussion in the field of risk and insurance.
Journal of Risk and Insurance journal
- Editor-in-Chief: Georges Dionne and HEC Montréal
- Published Date: Dec 11, 2012
The Journal of Risk and Insurance is the flagship journal for the American Risk and Insurance Association.
Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice journal
- Editor-in-Chief: Andrew Miles
- Published Date: Dec 11, 2012
The Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice is a high quality international scholarly journal which is concerned with the evaluation and development of clinical practice across medicine, nursing and the allied health professions.
Journal of Educational Measurement journal
- Editor-in-Chief: Brian E. Clauser
- Published Date: Dec 11, 2012
The Journal of Educational Measurement (JEM) publishes original measurement research, provides reviews of measurement publications, and reports on innovative measurement applications.
Mathematical Logic Quarterly journal
- Editor-in-Chief: Benedikt Löwe, Klaus Meer and Rosalie Iemhoff (Managing Editors)
- Published Date: Nov 12, 2012
Mathematical Logic Quarterly publishes original contributions on mathematical logic and foundations of mathematics and related areas, such as general logic, model theory, recursion theory, set theory, proof theory and constructive mathematics, algebraic logic, nonstandard models, and logical aspects of theoretical computer science.
Production and Operations Management journal
- Editor-in-Chief: Kalyan Singhal
- Published Date: Oct 19, 2012
The mission of Production and Operations Management is to serve as the flagship research journal in operations management in manufacturing and services.
Complexity journal
- Editor-in-Chief: Peter Schuster, Alfred W Hubler
- Published Date: Oct 19, 2012
Complexity is a bi-monthly, cross-disciplinary journal focusing on the rapidly expanding science of complex adaptive systems.
Mathematische Nachrichten journal
- Editor-in-Chief: Reinhard Mennicken (Managing Editor), B. Andrews, R. Denk, K. Hulek, F. Klopp
- Published Date: Oct 19, 2012
Mathematische Nachrichten - Mathematical News publishes original papers on new results and methods that hold prospect for substantial progress in mathematics and its applications.


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Быстрая доставка
Ваш заказ будет доставлен в течении 1-2 дней по Украине
Артикул: FL08CH01
An exhausted fish juvenile is striving against the stream but still drifted. It is seeking safety by turning back, but a rapid silvery torpedo has put an end to its struggle and… swallowed the bait! This is because a fish juvenile was the Flash Line spoon! It perfectly imitates a narrow-bodied fish, which is the most favourite food of asp. Moreover, the spoon has outstanding flight properties, which doubles its importance for catching this cautious fish. The Flash Line spoon provides a fisherman with a wide range of opportunities for casting experiments, as it works excellent with all casting types. While fishing at a steady speed, this spoon shows an active but stable play of an average frequency with a small amplitude and does not go into a spin, even if casted against a rush current. It twitches well, making noticeable moves from side to side. While sinking at a pause, it swirls like a falling willow leaf. The direction of swirling often changes, and thus, a fishing line does not get twisted. If you slack a fishing line at a pause, the Flash Line spoon moves back in an intricate path, changing to swirling sometimes, – that's the way you can vary a stepped spoon casting. Different combinations of these techniques will allow you to get on the right side of the most demanding fish. A wide range of sizes and weights allows you to catch any fish, from redfin, gar, chub, ide and perch in shallow water to zander and catfish on deep holes using a stepped casting. Meanwhile, asp, a number-one trophy for the Flash Line spoon, takes a spoon of any size well. In addition to catching freshwater predatory fish, the Flash Line spoon has shown excellent results in rock fishing (fishing from docks and at seaside). The narrow-bodied spoon will not leave rockfish, scad and garfish untouched.
Ваш заказ будет доставлен в течении 1-2 дней по Украине
Технологичное производство и материалы
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text:
| 14.5°C Belfast
Cyclists taking part in an event in the New Forest were targeted by saboteurs who placed tacks on the road to puncture tyres, police said.
Officers conducted house-to-house inquiries in the village of Bransgore after 15 cyclists taking part in the Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive suffered punctures on Saturday, Hampshire Police said.
It is the second time the 84-mile race in the picturesque national park has been targeted, and it came after posters were put up locally last week warning of the "abuse of our tranquil locality" caused by the 2,000 cyclists taking part.
Martin Barden, of race organiser UK Cycling Events, said: "It was surprising and disappointing to see a handful of anti-cycling campaigners trying to disrupt the event again this year by throwing tacks on to the road on several occasions.
"Our support teams, however, cleared these away before they could harm the riders, local drivers and New Forest animals."
He added that the majority of local people were supportive of what had been overall a successful event, cheering and clapping the riders.
A Hampshire Police spokesman said they were alerted to reports of tacks in Braggers Lane in Bransgore, on the south-western edge of the New Forest.
He said: "Fifteen cyclists suffered punctures, nobody was injured. Police removed the tacks and house-to-house inquiries were undertaken to identify if any witnesses had seen what had happened."


text:
NOTICE: Many events listed here have been canceled or postponed due to the Covid-19 emergency. It is best to call ahead or check with organizer's websites to verify the status of any local event.
Andrew Mayer Album Recording! Come see Boston Comedy Festival winner Andrew Mayer record his second album. An hour with one of the funniest comedians in Boston live at The Comedy Studio! More info coming soon! This is for the LATE show on Sunday night - which will start at 9:30PM (not 7:00PM) Please make sure you are buying the correct tickets and arriving on time! The Comedy Studio is located on the 2nd floor of Bow Market in Union Square, Somerville, MA and is open Mondays through Sundays. Variety, our lounge bar, will be open serving housemade cocktails, beer, wine at 12PM and doors for the theater open at 6:30pm- show begins at 7:00pm! And, yes, we will have Scorpion bowls! Seating is assigned. If you would like to be seated with another party under a different name, please call 617-661-6507 or email firstname.lastname@example.com to make arrangements. Please arrive on time! For more info, call us at 617-661-6507 or email us anytime! Directions - Our NEW address is at: 1 Bow Market Way #23, Somerville, MA 02143The entrance to the courtyard where we're located is actually on Somerville Avenue, right on the corner of P.A.'s Lounge.There is street parking available.For public transportation, both the 86 and 87 MBTA buses have stops nearby, and there is a Rideshare dropoff point right in front of the courtyard driveway for both Uber/Lyft. For the most comprehensive place to get transit information to Union Square...https://www.unionsquaremain.org/get-hereWhen you walk into the courtyard, feel free to take the stairs (straight ahead) up to the second floor, or go to the common lobby area (on the right side of the courtyard) and take the stairs/elevator up to the second floor. We are located right above Remnant Brewing on the second-floor walkway- you will see the Variety and The Comedy Studio sign entrance amongst the windows! Call us if you have trouble finding our spot! - 617 661 6507 See you soon!
Categories: Film
Hotels and Airbnbs near LATE SHOW: Andrew Mayer Album Recording!. Book your stay now!
Enrique Iglesias & Ricky Ma...
Andrea Bocelli
John Legend
Lady Gaga (Rescheduled from...
Wilco and Sleater-Kinney (R...
Justin Bieber
Daughtry -Cabot Theatre
POSTPONED: The Killers
Green Day with Fall Out Boy...
Harry Styles (Rescheduled f...
Deftones, Gojira & Poppy
Three Dog Night
Pat Metheny Side-Eye With J...
Sorry, you missed LATE SHOW: Andrew Mayer Alb... at The Comedy Studio.
Demand that The Comedy Studio gets added to the next tour!Demand it!
Sorry, you missed LATE SHOW: Andrew Mayer Alb... at The Comedy Studio.
Demand that Somerville gets added to the next tour!Demand it!
You missed LATE SHOW: Andrew Mayer Alb... at The Comedy Studio.
We're generating custom event recommendations for you based on LATE SHOW: Andrew Mayer Alb... right now!


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Booking Calendar 'Link Wizard'
There are various methods that can be used to link from your web pages to your Booking Calendar, and many users employ a combination of them. The 'Link Wizard' makes it simple for you to link to your Booking Calendar without having to know HTML. It simply guides you through various questions to generate the required 'Link HTML'. All you need to know, is how to 'Cut and Paste'!
Also unique to the Booking Tracker™ generated 'Link HTML' is the addition of HTML/Java specifically designed for search engines and the gathering of viewing Statistics.
The Booking Calendar 'Link Wizard' generates several variations of the following primary options;
To experience the Booking Calendar 'Link Wizard' in action, login to our Demo User account by clicking on the following link; Run the Demo User Booking Calendar 'Link Wizard'.


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Article content
Pop star Kelly Clarkson is dreaming of bigger boobs but she fears she'll never have the courage to go under the knife.
The Since U Been Gone singer admits she's not a fan of her small breasts, but she doesn't think she's got the nerve to have them enhanced.
She tells In Touch magazine, "I dream daily of a boob job. I have little boobs. I really want one. But I'm so scared, I would never do it. I'm a wussy girl, and I'd get freaked out."
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dupeGuru Picture Edition (PE for short) is a tool to find duplicate pictures on your computer. dupeGuru PE is a big brother of dupeGuru. It works like dupeGuru, but is specialized for duplicate pictures matching. dupeGuru PE runs on Windows 2k/XP/Vista and Mac OS X 10.4. The Mac OS X version of dupeGuru PE is a Universal application. The Windows version of dupeGuru PE requires the .NET 2.0 platform.
dupeGuru PE is efficient. Find your duplicate pictures in minutes, thanks to its quick fuzzy matching algorithm. Not only can dupeGuru PE find exact matches, but it can also find duplicates among pictures of different kind (PNG, JPG, GIF etc..) and quality.
dupeGuru PE is customizable. You can tweak its matching engine to find exactly the kind of duplicates you want to find. The Preference page of the help file lists all the scanning engine settings you can change.
dupeGuru PE is safe. Its engine has been especially designed with safety in mind. Its reference directory system as well as its grouping system prevent you from deleting pictures you didn't mean to delete.
Compare any picture format. dupeGuru PE supports JPG, PNG, TIFF, GIF and BMP formats. All these formats can be compared together. The Mac OS X version of dupeGuru PE also supports PSD and RAW (CR2 and NEF) formats.


text:
"The Organization of American States works closely with UNITAR and its CIFAL training centers across the Western Hemisphere. It is through initiatives jointly delivered with UNITAR that public officials from all 34 nations in the Americas receive state-of-the-art training aimed at strengthening institutional capacity in the public sector in the region. UNITAR is a crucial strategic ally to improve human development in the Americas."
Amb Alfonso Quinonez, Executive Secretary, Organization of American States
"OECD currently has the privilege to work with UNITAR in two important emerging areas of chemicals management – Nanotechnology and Manufactured Nanomaterials and the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). UNITAR's innovative work with developing countries and countries in transition, in particular, very well complements the work of OECD to serve its member states."
H.E. Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD


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EU-28: Crop Update
November 27, 2019
At nearly 313.5 MMT, the total MY2019/20 EU28 grain crop is around 2 MMT higher than the previous forecast, with higher wheat, corn and barley production partially offset by a lower mixed grain....
United Kingdom EU: EU28 Crop Update
July 31, 2019
The unprecedented heatwave in June across much of the European Union attracted attention to the outlook for the MY2019/20 EU28 grain crop.
EU-28: Crop Update
December 6, 2017
The total MY2017/18 EU-28 grain crop is revised up 2 MMT to 304 MMT, due to improved outlooks for both the wheat and corn crops.
EU-28: Commission Publishes Updated Import Duties for Corn, Sorghum and Rye
August 14, 2017
Updated import duties of Euro 5.16 per metric ton are applied on corn, sorghum and rye from August 8, 2017.
EU-28: Crop Update
August 11, 2017
The EU28 grain harvest is now under way in most Member States.
EU-28: Grain and Feed Annual
April 6, 2017
The EU28's grain harvest is forecast to rise three percent in MY2017/18 despite little change to the planted area.
United Kingdom EU: Crop Update
July 26, 2016
The EU grain harvest is now under way in most Member States.
EU-28: Crop Update - All Eyes Are on the Weather
July 22, 2015
The EU28 grain harvest is now under way in most Member States.
EU-28: Grain and Feed Annual
April 10, 2015
The outlook for the MY2015/16 EU28 grain crop is positive with another sizeable crop forecast, albeit down from the record volume achieved in MY2014/15.
United Kingdom EU-28: Crop Update
August 27, 2014
The UK presents strong market opportunities for many U.S. consumer-oriented products.


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Datalogic ZSC1FX351 Service Contract
Canadian Orders Welcome!
· We ship to all Canadian provinces.
· Contact us if you have any questions.
International Orders Welcome!
· We ship to customers around the world every day.
· Many payment options available.
· Contact us if you have any questions.
Datalogic Service Contract - 5 year - Falcon X3, Ease of Care Overnight Replacement Comprehensive
Temporarily out of stock; available to order
Protect your investment with a Service Contract. Datalogic Service Contracts include one, three and five-year durations for Overnight Replacement Comprehensive (next-day product replacement covering all damage including normal wear and tear), 2-Day Comprehensive (2 business day repair turnaround covering for all damage including normal wear and tear) and 5-Day (5 business day repair turnaround) programs.
General Information
- Product Type: Service
- Brand Name: Datalogic
- Manufacturer: Datalogic S.p.A
- Service Name: Service/Support - Extended Service
Service Information
- Service Main Type: Maintenance
- Service Sub Type: Physical
- Service Characteristic: Parts & Labor
- Product Supported:
- Falcon X3
- Falcon X3
- Service Duration: 5 Year
- Provided Support:
- Repair
- Parts Replacement
|Service Contract
The Datalogic ZSC1FX351 is also known as Data Logic DTL-ZSC1FX351 .


text:
Our partners in Switzerland
J. P. Morgan
J. P. Morgan works with community partners to create pathways to opportunity by supporting workforce development, financial capability, small business development and community development in the regions where they do business. They use their strength, global reach, expertise, relationships, and access to capital to make a positive impact in cities around the world. The foundation is supporting Ashoka Switzerland's Impact programme.
Nestlé is the world's largest food and beverage company, with 2000 brands and are present in 190 countries worldwide. Their purpose is to enhance the quality of life and contribute to a healthier future, inspiring people to live healthier lives.
Fondation Didier et Martine Primat
La Fondation Didier et Martine Primat sensibilise les populations et les pouvoirs publics aux enjeux planétaires liés aux activités humaines et contribue à façonner un monde plus responsable par le soutien de projets éducatifs et d'actions concrètes encourageant l'émergence de modes de vie conscients et durables.
Agence de Coopération Internationale de la Confédération Suisse (SDC)
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland's international cooperation agency. In operating with other federal offices concerned, SDC is responsible for the overall coordination of development activities and cooperation with Eastern Europe, as well as for the humanitarian aid delivered by the Swiss Confederation.
All Ashoka Partners
Ashoka's partners work together to invest in the people and patterns of collaborative entrepreneurship that are necessary in an Everyone a Changemaker® world.