text:
The Brain's Got It All: a Q&A with John Maunsell, Director of the Grossman Institute, part II
The human brain is only three-pounds of biological tissue, yet it is the source of all our perceptions, thoughts and movements. Every word spoken, every invention realized, every touch of a soccer ball – is a testament to the great capacity of the human brain.
The brain remains profoundly mysterious. From how it processes pain to why it becomes diseased to the origins of consciousness, questions remain about virtually all of its structures and functions, which continue to perplex scientists.
In recognition of the immensity and importance of this challenge, the University of Chicago has launched the Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, which aims to build new cross-disciplinary collaborations focused on understanding the brain and human behavior.
We previously spoke with John Maunsell, PhD, distinguished neuroscientist and inaugural director of the Grossman Institute, to learn more about his vision for neuroscience research at the University of Chicago. In the second part of our Q&A, we discuss his motivations as a young neuroscientist and the one question about the brain he'd really like to know the answer to.
So what made you want to study the brain?
I've been interested in biology and research since middle school. When I was growing up, there was a lot of emphasis was on ecology. I went to Duke University in part because they had a marine laboratory with an emphasis on marine ecology. I loved the setting, but I felt that it was perhaps not the most challenging biology that I could do. The more I was at this beach atmosphere, the more I started thinking, what are the other opportunities in biology?
When you start thinking about the big challenges in science, it doesn't take long before you realize that the brain is one of the few really immense questions. What could be more challenging and more interesting and more important than understanding the human brain? It's got it all. It's got computational processes, it's got biological mechanisms, it's got genetics; any aspect of biology you're interested in, it's important to brain function and it needs to be mastered before we will understand how it all works together. It's the perfect puzzle. Once I started thinking about the issues, the challenges, the potential payoff, the brain was an obvious choice for me. I haven't changed direction since.
Why study vision and perception and attention?
When I was in grad school at Caltech, most of the labs researching brain systems and circuits were studying vision. It wasn't a coincidence. The visual system is a good choice for several reasons. Vision is important to humans. We rely greatly on vision, and far more of our brain is devoted to vision than to any other sense. Because we are visual animals we understand vision better in some ways than we do the other sensory modalities. It's also relatively convenient to produce precise visual stimuli for experiments. For a few hundred dollars you can buy a visual display with millions of pixels that you can update 100 times a second. If you study the somatosensory system, there is no device you can buy that allows you to control a million points of contact on the skin, let alone with high precision. When I started in neuroscience, vision was the sensory system where a lot of progress was being made, and I fell into that progress.
What are some of your favorite discoveries that you've made?
In graduate school, I really liked when we stumbled on the fact that the areas in cerebral cortex that process signals coming from the eyes are arranged in a formal hierarchy. There was a lot of surprise and pleasure of seeing the order emerging from a mass of anatomical and physiological data. Similarly, I really enjoyed our experiments showing that attention to a visual stimulus primarily increases the responses of the cells in cerebral cortex that represent that stimulus, without changing the number of cells representing that stimulus. But some of my favorite experiments didn't have simple outcomes at all; they were just fun to do. When I was first starting my own lab, we did experiments in which we would inactivate one subcortical visual pathway or another to measure how much signals in different pathway mixed when they get to cortex. The outcome was complicated, but it was always impressive to see how a tiny perturbation at one brain site could profoundly affect activity in another site many stages removed.
Any regrets?
Not really regrets, but science has a way of humbling you. Every time we finally figure something out and reach some clarity and understanding, it almost always seems we could have gotten there much faster if we had just had the right insight or had thought about the question just a little bit differently.
What's the one question you'd really like to know the answer to?
If you it down to the ultimate challenge in neuroscience, I'd say it's the question of how we achieve unified action and unified experiences from hundreds of billions of individual brain cells. You feel like you're one person. You don't feel like you're two cerebral hemispheres, you don't feel like you're 200 cortical areas, and you don't feel like you're 10,000 brain nuclei. But that's what you are. In fact you're hundreds of billions of neurons. Yet you experience being one person, with one set of goals , and one plan of action. We don't have any solid computational or conceptual framework for how that takes place, what sort of mechanisms and computations can produce that.
What's your least favorite thing about the brain?
It's intimidating to face a problem as daunting as understanding the brain. It has more complexity than the rest of the body put together. We have to accept that the answers we're seeking might be many years off. But this is a great time for neuroscience. With the new tools available, there is real promise for substantial progress in the near future.
How did you have the time to be editor-in-chief of The Journal of Neuroscience and still run a lab?
Being editor-in-chief of The Journal of Neuroscience could easily be a fulltime job. It is the largest and most cited journal in neuroscience by a wide margin. You just have to be disciplined about setting limits. I set aside a fixed block of time for journal work, and did my absolute best to pull the plug on it when the time was up. It's reasonably straightforward to keep balance if you compartmentalize in that way.
Give one piece of advice to anyone that wants to study neuroscience.
Keep a broad perspective. What sets neuroscience apart is the range of topics it spans. It's too easy to spiral in and focus on one particular topic. Understanding is likely to depend on embracing the breadth of neuroscience. We're lucky to have a field that gives us an excuse to engage in so many interesting approaches and levels of organization.


text:
I was looking for a pocket gun/back up gun to my regular daily carry. The Kel-Tec line seemed to offer just the right combination of size, reliability and price. This is the Kel-Tec P-32 in .32 Auto. The standard magazine holds 7 rounds and there is an extended mag that will hold 10. It weighs 9.4 oz fully loaded and it's 5" long and only 3/4" wide. It rides easily in a Desantis Nemesis holster.
I chose the P-32 over the P-3AT (.380 Auto) for two reasons. First, the recoil on the P-32 is a little less....the P-3AT can best be described as "snappy". Second, the P-32 will lock back on an empty magazine (neither gun has a slide stop) and the P-3AT will not.
A lot of people will consider the .32 underpowered for self-defense. To me, it's purpose is as a back up -- just in case. Ideally, I'll never have to use it but if I do, it will probably buy me enough time to get to a more powerful weapon or get to cover/safety. In the meantime, the advantages of its small size and concealability outweigh any small caliber concerns for me.
The pictures above show how the P-32 compares in size to my PX4 Storm, my daily carry gun. That's 7 rounds of .32 ACP versus 17 rounds of 9mm. But there's no way I could slip the PX4 into my front pocket and go unnoticed!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It's great when teams reach delivery maturity with execution at speed and high quality. It's no surprise that there's so much emphasis on doing Sprints well because that's the heart of Scrum.
Paradoxically though, the secret to making it work well is actually investing time and effort upstream of Sprints to ensure that the Product Backlog is prioritised and broken-down into small items, that User Stories are well formed and that the Scrum team doesn't meet items for the first time during Sprint Planning.
This ties in with solving the very difficult challenge of effective Product Ownership. Often the very people most valuable to the Scrum team are also the most valuable to the wider business, creating a conflict over their time. Many teams struggle with an absent Product Owner or one who is not sufficiently senior to make quick decisions.
The Scrum Guide says little about how to implement effective Product Ownership and how to get the Product Backlog into good shape. Most Scrum training focuses on the Sprints, so also misses this bigger picture.
Join us on our journey through a series of examples anchored in practical experience as we explore a range of tools and approaches to solve these problems. We'll learn how to make Scrum function well in a way that meets both the Scrum team and Product Owner's needs.
I hope you enjoy the video, all feedback is very welcome.
Licence and Terms of Service


text:
Meeting place guidance
A place: The constitutional government Memorial
Address:: 〒 100-0014 1, Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 1-1
Telephone: 03-3581-1651
About the constitutional government Memorial
The constitutional government Memorial was established for the purpose of deepening general recognition about the parliamentary democracy in commemoration of our country having greeted assembly establishment 80 at (45, Showa) in 1970 and opened it (47, Showa) in March in 1972. This land became the jurisdiction of the House of Representatives at (27, Showa) in 1952, and Ozaki memory hall was built in commemoration of Yukio Ozaki who was a person who has rendered distinguished services of the constitutional government at (35, Showa) in 1960 by Yukio Ozaki memory foundation and was donated to the House of Representatives. I enlarged this and became the constitutional government Memorial afterwards. In this museum, I introduce an organization or administration of the Diet by a document and a picture clearly and I collect documents connected with the history and constitutional government person who has rendered distinguished services of the constitutional government and always display it and hold temporary exhibitions.


text:
The rehabilitation nurse is a nurse who specializes in helping people with disabilities and chronic illness attain optimal function, health, and adapt to an altered lifestyle. Rehabilitation nurses assist patients in their move toward independence by setting realistic goals and treatment plans. They work as part of a multidisciplinary team and often coordinate patient care and team activities.
Rehabilitation nurses may practice in a variety of settings, including:
Inpatient rehabilitation centers
Outpatient rehabilitation centers
Long-term care facilities
Community and home health settings
Insurance companies
Private practice
Industrial health centers
Rehabilitation nurses provide care that helps to restore and maintain function, and prevent complications. They also provide patient and family education, counseling, and case management. Rehabilitation nurses serve as patient and family advocates and can also participate in research that helps improve the practice of rehabilitation.
Registered nurses who specialize in rehabilitation are often certified by the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.
For Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts members
Find a Doctor & Estimate Costs
Health & Wellness
Review Benefits
Review Claims
Attend a Seminar
Medicare Plans
Request a Call
Manage Your Account
Plans & Products
Forms & Documents
Tools & Support for Educating Employees
Medical Policy
Office Resources
Provider News
Annual Report
Contact Us
Corporate Citizenship
Diversity Leadership
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.® Registered Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.®´ ®´´ Registered Marks are the property of their respective owners.© 101 Huntington Avenue, Suite 1300, Boston, MA 02199-7611 | 1-800-262-BLUE (2583)
About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Terms of Use, Privacy & Security
Nondiscrimination and Translation Resources
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is a leading provider of quality health insurance for residents of Massachusetts. Our main goal is to make health care cost-effective by offering health insurance solutions for individuals, families, and large and small businesses at affordable rates.
Our Vision — Making Quality Health Care AffordableOur Promise — To Always Put Our Members First
To learn more about our Massachusetts health plans, please visit our Plans & Products page, where you can compare Massachusetts health insurance plans, buy health plans online, and get Mass health insurance quotes.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts also offers insurance, pharmacy coverage, and Medicare Plans for seniors; life and disability insurance through Indigo Insurance Services (a wholly owned subsidiary); and insurance for individuals aged 18-26 years. Learn more about our other insurance plans and Medicare plans, or contact a sales representative today.


text:
181 past events Forli' | 40541 past events Italy
Past events Forli'
Wednesday 28 October 2020
Piero Della Francesca. Indagine su un mito
Category: Art exhibitions
Time: From 13/02/0216 to 26/06/2016
From 13 February to 26 June Musei San Domenico hosts an exhibition dedicated to Piero Della Francesca. It compares his works with masterpieces of great Renaissance Masters, from Domenico Veneziano, Beato Angelico, Paolo Uccello to Andrea del Castagno; and investigates his influence on modern artists.
Where: Musei San Domenico
Web-site: www.mostrapierodellafrancesca.com
Restored treasures
Category: Art exhibitions
Time: From 20/12/2008 to 22/02/2009
The exhibition illustrates the history of Romagna through iconographic documents and presents the variety of arts during the last two centuries.
Where: Palazzo del Monte di Pierà
Info: +39.0543.712611
Web-site: www.turismoforlivese.it
Canova. The classical ideal in sculpture and painting
Category: Art exhibitions
Time: From 25/01/2009 to 21/06/2009
The exhibition traces Canova's artistic career through a series of exemplary masterpieces. His works (marbles, plaster casts, low relieves, sketches, paintings and drawings) are compared with both the antiques models from which Canova drew inspiration and the contemporary paintings with which he put his talent to test.
Where: Musei San Domenico
Info: +39.02.43353525
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Web-site: www.mostracanova.eu
Zelig point
Category: Theatre
Time: On 07/03/2009
Some comics from the Italian Tv show "Zellig" offer an evening marked by fun and laughter. Giovanni Vernia, Paolo Migone, Antonio and Michele, la Ricotta - Maniko sport will perform.
Where: Palafiera di Forlì
Web-site: www.ticketone.it
Marco Dente: an engraver for Raffaello
Category: Art exhibitions
Time: From 23/03/2009 to 31/10/2009
The exhibition is dedicated to Marco Dente (1423-1527) and presents works coming from the Piancastelli collections. This engravings are inspired directly by drafts and sketches Raffaello gave to his carvers.
Where: A. Saffi library
Info: +39.0543.712611
Address: Corso della Repubblica 72 - Forli'
Web-site: www.turismo.fc.it
80 voglia di centro
Category: Shows
Time: From 06/05/2009 to 29/07/2009
An evening marked by fun and music in pubs and bars of the city centre, every Wednesday starting from 8 pm. Check the website for details.
Where: Various locations
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Web-site: www.80vogliadicentro.it
Il Monte prima del Monte
Category: Art exhibitions
Time: From 09/05/2009 to 12/07/2009
During weekend a guided tour allows visitors to discover the archaeological area under the Monte di Pietà Palace.
Where: Palazzo del Monte di Pietà
Info: +39.0543.1912000
Address: Corso Garibaldi 45 - Forli'
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Web-site: www.fondazionecariforli.it
Forlì Festival
Category: Shows
Time: From 02/07/2009 to 19/07/2009
The festival is dedicated to music, food and entertainment for children and adults and features many events, every day from 8pm to midnight. Check the official programme on the website.
Where: Forlì exhibtiion centre
Address: Via Punta di Ferro 2 - Forli'
Web-site: www.romagnafiere.it/forli_festival/forli
Madonna è in rocca
Category: Art exhibitions
Time: From 10/07/2009 to 31/10/2009
The exhibition celebrates the 500th anniversary of the death of Caterina Sforza (28 May 1509).
Where: Rocca di Ravaldino
Web-site: www.turismo.fc.it
Questa illustre Madonna...la creazione di un mito
Category: Art exhibitions
Time: From 30/10/2009 to 28/02/2010
The 500th anniversary of the death of Caterina Sforza is celebrated with an exhibition.
Where: Albertini Palace
Info: +39.0543.712.606
Address: Piazza Aurelio Saffi - Forli'
E-mail: email@example.com


text:
The Obama administration, like the Bush team before it, have talked a great deal about the need to strengthen our ability to fend off attacks that target U.S. computers. How much should we worry, really?
Yesterday we heard from James Lewis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He's just written a new report that concludes there is no chance another country or terrorist group will launch a major cyber attack against the U.S. anytime in the near future. Still, Lewis believes U.S. defenses against an Internet-based attack on its military and government computers, power grids and financial system are weak and need to be shored up to guard against future threats.


text:
Jesus told us a secret about the heart that helps us parent more effectively…
amazing how transparent children can be when you take time to actively hear what they have to say. After listening for a while, it's often possible to identify some key thinking errors that perpetuate the child's problems.
Take some time to study your children. What weaknesses do they have? What lies do they believe? What are some of the unproductive things they're saying in their hearts? It can be helpful to simply make observations and write them down.
Ask yourself: What does he say when he's arguing with me? What does she say when she's angry? What does he mumble under his breath in his room or as he stomps down the hall? How does she report offenses to her friends? How does she rationalize and justify her mistakes? As you listen to your child talk, you'll get a bigger picture of beliefs, values, and impressions that are guiding behavior.
Matthew 12:34 says, "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." As you learn to listen to your child's heart, identify target areas that you sense are a problem. Behavior indicates what's happening inside, so when you see a particular weakness, jot it down on a piece of paper. You might list things like procrastination, pride, fear, gloom and doom, or lack of confidence.
You've probably known these character weaknesses were causing problems. By identifying the misconceptions at the root of the behavior, you'll be ready to do some deeper work in your child's heart. Once you identify a heart issue that concerns you, then you can develop a strategy or action plan to help your child grow.
This parenting tip is taken from the book, "Parenting is Heart Work" by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.


text:
Hand dip-dyed in India
A classic polka dot rendition on incredibly light hand-loomed merino wool, blended with a touch of natural silk to improve durability and feel. Weighing only 4 oz.,it will easily fit into a purse or a pocket and springs into shape when you need it. Lightweight enough for spring and summer, but with enough heft to keep you warm in the cooler months.
92% Merino | 8% Silk
75 x 22 in.
About the Brand
Textiles have been handmade in India for thousands of years. Highly specialized techniques of weaving, dyeing and embroidery have been carefully passed down hundreds of generations. Bloom & Give admires the artisans that practice these traditional techniques with pride and precision. Their goal is to use age-old techniques to create contemporary designs that can be enjoyed in everyday life. The brand works with small co-ops that share their relentless pursuit of excellence and quality, and their belief in fair wages. Bloom & Give donates 10% of sales to support girls' education programs in India. Research shows that educating girls is one of the most effective ways to turn the tide of poverty and fight gender inequality. When a girl goes to school she earns more money, has healthier children, and reinvests more in her family. An education changes her life, and the lives of generations to come.


text: If you swear by the Paris fashion scene and trends, then you have to buy this Louis Vuitton which has been featured in Vogue as the 'it bag' for winter. The trendy cranberry colored bag is padded and has a varnish finish. Boasting of a unique appearance, this bag is decorated with a golden lock that gives it a completely different look. Stylish, trendy and definitely a class apart, this bag is sure to turn you into a trend setter. A chic accessory to own, this bag is priced at Euro 2500 ($3,550).


text:
In the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, a renewed effort is needed in an attempt to combat the cholera outbreak that has affected Haiti since 2010. A more comprehensive plan is needed, and the UN must act quickly. Haiti has waited six years for the UN to take accountability for its involvement, and the assistance needed for dealing with this crisis is long overdue.
Part of the article is below. Click HERE for the full text.
The Clock is Ticking for the U.N. in Haiti
Louise C. Ivers, Partners in Health
October 9, 2016
The clock is ticking for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to have a lasting positive impact on Haiti and to lift the stain on his legacy there. The U.N. was responsible for starting a deadly cholera epidemic in Haiti that has killed at least 10,000 people so far. Mr. Ban recently conceded this fact. If six years was too long to wait for an apology, then another day is too long to wait for the U.N. Secretariat to have action to follow their words in Haiti. After Hurricane Matthew, thousands more lives are now in danger here from this illness that results from drinking unsafe water, and that can kill in a few hours without treatment.
Cholera had never been known in Haiti before 2010, but U.N. soldiers inadvertently introduced the bacteria that causes the disease when their human waste was leaked or dumped into the country's largest river. U.N. humanitarian staff have been working on prevention and control efforts, but they, the Haitian Ministry of Health, and other organizations, such as Partners In Health, have been woefully underfunded to deal with the problem. After six years of diminishing support, PIH's cholera treatment facilities, built as temporary structures with emergency funding in 2010, are expected now to both have weathered the hurricane, and to deal with an expected surge of cholera cases.
Click HERE for the full text.


text:
In round led by Napier Park Global Capital and Camden Partners, Bluefin Payment Systems has raised $6 million in growth equity funding.
Calling Bluefin's technology "the future of safeguarding cardholder data," Manu S. Rana, Managing Director at Napier Park pointed to opportunities to deploy Bluefin's solutions in a number of verticals. "Data breaches impacting payment transactions show no signs of slowing down," Rana said. "Particularly among retail, healthcare, and education enterprises."
Pictured (left to right): Bluefin Chief of Product Innovation, Ruston Miles, and Chief of Technology, Tim Barnett demonstrating Bluefin's point-to-point encryption technology at FinDEVr San Francisco 2014.
Bluefin Payment Systems is a specialist in point-to-point encryption (P2PE) for both integrated and stand-alone solutions. The company's technology has been deployed in call center, kiosk, and mobile environments and has been applied to verticals in education, healthcare, and retail. The first P2PE provider to become PCI-validated (March 2014), Bluefin encrypts cardholder data on PCI P2PE compliant devices, keeping it from being reachable in a system or network should there be a data breach.
Bluefin CEO John M. Perry credited his company's investments in products and technology for the company's growth. "We are providing PCI-validated P2PE to large companies and universities through our gateway while continuing to grow our list of compatible P2PE devices," Perry said. "There is a tremendous market need for PCI-validated P2PE across every size of business and every vertical."
In February, partner USAePay deployed Bluefin's decryption-as-a-service solution, Decryptx to bring point-to-point encryption to merchants like 3DRetro. And in January, Bluefin announced a new partnership with CDE, an audited encryption service organization. This added CDE to Bluefin's roster of P2PE Key Injection Facilities for PCI-validated P2PE devices, helping Bluefin's customers and partners adopt the technology. Bluefin added former GlobalCollect CFO, Huib Dekker as its new Chief Financial Officer last December, a few months after Bluefin announced opening a new office in Ireland.
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Bluefin demonstrated its point-to-point encryption technology at FinDEVr San Francisco 2014.


text:
Rotch Property Group Ltd
Welcome to the Rotch Property Group Website.
Rotch Property Group has refocused new commercial activities into two business concerns:
R20 Limited and Consensus Business Group.
Rotch Property Group currently owns and manages property portfolios and assets valued in excess of £1 billion. The Rotch Group will continue the management of these assets as a substantial property company.
Please click on the links below in order to be directed to the websites of R20 Ltd or Consensus Business Group.
Thank you for visiting Rotch.


text:
by Megan Spears
(Anniston, AL)
Cancer tattoos honor grandmother
This tattoo is for my grandmother (on my father's side) who died from breast cancer when I was three.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Speak Out - Bragg or Fuss About Tattoos.


text:
Equipment utilized to deposit thin films or modify the composition of a surface; e.g., through ion implantation or a nitriding or carburizing diffusion process.
MEMS Processing Equipment (37 suppliers)
MEMS processing equipment is used to create micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors and wafers.
Search by Specification | Learn more about MEMS Processing Equipment
Semiconductor Cluster Tools (59 suppliers)
Semiconductor cluster tools and equipment are used to process semiconductor wafers for the production of microelectronic components.
Search by Specification | Learn more about Semiconductor Cluster Tools
Semiconductor Metrology Instruments (183 suppliers)
Semiconductor metrology instruments are designed for wafer and thin film in-line inspection after semiconductor processing. They include capacitance gages, C-V systems, electron beam probes, ellipsometers, interferometers, I-V system, magnetometers, optical systems, profilometers, reflectometers, resistance probes, RHEED systems, and X-ray diffractometers.
Search by Specification | Learn more about Semiconductor Metrology Instruments
Thin Film Equipment (304 suppliers)
Thin film equipment uses vacuum processing for the modification of surfaces using CVD, PVD, plasma etching, and thermal oxidation or ion implantation.
Search by Specification | Learn more about Thin Film Equipment
Thin Film Monitors (55 suppliers)
Thin film monitors are used to analyze and/or control thin film deposition rate, composition and properties.
Search by Specification | Learn more about Thin Film Monitors
Thin Film Sources (72 suppliers)
Thin film sources consist of magnetrons, evaporation thermal units, ion beams and other sources that produce deposition materials (vapors or ions) in a thin film system.
Learn more about Thin Film Sources


text:
Chelsea are locked in a two-way battle with Liverpool to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to The Sun.
As per The Sun, both clubs have already contacted Aubameyang's entourage over the possibility of signing him this summer. The Gabonese international is thought to be valued in the region of £65M.
The Sun believe that Liverpool are currently leading the race to sign Aubameyang, with the pull of former boss Jurgen Klopp said to be a decisive factor. However, it is reported that the Reds are unwilling to meet his £180K-a-week wage demands, which will offer Chelsea plenty of encouragement in their pursuit.
Antonio Conte, as per The Sun, has been informed that he will not be provided with a new striker until the situation surrounding Diego Costa's future is resolved. That appears to rule out any official move for Aubameyang… for now.
The Sun note that Chelsea are unlikely to sign Real Madrid hitman Alvaro Morata this transfer window, so Aubameyang may well be one of the few viable options remaining.


text:
About the author
I'm Guilherme Kunigami, born and raised in Campinas, a city close to Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2012, I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area.
I have a broad range of interests in Computer Science but my current focus is on Data Visualization, Distributed Systems and Bioinformatics.
I did a lot of Programming Contests in the past and I'm trying to contribute more to Open Source Software. I have some code on GitHub.
Outside of the technical domain I like traveling, photography and hiking.
About the blog
Most posts are about Programming, Computer Science and Math. I'm terrible for names, but NP-Incompletness sounded reasonable. It's a word play with the concept of NP-Completeness and Gödel's incompleteness theorems.
Why blogging? Because I like to write down notes from things I've studied to help organizing my thoughts and also to detect gaps in understanding. It may be also useful for future reference.
Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in this blog are of my entire responsibility and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.


text:
Nigel Jones
Cool Courage
Danger UXB: The Heroic Story of WWII Bomb Disposal Teams
By James Owen
Little, Brown 305pp £20 order from our bookshop
The sort of bravery displayed by the UXB (shorthand for 'Unexploded Bomb') squads is of a different order from the sudden and often brief bursts of gallantry on the battlefield that win fighting soldiers medals for heroism. It is required for far longer, often for hours or even days; it needs iron nerves and steady hands. It is a rare quality, and these books rightly celebrate it.


text: In the 1950s, students started gathering in Paris. They were reading Karl Marx. They were forming book clubs. They were trying to come up with a better version of society. One that moved away from the division of labor. One that moved away from the capitalism in the big cities that they so despised. ... One of those students would change his name to Pol Pot. He and his colleagues formed a new political party, a takeover in Cambodia. They called themsevles the Khmer Rouge. ... Under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, one out of four people in that country died in less than four years.


text:
Powerful Polygonal Modeling Capability That Will Give Your 3D Application a Competitive Edge
Add dynamic polygonal functionality to your 3D application with Spatial's industry-proven Polygonal modeling software that boosts capability while reducing development time and opening new competitive opportunities.
With Polygonal modeling software CGM Polyhedra from Spatial, you can:
- Add polyhedral offerings to your application
- Create marketable value
- Offer industry-leading user experience quality
- Accelerate your development process
- Boost your application's time-to-revenue
Add Value to your 3D Application With CGM Polyhedra
CGM™ Polyhedra brings the flexibility of polygonal modeling to applications using CGM Core Modeler. Combining the power of polygonal and B-rep modeling enables workflow innovation never before possible. Utilizing the same interfaces that CGM Core Modeler users are already familiar with, existing and new customers can rapidly integrate polygonal data into their 3D printing, subtractive manufacturing, analysis, and many other workflows.
Key Features of CGM Polyhedra:
- Innovate new and better workflows as polyhedral offerings, not previously available to the industry, are now within reach, opening new products and markets to your application
- Easy integration with CGM thanks to native interfaces for each
- Powerful query, checking and healing capabilities provide the tools you need to ensure your polyhedral models meet your workflow and accuracy requirements
- Flexibility to import precise models, scanned objects, raw mesh data, and many formats when combined with 3D InterOp
What Can CGM Polyhedra Offer You?
Reduce Development Time Because CGM Polyhedra enables easy and flexible integration with established and industry-proven Spatial modeler interfaces, developers can focus efforts on the core competitive functionality of their project.
Optimal Quality CGM Polyhedra provides a suite of tools and capabilities to query, check and heal your polyhedral 3D models ensuring that they meet the requirements of your workflow.
Tomorrow's Innovation, Today CGM Polyhedra provides groundbreaking additions to precise modeling that enables your application to add value, solve new workflows and offer new products and solutions to your customer.


text:
Undoubtedly, this blog post will be controversial for several reasons. First, I promise it will be uncomfortable, but this place of discomfort is often a chance to grow. Second, many of you will disagree and you are perfectly right to do so, of course, in a respectful manner.
Rarely do we openly talk about power and exclusion, but we need to start having real conversations. I promise this all relates to magic if you consider magic the art and science in acting according to will.
As an occultist, I can tell you that I personally do not always feel welcome at all pagan events. I'd like to, but there is no place for what I do. Certainly, associates and friends more clearly labeled as Left Hand Path, or people embracing darker elements of spirituality are often shunned and shamed. While we would love to think of ourselves as good, we have to acknowledge that group and local social norms change from region to region and often the leaders on the ground dictate who is "in." Certainly, the tyranny of being the "good person" leads to disasters such as Kenny Klein, or the hosts of "good" people that may be considered "good" until something happens to show people are not. The point is not to single those people out, but to point out our reasonable inability to converse about them and what happens when we discover something as a mature community.
One cannot go to any event without hearing about witch wars and learning the strong cliquish nature of the events. Hell, I once took deep political flack because I strongly objected to using an eleven year in an invocation/possession ritual. Social demonization occurred, of course, as this is the weapon of choice for many people. I won't even get into the issue of race, which is an unbelievable difficult and painful issue that affects the movement.
Paganism, and surprisingly the occult, is one of the fastest growing "religions" in America, but we have few churches outside of private land, and many festivals are struggling. The people who show up to any event are often are the vocal minority in the greater pagan and occult movement. The overwhelming majority is silent, hidden and unknown. Most importantly, they are not coming out to events and we should ask why. Even then, we have to admit there are deep and seemingly unresolvable divisions between the people who bother to show up. We simply have greater problems than merely our interpersonal issues.
We have a deep problem of communication, emotional intelligence, and empathy. In many ways, the small issues between people prevent us from seeing the changing landscape around us. Individuals are certainly wise, reasonable, and compassionate, but the greater egregore of the movement operates closer to what we experience at the High School level of group dynamics. Most movements, regardless of religion, tend to operate at that level and this is often why they struggle.
Unfortunately for many of us, our faith demands expression and it deeply hurts to have to hide that expression. I prefer to call the greater pagan experience a movement, and we have to admit, a highly marginalized movement in the greater societal scheme.
We all, as a movement, have to force ourselves to embrace a much harder road, and that is where we can start to collectively accept a different vision for what the movement could be. Such a vision does not have to be fanatical, hierarchical, or even rule based, but it is one that requires action and inclusion.
Doing "Something Different," requires only different reactions.
Celebrating the Differences, while seeing the humanity.
Paganism and the Occult, as a movement, have multiple competing and divergent philosophical beliefs. Some of these beliefs are simply incongruent and in opposition with each other. The edges of the movement are somewhat defined in opposition to the dominant social religious structures of the greater organized western religious culture. Different groups of Occultists, Heathens, Satanists, Wiccans, Traditional British Witches, and more may not identify with the label of "Pagan," but certainly the mainstream Christian view of these paths as "Other," and that other has deep historical roots aligned with sinister impressions developed through centuries of propaganda. Fortunately, we live in a country where we are guaranteed some rights of religious freedom to a point, which I will get to in a minute.
I can guarantee that there are people, even on Patheos, that I strongly disagree with on the purpose of magic, the definition of community, and even nature of the universe. I would never wish them to lose their kids, go to jail, not receive food, or not be able to get treatment because of those ideological disagreements. I may not even like some of those people, but if they are not threatening me, I can not conceive of walking up and punching someone for those beliefs. Although, we would like to believe this is true of the greater society, violence is entering the discussion in the greater society, and the anger of any "Other" is becoming more dangerous.
To me, certain political undercurrents are bringing out a real challenges to the cultural tolerance fostered by the experiment and integration of Gen-X. While these political undercurrents, and the people supporting them, may be the minority, they are the vocal and powerful minority, which has unbelievable sway over our institutions. If you want to be horrified, do Google searches on the number of states that allow creationism in public school science classrooms.
Right now, while we spend our precious time on the witch wars and gossip wars, people cannot get proper psychological treatment because their faith gets treated as an obstacle. Most drug rehab and alcohol rehab are rooted in Christianity. Homeless shelters, food pantries, and support services are increasingly tied to religion and offer a "convert to live" option. Right now, there are courts that will assign biblical punishments to people. Not all pagans and occultists have the luxury of moving to more tolerant areas. One does not have to turn far to see this influence.
Many of my single white male occultists associates would say there are no issues, but the truth is very different. I personally know a multitude of cases where religion was used to assign child custody against the best interests of the child. If it was just a little more common, it would be a stereotype. Although religious discrimination is illegal, in no-fault states it is very very hard to prove discrimination, and I assure you it is alive and well. Culturally, I once had a stack of little helpful "you're going to hell pamphlets" left for me because someone had posted my legal name instead of my nom de plume, and my rank in Vodou. Yes, it made me uncomfortable. I know several people who are in professional careers, and depending on their employer, it can be a large problem. Just because it is not a problem for you, it doesn't mean it's not a problem for other people.
If we pay attention to societal trends and the sociological trends, the strong alt-right reassurance has legitimized and made the problem worse for many on-the-ground pagans and occultists in recent years. We have to first admit that this is not going to go away, and second, that we are only entitled the rights which we fight vehemently to keep.
One answer is that nothing can be done, but I will offer a different viewpoint with actionable steps. Each of those steps, I promise will resonate with practical and intense individual spiritual practice and collectively will translate to political power and a greater individual and group freedom.
Defining social exclusion and gossip as a type of social violence is not far fetched. Unfortunately, we do not have the real luxury of engaging in modes that waste resources. We need our resources.
Our time and support is our GREATEST resource, Let's all agree to put it to a greater purpose.
Why do I care, Why am I reacting?
If I was a Wiccan, why should I care that a Satanist is at an event? If the response becomes because they are evil, okay, why are they evil? Have they ever done something to you that seems evil to you personally? LaVeyan Satanists are strict materialists, so clearly they are not serving a dark lord. Sure, I can see the allure to strongly objecting to the Gothic styling and dark poetry… Just kidding.
The first step to change a greater movement is to look in the mirror and ask yourself: Why do someone else's beliefs produce a strong enough reaction that I feel I must vilify them in some way? The reaction you have says nothing about the belief system in question and much more about your values, beliefs, and stereotypes. We could all do well to take a step back from the emotional reaction.
In the process of stepping back, we can ask even more questions. I might ask if the reaction is caused by a stereotype or information from other people. Do I object to something the person has specifically said? And, why do I have the reaction? Emotional reactions are rarely logical, and often push us to act.
If we can step back and understand the why, we can rationally examine our own beliefs and choose instead to conscientiously act. In the the situation with the LaVeyan Satanist, perhaps we disagree with the idea that a person should act in a selfish manner (which I am not saying I do). Once we get past the emotional weight tied to the belief, do we not see the shared humanity of the person? If we use our social power to isolate a person because of their beliefs, aren't we acting in a selfish manner to make sure we are in our comfort zone? While the issue with Satanist is one example, I could easily ask people I have met who extol somewhat racially biased inclusion criteria with such fervor, what and why is the emotional reaction there? What do they personally get out of the beliefs, and why do they think this is a helpful belief? For the record, I am very strongly against racially biased inclusion, but I can sit down with a person to understand what they get out of such a belief.
Now, if I hear a statement about another person, I can try to determine if it meets Socrates's Three Sieve criteria: is it absolutely true, is it essential, is it good? If everyone in the pagan/occult community agreed to only to spread a rumor of information if it met one of the sieves criteria, how much additional goodwill and energy would we have to actually support each person? I know what I am asking is very hard to do, but it happens at an individual level. It's a choice each individual makes moment to moment. What type of community do you wish to have?
Are We Actually Supportive?
Do we actually care and act as a community? Before we answer yes to this question, when is the last time you visited a local pagan who was in hospital? Do we even know how to support each other? This question is harder.
How many people, even in the greater local community, know what skills and opportunities people have in a professional sense? Let's ignore the author presenter class of which I am one of, but I have a day job. I meet tons of people and because of all the issues I covered above, most of the time, I do not actually know what skills they have. If you go to Christian services and conventions, you can bet people are networking in a professional sense. I know a hell of a lot of occultists and pagans are into information technology. While you cannot officially hire or fire on religious grounds, I would certainly give interview preference to someone I had met at an event if I knew they had the skill set the job required. If I knew of Pagan/occult friendly lawyers and counselors, in my area, I would probably partner with them. There is a market and in many cases, someone's religion matters a great deal in the court–and whether or not a lawyer or counselor tries as hard as they can.
One can easily see how this relates to interpersonal magic, and group political power. When we get together, we talk about "our community," or our opinions, but the conversation never switches to how can we help each other in a practical sense. Sure we had food drives, but we could do so much more interpersonally and effectively.
This continues into physical locations. In paganism and the occult, spaces are often privately owned and property owners allow people to use land or a place to gather. The financial burden for creating physical spaces for shared work is high. Even if people donated 1% of their income to a temple, which comes out for most people to be 300-1000 a year, we could afford to have more public spaces. Spaces that have dual roles as food banks, job retraining, and skill building. Many Christian organizations already do this, and once you get the initial foundation set up, many grants exist to grow and build. Yes, it can be done.
This of course, only works, if everyone involved is trying to avoid the gossip wars and of course everyone has signed agreements for use. That can't work you say? In Columbus, there is a food pantry that allows anyone to use the center and reserve it for meetings after the people go through training. Most of the time, there is no problem and many different groups use the space with no issues. It can work, it is just outside of the vision we hold for our collective, right now.
If I had a few people to help me, I have often thought about setting up a professional services web page where pagans and occultists could post about the professional services they offer. While tarot, divination, and consulting are professional services, I've thought that this web site could share information on the lines of project management, computer programming, design, event planning, photography, and the multitude of skills that we have that fall outside the spiritual and the occult. We as a community have the skills related to the religious aspects well shared and advertised, but most people do not want to be professional sorcerers or diviners. They want a job and, for example, they may be truly talented landscapers or even janitors.
About my occult involvement, in the age of social media, a company might hesitate hiring me. If the community was supporting each other and using the power of the movement to forward jobs back and forth instead of gossip, more and more people could be open and honest about their beliefs. While there will always be some people who cannot accept those beliefs, as more people are open about their beliefs, it becomes more normalized and easier to defend those beliefs in the greater culture. Some of you, not all, would be shocked at how many people who have Masters and PhD's have leanings into the occult and paganism. They just aren't talking about it. Every single person I know who is a professional and into these things (myself included), would rather work for a company or opportunity where they could wear a small pentagram (possibly a chaos star for me) or have a small altar without consequence.
It's not too late to reach for your dreams AND be of service.
I can sing you tale of at least three people who were social workers who had difficulty because they were semi-open about their pagan beliefs. These are the people we need in those positions to support our rights. Did the community ever honor those people or support those people? You probably know the answer, for the most part it was irrelevant to the local areas they lived in. What mattered instead was who they were tied to, the he/she said of event politics, and who was banging who. These types of people are community assets as are pagan/occult managers, police officers, parole officers, entrepreneurs, and every other position.
Likewise, if a lawyer, counselor, accountant or professional was openly pagan friendly or occult friendly, would they gain enough clients to make up for the potential clients they would lose in mainstream markets? The answer right now is probably no, but it is not because there are so few pagans or so few occultists. The answer is no because we are not supporting each other in an interpersonal way that augments the positive potential of each individual. Again, these problems are not unique to the pagan movement, but the law and business world have biases that work against this movement. It is a personal choice to support each other in this manner, and one you can make right now. Let's think about the time spent on "supporting the good" people, and the witch wars and realize what we could be doing for each other, right now, by simply choosing to. The personal magic here is that once the process starts, you can bet people will come around to help you. We just have to learn to trust each other.
Do Something.
Did you know in many cases local elections such as a school board member, or even a town board member are not contested. The school board position is an interesting one because the members often set the allowed curriculum. Remember creationism in schools? The school boards–at the local level–often allow and approve that. These are easy part-time positions, and they matter.
Need some other ideas on what getting involved can look like? How about park board members (for the cities that elect them)? How many Pagan Pride and other events happen in parks? Some cities have strong advisory committees, and some have elected boards.
I know three stores owned by astute and concerned pagans in three cities who all eventually joined the chamber of commerce of their local areas or serve on the city boards. Of course, these activities support their business, but they also support the greater pagan and occult movements. Generally, people have a lot of misinformation about paganism (due to centuries of propaganda), but when you start working on a project with people, they will see you differently. The propaganda falls away, and we are left with some very intelligent conversations about differing religious beliefs. As a project manager, I have had several conversations about my spiritual practice when people get to know me, but in general whether or not they believe it works, they understand at some level it gives me the inspiration and drive to work towards my own success. The fact I do my job reasonably well changes their opinion. I have heard the same thing from the three people from the three different areas who worked to network in this way.
We have to realize that a good portion of the shame, and in fact witch wars in general, comes from internalized external norms of the greater society to a marginalized one. If we work together, in real meaningful ways, we can work past our own internal fear and shame. We can help each other as members of this grand experiment to excel and support the differences between us while supporting each other.
The purpose of this blog is not to single anyone out outside of myself. I present a different vision for where we could go that integrates individual choice and builds a different wave in the movement itself. By recognizing the greater issues and problems, we can make different individual choices that create a different landscape in the community. Thus we become the movers and shakers creating the reality we would like to see by choosing and acting with intention in line with will.
Full Frontal Magic is published on alternate Sundays here on the Agora. Subscribe via RSS or e-mail!
Please use the links to the right to keep on top of activities here on the Agora as well as across the entire Patheos Pagan channel.


text:
Journal of Baltic Science Education
Export 1 results:Sort by: Author Title Type [ Year]
Filters: Keyword is physics self-efficacy and Author is Serap Çalışkan [Clear All Filters]
PHYSICS ANXIETY OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS AND THEIR SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS: DIFFERENCES ACCORDING TO GENDER AND PHYSICS ACHIEVEMENT. Journal of Baltic Science Education, Journal of Baltic Science Education, 16(5), Continuous. presented at the October/2017. Retrieved from http://oaji.net/articles/2017/987-1509213809.pdf(2017).


text:
Prepare yourself....for the world's biggest luxury car vending machine
At first glance you may think this is your typical vending machine, stocked with toy models of luxury cars, but take a closer look.
This video shows the 150-foot vending machine belonging to luxury car dealership, Autobahn Motors in Singapore.
Buyers can select from a range of vehicles, from classic models like the original Mini to the supercars of today made by McLaren and Porsche - all at the push of a button.


text:
Jennifer Lopez has teamed up with Verizon Wireless to create more awareness on the Hispanic market. "This new company is here to revolutionize the entire mobile experience for for Latinos." says Lopez. The company will launch its first store in New York City on June 15, and will open 15 stores in total this year in several other cities including Miami and Los Angeles.
Verizon is one mobile company that through technology is addressing the Hispanic market and this is great news. When tech companies create new products for the Hispanic community this will get the ball rolling on the immigration reform bill. One of the great aspects of this new in store shopping experience is there will be a play area for children and devices for people to test out.
At last the Latino market has been recognized as it is expected to grow even more in the future.
Read article
Picture by Ina Fried


text:
Andy Kogelnik, MD, PhD
Director, Open Medicine Institute
Andreas Kogelnik, MD, PhD, is the Director of the Institute. He completed his MD at Emory University School of Medicine and his PhD in Bioengineering at Georgia Tech. He trained as a resident in Internal Medicine and fellow in Infectious Diseases at Stanford University and remained there as a post-doc and research faculty before founding the Clinic in 2009 and Institute in 2011.
View More Exponential Medicine Faculty
Exponential Medicine brings together top experts to inform medical leaders how technology is impacting business. View the full list of 2017 faculty:


text:
Flip-chip hybridization, also known as bump bonding, is a packaging technique for microelectronic devices that directly connects an active element or detector to a substrate readout face-to-face, eliminating the need for wire bonding. In order to make conductive links between the two parts, a solder material is used between the bond pads on each side. Solder bumps, composed of indium metal, are typically deposited by thermal evaporation onto the active regions of the device and substrate. While indium bump technology has been a part of the electronic interconnect process field for many years and has been extensively employed in the infrared imager industry, obtaining a reliable, high-yield process for high-density patterns of bumps can be quite difficult.
Under the right conditions, a moderate hydrogen plasma exposure can raise the temperature of the indium bump to the point where it can flow. This flow can result in a desirable shape where indium will efficiently wet the metal contact pad to provide good electrical contact to the underlying readout or imager circuit. However, it is extremely important to carefully control this process as the intensity of the hydrogen plasma treatment dramatically affects the indium bump morphology.
To ensure the fine-tuning of this reflow process, it is necessary to have real-time feedback on the status of the bumps. With an appropriately placed viewport in a plasma chamber, one can image a small field (a square of approximately 5 millimeters on each side) of the bumps (10-20 microns in size) during the hydrogen plasma reflow process. By monitoring the shape of the bumps in real time using a video camera mounted to a telescoping 12× magnifying zoom lens and associated optical elements, an engineer can precisely determine when the reflow of the bumps has occurred, and can shut off the plasma before evaporation or dewetting takes place.
This reflow process has been demonstrated to yield streak-free imagers, and repair misaligned or otherwise damaged indium bumps. It has also been demonstrated to yield non-resistive indium bump contacts in hybridized imagers having large arrays of information processing contacts. Without the reflow process, some 15 percent of the indium contacts were affected by unwanted resistance from oxidized or otherwise damaged indium bumps.
This technology has broad applications to all types of hybridized sensors and is not limited to space applications. Bump-bonding technology, in general, is useful in applications where a reduction in the packaging size of a completed device is advantageous. Because wire bonds are unnecessary in bump-bonded devices, the flip chips can sit directly on their corresponding circuit boards, resulting in a reduction of carrier area and height.
This work was done by Todd J. Jones, Shouleh Nikzad, Thomas J. Cunningham, Edward Blazejewski, Matthew R. Dickie, Michael E. Hoenk, and Harold F. Greer of Caltech for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
In accordance with Public Law 96-517, the contractor has elected to retain title to this invention. Inquiries concerning rights for its commercial use should be addressed to:
Innovative Technology Assets Management JPL Mail Stop 202-233 4800 Oak Grove Drive
Refer to NPO-47422, volume and number of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and the page number.
This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
Optimization of Indium Bump Morphology for Improved Flip Chip Devices
(reference NPO-47422) is currently available for download from the TSP library.
Don't have an account? Sign up here.


text:
Breast carcinoma
Left breast lump, new clinical finding.
Patient Data
Standard mammographic views
Loading Stack -
0 images remaining
Within the upper outer quadrant of the left breast there is a spiculated, irregular mass associated with indeterminate microcalcification. The right breast is unremarkable.
Workup mammographic views
Loading Stack -
0 images remaining
Workup Mammographic views demonstrate the spiculated, ill-defined margins of the mass, with malignant mammographic features. The associated microcalcification is indeterminate.
Targeted ultrasound left breast
Loading Stack -
0 images remaining
In the left breast 1 o'clock, 7 cms from the nipple there is an irregular, hypoechoic mass with an echogenic rind which disrupts tissue planes and has malignant sonographic features. It corresponds to the mammographic finding. Ultrasound of the left axilla is normal.
Loading Stack -
0 images remaining
Ultrasound guided core biopsy.
Ultrasound was used to guide biopsy of the highly suspicious mass in the 1 o clock position of the left breast and images confirm good needle position.
Specimen X-ray Left Breast
Loading Stack -
0 images remaining
Specimen Xrays confirm the presence of the mammographic abnormality to lie within the specimens.
Case Discussion
MACROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION: "Left breast 1 o'clock, 7cm FN": Four cores 30mm in total length. A1.
MICROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION: Sections show multiple cores of breast parenchyma which shows an invasive carcinoma with morphological features in keeping with a BRE grade 2 tumor.
DIAGNOSIS: Left breast 1 o'clock 7cm FN: Invasive carcinoma NST. SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT : INVASIVE CARCINOMA Estrogen receptor POSITIVE Staining intensity strong % tumor cells >90 Progesterone receptor POSITIVE Staining intensity strong % tumor cells 60 HER-2 score 0


text:
Kickstarter Campaign: Speechless By Kate Caryer
The unspoken story of growing up disabled with cerebral palsy and no speech. This inclusive company fights ignorance using dark humour.
About this project
To view the video with subtitles please follow this link.
Who are we?
My name is Kate Caryer. I am a rude, pink-haired, theatre lover and pain in the arse. Oh, and I have a little thing called athetoid cerebral palsy, which means I use a wheelchair and a communication aid (think a punk-haired Stephen Hawking).
I have always loved theatre, but I very rarely see people like me on the stage. If they do show up, they are usually weak, uninteresting caricatures, written by non-disabled people, and not representative of the interesting, diverse group of disabled people that I know. Such roles are also usually given to non-disabled actors!
I wanted to do something about this, so I started The Unspoken Project CIC, along with Paul C. Mooney as Artistic Director, to give acting opportunities to disabled and non-disabled actors, and to bring the real stories of disabled people to the stage. Our first production, Speechless, is due to premier later this year.
What is Speechless?
Speechless shockingly overwrites everything you know about people without speech, and introduces their own stories to stage.
It tells the story of 19-year-old Rebecca. Like Kate, our director, she has no speech due to cerebral palsy. However, like many people in the UK and worldwide, Rebecca has no access to a communication aid or other methods of alternative communication. This means that her story, opinions, and devious teenage thoughts remain unspoken.
This production challenges widespread views about disabled people, through the mediums of dark humour, imaginary friends, and disabled criminals (disabled people can be evil too).


text:
Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living
805 4th Ave N Seattle WA 98109
for a local A Place for Mom advisor
Overview of Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living in Seattle, Washington
At Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living, we provide a myriad of community amenities. Regular off-site adventures and day trips are very popular with our residents. Cats and dogs are permitted in private rooms. Our location is located near accessible public transportation. Free wi-fi is offered to all our residents. Free resident parking is available at our location.
Dining Amenities
All meals are provided to residents. It's our joy to entertain visiting company, meals provided. Dining options cover restaurant-style dining, private dining rooms for residents who wish to celebrate special occasions or entertain visitors, and room service. Our residents can enjoy meals prepared by a professional chef. We offer specified dining choices such as vegetarian food and low/no sodium options.
On-Site Activities
Residents can exercise their physical and mental health with specially curated on-site activities. To ensure residents enjoy a diverse cycle of events and amusement, we employ a full-time activities director. We offer different exercise programs such as chair yoga, a type of yoga that is modified to a seated position for those with physical limitations and stretching classes. We love to celebrate with holiday parties, birthday parties and BBQ's, picnics, and outdoor parties. We provide regular musical entertainment for the use of our residents - and in some instances, to take a trip down memory lane. Residents enjoy regular trips and outings to local neighborhoods and towns. Our community offers a healthy living program covering cognitive, dietary, and physical health to ensure residents live their best and healthiest lives. Our entertainment center includes Wii Sports(add TM) Bowling for bowling enthusiasts. Our communal space has a piano centerpiece for musically inclined residents and scheduled performances. We offer Dakim BrainFitness(add TM), a clinically-proven brain-training program to help their residents improve and preserve mental functioning. Residents may partake in recreational activities such as art classes designed to inspire and stimulate mental well-being. Residents can also join our gardening club. Our community activities cycle includes trivia nights, regular educational lectures covering a wide range of academic topics, and frequent wine-tasting nights with a wide-spectrum of vintages and flavor palettes to sample and then compare notes on with friends and fellow residents. Happy hour has a positive impact on the community; residents enjoy lively camaraderie.
Outdoor Common Areas
Outdoor common areas are designed with accessibility, flow, and movement for resident mobility. Our community grounds offers an outside patio garden accessible to all residents and raised gardening beds available to residents during their leisure hours.
Indoor Common Areas
Indoor common areas are a nice, quiet place to enjoy the company of fellow residents or to just relax. Residents have access to our communal spaces including our community library, complete with a diverse selection of titles, a TV lounge, perfect for catching the latest episode of your favorite show or enjoying sports programming with other residents, a billiards lounge for residents who want to try their hand at cue sports, a movie room, and a fully-stocked arts and crafts center.
Location Characteristics at Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living
Living Options and Amenities
We offer 1 and 2-bedroom units for potential residents seeking a roommate, 1-bedroom units, 2-bedroom units, for potential residents seeking a roommate, wheelchair accessible units, and studio units. Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western-facing and ground floor rooms are available. We have free wi-fi for all of our residents. To accommodate our residents, our community has air conditioning, and temperatures are regulated to optimize comfort and safety. Some apartments are equipped with kitchenettes, providing residents with a space to prepare their own meals. Resident quarters featuring roll-in showers are available. Units containing full bathtubs are an option. The facility also offers free cable satellite TV to all residents.
Featured Amenities at Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living
Our community provides complimentary transportation services. All of our residents have access to our transportation services at a reasonable cost.
Personal Services
Our lobby has a dedicated concierge available to handle the basic and immediate needs of you and your visitors. We have a beautician conveniently located on-site - residents can easily receive beauty treatments for all occasions. Personal housekeeping services are provided as needed. We offer grocery shopping services to eliminate the need for trips to the store.Our on-site beauty salon provides hair care and beauty treatments, and our on-site barbershop can take care of all your grooming needs. Both laundry and dry cleaning services are offered. Offsite devotional services are offered in the nearby area. There are also several churches located within the surrounding neighborhood.
Pet Care Options
Pet care is available for our residents' beloved pets.
Medical Care Services
Our 24-hour awake staff is at hand to assist your loved one in fulfilling time-sensitive needs, should they arise. All services are delivered by licensed practitioners who are on staff 24/7. There are licensed nurses on-site to administer injections when needed. Our medication-care managers organize the medication services available to our residents. On-site RN's and LPN's are available. Staff can engage in monitoring residents' blood sugar to tailor daily pill dosages. In addition to other transfer services, our community provides 1-person assisted transfers. We are not licensed by the state to offer medication dispensing services, however, residents are supported in their self-medication efforts as much as possible. Our lobby has a dedicated concierge available to attend to the basic and immediate needs of you and your visitors. We recruit first-class visiting podiatrists whose job it is to ensure our residents are happy, fit, and mobile. Regular visits from specialized occupational therapists are available to residents to aid development, recovery, improvements, and maintenance of skills needed for daily living. Speech therapy services are provided by trained and certified speech-pathologists. On-site hospice care is provided. Our community offers respite care - a short-term stay at a senior living community - perfect for those recovering from a hospital visit, the interim during which a caregiver takes an extended vacation, or simply to experience a senior living trial period. This community provides ADL assistance, administered injections, medication administration, and licensed nurses are onsite to administer injections when needed. Our weight limit for assisted lifts and single-person transfers is 40 lbs. Services include incontinence care for bladder-related and bowel-related symptoms. The facility supports outdoor leisure hours.
Find your home at Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living
Community Certifications
Our community is licensed for 80 residents. The building was built in 2006, and last renovated in 2006. We accept residents from the age of 65 and above.
Local Emergency Assistance
Local fire, police, and EMT services are nearby and ready to respond.
Local Area Amenities
There are shopping centers and beautiful parks located in the surrounding neighborhood. Hotels are conveniently located near the facility for residents' guests and visitors.
Pricing at Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living
By clicking Unlock All Pricing , you agree to our Terms of Use. You also consent that we or our customer communities may reach out to you using a system that can auto-dial; however, you do not need to consent to this to use our service. Our Privacy Policy describes information collection and use.
*Prices quoted are monthly rental charges and are provided by the communities themselves. Actual prices may differ due to one-time fees, timing and care services required. Speak with your Senior Living Advisor to learn more.
Reviews of Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living
Community Details at Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living
Senior Housing Types Provided at Cogir of Queen Anne Senior Living
The features and amenities that are displayed on this page contain marketing information provided by the community. A Place for Mom has not confirmed the completeness of the provided information, and cannot guarantee its accuracy.
To conduct a complete investigation, seniors and their families should:
- Tour any listed location to confirm the accuracy of the community description;
- Confirm that the community offers services that are required for the senior's specific needs and budget; and
- Check additional licensing and state audit information.
If you become aware of any information that should be updated or noted, please contact A Place for Mom.


text:
Just a dump of new features and functionalities of Android and Google devices over the past day. To us, the most interesting was the rebranding and release of the Google Assistant SDK (what was known in the October as the "Embedded Google Assistant SDK"… no need to be superfluous).
We had hoped this would be out in December — but oh, well, it's here now.
It'll be interesting to see how the experience with the SDK varies from that on the Home.
Other major updates:
Other features like Google Lens seem interesting but seem like an enhancement of what currently exists around image search. In any case, it seems these features will have a rolling release and will come out over the next few months. We'll probably see more of "announce and release" type behaviour as Amazon and Google (and Apple) go at it.
Almost done…
We just sent you an email. Please click the link in the email to confirm your subscription!


text:
From Geppi's Entertainment Museum to the Star-Spangled Trails, Baltimore City is certainly a city with plenty to do. Even so, some visit simply to enjoy the dining that the city has to offer. Restaurants in Baltimore City are best known for their seafood. People from all around come to enjoy the crab cakes, crab soufflés, soft-shell crab sandwiches, rockfish, oysters and other fresh seafood. The city also has cuisine that includes authentic Mexican, Indian, Italian and Mediterranean.
Forbes Travel Guide gave the Charleston Restaurant four stars. Located in the Harbor East neighborhood of Baltimore City, it serves American cuisine with French and South Carolina influences. When dining at the establishment you'll find a fixed-price menu with up to six courses and items such as the pan-roasted wild rockfish with mushroom fricassee and lemon beurre blanc. Other specials include the grilled pomegranate marinated lamb rack chop with saffron basmati rice and grilled zucchini, and the sautéed Gulf shrimp with andouille sausage. Approximately 600 wines are available for pairing with meals along with micro-brews and other beers. The Charleston is casual attire, offers outdoor seating and is closed on Sundays. Charleston 1000 Lancaster St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-332-7373 charlestonrestaurant.com
Black Olive
Rated as a three-star restaurant by Forbes, the Black Olive offers guests a Mediterranean menu with organic ingredients from local farms and fresh fish from across the world. While dining at the restaurant you'll find both lunch and dinner options with specials like the jumbo lump crab cake, the whole Mediterranean sea bass and the filet of the day sauteed in cornmeal and olive oil. All fish selections are filleted tableside. Lighter fair includes the avocado Greek salad and the mixed greens with goat cheese. The Black Olive has been listed by Food & Wine Magazine Online as of "America's 50 most Amazing Wine Experiences". Over 3,000 wines are available at the establishment. It is a casual attire restaurant with outdoor seating and it takes reservations. Black Olive 814 S. Bond St. Baltimore, MD 21231 410-276-7141 theblackolive.com
Della Notte
Rated as a three-star restaurant by Forbes, the Della Notte in Baltimore City serves a traditional Italian menu with Mediterranean-inspired dishes in an environment that is filled with busts of Roman emperors, murals and faux-white brick walls. The menu offers specials like the grilled center-cut veal rib chop with wild mushroom risotto, South African cold water lobster tails, Chesapeake Bay rockfish and Maryland-style jumbo lump crab cakes. Traditional Italian dishes at the restaurant include the antipasto, linguine and ravioli. Della Notte has won awards from the Wine Spectator Magazine for excellence and from the Wine Enthusiast Magazine for their restaurant award. Over 1,400 wines are available by the bottle and 30 different wines are available by the glass for pairing with meals. It is a business casual attire restaurant serving lunch and dinner, and it takes reservations. Della Notte 801 Eastern Ave. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-837-5500 dellanotte.com
Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.
Photo Credits
- restaurant image by Jerome Dancette from Fotolia.com
- Attribution: Marylandstater; License: public domain
- Attribution: Peter Fitzgerald, OpenStreetMap; License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
- Attribution: Iracaz (talk); License: GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
- Attribution: Matthew Petroff; License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
- Attribution: AndrewHorne; License: public domain


text:
Road Trip to Redemption Sappy, but Sweet
- Susan Ellingburg Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
- 2013 24 Jul
Author: Brad Mathias
Title: Road Trip to Redemption
Publisher: Tyndale
When the going gets tough . . . the tough go on a road trip. Brad Mathias figured his middle child's moodiness was just a typical teenage thing, until the night God told him to go ask Bethany what she was hiding. Her answer changed their family forever.
It wasn't their first family crisis, by any means, and Mathias is transparent about the mistakes and hard lessons they had learned up to this point. Even so, he writes, "It had never occurred to Paige or me that we might fail at raising our kids. We were both straight-A college students, high achievers, good problem solvers, and highly accomplished control freaks. But now, in the wake of this crisis, the evidence was unmistakable."
It wasn't the first thing they tried, or the only thing, but eventually Mathias decided the best way to heal his family was to pile all five of them in their SUV and head out on a cross-country road trip. He's careful to point out that God will have a unique plan for every family and his is not a one-size fits all solution. But for the Mathias clan, long hours in cramped quarters, potentially life-threatening weather conditions, and a healthy dose of God's green Earth was just what the doctor ordered.
While it's full of excellent advice and a pretty good story Road Trip to Redemption suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. It can't decide if it's a parenting manual or a memoir and ends up as a slightly awkward blend of both. The author says God advised him to control his impulse to sermonize when talking with his kids; this narrative could have benefited from that advice as well. The flow of the story frequently comes to a screeching halt while Mathias wanders down a spiritual rabbit trail. They're generally worthy detours—his insights are excellent—but they make the pace feel jerky.
The story as a whole could have benefited from more stringent editing. Take the author's descriptions of his family. He's clearly a devoted husband and father (a wonderful thing to be!) but the Mathias' love for his family colors his literary portraits in a sweet but occasionally sappy way. All that mushiness is sweet, but it doesn't exactly allow for clearheaded characterization; parts of the book read like the proverbial Christmas letter. However, in other areas his writing shines. His dramatic retelling of the moment they learned of Bethany's issues will hit parents hard. His descriptions of natural beauty will make even a dedicated couch potato long to hit the trail.
At the end, Mathias recaps each chapter in a pithy paragraph headed by a parenting principle. A few questions for parents to ponder and discuss would have been helpful to include here. They do exist, but only as a download, whose existence is easily overlooked, tucked as it is in between endnotes and ads at the back of the book. The end matter also includes some useful tips for families planning their own road trip. For parents, especially parents of teens, Road Trip to Redemption is definitely worth a read. It may not inspire you to take a road trip, but it just may help you and your family reconnect.
*This Article First Published 7/24/2013


text:
Polaris Brutus HD PTO
No matter what the task, regardless of the conditions, there is a work utility vehicle that flat out gets the jobs done. Introducing the Polaris Brutus HD PTO, the most versatile, most capable and most comfortable side-by-side commercial utility task vehicle ever created.
Diesel power, hydrostatic transmission, available all-season climate control and optional front attachments to create new levels of productivity make this a truly multipurpose vehicle.
What's so great about the Polaris Brutus HD PTO?
Key Features:
- 1028cc 3-cylinder Kohler overhead cam diesel power plant
- On demand true all-wheel drive
- Multi-Link coil over De Dion suspension
- Pro-Tach Quick Attachment System, hydraulically controlled
- Scoop, grab, lift & plough with the innovative line of attachment
- 790kg payload capacity & 900kg towing capacity
- 35mph top speed
Want more information?
What the Polaris Brutus HD PTO offers:


text:
Let's have some predictions for tomorrow's game against Wolves. I, the eternal optimist, predict 2-0.
Surprise surprise!! Another post filled with optimism from Martin. But don't worry folks, he only sends them when the day end with a 'y'.
Surprise surprise!! Another post filled with optimism from Martin. But don't worry folks, he only sends them when the day end with a 'y'.Let's have some predictions for tomorrow's game against Wolves. I, the eternal optimist, predict 2-0.
Surprise surprise!! Another post filled with anti-intellectual drivel from ASI. I don't think it pertains to negativity to ask questions about how improvement and progressions is to be measured, percieved or judged? Don't be so gutless.
I'm not gonna argue tes, you don't have a point. At the same time, and after a summer where the players qued up to any journo willing to listen to how good our squad is and how Melwood is buzzing, it's also fair to ask: How do we judge progress or the lack of it. Some say it's early, and maybe it is. But how long before it becomes a truism in itself? Some say it's a transitional phase. Yes it is, but how long is such a phase? 6 months? 18 months? 3 seasons? Some say the players need to settle in. Word, I say. But how long before the players aren't so new anymore?I for one, and as I said above thought when I saw the fixture list in June the Stoke and Spurs games will be a good indicator whether we're going places since we've struggled at those places in recent years. As it turned out we lost both, albeit in two quite different ways. But does it really say in the history books how you lost a game? Doesn't it just tell how many games a team lost? Isn't there a saying the table never lies?I'm not asking for instant success, I'm just asking for signs of improvement and there's none to be seen to be honest. We were always good when inspired, just like Bolton, Everton, Villa or Fulham. I wan't us to go on a 12 game unbeaten streak. Then and only then I'll admit we're going places. Other than that it's the same old it's been for the past 12 years. If we don't 4th will be beyond us and the pressure will mount even more.
Liverpool v WolvesSept 24, 2011half time, 2-0Suarez is the difference in the two teams. Thank goodness we have the little Uruguayan in our team. He is a little magician.Our performance mirrors every other performance this season to date - very industrious looking, but essentially organised chaos. Depressing inability to retain the ball. Depressing to see so much hoof it in the air strategy. I do not like the way we play when Carroll is in the team. Why have lovely technical players, like Maxi, Downing, Suarez and Adam, when we have Carra and Carroll to always lower the common denominator to hoof-it football. Skitrail needs to be told to stop diving in.Apart from the world class Suarez, there is very little between the two teams.
LFC, sponsored by prozac.
2-1 nowwolves are dangerous.I hope more prozac isn't necessary by 5 o'çlock.
What, with our centre half pairing?
It's quite depressing that we cannot keep clean sheets especially against the lesser sides. More investment required in January.
Page created in 0.165 seconds with 20 queries.


text:
For the second straight year, Brett Gardner has won the 2011 Fielding Bible Award as the game's best defensive left fielder. He received nine of ten first place votes and one second place vote (behind Carlos Gonzalez). His points total (99) was the highest by any player at any position. Tony Gwynn Jr. was a distant second with 74 points. It doesn't directly factor into the voting, but Gardner had the highest UZR (+25.2) and DRS (+22) in baseball last season, regardless of position.
Mark Teixeira (fourth), Robinson Cano (seventh), Alex Rodriguez (eighth), Russell Martin (fifth), and Hiroki Kuroda (sixth) all received votes at their respective positions.


text:
I was looking forward to some improvements in 2017.2 in relation to Map Roll-ups, the great new feature that appeared in 2917.1, but alas I'm very disappointed. Essentially the upgrade fixes a couple of minor problems, fails to address others and kills off a couple of key features of the first version of roll-up.
On the positive side some issues with display duration have been fixed, as is the way in which the 2017.1 version overwrote the selected topic in the dashboard map. Exporting a map with rolled-up topics to HTML 5 also no longer causes a crash.
That's about it. On the negative side the new version no longer handles rolled-up topics being inserted in the same map as the source topic, which was a great feature for producing mini-dashboards within the same map. More importantly it was also possible in the 2017.1 version to store these rolled-up topics as map parts and paste them back within the same map, producing a neat network of linked topics within the same map that would automatically update whenever the source topic was changed.
Try doing any of these things in 2017.2 and the whole map crashes. This could have been a great killer feature for MindManager but for some reason the new owners Corel have decided to kill off this ability entirely.
The other problem that I notified to Corel was the fact that filtered dashboard maps behaved oddly, applying the filter first and then performing the roll-up. This produced some strange results and left the "Map is filtered" indicator in place even though the map is no longer filtered.
I suggested simply reversing the order so the map rolled up and then was filtered, but only the secondary aspect of this has been dealt with. In fact, when saved and reopened the supposedly filtered dashboard map now simply removes the filter entirely, along with the filtered indicator. This means that there is no ability to save several versions of the same dashboard map each with a different filter, again another potential great feature lost.
While this isn't on the scale of the great Outlook disaster of MM version 9 a few years back, I had hoped this sort of thing would disappear with a new owner. Unfortunately it seems I was mistaken.


text:
On Monday I took it as my Human Right to search for a Pierneef site, and went through to Stellenbosch. I was here about a year ago and after a cursory drive through the town, I took the road up the Jonkershoek valley, for that is where "Die Pieke" are.
Freed slaves were farming here in the early 1700s. Later, the valley was found to be good for grapes. Vineyards lay alongside the road in the late summer heat. I scanned the valley for suitable dwellings, keeping an eye out for cyclists. I took the turnoff to Lanzerac Estate. Before me stretched vast lawns and a graceful old homestead, with well heeled diners to the left and Dylan Lewis cheetahs guarding the doorway.
Given that uncle P often manipulated his subject matter for compositional ends, this seems like a good bet. The buildings may have been modified since the 30s, but that gable is just way too ornate. I headed on up the road to the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve and a fine old fashioned tearoom where the cyclists stretch their legs. I took a turn to the right into a place called Assegaaibos. Here was the gabled homestead hemmed in by a low wall and big oak trees. The peaks towered behind, and there were even low sheds nearby. But it just wasn't laid out quite the way the painting says it should be. Does this house exist, or is this another of Oom Henk's confections? The quest continues….


text:
PNNL Researchers Contribute to the Top Downloaded NASEM Publications of 2017
Reports focus on toxicology exposure as well as resilience of the nation's electricity system
The work of two Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers was recently recognized by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) as among the Academies' most popular of this past year.
Justin Teeguarden, PNNL's chief scientist for exposure science, and Jeff Dagle, the Lab's chief electrical engineer for electricity infrastructure resilience, each contributed to NASEM's Top 20 Most Downloaded Publications of 2017.
Coming in at #16, Teeguarden was one of 23 committee members who authored "Using 21st Century Science to Improve Risk-Related Evaluations." The report examines advances in molecular and cellular biology, -omics technologies, analytical methods, bioinformatics, and computational tools and methods into the field of toxicology. Authors considered if a new toxicology exposure model is needed for data validation, how to integrate the divergent data streams, how uncertainty might need to be characterized, and how best to communicate the new approaches.
One place behind, at #17, Dagle was one of 17 committee members charged with developing the NASEM report, "Enhancing the Resilience of the Nation's Electricity System." Authors examined how existing and emerging technological options—including greater reliance on distributed power generation—could affect the reliability and ability to recover from disruptions to the system.
NASEM is a private, nonprofit organization that provides independent expert advice on some of the most pressing scientific, engineering, and medical challenges facing the nation and the world.
Download Publications
Published: February 2, 2018


text:
We love anything made with Lego here at Geeky Gadgets, and the latest cool Lego creation is the work of British designer Sebastian Bergne, and it has been made from transparent pieces of Lego.
The Lego Greenhouse works just like a normal greenhouse, thanks to the transparent Lego bricks, and it currently being shown off in Covent Garden in London, as part of the London Design festival 2011, have a look at the photos below.
LEGO commissioned the award-winning designer, Sebastian Bergne, to create a public installation using the iconic bricks, as part of the London Design Festival 2011. Entitled the "LEGO Greenhouse", this large-scale installation will be on display in the North Piazza, Covent Garden, a world-renowned cultural district, from 15th to 25th September 2011.
You can find out more information about this fun Lego Greenhouse over at DeZeen.


text:
Here are the latest pic's of mine..... taken a month back.....
Printable View
Here are the latest pic's of mine..... taken a month back.....
Are those "codeguru special" ones? :D
Nice pics btw, JVS :)
Nice pics Jay :)
nice :wave:
Nice one, what location is that ?
Si the question to me.. ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Krishnaa
if so .. the location is Ooty<- Tamil Nadu<-India
Thanks guys...
Here you can find pictures with me and ovidiucucu at the MVP Romanian Open Days 2006. I'll add the appropriate links to the index, though the pictures are posted in a separate thread.
Wow.. awesome dude...Quote:
Originally Posted by cilu
Nice photos guys. :)
Nice Pics :)
In my vacations, i went to famous and romantic, Santorini Island.
Here are some pics...
A wonderful island!!!
Nice pictures. Looks nice place for Espresso, cigarettes and lounge music :D
Okay. I know some of you have been waiting for some of the wedding photos. I choose a few because there are so many of them.
Nice photos, peejavery :wave:


text:
Netflix New Year's Eve Countdown
We are a member of the Netflix Stream Team
It's New Year's Eve and time to countdown to a New Year with your children. What do you do to keep the kids entertained on New Year's Eve? Have a Netflix New Year's Eve countdown! Spend the evening watching one of the top ten shows on Netflix with your kids: Word Party, Puffin Rock, Luna Petunia, Beat Bugs, All Hail King Julien, Skylanders Academy, DreamWorks Trollhunters, Project Mc2, Fuller House and Chasing Cameron.
Take some New Year's Eve selfies, and then grab streamers for a New Year's Eve countdown.
Start the New Year off right by giving yourself the gift of sleeping in. Create a movie door hanger for your little ones with some Netflix show suggestions to watch when they wake-up, and while you're getting in some extra zzzzz's.
Need some show suggestions for making your New Year's Day movie morning door hanger? Here are some suggestions to help keep the kids entertained while you start the New Year rested and relaxed.
Ask the StoryBots
Best Friends Whenever
Dragons: Race to the Edge
Ever After High
LEGO Friends: The Power of Friendship
Mako Mermaids
My Babysitter's a Vampire
Pokemon: Indigo League
Project Mc2
Skylanders Academy
The Adventures of Puss in Boots
The Batman
The Deep
DreamWorks Trollhunters
Voltron: Legendary Defender
Happy New Year!!


text:
Last week I posted as my Facebook status that: "Someone else's emotional state is almost always a terrible optimization target." I got a couple of requests to expand the thought to the length of a blog post, so here I go!
I've been thinking since I posted it, and I think there are two fairly separable reasons that I think the mental representation of another person in a particular emotional state isn't a productive thing to focus my mind on. First, how other people feel isn't something I can control. And second, it's a metric that is easy and harmful to game.
Let me start by saying how I think intentionality works in the human mind. (These ideas are not original to me, but I also haven't ever heard anyone articulate them in quite the way I do.) Intentions are represented as pictures of how we want the world to be. I think they usually have more influence over our behavior when they're represented vividly. Pictures are almost always involved, words may be involved, feelings in our body are often involved. Smells and tastes may be involved too. They have size, color, and position. They may be moving or static.
And ultimately, we try to make these pictures come true. Of course it's somewhat more complicated than that. And we're certainly imperfect at fulfilling our intentions, but that's the basic idea. I won't link to The Secret because that seems embarrassing and I haven't actually read it, but I think that book says the same thing in more woo-woo language.
To break it down more, I think correspondence between our mental representations and our perceptions is reinforcing, and more so for the more vivid ones that are represented in many modalities. So approaching intentions shapes our behavior.
And it's worth saying that the intentions that have most powerfully shaped our behavior aren't necessarily ones that are aligned with our explicit goals. As the saying goes, "we'd rather be right than happy."
So, if I hold in my mind, say, a picture of Will being happy, the above process starts rolling and my behavior will change. I see it as somewhat problematic to set intentions about things that are outside my control. If you've heard of SMART goals, my objection should be familiar. If nothing else, it's demoralizing to work that way. I think we learn by having a bunch of mental processes operantly condition a bunch of other mental processes. The best way to make progress is to reward yourself step by step as you act in ways that are closer and closer to how you want to be acting.
Here's a link to support my point, noting that reinforcement works better when we can target behaviors the subject can control and offer voluntarily. "Will being happy" is neither.
But the more insidious and harmful issue is that "Will is smiling" is easier to game than "Will is momentarily happy" is easier to game than "Will is in a lasting way actually more fulfilled with his life."
I almost certainly actually care most about the last one. But I don't have a tight feedback loop for that. Behaviors of mine that are most likely to affect that one may be pretty far afield from me picturing his smiling face. Psychology is tricky. Doing lots of little nice things for Will might make him happier, for example, but it's less likely to work if he gets the sense that I'm desperate about it working. If, instead, I do a bunch of nice things for Will because I've decided in some closer-to-deontological sense that it would be a good idea and remain unattached to the outcome, I'll be vastly more open to feedback. It will work better.
There's more detail I could go into, but I think I've hit on the main points. I like trying to unpack wise statements that are obviously not totally true but that are usually excellent advice. Things people say about not being able to control others seem to be in that category, and I think detailed explanations of the mechanics of why are rare and useful. I like to try to provide them.