Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/307315054?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The digital design imperative | Feature | Computer Arts magazine
Opinions matter. And mine has always been that if bad typography and Photoshop work don?t make your blood boil then you shouldn?t be a designer. If you can sit on the train opposite an ad featuring poorly kerned letters or view a Frankenstein?s monster comp of a ?lead character when young? movie prop photo and not twitch, you are creatively dead inside.
Slink away now if you?re unmoved by either example, or hang around and get motivated. The role of designer has changed beyond all recognition since I left college (it?s moved fast; I?m not that old). So what is graphic design? Well, before ?digital? it used to be relatively easy to define: branding, brochures, editorial layouts, posters, flyers and packaging, for starters.
That list still exists, but many brochures are now interactive, from PDFs to eBooks with websites that either replicate or deliver the same content. Great editorial layouts are still essential for tablet-based magazines and eBooks because the eye is arrested by the skilful juxtaposition of stunning images and intelligent typography. Posters, meanwhile, work on various levels, from the 48-sheet variety now on many digital Jumbotrons to our ever-increasing desktop screen sizes offering the scale previously reserved for printed posters. And flyers, unless they come from a local pizza delivery business, are now emails, Facebook posts or Tweets. We haven?t lost packaging from our high streets yet, but the online marketplace offers increasing numbers of virtually packaged downloads.
So, who gives a crap? Things change. Technology advances and forces us to move with it. It?s a take that can lead to the kind of sloppy Photoshop, branding and layouts that make me want to punch inanimate objects (or designers). It?s an attitude cultivated by creatives who don?t live and breathe design, as well as clients who believe our computers do all the work.
So snap out of it. And appreciate the incredible opportunities to not only design great visual experiences, but also to bring them to life as incredible user experiences. The graphic design label has been well and truly scrapped ? welcome to the wonderful new world of design, where the brief to create postage stamps becomes the task to build instantly recognisable icons or miniaturised album covers and book jackets, where the fight to be seen and remembered provides the ultimate pixel-pushing challenge. Wearable technology and smart TVs will provide your next playgrounds, so start thinking about future opportunities to make a design difference.
Knock down the mental barriers and apply great design thinking to everything you do. Don?t assign different standards to different work or clients ? we live in a world in which a local butcher can have as much global visibility as Wal-Mart. The world?s eyes are on your kerning, your cut-outs and your colour palette.
?
Discover 10 amazing examples of experimental design at our sister site, Creative Bloq.
Source: http://www.computerarts.co.uk/features/digital-design-imperative
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Water may reshape energy industry
Demand for fresh water could exceed supply by an estimated 40 percent by 2030, pushing up prices for the water-intensive energy industry. Soaring water prices would help wind, solar, and natural gas, but hurt coal and nuclear plants.
A worker helps monitor water pumping pressure and temperature, at the site of a natural gas hydraulic fracturing and extraction operation run by Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc., outside Rifle, in western Colorado. A doubling of water prices wouldn't hurt energy operations, but soaring prices would.
Brennan Linsley/AP/File
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Energy: The industry uses 23 percent of fresh water globally and 40 percent in the US.
Environment:?Higher water prices would be one way to ration increasingly precious fresh water, where demand is outstripping supply.
Energy Trends Reportidentifies and analyzes risks and opportunities, offering subscribers an inside track to sectors and companies affected by developments in the energy industry. For a free subscription,?click here.
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There is a broad and growing consensus that freshwater is undervalued. It is a limited, but vital, commodity without a price. In nearly every region the price of water is the cost of water access rights, treatment costs, and transportation costs. There is no price or market for the water itself.
That will begin to change. Prolonged drought and overuse have depleted freshwater reserves at the same time that demand is rising rapidly. The resulting imbalance has some projections of demand for freshwater exceeding supply by?as much as 40% by 2030?. Increasingly, water starved regions have begun to look to ways to both reduce overall use and to prioritize different types of use. While there are a number of policy approaches, one that seems to have wide support is the idea of regional exchanges where water could be priced (with adjustments for preferred uses) and sold.
The implications for the energy industry are significant. Fuel extraction is water intensive, especially for mining and fracking extraction - for fracked natural gas, about a gallon of water is required to extract one mmbtu. Electric generation from fossil fuels also requires large amounts of water. The average kWh produced from coal-fired electric generation uses a gallon of water, and while natural gas averages less water use, nuclear uses significantly more.
Initially, reduction in use will focus on eliminating waste and high-use-low-value activities (like watering a lawn), but as the limitations become more acute some uses will simply cease to be provided for, or the cost of use will increase, forcing a rebalancing of the ways water gets used.
Monday, May 20, 2013
5 Ways to Best Promote Your Blog | Best Web Hosting Reviews-Top ...
Consider the appearance of your blog
You want your blog to appear well to the eyes of your readers, and you want them to be satisfied from their experience as a user. This includes many aspects, from the choice of blogging platform, to the font, colors and navigational layout. WordPress, Joomla, Blogger and Drupal are some of the most preferred platforms by bloggers, and they also allow users to build their own blog sites. WordPress is currently the most popular, but they all feature some dynamic functionalities, ecommerce features, social networking and different modules and plugins.
Also consider the navigation on your blog ? is it easy enough for your readers to find what they want? Organize your links and blocks, make your recent posts and most read articles more accessible, and test to find the best positions for your ads to increase the click through rates. When you share and promote your content and new visitors come to your blog, you want them to be satisfied with what they see and how everything appears, so they?ll feel comfortable to come check it again. The Internet users today have higher expectations, so it?s better to be prepared ahead.
Make sure your blog and content are search engine optimized
To be able to drive more traffic to your blog content you should also aim to rank higher in the results of the popular search engines. This means making sure that the articles and your whole website is well optimized for the search engines to be able to ?read? it and recommend you links as relevant when their users search the web.
Google is the main search engine in the world and its latest algorithm updates have significantly changed the way blogs and websites appear in their result pages. Relevant content for your targeted niche that is interesting, useful and brings value to your readers is one of the best ways to ensure optimization. If the visitors on your blog find your posts helpful, think you are interesting and share those links with their friends and networks, if they like reading more and coming back again to check out for new things, they will also get you higher in the ranking positions when others search for your queries. Make sure to publish new content on regular daily or weekly basis. You can also submit your blog to ping sites like Ping-O-Matic to remind the search engines to index your pages as you publish new content.
Higher page rank is also determined by the number of back links to your blog; higher link presence on the web increases your website relevance. But we are talking here of quality back links ? link building as we knew before does not apply anymore. You should now look for more meaningful and deeper relationships with the relevant authorities in your industry and use these connections to create quality links to your blog. By submitting articles or writing guest posts for other blogs and websites, through social networking and press releases, you?ll be able to increase your backlinks, promote your blog and get greater exposure for your content.
Promote your blog on social and blogging websites, forums and niche-related online community
Also get involved in your niche online community to help build your brand as a blogger and get recognized by the audience as an expert whose knowledge and experience can be trusted. Register to forums and make a list of authoritative bloggers in your industry whose blogs you?ll regularly visit to read their content and make contributions commenting about your experiences, answering questions users have asked and being as helpful as you can to provide extra value to the posts and the readers. Being active member of the community can help your blog promotion a lot.
Be creative with your email marketing, and don?t spam your readers
Email marketing is an important promotional activity, but also one that you should be very careful with. You can?t bomb your readers with emails when they haven?t given you a permission to do so, and spammy mail can even cost you your regular visitors. Use tools like FeedBurner to create a pitch block on your site where users can leave their emails if they want to receive your messages and newsletters. Create attractive and interesting e-newsletter with a creative layout and quality readings and provide links directing to the content. You can also add games, rewards, promotions and other calls to action to interest your readers in visiting your blog.
Gain exposure through guest blogging
Guest blogging on various authority industry-related websites will get you more quality online presence and will improve your image as a blogger, helping you promote yourself and reach out to the communities built around these blogs. Writing guest posts isn?t the same as writing your own content, but it has many SEO and social media benefits attached to it, particularly if you are not only writing for others but also inviting them to publish guest posts on your blog too.
These are just few of the things you can do to gain maximum exposure for your blog. Keep up with the new ideas and methods evolving each day as the internet marketing keeps developing further.
Author?s bio: Alice McLean is a writer at bestdissertation.com with background in history, sociology and internet marketing. Now she is writing her first book on internet marketing.
Source: http://www.thegrizasonline.com/5-ways-to-best-promote-your-blog
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Type A Machines previews aluminum-framed Series 1 Pro 3D printer
If you've navigated through the endless sea of 3D printers at this weekend's Maker Faire, you may well have caught a glimpse of the Series 1 Pro, the latest offering from San Francisco-based Type A Machines. The printer, which is still in the "engineering concept" phase," trades its predecessor's wood frame for a more solid aluminum version. The WiFi-compatible device has a build volume of around 18 liters, according to the company, and will be available in the third quarter of this year. That's the printer up top, pictured alongside Mark II, a little robot printed on the original Series One. Down below, you'll find a short press release.
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/CN3B6sIqj7w/
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Sunday, May 19, 2013
Research examines new methods for managing digestive health
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Public release date: 18-May-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Aimee Frank
newsroom@gastro.org
407-685-4030
Digestive Disease Week
Studies presented at DDW 2013 highlight benefits of vitamin D, diet changes, acupuncture
Orlando, FL (May 18, 2013) Research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) explores new methods for managing digestive health through diet and lifestyle.
Individuals suffering from Crohn's disease are often plagued by reduced muscle strength, fatigue and poor quality of life. These symptoms can remain even when patients are in remission. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study found for the first time that vitamin D supplementation corresponded to significant relief of these symptoms.
"Our findings may have significant implications for these patients," said Tara Raftery, research dietician and PhD candidate at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. "These findings, to our knowledge, are the first to suggest potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation on muscle strength with corresponding benefits for fatigue and quality of life in Crohn's disease. These findings, however, need to be confirmed in larger studies."
The study found that after three months of taking 2000 IU of vitamin D per day, patients' muscle strength, measured by hand-grip, was significantly higher in both dominant and non-dominant hands compared to those taking placebo. Patients also reported significantly less general, physical and mental fatigue and a higher quality of life when levels of vitamin D were 75 nano mole per liter or more.
Diet swap provides clue to level of colorectal cancer risk
Building on growing knowledge about the human microbiome, research from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; University of Pittsburgh, PA; Wageningen University, the Netherlands; and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, features new data on microbiota and colorectal cancer risk. Researchers found a dramatic and rapid shift in gut microbiota after switching the diet in healthy subjects from a traditional Western diet to a Zulu African diet and vice-versa. Funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the study's results show changes in gut microbiota that might explain levels of colorectal cancer risk.
"African Americans have the highest colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates of all racial groups in the U.S. The reasons for this are not yet understood," said Franck Carbonero, postdoctoral research associate at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Our findings offer insight into this disparity and pave the way for new research."
During the study, researchers fed 20 Zulu Africans 600 grams of meat per day for two weeks and fed 20 African Americans in Pittsburgh a traditional Zulu diet comprised primarily of a corn-based porridge called putu. Comparing stool samples before and after the diet exchange in each case, researchers found dramatic changes in colonic microbiota.
"Our results show that the human colonic microbiota is shaped by diet in a very dynamic manner," said Rex Gaskins, PhD, professor of Immunobiology at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Not only that, we observed alterations in the balance of beneficial and detrimental microbial groups, which may explain, in part, the increase in colorectal cancer risk that is conferred by a Western diet."
New needleless acupuncture therapy decreases symptoms of indigestion
A study from Texas Tech University, El Paso, and the University of Mississippi, Oxford, holds promising results for diabetic patients suffering from indigestion symptoms like nausea, vomiting, bloating and heartburn. The study tested a new method of therapy using a custom-made wireless device to stimulate acupuncture points with electrical waves on the surface of the skin rather than needles.
"Treatment options for this patient group are severely limited," said Richard McCallum, MD, professor and founding chair of the division of gastroenterology, department of medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. "This is a novel approach to symptom relief that overcomes the shortcomings of other therapies."
Because of the limited pharmacological treatment options available, many patients build up a tolerance to prescribed medicine. Additionally, traditional acupuncture requires patients to make repeat appointments and a fear of needles may make it undesirable for many patients. The wireless, needleless device tested in the study was designed by Jiande Chen, PhD, professor at the University of Texas' Medical Branch at Galveston, and allows clinicians to tailor the frequency and amplitude of the electrical waves used to stimulate acupuncture points.
Funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, patients were instructed to spend 240 minutes each day using the device on designated spots on the body. They kept a detailed diary tracking specific gastroparesis symptoms and the number of heartburn episodes per day.
Dr. McCallum worked with fellow Texas Tech professor Irene Sarosiek, MD, senior author of this project, to analyze results of a four-week period of use of the device. Compared to the placebo group, the device significantly improved five out of nine gastroparesis symptoms vomiting was reduced by 39 percent, nausea by 30 percent and bloating by 21 percent. The number of heartburn episodes decreased significantly when patients utilized active stimulation.
"These exciting initial results have great potential for patients," Dr. McCallum said. "With the customizable features of the device, we can explore fine-tuning the therapy to directly target specific symptoms."
###
Ms. Raftery will present data from the study "Vitamin D supplementation improves muscle strength, fatigue and quality of life in patients with Crohn's disease in remission," abstract Sa1198, on Saturday, May 18, at 8 a.m. in West Hall 1A of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Carbonero will present data from the study "Short-term reciprocal diet exchanges impact colonic fermentation and hydrogenotrophic microbiota for native Africans consuming a typical Western diet and African Americans consuming a traditional African diet" abstract Sa1965, on Saturday, May 18, at 8 a.m. in West Hall 1A of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. McCallum will present data from the study "Self-Administered Needleless Acupuncture Therapy to Control Dyspepsia and GERD Symptoms in Patients Diagnosed with Diabetic Gastroparesis," abstract 749, on Monday, May 20, at 3 p.m. in room 102AB of the Orange County Convention Center.
Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18 to 21, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at http://www.ddw.org.
Follow us on Twitter @DDWMeeting; hashtag #DDW13. Become a fan of DDW on Facebook.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 18-May-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Aimee Frank
newsroom@gastro.org
407-685-4030
Digestive Disease Week
Studies presented at DDW 2013 highlight benefits of vitamin D, diet changes, acupuncture
Orlando, FL (May 18, 2013) Research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) explores new methods for managing digestive health through diet and lifestyle.
Individuals suffering from Crohn's disease are often plagued by reduced muscle strength, fatigue and poor quality of life. These symptoms can remain even when patients are in remission. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study found for the first time that vitamin D supplementation corresponded to significant relief of these symptoms.
"Our findings may have significant implications for these patients," said Tara Raftery, research dietician and PhD candidate at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. "These findings, to our knowledge, are the first to suggest potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation on muscle strength with corresponding benefits for fatigue and quality of life in Crohn's disease. These findings, however, need to be confirmed in larger studies."
The study found that after three months of taking 2000 IU of vitamin D per day, patients' muscle strength, measured by hand-grip, was significantly higher in both dominant and non-dominant hands compared to those taking placebo. Patients also reported significantly less general, physical and mental fatigue and a higher quality of life when levels of vitamin D were 75 nano mole per liter or more.
Diet swap provides clue to level of colorectal cancer risk
Building on growing knowledge about the human microbiome, research from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; University of Pittsburgh, PA; Wageningen University, the Netherlands; and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, features new data on microbiota and colorectal cancer risk. Researchers found a dramatic and rapid shift in gut microbiota after switching the diet in healthy subjects from a traditional Western diet to a Zulu African diet and vice-versa. Funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the study's results show changes in gut microbiota that might explain levels of colorectal cancer risk.
"African Americans have the highest colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates of all racial groups in the U.S. The reasons for this are not yet understood," said Franck Carbonero, postdoctoral research associate at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Our findings offer insight into this disparity and pave the way for new research."
During the study, researchers fed 20 Zulu Africans 600 grams of meat per day for two weeks and fed 20 African Americans in Pittsburgh a traditional Zulu diet comprised primarily of a corn-based porridge called putu. Comparing stool samples before and after the diet exchange in each case, researchers found dramatic changes in colonic microbiota.
"Our results show that the human colonic microbiota is shaped by diet in a very dynamic manner," said Rex Gaskins, PhD, professor of Immunobiology at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Not only that, we observed alterations in the balance of beneficial and detrimental microbial groups, which may explain, in part, the increase in colorectal cancer risk that is conferred by a Western diet."
New needleless acupuncture therapy decreases symptoms of indigestion
A study from Texas Tech University, El Paso, and the University of Mississippi, Oxford, holds promising results for diabetic patients suffering from indigestion symptoms like nausea, vomiting, bloating and heartburn. The study tested a new method of therapy using a custom-made wireless device to stimulate acupuncture points with electrical waves on the surface of the skin rather than needles.
"Treatment options for this patient group are severely limited," said Richard McCallum, MD, professor and founding chair of the division of gastroenterology, department of medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. "This is a novel approach to symptom relief that overcomes the shortcomings of other therapies."
Because of the limited pharmacological treatment options available, many patients build up a tolerance to prescribed medicine. Additionally, traditional acupuncture requires patients to make repeat appointments and a fear of needles may make it undesirable for many patients. The wireless, needleless device tested in the study was designed by Jiande Chen, PhD, professor at the University of Texas' Medical Branch at Galveston, and allows clinicians to tailor the frequency and amplitude of the electrical waves used to stimulate acupuncture points.
Funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, patients were instructed to spend 240 minutes each day using the device on designated spots on the body. They kept a detailed diary tracking specific gastroparesis symptoms and the number of heartburn episodes per day.
Dr. McCallum worked with fellow Texas Tech professor Irene Sarosiek, MD, senior author of this project, to analyze results of a four-week period of use of the device. Compared to the placebo group, the device significantly improved five out of nine gastroparesis symptoms vomiting was reduced by 39 percent, nausea by 30 percent and bloating by 21 percent. The number of heartburn episodes decreased significantly when patients utilized active stimulation.
"These exciting initial results have great potential for patients," Dr. McCallum said. "With the customizable features of the device, we can explore fine-tuning the therapy to directly target specific symptoms."
###
Ms. Raftery will present data from the study "Vitamin D supplementation improves muscle strength, fatigue and quality of life in patients with Crohn's disease in remission," abstract Sa1198, on Saturday, May 18, at 8 a.m. in West Hall 1A of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Carbonero will present data from the study "Short-term reciprocal diet exchanges impact colonic fermentation and hydrogenotrophic microbiota for native Africans consuming a typical Western diet and African Americans consuming a traditional African diet" abstract Sa1965, on Saturday, May 18, at 8 a.m. in West Hall 1A of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. McCallum will present data from the study "Self-Administered Needleless Acupuncture Therapy to Control Dyspepsia and GERD Symptoms in Patients Diagnosed with Diabetic Gastroparesis," abstract 749, on Monday, May 20, at 3 p.m. in room 102AB of the Orange County Convention Center.
Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18 to 21, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at http://www.ddw.org.
Follow us on Twitter @DDWMeeting; hashtag #DDW13. Become a fan of DDW on Facebook.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/ddw-ren051613.php
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Moon hit by boulder-size meteoroid, causing 'explosion' visible from earth (+video)
If you had been looking up at the moon at the right moment on March 17, you could have seen a one-second burst of heat caused by the impact of a large meteoroid.
Hundreds of meteoroid impacts on the moon, detected by NASA's lunar monitoring program, are pictured in this undated NASA handout photo. The brightest, detected on March 17, 2013, in Mare Imbrium, is marked by the red square.
NASA/Handout/REUTERS
EnlargeIf you had been looking up at the moon at the right moment on March 17, you could have seen an unusual flash of light ? a one-second burst of heat caused by the impact of a large meteoroid.
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NASA researchers who monitor the Moon for meteoroid impacts have detected the brightest explosion in the history of their program.No telescope required.
?For about one second, the impact site was glowing like a 4th magnitude star,? NASA said in reporting the news Friday.
This meteoroid was the size of a small boulder, and was travelling very fast. NASA estimates the size at 0.3 to 0.4 meters wide, and the speed at 56,000 m.p.h.?
The resulting explosion? delivered a force equal to 5 tons of TNT.
NASA puts a footnote on the word ?explosion.? The bright light wasn?t combustion, since the moon has no oxygen atmosphere. Rather, it was the glow of molten rock and hot vapors after an impact of large kinetic force.
That said, this was the biggest such ?explosion? in eight years of close monitoring of the moon?s surface.
And it?s not that meteoroids on the lunar surface are rare.
The moon lacks a protective atmosphere like Earth?s, in which meteoroids typically burn up. Lunar meteor showers have turned out to be more common than expected, with hundreds of detectable impacts per year.
On March 17, the pyrotechnics on the moon coincided with an active night for meteors in Earth?s atmosphere as well.
NASA?s Space Exploration Policy eventually calls for extended astronaut stays on the moon, so tracking meteor activity has long-term relevance.
?Identifying the sources of lunar meteors and measuring their impact rates gives future lunar explorers an idea of what to expect,? the space agency said in announcing the bright explosion Friday. ?Is it safe to go on a moonwalk, or not?? The middle of March might be a good time to stay inside.??
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Virgo May 20th through 26th | Jessica Adams
At some point in the last five years, you realised that all the old rules had changed in terms of your pregnancies, terminations or children. This also applies strongly to your godchildren, if you have them, and your young relatives. Finally, since 2008, when Pluto changed signs, there have been deep questions about the balance of power in relationships which might end in pregnancy, adoption, step-parenting ? or the acquisition of younger family members, via your partner?s own relatives. Some Virgo people have been pursuing their karma with the next generation by making professional or charity commitments to those born 20 years or more after them ? but in all cases, the message has been the same. You will never be empowered, unless you ?do? the issues surrounding the next generation, or relationships which could bring it closer to you. What happens at the Uranus-Pluto clash near Tuesday 21st May is a case in point. Something or someone has dominated, for far too long. There will be a moment of truth when everything alters, and at that moment, you must negotiate your fair share of the controls. This process is arduous, but completely worthwhile. The person, organisation or situation which unfairly loomed large, will shrink. This reshapes everything, in terms of the amount of available power, and you must plunge in and make the necessary compromise, to take your share. The eclipse on Saturday may be part of the story, because it falls in your house of family, property and domestic life. It also impacts your professional, charity or academic existence. Whether these issues are all connected, or separate and parallel, to say that late May is a time of decisions is the understatement of the month! The final comment on your horoscope this week? You cannot put a price tag on freedom. No amount of dollars, pounds or euros will pay for independence. Despite the fact that you must be awfully tired with your world turning upside-down every so often, you should also embrace the fact that every single time it has happened, the revolution has set you free.
For a precise prediction, blend your Sun Sign horoscope (above) with your Rising Sign too. If you don?t know it, enter your time, place and date of birth at?Astrodienst?and look for the sign in the 9pm position on the ?clock? of the horoscope wheel. By combining both signs in one reading you will end up with a personalised prediction that only 1 in 144 other people could have. A fingerprint forecast. If you would like a lifetime horoscope, there is a waiting list, but I still have a few places available. Register your interest at [email?protected] Thank you.
Source: http://www.jessicaadams.com/2013/05/18/virgo-may-20th-through-26th/
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Drinks-On With the World's Biggest, Baddest Bartending Robot
At the Google I/O after party the other night, there was one bartender in particular that stood out. It wasn't the drink he made, or the friendly chatter. It was more than he weighed several tons and could break you with the flick of the wrist. Meet the Makr Shakr.
It's Friday afternoon, you've made it through the long week, and it's time for Happy Hour, Gizmodo's weekly booze column. A cocktail shaker full of innovation, science, and alcohol. Do Androids dream of the perfect Manhattan?
Makr Shakr was designed MIT Senseable City Lab and produced and implemented by Carlo Ratti Associati in Italy, where it was built. Incredibly, this massive project went from concept to full implementation in roughly three months. The full rig weighs between five and six metric tons and made the voyage across the sea in a rather densely packed shipping container. It is simply the most advanced robot bartender we've ever seen.
Users download an app (at I/O they had a tablet with a scaled-back version of the app pre-loaded) and log in. From there, they can either take a drink template that already exists, or they can start from scratch. Makr Shakr partnered with Bacardi and Coca-cola, so there are roughly two dozen spirits and liqueurs, and over a hundred non-alcoholic mixers to choose from. You pick your ingredients and the quantity of each that you want in it. You an also add solid ingredients such as a salt and pepper mix, granulated sugar, lemon slices, or even mint leaves. Your total drink will be 200ml (roughly 6.8 fluid ounces), when all is said and done.
Then you choose how the drink should be prepared, name the drink, and submit it. Then the magic starts.
How It Works
Once you submit your drink order, that information is sent to a web server, which sends it back down to a local server on the Makr Shakr. That information is then split into two parts. One is the visualization system, which, along with the app, was made with partners from Pentegram and super ?ber. On the large screen behind the robotic arms you can see exactly what's going into your drink when and what's being done to it. You can also see how many people are ahead of you and what the wait will be like. The other half of the data goes into the robotics systems.
The first thing that catches your eye are the three robotic arms. These are Kuka KR 16 robots, a pretty iconic symbol of the industrial revolution. You typically see these puppies in paint factories. They can lift 16 kilograms, they are unnervingly quick and incredibly precise (accuracy down to 1/10th of a millimeter). The two robots on the outside have cocktail shakers for hands (with lids that can close), while the one in the middle has a hand that holds and delivers the cups.
Behind the arms are a large network of taps, each of which are automated. Each spirit is housed in its own nitrogen-pressurized tank. Once the shaker is placed under the tab, an actuator opens the valve, and a pre-determined amount is dispensed. The Coca-Cola products are distributed in basically the same way. Ice, and other dry ingredients all drop in as they should. Behind the screen are two blades which hold and cut lemons into uniformly thick slices, and then drop it into your drink. It's incredibly sophisticated. There is also an immersion blender and muddler, for making drinks like pi?a coladas or mojitos.
Once all of the ingredients are in, the robot closes the lid on the shaker and either shakes it vigorously (and with a pretty good approximation of a human arm movement), or swirls it gently to give it a stirred effect. They then pour the drink into the cup the middle robot is holding. That robot adds garnish as necessary, and then places the finished drink onto one of five conveyor belts, which delivers the drink to the awaiting imbiber. The shaker is then rinsed off with a blast of water, and the process begins again.
There are some interesting things the software could do, too. "We want to make sure people use the Makr Shakr to drink responsibly," says Alessandro Incisa, Project Manager from Carlo Ratti Associati, who managed implementation. "It keeps track of the alcohol by volume of each drink it serves you. It could limited the number of alcoholic drinks each person has in a night." But because it's keeping track of percentages, it would be a dynamic number. For example you might be allowed 5 drinks that were 12 percent ABV over a given period of time, but only two drinks that were 40 percent. If people punched in some vital statistics, the Makr Shakr could even estimate your blood-alcohol content (BAC).
At Google there was a limited subset of features, just because I/O was such a huge event and they wanted everyone to get a taste. In its full implementation you can filter by elements of the drink. This not only helps you discover a drink you might like, but it gives you a genealogy of that drink's creation. So say, you're looking for a drink with whiskey, and you discover my drink. You can see not only how mine was made, but you can see the previous interations of it and read my notes, ?I liked it, but I think I made it a little too sweet.? You can adjust it to further refine it. When you do, I'll get a notifications that the drink I've been working on has had another iteration. Maybe I want to try it. I go to the back and further refine it. Even if we never actually meet at the bar, and we don't know each others' names, we've created something together. It's about a participatory, decomrotized design.
Why It Matters
The Makr Shakr is not, as one might suspect, trying to replace bartenders. The drinks I sampled were, in general, decent. Or as decent as the person that created them envisioned them. But bartending is more art than science, and crafting flavors is still best done with a human touch. The MIT guys know that, and they don't want to change that. They aren't trying to make a better drink. Instead, the Makr Shakr is meant as an example?a microcosm, really?of some of the principals of the Third Industrial Revolution.
Industrial technology has progressed to incredible places, obviously, but according to Yaniv Jacob Turgeman, the project leader from the MIT side, we've been somewhat alienated from it. With Makr Shakr, they are using these incredible robotics?symbols of the industrial revolution, but they are made accessible. "Part of the idea is that anyone can control this powerful technology with something in their pocket," said Turgeman.
Carlo Ratti, the father of Makr Shakr who runs the MIT Senseable Lab, agreed. This is intended to be an example of the new way things are designed, made, and then enjoyed. They chose drinks because within just a few minutes, people can go through the whole cycle. It's a fast and clean example, but of course that's just a small example. "
?It could be designing a sandwich," said Ratti in our phone interview. "Or it could be designing a city or desiging a building." He thinks that's a day we will see in our lifetimes. Something like a public square would be especially ripe for this philosophy, since so many people use it, it would make sense that more people could design together. That's exemplified in the Makr Shakr, too. Part of it is about social creation and consumption.
It means more to us when we participate in the creative process. It makes our drink (or house, or public square) not just more personalized to our tastes, but it there's a sense that it belongs to us, because it's something that we created. When you apply thies philosophies to production, suddenly it's a world that becomes human again, because we can see ourselves in it.
Or maybe they'll just enslave us all using alcoholism.
Huge thanks to Carlo Ratti, Alessandro Incisa, and Yaniv Jacob Turgeman for their time.
Makr Shakr: Project concept and design by MIT Senseable City Lab; Implementation by carlorattiassociati | walter nicolino & carlo ratti; Main partners - Coca-Cola and Barcardi. Technical partners - Kuka, Pentagram, SuperUber; Media partners - Domus, Wired; Top video by Brent Rose/Michael Hession; YouTube by MyBossWas; Event in collaboration with Meet the Media Guru, and endorsed by: Comune di Milano, World Expo Milano 2015 ? Energy for Life. Feeding the Planet. Full credits available at www.makrshakr.com
Splash Photo Credit: Max Tomasinelli /
Source: http://gizmodo.com/drinks-on-with-the-worlds-biggest-baddest-bartending-508259499
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Tuan Duc Do advances to main round of 2013 Hellas International ...
Tuan Duc Do advances to main round of 2013 Hellas International ? Badminton Update
Men?s Singles campaigner Tuan Duc Do alarmed all the contestants of Hellas International by remaining invincible in the final stage of the qualifying round on Thursday, May 16, 2013.
He locked horns with Zinukhov Andriy to gain access to main round of this tournament. Their encounter prolonged to 46 minutes before ending with decisive figures of 16-21, 21-10 and 21-17.
Although the Vietnamese shuttler lost the opening game, yet he managed to bounce back in the final two games and lock the honour in a commendable manner.
On the other hand, Zinukhov failed to capitalise his first set win and bid adieu to this international series in a woeful manner.
The Ukrainian campaigner took off perfectly but then his below par performance brought him down. He raised his chances of success by ruling the court in first set.
This crucial game started with couple of gruelling rallies as both contenders put all they had to gain an early advantage. They remained close on the points table but then Zinukhov showed some spark and tipped the scale in his favour with 21-16 score.
However, the story was entirely different in the next chapter of this saga. This time it was Tuan?s turn to rule the court. He did not show any sign of bewilderment after first set loss and played impeccable badminton to avoid a straight-set defeat. He showed his intentions by claiming many valuable points in a row and then served the notice of his dominance with a mountainous total before interval.
After the mid-game break, Tuan played with even more precision and kept his rival busy just in returning his masterly crafted strokes. He registered a winning margin of 21-10 and setup a nerve-racking third set. ????????????????
The decider proved real test for both shuttlers as they were just one step away either from main round entry or an early exit.
The made every effort to oust the opponent and added life into the contest. They stood toe-to-toe until third quarter of set but then Tuan showed superior finishing skills and swept the table with 21-17 margin.
Now he will resume his campaign in the main round where Leonov Kyrylo is all set to take on him.
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Saturday, May 18, 2013
As fireworks crackle, Beckham plays last home game
PARIS (AP) ? Never a stranger to the big stage, David Beckham was finally overwhelmed and reduced to tears as he went out in a burst of fireworks and cheers Saturday in his final home game for Paris Saint-Germain before retirement.
Fans chanted his name before the game, and they chanted some more when he was finished. There was an outpouring of hugs, cheers, song and congratulations ? from teammates, opponents and even former president Nicolas Sarkozy.
There also was some soccer to be played. And Beckham, appointed captain for the game, was involved in two of his team's goals in a 3-1 victory over Brest.
He drew a roaring standing ovation and wiped away tears when he left in the 81st minute. As the match drew to a close, Beckham appeared to tire, putting his hands on his thighs as he leaned forward.
"I want to say thank you to everybody in Paris. To my teammates, to the staff, to the fans," Beckham told the fans after the game. "It's been very special to finish my career here. It could not have been any more special."
One after another, the players then walked out onto a makeshift podium in the middle of the field and thanked the crowd after the game had ended.
When it was Beckham's turn to climb onto the podium, the Beatles song 'Hello, Goodbye' rang out as the stadium's big screen beamed pictures of Beckham's short PSG career and flashed another message of thanks.
Draped in the English flag, Beckham sprinted onto the stage.
"Merci, Paris," he said. "I'm very sad to be leaving, but thank you."
When Beckham had gone off, the crowd, which included Sarkozy, rose as one and players trotted over to give him a hug. The players from Brest also understood the moment. Charlison Benschop, who had scored Brest's consolation goal a minute earlier, walked over to shake his hand.
With chants of "Dav-eed Beckham, Dav-eed Beckham" echoing, Beckham looked to be on the verge of tears. He applauded the crowd and blew a kiss to his family in the stands. There was time for one more hug ? this one a bit longer from coach Carlo Ancelotti ? before he sat on the bench, maybe for the last time.
The former England captain announced Thursday he is retiring at the end of the season.
"I just feel that it's the right time. I feel that I've achieved everything that I could in my career. I wanted to go out as a champion," Beckham said. "I've finished my career in a team that has treated me like I've been here for 10 years.
Beckham has yet to say if he will play in PSG's last game, at Lorient on May 26.
"It's a historic moment," the stadium announcer intoned as Beckham was substituted. Not that the crowd of 44,983 needed a reminder.
As Beckham walked off slowly, applauding the fans, his hair uncharacteristically bedraggled, his mother, Sandra, wiped away a tear in the stands.
His replacement, Ezequiel Lavezzi, gave Beckham a big hug and then ruffled the fashion maven's hair. Beckham immediately swept it back into place.
After the final whistle, teammates hoisted Beckham off the ground and repeatedly tossed him in the air, putting a smile back on his face.
The celebrations kicked in as the lights were turned off, light sticks were held up and the crowd broke into song. The fireworks then flew into the night sky, accompanied by an 'Ole!' as each one went off.
"After 22 years of playing football I'm going to take a few months to enjoy time with my family," Beckham said, before adding that he still wants to stay involved with PSG. "It's been a very special place for me."
Before the game, the 38-year-old Englishman was given a rousing reception at Parc des Princes. Spectators broke into chants of "Merci, David" when his name was read over the stadium speaker.
PSG's players walked onto the field to a thunderous reception, with Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit" reverberating. PSG right back Christophe Jallet dyed his hair in the blue, white and red of the French flag while the players all wore next season's team jerseys.
The game brought a stronger security presence, with about 150 riot police forming a ring inside the stadium in the second half. The show of force followed Monday night's riots at Trocadero plaza, where a celebration to mark the French title turned violent.
This was Beckham's 14th game and fifth start since joining PSG in a surprise move on the last day of the transfer window. He was appointed captain before the game.
PSG clinched the league title last weekend, making Beckham the first English player to win the championship in four countries after title success with Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Beckham was involved in the opening goal in the seventh minute. His free kick found Clement Chantome, whose pass released Zlatan Ibrahimovic as he broke into the penalty area down the right side. Ibrahimovic struck the ball into the opposite corner.
Ibrahimovic almost scored a minute later when Beckham's superb long pass sent him through, but the imposing Swede hesitated between heading the ball over goalkeeper Alexis Thebaux or taking it past him. Theabaux snatched the ball from him.
Beckham set up the second goal in the 32nd with a corner kick from the left. Blaise Matuidi's poorly hit ball bounced into the ground and looped over Thebaux's outstretched arm. Ibrahimovic blasted in a free kick from 30 yards into the top left corner for the third goal, setting a personal record with his 29th league goal of the season.
Early in the second half, Beckham almost set up striker Kevin Gameiro with a curling cross from the right that the striker headed wide.
It would not be long before Beckham was gone, but the noise and the celebration and the fireworks still had a ways to go.
___
AP Sports Columnist John Leicester contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fireworks-crackle-beckham-plays-last-home-game-213444116.html
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Huge blow to arts and culture: The Centre for the Performing Arts ...
The arts and cultural community is facing a very significant blow with the sale of The Centre for the Performing Arts to Westside Church. The 1,800-seat theatre located across the street from Vancouver Public Library?s Central Branch has been the home of many events, concerts, musicals, and festivals. All bookings August onwards have been canceled with the evangelical church taking ownership, sending event organizers scrambling to find a new venue. This also includes the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), which had planned on screening three films a day at the theatre throughout its 16-day run this fall.
Altogether, the VIFF would have had up to 50,000 ticket holders go through The Centre?s doors for film screenings and galas. This booking cancellation is another major setback for the festival after losing its main venue last year at Empire Granville 7, which is set to be converted into retail space. Amongst other regular and special events, of special mention The Centre is also the home to the GOH Ballet?s popular?annual Nutcracker performance,?which now also needs to scramble to find a new venue that is suitable for its size and needs.
Four Brothers Entertainment?has privately owned?The Centre for the Performing Arts since 2001. The theatre was beautifully designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie, who is best known locally for designing Vancouver?s Library Square. Sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, the theatre was originally known as?The Ford Centre for the Performing Arts. The theatre?s sale to Westside Church comes after weeks of industry rumours that the church was in intense discussions to purchase the venue.
Already facing a dwindling list of performance venues to choose from, this sale comes as a very big loss to local arts and cultural organizations. It is not immediately known whether the events held at The Centre will be able to find alternative venues that will sufficiently meet their performance and logistical requirements.
With the theatre under the new ownership of a fundamentalist religious institution, the type of events and performances that will be allowed inside the church-concert hall will likely be highly limited and restrained to fit within a narrow set of fundamentalist??religious moral values.? According to the Vancouver Sun:
- Vancouver?s Westside Church Pastor James Bonney??told his evangelical congregation that newcomers to Westside Church might find it a ?little weird??[as] his church doesn?t allow women to be ?elders.?
- ?Westside teaches the principle of male leadership, not only in church but in the home.?
- ?Wives, submit to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife.?
- ?Some of Willingdon?s members were active last year in trying to stop Burnaby school board from bringing in anti-homophobia programs.?
- ?The pastor acknowledged his growing congregation is opposed to homosexual unions.?
Does this sound like an open-minded and progressive institution that will allow free expression? Is this the type of institution that will allow art to flourish to its full potential of challenging minds and expanding boundaries? It is shameful that Four Brothers Entertainment decided to sell The Centre to such a fundamentalist institution.
Furthermore, the arts and cultural community has been reeling from the loss in funding and venues in recent years. The Centre, in particular, fulfilled the city?s needs for a mid-sized theatre. With 1,800-seats, it served the local demand for a venue size between large theatres such as the Orpheum and Queen Elizabeth Theatre (~2,700-seats) and smaller theatres like the Playhouse and The Vogue (600-1,100 seats).
Over the last 15-years, the City of Vancouver has also previously pursued building another publicly owned concert hall to fill the need for another mid-sized performance venue in the city. A standalone 1,800-seat concert hall complex was originally envisioned for Burrard Landing where the Vancouver Convention Centre expansion now sits. The concert hall project took another life when the provincial government included an 1,800-seat theatre into the convention centre?s new West Building design (where Jack Poole Plaza is located today). However, these theatre plans were quickly canceled when the expansion project faced rising construction costs.
In 2011, local architect Bing Thom proposed a vision to build?an 1,950-seat theatre underneath the Vancouver Art Gallery?s old courthouse building plaza on West Georgia. With the Vancouver Art Gallery?s likely relocation to Larwill Park (pending the successful fundraising of the $300-million required for a new building) and the loss of yet another major performance venue in the city, Bing Thom?s concert hall proposal might be worthy of further consideration.
What are your thoughts of an evangelical church moving into a vital major performance space used regularly by the local arts and cultural community? Let us know by commenting below.
?
Written by Kenneth Chan, the Deputy Editor at Vancity Buzz.?Follow Kenneth on Twitter at?@kjmagine.
Photos by?Safdie Architects.
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Skydiving is never 'plane sailing'
May 17, 2013 ? Skydivers show the same level of physical stress before every jump whether a first-timer or experienced jumper, say Northumbria researchers.
Previous laboratory studies have observed that when an individual is repeatedly exposed to a stressful situation, such as public speaking or performing mental arithmetic in front of an audience, their physiological responses -- levels of arousal and stress hormones -- decrease as they become accustomed to it. Such studies conclude that the more you are exposed to a stressor, the less you will respond to it.
Scientists at Northumbria University, led by Dr Michael Smith, set out to discover whether the same affect would occur in a real world setting.
The researchers studied 24 healthy male skydivers -- 11 novices carrying out their first solo skydive, and 13 experienced skydivers who had completed at least 30 jumps -- asking them to self-report their level of anxiety and also taking saliva samples to measure levels of the stress hormone cortisol before and after the jump.
They found that, although novice skydivers reported feeling more anxious prior to the jump than experienced skydivers, both sets of jumpers responded with the same levels of biological stress reactions to the jump.
Their study, published online this month in Physiology & Behavior, is the first to observe that skydiving increases levels of cortisol which does not reduce even with repeated exposure to jumping. The results also indicate that self-reports of anxiety in experienced skydivers did not match up with their actual biological stress reactions. Though they may not have perceived themselves as being as anxious as the novice skydivers, their bodies still showed the same stress reactions as a first time jumper.
Dr Michael Smith, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, said: "This study is significant because it reveals how people respond to stressors in the real world. Very few studies have been able to examine people's true reactions as it would be unethical to deliberately and repeatedly expose volunteers to severe stress in a laboratory situation. Therefore, the most stressful laboratory situations have tended to be exercises in public speaking or performing difficult tasks in front of an audience.
"We used skydiving as our 'real world' stressor because it is an activity that does pose a genuine risk to safety and survival. Although repeated exposure to a stressor dampens the stress response in the laboratory, our findings show that this is not the case for real life stressors which pose a threat to survival."
The findings highlight the usefulness of skydiving as a naturalistic stressor in future research.
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