Sunday, July 31, 2011
What Anders Behring Brievik Believes
I am in page 70 of this man's treatise, or compendium, as he calls it. There are over fifteen hundred pages in all. I have read an article in the NYT, [link], and some writings by Chip Berlet, [link].
I write the following:
He takes literal readings of very old documents at face value, he criticizes what he calls pre-cultural behaviors, as the suicide attacks, and fails to see that he has become suicidal himself. He is a Christian Worrier, or I would say, a pre-cultural Viking Warrior.
There.
I write the following:
He takes literal readings of very old documents at face value, he criticizes what he calls pre-cultural behaviors, as the suicide attacks, and fails to see that he has become suicidal himself. He is a Christian Worrier, or I would say, a pre-cultural Viking Warrior.
There.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Boehner Bill
Somebody very dear to me asked: What will happen if the US defaults?
The Republican Speaker of the House, just succeeded in making that outcome almost inevitable. He controlled Tea Party republicans enough to pass his version of a Debt Ceiling Bill, which neither the Senate nor the President can sign.
Now what?
If the US looses its credit standing: We all loose; I told him.
Republicans do not care.
The Republican Speaker of the House, just succeeded in making that outcome almost inevitable. He controlled Tea Party republicans enough to pass his version of a Debt Ceiling Bill, which neither the Senate nor the President can sign.
Now what?
If the US looses its credit standing: We all loose; I told him.
Republicans do not care.
Billy Bragg: Teachers can Change the World
I am proud to be a teacher. Some of my students are different because they met me!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
A Blogosphere of Bigots
By JOSTEIN GAARDER and THOMAS HYLLAND ERIKSEN
Published: July 28, 2011
Oslo
IT is tempting to view Anders Behring Breivik, the self-described Christian crusader behind the July 22 massacre in Norway, as an isolated case of pure evil. Yet history has taught us that such acts of violence rarely occur independent of their social and cultural surroundings. The assassination of Sweden’s prime minister, Olof Palme, on a Stockholm street in 1986, like the January shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords outside a shopping mall in Arizona, took place at a time when caustic antigovernment rhetoric was widespread.
Mr. Breivik managed to commit two terrorist attacks in a single afternoon. But the hatred and contempt from which he drew his deranged determination were shared with many others throughout the international right-wing blogosphere.
The racism and bigotry that have simmered for years on anti-Islamic and anti-immigration Web sites in Norway and other European countries and in the United States made it possible for him to believe he was acting on behalf of a community that would thank him. As John Donne famously put it, “No man is an island ... every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”
Norway’s security police had estimated that only a small number of Norwegians belonged to domestic right-wing extremist groups in 2010 and that they did not pose a security threat — an estimate that clearly has turned out to be erroneous. There may be only a few known members of ragged and powerless white-power groups, but the thousands of right-wing extremists who don’t belong to recognized groups are harder to pin down.
The global Islamophobic blogosphere consists of loosely connected networks of people — including students, civil servants, capitalists, and neo-Nazis. Many do not even see themselves as “right-wing,” but as defenders of enlightened values, including feminism.
The Islamophobes of Norway have no manifesto, but they share three fundamental views: that Norway is in the hands of a treacherous, spineless, politically correct elite that has betrayed the pure spirit of Norwegian culture by permitting demographic contamination; that Muslims will never be truly integrated (even if they pretend to be); and that there is a Muslim conspiracy to gain political dominance across Europe.
Hatred of Muslims and resentment of the left — one of us has repeatedly received resentful diatribes against the “multiculturalist elite,” and was mentioned in Mr. Breivik’s own writings — is not confined to Norway. Mr. Breivik has praised Gates of Vienna, a Web site that compares contemporary Europe to long-ago wars with the Ottomans. He has praised writers like Bruce Bawer, the American author of “While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within,” and Bat Ye’Or, the pseudonym for the British author of the conspiratorial “Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Axis.” He is an enthusiastic reader of the virulently anti-Islamic blog of Pamela Geller, an American who leads the group “Stop Islamization of America” and gained notoriety for her opposition to an Islamic center near ground zero in Manhattan.
Europe’s new right is, in other words, not neo-Nazi; it has swapped anti-Semitism for Islamophobia. After a hiatus of several hundred years, fear of Islam reemerged around 1989, as the Cold War was ending and Iranian mullahs issued a fatwa against the British writer Salman Rushdie. It gained popularity as increasing numbers of Muslims entered Europe as immigrants in the 1990s, and became widespread in the aftermath of 9/11. Traditional racism may actually be waning in several European countries, but hostility toward Islam and animosity toward Muslim immigrants and their children is on the rise.
Norwegian society is changing, and rapid immigration has no doubt led to tensions. In a country of under 5 million people, the number of immigrants and their children has doubled to over 550,000 in the last 15 years. Many of them are Poles and Swedes seeking work, and their presence is uncontroversial. Others have arrived as refugees and asylum-seekers from countries like Somalia, Iraq and Bosnia. And a substantial number have come to Norway to join relatives or spouses already in the country. About 200,000 — including more than 30,000 Pakistanis — have roots in Muslim countries.
Because of our healthy economy, fueled by North Sea oil, controversies over immigration tend to concern culture rather than economics. The perception that immigrants are patriarchal and insular has sparked controversies over everything from school excursions to swimming lessons to disrespect for female teachers. Yet many “new Norwegians” fully participate in society. Indeed, some of them were at work in the government buildings destroyed last week; others were taking part in the Utoya summer camp.
Conceding that a culturally diverse society raises knotty and complex social and political questions is one thing. It is quite another to state that a multicultural society is impossible, or that Islam is incompatible with democracy. Yet the blogosphere to which Mr. Breivik belonged took these views as a basic premise.
It is too early to tell if anything positive can emerge from this tragedy. In the upcoming elections, Norway’s Labor Party will likely receive many sympathy votes and the right could be adversely affected by its associations with Islamophobia. In the long run, the situation is less certain. In other Scandinavian countries, Social Democrats have been pushed to the right by anti-immigration parties. We hope that Norway’s longstanding consensus about immigration and integration policies will not be eroded.
Until last week, Norwegian authorities did not see the far right as a security threat. Mr. Breivik has now shown that those who claim to protect the next generation of Norwegians against Islamist extremism are, in fact, the greater menace.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Adrian Bejan
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
The Norway Attacks: "Marketing" the Christian Right Culture Wars
By Chip Berlet
Breivik compiled the 1500-page manifesto, which asserts that "Political Correctness" is a conspiracy by "Cultural Marxists" to destroy sovereign Christian nations through multiculturalism that results in mass Muslim migration into Europe.
PRA senior analyst Chip Berlet reports that Breivik's central thesis is drawn from theories propounded by U.S. Christian Right icons William S. Lind and the late Paul Weyrich , founder of the Free Congress Foundation, and co-founder of the Heritage Foundation. Weyrich, along with Lind, developed an aggressive theory of cultural conservatism as a way to save western culture. Breivik's manifesto, compiled under the name "Andrew Berwick," includes excerpts from Lind's conspiracist "Cultural Marxism" essay for the Free Congress Foundation. By 2000, Lind had incorporated antisemitic elements into his claims.
As early as 1992 PRA warned that the Culture War brew of apocalyptic Christian Theocracy, White Racial Nationalism, and Xenophobic Immigrant-bashing could undermine democracy.
The broad theories outlined in Breivik's manifesto reflect Christian Right cultural conservatism, a confluence of traditionalist claims from Europe and the United States. For example American conservative groups have sent representatives to Europe to attend the World Congress of Families, where speakers talk of a "Demographic Winter" -- a coded racist warning that Muslims are outbreeding "white people" in Europe and the United States. [for background, see PRA's "Exporting 'Traditional Values': The World Congress of Families" ].
Breivik's manifesto contains right-wing rhetoric reflecting white supremacy and patriarchal misogyny. Much of his text is cut and pasted from the works of other authors. Among those whose views are highlighted by Brievik are U.S. Islamophobes Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer, and Walid Shoebat.
Taken From Public Eye
The Norway Attacks:
"Marketing" the Christian Right Culture Wars
On Friday, July 22, at least 76 people were killed in the Oslo bombing and the shooting rampage at a Labor Party summer training camp for young liberal political activists. Immediately following news of the Norway terrorism, the internet buzzed with speculation -- much focused on so-called "Islamist" militancy and Muslims. It soon became apparent, however, that the terrorist was a homegrown Christian Right Islamophobe. Anders Behring Breivik, a Norwegian man who has confessed to the attacks, appears to have carried out the carnage as a "marketing" tool to advertise his manifesto calling for a white Christian revolution that would rid Europe of Muslims. Breivik compiled the 1500-page manifesto, which asserts that "Political Correctness" is a conspiracy by "Cultural Marxists" to destroy sovereign Christian nations through multiculturalism that results in mass Muslim migration into Europe.
PRA senior analyst Chip Berlet reports that Breivik's central thesis is drawn from theories propounded by U.S. Christian Right icons William S. Lind and the late Paul Weyrich , founder of the Free Congress Foundation, and co-founder of the Heritage Foundation. Weyrich, along with Lind, developed an aggressive theory of cultural conservatism as a way to save western culture. Breivik's manifesto, compiled under the name "Andrew Berwick," includes excerpts from Lind's conspiracist "Cultural Marxism" essay for the Free Congress Foundation. By 2000, Lind had incorporated antisemitic elements into his claims.
As early as 1992 PRA warned that the Culture War brew of apocalyptic Christian Theocracy, White Racial Nationalism, and Xenophobic Immigrant-bashing could undermine democracy.
The broad theories outlined in Breivik's manifesto reflect Christian Right cultural conservatism, a confluence of traditionalist claims from Europe and the United States. For example American conservative groups have sent representatives to Europe to attend the World Congress of Families, where speakers talk of a "Demographic Winter" -- a coded racist warning that Muslims are outbreeding "white people" in Europe and the United States. [for background, see PRA's "Exporting 'Traditional Values': The World Congress of Families" ].
Breivik's manifesto contains right-wing rhetoric reflecting white supremacy and patriarchal misogyny. Much of his text is cut and pasted from the works of other authors. Among those whose views are highlighted by Brievik are U.S. Islamophobes Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer, and Walid Shoebat.
Taken From Public Eye
We were Hard Hit!
"Mr. Moya counts himself lucky to still have his restaurant. He has to work weekends at a nightclub in Washington to keep up with his rent. His life is increasingly resembling his father’s — subsisting, without saving — but he has pinned his hopes for a better life on his sons, and he has discarded the idea of returning to Mexico.
“I want my house back,” he said. “I’m working for my house right now.”"
NYT
Mr. Moya, I agree; I am not going back either.
“I want my house back,” he said. “I’m working for my house right now.”"
NYT
Mr. Moya, I agree; I am not going back either.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Russell Brand on Amy Winehouse: 'We have lost a beautiful, talented woman'
Russell Brand: 'Addiction is a serious disease; it will end with jail, mental institutions or death.' Photograph: Dave Hogan/Getty Images
When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction you await the phone call. There will be a phone call. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they've had enough, that they're ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you it's too late, she's gone.
Frustratingly it's not a call you can ever make it must be received. It is impossible to intervene.
I've known Amy Winehouse for years. When I first met her around Camden she was just some twit in a pink satin jacket shuffling round bars with mutual friends, most of whom were in cool indie bands or peripheral Camden figures Withnail-ing their way through life on impotent charisma.
Carl Barât told me that Winehouse (which I usually called her and got a kick out of cos it's kind of funny to call a girl by her surname) was a jazz singer, which struck me as a bizarrely anomalous in that crowd. To me with my limited musical knowledge this information placed Amy beyond an invisible boundary of relevance: "Jazz singer? She must be some kind of eccentric," I thought. I chatted to her anyway though, she was after all, a girl, and she was sweet and peculiar but most of all vulnerable.
I was myself at that time barely out of rehab and was thirstily seeking less complicated women so I barely reflected on the now glaringly obvious fact that Winehouse and I shared an affliction, the disease of addiction. All addicts, regardless of the substance or their social status share a consistent and obvious symptom; they're not quite present when you talk to them. They communicate to you through a barely discernible but unignorable veil. Whether a homeless smack head troubling you for 50p for a cup of tea or a coked-up, pinstriped exec foaming off about his speedboat, there is a toxic aura that prevents connection. They have about them the air of elsewhere, that they're looking through you to somewhere else they'd rather be. And of course they are. The priority of any addict is to anaesthetise the pain of living to ease the passage of the day with some purchased relief.
From time to time I'd bump into Amy she had good banter so we could chat a bit and have a laugh, she was a character but that world was riddled with half-cut, doped-up chancers, I was one of them, even in early recovery I was kept afloat only by clinging to the bodies of strangers so Winehouse, but for her gentle quirks didn't especially register.
Then she became massively famous and I was pleased to see her acknowledged but mostly baffled because I'd not experienced her work. This not being the 1950s, I wondered how a jazz singer had achieved such cultural prominence. I wasn't curious enough to do anything so extreme as listen to her music or go to one of her gigs, I was becoming famous myself at the time and that was an all consuming experience. It was only by chance that I attended a Paul Weller gig at the Roundhouse that I ever saw her live.
I arrived late and as I made my way to the audience through the plastic smiles and plastic cups I heard the rolling, wondrous resonance of a female vocal. Entering the space I saw Amy on stage with Weller and his band; and then the awe. The awe that envelops when witnessing a genius. From her oddly dainty presence that voice, a voice that seemed not to come from her but from somewhere beyond even Billie and Ella, from the font of all greatness. A voice that was filled with such power and pain that it was at once entirely human yet laced with the divine. My ears, my mouth, my heart and mind all instantly opened. Winehouse. Winehouse? Winehouse! That twerp, all eyeliner and lager dithering up Chalk Farm Road under a back-combed barnet, the lips that I'd only seen clenching a fishwife fag and dribbling curses now a portal for this holy sound.
So now I knew. She wasn't just some hapless wannabe, yet another pissed-up nit who was never gonna make it, nor was she even a ten-a-penny-chanteuse enjoying her fifteen minutes. She was a fucking genius.
Shallow fool that I am, I now regarded her in a different light, the light that blazed down from heaven when she sang. That lit her up now and a new phase in our friendship began. She came on a few of my TV and radio shows, I still saw her about but now attended to her with a little more interest. Publicly though, Amy increasingly became defined by her addiction. Our media though is more interested in tragedy than talent, so the ink began to defect from praising her gift to chronicling her downfall. The destructive personal relationships, the blood-soaked ballet slippers, the aborted shows, that YouTube madness with the baby mice. In the public perception this ephemeral tittle-tattle replaced her timeless talent. This and her manner in our occasional meetings brought home to me the severity of her condition.
Addiction is a serious disease; it will end with jail, mental institutions or death. I was 27 years old when through the friendship and help of Chip Somers of the treatment centre Focus 12 I found recovery. Through Focus I was introduced to support fellowships for alcoholics and drug addicts that are very easy to find and open to anybody with a desire to stop drinking and without which I would not be alive.
Now Amy Winehouse is dead, like many others whose unnecessary deaths have been retrospectively romanticised, at 27 years old. Whether this tragedy was preventable or not is now irrelevant. It is not preventable today. We have lost a beautiful and talented woman to this disease. Not all addicts have Amy's incredible talent. Or Kurt's or Jimi's or Janis's. Some people just get the affliction. All we can do is adapt the way we view this condition, not as a crime or a romantic affectation but as a disease that will kill.
We need to review the way society treats addicts, not as criminals but as sick people in need of care. We need to look at the way our government funds rehabilitation. It is cheaper to rehabilitate an addict than to send them to prison, so criminalisation doesn't even make economic sense. Not all of us know someone with the incredible talent that Amy had but we all know drunks and junkies and they all need help and the help is out there. All they have to do is pick up the phone and make the call. Or not. Either way, there will be a phone call.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Post 6666
I am not superstitious. Nevertheless it gives me the willies to get my friend's paper on scale and conformal invariance when I write this 6666 post.
I am waiting for my Mathematica license as I write this. Some issues with names on accounts and such, have prevented me to get this license so far. Grinstein et al., made extensive calculations to publish their paper, but it is concepts, that I want to address here.
Scale invariance is crucial in my view of the Universe. At the beginning there was no sense of what now we consider big or small, all sizes were equally important. If you read the paper you find out that scale invariance is not identical to conformal invariance; I like that. Mathematics sometimes represents our intuitions, sometimes not. In my current view of reality it is important to separate, things as they are, and our abstractions. The latter are made up, the former were there even before we developed concepts. Even the concept of self. My present view is that we do not have to know what really is out there, for a successful phenomenolgy. I am agnostic, through and through. Agnostic about Intelligent Design, and agnostic as to the reality of the Universe. I do believe the Universe is out there, but all I really feel the need to, is to get the best fit with the least number of assumptions.
How does Fortin et al., contribution fit?
What we expect is not what it is. Scale invariance is not conformal invariance.
I am waiting for my Mathematica license as I write this. Some issues with names on accounts and such, have prevented me to get this license so far. Grinstein et al., made extensive calculations to publish their paper, but it is concepts, that I want to address here.
Scale invariance is crucial in my view of the Universe. At the beginning there was no sense of what now we consider big or small, all sizes were equally important. If you read the paper you find out that scale invariance is not identical to conformal invariance; I like that. Mathematics sometimes represents our intuitions, sometimes not. In my current view of reality it is important to separate, things as they are, and our abstractions. The latter are made up, the former were there even before we developed concepts. Even the concept of self. My present view is that we do not have to know what really is out there, for a successful phenomenolgy. I am agnostic, through and through. Agnostic about Intelligent Design, and agnostic as to the reality of the Universe. I do believe the Universe is out there, but all I really feel the need to, is to get the best fit with the least number of assumptions.
How does Fortin et al., contribution fit?
What we expect is not what it is. Scale invariance is not conformal invariance.
What does Scale Invariance Mean?
Fortin et al. (below) revived my interest in scale invariance. Quantum Field Theory does not require scale free theories. Near phase transitions though, we observe scale invariance, i.e., no scale seems to rule, the fluctuations could be a meter long, or a millimeter long. All the scales are present. They proved that scale invariance implies non-trivial energy dependence.
Cool!
Cool!
Benjamín Grinstein
This Mexican physicist has found with, Fortin, and Stergiou an important result on Quantum Field Theories, [link].
Non-trivial behavior in charge space, for theories near a scale invariant fixed point.
This could be related with the general behavior of cross sections observed experimentally since the late sixties.
"7
The physics lore that limit cycles and ergodicity imply perpetual oscillations in the scattering cross
sections is thus correct [15]. The scattering cross sections σ (s) in terms of the center-of-mass energy s
oscillate, i.e., s σ (s) = c(s) for a periodic or quasi-periodic function c(s). The scattering cross sections obey
the standard scaling law, with c(s) a constant, only for theories approaching conformal fixed points."
Non-trivial behavior in charge space, for theories near a scale invariant fixed point.
This could be related with the general behavior of cross sections observed experimentally since the late sixties.
"7
The physics lore that limit cycles and ergodicity imply perpetual oscillations in the scattering cross
sections is thus correct [15]. The scattering cross sections σ (s) in terms of the center-of-mass energy s
oscillate, i.e., s σ (s) = c(s) for a periodic or quasi-periodic function c(s). The scattering cross sections obey
the standard scaling law, with c(s) a constant, only for theories approaching conformal fixed points."
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
I AM NOT A HACKER!
The Murdoch crowd is going after anyone with brains not in their pocket. They are raiding Anonymous, and harassing this guy:
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Theory of Nothing
I am getting away from the Theory of Everything, to the Theory of Nothing. I do not think this is a defeat, it looks more like a step ahead. I explain.
Albert Einstein sought to unify Electromagnetism with Gravity in a Unified Field Theory. He failed; at the same Institute of Advanced Studies at Princeton, Edward Witten is trying again. If I am right. he won't get anywhere. String Theory cannot be a theory of everything, anymore than we could predict the weather three weeks in advance.
My New Scientific Method: Measure, Calculate, and Compare, does not posit the existence of fundamental formulas or programs that code the behavior of the Universe, once and forever. What it posits is the existence of sophisticated fitting methods to correlate huge amounts of data, with a much smaller set of fitting algorithms. From this perspective, Carl Friedrich Gauss already gave us the basic principle, with his least squares method of fitting experimental data.
With this perspective, we can as well predict the stock market prices for all of next week, as well as the Big Bang Quantum Cosmology; in principle one problem does not present a more daunting problem than the other.
Maybe I'll become a Quant after all.
Albert Einstein sought to unify Electromagnetism with Gravity in a Unified Field Theory. He failed; at the same Institute of Advanced Studies at Princeton, Edward Witten is trying again. If I am right. he won't get anywhere. String Theory cannot be a theory of everything, anymore than we could predict the weather three weeks in advance.
My New Scientific Method: Measure, Calculate, and Compare, does not posit the existence of fundamental formulas or programs that code the behavior of the Universe, once and forever. What it posits is the existence of sophisticated fitting methods to correlate huge amounts of data, with a much smaller set of fitting algorithms. From this perspective, Carl Friedrich Gauss already gave us the basic principle, with his least squares method of fitting experimental data.
With this perspective, we can as well predict the stock market prices for all of next week, as well as the Big Bang Quantum Cosmology; in principle one problem does not present a more daunting problem than the other.
Maybe I'll become a Quant after all.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Reflections
It is Saturday. The first week back home is ending. I am happy, my kids and wife are here. I had an interview at Waubonsee Community College in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois, with a majority of Mexicans abroad. Two people interviewed me. They will tell me their decision at the end of the month.
News on Relevant Science
The amount of traffic I'm getting, and the advice of a reader have convinced me to start a new blog. News on Relevant Science.
Friday, July 15, 2011
10 Different Fuels Actually Used to Run Cars
- Trick-or-Treat – University students in England tested a Formula racing car that ran on fuel made in part from waste chocolate from a Cadbury plant. No word on whether-or-not the car was eaten after testing was completed.
- Gobble Gobble – For turkey-lovers (Ben Franklin suggested, tongue-only-partly-in-cheek, that the turkey would make a more noble national bird than the eagle), the idea of putting a Tom into the gas tank might seem anathema, but viable fuel can be made from virtually all parts of the bird.
- Starbucks In the Tank – Coffee grounds, which contain a lot of oils, make a bio-fuel that is relatively cheap and clean to produce, comes from an abundant source, and, of course, makes the morning commute a much more aromatic experience.
- Paper or Plastic? – Both paper and plastic can be made into fuel, and each comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, though the future may show us many new ways to recycle waste products in a green manner.
- Blow Me Down – Wind turbines have been mounted on vehicles, and they have been used to charge batteries that then power the vehicle. This system works best for those who live in tunnel-free expanses of windy salt-flats.
- Mulch for the Minivan – Not as strange as it sounds, wood chips and sawdust are prime ingredients of what are called “bio-mass” fuels, which are foreseen by some as the most likely replacements for petroleum-based fuels.
- Styrofoam – With as many styrofoam cups as we see littering our highways, it would be a nice thing to see if economically feasible methods of converting those cups into useful fuels can be developed.
- Dung Beetles? – Methane gas, available in all your friendly neighborhood cow-patties, can be rendered into fuels that can run an automobile.
- Beans, Beans, They’re Good for Your Car – Beans, soybeans in particular, are used to make bio-fuels, and are among the few sources that show real universal promise.
- Lend Me Your Ears – Ears of corn, that is; ethanol is a fuel already in wide use around the globe, and can be made from crops such as corn, potatoes,sugar cane and the ever-popular manioc (known more commonly as “cassava”, one of the most-eaten sources of carbohydrates on the planet). Henry Ford was using ethanol in his Model T’s as early as 1908.
You won’t be able to run your car on tap water any time soon, but hydrogen (the “H” in H2O) is seen as a leading candidate to replace world dependency on fossil fuels. Stay tuned.
Related Posts :
From Satellite Dish
Thursday, July 14, 2011
My Keyboard is Acting Up
The shift key is funny.
UPDATE(8/14/2011): I wiggled it sometime ago, and now it works.
UPDATE(8/14/2011): I wiggled it sometime ago, and now it works.
Top 10 iOS Apps for Photography Pros
1. PhotoRaw – This is definitely an app for photography pros. This app allows users of an iphone camera to view photo files in 'raw' format and provides formats that match many of the most common cameras.
2. TimeShift HD – Mobile Game Logic is the creator of this time-lapse photo app. It provides plenty of control over all the elements involved in time-lapse photography.
3. ChronoCam – Chronophotographic photos are taken with this app. Tateshina Business Center has created this app to take from 1 to 20 photos per second.
4. PhotoSync – Automatically, and wirelessly, transfer groups of photos to your iphoto software or photo servers.
5. DSLR Remote – OnOne Software created this app that will control your DSLR camera remotely from your iphone or ipad. You can even tell your camera where you want the images saved to.
6. CameraBag – NeverCenter named this app appropriately. It provides the lens filters that you would formerly have carried in your camera bag. Now they are all contained on your iphone.
7. Hipstamatic – Synthetic Corp has provided this fun and flexible photo app. Take 'old school' photos while changing 'lenses' with a swipe of your finger across the screen.
8. Pano – Debacle Software has created this app that allows you to take panoramic photo shots with your iphone and stitch them together for a full wide view. You can combine up to 16 shots together.
9. ProHDR – Eye Apps LLC has created this app to bring top high dynamic range images into your iphone. HDR allows you to maintain clarity of both the foreground and background of images.
10. TiltShift – If you're not a photography buff, you may not have heard this term before. If you've owned a tilt-shift lens, then you'll love the ability to accomplish these unique types of shots with your iphone by just adding this little app. Michael Krause has done a great job with this app.
With the many photo apps available for use with iphones and ipads, the carrying of an extra camera is becoming less of a necessity, even for the pros.
Taken From Maccaper
10 Things Your Boyfriend Needs to Hear You Say
- Wardrobe Hints. Men and women do view fashion differently. If your boyfriend is prone to loving old shirts and torn jeans then complaining isn’t going to make it better. You can make a few suggestions in a positive way that show you care, but will encourage him to find something great looking, but still comfortable.
- I’m proud of you. Acknowledge his achievements. Whether they are at work, or in relation to his hobbies or sports, he needs to know that what is important to him, is also important to you.
- Asking For Help. Everyone likes to feel needed, and that is especially true for guys. Don’t overdo it and expect them to do everything for you, but don’t be so independent that you never ask them for assistance, either.
- Changing Habits. We all have those things we do that drive others crazy. But sometimes we’re not even aware of those habits ourselves. If you can tell him about the habits he has that bother you, it can often be a great motivation for changing, as long as you aren’t preachy about it.
- Suggestions. Don’t leave it up to him to make all the suggestions regarding how to spend your time together or where to go on a date. Be willing to make some suggestions yourself.
- Cooking Compliments. If you have a boyfriend who enjoys cooking, be sure and let him know that you appreciate his cooking skills and his willingness to share his culinary talents with you. Not every girlfriend gets that kind of treat.
- Nice Wheels! For many guys, their vehicle is there prize possession. Taking notice of his vehicle, even if it’s just to comment on how nice his wax job looks, will do wonders for his ego.
- Redecorating. Some guys are great with setting up house, but many aren’t. If they aren’t they’ll often appreciate some advice or help making their apartment look a little homier. Just remember to keep it masculine and don’t be adding too many ruffles and flowers.
- Feeling Wanted And Important. If you have lots of demands on your time, it is easy to leave your boyfriend feeling a little neglected. Just telling him know how much he means to you, from time to time, is really important.
- You’re looking good! Girls aren’t the only ones who like to be complimented on their appearance. When your boyfriend is looking especially sharp, tell him so. It will encourage him to always look his best, when he’s with you.
Sometimes you need to remember to express your thoughts out loud, and not just keep them to yourself. Finding those ways to improve your communication can really help to make the relationship grow.
Taken From Best Dating Sites
10 College Admission Trends You Should Know
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This year — 2011 — is the toughest admissions year yet
This year has been the hardest for high school seniors applying to college. A combination of the weak economy and the increased number of applications each student submits has made it much harder to get into college. Years ago, seniors typically applied to a handful of schools, but now students have doubled their application submissions to 10 or even 30 schools.
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More students are interested in southern colleges
In recent years, more college students have been saying goodbye to snow and hello to sunshine as they make their way down south for school. Whether it's the quality of education or quality of life, students are taking greater notice of what southern colleges have to offer year-round.
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International student applications are on the rise
An increase in the number of international students applying to American schools has made getting into college even more competitive. And colleges are accepting more international students because they provide a financial boost by paying full price to attend school in the United States.
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More grad students are aiming for Ivy League
Ivy League schools have always been the quintessential place to receive an education, especially a graduate degree. But now the country's unemployment rate and increased job competition have made this dream of attending an Ivy League school a necessity for many students who want to outshine their peers and lock-in a good job. In addition to competing with fellow graduates, students will also have to beat out recently laid off workers who hold years of experience and industry knowledge.
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More homeschoolers are applying to college
Over the last few years, admissions departments have seen an increase in the number of homeschoolers applying to college. While it's nice to diversify, many colleges find it difficult to compare homeschoolers to traditional students, therefore making the admissions process a little more tricky.
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Admissions waitlists are growing
More colleges have admitted that their dreadful admissions waitlists are growing in size to account for more applicants. Schools like Harvard and Princeton no longer have early admissions and have to implement the waitlist, which makes it extra difficult and painfully nerve-wracking for applicants. During this waiting period, students are more likely to send follow-up recommendation letters and pull as many strings as possible.
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Public schools are accepting more out-of-state students
In an effort to diversify and, of course, cash in on higher tuition rates, public schools are admitting more out-of-state students. Public schools are also accepting more non-resident students because it helps increase their numbers and avoid the need for more student housing.
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More college applicants are interested in creative writing
Today's college applicants are showing a greater interest in creative writing programs and are making their choice of college based on this subject. Whether students are just looking to build up their creative writing portfolios or have a sudden urge to write, creative writing has and will certainly continue to be a popular major for students.
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More Californians are applying out of state
It might seem strange that California students are applying outside of their beautiful and educationally renowned state for college, but the decline in state funding has left many with no other choice. California schools are accepting fewer freshmen than in the past to counteract the budget cuts. In fact, just under 70% of California freshmen were accepted for fall 2011, which is down from 71.7% in 2010 and 72.6% in 2009.
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More students are taking a gap year before college
Over the last few years, admissions departments have noticed that more students are taking a gap year before attending college. There are many reasons that students are opting for a break, such as lack of tuition money, high school burnout and even fulfilling a desire to travel abroad, volunteer and work. Another major factor in students' decisions to take a gap year is the increased competition to get into college.
Taken From Zen College Life
13 Secrets Hospitals Don’t Want You to Know
13 Secrets Hospitals Don’t Want You to Know
Most of us, if we're lucky that is, won't ever have to spend too much time in a hospital as a patient. Yet accidents and unexpected health problems can strike at any time, affecting you or those you love.
While most hospitals are great places to convalesce and most patients will emerge in full health afterwards, there is a darker side to the business as well. From exorbitant costs that may not be covered by your insurance to the risk of a serious error, there's a lot you need to know stay that your healthcare providers may not be so open about. Whether you're a patient today or just want to prepare for a day when you might be, these hospital secrets are something every potential patient needs to know to stay safe, healthy, and financially solvent after a health issue.
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Hospital errors are fairly common.
With all the cutting-edge technology we have today, you might think that hospital errors would be a thing of the past, or at least pretty uncommon. Yet that simply isn't the case. A new study has revealed that one in three hospital admissions leads to a patient being harmed or killed by errors made by doctors and staff. That's a pretty good chance of getting hurt when you go into a hospital, and with many institutions understaffed and overworked, it's unlikely to change soon. Even worse, many hospitals are actively trying to hide these stats from the public. The good news? If an error is made, you likely won't have to pay for your hospital care, a small consolation for many affected by this widespread problem. -
You may be able to negotiate your bill.
Even with insurance coverage, hospital bills can be astronomical, leaving many in dire straits financially. While you might balk at all the numbers in your total owed, that amount isn't necessarily fixed. In fact, in many cases you may be able to negotiate with the hospital to reduce the amount of your bill. Because there are often markups in the cost of care, hospitals have a little wiggle room when it comes to billing, and if you can prove that you need the help to pay your bills, they may just cut you a deal. It can often help them in the long run, as bill collecting agencies can take a cut of up to 25% of what is owed, so it is often to the hospital's benefit to simply charge you less. -
Your health care records aren't as private as you might think.
Patients would like to believe that their most private personal healthcare records aren't available to just anyone, but the reality is that they're much less private than you might think. While keeping medical records private has always been an issue, in a digital world where information can quickly and easily be shared, privacy of medical records has eroded even further. In many cases, the law allows for your medical data to be shared without your knowledge or consent, giving your information to other doctors, insurance companies, and affiliated businesses. -
Hospitals are a great place to catch an infection.
Even if you make it through a surgical procedure with flying colors, you're not out of the woods yet when it comes to recovery. Hospitals are hotbeds for germs, and over 1.7 million patients are affected by them each year in the U.S. The most serious kinds are most often introduced in IVs, which provide a direct pathway into the body for all kinds of nasty germs. Many hospitals are fighting back against infections with simple programs that help to prevent illnesses caused by them, but with over 48,000 deaths each year from bacterial infections like sepsis and pneumonia, patients still need to watch out for infection in any hospital to which they are admitted. -
July isn't a good month to seek treatment.
July is statistically the most dangerous month to visit a hospital, so if you can avoid it, do. So why is there a 10% spike in deaths in July? July is the month when medical students become interns, interns become residents, and residents become full-fledged doctors. In other words, a good portion of the staff at the hospital will be newbies. If you must have a procedure in July, try to choose a hospital that isn't a teaching one. While doctors in training need to practice, the increased risk could be deadly for patients. -
There are major differences in health care quality by hospital.
While most hospitals provide good care, not all have the same standards of quality and success rates. For those who are planning a surgical procedure, doing research on hospital death rates and which hospitals have the best departments in the area you need care can be a life or death matter. Look up any heath care facility through The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services or from private providers such as HealthGrades and U.S. News and World Report. -
Hospital work may be outsourced.
It seems everything these days is outsourced, and hospital work is no exception. The anesthesiologist on your surgery may not even work at the hospital and the radiologist looking at your x-rays might be halfway around the world. Outsourcing doesn't necessarily mean that you will get a poor quality of care, but it does mean that you don't really have control over who will be taking care of you, even if you're choosing the hospital. -
You will wait, even if you have a potentially serious condition.
Emergency room wait times have become a bit of a joke, though perhaps a dark one. Hospitals around the nation have terrible wait times, many of which may actually endanger patient lives. American College of Emergency Physicians reports that most patients who need to be seen immediately or within 15 minutes actually ended up waiting more than 37 minutes for care. Of course, 37 minutes is paltry compared to emergency rooms that may have waits of up to 24 hours. These wait times have caused patient deaths in recent years, and hospitals are working to improve them, though chronic understaffing has made it hard to move patients through. -
Hospitals will check out your credit report.
Credit card companies and mortgage officers aren't the only ones who care about your credit report. It is becoming increasingly common for hospitals to take a peak as well, examining your credit scores, credit card limits, and even your personal savings. While some hospitals simply want to separate those who really need free medical care from those who want to freeload, others are using it as a method to establish whether or not patients will be able to pay medical bills – and thus whether or not the hospital will provide care. Both instances are major privacy concerns for patients, and if you believe your hospital may be profiling your credit, don't hesitate to ask (though you may not get an honest answer). -
Chances are good that your hospital is understaffed.
Hospitals all over the U.S. are experiencing shortages of qualified staff, especially when it comes to nurses. By 2020, it is estimated that hospitals will be short over 1 million nurses, and a shortage of nurses means a significant drop in positive patient outcomes. Of course, nurses aren't the only thing many hospitals are running short of, as many ERs are seriously understaffed and often there simply aren't enough specialists in fields like cardiology, orthopedics, and neurosurgery to support them; 75% of ER directors report inadequate coverage. These kinds of shortages can have very real ramifications for patients, from increasing waiting times to decreasing the overall quality of care. -
Not everyone involved in your care may be covered by your insurance.
You may have carefully chosen a surgeon in your health care network at a hospital that accepts your insurance, but that doesn't mean you're necessarily covered. Sometimes the anesthesiologists, pathologists, and radiologists that will be working with you aren't covered by your insurance plans. Unless you speak up and assure that they're all network-approved providers, as many hospitals won't ask before they assign someone to your procedure, you may be left with a big bill after your surgery. -
You have a right to question your medical care.
Just because your doctor tells you a procedure is the only way doesn't mean you have to take his or her word for it. You are entitled to a second (or third, or fourth) opinion no matter how adamantly a medical professional is about his or her assessment. Additionally, if you feel something is wrong in how you're being cared for in a hospital, you have every right to speak up and speak out. If your immediate caregiver seems unwilling to help, find out who's in charge and take your case to them. Patients are often reluctant to be seen as a pain, but the annoyance of caregivers is inconsequential in such a life and death matter. -
You are entitled to an itemized hospital bill.
Want to know just what your bill from the hospital actual entails? Most states have mandates that require hospitals to provide you with an itemized bill. Often, on an itemized bill you'll be able to see what you've been charged for and will better be able to negotiate down and have extraneous charges removed. While some billing departments may kick and scream about getting you an itemized bill, don't forget that you are well within your rights to ask for one. After all, you want to know just what you're paying for.
Taken From Insurance Quotes
THE 20 MEANEST TEACHER EVALUATIONS OF ALL TIME
Students may suffer through the semester with professors they don’t appreciate, but with finals come student evaluations, and they’re not always pretty. Fair or unfair, teacher evaluations can be pretty entertaining, and we’ve pulled out a selection of the meanest (and funniest) teacher evaluations we could find. Enjoy these evaluations — and be glad you didn’t have these professors (or students).
- Professor Wikipedia: The author of this evaluation admits it’s a nasty one, but it sounds like it was deserved. His professor often reads Wikipedia in class and also uses the website for weekly lecture references. The student chose to spend his time learning from a YouTube professor instead, as his professor failed to teach effectively, and suggested that the school send his professor’s pay to the YouTube professor.
- An eternity in class: This student felt like classes went on for an eternity, so much so that if he had one hour left to live, he’d "spend it in this class because it feels like an eternity."
- Loves Shakespeare, but not people: This English professor’s collection of ratings were pretty harsh, with one student pointing out that the instructor doesn’t seem to like people, but rather loves Shakespeare. Others called her the Wicked Witch (a play on her name, Ostowitch), and accused her of picking favorites.
- A hideous ugly troll: This reviewer wrote to forewarn other students against a "hideous ugly troll" and "fiendish hate-filled creature" lurking in the Michigan State University School of Social Work. Be careful not to be hurt by this "soulless void of immorality."
- Instant hatred: A great one-liner from a rough teacher evaluation: "She hates you already." Ouch.
- The unemployment line: Although teaching a journalism course, this professor constantly suggested writing practices that would not fly in news media, with one reviewer noting that they’d land him in the unemployment line. The term "feminazi" was used to describe her, and male students felt that she must feel victorious in breaking a man’s will.
- The roach killing textbook: One student didn’t agree with a professor’s textbook choice, asserting that the book was useless for reading, but useful for killing roaches.
- A loathsome piece of feminist hate: Students feel that this professor is "unhinged," "simply vile, sometimes downright creepy." One student points out that she was sued for assaulting a male client in her private practice, and makes a habit of assaulting men in her lectures.
- Drinking for improvement: This student didn’t really like the TA at first, but saw steady improvement. The class’ thought was that he must have started drinking and it loosened him up.
- Review edited: The review of this professor was so bad, it had to be edited. What remains indicates that the student was unimpressed by the professor’s inability to complete the syllabus. Others suggested he should have become a Mafia guy instead of teaching.
- Team America World Police: Students grew tired of this professor’s lectures and class opinions on the situations of terrible corporations and globalization, describing the class as "50 minutes of listening to Alec Baldwin in Team America World Police speak."
- A ridiculous woman: Students lamented this professor’s apparent love of hard grading, with one of them going so far as to call her a ridiculous woman. Others disagreed with her office hours policy, and one pointed out that she must not like teaching, taking her frustrations out on the class.
- Shoe factories vs. Civil War: This professor was criticized for skimming over the Civil War, preferring instead to discuss foods from different tribes and shoe factories.
- A pretty face: This review is especially mean, suggesting that the female professor functions better as a pretty face than an engineering professor. One student suggested just reading from the book rather than depending on the professor.
- A mouth full of marbles: One student believes that this professor speaks as if her mouth is full of marbles. Others believe she is miserable and wants to take students down with her, and would not recommend her to their worst enemy.
- Bert with throat cancer: Another student evaluation complained about a professor that sounded like a beloved Muppets character, noting that his professor’s voice reminded him of Bert with throat cancer.
- Bring on the thunder: This reviewer didn’t feel the need to hold back profanity, exhibiting a few choice words for a former professor, including, total b*tch and thunder c*&t.
- Magical flute squirrel: A student would rather take classes from a squirrel than with her former professor. The review noted that "This professor is about as qualified as a squirrel with a magical flute." We’re not sure what a magical flute qualifies for in the teaching world.
- The plague: Raters of this professor encouraged potential students to avoid her like the plague, even going so far as to drive to another campus for the same class with a different professor.
- Watered down and boring: This evaluator managed to sneak in a beer zinger on his comments. He noted that, "Just like blats beer, this guy is watered down and BORING!"
Taken From Online Universities
Minimalist Internet: 10 Ways to Make Dial-Up Work for You
- Dedicated line – Since anything you do on dial-up is going to take extra time to accomplish, you will want to have two phone lines, one for the phone and one for your computer modem. Otherwise, you will always be having to choose, which is of more importance at the time.
- Clear off your hard drive – The more room you have on your hard drive, the more efficiently your computer will operate. Run defrags often to keep your data well compressed.
- Plenty of memory – The more memory you have available on your computer, the faster it will be able to deal with graphics and loading pages from the internet. Keep other programs shut down on your computer when browsing the internet. They eat up the memory you need available for browsing.
- No pictures please. Let all your email contacts know that you are operating with a dial-up connection and would prefer that they don’t send you photos, videos or any other large files. Send out a reminder from time to time. People do forget, and you are the one who will pay for their forgetfulness.
- Avoid Youtube. It would be best, if you simply forgot that Youtube even existed while you are limited to dialup. The amount of time it takes to stream a video and the play quality are simply not worth it.
- Ezines Articles. If you want to find good quality information in a textual format, read Ezine Articles. You can find just about any topic you can imagine there and low graphics.
- Forums. Since facebook and most of the other social networks are graphic heavy, you might find that text forums are a better place for you to connect with online communities. There are plenty of them out there that are niche specific, which means you’ll also have something in common with the other posters.
- Nighttime downloads – If there are some things you really want to download that will take some time, get the download started before you go to bed and let it pull it in while you sleep. Say a prayer before you lay down that it doesn’t time out in the middle of the process though.
- Patience – This should probably have been listed under number one, because it is a definite requirement for dealing with a dial-up connection. It is going to be slow. It will be slow to connect. It will be slow to down load items. It will be slow at loading web pages. So, find something else to do in between mouse clicks.
- High speed day trips – Whenever you can, treat yourself to some high speed internet. It may be a trip to the library, or it may be at a hotel while you’re traveling, but take advantage of those times and enjoy some of the online material that you have been fasting from at home.
Those who endure the use of dial-up in this age, and have previously tasted the joy of high speed browsing…we salute you. Someone will probably establish a memorial in your honor someday, for you are truly saints.
Taken From Dial Up Internet
40 Cool Ways College Libraries Are Leveraging Social Media
Social media is no longer a novelty in college libraries as almost every campus library has a Twitter or Facebook account to keep students updated and involved. But there are some college libraries that are really doing creative things in social media. Read on to learn about their great ideas.
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Tuesday Trivia:
McCain Library at Agnes Scott College has contests on the library’s blog and Facebook page each week, offering prizes to the first correct answer. -
The Incremental Project:
This researcher at Cambridge University Library used YouTube and social media as a source for research on Iraq. -
Broadcasting live events:
Some college libraries broadcast live events, like game nights and author speakers on social media. -
Facebook photo contest:
Fairfield University’s library sponsored a library photo contest for National Library week that built their Facebook following. -
Displaying new acquisitions:
Utah Valley University’s library uses Shelfari to show off new acquisitions. -
Rebranding:
The University of Missouri Kansas City used a variety of social media tools to rebrand their library system, raising visibility and putting a face on library services with a human touch. -
Creating a connected presence:
Bryant University Library uses feeds, widgets, and simple code to connect their social networking presences and save precious library employee time. -
Real-time meeting feedback:
Libraries have used Facebook status updates to ask for feedback that they can use right in the middle of meetings. -
Working collaboratively:
This paper was written by two university librarians who have never met in person, but using social technologies, were able to collaborate and co-author a paper. -
Tracking social media involvement:
Universities are aggregating information to judge their impact on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. -
Reference questions:
@KoernerRef at the University of British Columbia highlights good questions that come to their reference desk, which is shown on the library’s home page. -
Tweet upon checkout:
With Symphony, libraries can automatically tweet when new materials are checked out, which can be used to generate interest in library items. -
Homepage IM reference service:
Many university libraries are moving IM reference services to their homepage, allowing students to get quick, interactive service. -
Pointing out useful resources:
Many colleges keep students in the loop by posting events and information that are relevant to the library and college community. -
How do you use the library?:
McMaster University Library promoted ideas for using the library with a Twitter contest. -
Student worker training wiki:
Tarleton State University’s Dick Smith Library uses a student worker training wiki that saves time and frustration, as well as a staff-only wiki. -
First Year Experience:
McMaster’s library created a wiki that assists students in their first year at the school. -
Giving the scoop:
Libraries often offer students on Facebook or Twitter information before it’s available otherwise-like a fresh new stack of romance novels that just came in, announced first on Facebook. -
Zombie comic:
McPherson’s college library made a zombie comic tutorial, which became a popular social media feature. -
Library Minute:
Arizona State University uses short videos on YouTube to share information about what’s going on at the library. -
Qwidget:
The QuestionPoint Qwidget is available on the Texas Tech University Library’s website as well as Facebook, which helps students find information. -
Librarians do Gaga:
Librarians rocked out in this fun library music video. -
Foursquare specials:
Libraries have set up specials and special events for students who checked into the library on Foursquare and other location-based services, such as free movie rentals for the "Mayor." -
Remote apps:
Using apps like those provided by Gale, students can log on to the library or media center with current journals, magazines, and more. -
Poll Everywhere:
Champlain College Library is using Poll Everywhere to get poll votes via text, Twitter, and more to make classes more fun and engaging. -
Text a librarian:
Middleton Library offers a feature that allows students to text questions to librarians and get an answer at any time of day. -
The Amazing Library 101 Challenge:
The University of Ottawa YouTubed a Survivor-style challenge for learning about the library in a fun way. -
Finals hashtags:
The University of Wisconsin Madison College Library unveiled a Twitter hashtag, #studystrong, which students used to discuss their experiences during final exams. -
Second Life sculpture garden:
McMaster University Library’s Second Life island has a sculpture garden, which Digital Games students created as part of a class assignment. -
BiblioCommons:
Universities and public libraries are using BiblioCommons as a social discovery system, allowing advisory, recommendations, social tagging, and more. -
Parody videos:
Brigham Young University parodied the popular Old Spice social media marketing to encourage students to use the library. -
Getting feedback:
Libraries are using social media to find out how students really use the library, and responding to negative feedback. -
Tour the library:
The Harper College Library took YouTube viewers on a tour of the facility. -
IM widget for unsuccessful searches:
When a student searches the catalog, but doesn’t find anything, libraries can offer an IM chat to help. -
Delicious tag bundles:
Libraries like the Chattahoochee Technical College Library use tag bundles on Delicious, allowing for organization of recommended websites by subject on the CTC library website. -
Uploading visiting authors and lectures:
College libraries have uploaded special talks from authors and lecturers to Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr. -
Libguides:
Libraries can share guides on Facebook with the Libguides app. -
Connotea citations:
Duke University Libraries allow students to use OpenURL to link to Duke University Library online resources through their Connotea account. -
Retweeting new material:
College library Twitter accounts often retweet posts made by authors and other artists to highlight items in their library collection. -
JSTOR:
College libraries offer patrons the ability to search the library’s JSTOR account on Facebook.
Taken From Accredited Colleges Online
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