Bernard Greenhouse's cello - I knew it well. He was part of the Beaux Arts Trio at Stony Brook wen I was a grad student there. I had a good friend (Amy) who was one of his students and that was my ticket to sitting in on classes and master classes.
Lifelong intense activity is encouraged. A Canadian study looked at highly trained lifelong (30+ years) runners and compared them to healthy recreationally active young and age-matched controls. They looked at the number of motor units which consist of one nerve together with all the muscle fibers it stimulates. Normally the number of motor units gradually declines with age. The masters runners had a greater number of motor units compared to their age-matched controls and a similar number compared to the young. The authors concluded that lifelong high-intensity physical activity has the potential to limit the loss of motor units associated with natural aging well into the 7th decade of life.
It wouldn't be surprising if this is true and I normally wouldn't mention it as it is still in the rumor stage, but she does encourage eating habits that are proven to lead to type 2 diabetes - a disease that is largely preventable and one that is taking an increasing toll on people and costs associated with our healthcare system. If it is true and she manages to make money from it, well ...
If it is all rumor fine, but there is something wrong promoting the type of diet she encourages in the first place - it makes a lot of people sick and costs all of us money.
Now, however, Mitt Romney seems determined to rehabilitate Bush’s reputation, by running a campaign so dishonest that it makes Bush look like a model of truth-telling.
I mean, is there anything at all in Romney’s stump speech that’s true? It’s all based on attacking Obama for apologizing for America, which he didn’t, on making deep cuts in defense, which he also didn’t, and on being a radical redistributionist who wants equality of outcomes, which he isn’t. When the issue turns to jobs, Romney makes false assertions both about Obama’s record and about his own. I can’t find a single true assertion anywhere.
A lot of companies are skilled at Orwellian blackwhite and perhaps that is George's natural tendancy... In both cases it doesn't apply to the fathers, so it probably isn't hereditary.
And then there is the seriousness of the silly non-politican whose job it is to be silly while the politicians are the fluffy ones who lack any serious substance.
Its Goldengrove V2 by Keith Kenniff - very Philip Glasssish. Something of a variation of a theme Glass composed for the movie "The Truman Show". I found it on Soundcloud...
Recently I mentioned the work of Brian Wansink - His group recently published work on the impact of plating foods for kids. Not surprisingly they have different reactions from adults.
A short article from his department and the paper (pdf)
Abstract
Aim: Given the importance of food presentation and childhood nutrition, we aimed to test the degree to which adults and children might demonstrate different preferences for various ways in which food can be presented on plates.
Methods: Twenty-three pre-teen children and 46 adults were individually presented full-size photos of 48 different combinations of food on plates. The photos varied according to seven dimensions (e.g. number of items, placement of entrée and organization of the food).
Results: Contrary to the default assumption that parents and children share preferences for the ways in which food is presented on plates, we find that children have notably different preferences than adults. Most remarkably, we show that children tended to prefer seven different items and six different colours on their ideal plates, while adults tended to prefer three different colours and three different items.
Conclusion: The assumption that children prefer food presentations that match adult preferences appears to be unjustified. Future research and interventions that are designed to improve childhood nutrition should test for the impact of diverse presentations on actual food consumption among a variety of populations across institutional settings.
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We all think we're immune to subtle (and not so subtle) cues, but it turns out we get suckered in all the time. Including serious professionals.
In the photo the kids liked plate 6 (seven items, six colors) and the adults liked 3 (three items, three colors). My mother would give food coloring to my sister and I so we could modify our oatmeal. Somehow it seemed much better to me if it was nearly day-glo green. Other times creating four or five different colored segments did the trick.
"You know, I think it’s about envy. I think it’s about class warfare. When you have a President encouraging the idea of dividing America based on the 99 percent versus 1 percent—and those people who have been most successful will be in the 1 percent—you have opened up a whole new wave of approach in this country which is entirely inconsistent with the concept of one nation under God. The American people, I believe in the final analysis, will reject it."
... and it is a sin to envy ... so the rich are better than you. Via Slate. pure spite ...
I wonder how deep Mitt will get into creating justifications for his wealth? I can hardly wait for the properity theology to emerge. Jim points to a piece on the Romneyverse and his belief/value system. A great quote:
"those people who have been most successful will be in the one percent"
and some notes from Rachel Maddow ... getting at who the likely Republican candidate is as a person. What defines him? Do people care? ...
AirPlay is Apple's method of sending media over Wi-Fi -- it works very well in our home and our music library is distributed over three Macs, an iPhone and an iPad. This allows us to get at any of that from any of the devices and stream it to the speakers we want. Setup is borderline trivial.
If you have some old bookshelf speakers gathering dust and use an iOS device and/or a Mac, Griffin makes a cute little amplifier that accepts a $99 AirPort Express for a plug and play stereo system (2.1 if you have a self powered woofer). Just the thing for a small room and a cheap way to make use of kit you already have.
If this appeals and you don't have the speakers, ask a friend or check on craigslist. Twenty dollars is probably a fair price for a pair of old Bose 201s or similar kit.
No price or availability, but if it is under $150 they'll sell more than a few.
Great for the Occupy * types ... and a lot of other apps where you might want a hovering camera - the AR Drone is now has updated electronics and a better camera and software. Probably a great toy with lots of implications as these become more popular... sounds like June for about $300 ...
At CES Las Vegas 2012, Parrot, a global leader in wireless devices for mobile phones, reveals the AR.Drone 2.0, the new generation of its renowned high-tech quadricopter that can be controlled by Wi-Fi using a smartphone or tablet(1).
With a new high-definition camera, video recording, flight data sharing, new piloting mode, increased stability and brand-new look, the AR.Drone 2.0 offers an experience like no other!
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
A flying HD camera While in flight, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0's front camera transmits real-time what the quadricopter sees onto the pilot's device screen.
For the first time the AR.Drone 2.0 camera, with a 1280x720 resolution, shows a view from the sky in high definition with smooth and unbelievable images.
The pilot enjoys an experience like never before, as if he was on board. For gaming purposes, this camera also can recognize specific shapes and colors to show augmented-reality elements on the smartphone's screen.
Record and share flying experiences Thanks to the new AR.FreeFlight 2.0 piloting application, players can record their own HD videos and watch them or share them with the AR.Drone community.
Additionally, with the "travelling" feature, the pilot can film HD video sequences like a professional! Simply select the direction of travel (forward, back, sideways) and the duration, and the AR.Drone 2.0 does the rest.
AR.FreeFlight 2.0, a new piloting and sharing platform In addition to flying the AR.Drone, new application AR.FreeFlight 2.0 – available to download for free from the AppStore(SM) and Android™ Market – offers players a new interface and several options.
• FreeFlight: Access to the piloting application. The pilot can record flights, take HD videos or photos and save them in the piloting device. All the flight data (altitude, speed, duration and place) can be saved, checked by the pilot and shared with the community.
• Guest Space: Access an overview of the AR.Drone 2.0, the best flight videos and practical information.
• Drone Update: Access the AR.Drone 2.0's free software updates.
• AR.Drone Academy: Get geolocation data of the best flight zones, watch other pilots' videos and access their shared flight data.
• AR.Games: Access applications/games available for the AR.Drone.
• Photos/Videos: Directly access your own videos and photos. Watch or upload to YouTube for the community to enjoy.
'Absolute Flight', a revolutionary ultra-intuitive flight mode After the AR.FreeFlight 2.0 pilot application has been loaded onto an iOS or AndroidTM smartphone or tablet, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 connects to the device via Wi-Fi. After connection, all the on-board instruments appear on screen with a cockpit view.
Press the take off button briefly and the four brushless motors turn on. The AR.Drone 2.0 takes off.
Flying is very simple. With your thumbs placed on either side of the screen, a control button automatically forms beneath: • Press and hold the left button and the AR.Drone 2.0 follows the movement of the pilot's device: it moves forward, backwards or sideways when you tilt the tablet forward, towards you or to the left or right. • Slide your finger over the right button, and the quadricopter rises, descends or rotates right or left.
Thanks to Parrot's patented new 'Absolute Control' mode, the player accesses an even more intuitive piloting system.
With a 3D magnetometer, the AR.Drone 2.0 knows its precise orientation with respect to the smartphone, which becomes the reference point. The pilot no longer needs to care about the orientation of the AR.Drone 2.0's front camera, which will accurately track the smartphone's motion and tilt.
Experienced players will select 'Relative Flight' mode, the conventional flight mode. This disables Parrot AR.Drone 2.0's magnetometer. The pilot manages the quadricopter's orientation with no assistance.
Surprising stability at any altitude The heart of the AR.Drone 2.0 contains MEMS (microelectromechanical systems). A 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis gyroscope, a 3-axis magnetometer and a pressure sensor give the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 surprising stability, complete with:
• 2 ultrasound sensors, which analyze flight altitude up to 6 meters. • New! A pressure sensor completes the device and provides great vertical stability. • 4 blades, specially designed for the AR.Drone 2.0, make it possible to carry out smooth flights. • A second camera, placed beneath the quadricopter and connected to the central inertial unit, measures the craft's speed using an image comparison system.
2 hulls made for both types of flight The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 has 2 hulls with specially designed contours. Made of EPP (a material used in designing car bumpers), they are light, highly resistant and protect the quadricopter.
For outdoor flight, the contoured hull, available in three colors (orange/yellow; orange/green; orange/blue), reduces wind resistance and preserves the AR.Drone 2.0's handling and stability.
When indoor, a second hull protects the blades from any impact. The black-and-white cockpit, underlined with a red stripe, reinforces the quadricopter's mysterious, thrilling appearance.
Finally, light-emitting diodes (green in front, red in rear), positioned on the landing gear, help the pilot track the orientation of the AR.Drone 2.0 for easier flying.
An Open Development Platform In order to expand the use of the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 and its compatibility with other operating systems and to develop new flying games and applications, Parrot is providing developers and members of the Apple® and Android™ communities with a software development kit.
By logging in at https://projects.ardrone.org and accepting the terms of the license, developers can access the source code used to fly the AR.Drone 2.0. A wiki and a tutorial also are available. A forum is available to discuss new developments and share feedback with Parrot engineers.
The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (included).
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 will be available for purchase at selected retailers in Q2-2012 in the United States for $299 MSRP
About PARROT Parrot, a global leader in wireless devices for mobile phones, stands on the cutting edge of innovation. The company was founded in 1994 by Henri Seydoux as part of his determination to drive the inevitable breakthrough of mobile phones into everyday life by creating high-quality, user-friendly wireless devices for easy living. Parrot has developed the most extensive range of hands-free systems on the market for cars. Its globally recognized expertise in the fields of mobile connectivity and multimedia around Smartphones has positioned Parrot as a key player of in-car infotainment. Additionally, Parrot designs and markets an exclusive 'Parrot by' range, consisting of a prestigious line of high-end wireless multimedia products in collaboration with some of the world's most well-renowned artists; and the AR.Drone, the first quadricopter piloted via Wi-Fi and using augmented reality. Parrot, headquartered in Paris, currently employs more than 650 people worldwide and generates the majority of its sales overseas. Parrot is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris since 2006. (FR0004038263 – PARRO)
turning lemons into lemonade
and the perils of all-American cooking.
It wouldn't be surprising if this is true and I normally wouldn't mention it as it is still in the rumor stage, but she does encourage eating habits that are proven to lead to type 2 diabetes - a disease that is largely preventable and one that is taking an increasing toll on people and costs associated with our healthcare system. If it is true and she manages to make money from it, well ...
If it is all rumor fine, but there is something wrong promoting the type of diet she encourages in the first place - it makes a lot of people sick and costs all of us money.
(thanks for the tip Kim)
update: The rumor turned out to be true
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