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An industrial robot that uses a simulated force vector to allow a work piece held by the robot end effector to be mated with a work piece whose location and orientation is not precisely known to the robot. When the end effector makes contact with the location and orientation in which the other work piece is held the robot provides a velocity command to minimize the force of the contact and also provides a search pattern in all directions and orientations to cause the end effector to bring the work piece it is holding in contact with the other work piece. The search pattern and the velocity command are continued until the two work pieces mate.
1. A system for operating an industrial robot that has an end effector for holding a first work piece to be mated to a second work piece held at a location and orientation not precisely known to said robot, and a predetermined number of articulated joints, each joint having its own actuation device and motion measurement device comprising:
a computing device having therein program code usable by said computing device, said program code comprising:
code configured to superimpose on a force measurement from said robot at least one force vector that subjects said end effector to a force that causes said end effector to move said first work piece towards said location and orientation in which said second work piece is held.
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This application is a continuation of and claims the priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/720,592 filed on Nov. 24, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,314 entitled "Industrial Robot With Controlled Flexibility And Simulated Force For Automated Assembly" the contents of which are relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, and the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) is hereby claimed.
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for automated assembly employing an industrial robot with controlled flexibility and system inherent simulated force to simplify machine assembly process.
In the last forty years, industrial robots have found a variety of uses in manufacturing automation. An important application domain for robotic automation that has lagged behind expectations is mechanical assembly and material removal processes. There are various advantages that robotic assembly has over human assembly since manual labor is boring, fatiguing, and can cause repetitive-motion stress injuries and injuries resulting from the manipulation by the worker of heavy objects during assembly. These effects on humans lead to problems with maintaining quality, efficiency, job satisfaction and health. In those applications where a robot could perform the job, these considerations can make automation highly attractive.
Current industrial robots are fast, precise and dependable. However, in assembly applications where the relative position between mating parts is of ultimate importance, the robot positioning accuracy by itself is not that relevant because the relative position of the parts is more important than their absolute position. In those applications, the robot has to be forgiving and accommodate assembly tolerances rather than the positional uncertainty. A good absolute position before assembly may be helpful in reducing the search range during assembly since position control is used to get to a starting point for the assembly. A vision system which gives relative position before the parts to be mated come into contact can help reduce an aimless search.
The prior art apparatus can be broadly classified into two types: passive apparatus and active apparatus. One type of such passive device, namely, a remote center compliance device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,923, U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,169 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,557, are very effective in producing assemblies for the specific part they have been designed for. However, these passive devices lack a general utility, can not cover a large class of assembly tasks without resorting to another part specific device and do not actively position and rotate the mating parts relative to each other which gives longer assembly times, requirements on higher accuracy of the robot and a higher risk of a robot malfunction.
On the other hand, in the active apparatus case, e.g., an industrial robot equipped with a force sensor, the interaction forces are measured, fed back to the controller, and used to modify, or even generate on-line, the desired trajectory of the robot end-effector. As is also well known, motor torques in combination with a robot model can be used to determine the desired trajectory of the end-effector. The accuracy obtained using motor torques and a robot model is not as good as the accuracy obtained using a force sensor.
Although a robot with active force control has the advantage of being versatile and programmable for different applications, it requires a more advanced control system and an adapted programming to specify how the robot has to interact with the external constraints. Past and present research has focused on the study and implementation of the control strategy to enable the robot to establish stable and gentle contact while interacting with the environment. At present, there does not exist a high level programming language nor an easy programming concept to exploit the force control capability.
Introducing force feedback to an industrial robot only enables the robot to respond to an environmental force, which, in no circumstances, mandates how the robot should move towards parts mating. In other words, successful force feedback control alone only tries to avoid high contact force, or separation tendency, and lacks a mechanism that would bond the parts together according to their geometrical contour. For example in the assembly of a gear, while a force control enabled compliant robot would ensure that no jamming/galling would occur, it would not lead the robot toward a correct alignment of the mating pieces. The conventional thinking of modifying the robot position based on the interaction force is cumbersome and difficult if not at all impossible to implement in the cases where the mating parts uncertainty is high and the combinations of possible parts contact situations are numerous and mathematically impossible to handle.
Therefore it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for simple and effective force control based assembly strategy for successful parts mating. It is also desirable to provide an assembly strategy and programming concept that can easily build upon existing position controlled robots to perform complex assembly tasks. It is further desirable that the assembly strategy and programming concept be applicable to various control strategies including but not limited to the admittance control based force control strategy.
A system for operating an industrial robot that has an end effector for holding a first work piece to be mated to a second work piece held at a location and orientation not precisely known to the robot. The robot also has a predetermined number of articulated joints, with each joint having its own actuation device and motion measurement device. The system comprises:
a computing device which has in it program code usable by the computing device. The program code comprises:
code configured to superimpose on a force measurement from the robot at least one force vector that subjects the end effector to a force that causes the end effector to move the first work piece towards the location and orientation in which the second work piece is held.
Shown in
In a typical industrial robot, there are four to seven articulated joints and when controlled synchronously, the end-effector 15 of the robot 10 can move in a three dimensional task space and follow a pre-designed trajectory. As described above, each joint would have its own mechanical actuation device or drive 12 c, typically a servomotor, and measurement device 12 d, typically a resolver or encoder to measure the joint angle. The admittance function provided by control 12 b is defined as the velocity of the robot end-effector 15 in response to the environmental forces applied to the end-effector and is used to analyze and synthesize the force feedback control to achieve stability and agility. Thus the admittance function defines the dynamics of how the reference speed input to the joint velocity controller 12 a is affected by the measured force changes.
In a conventional industrial robot, the computer controller takes the inputs from each joint position measurement, and drives the servomotor so that the end-effector can be accurately positioned in the task space. This apparatus and its control method are sufficient for tasks where work object position is known to the robot controller and contact between the robot and work object is minimal, for example, in painting and arc welding applications.
For a simple application shown in
Introducing a measurement of contact force to the robot controller 12 is a very natural first step to address the problem, as pointed out in DE Patent No. 3439495. However, doing such would fundamentally change the industrial robot in the following aspects:
First, the contact dynamics has to be addressed adequately in the feedback control loop so that desired contact behavior (e.g., stable and gentle) can be achieved. Stable and gentle contact behavior is largely ignored and treated as disturbance in the conventional position controlled robot. Further the interaction force between the parts to be mated cannot exceed a maximum value since exceeding that value raises the risk that the product to be assembled by the robot will have a shorter life time, a lower performance or may even break when it is used.
Second, a guaranteed gentle contact only would not lead to successful assembly. Rather it is how the robot is commanded to react to a difficult contact situation, e.g., a splined shaft insertion in an automotive transmission assembly, that dictates how fast the task can be performed. As pointed out before, the conventional robot positional programming concept is difficult to be adapted into these applications.
To this end, the preferred embodiment shown in
Taking the input, represented in
The attraction force vector 26 is imposed on the robot so that the robot end-effector 15, where one of the mating parts such as for example peg 14 is mounted, is always subject to a force which may be constant, that is, the absolute value of the vector. When no contact is established by the end-effector 15 with the plate 22 where the other of the mating parts such as for example hole 16 is located, this attraction force will always drag the end-effector 15 toward that location until a proper contact is established.
Taking the example of the peg-in-a-hole assembly as shown in
Once the contact with the plate 22 is established, the contact behavior are mainly addressed in the admittance control block 12 b, where the force/torque value are converted into a velocity command value and parameters are designed for stable and gentle contact. As is shown in
Suppose the tip of the peg 14 is now in contact with the top surface of the plate 22, but the location of the hole 16 is unknown to the robot controller 12. As is shown in
During the entire process, the robot computer controller 12 only has to provide the: 1) designed application appropriate attraction or repulsion force; 2) proper search pattern to encompass parts uncertainty; and 3) criteria to know when the task is completed.
To simplify the presentation, only Z-direction force and position are shown in
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
An example of such a filter is ks/(s2+as+b) where s is the derivation operator, and to give the filter a better low frequency character, ks/(s+c) (s2+as+b) can be used or k(s+d)/(s+c) (s2+as+b). Of course much more elaborated filters can be adopted to optimize the speed response dynamics as a result of interaction forces. To further optimize the assembly results, the attraction/repulsion force vector could need another tuning of the admittance control than the measured force signal and then a separate admittance control filter or a special filter can be used for the attraction/repulsion force vector (see
The present invention can also be used in other applications where process force cannot be ignored for control purposes. The list of such applications include, but are not limited to:
While the present invention is described above in connection with
It is to be understood that the description of the preferred embodiment(s) is (are) intended to be only illustrative, rather than exhaustive, of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill will be able to make certain additions, deletions, and/or modifications to the embodiment(s) of the disclosed subject matter without departing from the spirit of the invention or its scope, as defined by the appended claims.
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Friday Footnotes
April 12, 2013 View Archives
Questions, concerns, ideas? E-mail Brooke.
CHS Announcements
Calendar of Events
Note: More dates can be found on the CHS Sharepoint CalendarBack to Top
Muscle Forum
Nutritional Sciences Seminar Series
Don't forget to check for updates on The Staff Voice. Announcements made frequently.Back to Top Deshana Collett Recognized as Teacher Who Made A Difference
Each year the College of Education encourages students across campus to nominate educators who have made a difference in their lives to be recognized in the Teachers Who Made A Difference program. Deshana Collett has bee nominated for this recognition by her students. Please congratulate Deshana!Back to Top Undergraduate Research Student Receives SEC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
· Congratulations to Chelsea Oswald, pre-physical therapy student, who is recipient of the 2012-13 SEC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year! Chelsea is a junior who is completing an undergraduate research experience in Dr. Brian Noehren's lab this spring. According to Dr. Noehren, Chelsea is an amazing track and field athlete, unbelievable student (holding a 4.0 GPA), and incredibly nice person; between all her commitments for athletics and education, she still finds time to spend about 10 hours per week in lab to gain research experience. Chelsea plans to return to the Noehren lab for more research experience next year as a senior. See the UK Now article on Chelsea here.Back to Top PAS Student Accepted to Norwalk Hospital/Yale School of Medicine Residency Program
Ms. Mallory Johnson, PAS student from the Class of 2013 was accepted to the Norwalk Hospital/Yale School of Medicine's post-graduate surgical residency program. The Norwalk Hospital/Yale Physician Assistant Surgical Residency is an intensive 12-month program conducted jointly by the Departments of Surgery at Norwalk Hospital and Yale School of Medicine. This program has the distinction of being the first graduate residency in the nation designed exclusively for surgical PAs. The Norwalk/Yale program has maintained its reputation over the years through strong staff commitment, the caliber of its students, and a record of graduates' successes all across the country. The program's focus is on in-depth education reinforced by hands-on experience. Residents divide their year between Norwalk Hospital and Yale School of Medicine. The program is designed so that the curriculum at one institution effectively complements the other. Congratulations to Mallory!Back to Top May Grantsmanship Presentations
Friday, May 24 from 12-1p in Wethington 411 – Dr. Art Nitz (Physical Therapy) will present with Babak Bazgari, PhD (UK Center for Biomedical Engineering) on their research collaboration.
A standing meeting time for the Grantsmanship Presentations is being considered for every 3rd Thursday beginning Fall semester (12-1p). If there are any issues with this time for CHS faculty, please let Cynthia Byars know. Stay tuned for more on a definite recurring meeting time.Back to Top Linda Allen Nominated for 2013 Red Cross Hero of the Year
UK Healthcare has chosen Linda Allen, in the Office of Student Affairs, as its nominee for the 2013 Red Cross Hero of the Year. The Heroes campaign recognizes individuals throughout Central Kentucky who make a positive difference for the less fortunate in their communities. Linda was nominated for her extensive volunteerism at Parkside Manor and Shady Lawn Personal Care Homes in Cynthiana. These facilities serve residents with mental illness, many of whom arrive at the homes from a hospital, homeless shelter or family residence where care is no longer a possibility. Linda continuously organizes clothing, furniture & food drives for the homes and spends countless hours every week visiting residents. Linda selflessly dedicates financial and in-kind collateral to the homes for the benefit of patients and makes sure every person receives attention on their birthday and has a visitor if they are admitted to a hospital. Most importantly, Linda opens her heart and offers her friendship to many people who have no one else to call a friend. CHS is proud of Linda and excited that UK Healthcare has chosen her as a very deserving nominee. The 2013 Red Cross Hero of the Year will be announced at a dinner on May 16 at Griffin Gate Marriott. Please extend your congratulations to Linda!Back to Top
University Announcements
Call for Artists
The 9th Annual International Federation of Medical Students' Association (IFMSA) Art Auction to benefit Shoulder to Shoulder Global (STSG) and the Centro Médico Hombro a Hombro will take place Monday, April 15th, in the Biological-Pharmaceutical Building Atrium, from 12-5pm.Back to Top

subset: commoncrawl


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Wear a sequin top next time you go out on the town
It's always easy to select your going out attire in the warmer months. Skirts, dresses, shorts and tank tops are all comfortable in the spring and summer. But what in the world do you wear when you go out to drink and dance with your friends in cooler months? I have had trouble with this question myself. I understand the dilemma, you want to look cute, but at the same time feel comfortable with the weather.
I have found that sequin tops are a great solution to dressing up in the fall and winter. I like that fact that you can get a long sleeved or three quarters sleeve sequin top, and it still looks like you are dressed up. Obviously if you wore a long sleeved cotton t-shirt you might feel like you aren't dressed up enough. Sequins really add sparkle and pizazz to your going-out outfit.
If you don't love sequin tops, you don't have to go all out. Why not try a black top with just a few touches of sequins on the sleeves? Or there are some patterned tops that have sequin details here and there. You should always wear an outfit that you like and feel confident in. If you don't, it will be hard for you to have a good time.
So what do you wear with a sequin top in the cooler months? My favorite is a comfortable pair of dark wash jeans. If you are going out where the dress code is no jeans, the right pair of trendy tights, a skirt and cute pumps could work too.


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They don't watch TV. They seldom wear shoes, and their wardrobe is limited to a coarse brown woolen tunic. They make their own furniture out of donated wood and eat only what others give them. They have no money.
Much of the world – not to mention Sunday-morning preachers who confuse earthly riches with heavenly blessings – might conclude that God has not smiled on a small Catholic community that followed new Bishop Kevin Rhoades to Fort Wayne earlier this year. But to Father David Engo, the group's rejection of possessions and embrace of prayer, self-sacrifice, and service to God and neighbor manifests the biblical principal implied by its name: the Franciscan Brothers Minor.
As in: Those who would put themselves first will be last. Just as the last – the "minor" among us – will be first.
"We're living by God's grace. We've made the radical decision to live the Gospel," said Engo, leader of the group whose disdain for possessions reflects the philosophy of St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century Italian who was born into a wealthy family but after a religious conversion rejected wealth in an imitation of Christ, "who entered poverty in Bethlehem," Engo said.
The group's lack of possessions made it easy to come to Fort Wayne with Rhoades, who founded the order last November. Even the brothers' new home reflects the Franciscan tradition, which teaches that God instructed Francis to "Build my church." And that's just what the brothers are doing at the old St. Andrew's parish at 2712 New Haven Ave., which closed in 2003.
When the Franciscans aren't praying – which they do several times night and day – they may be working to restore the buildings and grounds and to convert them for a new use under a new name: Our Lady of Angels Friary and Oratory.
Just as Christ told his followers to replace trust in physical possessions with faith in God's grace, Engo said, the group's simple needs are met through donations of food and other items. What the group does not need it donates to others.
But the friary is not a monastery in which people cut themselves off from the outside world. Engo said the group's 10 members are actively involved in the neighborhood, providing instruction in Scripture and the catechism, playing sports with area children and assisting area priests in any way they can. Once renovations are complete to the 100-year-old church's interior, the group hopes to reopen it for public prayer and Mass, even though it will not be recognized as a parish or hold Sunday services. Nor is the lifestyle as dour as it may appear, Engo said, gesturing toward the soccer ball and Frisbee in the large yard behind the church. Even in long heavy robes and bare feet, the brothers find time for life's simple pleasures. The bearded brothers even enjoy a little wine now and then – but not liquor or beer.
Franciscans are not new to Fort Wayne. A Cincinnati-based order served St. Therese Catholic Church and Bishop Luers High School from the 1950s until declining membership forced the group to leave Fort Wayne in 1994, but Engo's order seems to embrace an even more Spartan existence than its predecessors – a reflection of a "back to basics" movement that is seen in much of the church, he said.
It's a lifestyle that won't appeal to everyone – or even most. And, certainly, a vow of poverty is not required by Scripture, which says only that a love of money, not money itself, is the root of all evil. And when Engo talks of how Franciscans serve institutions but don't create them, you can't help but be glad that others do create the mechanisms by which thousands and even millions are helped, not relative handfuls.
But that in no way diminishes the motives, contributions and zeal of those who, for the purest of motives, reject earthly standards of success so they may better serve God and neighbor.
And the Franciscans' new neighbors have responded in kind. "We've had a wonderful reception. We walk everywhere, and want to bring back the Catholic identity to the neighborhood," Engo said.
But don't those woolen robes get a little hot this time of year?
"Hell is hotter," Engo said.


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Baseball, softball, lax regular seasons wrap up
(Ed. Note: For the complete Falmouth-Yarmouth baseball, Falmouth-Yarmouth boys' lacrosse and Falmouth-Waynflete and Yarmouth-Waynflete girls' lacrosse game stories, please visit theforecaster.net)
Despite Mother Nature's best efforts, the baseball, softball and boys' and girls' lacrosse regular seasons were coming to a close at press time. The postseason is up next and based on what we've seen the past six weeks or so, high drama will be the theme.
Here's a glimpse at where things stand and what's to come.
The big news last week was a landmark win for a longtime Greely coach. The Rangers improved to 14-0 with a 2-1 victory at York last Wednesday. It was the 200th of Derek Soule's varsity coaching career. Bailey Train hit a two-run homer and Connor Russell earned the win.
"I view the fact that we have won 200 games over the past 14 seasons as a reflection of the whole program," Soule said. "We must be doing a few things right. I certainly realize that there are many contributing factors in this, including strong assistant and sub-varsity coaches, very supportive athletic directors, from Jack Hardy when I first started, to David Shapiro today, a great youth baseball program with very involved parents, a proud tradition and I have been blessed to work with high quality student-athletes over the years."
The Rangers, ranked first in the Western Class B Heal Points standings, were at Fryeburg Wednesday and close the regular season with a makeup game at Cape Elizabeth Thursday, where they hope to avenge last year's playoff upset loss.
Defending state champion Falmouth handled visiting Freeport (10-5) and Cape Elizabeth (4-0) last week. Against the Falcons, Connor Aube had three hits, scored twice and had two RBI. Thomas Fortier had two hits and drove in two. Luke Velas had two hits and scored two runs. Fortier continued his dazzling pitching against the Capers, throwing a three-hit shutout, while fanning seven. He also drove in a pair. Monday, the Yachtsmen went to Yarmouth and fell to 12-2 after a 6-3 loss. Falmouth dug an early hole and despite terrific relief pitching from Ryan Mucci and ample opportunities, couldn't get a clutch hit to rally.
"We had plenty of opportunities to win this game and we didn't get it done," Yachtsmen coach Kevin Winship said. "We can't leave 11 guys on base."
Falmouth (second to Greely in the Heals) was home with York Tuesday and closed at Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday.
Yarmouth suffered a 10-6 loss at Freeport last Wednesday, rallying from a 6-0 deficit to tie, but still falling short. Matt Highland and Caleb Uhl had multiple hits. Monday, in a pivotal 6-3 home win over Falmouth, he Clippers got a strong defensive effort, solid pitching from Chester Jacobs and two hits, an RBI and a run scored from Uhl.
"We play our brand of baseball," Uhl said. "If we can get guys on, we know we'll be successful. This is a big win for us. It's good for our confidence."
"I felt pretty good," Jacobs said. "I didn't blow many people away, but I was able to throw strikes and I have a great defense. I was able to get out of trouble."
"The bottom line was we took advantage of early walks," Yarmouth coach Marc Halsted said. "I love the little things. We scored three runs on three hard ground balls. That's good Yarmouth baseball."
The Clippers (9-6 and fifth in Western B) closed at York Wednesday.
Freeport fell at Falmouth, 10-5, last Tuesday, then enjoyed a 10-6 victory over visiting Yarmouth. Brady Davis had two doubles and five RBI in the win. Nick Cartmell had the winning RBI. Monday, the Falcons lost, 3-0, at Fryeburg. Freeport (7-8 and 11th in the standings, the top 12 teams make the playoffs) closes with a makeup game at Poland Thursday.
Greely's softball team was fourth behind reigning regional champion Fryeburg, Cape Elizabeth and Oak Hill in the Western B Heals entering the final week of the regular season. Last week, the Rangers improved to 12-2 with an 11-8 victory at Yarmouth and an 11-3 triumph at York. Mykaela Twitchell had a home run and triple and Sarah Felkel added three hits in the win over the Clippers. After going to Fryeburg Wednesday, Greely closes at Cape Elizabeth Thursday.
Falmouth was sixth at press time following a 19-4 home loss to Cape Elizabeth, a 7-0 home victory over Freeport and a 5-3 nine inning win at Yarmouth. Maddie Inlow and Elizabeth Walker had run scoring triple against the Capers. In the win over the Falcons, Amanda Carver threw a four-hitter with nine strikeouts and Inlow had two hits and drove in three. Monday, at the Clippers, Inlow and Julia Treadwell hit ninth inning home runs to spell the difference. The Yachtsmen (9-6) closed at Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday.
Yarmouth lost at home to Greely (11-8) and won at Freeport (9-1) last week, then, despite rallying to tie in the seventh, lost, 5-3, in nine innings Monday at home against Falmouth. In the loss to the Rangers, McKenzie Gray had three hits and Mari Cooper added two. Against the Falcons, Gray threw a three-hitter and had three hits. Cooper added a pair of doubles and Cat Thompson hit a three-run triple. Against the Yachtsmen, Cat Thompson had a clutch double to tie the score. The Clippers (7-8 and 10th in the Heals) closed at York Wednesday.
Freeport lost at home to Yarmouth (9-1) and at Falmouth (7-0). Monday, the Falcons lost, 3-1, at Fryeburg, falling to 5-10 and 15th (only 12 teams make the playoffs) in Western B. Freeport closes at Poland Thursday.
Boys' lacrosse
Yarmouth's boys' lacrosse team managed another overtime win over Falmouth Friday night and it was a familiar name scoring the winner.
The Clippers, coming off a home loss to three-time defending Class A champion Scarborough, traveled to the two-time Class B champion Yachtsmen, hoping to sweep them for the first time since 2010 (Yarmouth beat visiting Falmouth, 10-9, in OT, April 24). Friday, Yarmouth fell behind 3-0 early and trailed 14-11 in the fourth quarter, but battled back and tied the game, 14-14, on Ian Edgecomb's goal with 1:59 left. Brady Neujahr won the faceoff to start overtime, fed Ethan Cyr and Cyr set up Edgecomb for the winner just 10 seconds in and the Clippers prevailed in scintillating fashion, 15-14.
Edgecomb, who also beat Falmouth with n overtime goal in the first meeting, had three goals, while Christian Henry led the way with four.
"It was almost identical to the first game," Edgecomb said. "Brady got it, picked it up and it was 1-2-3. I just had to take the shot. It feels like deja vu, except we were on a different field. Doing it at Falmouth means a lot more. It's one thing to beat them with our fans behind us, but this is their hallowed ground. It means a lot to come in here and beat them."
"It's amazing," Neujahr said. "There's something about overtime, it's whoever gets the ball first seems to win. It's awesome. There's nothing like this in sports. You dream about overtime games like this."
"Wow," added Clippers coach David Pearl. "This was an epic. It's shaped up to be quite a rivalry. It's the beauty of sport. Being an underdog and coming from behind. This team has shown that all season. We've been down in so many games and we've always come back. We never gave up. That's been the theme. I'm really proud of them."
Yarmouth improved to 9-2 with the victory. The Clippers were second in Eastern B at press time, but could finish first if they beat visiting Cape Elizabeth Thursday night (see theforecaster.net for game story).
North Yarmouth Academy continues to impress as well, handling visiting Waynflete, 23-11, last Tuesday (T.J. Daigler and Oliver Silverson both scored six times, while Jeremy Sylvain added five goals), then beating host Cape Elizabeth, 7-5, Friday, sweeping the Capers for the first time in six years behind two goals each from Daigler and Scammon and 10 saves from goalie D.J. Nicholas.
"It was a wet game, but it was fun," said NYA coach Peter Gerrity. "We played one of our best games of the year. As soon as warmups started, we shook off whatever funk had been developing in the cold and we were ready to go. Defensively, we played very well. All of our guys communicated and worked together and D.J. played great again. Offensively, we were confident and having fun. We relaxed a bit, but weren't too loose and that helped I think in reducing the number of turnovers."
The Panthers (8-3 and first in Eastern B) could have locked up homefield advantage for the first time since 2007 with a win over visiting Falmouth Wednesday (see theforecaster.net for game story).
Despite an 0-7 start to the season, Freeport was on the verge of a playoff berth at press time. Last week, the Falcons won, 11-4, at Lake Region and downed York, 11-6, in a game played on NYA's turf, to improve to 3-8 (good for the eighth and final postseason spot in the region). Against the Lakers, Sam Wogan had four goals, while Clayton Morrison and Galen Simmons both scored three times. In the win over the Wildcats, Morrison led the way with four goals. Freeport, seeking its first playoff berth since 2010, closed at Waynflete Wednesday.
In Western B, Falmouth dominated visiting York, 17-2, last Tuesday, as Charlie Fay had six goals, Joe Dancoes four and I.V. Stucker had a whopping 10 assists. Friday, however, the Yachtsmen suffered another tough loss, 15-14, to visiting Yarmouth in overtime, despite seven goals from Fay.
"We had multiple chances to put the game out of reach, but we continually made mental mistakes and (Yarmouth) converted," lamented Falmouth coach Mike LeBel. "Offensively, I thought we played very well. Whenever you score 14 goals, you should win the game, but we kept shooting ourselves in the foot."
The Yachtsmen (7-4 and second in the region) closed at NYA Wednesday.
Greely fell to 7-4 after a 12-3 loss at Waynflete Friday. The Rangers (third in the Heals) finished the regular season at York Wednesday.
Girls' lacrosse
On the girls' side, nothing had been decided heading into the final week.
Defending Eastern B champion Freeport was second to Gardiner in the Heals with a 6-5 mark following a tough 7-6 loss at York and a 14-9 home victory over Wells. In the setback, Jocelyn Davee scored four times. Davee had five goals in the win, while Meredith Broderick scored three times. The Falcons finish the regular season at home versus Greely Thursday.
Yarmouth was third in the region at 5-6 after a 16-10 loss at Waynflete. The Clippers hung tough early and played hard to the end as Olivia Conrad and Grace O'Donnell both scored three times. Yarmouth only committed 11 turnovers against a powerhouse team.
"We had a momentary lapse in the middle of the first half," Clippers coach Dorothy Holt said. "If we didn't have that lapse, we'd have been right there. I couldn't have asked for anything more. We came back and made it a game. I'm so proud of the girls. We're doing the right things at the right time of the season."
Yarmouth closes with a home game versus Cape Elizabeth Thursday. The Clippers shocked the host Capers on May 9, 8-7.
NYA, which missed the postseason a year ago, has made great strides, but still might fall short of the playoffs. Last Tuesday, the Panthers won at Wells, 14-11, as Alex Wahlstrom erupted for seven goals. NYA then fell to 3-8 with a 16-7 loss at York (Jenn Machin, Olivia Madore and Juju Tardif each scored twice). The Panthers (sixth in Eastern B at press time, but only five teams make the playoffs) close the regular season Friday at home against Falmouth, hoping for a win to clinch a postseason berth.
In Western B, Greely was second to Waynflete in the Heals entering the week. The Rangers improved to 8-2 Thursday with an 18-0 win at Fryeburg (Meg Finlay scored three times). Greely (which has already produced its best record since 2005) completes a home game against the Flyers Wednesday (the game was suspended May 9 by lightning with Waynflete ahead, 3-1, 12 minutes in) and closes at Freeport Thursday.
Falmouth was fifth at 6-4 after Tuesday's 16-3 loss at Waynflete. Sabrina Smithwick had two goals.
"This one stings," Yachtsmen coach Robin Haley said. "It started bad and got worse. We couldn't get our engine started. You have to do that from the get-go."
Falmouth was at Cape Elizabeth Tuesday and closes at NYA Friday.


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Wine shops in Venice
Looking for a wine shop in Venice. Good selection, reasonable prices. Thanks,
I think the best wine shop in Venice is Drogheria Mascari near the Riato market on Rugo degli Spezier. Once inside the shop, one has to go through a small door to the back wine cellar. They have an excellent selection of wines at fair prices from Italy and beyond. Other than the numerous shops that fill my bottles with inexpensive Friuli wines, Mascari is where I buy most of my wines. Vino et Vini on Sal Pignater near Cp S. Giovanni e Paolo has a excellent selection and well priced. More designer and worth browsing is I Tre Mercanti on Cp S Giovanni e Paolo in Castello. I would start with the above.
A few good smaller stores are:
Majer on Cp San Agostino in San Polo; Majer is a small chain of pastecceria but only the San Polo location has wines.
Bottiglieria Colonna de Perzolla near Cp San Lio on calle de la Fava
Enoteca Cantine del Vino Gia Schiavi in Dorsoduro on San Trovaso is a terrific wine bar but also has a small selection of good Italian wines
Dolceamaro on Sottoportego de la Bassa, near the Rialto bridge in Castello is a confection shop but has a good small selection of Italian wines. Own by the same people as the excellent wine bar, Un Mondo d'Vino, therefore, they know wine.
My favorite wine shops are Bottegon già Schiavi and Vino e Vini that PBSF mentioned, and Millevini, just off the Rialto bridge on the San Marco side on the Ramo del Fontego dei Tedeschi.
Co-owner Lorenzo is extraordinarily knowledgeable and appassionato, and they have a broad selection of wines from small producers as weil as the better known ones, from across the Tri-Veneto and across the country. They also have a fine selection of bubbly, from Champagne to Trento & Franciacorta metodo classico, along with Prosecco of course, and spirits and liquors of all sorts. He's also happy to advise. (I think he is out of the store on Mondays and Thursdays, but whoever is there will be just as capable).
PBSF, you must stop by next time you're here -- see what you think. (And...Mondo di Vino has changed hands you know, unfortunately...)
re: livingvenice
Thank you for the recommendation of MilleVini. I'll have drop by on our short stay in October. I did not know about Mondo di Vino; did not make it there this April. how recent?
re: PBSF
We had very good and enjoyable experiences at Mille vini. Lorenzo seemed to understand our price point and made some really nice recs. Returning for the second time, we got a little sconto for being regulars. And we got nice attention even though there was a guy in there, at the same time, buying suit cases of high end wines.
Did this once. Local stuff all by varietal. Nothing great..but interesting:


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We've designed this tour as a sampler that provides a taste of the many pleasures that Florence and Tuscany have to offer. You'll have a chance to go wine tasting in Chianti, visit medieval castles, see art treasures of the Renaissance, explore Tuscany's picturesque towns and villages, and enjoy exquisite local cuisine.
We'll be staying at charming, comfortable 4 Star hotels in Tuscany. We'll spend the first portion of our week in Florence at a gracious hotel situated in a 15th century palazzo in the historic core of the city, only steps away from many of the world's greatest collections of artistic masterpieces.
For the next portion of our adventure in Tuscany we'll based in a tiny village in the Chianti region at an elegant boutique hotel that was an 18th century noble residence. From here we'll visit the fascinating medieval city of Siena with its world-famous Gothic cathedral. And we'll make several short excursions to explore wine, food, and art in the marvelous hilltowns and villages that make this one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany.
Lastly, we transfer to the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona which has recently been made famous by the book and movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. We'll be staying in a luxurious palazzo in the old town at the top of the mountain with commanding views of the Valdichiana plains down below.
You will have the opportunity to experience both the excitement and stimulus of the cities of Florence and Siena and the beauty and tranquility of rural Tuscan life. The small size of our group allows us to move about without following a red umbrella and to eat in restaurants and trattorias that are popular with the locals. In addition to breakfast, we share one full-course meal every day as a group, either lunch or dinner. Be prepared for a week of feasting at some of the finest restaurants in Tuscany!
The Best of Tuscany Tour combines daily planned activities along with unstructured time that you may spend as you like. If you have special activities that you'd like to pursue during the unscheduled portions of our tour in Tuscany, we're happy to help you arrange it. And if you'd like to visit other special places in Italy either before or after the tour, we'll be glad to assist with bookings, transfers, guides and all the rest.
During the course of the tour we offer presentations and slideshows to help you better appreciate the art and the places we visit. The rest of the time, we attend to all the details to make your travel adventure as smooth as possible. You get to relax and experience The Best of Tuscany!
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Accommodations: 8 nights lodging in elegant, historic 4 star hotels; (3 nights in Florence, 2 nights in Radda-in-Chianti, and 3 nights in Cortona).
Please note: Many cities in Italy and France have recently implemented tourism taxes on hotel stays in order to "to ensure the quality of tourist, cultural and environmental services in addition to the efficiency of public transports." We are unable to include these taxes in the tour price as the majority of hotels require the tax to be paid in cash upon check- out. The tax is usually 1 euro per hotel star per person per night. (A four star hotel will usually be four euro per person per night).
Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily, additional meals as scheduled. All meals-after breakfast!-include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.
Transfers: All ground transportation during the tour.
Wine tastings of various Tuscan varieties (including small local producers and larger well-known wineries).
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Letters to the editor
McCrory and the elections bill
In signing the voter registration bill, Gov. Pat McCrory uses the weak argument that you need an ID to board airplanes, cash a check or apply for government assistance.
Funny, I don't remember any of those guaranteed by the Constitution. In a democracy, we should do everything we can to make it easier to vote, not harder. Since 2000, there has been an average of 1 case of in-person voter fraud per 15 million voters. With a population of 10 million in North Carolina, is that ½ a person going to keep you out of office? Of course not! But making it harder for people to vote will guarantee your reelection. Right, governor?
Terry Rudolph
Chapel Hill
Where's the outrage?
President Obama does not miss an opportunity to remind us that the Iraq war has ended and the war in Afghanistan will end soon.
What we are not told is that the United States is committed to costly reconstruction programs in both of these countries. Congress has authorized $60 billion for a variety of programs in Iraq and $90 billion for programs in Afghanistan. And Vietnam will receive over $150 million to clean up a dangerous chemical-infested area left from the defoliant Agent Orange.
Wars end, but our reconstruction obligations can go on for many years. These programs are often plagued by corruption and mismanagement. The special inspector general for Iraq Reconstruction and SIGIR's sister organization monitoring spending in Afghanistan has sent congress several reports detailing widespread waste of reconstruction funds.
Where is the outrage?
Barry L. Reece


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Are you a Naked Person?
Your comfort with nudity says a lot about who you are.
Let's step away for a moment from all the debate surrounding nudity, sex, and whether nudity means selling stuff through sex. Or something.
What I really want to know is this: are you a naked person?
Hey, it's an important question. I'm not asking if you're a nudist, an exhibitionist, or a Playboy model. I'm just asking if you're comfortable in your nakedness. After bikram yoga, do you strip off your sweaty pants in the locker room while chatting with your neighbor? Do you jump into a dressing room with your best friend so you can look at each other's outfits? Do you feel comfortable sauntering across the bedroom – no, the living room – in
just your skivvies while your significant other watches with a surprised grin?
I think your view of nakedness says more about you than how conventionally beautiful you are. It's not about how many packs you've got in your stomach, or how much bounce you've got in your boobs. It's about how you approach life. People who feel comfortable naked are apt to give bear hugs. They relish food and will share theirs with you, and will also spear some off of your plate. They like to make new friends, and don't judge others based on what they are wearing. If they fart in public, they just laugh and say, "Whoops." Naked people don't mind what other people think of them, and will take risks in the pursuit of fun. I'm not saying naked people are better; they just approach life differently.
Not-naked people approach life more cautiously. They want to do things right, and worry about being seen as reckless or inappropriate. They value long-standing relationships over meeting new people, and are careful about eating right. Whether or not you're a naked person says more about you than your zodiac sign, the place you were born, or your level of education.
I asked my sister this question over a couple of beers last year, and she told me that she is definitely not a naked person. If she is in the bedroom, getting ready to go out, and her loving husband walks in and exclaims, "You're naked!" (no doubt delighted) she becomes self-conscious and dashes into the bathroom. I, on the other hand, regularly cause my roommate to avert her eyes when I wander into the kitchen for a glass of water with nothing but a thong on. Our mother is not a naked person. Neither is my best friend. I cause all these people consternation when I forget my towel and decide to make the trip to the bathroom without it, propriety be damned. But then again, I cause them consternation in a lot of other ways as well. It's just the way I am. I would strip off my clothes when I was two-years-old whenever I got the chance.
Try this game next time you are out with a friend: ask them about acquaintances you share and whether they are naked people. You'll have fun parsing it out. "She makes dirty jokes all the time. She's definitely a naked person." Or, "She's a naked person once you get to know her."
It becomes shorthand for the nuances of a person's personality. "Is he a naked person?" can answer the question of how outgoing he is, whether he would accept an offer of a puff of your blunt, whether you should hug him when you first meet, or offer a hand shake.
So maybe next time you really want to get to know somebody, ask him or her this question. "Are you a naked person?"
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57 Responses to "Are you a Naked Person?"
I am a naked person, I guess. Nudity within my home and with my husband has never been an issue, and I am puzzled by women who freak out about nudity in a locker/change room.
But I am still reserved around people I don't know and being touched at all by someone I don't know or know just a little is not okay with me. Even people who stand too close in a check out line feels a bit invasive.
Perhaps I am not naked enough, but there are some situations that call for clothing and space bubbles, imo.
I want to be a naked person, but I'm not. Accepting where I'm at right now is important, no doubt. I really want to know how to get to the point of being a naked person, though.
i'm naked right now
I am NEVER NEVER EVER naked. Just the thought makes me cringe. But….I kinda envy folks who are naked people…I'm just not wired that way.
being naked in nature – communing with the elements with my skyclad being – is part of my spiritual practice. i was initiated at 17 at Wreck Beach in Vancouver – a most stunning cool clothing optional community beach… it took about 5 mins before i found myself stripping my clothes off, running into the water, feeling the free-est ever, knowing i was going to be alright….
years later, sick in my soul, not knowing what was up, i came to know that i must practice this again. when i found my fav clothing optional place in the whole wide world, i began practicing naturism on a regular basis and know this is why my health issues are as transformed as they are.
we're all beautiful, people! the whole image game is a trap and a prison! not one body is the same and the diversity is truly a stupendous garden of flowers!!! open yur soul eyes!!!
disengage from the image game and look for, see and know the beauty in everyone's eyes which are connected to a heart, which is connected to a soul, which is connected to Source…. we are truly one, the particles of the quantum wave – if we Re-Member…. and remembering that together is divine onelove ecstasy!!!
it's such a relief when others see everything, lumps and bumps and scars and still talk to us, get to know us, in spite of our bodies! there is such maturity and intelligence in the naturist community! if we become romantically interested in someone, when we finally, slowly, fully connect more intimately, it's not about seeing body parts but about communing with our minds, hearts and souls, and our bodies are simply the vehicle with which we experience the gifts of touch, sound and movement…. the door to our birthright to truly, deeply being a wave of ecstasy!!!
may all beings remember being skyclad!
Such truth in what you've said.
Love it! You speak so much of my own experience and feeling! If I had one wish to be granted, it would be that ALL people be naked in the true sense you describe!
Skyclad Joe
I've always hated being dressed and appreciate what you say. I consider myself a nudist and live clothing free in my home.
Hi Alden, My name is Tom Mulhall. I am a naked person as I am the PR Chair of an organization called the American Association for Nude Recreation http://aanr.com We represent hundred's of thousands naked people. And my wife and I own a clothing optional resort in sunny Palm Springs, CA called the Terra Cotta Inn http://sunnyfun.com So I guess you could consider us professional naked people. We were just on the TV show The Doctors a month ago on an episode called The Naked Truth about your Health.
From a professional naked persons point of view, you are RIGHT ON. Naked people are more fun, are more social, We love food (but many also eat healthy food). We love meeting new people and relish our long time friends.
You only live once and we get the most out of life. It is interesting that people commented they envy naked people. Sadly it's the fear of the unknown that prevents them from becoming one of us.. Naked people are the nicest people you will ever meet. If you are naturally a happy smiley person, then deep down you are really a naked person just waiting to get out of your clothes. Everyone should try nude sunbathing at some point. Once you do, you'll love it. The only thing you have to lose is your funny tan lines. Tom
Thanks for the comment! Honor to hear from a professional naked person! As for myself, I'm super-comfortable naked…alone or with a loved one. I love walking around the house naked, it's always strangely cheering.
All that said, I wasn't brought up skinny-dipping or anything, and turn into a huge prude if I have to be naked around anyone else. Weird. ~ W.
I've been sleeping naked all my life.. only way i can really sleep. Every morning, walking down the steps, letting the sun hit me body right.. all while walking down the hallways, through the open rooms, watching the cars pass by. (lol) Big Love for this article!
I'm a naked person, figuratively at all times, physically whenever possible. Also, just got back from Mardi Gras, where my partner and I saw lots of naked persons (males – dancing on the bars, and on Fat Tuesday, a few in the streets).
I am a NAKED PERSON. Have been since about 17. Sleep nude all the time & only own 1 pr of PJ's… Just in case…. Never wore then more that 2-3 times. Losing the clothes as soon as I get home is done unconsciencely. I love spending the day at the lake getting a nice full tan and taking a dip in the water to cool off. I have even had a few opportunities to work naked too…
I have installed floor tile in one home(3bedrooms, 2bathrooms, kitchen hallway laundry room, living room & entryway.
I also installed Floor tiles for my landlady's kichen & entryway. Painted her bedroom, hallway, kitchen and dining room.
I also installed 8000 square feet of hardwood laminate flooring in a friends house nude… (Which was a very good thing as this was last year during the heat wave and she didn't have AC….. I also did some painting for her too…
Ya I am a naked person & I love it. I would highly recommed everyone to be a naked person !
i have some work that needs doing in my house…. 😉
Well surely we are all born "naked persons". What happened?
this seems to me to apply more to women than men. i am a naked person, but many women are shy about their bodies. men on the other hand, seem ready to shuck clothes at the "drop of a hat."
I am a naked person. I always thought it came from years of swimming competitively and being used to walking around in a swimsuit while many others were fully clothed. Just today I watched a mother "shield" her 7 year old girl with a towel in a locker room while the girl changed out of her swimsuit. I always find those scenes very strange, as I do undress while talking to my friend.
A movie scene that has stuck with me (but I don't know what movie – perhaps you do): a cool, buff, surfer chick totally undresses and redresses while standing next to her car talking to a guy she just met. She does it completely modestly, except for the fact that we know she is undressing. I found the scene very sexy.
With all the pedophiles out and about, no wonder the woman in the locker room shields her naked child. I always do it too, partly because I don't want her to be too comfortable taking off her clothes around people, due to the reason i stated in the first sentence. A child is easily manipulated, and if she/he is not taught to protect her privacy, bad things can happen you know, when parents are not around.
Also, we are all different. I am extremely uncomfortable being naked. I once went for a massage and decided to never do it again – it was a horrible experience for me. I don't have a reason why. Nature, I guess. But don't judge us just because you are different.
I think it was more than being a competitive swimmer, but the more important thing is that you got there!
I don't know the name of the movie you saw, but it reminds me that I once did a little scuba diving. One day, after a dive, several of us were taking off our gear onshore. A scuba suit is a little hard to take off and one often asks someone else to pull on the back of it to get it started. So this ordinary woman asked me to pull her suit off for her. I did so and then asked her to do the same. She then proceeded to strip off her bathing suit, also. We continued talking about our adventures underwater. I also stripped. We both dried off and got dressed in our street clothes. Neither of us had ever seen each other before. It was a beautiful, sexy moment of trust.
Yes I really enjoy being naked as often as I can. but there,s just not a lot of places in my state (TN) where a person can enjoy that type of natural freedom.
[…] ball at the park this morning with Soma. I am looking forward to yoga later and glad to be at elephant journal. I'd like to write an article about ebookling this week. elephant journal is dedicated to […]
[…] you a Naked Person? Are you a Naked Person? — Your comfort with nudity says a lot about who you are. Alden Wicker on Mar 10, 2011 at The […]
I am a naked person. I started as a teenager with private nudity, some at home and esome outdoors. In my 30's I got up the courage to visit a landed naturist club and felt so at home I was sorry I did not find this sanctuary earlier. Now nudism offers a sane and enjoyable escape in an insane world. I intorduced my wife to naturism and sadly she died young of cancer before we could have children . I still hope to meet a naturist woman who, as I am, is totally at ease with her body and going clothes free whenever possible. I hope to have children and have a naturist household. I have no experience having a naturist family environment since my parents were strict textiles. I am assuming this is a natural way to family cohesion and openness but I would welcome the experiences of those raised in such households to know the issues I might face and how to best manage them.
Gotta admit, I'm a naked person.
[…] next week when I showed up for my lesson, Harry was the one who was exposed (totally naked) this week. After a moment, an apology for forgetting about my lesson and a quick change, we […]
Stereotype much? What's the basis for these assertions? Just your gut feeling? I know lots of people–both comfortable and uncomfortable with nudity–who defy these characterizations: "People who feel comfortable naked are apt to give bear hugs. They relish food and will share theirs with you, and will also spear some off of your plate. They like to make new friends, and don't judge others based on what they are wearing. If they fart in public, they just laugh and say, "Whoops." Naked people don't mind what other people think of them, and will take risks in the pursuit of fun."
My thoughts exactly. This person is just making stuff up, their perspective and their imagination about their world written to sound like some innovative universal truth. Completely bunk. "Here's two cookie cutters! You fit in this one or the other, and jeez, shouldn't we sorta look down on the ones in that other cookie cutter. How free they aren't. Shame."
[…] our obsession with sex, American culture doesn't really encourage nakedness (physically or emotionally). And if all the pleasantries and social constructs we use weren't bad enough, we add social […]
I wish that we could be naked all the time. There could be no hiding behind fancy or expensive clothes. What you see is what you get!
[…] […]
I'm an enthusiastic naturist myself and not a prude by any means – and am curious why you keep on being naked around people you know are uncomfortable with it, like your roommate. I'm sure nobody wants to crush your spirit ( at least i dont ) but there is such a thing as consideration for other people's emotional comfort, even if you think they'd be better off getting over it. If you share a home, aren't her feelings at least as important as yours? My own feeling about it is that being naked is awesome, but I'm not trying to make a statement with it – so if others in a shared space aren't comfortable, then I throw something on. No big deal.
In one own's abode, dress or undress as one pleases. If she were rooming with a conservative muslim, would she be expected to conform to Muslim sensitivities every time her roommate had family over. If the roommate is uncomfortable, she needs to move rather than making others conform. Most people who are uncomfortable with being naked quickly get used to the nudity of others if practiced. See http://www.michigannudebeachadvocates.org/Article…
I would think that compatibility would need to be established before making such a major decision (perhaps it was?) to share an intimate space. Otherwise, this argument would be never ending as to who's sensitivities 'deserve' the determining respect.
I am a naked person, always. And 'my condition. It is not a philosophy, but it is a mode of existence. a way of being with me, with the Other and the World. No I feel better when I'm naked, I just feel myself.
bye bye Serge – Sardinia Naked Group – Sardinia Island – Italy in Facebook
I'm a naked person, but I was not always one. Like most people I was raised to think that it's not appropriate for anybody to see your body after you're old enough to dress yourself. As a skinny kid I would never even take my shirt off because people would exclaim at how skinny I was – which was not meant as a put-down, but being singled out like that was so uncomfortable. In my 20's I stumbled across a group of nudists at a local secluded beach, and I decided to join them. It was awkward at first, but it was an adventure, and I knew I was on to something when nobody freaked out on my skinny body. Years later and I'm still skinny, but I know what a sham and a shame it is that commerical/corporate interests influence how we perceive our bodies and our self worth. Now I practice nudism. Nudism/naturism is not a perfect practice – there's alot of misinformation about it because of the internet, and because it's been marginalized for so long. But if you learn the core values and find a supportive community it's a wonderful thing to experience. It is NOT about showing off or getting turned on by others nudity. Don't believe what the mass media tells you. Try it yourself and then decide for yourself if it's right for you. Don't let anybody pressure you into it, and do not post naked pictures of yourself online.
I am a naked person. I am a nudist and I am naked 99% of the time at home. I'm most comfortable naked. It's my natural state. Unlike many nudists, I don't mind being photographed naked by strangers – they don't need my permission.
I think fear of being naked relates to a sense of self and how you approach relationships. (I am male 33) For example I have friends that have no problem being naked. They will share every thought and emotion that goes through their mind. They are interested in people at deep emotional levels. We (my friends collectively) do a lot of deep wilderness/river camping trips/play hockey/have gym memberships which means lots of opportunity/necessity to be naked. None of my friends are exhibitionists or nudists – but a few will not in any way be naked. If my friend is afraid of being naked in front of me I feel like they don't trust me not to judge them by something like how their body looks/how they think I perceive their body looks. These friends are the same ones that have a VERY HARD TIME opening up emotionally or sharing any personal experience. As soon as you talk about anything personal/deeply emotional they turn into wallflowers. I guess some of us are open books – some, not so much. But definitely – my friends who go to unusual extremes to avoid changing in front of people are the same ones that never share in an emotional/personal way. I wonder what the correlation is? upbringing? personality? genetic? cultural?
I would have to agree with your nakedness correlation. Can one be a part-time naked person? It is true society tries to force the perfection of body & youth & being well dressed. But we need to be comfortable in our skin and for some folks this is a tall order, for others not so much. I have always told people, make friends with yourself.
But the question is, can you be a too naked person?
I don't agree with any of these incredibly broad statements about comfort with nudity. This seems to be based entirely off of characteristics observed of people the author knows personally, probably with a high degree of confirmation bias. It's not representative of people as a whole; probably not even as a majority.
I suppose I would be categorized as a not naked person.
I understand your joy of nakedness. I have many people in my life like you and I love them and their nakedness (I love you all for wanting to talk about it!). I do not cringe to see…I giggle when they decide to run around and towel snap each other's fleshy parts.
The difference is that they've never made the generalizations you have about who and what I am based on this choice. They don't label me because I don't care to lounge around with double d's all askew and my ladybits aflutter. It ain't my thing. I tried to see your perspective of me as a not-naked person (thank you for your thoughts) and I was challenged to not feel a wee bit insulted by the picture you paint, even though you were clear that you did not outright say one was superior to the other. You see, the naked people in my life have *never* thought me "cautious". They've never made me feel that my choice to remain clothed had anything to do with me being worried about "what other people think" , nor have they ever announced that I don't "take risks in the name of fun". In fact, I have a long and lovely list of things I did alone because no one was crazy enough to come with me. I have not lived a cautious life (phew). I've been reckless, inappropriate, and even more importantly, I am really good at bear hugs, lion tackles, and tiger pounces. I am trying to remember that you may have met some non-naked people that aren't like me, but then, that's my point.
Do we really need to be one or the other? Or does the joy and self-empowerment come from simply being what we are and who we are in that beautiful moment? I think choose this rather then picking a label. I choose to refrain from assuming that those who are not like me in this respect are not to be categorized at all unless science suggests otherwise and accounts for all the lovely variances that float in between.
If I must pick then perhaps it's best to say…I am Bi-Naked and I am sure there is a scale somewhere. I laugh to think of what the descriptions on that scale would say if I wrote it and where all my friends would find themselves. Peace be with you and your badass naked selves.
Naked family of 4. My son started covering all on his own by the time he reached about 11 years old. He is 13 now. Interesting that he grew up naked and on his own became clothed. My daughter now 10 did her last at home piano lesson about age 8 naked. Poor (male) teacher pulled me aside and asked me if I noticed. Good thing he use to be a kindergarten teacher so the element of surprise was just met with a "play that again in G minor and let me talk to mom one sec". I think the more you treat it like a hidden filthy secretive entity, the more sexual the body becomes in society.
Kids vary, specially when their sexual characteristics begin to develop. Some cover up, others are pleased to exhibit their development. Either way is fine, and in our experience once the changes are well established cheerful nudity becomes routine again.
I grew up naked, as did my kids, with me and my wife. At parties I strip off on arrival, and usually lots of others follow suit pretty quickly. I'm usually naked at the beach, in the countryside, at home (obviously), and nearly always when visiting friends. It's how I feel comfortable, and others are totally accepting, whether they are naked or not.. I sometimes wonder whether there'd be less problem with porn if most of us were uninhibitedly naked, and if sex were often less private than at present. Nudity obviously makes our bodies more available to others, but so long as people respect any boundaries we make surely that's totally cool? At kids parties mine were always the only naked ones, but no-one seemed to mind! It's the way God made us, and should, I reckon, be the default condition for all of us, unless circumstances (sport, work, uniform, not giving offence) dictate otherwise. But the law doesn't agree, of course, so a change in law will be achieved, as it always is, by ordinary people ( young ones specially, perhaps) leading society into nude-friendly attitudes.
There's a freedom to what you say, Pete. Having grown up in a rather prudish (non-Christian) home, it's another mindset, another world, that would lend itself to shedding clothing upon walking through the threshold of, even, home, but it's enticing. I personally don't see anything wrong with it, though one would have to be quite comfortable with his or her body, and I am not. I feel in shape and work out regularly, but I also feel, and have always felt, overly pail in complexion, but also not wanting to expose myself to UV and the cancer it brings. Give me a tan, and I'm all in.
Phil mate, Only just saw your comment, which makes perfect sense. The difference in our upbringings possibly accounts for our differing feelings about nudity – I didn't have to wear clothes as a kid, so chose not to as a young man and an adult, unless good manners or other circumstances made clothes necessary (and there are lots!). But it's never been about looks, for me at least. I have always been skinny rather than muscular, and am no Greek god type figure! I and my friends and family just enjoy being naked pretty well anywhere, irrespective of whether we have impressive physiques. A lot will depend on who's around at your home, of course, but it's not about sex or looks, just comfort and uninhibited friendliness – nothing to hide. I do tan easily,though!
I am definitely a naked person! Sleep best when I'm naked, can wander around my house naked with no qualms. It often surprises people how comfortable I am…my sister is a naked person too
I remember one time out skinny dipping with a group of friends. Non of us had any trouble being naked together. But when we got back home two of the women who were with us got really shy about changing clothes and had to have the door closed. I found it funny. Out on a river in the woods you could be naked, but not in someone's house?
I've always found it freeing to strip off my clothes as soon as I returned from the day out, and lounge comfortably. It sounds weird, but once I was in a small neighborhood bar in NYC and I convinced a half dozen of my friends to take off their tops with me. The mood of the bar changed and became noticeably more open and relaxed. I've done this at parties occasionally too, with mostly close friends. It was never sexual, and if your projection is not sexual, there is an openness projected that is not easily explained.
Hi Diana, That sounds just right, and chimes in with my experience too. At parties or in groups of friends (often with strangers too) I strip off, and it's amazing how quickly others do too. By the end no-one can really see the point of us wearing clothes at all.Is it, do you think, about being unprotected, open and accepting, so we all know just who we are and don't need clothes to hide it? You're right it's not about sex, or even good looks, just rather about being human, easy and uninhibited. I'd love to see carefree nakedness become totally acceptable pretty well everywhere.
I kind of wonder if everyone would be accepting of a man who was like "oh, I wander around naked and it makes people really uncomfortable, but that's just who I am."
There's a huge difference between being willing to be intimate with people (like being naked and sharing food) and forcing intimacy (like being naked in a non-naked-appropriate space and stealing food). There are pretty significant legal and ethical issues at hand with these. Because actually, people have a say in how intimate your interactions with them are.
I love to paint naked, especially with the warm afternoon sun on my back, somehow it makes the painting turn out more 'lively'
I find this article to be quite egotistical, self-congratulatory, and full of (inaccurate) stereotyping. "Oh look at me, I love to be naked! I'm obviously better at life compared to people who don't love to be naked, who are obviously closed off, less adventurous and less outgoing, and really, just less enjoyable to be around!"
For the record, I love being naked. I never thought to give myself a huge pat on the back about it though, or call out people who don't…
I love this article! What a great talking point. People who love being naked are better lovers than people who are conventionally attractive….
I have been given the nickname of "The Naked One". Because I always strip like "a snake" as I walk into my home. I guess that answers this question eh?
Agree. It's the same as the old Q: are you an extrovert or an introvert? Most people fall somewhere in between. Also, we often forget about the environmental factor••


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Skater swaps board for brush
Posted: February 13, 2014|
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THE clean-up begins ... and for this committed skateboarder, pictured right, that means getting his brush out.
This dedicated young man was snapped pushing a brush to clear sand from the recently refurbished skatepark at Wherrytown.
Other passers by said he worked the full length of the skatepark removing sand thrown up by the storms.
Peter Carter, who posted the picture on Facebook, said: "A lot of negative stuff is said about the kids – it was really positive seeing him doing that."


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Item #: 230223D
HEAD Graphene Instinct Rev Demo Tennis Racquet
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Juniors moving up to an adult-size frame have a new best friend: Head's Graphene Instinct Rev. With almost a full ounce of weight reduction from the Instinct S, the 8.6 ounce Instinct Rev will make for some of the easiest and fastest swinging any young player could hope for, while still maintaining Instinct levels of control.
Demo this racket today! Just click Add to Cart above. Select up to 4 demo rackets at one time and pay a flat rate shipping fee. Demo rackets will ship via FedEx Ground from our Tennis Express Houston warehouse. Demos arrive within 2-5 business days depending on where you live. Play with the demos for up to one week and then return with the pre-paid label. For example, if Demos arrive on Monday, please ship them back on the following Monday. Put the racquets in the same box you received them in and place the preprinted FedEx label on top of the original label on the outside of the box. Drop off the package at any FedEx station, Kinkos or give it to a FedEx driver. Go to FedEx.com for drop off locations. There are no additional fees when you return the racquets. Do NOT leave the racquets unattended outside a drop box.
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Hey all,
New around these parts. I'm 22, pushing 23, and I just found a landscape painting hanging in my 83 year old grandfather's carpentry workshop. He claims it must be around one hundred years old, as it was around when he was a child. He says his aunt purchased it from a local artist (I live in northwest ohio) who she felt had promise.
It's in pretty poor condition, but nonetheless I'm trying to identify the location in the painting and/or the artist who painted it. There is no visible signature or artist mark to indicate who made it. Can anyone help me?
I don't know how to google search something like this with so little information about it, so I came here.
Photo of the painting, taken with my iPad. Not the highest quality, sorry for that.
Follow this link for full size if the photo above cuts off or something: http://imgur.com/pdxnTOs
I tried to find this painting on google, but didn't get any result. There are other similar paintings also, but unable to find about the artist.
Also visit here for more painting detail.
Are you able to see the back of the painting to see is there is anything there?
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This is strange, but very true, and something which has recently been substantiated by official figures. For the first ever time, it seems like the housing market is having very little, if any, effect on the country's Gross Domestic Production.
In January 2010, as has been revealed by National Association of Realtors, housing sales slumped by 7.2% as compared to the previous month, while the economy managed to grow more than expected.
So does this mean that the housing sector, which is definitely one of the key sectors of the country's economy, has stopped having any effect on the overall figures? Or is it that the other sectors managed to perform so exceptionally well that it overshadowed the weak home sales?
"The housing sales numbers are weak because we have a weak labor market, and when that improves we'll see people buying and selling homes", opinionated Patrick Newport, an economist at IHS Global Insight.
Maybe we can take some refuge in that statement and hope that the sector will bounce back soon, but even so, one cannot ignore the fact that it has been going weak for quite some time now. Despite all the measures and schemes being offered by the Government, consumers do not seem to be very eager to purchase new properties, or work on their existing ones.
Maybe the general population is still too hurt by the recession and wants to play it safe. Then how are the retailers posting profits after profits? All other industries - food, clothing, accessories - almost all of them, seem to be going strong.
But then again, at least the economy is not contracting, so let's take solace in that.
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|93 posts found
Advanced Member
Joined: 2/26/11
You have to realize that there is a limit to what MMOs can do. First of all its limited to being used on your PC. And ideas are slowly being found out and implemeted. There is a decline in the frequency of ideas that are being discovered to implement into MMOs and games in general. Until technology changes you will only see the same type of games being made and sold, simply because a computer ( or console ) can only do so much. Like everything in the material world, they have limits.
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Novice Member
Joined: 3/02/07
Games seem to be best just after a technological leap (when games make use of that new technology that you haven't had time to get used to yet).
I reckon we will experience it again after virtual reality glasses get mass produced.
Originally posted by Cephus404
Well, yes and no,
I do think there are a lot of older players who forget that games were made to ultimately make money as the developers had dreams of supporting themselves. Nothing wrong with that and nothing wrong with them changing in order to stay in business.
However, I don't think they need to keep up with the times or necessarily move on. They need to be patient. Meaning, if AAA "old school" games aren't pouring out in the droves then they either need to support the indy games that are out (no matter the issues) or settle for the games they used to play along with the changes that time has added.
Or, (as you say) move on.
Most of the content I enjoy was made mid to early last century and before. I don't feel like moving on or really partaking in some things that are being made now (though I do like a few things made now such a Video games, some movies, etc) so I just enjoy what was made, what did come before and fully realize that I can't expect there to be a huge market for the type of music, movies that I really enjoy.
Apprentice Member
Joined: 5/26/04
Originally posted by Spector88
Advanced Member
Joined: 2/26/11
Originally posted by Mors.Magne
I agree, when virtual reality becomes mainstream, with the headset and later on without headsets, then we will see a vast amount of new features and technologies being used in games. That is the next big leap as far as games are concerned. Right now, as long as its on a PC or console, it is very limited to what those types of hardware can offer. As long as you are using a mouse and keyboard or game controller to input into a game you will see the same types of games, give or take some new features added, but mainly the same types. As long as you are looking at a screen ( as apposed to wearing a VR headset) you will see the same types of games.
Hard Core Member
Joined: 9/26/08
"Before I speak, I have something important to say."
Originally posted by Cephus404
"Never" is a very long time. Fads come and go in entertainment, many times they're recycled. MMORPG's haven't been around long enough to see this trend.
"There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own."
Apprentice Member
Joined: 5/26/04
Man, I'm behind you 100%....I too played these great games. the one thing i remember most about games like EQ is the dungeons, yes the dugeons were so damn fun back then.....you didnt just go into a dungeon and walk a liniar line to the boss and kill him, and port out...You had to creep through places like ( Lower Guk )..you had to kill your way to a named npc only after you did a zone check to see what bosses were being camped...and when you was done camping that spot you didnt port out unless you was a class that could.. you had to walk back through the nasty mobs you came through to get to that spot.....
Dungeons back then was sooo damn exciting to run...those of you that played EQ remember ..they wasnt linear...they had slippery floors.hidden traps. see invis npcs..water you had to swin under tunnels to get to a secret room with a boss in it...lava that killed you if you fell into it..and much much more.
Those was the days back then,..i still miss EQ back in the old days when you knew the players you hunteed with in those dugeons..you camped a mob with them in hopes to get the rare drop for you or even your friends..its was just great fun back then...to bad they dont make games like that anymore,.. even some of the games today would be so much more fun if they just had a ( Lower Guk ) or ( Sebilis ).
Originally posted by Sovrath
No, there are some people on these forums who are convinced that the developers of games like UO and EQ were doing a public service and giving those wonderful games to the world because they were some great humanitarians. Sure, some of the developers may have come back later and tried to pretend it was an effort of love and they wanted to make games that they wanted to play, and that might even have been true. It might also have been convenient memory. Heck, it worked for George Lucas.
I don't think anyone ought to be buying bad games, I think that's why the market is so bad these days because so many people, especially people who sit here and whine on and on that all the games suck, are paying for every damn new game that comes out. If they hate these games so much, STOP PLAYING THEM! But these people are like junkies going through withdrawals, they *HAVE* to play an MMO, no matter how awful it is, just because they don't know what else to do with themselves.
My wife is really into 80s music. She doesn't sit around and complain that they don't make it anymore, she doesn't get on forums and bitch that they need to make it again. There is what there is, it's gone and it's never coming back. She can either sit around and listen to her old cassettes and CDs or she can develop new interests. Demanding that a new industry that caters to her interests be made is not a valid option.
Personally, I don't care for the way they make MMOs these days, therefore I don't play any of them. No P2P, no F2P, no B2P, no nothing. Haven't played one in over a year, don't see a time when I may ever play them again, at least until the community changes dramatically since it's more the community that keeps me away than the games. That said, I don't get on here and bitch and whine and demand that everyone needs to cater to me and make games I want to play. I deal with the reality. If a good came comes along again, I'll play it. If none do, I won't play any MMOs at all.
Played: UO, EQ, WoW, DDO, SWG, AO, CoH, EvE, TR, AoC, GW, GA, Aion, Allods, lots more
Originally posted by dave6660
Yet the reason that MMOs were the way they were was because of a perfect storm of events, the same reason WoW became the unbeatable game, not because it was wonderful, but because it came at exactly the rigth time.
The reason most people loved these old games was because of the community, which was very particular, it was made up of geeks and nerds who built high-end computers and paid for, often through university accounts, broadband Internet. There was a very specific demographic that did that, that's what made a lot of these games worth playing. That's what a lot of these people want back but it's gone forever, at least unless we ever have a new technology that is so game-changing that only a very small set of early adopters have access to it.
That's why WoW is the big dog on the block. It came along at exactly the time that everyone got broadband. Suddenly, most people could play these games where previously, it was only a small minority. It was in the right place at the right time and there will probably never be another game like that again because that perfect storm of situations will never happen again.
It wasn't a cycle, it was a fundamental change in the technological landscape.
Played: UO, EQ, WoW, DDO, SWG, AO, CoH, EvE, TR, AoC, GW, GA, Aion, Allods, lots more
Originally posted by Cephus404
Well, I can't speak for the earliest mmo's but it does seem like the two creators of Doom were doing it because they just loved the heck out of what they could make and wanted to share it/possibly make money with their creations.
It's very possible that some of the earliest mmo creators (going back to muds? Meridiian 59? Were in the same boat and just loved doing it. Not to say they didn't want to make money (we all do) but it does seem like there was a group of people who were also just "into it".
Originally posted by Sovrath
They sure weren't giving it away for free, although they did distribute the first 1/3 as shareware to hook players. Whether or not the creators liked what they were doing is irrelevant, they wanted to make money with their game.
MUDs, you might have a point on, the overwhelming majority of them were free to play for anyone who came along so clearly, the people who developed the individual MUDs weren't in it for a paycheck, although the engines that many were based on were not free, software developers were still making money from them. However, where MUDs were often something people did for fun on the side, UO and EQ were things people did for a living, that was their livelihood. There really is no comparison.
Played: UO, EQ, WoW, DDO, SWG, AO, CoH, EvE, TR, AoC, GW, GA, Aion, Allods, lots more
Advanced Member
Joined: 3/11/08
Originally posted by Cephus404
Did you REALLY play Ultima Online?
I did, for about 4 years, and have spent about the same amount of time in WOW. If you can't recognize the difference between the two games, you're not being honest with yourself.
Ultima wasn't level driven. It didn't lock you into a specific role type. Yes, it had a progression system, but gave players the freedom to further themselves through combat, crafting, or exploration....or any mix thereof. I knew players that played the game for years, and made a fortune doing nothing but role playing a merchant. Didn't raid any dungeons or engage in PvP wars.....yet had one of the largest houses in the game, stocked to the brim with rares & artifacts. I also knew a guy that liked to role play a treasure hunter....searching for treasure maps deep in dungeons & fishing them up from sunken ships.
Those non-combat roles might seem boring to you, but it wasn't to them....and they had a place where they fit-in in that community. Because gear wasn't the end all be all carrot at the end of the stick.....those crafters & treasure hunters served a role in the community by providing goods & services TO the combat types. You didn't role up to an auction house NPC & purchased a new axe at some fixed price and have it delivered to your mail box...without ever having to see the person that found it. You sought out other people and had negotiated, talked...and sometimes became friends. Crafting, cooking, and gathering are now an afterthought in new MMOs....a side attraction while your waiting on another monster to spawn.
I dont' know about your UO experience, but in my years playing the game players gained noteriety. You knew who the a-holes & the good guys were. You knew the names of the guys you fought with & against. After playing WOW for 5+ years....I couldn't tell you a single name of anyone I ran a battleground, dungeon or raid with that wasn't in my guild....and even most of those people have been forgotten. Considering most of my interaction with people in WOW was through some auto-matched group generator.....my experience was that most people didn't call eachother by their name, but their class. Hey Mage, gimme water. Hey Druid, give me Moo.
Also, in my experience playing UO, there was no Beginning, Middle or End game. You just got better over time at what you wanted your character to do (skill progression system). When those skills got maxed out, you competed at a high level with other folks in PvP or PvE...most of which did not require instanced battlegrounds or other constructs. Most of the PvPing I did was hunting the nemisis guild down....stalking their hang out spots & neighborhoods (yes, player housing).
I think what the developers of UO & to some extent EQ stumbled upon was the next step in that transition from MUDs & P&P fantasy worlds....and they honestly had no clue how it would work out. Atleast Richard Garriott & the guys with UO didn't. Those kind of games were absolutely not meant for the "everyday gamer".....as most computer games in the 90s were "for more mature gamers" due to the high expense of computers vs. game consoles.
Enter Blizzard into the MMO scene. Their early development interviews state that their aim was to learn from all the negative feedback many casual gamers gave when they tried & dropped early MMO gaming and wanted to use those as lessons learned to bring all of those people into the fold. They recognized the new monthly billing method as the industries most lucrative pricing model & sought to match it with the largest sub-section of the gamer market (casuals) and created WOW.
They lowered the barriers of entry by lowering time commitment, reducing risk & penalties, and streamlined the play experience by taking out many of the micro parts around crafting, finding groups, etc.....and BOOM 10+ million strong.
Originally posted by Cephus404
but I think the point stands that there have been developers who were a bit less business oriented and more interested in what they can do and what they could give players.
I mean, look, we all want to make money. You, me, and of course the people who think game developers should give their games away for free (which really grinds my gears but i'm an old fart in that regard).
Not only do we all want to make a living but we all want to do better than just scraping by.
However, since there were developers who were into what they did (the doom guys were definitely "into it", at least from what I can remember of the biography) it isn't a far stretch for "some" players to think that this is the way they all should be. It's unrealistic because I wonder how many people on this forum would give away most of their work (some might, depends on what it is) or just want to get by as opposed to "doing better", but I can see where there is precedence for early developers to have this as a hobby, not thinking that it could be a whole career.
Heck, look at the Penny Arcade guys, they didn't even know that they could make money doing what they were doing. It took another to see the potential and now look where that has grown.
I can easily see a group of players who still have that idea of "let's be developers and give to the players" as I know a few people who very much believe in a more socilist way of life and don't like the idea of living beyond the most simple means.


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The Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project is an international project led by the Antarctic Heritage Trust to conserve the huts and artefacts left in Antarctica by the explorers of the 'heroic era' (1895-1917).
The conservators are conserving the artefacts from Captain Robert Falcon Scott's 1911 hut at Cape Evans, and Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1907 hut at Cape Royds. Both huts have been listed on the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World.
In a world first for cultural heritage conservation, 3 hardy conservators set out in early 2006 to spend the harsh winter months in Antarctica. They were followed by others who are now on the ice, telling their story through the Antarctic conservation blog.
The conservators are currently working to save Captain Robert Falcon Scott's base at Cape Evans, which he used for his 1911 race for the South Pole. The hut itself is at risk from snow build-up and contains over 8,000 artefacts. These are items left behind by the explorers who lived in the hut - cans of food, equipment and clothing which tell a touching tale of life in one of Earth's most unforgiving environments.
This hut has remained frozen in time but is now undergoing conservation. Work is undertaken on the hut each summer and the Antarctic Heritage Trust conservators have so far managed to conserve over half the objects and are working to conserve the remainder. An incredible task which is being undertaken in some of the harshest conditions the world has to offer, with freezing temperatures, hurricane-force winds and, in winter, the challenge of 24-hour darkness.
The conservators are based at New Zealand's modern Antarctic research station, Scott Base.
Follow their story on the team's Antarctic conservation blog
Past teams of conservators have also worked on the hut at Cape Royds where Shackleton and 9 other team members left their ship, the Nimrod, to winter on Ross Island in Antarctica's McMurdo Sound on 22 February 1908.
Designed and pre-fabricated before the mission, the cabin is big enough to house 15 people in a single room. There is also an improvised garage and stable made from packing boxes for the ponies and dogs.
The hut still houses Shackleton's team's equipment and many of their personal possessions including clothing, books and food, some canned, some preserved by the freezing environment. Over 5,000 of these artefacts have now been conserved as part of the Antarctic heritage and the work on the hut is now almost complete.