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Cricket (game)
Cricket is a bat and ball game played between two teams of eleven (with a "12th man" on hand in case of injury), normally in the local summer season. At international level, it is played primarily in three forms: Test cricket (played over five days), One-Day International (ODI) cricket (a shortened form of the game, with each team batting one innings of up to 50 overs), and "Twenty20" (T20) cricket (20 overs per side; this version allows a match to finish in roughly 3–4 hours making it suitable for media broadcast).
Cricket is also played at state, provincial and county levels, and traditional matches between club, village and public house teams are still played in summer on the village greens of England and the playing fields, parks, school grounds and even, on a less formal level, the streets, backyards and beaches of cricket playing nations (see also: backyard cricket).
- 1 International Game
- 2 The Pitch
- 3 Equipment
- 4 Officials
- 5 Test (First Class) cricket - an overview
- 6 Other aspects of the game
- 7 Famous Cricketers
- 8 See also
- 9 References
- 10 External links
International Game
The International Cricket Council (ICC) governs the game internationally, and recognizes the national cricket administrations of each country.
On a global scale cricket is only surpassed by soccer in terms of popularity; it is the primary spectator sport in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies, and of major importance in England, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, and in many other places that were historically affected by British colonial influence. Cricket has a low profile in the United States, where baseball is the dominant bat and ball sport, but it is played in various regions. (As of March 2007, the ICC rejected the recognition of the USA Cricket Association until it adopted a viable constitution and rules, and created a workable administration.)
Code of Laws
Marylebone Cricket Club in London, which operates The Lord's ground, was formed in 1787. A year later, it composed a Code of Laws that were adopted throughout the game. The MCC remains the custodian and arbiter of Laws relating to cricket around the world.
The Pitch
Cricket is played on a pitch which is a dry grass playing field steamrolled flat. It is 22 yards (66 feet or 1 chain or 20.12 m) long and 10 feet wide.
The pitch is marked with various lines or 'creases', and is double-ended so that alternate 'overs' are played from both ends:
- One 'bowling crease' is drawn at each end of the pitch to mark the ends of the pitch. The three stumps in the set of stumps at that end of the pitch are along this crease. The bowling creases may be used to determine whether there is a 'no ball' because a fieldsman has encroached on the pitch or the wicket keeper has moved in front of the wicket before he is permitted to do so.
- One 'popping crease' is drawn at each end of the pitch in front of each of the two sets of stumps, 4 feet (1.22 m) in front of and parallel to the bowling crease. The popping crease is used in one test of whether the bowler has bowled a 'no ball'. To avoid a no ball, some part of the bowler's front foot in the delivery stride (that is, the stride when he releases the ball) must be behind the popping crease (although the bowler's front foot does not have to be grounded).
- A return crease is drawn on each side of each set of the stumps, 4 feet 4 inches (1.32 m) either side of and parallel to the imaginary line joining the centres of the two middle stumps. The return creases are primarily used to determine whether the bowler has bowled a no ball. To avoid a no ball, some part of the bowler's back foot in the delivery stride must land within and not touching the return crease.
As imperfections in the playing surface may affect the behavior of the ball, the pitch is considered high-maintenance as it has to be regularly rolled, watered and cut to ensure suitability for play. A groundskeeper is usually employed for this purpose.
An ideal pitch has fine grass growing in the turf to retain the consistency of the pitch and to prevent cracking, yet its grass has been cut so that the underlying ground is fully exposed.
An innovation in recent years has been the 'drop-in pitch', which is prepared and tended away from the field of play and then dropped into a specially constructed slot in the ground in place of normal turf. Final preparation is done after the pitch is in place.
Alternatives to the grass pitch are:
- Concrete topped with plastic 'grass' carpet, matting, or rubber (crushed or granulated, or a section of rubber conveyor belt);
- Concrete pitch (often with green pigment, or painted green);
- Clay surface, watered and rolled;
- A vulcanized rubber surface (introduced to England's famous Gloucester Cricket Ground in response to the floods of summer 2007);
Cricket balls are made from cork with a leather cover, and are traditionally red, but white balls in limited over cricket (ODI's and Twenty20's). Bats are willow treated with linseed oil.
The normal clothing for cricketers is white, or it may coloured for limited over matches:
- long trousers;
- long sleeves shirt (may be short sleeved for night matches);
- stud soled shoes; and
- cap or hat.
A normal cricketer's cap has a small beak at the front. Members of national teams are 'capped' (given their own team cap) when they are picked for their team. In recent times, it is normal to have cricketers optionally wearing a soft, canvas, broad-brimmed hat (often colloquially called a "floppy"
In recent years, team member's shirts often bear a number embroidered below the national or team crest. This number is their 'cap' ranking, their number in the players who have been selected to play, since the national, state, or county first played (perhaps as early as the 1800s.) For example: former Australian team captain, Ricky Rexona Ponting, wore number 366 in the national side and 123 for Australia's One Day International team.[1]
The batsman uses pads (shin, arm and body guards), padded gloves, a 'box' (a protection for the groin), and protective headgear in response to the hazards of modern fast-bowling techniques.
The wicketkeeper is the only fielder allowed to wear gloves, which are made of soft leather with rubber palms to help grip the ball.
Two umpires take to the field for major matches. The umpire at the bowler's end stands behind the stumps and watches the delivery stride of the bowler, the flight of the ball to adjudicate 'wide' or 'no ball' deliveries, and where it might strike the batsman or his bat.
The 'leg' umpire normally stands behind the batsman (on the 'leg' side of the field) and watches the flight of the ball and any deflection from the bat, in order to assist the other umpire in making a decision about a 'wide' or 'no ball' or a catch behind the stumps.
A 'third umpire' has been instituted for test and some state/county matches in recent years to decide close decisions for stumpings and run-outs, using video equipment and slow speed replays.
The captain of the fielding side is also considered an umpire for the specific circumstance where he believes a batsman has been unfairly been give 'out' by the other umpires. He may call the batsman back to continue his innings at bat. The captain is often fielding closer to the batsman than the umpires, and may have seen or heard the circumstances more clearly. This prerogative is rarely exercised, but shows high levels of sportsmanship as it effectively counters the wishes of other members of his team.
The scorers are considered to be officials. The field umpires use a system of hand and body gestures to indicate runs scored and other matters to the scorers, who are off the field.
In major games, such as international tests and national competitions, a referee is appointed by the convening body. This person does not go on the field of play, but watches from the stands. In hierarchy above the umpires, he can independently decide or be appealed to for decisions on matters of gamesmanship, etiquette, or cricket rules.
Test (First Class) cricket - an overview
Test cricket is played between the national teams of two countries. Most test series are 'best of' three or five matches. Typically, various limited over matches are also played as part of the 'season', including several 'warm-up' matches to assist the visiting team to become familiar with local conditions. As each major city in a country has a premier ground, a season normally involves matches in various cities.
A day's play consists of 90 overs of 6 balls (540 'legal' balls), usually divided into three 2 hour sessions with breaks for lunch and tea.
The Ground
The size of the field of play varies widely between cricket grounds, but the pitch in the centre is always 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. At either end of this pitch are two sets of wickets, consisting of three wooden posts (stumps) upon which rest two wooden bails. While most 'international' grounds are of generally similar size, most matches are now played with a boundary rope at a standard distance from the pitch around the edge of the field inside the white picket fence fence.
Getting Out
A batsman can be dismissed (given out) in a number of different ways. These are:
- Bowled – the ball hits the stumps (wicket) and removes the bails direct from the bowler's delivery, or after hitting only the bat or the batsman's hands (gloves) which are on the bat handle.
- Caught – the batsman hits the ball and it is caught by the fielding side before it touches the ground.
- LBW (leg before wicket) – the batsman fails to hit the ball and it strikes him in such a way that the umpire judges it would have gone on to hit the stumps. Note: This mode of dismissal depends on a number of other factors.
- Stumped – This is a particular case of 'run out' when the wicket keeper takes the ball immediately after delivery and breaks the stumps while the batsman has been attempting a shot while ahead of his crease.
- Run out – The fielding team get the ball to the wickets and 'breaks' the bails from the stumps while the batsman is outside the crease.
- Hit wicket - The batsman hits the stumps with his bat, or steps on the stumps while rearing back from a ball, breaking the bails.
- Handled the ball - The batsman touches the ball without the permission of the fielding side.
- Hit the ball twice - The batsman hits the ball twice without the intent of guarding his wicket. Tapping the ball from rolling onto your stumps is legal while hitting a throw away is an out.
- Obstructing the field - The batsman stops a fielder from fielding. This does not include unintentional bumping or running between the ball and a fielder.
- Timed out - If the batsman takes more than three minutes to get onto the pitch he is declared out. If the delay is even longer, the umpire may decide the batting team has forfeited.
- Retired hurt - The batsman loses the will to bat/keep batting or is too seriously injured. In the case of an injury sustained during the present game, the batsman may return to the crease at a later date if his injury is repaired.
Win, Draw, or Tie
In order to win, a team must dismiss the opposition twice (that is, take 20 wickets) and have scored more runs, within the five days. A match is a 'draw' if either team fails to dismiss the other twice, irrespective of how many runs may have been scored. A 'tie' is when the scores are level at the end of all sessions of play; no extra play is normally used to break a tie in a test match, but extra overs are played in some limited over matches.
Batting and fielding
The batting side must always have two batsmen operating in partnership, and each member of the batting team is allowed to bat once and only once in an innings (the term is both singular and plural). Thus, although they have eleven players, once ten wickets have fallen they are all out and their innings is over. The batting and fielding sides then swap roles and this cycle is repeated so that both teams have two opportunities to bat.
The game begins with the toss of a coin between the two captains, supervised by the field umpires. The winning captain then elects to bat or field.
Two batsmen (the openers) take to the field accompanied by the entire fielding side and two umpires. The batsman who is to receive the first ball is on strike and takes guard in front of his wicket. His non-striking partner waits at the other end of the pitch.
The fielding side nominates a bowler, who has six balls (six balls = one over) with which to dismiss the batsman. Bowlers normally bowl overarm, and must not straighten the elbow during the delivery of the ball. (Underarm delivery, similar to that used in Softball, was at one time the only form of delivery. It is now banned. A famous case of its use in an Australia-New Zealand test match resulted in derision for the Australian captain who asked a bowler to use this technique in order to stop the batting side from making a necessary run to win.)
Typically, bowlers take a run up before delivering a ball. A bowler may not bowl consecutive overs, so that typically two bowlers will bowl alternative overs until the captain decides to make a switch. In theory any player may bowl, but in practice no more than five or six of the eleven will usually participate. One other member of the fielding side acts as the wicket-keeper, standing directly behind the wicket to catch any missed balls, or any balls where the batsman managed only a faint touch. The remaining members of the fielding side (who are specialist batsmen) spend the entire innings fielding.
Batting theory
Batsmen may be either left or right handed: The bat is the same for each.
The batsmen can run any number of runs at any time, even if the ball has not been struck.
The batsman aims to hit the ball in such a way that he and his fellow batsman can run safely to the other end and ground his bat, or a piece of his body (foot, hand, etc.), within the popping crease before the fielding side can effect a run out. Hitting the ball well into the outfield causes the fielding side to chase the ball and throw it back to the wicket keeper or another player who 'backs up' at the bowling end of the pitch.
Long hits to poorly defended parts of the ground may allow the batsmen to run four, or the ball may get to the fence for four.
At certain times the ball is deemed to be 'dead' and the batsmen can wander safely on the pitch between the creases, for example to converse on tactics.
A good batsman in the top order (batting at positions 1-6) is normally capable of getting 20-50 runs and possibly 100 or many more. The 'lower order' batsmen in a good team, normally the specialist bowlers, may be able to 'slash' 20 runs on a good day.
Bowling theory
The bowler has two goals, which are not mutually exclusive:
- get the batsmen out, as they can no longer score in that innings; and
- prevent the batsman from scoring.
It may seem that the bowler should always aim at the batsman's legs, which are in front of the stumps. This is normally easily defended and easy to score from. Hence, bowlers normally bowl a range of balls away from the stumps hoping to lure the batsman into playing a rash or mis-timed shot that goes to a catch or allows the fielders to create a run out.
Bowlers come in three types: Quick, Medium, and Slow (or 'spin'). A top-level team will normally have a bowling attack with two or three quick bowlers, one specialist slow (spin) bowler, and several general players capable of medium pace bowling.
Quick or fast bowlers may be delivering balls travelling at 136 to 150 kmh (85 to 95 mph). The ball is intended to either:
- hit the pitch on the seam (between the two halves of the leather) and thereby to bounce (un)predictably, or
- swing in the air towards or away from the bat.
- intimidate the batsman into making an error out of fear. Note that in cricket, unlike in baseball it is considered a legitimate tactic to attempt to injure the batsman by striking him with the ball in the head or other parts of the body. With the advent of helmets and other protective devices there are far fewer serious injuries now than there were as recently as 20 years ago.
Medium pace bowlers use similar tactics to fast bowlers but aim to create more diversity within the speed of their bowling so as to trick the batsman's timing of his swing at the ball.
Slow (or spin) bowlers use either wrist or finger spinning techniques to get the ball to swing in the air, or bounce markedly off the pitch in either direction, and thereby snick the bat and be caught or bounce behind the batsman's guard into the stumps.
Normally, the quick bowlers will open the attack, and bowl for about two hours (or to the end of the first session.) The bowling will then be mixed up, with medium and slow, or quick-medium. At any time in between overs, the captain may call for a change of bowling to 'mix up' the batsmen and seek to induce lax shots that can obtain a wicket.
Over versus around
Whether the bowler is right or left handed, they have two options for approaching the pitch to bowl the ball.
- Over the wicket: The bowler's bowling arm is nearer the stumps. (A right handed bowler passes to the left of the stumps.)
- Around the wicket: The bowler typically crosses in front of the umpire who is standing back slightly, and the bowler's bowling arm is away from the stumps. (A right handed bowler crosses the mid-line of the wicket and passes the stumps to the left and behind him.)
Bowlers will often change delivery direction in order land the ball in a patch of rough or cracked turf. The irregular or uneven bounce that results is intended to reduce the scoring rate or induce desperate or intemperate shots by the batsman.
By changing his distance away from the stumps (while remaining within the delivery crease), the bowler can achieve a range of approach angles which, when combined with spin and delivery speed, offers the attacking side a broad range of options.
While it is possible for the bowler to change deliveries at each ball, typically a whole over will be bowled using one or the other of these possible delivery methods. In any case, before the delivery, the bowler must inform the umpire who will in turn inform the batsman.
Grip and concealment
The bowlers are under no obligation to inform the batsman about their particular technique for delivering the ball. Bowlers have certain grips on the ball that, if the batsman is able to pick up the shape of the fist or the splay of the fingers, will give a fraction of a second's advantage in determining what shot the batsman may use, or whether to take a step down or across the wicket.
Bowlers will often adopt strategies to prevent the batsman seeing the delivery hand, such as:
- holding their 'off' hand over the delivery hand during their strides to the crease;
- holding the ball in the 'off' hand until the last delivery stride;
- cocking the hand so that the bowler sees the back of the hand and not the fingers (and their particular grip on the ball);
- striding in with the delivery arm behind their body.
Fielding positions
The fielding team has eleven players on the field. One is the bowler, and one the wicket-keeper, leaving nine players to be distributed around the field in such a way as to maximise the fielding team's chances of preventing runs being scored and/or taking a wicket. Different situations call for different distributions, and part of the tactical and strategic skill of cricket (sometimes referred to as its chess-like nature) is to position the fielders to maximum advantage. Each position has a name, and some of the names (such as "silly mid off" and "short fine leg") can seem amusing to non-cricketers. Only the wicket-keeper is permitted to wear gloves, though some of the close in fieldsman will often wear other protective equipment such as helmets or leg pads.[2]
The batsman's aim is to score runs whilst protecting his wicket. Generally speaking, in order to score a run, he must first hit the ball. He and his partner must then decide whether or not they can run to each other's end of the pitch before the fielding side have time to break either wicket with the ball. They may run as many times as they are able per hit and the on strike batsman scores one run for his team each time they do so.
If the ball reaches the boundary rope, the batsman automatically scores four runs. If it clears the rope without first touching the ground, it scores six runs. (If a fielder is in contact with the ball when they touch the fence/rope then it is counted as a four or six depending on whether the ball has previously touched the ground or would have carried over the fence/rope.)
A 'no ball' may be called by an umpire according to various infractions by a bowler. The batting team gets one run counted to its score, and the ball is rebowled. A batsman can not be caught (out) on a no ball. Bowling infractions may include overstepping the popping crease, or delivering a ball that goes outside the return crease at the batsman's end or over the batsman's head (a wild delivery).
A 'bye' is a run scored when the ball is not hit. This may occur when the ball hits the batsman's apparel (clothes or protective equipment) and is deflected off into the field of play, or when a bowler delivers a ball that the wicket keeper fails to gather up. Batsmen may either 'run' or, if the ball goes to the boundary, a 'four' may be awarded even if the batsmen have run fewer.
The notation for scoring leads to a particular term, 'dot ball', as in the scoring sheet a ball that does not get a run is noted with a dot. Accordingly, an over with a single, dot, no ball, dot, three, dot, single, would be marked 1.nb.3.1 (six 'legal' deliveries) and the score has increased by 6 runs including one for the no ball. Also a batsman who is not out at the end of the innings has his score marked with an asterisk (e.g. 112*).
Example of Match Scoring
The scoring of matches, and especially the way results are presented, can sometimes be confusing. As an example, let us imagine that, at the end of the first day's play, Sri Lanka have scored 286 runs and have lost 5 wickets. This would be written as 286-5.
Playing Australia, the match pans out as follows:
- Sri Lanka – 1st innings: 431
- Australia – 1st innings: 390
- Sri Lanka – 2nd innings: 360
Australia now need 402 runs to win. At the end of the 4th day, they find themselves 100-3 in their 2nd innings. Thus, they require 302 more runs to win on the final day with 7 wickets in hand.
If Australia are bowled out for a 2nd innings total of 300, then they would have fallen short by 102. Sri Lanka would be said to have won by 101 runs (if Australia had scored exactly 401, the game would have been a tie).
If, however, Australia reached their target only having lost another three wickets (402-6), they would be said to have won by 4 wickets.
If at the end of the fifth day's play Australia were 350-8, they would not yet have reached their target, and Sri Lanka would not yet have taken 10 wickets. In this instance both teams would have failed to win and the game would be declared a draw. This occurrence is not uncommon.
Test playing nations
Only countries approved by the International Cricket Council may compete in test cricket. The following ten teams currently have that status:
- England (since 1877)
- Australia (1877)
- South Africa (1889)
- West Indies (1928)
- New Zealand (1930)
- India (1932)
- Pakistan (1952)
- Sri Lanka (1982)
- Zimbabwe (1992)
- Bangladesh (2000)
- Ireland (2018)
- Afghanistan (2018)
NOTES: The England team includes Wales, the Ireland team includes Northern Ireland, and the West Indies are a group of 15 Caribbean countries and territories.
Not all these teams have had continuous tenure among the test playing nations. South Africa, for example, were excluded in response to their apartheid policy. Ireland have recently expressed the desire to become full ICC members and get to test status.
Other aspects of the game
Other formats
In addition to the traditional format there are also the following formats:
- One Day International (ODI), each team has one innings consisting of 50 overs
- Twenty20 (T20), each team has one innings consisting of 20 overs; this format has become popular as it can be completed within the traditional three-hour window slotted for a sporting event (major T20 leagues include the Indian Premier League and the Caribbean Premier League)
- T10, each team has one innings consisting of 10 overs
Grounds in different parts of one country, let along different parts of the world, play differently: Wickets in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, are renowned for being 'hard'; English wickets are 'green' (have grass obvious in the playing surface); the ground in Perth, Western Australia has a daily sea breeze in the afternoon.
Then, there are oddities:
- The "Lord's" ground, the home of the Marylebone Cricket Club (established 1787) in London, has a slant of about 2.5m (8 feet) from one side of the ground to the other, so a shot made 'down the hill' typically goes further into the field than a shot made 'up the hill'.
- Grounds in the West Indies and India often have hundreds of people sitting in or hanging from trees in order to get an unobstructed view.
- "The Gabba" ground (at Woolloongabba in Brisbane, Queensland) has cantilevered spectator stands that protrude over the surrounding streets.[3]
- The cricket ground at Scarborough in Yorkshire is inside the walls of the town's medieval castle, and this leads to a number of "local" rules; for example, if a ball is caught by a spectator the batsman is given out if he is batting at the "town" end of the ground, but is awarded six runs of he is at the "sea" end.
Day and Night
Play is normally during the day, but an innovation since the 1970s has been the introduction of light towers at cricket grounds that allow play to continue through dusk and into the night. This is only for "One-day" (50 overs a side or shorter matches.) As yet, Test cricket is limited to the daylight hours.
Sight Screen
At each end of a major cricket ground is a 'sight screen', which is of a contrasting colour to the ball; white screen for a red 'day' ball; black screen for a white 'night' ball. The screen is moved so as to be behind the bowler from the perspective of the batsman. The ball thus stands out from the background and assists the batsman in making decisions about his shot.
High sportsmanship is shown when a batsman 'walks' from the field, conceding his wicket, when he knows that he has been 'out' by the rules of the game, but was not given out by the umpires. The fielding side may not even have 'appealed' to the umpire. For instance, this may occur when he feels the ball 'nick' his gloves or the bat and the ball is then caught by the wicket keeper.
Conversely, a batsman does not have to walk unless the umpire gives him 'out'. He may know that he was out by the rules of the game (for example, he felt a nick) but, after the fielding side has 'appealed' for the wicket (out), the umpire decides that it was 'not out'; and, the batsman is within his rights to 'stand his ground' based on the umpires decision.
Cricket grounds are generally of a size that allows them to be marked out during winter for playing football: soccer, Rugby, Rugby Union, or Australian Rules Football.
Women's Cricket
A strong international competition exists for women playing cricket. This is based on national competitions at various levels (state/county, regional and local).
Blind Cricket
People with vision impairment, along with fully sighted people, can play Blind Cricket. (Sighted people are fitted with special spectacles that distort their vision.)
The ball is normally a white plastic ball of similar size to a cricket ball or softball, and has inside it a bell or metal pieces that make a noise as the ball moves.
The bowler calls out to the batsman, "Are you ready?", which allows the batsman to line up for the delivery. Similarly, the batsman's reply, or a call from the wicket keeper, allows the bowler to line up.
The batsman can be got 'out' in the same ways as for sighted cricket, except that catching is not permitted.
Duckworth-Lewis scoring
In the event that a limited over match is affected by rain or other stops to play, a system of score amendment is used developed by statisticians Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis. This allows the umpires to calculate a new score target to win for the second side batting for any given amount of time remaining for normal play, less an allowance for the ratio of runs scored to wickets remaining, corrected for the number of minutes remaining until sunset. If a game may be rain affected, it is in the interests of the first side batting to score at a rapid and even rate, so that a revised target is difficult for the following side to achieve. The Duckworth-Lewis system is also used in Twenty20, however due to the short nature of the game the required targets are almost always a major point of confusion.
Famous Cricketers
- Dr W.G. Grace (1848-1915), English - "the best-known Englishman of his time"
- Sir Donald Bradman (1908-2001), Australian, "The Don" - "the greatest batsman of all time" (test match average of 99.94 runs; top score 334; 29 100s & 13 50s; 6,996 runs in 52 matches; first class average 95.14)[4]
- Sachin Tendulkar (1973-), Indian - "the greatest One-Day International cricketer of all time" (Tests: ~12,000 @ 55 av; ODI: ~16,000 @ 44 av; First Class: ~20,000 @ 59 av; List A: ~19,000 @ 45 av; still playing)[5] Tendulkar now holds the records for the most runs scored in Tests and One Day Internationals, as well as the records for the most individual centuries scored by batsman in both Tests and One Day Internationals.
- Sir Garry Sobers (1936-), Barbadian - "the greatest all-rounder of all time". The first player to hit six sixes in one over of first-class cricket.[6]
- Sir Viv Richards (1952-), Antigua, West Indies - "the greatest ODI batsman of all time" until Tendulkar (Tests: 8,540 runs @ 50.23 av; ODI: 6721 @ 47.00 av; First Class: 36,212 @ 49.40 av; List A: 16,995 @ 41.96 av)[7]
- Sanath Jayasuriya (1969-), Sri Lankan- "The Matara Mauler" (Batting - Tests: 6,973 runs @ 40.07 av; ODI: 12,785 runs @32.69. Bowling - Tests: 98 wickets @ 34.34; ODIs: 310 wickets @ 36.55)[8]
- Jacques Kallis (1975-), South Africa. (Batting - Tests: ~9,700 runs @ 55.46; ODI: ~9,600 runs @ 44.69. Bowling - Tests: 240 wickets @ 31.22, ODI: 243 wickets @ 31.38). Still playing [9]
- Brendon McCullum - captain of the New Zealand cricket team
- Brian Lara, West Indies - holds records for individual highest score in first-class cricket (501*), Test cricket (400*; he also held a previous record of 375), and most runs in a single over in a Test match (28).
- Shane Warne (1969-), Australian - spin bowler, one of the five Wisden "cricketers of the century" (Tests: 17,995 runs for 708 wickets @ 25.41 runs/wicket; ODI: 7,541 for 293 @ 25.73 ave; First Class: 34,449 for 1,319 @ 26.11 av; List A: 11,642 for 473 @ 24.61 ave; retired in 2007)[10]
- Muttiah Muralitharan (1972-), Sri Lankan - spin bowler, "the greatest non-Christian Test match bowler ever" (still playing; as at September 2008 - Tests: 16,604 runs for 756 wickets @ 21.96 runs/wicket; ODI: 11,030 for 479 @ 23.02 av; First Class: 25,421 for 1,330 @ 19.11 ave; List A: 13,471 for 602 @ 22.37 av)[11]
- Glenn McGrath (1970-), Australian - quick bowler, "holds the world record for the highest number of Test wickets by a fast bowler" (Retired from test cricket in 2007; and all cricket in 2008) Tests: 12,186 runs for 563 wickets @ 21.64 runs/wicket; ODI: 8,391 for 381 @ 22.02 ave; First Class: 17,414 for 835 @ 20.85 ave; List A: 9,943 for 458 @ 21.70 ave)[12]
Dream Team
According to Richie Benaud, former Captain of the Australian Cricket Team and since then known internationally as "The Voice of Cricket" (commentator, both ball-by-ball and expert opinion):
The Opening Batsmen:
1. Sir John Berry 'Jack' Hobbs (1882-1963) (England) - The Greatest Opener, and the first English cricket player to be knighted (1953)
2. Sunil Gavaskar (India) - The Most Difficult Batsman to Dismiss, and a Fine Opener
Middle Order Batsmen:
3. Sir Don Bradman (Australia) - The Best Batsman to Walk the Earth, and the first cricket player to be knighted (1949)
4. Sir Viv Richards (West Indies) - The Master Blaster
5. Sachin Tendulkar (India) - The Greatest ODI Batsman
6. Sir Gary Sobers (West Indies) - The Greatest Allrounder Ever
7. Imran Khan Naizi (Pakistan) - the finest Cricketer/Captain to emerge from Pakistan; picked ahead of Kapil Dev, Ian Botham & Richard Hadlee
Wicket Keeper:
8. Adam Gilchrist (Australia) - The Finest Wicketkeeper-batsman the world has seen
9. Shane Warne (Australia) - The Finest Leg spin Bowler of All time
Fast Bowlers:
10. Dennis Lillee (Australia) - A Great Australian Fast Bowler
11. Sydney Barnes (England) - A Fast-bowling Legend
See also
- ↑ Ponting, Cricket Australia, accessed 16 February 2008
- ↑ Diagram of fielding positions from cricinfo.com
- ↑ Structural Steel Casebook, Issue 17, October 2000, pp4/6/8, OneSteel, accessed 5 January 2008
- ↑ http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/4188.html
- ↑ http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/35320.html
- ↑ http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/westindies/content/player/52946.html
- ↑ http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/westindies/content/player/52812.html
- ↑ http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/49209.html
- ↑ http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/45789.html
- ↑ http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/8166.html
- ↑ http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/49636.html
- ↑ http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/6565.html
External links
- International Cricket Council
- The Lord's ground and the Marylebone Cricket Club
- 'Cricket Australia'
- Player statistics (index) - by country
- [http://www.championships.vbca.org.au/ Vision Australia 29th National 'Blind Cricket' Championships, 29 December 2007 - 11 January 2008


text:
Feedjit makes a real-time live traffic feed that lets you see who is visiting your blog or website in real-time. They show both anonymous visitors and the identity of any Feedjit members who visit. If you click on a visitor identity you are...
Anonymous web visitor identification, identify web visitors, web visitor tracking, website visitor tracking.
Feedjit is leading in Top 100K Sites, Top 1M Sites and The Entire Web.
In terms of market share, VisualVisitor is clearly lagging behind, losing to Feedjit in all segments.
Feedjit has better usage coverage in more websites categories. Including Science & Education, Arts & Entertainment, Computers Electronics & Technology, Community & Society and 20 other categories.
VisualVisitor hasn't got a lead over Feedjit in any websites category.
Feedjit is leading in most countries, including United States, Malaysia, India, Indonesia and 135 other countries.
VisualVisitor hasn't got a lead over Feedjit in any country.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Difference between revisions of "Regular Member Meeting 2011 11 08"
From HacDC Wiki
|Line 72:
|Line 72:
Election for Director-At-Large position.
Election for Director-At-Large position.
Yearly Member meeting
Yearly Member meeting
== New Members ==
== New Members ==
Revision as of 18:36, 8 November 2011
Note: This page serves as the 2011-11-08 Member Meeting's agenda (before the meeting) and minutes (after the meeting).
Time and Location
November 8, 2011
Meeting called to order at 19:55 by: Redbeard
Members Present: Martin, Phil, Todd, Toast, Tim S., Adam, Brad, Dan Barlow, Daniel Watson, Maxwell, Jamie, Emily, Alex, Redbeard
Others Present: Mike, Nadir
Quorum met? yes
Approval of Previous Meeting's Minutes
Regular Member Meeting 2011 10 11
Director Reports
President's Report
End of the year, so that means we need to beg for money. Do it.
Vice President's Report
One big thing: Before Elliot left, we were in communications with Viz arts in Rockville (trying to make a makerspace for young ladies, 5th grade-ish). Viz arts have subsequently followed up and Brad will be teach classes there on the condition of co-branding and a cut of some grant money. He wants to show up to a Microcontroller Monday and record a Kickstarter video as a plea for money (Arduinos, gear, etc). Members interested in participating would be appreciated. Brad will be doing drop in Arduino sessions to teach about basic electronics and getting started. Will be 10 wk class to teach processing and hardware interaction. Current lab is 8 Mac Pros and some Macbook pros. They are set as far as a standardized lab, but are lacking in traditional "maker" gear (o-scopes, soldering irons, etc).
Treasurer's Report (Tim Slagle)
Here is the October 2011 financial summary: File:HacDC Financials Oct 2011.pdf
October was good to HacDC, we finished ahead more than $500 due to increased membership revenue, additional member donations, and a generous one-time donation from Stephen Beuttel (thanks!) We added three membership subscriptions in October: Maxwell Whitaker, Mike Chelen (who didn't yet get voted in as a member), and Nicholas Stoler. Jeremy Bruestle dropped because he moved out of the area, and we had one non-paying member.
I'd still like to add more members - 60 would be a good goal. Then our expenses would be met by member dues, people wouldn't need to keep contributing extra (unless they wanted to!), and any additional money that came in through class and event donations could go to funding some projects.
Our DC corporate status was restored once we recreated the paperwork and sent them proof of payment.
I called PayPal and got us activated with their non-profit program, so we are paying 2.2% instead of 2.9% (plus $0.30 per transaction). This will save us ~$20/mo in fees.
Our change of DC Registered Agent paperwork is filled out and can be submitted once signed by the appropriate directors.
Secretary's Report
Director-at-Large Reports
Not much to report… Went to Smithsonian and got awesome. Looking to swap out Mario cabinet in the space for a different cabinet which is being donated soon. Need help moving the cabinet.
Vacant (election today!)
Member Reports
Jamie - Slacking on migrating the mailing list, will try to finish by thxgvng. FredHack (Fredricksburg, VA) has some metalworking gear (described as "big") and will let us use it. Owner of metalworking gear owns a large tract of land. He has invited us to come play with things requiring open space. Has extra hackerspace passports and is looking to unload them.
Brad - Back in the day we used to do lightning talks. Brad will spearhead them. December or New Year as a timeline. (Phil: Can we find a previous speakers list that Daniel P. kept?)
Tim S. - Went with Alberto to Fab Lab open house. Space is on North Capitol near NY Ave Metro. Have space but no/very little gear. Space is owned by Phyllis' (Executive Director's) husband. Open house runs through Thursday as a part of DC week (10:30 am - 3:00pm). Were there for hours but no one else showed up. They have a Prusa Mendel (3d printer). It's not a part of the Fab Lab cannon. Additionally, they have some chinese 3d printers.
Dan B. - The 4axis mill that Martin recovered has been set up with a laptop and were able to mill out a torus. If anyone can produce black & white photos to turn into pipefields / g-code we're ready for manufacturing. Dan suspects there is an SVG to G-Code filter. (Martin: Smithsonian is donating software for the mill, we will need to acquire dongle.) Mention the type of things you want to make on the blabber list. Engraving text, making machine front panels, creating 3d objects, all take different skill sets/coding jams. This is controlled via EMC.
Martin - Access control stuff is in it's death throes. We're almost done and soon to be paid/credited.
Toast - Quick note on the smithsonian - they have a huge facility out in landover. They have 3 gymnasiums worth of gear with no one to use it. By volunteering at the "Office of Exhibit Central", we can possibly gain access to it. (Phil is interested)
Jamie (2) - 757 Labs has a working Laser cutter
Old Business
New Business
Election for Director-At-Large position.
Martin - Toast nominates, Dan seconds.
Yearly Member meeting
New Members
Adjourned at: x:xx


text:
- 100% combed ringspun cotton fine jersey
- 4.3 oz.
- 32 singles
- fabric laundered for reduced shrinkage
- 7.2 oz./lin. yd.
- 1×1 baby rib-knit set-in collar with front coverstitch
- Tear-away label
Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large
Tahiti Blue, Mint, Red, Black
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Absolutely fantastic service! Really went above and beyond for my needs! I would highly recommend them for all your printing needs.
So grateful for Jessica. She was able to save one of our old team soccer jerseys and make it new again. She went out of her way to get the job done and the final product was fantastic. I look forward to sending all of our team's future print business to her.
My go to place when it comes to screen printing & embroidering in Titusville/Cocoa area!!! they do great work, paying GREAT attention to detail! they're such kind, hard working people & I feel like family every time I stop by. I'm always satisfied with the work I get done here. 10/10 5 stars!!!!! Thank you guys
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Had a special order done, dropped off a couple of tee shirts to get 1/2 heart design done on his and her shirts. They helped with the design layout to ensure that the two halves matched when we were standing side by side due to height differences. Placed the order on Thursday last week and picked up order on Tuesday. The art work and people were very professional and we were very happy with the work. They even gave special laundry instructions for caring for the garmet.
Would thoroughly recommend.
Excellent customer service! Even though we only have small quantity shirt orders and individual persons special requests, LifeStyle Printworks will accommodate us to make our customers happy, which makes us happy. Great quality printing, you can tell there is thought put into the printing process and the shirts/pants are not just slapped onto the press without thinking. It's nice to deal with a business that still cares about quality and their customer experience. Highly recommend this place!
© 2020 • LifeStyle Printworks, Screen Printing • 321-567-4812
Web development by Switch Creatives


text:
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Issue of Suffragette Fellowship Newsletter features commemorative article on Annie Kenney by Teresa Billington-Graig
Full description:An obituary of Annie Kenney, written within a Suffragette Fellowship Newsletter, dated 1954 written by fellow suffragette, Teresa Billington Greig.
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text:
By Isadora Dunne
I wanted to get away. Really away. Having just graduated from college, I was ready to relax and relish the free time that spread out before me. So I grabbed my boyfriend Ty and we started driving north.
Our destination was Rockland, Maine, the docking place of the windjammer Nathaniel Bowditch. This being my first summertime visit to Maine, I wanted to experience the state's craggy coast the way it was meant to be seen — from the water.
Part of History
The most authentic way I could find to achieve this goal was a trip on the Nathaniel Bowditch, one of Maine's beautiful windjammers. At 82 feet long, the ship is an impressive sight, and we were lucky enough to call her home for six memorable nights.
The Maine Windjammer Association hosts a fleet of twelve vessels, each ship with its own unique history. The Nathaniel Bowditch was originally built as a racing yacht, and took special class honors in the 1923 Bermuda Race.
Sailing is a way of life for many who inhabit Maine's shores—I couldn't wait to get out into open water.The windjammer is currently owned and operated by Captain Owen and Cathie Dorr, who run all-inclusive sailing trips from late May through mid September, ranging in length from two to six nights.
All Hands on Deck
We boarded the Nathaniel Bowditch on Sunday evening along with the other 15 passengers that would be making the journey, and after spending the night tendered to the dock, we shipped off early the next morning.
When you're setting out to sail on a windjammer there's a lot to do in a short amount of time. On the Nathaniel Bowditch passengers are encouraged to help out in any way they can—after all, it's a big ship with only three crew members.
Depending on preference and ability, we helped crank up the anchor, lower and raise the main and fore sails, and coil up the ropes.
The crew provides a wealth of sea-faring knowledge and if a passenger wants to climb up the rigging, they're more than willing to instruct (to earn that privilege, one has to memorizes the names of each line on the sailboat and learn a few basic knots.)
Then, we were out at sea and all bustling activity on the deck came to a stop. The crew took up their positions and the rest of us were suddenly surrounded by endless blue sky and sea—with nothing to do but enjoy ourselves.
A Separate Peace
When you're traveling on the Nathaniel Bowditch, you have plenty of time to do anything you want—read, nap, play card games in the galley—or nothing at all. Your time is your own and is punctuated only by the breakfast bell at 8 AM, the lunch bell at noon, and the dinner bell in the evening.
Bring along one or two absorbing paperbacks—good reading material is a must. With no cell phone service or internet for miles and a breathtaking view of sky, sea, and coastline, you leave all ties to the 'real world' blissfully behind.
My favorite spot on deck was on the roof of the galley, just forward of the helm. There I could lay on my back and look up at the sky through the flapping sails. I would sun bathe, read, nap, and let my mind wander—until I caught a whiff of the meal our chef Paul was cooking up.
The Ultimate Comfort Foods
The food on the Nathaniel Bowditch is nothing short of habit-forming. Paul made incredible amounts of hearty comfort food appear from a tiny galley and he didn't take any shortcuts—homemade breads were featured daily during our on-deck lunches, paired with delicious soups like vegetable stew with barely and biscuits.
Having grown up with his brother Captain Owen on one of the remote islands off Rockland's coast, Paul was taught to create satisfying meals from local produce by his mother at a young age. We were treated to delicious strawberry shortcake on our fist night which Paul had made using fresh ingredients from the family garden in Rockland—it was the essence of summer and was my favorite dessert of the entire trip.
The crew and passengers dined together buffet-style up on deck whenever the elements permitted, making for a beautifully peaceful eating experience. When the weather was too cold or misty (we were sailing during a temperamental New England June), the group of us would fit snuggly into the warm galley to devour our meals and trade stories.
Each meal outdid the last, and the dinner that marked our last on the Nathaniel Bowditch was my absolute favorite—rosemary roast chicken and wild mushroom polenta with truffle oil. We ate on deck in a small cove where a few other windjammers had dropped anchor for the night, enjoying the quiet stillness and relishing our last evening on board.
Paul is a wealth of knowledge and is happy to share tips—he told me about a great substitute for truffle oil and introduced me to noodle kugel, a savory and sweet variation on the traditional Jewish dish.
I've tried a few times to recreate the heavenly last supper from that night in my own kitchen, but nothing can touch Paul's perfection. His cooking, along with Captain Owen and Cathie Dorr's hospitality and warmth, are what makes a trip on the Nathaniel Bowditch so special.
An Extraordinary Clam Bake
You can't come to Maine without eating lobster, and when you're sailing with the Maine Windjammer Association, a traditional New England clambake is always part of your all-inclusive sailing trip.
Luckily for my fellow passengers and me, we were on a special voyage that took place during Boothbay Harbor's famous Windjammer Days festival.
While most Nathaniel Bowditch trips set up impromptu clambakes on the shores of uninhabited islands, we were treated to a Cabbage Island Clambake by the Windjammer Days group of Boothbay in honor of our celebrated sailing vessel.
We arrived by dingy to this 5½ acre private island, located in Linekin Bay, just a short distance from Boothbay Harbor. I noticed the mouth-watering smell of shellfish from the dock, and instantly went to investigate.
This is the real thing—and I have never seen it done in such epic proportions. The clambake was laid out by the water's edge, where four or five massive pots were boiling away. Above, piles of steamer clams, foil-wrapped potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, onions, corn on the cob, and two-pound lobsters were steaming to perfection in between layers of seaweed.
We were served our sumptuous meals, including New England clam chowder and blueberry cake for dessert, by friendly Navy sailors who were stationed nearby in celebration of Windjammer Days. Our group enjoyed the buttery, amazing meal in the island's cozy guest lodge, eating until our bellies were stuffed full of briny Maine goodness.
Windjammer Days in Boothbay
The Windjammer Days festival takes place every summer at the end of June in Boothbay Harbor, and celebrates the local heritage of the storied tall ships.
The highlight of the festivities for many is the arrival of the windjammers themselves to the harbor, and being on one of these national treasures as it sailed into dock was a moment I'll never forget.
Hundreds of people were crowding Boothbay harbor to enjoy the sight of four century-old tall ships take part in a Parade of Sail.
Fellow Maine Windjammer Association vessels the Heritage, the Lewis R. French, and the American Eagle accompanied the Nathaniel Bowditch in to the harbor, where we dropped anchor for the night, some rafting up together, side by side.
There's a lot to do in Boothbay Harbor, especially during the Windjammer Days, when the small seaside town fills with visitors to celebrate the old schooners and the arrival of summer. We were docked right off the town landing, in the middle of it all.
After settling in, we were ferried to shore by Captain Owen in the Nathaniel Bowditch dingy. Ty and I strolled around Boothbay and explored the local shops, though we had no need to splurge on an expensive meal because we knew that Paul had something amazing cooking back on our schooner.
We took the footbridge across the harbor and poked around the more residential side of the cove before returning to find the ice cream stand that offers fresh Belgian waffles, which Allie the crew member had raved about.
As luck would have it, the establishment—the Downeast Ice Cream Factory—sits right at the end of the footbridge. We shared a tasty waffle sundae which was the perfect snack to hold us over until six that evening – we didn't want to miss Paul's exquisite hors d'oeurves.
Back on the ship, we dined on appetizers of cream cheese spread with apple compote and summer sausages with spicy homemade mustard. The group enjoyed these treats and a few cocktails up on the deck, and as I sat enjoying the view of the bay at sunset I couldn't help but think "So this is how the other half lives!"
When You Go to Sea in a Windjammer
The Nathaniel Bowditch provides its passengers with a detailed informational package before the journey, but I've compiled my own list of essential items to bring along on your trip:
• Baby wipes (showering is often not an option)
• Dry shampoo/Baby powder
• Paperback book(s)
• Plenty of wine and beer (to share)
• Sleeping bag (to sleep on deck on starry nights)
• Lots of layering clothes
• Warm socks
• Rain slicker
• Folding chair (for on deck)
For more information about sailing on the Nathaniel Bowditch, and the Maine Windjammer Association, visit
Windjammer Vacation
Sail Maine Coast
Capt. Owen and Cathie Dorr
256 Old County Road
Rockland ME 04841
Isadora Dunne was an intern with GoNOMAD during the 2008 school year when she attended the University of Massachusetts. She now lives and works in Boston.
- Theodore Roosevelt's Long Island Home - September 29, 2023
- "I Can't Believe We Live Here!" - September 27, 2023
- Litter Robot 4, Family Tree DNA and Other New Finds - September 24, 2023


text:
Item #: SCP-600
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-600 is contained in a Class-E suite in Site 17, dimensions 15m x 15m x 3m. Two (2) security cameras monitor the subject at all times. A standard steel door with a reinforced double-paned window secures the suite. No special procedures are required for entering or exiting the suite, with the caveat that SCP-600 may attempt to follow researchers out of containment. A simple reprimand and order to return to containment has proved sufficient to curtail this behavior.
Description: SCP-600 is a humanoid entity, approximately 1.7 meters tall, with a build approximating an adult human male of average weight for its height. The subject is generally featureless, lacking facial features, external ears, nails, body hair, genitalia, and anus. Full-body scans have shown SCP-600 to have no internal structures of any kind, instead being formed from an unknown material of uniform density close to that of human muscle tissue. It neither ingests, respirates, nor excretes. The subject's age has not been determined.
SCP-600 telepathically affects all humans who view it, causing it to take on their superficial personal characteristics. This effect only alters the visual perception of affected persons; SCP-600's actual form can still be detected by cameras, sensors, and touch. The perceived resemblance between SCP-600 and an affected viewer is general and superficial; no viewers have found it to be notable or uncanny in any way. Characteristics imitated by the subject include, but are not limited to, hair color, skin color, eye color, approximate age, clothing style, and general physique. (Note that clothing imitated by SCP-600 is entirely illusory.) Animal tests reveal that non-human organisms appear not to perceive the subject unless they physically collide with it.
When humans are present, SCP-600 will attempt to engage in conversation. Its conversational repertoire is limited; it will discuss trivialities such as weather and other "small talk", or attempt to commiserate with those present about professional matters as if it were similarly employed. Such discussions are superficial, filled with jargon appropriate to the person's area of expertise but consist largely of obvious statements and platitudes. Attempts at more substantial discussion are deflected, and SCP-600 displays no deep domain knowledge of any field of employment. When not in the presence of humans, SCP-600 is generally inactive, standing in a single pose for hours or even days at a time without any apparent reaction to outside stimulus.
The subject is generally cooperative, but displays an unsettling tendency to refer to itself in the third person when speaking to researchers assigned to it, frequently referring to "the SCP-600 case". (See attached Interview Log 600-E for an example of this behavior.) It has requested that researchers refer to it as "George," but is not upset by refusal to do so.
Interview 600-E
Researcher ████████: Good morning, SCP-600. Today we are going to be performing some tests of your recall abilities.
SCP-600: Hey, ████. No need to be so formal. I told you before, just call me George.
Researcher: I don't think that would be appropriate.
SCP-600: Ah ████, always the consummate professional. Anyway, how are the kids doing? ██████ must be getting pretty big, now.
Researcher: I am not going to discuss that with you. Now, if you would please look at the four images on this page…
SCP-600: Oh, that's cool. Let's get down to business. Say, what are your thoughts on the SCP-600 case? He's certainly an odd one - not that we haven't seen our share of odd ones, ha ha. Personally, I think the containment procedures are a little lax…
Researcher: Please try to focus on the exercise. Now, in the first picture…
SCP-600: Do you think his ability is memetic? Wasn't Dr. ████'s team looking into that?
Researcher: If you are unable to focus on the matter at hand, I will be forced to discontinue this exercise.
SCP-600: Oh, sorry. It's just such a fascinating case. Do you want to get a beer after work? I have some theories I'd like to bounce off of you. I have a suspicion that [REDACTED] is tied up in this somehow…
Researcher: This exercise is over.


text:
Women's True Shape Jeans, High-Rise Straight-Leg Colors
Our ultraflattering women's five-pocket jeans are guaranteed to keep their shape, even after frequent washings, eliminating bagging and stretching.
Made from premium stretch denim, with state-of-the-art S GENE® technology, the breakthrough fabric "remembers" its shape for superior retention. While the average recovery of other stretch denim is around 70% (leaving plenty of room for bagging and sagging), True Shape recovers 93% of its original shape, ensuring a great fit all day, every day. These jeans will follow your every move and look just as good at the end of the day as they did when you first put them on.


text:
What gives some people the ability to persevere through difficult situations that others may find insurmountable? The answer is no doubt a complicated one that may be beyond our full understanding, but new research publishing online December 5 in the Cell Press journal Neuron provides some intriguing insights. The study pinpoints a region of the brain that, when stimulated, causes an individual to anticipate a challenge and possess a strong motivation to overcome it.
"That few electrical pulses delivered to a population of brain cells in conscious human individuals give rise to such a high level set of emotions and thoughts we associate with a human virtue such as perseverance tells us that our unique human qualities are anchored dearly in the operation of our brain cells," says lead author Dr. Josef Parvizi, of the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University.
The study conducted by Dr. Parvizi and his team involved two individuals with epilepsy who had electrodes implanted in their brains to help doctors learn about the source of their seizures. The electrodes were situated in the anterior midcingulate cortex, a brain region that is thought to be involved in emotions, pain, and decision making.
When electrical charge was delivered to a location within this region, both patients described feeling the expectation of an imminent challenge coupled with a determined attitude to surmount it. This was accompanied by increased heart rate and physical sensations in the chest and neck. They did not experience any of these psychological or physical effects when they thought that their brains were being stimulated but no electrical charge was delivered. The same effects did not occur with stimulation of nearby regions only 5 mm away.
Imaging experiments conducted in Dr. Michael Greicius' laboratory at Stanford revealed that the site of stimulation in both patients was at the core of a network linking the anterior midcingulate cortex to other regions of the brain. "Our study pinpoints the precise anatomical coordinates of neuronal populations, and their associated network, that support complex psychological and behavioral states associated with perseverance," explains Dr. Parvizi.
The findings suggest that differences in the structure and function of this network may be linked with innate differences in our abilities to cope during tough situations. The results may even pertain to psychopathological conditions in which people experience a significantly reduced capacity to endure psychological or physical distress.
"These innate differences might potentially be identified in childhood and be modified by behavioral therapy, medication, or, as suggested here, electrical stimulation," says Dr. Parvizi.
Neuron, Parvizi et al.: "The Will to Persevere Induced by Electrical Stimulation of the Human Anterior Cingulate Cortex."


text:
Lamb For Four Sundays, Four Ways
Get recipes for Pistachio, Mint And Spice Crusted Lamb Chops, Pakistani Lamb Biryani, Pastitsio and Roasted Leg Of Lamb.
It's 9 a.m. on a Sunday, and my bathrobe and hair already reek of garam masala — burnt garam masala, to be exact. Who'd have known that the key to this Indian-Pakistani recipe for lamb biryani would be the French cooking mantra of mise-en-place? Or that the minute it takes for the pile of spices to get "aromatic" in hot oil is not nearly long enough to both measure and photograph them before they turn to ashes?
More important, why am I taking my first stab at this recipe on a Sunday morning, with my coffee growing cold while I scurry around my spice-infused kitchen?
Blame it on the lamb.
One of the members of our weekly "home group," about a dozen people from our church gathering for a meal and Bible study, announced that his Pennsylvania parents raise lamb. Our food-minded group couldn't resist. His parents have the lamb butchered once a year and freeze the meat for sale year-round, nearly giving it away at about $5 a pound.
We put in an order and, a couple of weeks later, my freezer was teeming with the goods. Chops, legs, ribs and the ground variety — it was more than enough inspiration for a month's worth of Sunday meals.
Our group divvies up the cooking labor and is full of adventurous gastronomes. (When one of our members snagged a deer with his new crossbow — we are in Virginia — we gladly worked venison chili onto the menu.)
I hoped the lamb would incorporate each family's culinary background, especially the Kumars'. But despite her husband's Indian descent and her experience with Indian cuisine, Marsha Kumar wanted to make the pastitsio (a Greek noodle casserole layered with bechamel sauce and ground lamb). This left me with the biryani, a complex rice- and spice-based dish that reminded me yet again not to cut hot peppers before I put in my contact lenses.
Christi, who grinds grain to make her own bread each week, raised her hand for the first meal: spice-crusted lamb chops with a tangy yogurt sauce, accompanied by the roast vegetables the rest of us would bring. And I planned to make a simple roast leg of lamb and ribs as the piece de resistance and final meal.
About The Author
Whitney Pipkin is a freelance writer and editor covering food, farms and the environment from Alexandria, Va. Her work has appeared in publications including The Washington Post, Grist.org and Foodshed Magazine. She blogs about recipes, food and farms at thinkabouteat.com. See her recent work at whitneypipkin.com.
After discovering my love of lamb via Greek and Indian restaurants, I was surprised to find out later that some people don't have a taste for it, although everyone in our group does.
The protein that is ubiquitous in Middle Eastern dishes is less common in American cuisine. That is, until Easter, when lamb and ham battle it out for which will be the centerpiece of the holiday meal. There is a seasonal price dip about this time of year, so it's a good time to experiment.
Some people confuse lamb with its less-tender relative, mutton (older sheep), which is even more of an acquired taste. Others don't like the somewhat gamey aroma lamb gives off under fire.
But layer in the right mix of flavors — and a bechamel sauce never hurts — and lamb has a way of absorbing, altering and making a meal out of the spices that go into a dish.
To me, it's the epitome of comfort food as the weather begins to thaw into spring.
Perhaps the best part about our group's lamb-centric meals, besides having a connection to the people who raised the meat, was the way they fostered community as only a true sit-down sort of feast can (even if it's followed by a communal food coma). We collaborated on recipes, complimented one another's handiwork and ate — a lot.
It was a splendid precursor to the spring season, when lamb will get the recognition it deserves on more than a few Easter Sunday tables.
Recipe: Pistachio, Mint And Spice Crusted Lamb Chops
We adapted this recipe from The Sophisticated Gourmet blog and replaced some traditional Middle Eastern spices, like sumac, with easy-to-find ingredients. We used the small lamb chops we were provided and suggest adjusting cooking times to the size of your chops. Assemble and measure all the ingredients, and the rest is simple.
Makes 6 servings
6 lamb chops (about 3/4-inch thick)
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Spice Rub
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Seeds from 3 green cardamom pods, pulverized into a fine powder
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Juice of 1/2 lime (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pistachio And Mint Topping
2/3 cup unshelled pistachios
2/3 cup mint
1/3 cup cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Yogurt-Mint Sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/3 cup mint, finely chopped
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Generously season each lamb chop (both sides) with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the spice rub. Set aside.
In a food processor, chop all of the ingredients for the pistachio and mint topping. Process the mixture until it is coarsely ground, not pureed. Set the mixture aside.
Put all of the yogurt-mint sauce ingredients into a bowl and stir. Keep refrigerated.
Place the chops in a glass baking dish or on a baking sheet (with a lip), and gently massage the lamb chops with the spice rub.
Generously douse with olive oil. Allow the lamb chops to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or large saute pan on medium-high heat.
Once the pan has heated, carefully plop the lamb chops into the hot pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side to brown. Once the chops are the color of roasted chestnuts, remove the pan from the heat and put back on the baking sheet. Layer each lamb chop with the pistachio and mint topping.
Put the pan of lamb chops in the oven for about 5 minutes, until medium-rare or your preferred doneness. If the lamb is medium-rare, it will give when you press the meat with your finger. If it doesn't give, it's well-done. Or you can use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness. If the lamb is medium-rare, it will register 140-150 degrees. If the lamb is medium, it will register 160 degrees. And if it is well-done, the lamb should register 165 degrees and up.
When cooked to your likeness, place the lamb chops in aluminum foil, and allow the meat to rest for 5 to 6 minutes before serving. Serve with yogurt-mint sauce.
Recipe: Pakistani Lamb Biryani
This recipe is adapted from one in a 2010 Saveur magazine. I chose it because I was eager to use my newly acquired green cardamom pods. The key is having the ingredients measured and ready beforehand. If you can get lamb meat already cut off the bone, that also saves time. We served this with a healthful version of Indian halwa, the dessertlike mixture of coconut milk-boiled carrots, raisins, spices and honey.
Makes 6 servings
1 cup canola oil
3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
18 black peppercorns
9 pods green cardamom
3 pods black cardamom
2 2-inch cinnamon sticks
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 tomatoes, cored and minced
5 serrano chilies, stemmed and minced
1 piece of ginger, 1 1/2 inches long, peeled and minced
2 pounds trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
Kosher salt, to taste
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
40 threads saffron, crushed (heaping 1/2 teaspoon)
2 1/2 cups white basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, drained
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 whole cloves
2 dried bay leaves
Rose water or kewra essence (optional)
Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 5-quart skillet or pot over high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Heat remaining oil in a 5-quart pot over high heat. Add garam masala, chili flakes, turmeric, 10 peppercorns, 5 green cardamom pods, 2 black cardamom pods and 1 cinnamon stick. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic, tomatoes, chilies and ginger, and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add lamb, season with salt, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook until lamb is tender, about 1 hour.
Add fried onions, yogurt, 1/2 cup mint and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes more. Set aside.
Put saffron into a bowl, cover with 1/2 cup hot water and set aside.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a 5-quart saucepan. Add remaining peppercorns, green and black cardamom and cinnamon stick, along with the rice, cumin, cloves and bay leaves. Season with salt. Cook rice until al dente, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain rice and set aside.
Transfer half the lamb curry to a 5-quart pot. Top lamb with half the rice. Pour half the saffron mixture onto rice along with a few drops of rose water, and mix into rice with your fingers. Top with remaining lamb curry and remaining rice, drizzle with remaining saffron and mix. Cook, covered, on low heat until rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining mint and cilantro.
Recipe: Pastitsio
The recipe for this Greek noodle casserole is adapted from a 2009 episode of Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa cooking show. We substituted a good ground turkey for the ground beef, since the lamb lends more than enough fatty flavor to the dish.
Makes 8 servings
Tomato Sauce
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound lean ground lamb
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 large cloves)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups whole milk (or lower fat)
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan or Kasseri cheese
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup Greek-style yogurt
3/4 pound small pasta shells
For the sauce, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the beef and lamb and saute over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until no longer pink, crumbling the meat with the back of a wooden spoon.
Drain off any excess liquid, add the wine and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme and cayenne, and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the bechamel, heat the milk and cream together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the butter and flour mixture, whisking constantly. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in 3/4 cup of cheese and 1/2 cup of the tomato and meat sauce, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggs and yogurt and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Don't overcook because the pasta will later be baked. Drain and set aside.
Add the pasta to the meat and tomato sauce, and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spread the bechamel evenly to cover the pasta and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake for 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly. Set aside for 10 minutes and serve hot.
Recipe: Roasted Leg Of Lamb
We adapted our recipe for our piece de resistance from Max and Eli Sussman's This Is a Cookbook: Recipes for Real Life (Olive Press, 2012). Eli Sussman cooks at NYC's Mile End Deli, and his brother Max is chef de cuisine at Roberta's. This recipe was simple and easily executed, though probably not ideal to be cooked at one home and transported to another. Our freezer had only a 2-pound leg of lamb, so I also marinated the lamb ribs (both overnight) with the same mixture and roasted them for a snack.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 bone-in leg of lamb, about 5 pounds
4 large garlic cloves, crushed but left whole
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
Zest of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 orange
Red pepper flakes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Place the lamb in a large roasting pan. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix well. Rub the marinade evenly all over the lamb. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature while the oven is heating. Discard the garlic.
Roast until the surface of the meat is beginning to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb, but away from the bone, registers 135 degrees for medium-rare (30 to 45 minutes longer).
Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside the pan with the drippings (I suggest dipping bread in the drippings).
Carve the lamb, first slicing it from the bone in large pieces, as few as possible. Cut the meat on the diagonal against the grain into slices about 1/2-inch thick. Place a few slices on each plate, drizzle the pan juices over the top. Serve immediately.


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Movies We Like
Inspired by the critical and commercial success of Henri-Georges Clouzot's arthouse shocker, Les Diabolique, Alfred Hitchcock took a break from his big budget Technicolor thrillers to make a little horror film called Psycho. Like the French film, he would shoot on a shoestring budget and in black & white. After the massive success of his previous film, North By Northwest, most of the suits at the studio thought their cash cow was off his rocker. Forgoing most of his big money crew he had worked with for years, he used the team from his anthology TV series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, knowing they could work fast and cheap and would be more open to some of the new radical tricks Hitchcock was hoping to try out. With no one understanding what the master had up his sleeve, in the end, Psycho has proved to be one his biggest hits and one of the most influential films of all time.
Perfectly taut and compact, every line of Pyscho's dialog, every camera movement, and even the casting is all carefully constructed for the scare and suspense payoffs to come. Based on a then little read novel with the same title by Robert Bloch (Strait-Jacket), Hitchcock burned through a couple of screenwriters before Joseph Stefano got the vibe he was looking for. Bloch was inspired by the horrific true-life serial killer Ed Gein (whose ghastly crimes would inspire a number of films from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Motel Hell).
The first half of Psycho follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh, fresh from Orson Welles' Touch Of Evil), stuck in a dead-end job at a Phoenix bank. Seeing her chance to finally settle down with her boy-toy, Sam (the stiff John Gavin), she steals money from her bank. Hitting the open road, on the run, she ends up going to a little motel to spend the night. She meets the proprietor, Norman Bates, a sensitive guy who is stuck under the foot of his overbearing mother. The second half of the film is about Norman, as he is forced to cover up the crimes his mother seems to be committing. As a detective (Martin Balsam) comes to investigate Marion's disappearance and her sister, Lila (Vera Miles), teams up with Sam to look for her, Norman, like Marion, gets deeper and deeper into his trouble.
Every aspect of Psycho was masterly. The impact on film, especially in the horror/ thriller genre, has been massive. From Saul Bass's eerie title design to Bernard Herrmann's totally original, all string, score, all the elements have been influential. (Besides Herrmann's other famous Hitchcock scores, his legendary soundtracks ranged from Citizen Kane to Taxi Driver.) Most of all maybe, George Tomasini's manipulative editing has been copied. Janet Leigh's famous shower scene is still studied and scrutinized by editing classes and filmmakers (along with the editing innovations of the much earlier but still oh so important Birth Of A Nation and The Battleship Potemkin). Carefully cut with dozens of fast clips, audiences (and censors) would swear they saw nudity and the knife penetrating the flesh, when they actually saw neither. The scene is brilliantly constructed so that your mind fills in the gaps for what you don't see. Hell, the fact that water from the spraying shower head never got on the camera lens, alone, was groundbreaking.
The casting was also carefully done to play with audience expectations. After his sensitive turns in films like Friendly Persuasion, Anthony Perkins was a teenybopper pin-up boy (the non-beefcake kind). Norman Bates would make Perkins an icon, unfortunately for an ambitious and talented actor it stuck with him like glue. Though he has always continued to work (in mostly forgettable films) he was never able to shake the role from audiences' consciousness. His sweet on screen nature and naïve stutter helped audiences feel sorry for Norman even after they grasped his true nature. Eventually Perkins gave into audience demands and played the role again, as well as knockoffs of it (Crimes of Passion).
Janet Leigh, the "big star" who surprised audiences with her early exit from the film, was actually only a "B star," more famous for her marriage to Tony Curtis than for her generic performances. Though Leigh proves to be perfect in the role, Marion's exit may have been even more shocking had the role been played by say, Grace Kelly, a true megastar. Speaking of Kelly, Hitchcock was grooming Vera Miles to be his next Grace Kelly; pregnancy forced her to drop out of Vertigo, angering Hitchcock (the role went to Kim Novak instead). As a sort of revenge he gave her the less exciting role of the sister, dressing her in dowdy outfits and downplaying her obvious glamourpuss beauty, but she would shine in the role regardless.
Even at home, as Vera Miles approaches the house looking for Mother Bates, you can hear audiences from 1960 scream out, "Don't go there!" She shrieks as she spots herself in a double mirror (another small piece of brilliant editing). It's not so much the horror and violence in Psycho that's been ripped off; only two people are killed on camera. It's the twisted sexual perversion and identity crisis of the killer, the madman who kills with a kitchen knife (usually young women), at first for pleasure and then to protect a secret. You can still hear the original guitar sound of Chuck Berry in most Rock N' Roll today, and you can definitely feel Psycho in every mad-slasher film that still arrives in theaters. Generations of directors spent years imitating Hitchcock from France (Claude Chabrol, Francois Truffaut) to America (Brian De Palma, Tobe Hooper, William Castle). Both good films (Jaws, Halloween, Mute Witness, the original Cape Fear) and bad films (the Friday The 13th series, etc.) owe a huge debt to Psycho. The bad and mediocre rip-offs may get the shock, but they always miss the abstract subtlety and humor that Psycho had.
In its day Psycho was probably the scariest film ever made, and it still holds up today (though the long psychologist explanation at the end is a yawner and feels dated, it helps set up the final shocking Bates moment). Hitchcock followed up Psycho with another classic "horror" flick, The Birds. He was able to push the limits of violence and gore a little more. Finally by '72, with censors no longer having any influence on content, Hitchcock was able to go all out with the sex, nudity, and violence with his underrated masterpiece Frenzy, it feels like the film Hitchcock always wanted to secretly make. Long after Hitchcock's death Psycho continued to put people to work (including Perkins). There's now been a pointless remake, a prequel, sequels, and a television series. Who knew Hitchcock's little low budget experiment would be so massive and continue to live on so hugely? Deep down Hitchcock probably knew.
Psycho was nominated for four Oscars: Best Supporting Actress (Janet Leigh), Best Director, Best Black & White Cinematography, and Best Black & White Art Direction.


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- Science
- Not Exactly Rocket Science
I've got your missing links right here (28 April 2012)
Top picks
Planetary Resources isn't your average start-up: their plan is to mine asteroids. Top analysis by Phil Plait.
"In March 2012, the sun unleashed its most intense radiation storm since 2003. One rubber chicken saw the whole thing."
Mary Carmichael (great to see her writing about science again) on the demise of the Lynn Margulis lab after the death of its leader. I love how she sums up Margulis' legacy in two concise sentences in para 6.
"The cultural limits on the age of motherhood are far stronger than the biological ones" – Virginia Hughes on ovarian preservation
Fascinating. The Chinese characters for epilepsy are changing to reduce stigma. From Vaughan Bell.
You can now blog from Everest. "And if you can't even escape the incessant hum of humanity on Mount Everest, where can you?"
This is awesome! Using Leeches to Track the World's Rarest Animals. By sequencing 'their' blood
The Invisible Borders That Define American Culture – a fascinating project by Samuel Arbseman
Snowballs that punch through Saturn's rings
Wonderfully caustic critique of the Royal Society's People & Planet report. A most enjoyable fisking.
The superstars of botany are disappearing. Who will replace them? Awesome story by John Whitfield
Not Knowing Is the Key to Science – a great interview with Stuart Firestein
Great Wired piece about A/B testing – I really want to do this for writing styles and structures
We're winning the war against glaciers: a 7-year time lapse video of an Alaskan glacier in retreat
Paper examines media coverage of neuroscience. Any guesses? I think you know the answer
Wow! A cringeworthy new G-spot study came out this week, based on an autopsy of an 80+ year old woman. Read Dr Petra's incisive post, but specifcally, read the conflict of interest bit half-way down
A program that highlights words based on their etymology.
Can national statistics be self-fulfilling? Why saying that we're going into recession can lead to it.
Insightful corrective sci-writing. In the Daily Mail. Meet the cousins (not the ancestors)
Sometimes dumb science turns out to be pretty smart: randy screwworms and other tales
Philip Ball has a solid analysis of the new study showing analytical thinking promotes religious disbelief
Ancient microbes from melting glaciers are spilling into oceans: what will these "bacteria-sicles"? do?
Great piece by Mary Elizabeth Williams on why the end of cancer treatment isn't singing + dancing.
Earth: stumpier and fatter than one might imagine.
In other expected news: no risk of ill-health effects after 15 years of cell phone usage
Body armor for breathing? 'Dermal bone' may have helped early land dwellers overcome inefficient lungs
Who's in the running for the position of UK's Scientist Supreme?
This Camera Doesn't Take Pictures. It Describes Them
"Skepticism isn't something you are. It's something you do." Very much agree with this.
Chinese scientists call on Govt to ban "bear farming" for make-believe medicine
Mystery fossil found, named Godzillus
Erika Check Hayden continues to impress with her reporting on some RNA controversies
Best. Headline. Ever. Eminent chemist denies self-plagiarism in 'space dinosaurs' paper
Researchers have discovered a "neighbourhood watch" element in great tit society
The Institute for Dark Tourism Research. Yes.
Canadian scientists closely monitored during polar conference. Chilling.
Genome Run: Andean Shrub Is First New Plant Species Described by Its DNA
Isn't Insulamon a Pokemon? Beautiful new crab from the Philippines: bright purple, with claws of red
Health blogger could be jailed for giving health advice. This is fascinating given the state of many so-called "nutritionists"
This is not your family tree. This is not evolution
Life-saving match-making: to speed research, advocacy groups match patients with clinical trials
Superior subordinates. Meerkat underdogs (undermeerkats?) come out on top at problem-solving.
Hooray! American Airlines reverse their decision to f*ck over children. Congrats.
Huh. Imitating people has an uncanny valley
Tom Stafford on personal superstitions
139,000 children died of measles in 2010. That's 139,000 lives that could've been saved by vaccine costing a few cents.
Do People Hold a Humanoid Robot Morally Accountable for the Harm It Causes
Take to London's skies in the Pigeon Simulator. For extra realism, simulator gives you foot tumours.
"One of my favorite images is of an Au. afarensis being dragged down by a giant otter" – how humans doomed giant carnivores.
Me and my exoskeleton: New Scientist field tests a Japanese cybernetic suit
Osteoarthritis in Caudipteryx – one dinosaur with arthritis may have hobbled
Death of a log brings life to the deep ocean
Apparently, letting a not-doctor forcefully rearrange your spine can lead to health risks. Who knew?
Electricity aside, we sometimes forget that tasers also feature metal spikes.
Fouchier received export license for his H5N1 study. "Now we can move on."
Narwhals! More on the evolution of their tusk
Thinking in foreign language makes decisions more rational.
The truth about lie detectors – the first of a promising new column series by Vaughan Bell
"Including the scientific theories 'would've undermined the strength of an objective documentary'." – an incredible quote about the one-episode-down US version of Frozen Planet
17 equations that changed the world – and why understanding them is part of modern literacy
Project Noah – Darwin meets Foursquare in mobile platform for crowdsourcing natural science data. Hate the "nature deficit disorder" bollocks but love the idea.
Meet the scientist who feeds his mosquitoes with his own blood, enduring 15,000 bites a year
The only thing that can stop this asteroid is your liberal arts degree
Dr Hedgehog gets angry
Absolutely stunning time-lapse video of Iceland wins "Why do you explore?" competition
Klouchebag, a parody of Klout that is both more accurate and entertaining.
Sh*tter: creates toilet paper from your Twitter feed
Pure Krulwich: the joy of words that look the same upside-down
Faith in humanity rising. German garbage men convert dumpsters into pinhole cameras
Beautiful. "Lava coils" seen on Mars
Stewart on Murdoch: "This scandal goes all the way to the bottom."
A wonderful thing: when his wife was diagnosed with cancer, Searle did this
When you think about it, Commander Shepard (from the Mass Effect games) is a massive creep
Facts died Wednesday, April 18, after a long battle for relevancy with the 24-hour news cycle, blogs and the Internet
A Wall of Shattered Glass Floods a Benedictine Monastery
"Skynet becomes *too* self-aware"
Silicon Valley's sexist culture: "'Brogrammer' isn't an exclusionary term," said one male programmer. "The female equivalent is called a 'hogrammer'"
Vogue is trying hard to erase its profile of Syria's first lady from the web
That legendary long piece about Frank Sinatra and his cold gets dissected in the latest "Why's this so good?"
The Oatmeal's State of the Internet 2012 – a spot-on skewering
Tracking Food Trash From a Restaurant to a Landfill:
David Foster Wallace defines true heroism
Curators are the new superheroes of the net (helps if you say it like Cura-Tor)
"Science Writing in the Age of Denial" – a great conference by the sounds of it. Open Notebook collects the coverage.
"Your logical fallacy is…" – cool site, with good explanations.
396 years ago, the world lost Shakespeare. Here's a book about some surprising things he left behind.
"Like building a zoo in the jungle" – an $800-million ancient Rome theme park planned… in Rome
Jay Rosen identifies four types of scoops – I love the thought scoop
Closing The Pigeon Gap: when pigeons formed a vital part of a country's military capability. Fascinating long read.
Moral: supporting good cause doesn't justify being a prick. A thoughtful piece on "twitterbombing"
The Huffington Post, having aggregated everyone else, decides to aggregate itself
The Utah state falconry exam is no joke


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Gamma-ray Bursts: The Mystery Continues
October 16, 2008: People of the 'Deep South' love a good story and they're about to get a doozy. It begins next week when researchers from 25 countries converge on Huntsville, Alabama, to share the latest findings on the biggest explosions since the Big Bang itself. The 6th Huntsville Gamma-ray Burst Symposium 2008 convenes Oct. 20th and the talking won't stop for four straight days.
One speaker after another will take the audience on a wild ride from the edge of the observable Universe, where gamma-ray bursts so often occur, to our own back yard in the Milky Way galaxy, where a few supermassive stars may be ticking bombs ready to produce bursts too close for comfort. The underlying causes of gamma-ray bursts, their "twitching corpses," and the oddball galaxies that so often host the explosions--those are just a few of the topics on the agenda.
Right: A gamma-ray burst heralds the birth of a black hole--an artist's concept. [more]
Gamma-ray bursts were discovered in the 1960s during the Cold War. US satellites keeping an eye out for Soviet nuclear testing detected intense bursts of gamma radiation. The bursts weren't coming from the Soviet Union, however, but from space.
Immediately, astronomers had a century-class mystery on their hands. The explosions seemed to pack more energy than a supernova, and they were totally unpredictable, coming from any and all parts of the sky at random and unexpected times. Furthermore, they were brief, some lasting just a split-second. By the time observers swung their telescopes in the direction of a blast--it was gone! One Sunday morning comic of the 1990s showed a dizzy astronomer grasping his telescope for support while a gamma-ray burst went off overhead.
It was a humorous time. While many researchers were convinced gamma-ray bursts came from deep space, millions to billions of light years away, others contended that the explosions were happening right here in the Solar System. And no one could prove them wrong! Experts were free to entertain the wildest theories their imaginations could concoct.
Astronomers needed more data. The first wave came from an instrument named "BATSE" onboard NASA's Compton Gamma-ray Observatory. In the mid-1990s BATSE recorded thousands of bursts and mapped their distribution on the sky. The explosions were not confined to the plane of the Solar System; neither were they bounded by the plane of the Milky Way galaxy. Whatever they were, gamma-ray bursts were not local.
Above: The Compton Gamma-ray Observatory and its BATSE sensors proved that gamma-ray bursts were far outside the Solar System. [more]
Meanwhile, NASA and other space agencies were working on a new generation of satellites able to pinpoint the first flash of gamma-rays and transmit coordinates to Earth quickly enough for follow-up observations with ground-based telescopes. This would, astronomers hoped, reveal what kind of galaxies hosted the ferocious explosions (if indeed, the explosions occurred within galaxies) and how far away they were located.
On Feb. 28, 1997, BeppoSAX made a breakthrough. The Dutch-Italian satellite pinpointed a burst and directed astronomers to it in time for them to photograph an optical afterglow. Hubble was brought to bear on the fading explosion and, lo and behold, there was a faint galaxy … far, far away.
Next came NASA's Swift spacecraft, which could not only pinpoint gamma-ray bursts and transmit their coordinates within seconds, but also train its own X-ray, UV and optical detectors on the blasts. Swift was a one-satellite armada of space telescopes! Launched in 2004, Swift has detected hundreds of bursts, monitored their glowing debris at multiple wavelengths, and measured their distances (the current record-holder: 12.8 billion light years, near the edge of the observable Universe). These were the kind of data everyone had been waiting for.
Right: An example of a long gamma-ray burst.
The long ones are widely thought to be "supernovas on steroids," cataclysmic explosions signaling the end of stars 50 to 100 times more massive than the sun. When such a behemoth star explodes, it leaves behind a black hole and beams the news across the cosmos on a wave of gamma rays. The underlying physics was first put forth and developed by University of California physicist Dr. Stan Woosley, and his "collapsar model" is now regarded as the leading explanation for long gamma-ray bursts.
The short ones are more puzzling. They're on-and-off too quickly to be supernovas, and the energies involved don't add up to an exploding star. Many researchers believe they are caused instead by collisions between ultra-dense neutron stars or, maybe, neutron stars colliding with black holes. In either case, the end result is another black hole. The jury is still out, however, and debates at the Symposium are sure to be lively.
NASA's newest observatory, the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, launched in 2008, is on a mission to answer that question and others like it. Breaking results may be revealed at the Symposium.
Stay tuned to Science@NASA Oct. 20-23 for daily coverage.
The Sixth Huntsville Gamma-Ray Burst Symposium 2008 is sponsored by NASA's Fermi and Swift Projects and hosted by the Fermi GBM Team based at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.
Authors: Dr. Tony Phillips, Dauna Coulter | Credit: Science@NASA
|more information
6th Huntsville Gamma-ray Burst Symposium 2008 -- home page
NASA's Future: US Space Exploration Policy


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Jason Scott Charlie Chaplin Chest / Carved
This gorgeous handcrafted piece is ideal for any setting.
*2 Drawer / 2 Door
48" x 22" x 39"
Jason Scott carries on to create with his team of over two-hundred craftsmen to design beautiful, quality heirloom pieces of furniture, and with three factory warehouses throughout Java, Indonesia, his business continues to meet the needs of his clientele in the United States. Jason Scott uses teak wood which is considered to be the highest quality wood world wide. These exquisite handcrafted works are perfect for any type of setting. Customization available.
*White Glove/Blanket Wrapped Delivery Available.