okenize at that position.
The markup rendering order is:
 - Metadata is stripped out completely by the rendering process, not considered data to be rendered. Metadata begins with a period (.).
 - An HTML macro is tokenized first and detokenized last, rendered as pure HTML by the browser, skipping all other rendering. HTML macros will output pure HTML that I don't want the static web generator or Textile to interfere with.
 - A non-HTML macro is tokenized second and detokenized immediately. If need arises in the future, something can be inserted in between this stage. External link indicators and hashtag and CamelCase escaping is done at this stage (since the exclamation mark interferes with Textile)
 - Textile markup is converted at the third stage. Since non-HTML macros have already detokenized, they are fair game for Textile. This works out well as it allows the output from non-HTML macros to use Textile format if needed.
 - Hashtags, CamelCase and broken CamelCase are converted at the fourth stage using my regex code. Since Textile has already rendered, it has to be careful not to interfere. Ideally I would have made this the third stage, but Textile kept interfering with my own markup. So this is a temporary solution. To prevent CamelCase from being auto-linked, put an exclamation mark in front of the word, such as ThisExample.
 - Normal HTML is considered their fifth and final stage, performed by the web browser. The output of an HTML macro is actual HTML.
Non-HTML macros must be entered on the page as:
For HTML macros, replace the hyphens --- with ~~~ tilde signs.
To keep Textile from interfering with html macros, they must be surrounded with double equal signs:
The macroname is really just a Perl command, and can be anything that Perl will execute. However, my macro code is generally limited to Perl functions, but strings and if statements can be very helpful, especially in the template file. Strings can automatically send information into the macro, such as the current page name.
A typical macroname would be something like this:
...which is a function called comment that accepts the variable $currentpage as input. The $currentpage variable expands when the page is rendered.
This could also be written:
...which would simply output the name of the current page.
In Perl, functions begin with & and strings with $, which is what is going on here.
If they use tildes, they output pure HTML and are not affected by other markup, preventing expansion of CamelCase.
There are several built-in macros that form the core of a document-oriented style wiki, and additional external macros called Plugins can be created for extra functionality.
Macro nesting
Because non-HTML macros tokenize before the HTML macros do, you can nest an HTML macro inside a non-HTML macro.
Search Macros
There are several macros that rely on the search engine in, since they are all just various forms of search. They are Page Search, Pagename Search, Tag Search, Key-Value Search, and Backlinks.
Page Search
<---&search ("pagesearch", "keyword");--->
This is a built-in macro which performs a search for pages that contain a keyword in their text. It ouputs a comma separated list of CamelCase page names. It is a non-HTML macro, so its CamelCase names are automatically hyperlinked. This is the "accidental linking" power of CamelCase and why it is required for all page names.
For example, here are the pages on this site that contain the word Raspberry: OswaldCluster, OswaldBot, CommentSystem, IdThreePlugin, OswaldLaser, InformationInFlight, PeaLanguage, MorseDecoded, TinyRoomTinyWorld, AboutThisSite, TheThirdDimension, DeadPiAudio, ScratchedInTime, ScratchedInSpace, ThePhoneSystem, RsTwoThreeTwo, PacketRadio, RobotDesigns, TrillSat, LeeDjavaherian, VendingMachine
The static generator searched all pages for that word and displayed the results in place of the macro.
Pagename Search
<---&search ("pagenamesearch", ".*keyword.*");--->
This is a built-in macro which performs a search for pages that contain a keyword using (regular expressions) in their page name. It outputs a comma separated list of CamelCase page names. It is a non-HTML macro, so its CamelCase names are automatically hyperlinked.
If the keyword is set to match everything ".*", it will return a list of all pages on the site, like a site index.
Results of search for pagename Oswald
OswaldCluster, OswaldBot, OswaldLaser
<---&search("backlinks", "", "","$currentpage")--->
This is displays pages that link to the page. It is typically used in the footer section of the template.tmpl file so that it puts backlinks at the bottom of each page. It doesn't look for HTML hyperlinks, but for known page names. This works, since each page name in is CamelCase and it is automatically considered a link. The $callingpage variable must be used instead, if it is used within a template.
If the first character on a line in a page contains a period, then this tells that the line contains metadata. It considers the word directly next to the period as the "key" followed by a space, and then the "value". Metadata can be anywhere on a page, but it is ideal to keep it at the top where it is immediately visible. It is important to never start a line with a period unless it is metadata.
For example, if ".category downloads" was written at the far left of this page, this would create a key called "category" and associate it with a value called "downloads". The key and key-value association is a simple construct, but creates the basis for any database. All databases are relational, but not all are "relational databases", a term that applies to Codd and SQL-style databases. Data only becomes "information" if a human being applies some sort of association, taking it out of the randomness of nature and into human understanding. Placing key-value associations on pages creates a document-oriented database, a form of the NoSQL database, one of the most powerful information constructions known to man. The WWW arose out of simple associations (hyperlinks) and the Semantic Web may form out of simply key-value pairs. (The Semantic Web may have already formed, but that is another topic.)
Reserved Keys
There are two keys that have a special use in the system called "metadescription" and "headerextra". Keys using these names are not allowed and will cause problems. Any value assigned to the metadescription key will become the content of the HTML meta description tag. Any value assigned to the headerextra key will be added in the HTML page header section, in case you need to insert some HTML there. This allows information to be written to the header of that page. Otherwise, there is no easy way to do this without modifying the template file (which affects all pages and is not ideal for this purpose). These values are expanded when the template is rendered.
Metadata Searches
Searching this metadata is performed by the same search engine, slightly modified to work with this metadata. The Key-Value Search and Tags macros rely on this engine.
<---&search("keyvaluesearch", "key", "value");--->
This is performs a search for pages that contain a certain key value pair.
This is useful to create categories. For example, here are the pages that have key of "category" and value of "downloads": ScratchedInSpace
Tags and Hashtags
<---&search ("keyvaluesearch", "tags", "tagname");--->
Tags are a special kind of key-value search where the key is fixed as "tags" and the value is a particular tag. Tags are an important Web 2.0 technology, allowing wonderful "folksonomies" to form. One of the design goals of this tagging system was to avoid the use of a dynamic server and avoid dynamic code like Javascript, and it turns out that simple HTML anchors work well for accessing information. Time is simply converted to Space. Clicking through the links and anchors can even allow one to visualize patterns more quickly than a slow or overtaxed dynamic server or sluggish Javascript on a slow PC.
The value of any.tags key in the metadata can consist of multiple tag names separated by a comma and a space, such as ".tags apple, red, fruit, juicy" unlike normal key-value metadata which must only include one value.
Hashtags are treated the same as tags, except that they may occur in the body text and must be preceded by a number sign or hash symbol #. They include an anchor, which is used by the Tagpage (tag search) plugin. If they are preceded by two ##, then they become a non-anchored hashtag which is useful if you do not want tag searches hitting that anchor (such as example hashtags or the lists provided by the Taglist macro below). Hashtags must be preceded by a space and can only contain alphanumeric symbols. By default the TagSearch page includes the Tagpage plugin and should be added to the /staticsite folder on installation. Hashtags on any page will automatically become hyperlinks that link to an anchor on TagSearch. Hashtags will override CamelCase names and will take you to the TagSearch page. But once on the TagSearch page, the Tagpage plugin will auto-link tags to their CamelCase pages if those pages exist, adding another level of visualization. To prevent the accidental linking of the hash or number sign


lambdabotLambdabot is a development tool and advanced IRC bot
Safe HaskellNone
Nickname equality subsystem.
This component is responsible for deciding whether two nicknames refer to the same person, for the purposes of tell et al. Nickname equality must be monadic because it uses mutable state maintained by the link and unlink commands. Also provided is a concept of polynicks (by analogy to polytypes); polynicks can refer to an (open) set of nicknames. For instance 'tell *lambdabot Why does X do Y' could tell a message to anyone who has identified as a lambdabot maintainer. A polynick consists of a bar-separated list of (nicks or open terms); an open term is like a nick but preceded with a star.
data Polynick Source
nickMatches :: LB (Nick -> Polynick -> Bool)Source
Determine if a nick matches a polynick. The state is read at the point of binding.
readPolynick :: Message a => a -> String -> PolynickSource
Parse a read polynick.
showPolynick :: Message a => a -> Polynick -> StringSource
Format a polynick.
lookupMononickMap :: LB (Polynick -> Map Nick a -> [(Nick, a)])Source
Lookup (using a polynick) in a map keyed on mononicks.
mononickToPolynick :: Nick -> PolynickSource
Convert a regular mononick into a polynick.


List of unusual units of measurement
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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An unusual unit of measurement is a unit of measurement that does not form part of a coherent system of measurement, especially because its exact quantity may not be well known or because it may be an inconvenient multiple or fraction of a base unit.
This definition is not exact since it includes units such as the week or the light-year, which are quite "usual" in the sense that they are often used but which can be "unusual" if taken out of their common context, as demonstrated by the furlong-firkin-fortnight (FFF) system of units.
Many of the unusual units of measurements listed here are colloquial measurements, units devised to compare a measurement to common and familiar objects.
Hammer unit[edit]
Most computer programs and games use meters as the base unit to represent length, but some do not. One of the most common units used in software, that is unusual elsewhere, is the Hammer unit, a unit of measurement used in Valve's Source engine.[1] One Hammer unit is usually defined as a sixteenth of a foot (16 Hammer units = 1 foot). This means that one Hammer unit is equal to exactly 0.01905 meters, and one meter is equal to 52.49344 Hammer units. This scale is not rigidly enforced in all Source games; each game has its own rules of how big things are that slightly differ from this standard. Another program that can use a unit similar to Hammer units is 3DS Max.[2][3]
Rack unit[edit]
A typical section of rack rail, showing rack unit distribution.
One rack unit (U) is 1.75 inches (44.45 mm) and is used to measure rack-mountable audiovisual, computing and industrial equipment. Rack units are typically denoted without a space between the number of units and the 'U'. Thus a 4U server enclosure (case) is seven inches (177.8 mm) high, or more practically, built to occupy a vertical space seven inches high, with sufficient clearance to allow movement of adjacent hardware.
The hand is a non-SI unit of length equal to exactly 4 inches (101.6 mm). It is normally used to measure the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia,[4] Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The light-nanosecond is defined as exactly 29._PHONE_ cm. It was popularized in information technology as a unit of distance by Grace Hopper as the distance which a photon could travel in one billionth of a second (roughly 30 cm or one foot): "The speed of light is one foot per nanosecond."[5][6]
Metric foot[edit]
A metric foot (defined as 300 mm, or about 11.8 inches) has been used occasionally in the UK[7] but has never been an official unit.
Horses are used to measure distances in horse racing – a horse length (shortened to merely a length when the context makes it obvious) equals roughly 8 feet or 2.4 metres. Shorter distances are measured in fractions of a horse length; also common are measurements of a full or fraction of a head, a neck, or a nose.[8]
Boat length[edit]
In rowing races such as the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, the margin of victory and of defeat is expressed in fractions and multiples of lengths. The length of a rowing eight is about 62 feet (19 m). A shorter distance is the canvas, which is the length of the covered part of the boat between the bow and the bow oarsman. The Racing Rules of Sailing also makes heavy use of boat lengths.
Football field (length)[edit]
A football field is often used as a comparative measurement of length when talking about distances that may be hard to comprehend when stated in terms of standard units.
An American football field is usually understood to be 100 yards (91 m) long, though it is technically 120 yards (110 m) when including the two 10 yd (9.1 m) long end zones. The field is 160 ft (53 yd; 49 m) wide.[9]
A Canadian football field is 65 yd (59 m) wide and 150 yd (140 m) long, including two 20 yd (18 m) long end zones.
Media in the UK also use the football pitch as a unit of length, although the area of the association football pitch is not fixed, but may vary within limits of 90–120 m (98–131 yd) in length and 45–90 m (49–98 yd) in width. The usual size of a football pitch is 105 m × 68 m (115 yd × 74 yd), the dimensions used for matches in the UEFA Champions League.
In most US cities, a city block is between 116 and 18 mi (100 and 200 m). In Manhattan, the measurement "block" usually refers to a north–south block, which is 120 mi (80 m). Sometimes people living in places (like Manhattan) with a regularly spaced street grid will speak of long blocks and short blocks. Within a typical large North American city, it is often only possible to travel along east–west and north–south streets, so travel distance between two points is often given in the number of blocks east–west plus the number north–south (known to mathematicians as the Manhattan Metric).[10]
The Earth's radius[edit]
The radius of Earth, generally given as 6,371 kilometers (3,959 miles) is often employed as a unit of measure to intuitively compare objects of planetary size. The unit is commonly written as r🜨.
The Earth's circumference[edit]
The metre was originally defined as 110,000,000 of the distance from a pole to the equator, or as 140,000,000 of the Earth's circumference as measured through the poles. This standard made the historical metre 0.0197% longer than the modern standard metre, which is calculated based on the distance covered by light in a vacuum in a set amount of time.
Earth-to-Moon distance[edit]
One barn is 10−28 square metres, about the cross-sectional area of a uranium nucleus. The name probably derives from early neutron-deflection experiments, when the uranium nucleus was described, and the phrases "big as a barn" and "hit a barn door" were used. Barn are typically used for cross sections in nuclear and particle physics. Additional units include the microbarn (or "outhouse")[12] and the yoctobarn (or "shed").[13][14]
One brass is 100 square feet (9.29 m2) area (used in measurement of work done or to be done, such as plastering, painting, etc.). It is also equal, however, to 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3) of estimated or supplied loose material, such as sand, gravel, rubble, etc. This unit is prevalent in construction industry in India.[15][16]
The square is an Imperial unit of area that is used in the construction industry in North America,[17] and was historically used in Australia by real estate agents. One square is equal to 100 square feet (9.29 m2). A roof's area may be calculated in square feet, then converted to squares.
Cow's grass[edit]
In Ireland, before the 19th century, a "cow's grass" was a measurement used by farmers to indicate the size of their fields. A cow's grass was equal to the amount of land that could produce enough grass to support a cow.[18][19]
Football field (area)[edit]
A morgen ("morning" in Dutch and German) was approximately the amount of land tillable by one man behind an ox in the morning hours of a day. This was an official unit of measurement in South Africa until the 1970s, and was defined in November 2007 by the South African Law Society as having a conversion factor of 1 morgen = 0.856532 hectares.[23] This unit of measure was also used in the Dutch colonial province of New Netherland (later New York and parts of New England).[24][25]
Countries, regions, and cities[edit]
Wales (red) in the UK (pink)
Equal to 20,779 km2 (8,023 sq mi), the country of Wales is used in phrases such as "an area the size of Wales"[26] or "twice the area of Wales".[27][28] England is 6.275 times the size of Wales, and Scotland is roughly four times the size of Wales. Ireland is four times larger than Wales, and France is about twenty-five times larger.
In older British and Commonwealth atlases, it was common to show a known area at the same scale, and the usual area to show was either Wales for smaller scales, or Great Britain for larger areas.[citation needed]
The British comedy show The Eleven O'Clock Show parodied the use of this measurement, by introducing a news article about an earthquake in Wales, stating that an area the size of Wales was affected. The Radio 4 programme More or Less introduced the idea of "kilowales" – an area 1,000 times the size of Wales. The Register introduced the nanowales (20.78 m2).[29]
The measurement has been adopted by rain


text:
- tribal organization, culture, loyalty, etc.
- a strong sense of identifying with and being loyal to one's tribe, group, etc.
See tribalism in American Heritage Dictionary 4
- The organization, culture, or beliefs of a tribe.
- A strong feeling of identity with and loyalty to one's tribe or group.
Learn more about tribalism

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


Is there sound coming from the Sun? (Beginner)
Hello, I am an amateur astronomer. I also enjoy working with sound and harmonic ratios. My question is, does sound emanate from the sun? Would such a sound wave create nodes that would allow for a planet's distance from the sun?
There are definitely some sound waves propagating through the Sun's interior. Because of the composition of the Sun (basically, a big ball of gas), sound waves can propagate quite easily in it. The study of such waves is called helioseismology. By observing oscillations at the surface of the Sun, astronomers try to figure out the patterns of the waves inside, which tells them a lot about the internal structure of the Sun (the same can be applied to other stars as well).
However, this doesn't mean that there is some sound coming from the Sun! Unlike light waves, sound waves cannot travel in vacuum: they need a medium in which they can travel. So since space is very close to empty, sound waves cannot propagate.
Last updated Feb. 10th 2016
About the Author
Amelie Saintonge
Most Popular
Our Reddit AMAs
AMA = Ask Me (Us) Anything


text:
If you think of this project as a way of doing a DIY version of an Aqus Toilet, you'd be mostly right. These are also commercially popular in Japan.
The goals of our project were: conserve drinkable water by eliminating the use of clean, potable water to flush toilets; break down social stigma around toilet water pre-use; build awareness of creative water conservation; make toilet modification replicable, accessible, and affordable to low income households; and conserve water at CCAT.
We thought about the fact that clean, drinkable water is being used to flush human waste down the toilet. We consider this to be environmentally and socially irresponsible. Therefore, we took action.


text:
Western Brown Local School District, located in Ohio, encompasses more than 560,000 square feet of space. The district's primary goal is to provide a supportive, caring, and productive environment in which students can obtain the knowledge and technological abilities that they will need to become productive members of the community. As prices for electricity, natural gas, and water steadily increased, the district partnered with Cenergistic to combat utility costs and implement a comprehensive organizational behavior-driven energy conservation program. An ENERGY STAR partner since 2011, district has been exposed to valuable resources and ideas that ensure Western Brown students are learning to be good stewards of the environment.
Western Brown Local School District has been recognized by EPA as an ENERGY STAR Leader for improving energy efficiency by more than 20 percent compared to a 2011 baseline. In 2012, the district was recognized as a Top Performer for achieving an average ENERGY STAR energy performance score of 84 across its portfolio of buildings. The district's comprehensive energy management program includes conservation recommendations followed by a complex methodology that includes assessment and planning, coordination and communication, leadership and focus, and measurement and verification. Students, staff members, and teachers embrace the program, and are vital to its success. Staff members work closely with conservation experts to audit buildings for most efficient operation and receive training to increase energy efficiency wherever possible. Roger Taylor, serving as the district's energy specialist, implements energy conservation behavior strategies and conducts regular energy audits to ensure that students and teachers are comfortable and that energy is used only as necessary. Compared to its 2011 baseline, Western Brown has saved more than $250,000 and is preventing the emissions of more than 1,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, which is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by more than 30,000 tree seedlings planted and grown for 10 years.


Consultants: 10 Mistakes that Most People Make
Tips on Finding a Political Expert
Campaigning periods in any country are normally very intense and full of controversies. A professional approach is therefore needed. A good consultant will help the candidate on pooling people together to go out and vote. He or she will also help in tackling the opposition and building media relation. Hence, manifestos will be sold to the public by the party through the help of a political consultant. These crucial roles are reason why they are always caught between scandals and media trolling. A consultant who can avoid the scandals or one that can turn attention from himself if caught in any should be considered for hire. When hiring a political consultant the following tips are important.
The most crucial tip to consider when hiring a political consultant is their specialty.A political consultant specialty should be the primary consideration when hiring. Identify the gap that is existing in one's campaign first. Always acquire from the interested consultant their area of specialty during an interview. Political consultancy has different areas of specialization hence the need. These areas include dealing with issues at the grassroots or consultancy at media level. If specialization matches the needs of the campaign, only then should one hire.
One ought to inquire on the level of experience. Provision of evidence of previous work done should be primary before hiring. A background history should also be demanded so that one can track their progress during their career period. A good political consultant should have a decent reputation for good skills and remarkable progress, growth.
One should gauge the reputation of a political consultant before hiring by asking around. A verbal communication is an important tool. Friends in the political arena should be consulted to inquire on the reputation of a certain political consultant. One may also evaluate their reputation any demanding on references. A prospective political consultant like Neal Kwatra should have well known and respected referees in his or her references. calling the provided referees from the potential specialist, is crucial to verify that the information given is true and authentic. The references should be consulted for a second opinion.
Always sign a contract before hiring the political consultant. By abiding one to the agreed terms and conditions, a contract therefore protects once resources. Ensuring that one is comfortable with the choice is paramount before the hiring party or politician signs the contract. One should hold on signing the contract in case some questions were not answered to satisfactory. It is primary that the interview be called back for an interview and hence addressing the issues first.
Finally, always work within your capital capacity. When hiring make sure to hire within the proposed budget. Negotiations on the demand of the political consultants should always take place. The higher percentage of the campaigns budget should be spent on the campaign activities and not on the political consultant fee.


text:
Colour is a major factor in all aspects of design. It can create moods, styles and can evoke feelings and actions within people. Colour is a truly fascinating area, one which is constantly evolving and inspiring us to create new and refreshing designs.
Gone are the days where there were certain rules with colour such as never mix red with pink, now we can put any colours together and still achieve a well balanced and stimulating design. But what if we start to limit colour in design? Instead of splashing colour about without much thought, what if we refine colour back to the very basics and only use what is really necessary.
Limiting colour in designs can create a more coherent and consistent look, making them more defined and altogether stronger. Using a limited colour palette doesn't mean restricting the design, rather it can create emphasis on content, branding and messaging. It can also make a design more creative and intuitive, focusing on typography, imagery and layout.
Black and white is commonly used to create this limited colour scheme, however any colours used in isolation can be manipulated for this type of style. For instance take our very own 360innovate website, where we employed the dark blue as the primary colour with only white included for text and purple and orange used very sparingly for some content headers. This gives the site an easily flowing design, pulling the information together giving it a clear sense of purpose.
Below are some examples of other websites employing the effectiveness of limiting colour:


text:
March 2006 Journal of Geoscience EducationVolume 54, Number 2
Special Issue: Teaching in the Field
This issue of JGE showcases the wide variety of ways that we teach students in the field.
Field work has long been a hallmark of geoscience. Field experiences are fun (if the weather is good) and offer unique opportunities for students to develop skills in observation, description and interpretation that lie at the heart of our science. However, as the ways we use these skills in the work environment and in research have changed, so have our approaches to field experiences.
Our profession now uses a wide variety of methods to engage students in the field: field trips, field camps for students and teachers, field experiences in courses, and even virtual field trips. New technologies provide new opportunities for teaching in addition to new tools for observation. Field experiences also serve as an opportunity to bridge between scientific, community and environmental policy issues. This range of field experiences and more await the readers of this volume.
In putting together this volume we were particularly interested in questions regarding the impact of field experience on students learning: What is the value added to a course of study by providing a field experience or by incorporating field data? What are the impacts on student learning? How can field observations and experiences help students better understand the methods and results of geoscience research? What is the relation of learning in the field to learning in the classroom? We thank the authors for their attention to providing data evaluating their methods and programs and discussing the impact on students.
This volume is part of a series of activities by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers highlighting the role of field experiences in geoscience teaching and professional development. Many of the papers were first presented at an Illustrated Community Discussion held at the 2004 Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America. Posters from this session can be found at _URL_ More examples of field labs can be found on the NAGT sponsored website: Starting Point: Teaching Entry Level Geoscience.
We would like to thank all of the people involved in creating this volume including the authors for their creative work, the reviewers for their careful and timely responses, and the JGE Editor, Carl Drummond for his patience, encouragement, and effective management. We hope that this volume inspires many of you to try new ideas for teaching in the field and that you too will pay particular attention to documenting the impact of these experiences on your students.
Cathryn A. Manduca and John R. Carpenter
Special Issue Editors
Teachers Doing Science: An Authentic Geology Research Experience for Teachers
Deb Hemler, Fairmont State University
Tom Repine, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
Fairmont State University (FSU) and the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) provided a small pilot group of West Virginia science teachers with a professional development session designed to mimic experiences obtained by geology majors during a typical summer field camp. Called GEOTEACH, the program served as a research capstone event complimenting the participants' multi-year association with the RockCamp professional development program. GEOTEACH was funded through a Improving Teacher Quality Grant administered by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Over the course of three weeks, eight GEOTEACH participants learned field measurement and field data collection techniques which they then applied to the construction of a surficial geologic map. The program exposed participants to authentic scientific processes by emphasizing the authentic scientific application of content knowledge. As a secondary product, it also enhanced their appreciation of the true nature of science in general and geology in particular. After the session, a new appreciation of the effort involved in making a geologic map emerged as tacit knowledge ready to be transferred to their students.
The program was assessed using pre/post instruments, group interviews, journals, artifacts (including geologic maps, field books, and described sections), performance assessments, and constructed response items. Evaluation of the accumulated data revealed an increase in participants demonstrated use of science content knowledge, an enhanced awareness and understanding of the processes and nature of geologic mapping, positive dispositions toward geologic research, and a high satisfaction rating for the program. These findings support the efficacy of the experience and document future programmatic enhancements.
URL for this article: _URL_
Field-based Instruction as Part of a Balanced Geoscience Curriculum at Washington and Lee University
Elizabeth P. Knapp, Lisa Greer, Christopher D. Connors, and David J. Harbor, Washington and Lee University
URL for this article: _URL_
The Muddy Creek Project: Evolution of a Field-based Research and Learning Collaborative
Danita M. LaSage and Alice Jones, Eastern Kentucky University
Tom Edwards, KY Dept of Fish & Wildlife Resources
URL for this article: _URL_
Integrating Policy and Land Management Issues into a Natural Sciences Education: Teaching Environmental Sciences on the lower San Juan River, Utah
Michael H. Ort, Diana E. Anderson, and David M. Ostergren, Northern Arizona University
The Environmental Sciences Program at Northern Arizona University developed an interdisciplinary field course combining natural sciences (geology, biology, and chemistry), policy and land management centered on a place-based set of problems. The course consists of a campus-based semester of study of scientific, management, and political issues surrounding the lower San Juan River basin of southeastern Utah. Students then spend eight days on the river conducting scientific studies and discussing their management and policy implcations.
The desired learning outcome of the course is for students to be able to integrate complex environmental field data, and the course structure and evaluation criteria emphasize this. Students work in large and small groups on problems that combine geomorphology, geochemistry, and ecology, such as stream terraces, soils, and the plant communities they support, soil development and chemistry under native and non-native vegetation, and biological soil crusts and soil development in arid lands. Discussions on the management and political implications of the students' findings give a "real-world" relevance to their work. Conducting a field class on a remote river presents a number of difficulties and opportunities. River logistics are handled by a commercial outfitter so professors can concentrate on academic issues.
URL for this article: _URL_
Using Environmental Service Learning in an Urban Environment to Address Water Quality Issues
Lenore P. Tedesco and Kara A. Salazar, Indiana University~Purdue University Indianapolis
As the global population continues to increase, consumption patterns and waste streams will directly impact the surrounding environment. How well communities manage natural resources (land, air, water) within urban environments will directly relate to quality of life, health, and the economy for a vast percentage of the world's population.
The Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) coordinates and facilitates the Environmental Service Learning Program for our campus. The goal of the program is to engage students in urban water quality education and environmental stewardship activities to promote behavioral change and greater environmental awareness. The service learning work days, where students spend an average of four contact hours, are part of community-based research programs predominately conducted at CEES research sites throughout central Indiana.
A partnership with The City of Indianapolis Department of Parks and Recreation Land Stewardship Office (Indy Parks) is a core component of the service learning program. CEES scientists conduct wetland and floodplain restoration research and hydrological research within many Indy Parks properties, which are the locations for service learning work days. During each work day, students are paired with CEES scientists and Indy Parks natural areas managers to restore park ecosystems. Work day activities involve restoring wetland and floodplain ecosystems and combating nonpoint source pollution through agricultural field tile removal, native plant installation, invasive exotic plant species eradication, and hill slope stabilization, as well as trash and recycling removal. Students are introduced to the site, the activities for the day and the application to course concepts. During lunch breaks, faculty and staff conduct group discussions reinforcing course concepts. After project completion, each student is required to reflect on their service learning experience with a 2-5 page reflective summary paper with references based on work day applications to concepts outlined in their individual courses.
The CEES / Indy Parks partnership provides students with opportunities to apply course material to contemporary environmental problems while contributing to improved water quality. During Spring and Fall of 2004, the Environmental Service Learning Program conducted 18 projects with 550 students that contributed over 2,200 work hours in the community. Excerpts from student reflection papers strongly indicate that participating in service learning has changed their perception of their role in the environment. The long term effects of increasing environmental education and awareness will lead to a more informed citizenry, well equipped to solve future challenges.
URL for this article: _URL_
Integrating Undergraduate Education and Scientific Discovery Through Field Research in Igneous Petrology
David Gonzales, Fort Lewis College
Steven Semken, Arizona State University
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Integrating Handheld Technology with Field Investigations in Introductory-level Geoscience Courses
Laura A. Guertin, Penn State Delaware County
Many geoscience students do not receive the opportunity to


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Seismic Waves and Rays in Elastic MediaBy
- M.A. Slawinski, Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NF, Canada
This book seeks to explore seismic phenomena in elastic media and emphasizes the interdependence of mathematical formulation and physical meaning. The purpose of this title - which is intended for senior undergraduate and graduate students as well as scientists interested in quantitative seismology - is to use aspects of continuum mechanics, wave theory and ray theory to describe phenomena resulting from the propagation of waves.
The book is divided into three parts: Elastic continua, Waves and rays, and Variational formulation of rays. In Part I, continuum mechanics are used to describe the material through which seismic waves propagate, and to formulate a system of equations to study the behaviour of such material. In Part II, these equations are used to identify the types of body waves propagating in elastic continua as well as to express their velocities and displacements in terms of the properties of these continua. To solve the equations of motion in anisotropic inhomogeneous continua, the high-frequency approximation is used and establishes the concept of a ray. In Part III, it is shown that in elastic continua a ray is tantamount to a trajectory along which a seismic signal propagates in accordance with the variational principle of stationary travel time.
Handbook of Geophysical Exploration: Seismic Exploration
Published: August 2003
"The purpose of this title...is to use aspects of continuum mechanics, wave theory, and ray theory to describe phenomena resulting from the propagation of waves." -M.A. Slawinski, FIRST BREAK, Volume 23
- I. Elastic continua. Introduction to Part I. 1. Deformations. 2. Forces and balance principles. 3. Stress-strain equations. 4. Strain energy. 5. Material symmetry. II. Waves and rays. Introduction to Part II. 6. Equations of motion: Isotopic homogeneous continua. 7. Equations of motion: Anisotropic inhomogeneous continua. 8. Hamilton's ray equations. 9. Lagrange's ray equations. 10. Christoffel's equations. 11. Reflection and transmission. III. Variational formulation of rays. Introduction to Part III. 12. Euler's equations. 13. Fermat's principle. 14. Ray parameters. IV. Appendices. Introduction to Part IV. A. Euler's homogenous-function theorem. B. Legendre's transformation. C. List of symbols. Bibliography. Index. About the author.


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EMS Leadership Academy
The EMS Leadership Academy is a dynamic, two-part, 60-hour educational program designed to prepare participants to lead and manage today's EMS.
The EMS Leadership Academy is for new and current leaders, as well as anyone with an interest in the leadership and management of EMS. It is designed to give participants the basic tools and information needed to quickly and successfully assume the role of a leader. Since 2009, more than 2,000 leaders across the nation have participated in the Academy. The two four-day sessions are:
Session I: "Moving from Management to Leadership of the EMS Organization" and
"Showing Up as a Leader"
Session II: "Moving Your Organization Forward" and
"Your Specific Role and Challenges: A Retreat"
** NEW! "Executive Leadership Retreat" (Offered for graduates of Academy Parts I & II) **
Session I and Session II of the Academy are each 30-hour, four-day programs presented on consecutive days in comfortable settings that invite participation and openness. Class size is limited to 26 participants or less, and two faculty members are involved in the sessions at all times. Rather than long PowerPoint lectures, these sessions are engaging, lively and participatory. Dialogue is ongoing, questioning is encouraged, and laughter is common. Fifty percent of the time is spent in dialogue, small group exercises and role-playing. Students have the chance to see, practice and critique actual leadership activities in a safe environment. Each session has a specific agenda, but the agenda is always modified to fit participants' needs.
The Academy begins with participants identifying the challenges and opportunities they are facing in their organizations and roles today. We then build a foundation of leadership thinking by exploring the differences in managing challenges and leading challenges. On this foundation we will launch a powerful exploration of today's EMS organization and the characteristics that make an organization thrive and attract and keep workers. We will address the following topics:
- The essential components of a thriving EMS organization;
- The emerging EMS worker of the 21st century;
- What people really want from their work experience;
- Creating a culture where people want to belong;
- Recruiting and keeping more of the right people;
- Ensuring people are enthused, committed, loyal and willing to do more than required;
- The vital role of frontline supervisors;
- The art of improving employees' performance;
- Dealing with troublemakers; and
- Leading the new generations.
With an understanding of the EMS organization and the workers of today, we will look at ourselves as leaders. Leader is not a term most people use to describe themselves, but using various tools, assessments and exercises, we will discover the leader within each of us. We will explore the psychology of stepping out to lead and what inspires people to follow. We will demonstrate that leading is much more than title, position or power. Leading is a courageous choice we make every day. Specifically, we will explore:
- The qualities and characteristics of effective leaders;
- What makes one a leader in today's EMS organization;
- How leadership shows up in our personal lives;
- The connection between great leadership and a practice of deep listening;
- Using time resources effectively;
- Leading in spite of fear;
- How to become a powerful influencer of people above, beside you and below you;
- The leader's ethical use of politics and power; and
- Leading and the necessity of powerful storytelling.
Building on Session I, this session of the Academy tackles the work of leading change in a reactive EMS environment and moving the organization forward. We start by recognizing the importance of identifying and actually seeing the change you want to make. Then, using actual case studies, we explore the psychology and steps of leading change. Specifically, we will address:
- Getting clear about what really matters;
- Using the imagination to see where we want to go;
- How to effectively plan and identify strategic priorities;
- Turning big change into small, doable steps;
- Understanding the power of variables and small change;
- Effectively working with the psychology of change; and
- Taking good care of yourself and finding joy amid the challenges.
The final two days of the Academy are a facilitated leadership retreat. This is where the practicality and applicability of the learning is tested. With a foundation in leadership, the formation of a supportive cohort and a shared understanding and language, participants set the agenda. We utilize an "open space" format in a warm and relaxed environment, and encourage participants to bring their own topics to the group. Brief presentations are made on the topics, and the balance of the allotted time is used to workshop each topic with discussion, exercises and the sharing of best (and worst) practices. Participants leave the Academy with a full toolbox and a solid network of supportive leaders.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Avoid These 5 Swing Clogging Moves
Written By: JK Whited
I often get my hitters to envision the flow of energy in their swings as water flowing through pipes. If the pattern of a hitter's swing is precise, the energy, or "water", will flow smoothly without friction. When this happens the player will squeeze every drop of potential power out of his or her body.
However, there are certain movements that prohibit the flow of our energy. I call these "swing clogging" movements. This article is going to break down five common swing clogging moves. All of these moves are easily identifiable and should avoided in your son or daughter's movement practice.
Closed Off Stance
A closed off stance can be seen in many hitters today. More than likely this will be a preset position that they feel comfortable in and get acquainted to rather quickly. The closed off stance will be done usually for two reasons. One, the hitter is scared of the ball, plain and simple. The hitter will close his or her body off for protection purposes. There is no quick fix for fear except for time and probably getting hit a few times to realize it is not that bad. Two, the hitter feels a since of FALSE power by pre-closing off the shoulders and the hips. By turning inwards, the brain feels what you might call a "load". The batter believes he or she is in a "cocked" like position ready to fire. Again this is a FALSE feeling of power because there will be no resistance created between the pelvis and shoulders. The load or "cocking" phase of the movement will need to be done during his or her forward move. This is common in our hitters as they've been constantly told to 'stay closed' with their feet and hips to stay 'on the ball' longer.
BE CAREFUL! Young batters will most likely get away with these mistakes for a while but ultimately, pitchers will begin to pick apart these types of hitters. Once that hitter reaches a level where the pitchers can spot a fastball and the field grows (MIDDLE SCHOOL) it will be much more of a struggle to have the type of hitting success that makes the game fun. To learn more about stances, click here!
Chas Note: JK's exactly right. The closed stance and foot angle JK is demonstrating leads to bad direction in the stride. As you'll see later, closing off in the step is a huge problem that hurts and erodes the turn quality of the hitter. If you close off the shoulders/stance, the first thing that moves will be the front shoulder up and out to start the swing. The hitter will FEEL separation between the hips and shoulders, but once the front shoulder starts to fly out early, the hitter has committed to the swing. Not a good plan. Another thing people don't realize is kids need to be TAUGHT how to get hit by pitches and protect themselves from getting hurt. Hitters who close off the stance due to fear ALWAYS step out and open their bodies to injury. Think about it: Would you rather get hit in the back or butt or the face or cup? Due to the closed stance, the hitter must pull off earlier and open their bodies up to the baseball. OUCH.
Stepping Across the Body
This "swing clogging" maneuver has been called many things and there have been many ways coaches have tried to fix it. In the pictures above, you can clearly see my front HEEL has gone from being in line with my back HEEL, to across the orange line. The inward stride can will have an immediate effect on the rest of the swing. Why? Because this is the first move the hitter makes! There is no coming back after this mistake has been made. By doing this, the hitter's maximum degrees he or she can turn is cut off, therefore cutting off pelvis/shoulder separation. In turn, cutting off POWER. Can you still get hits? Of course, but your potential for maximum power will drop and decrease your chances for getting on base.
To maximize our ability to turn or rotate our pelvis, keeping the HEELS in line when the stride foot lands is a huge part of the puzzle. Heel to Heel Stride Direction will also keep our posture and body weight moving in a straight line for optimal vision.
Closed Front Foot After The Stride
We already know that stepping in across the batter's box will have negative impact on our power generation. The next movement to avoid is stepping or not stepping with a closed front foot. This move, like the stepping in, can doom your power swing from the get go.
There is some discrepancy among coaches about how far, if at all, the front foot should open. The answer is actually pretty simple. How efficient do you want to be? If the hitter's goal is to maximize hip/shoulder separation, bio-mechanically the front foot has to open. Once the front leg is grounded, it will act as the "brake" stopping the forward momentum. At this point, the front knee will drive the front hip back very suddenly. The front side knee MUST be in the correct position for this to happen. The front leg will also provide the hitter with the ability to adjust his or her swing to off-speed pitches. You can learn more about this here.
On another note, leaving your front foot closed will increase the possibilities of front knee injuries. Over time, the aggressive rotation against a front closed knee and hip can put some serious wear and tear on knee cartilage. Simply put, an open front foot, knee, and hip allows for higher quality turns that are not only faster but safer.
Chas Note: Not only knee injuries are an issue if you keep your front foot closed (RYAN HOWARD…) but also Front Leg Hip function is deteriorated. Will Fox, our Director of Performance, has proven that turning on a closed front foot dramatically decreases muscle function in the hips of a hitter. This decreased function leads to extra stress on Ligaments and Cartalidge (passive structure) and can lead to CHRONIC hip and knee pain (Chase Utley…) Man those Phillies seem to be unlucky…maybe it's their hitting instruction…maybe that's why they have new coaches…
The Lean In
The next two movements that we will discuss are less obstructive to a power swing than the previous three. Why you ask? These moves happen from the waist up.
The "lean in" move is where the batter will tilt his or her spine angle over the plate during the stride. This is another move that may feel powerful to the hitter but will do a number of things to minimize power potential. To the hitter, the extra counter rotation/close off of the shoulders will create more separation between the pelvis angle and shoulder angle and therefore, more bat speed. I see many of our guys with strength in their upper bodies perform this move than any other body type as they are stronger in their chest and back than our skinnier, weaker hitters. Unfortunately for upper body dominant players, this creates too much rotational ground to make up, especially in a game. Remember, all you really need is the hips to go first and the front shoulder to stay on the pitcher. There is validity to a back shoulder row motion to help resist the urge to open the front shoulder too quickly. You can learn more about "rowing" here.
You can also see how changing my spine angle drastically changes my eye level. Any movement that changes the plane of a hitters vision needs to be carefully looked at. There are positive types of head movement but this is not one of them as I am 'zooming in' towards the contact point. The head can move forward and down in the stride (it always does if you move athletically forward in the load) but once the turn starts, you need that perspective and distance between the head and the contact point to stay the same for barrel accuracy and to help maximize hard barrel to ball contact.
The High Elbow/Hand Raise
elbow:hands:shoulder raise
Hitters will often times feel and recruit power from their hands/arms. Here you see my back elbow and hands raised way up above my shoulder. Where this does feel strong in a chopping wood kind of way, this is not a power hitting move. As you can imagine, the higher the hands get away from the strike zone, so does the barrel. Also, hitters will "wrap" the barrel around there head creating a much longer distance back to the ball. Once the hitter has put themselves in this type of position, it will take serious coordination, timing, and strength to get the barrel back down and around to the correct plane. Inevitably, most hitters who stride to the position in the pictures will use what they feel (their arms) to get the bat up to speed and into the zone. Arm use from this high position will usually equate to lots of ground balls and glancing types of contact where the ball fades towards the back side foul line.
It is not impossible to hit from this position.


Reinventing AI Research & Development: Part V
In the fifth article of the series, we continue to provide an inside look at what the WWT R&D team is uncovering in the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
September 9, 2020 15 minute read
Through this uncertain time, as people all around the world adjusted to the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, the AI R&D Operations Team continued to support new ideas and projects to help develop the best methods for internal communication and knowledge sharing — and to establish low-effort and high-value processes.
Our goal was to continue playing to our strengths, building off the work of previous Operations Team members, and setting up the AI R&D program for future success. As a testament to the results of prior efforts, WWT was selected as the Deep Learning AI Partner of the Year for the Americas for the third time by the Nvidia Partner Network (NPN) specifically because of our AI R&D Program.
In the last article of our Reinventing AI R&D series, we described progress in tracking R&D projects, branding outputs from the program and building out machine learning operations (MLOps) as a new capability area.
This article dives deeper into the primary focus points for this rotation, namely:
 - Maturing internal AI R&D team processes and operations.
 - Creating an MLOps proof of concept, a change ambassador group and a training platform.
 - Developing a new project and application of artificial intelligence.
 - Publishing new articles and insights onto the platform, leveraging our newly designed peer review process.
 - Next steps.
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Maturing internal AI R&D Team processes and operations
Continuous improvement has been a tenet of the Operations Team since its founding in 2018. Over the past quarter, we iterated on three major processes to help improve the AI R&D program:
 1. Collective new project ideation.
 2. Redesigning the weekly meeting format.
 3. Revamping the peer review process.
Collective new project ideation
In the past, projects within the R&D program began as an idea submitted via form by anyone interested in putting forward a proposal. Our submission form is straightforward, requiring merely a description of the initial idea and end result, as well as thoughts towards each of the following areas: innovation/novelty, new learnings, marketability, client benefits, feasibility and platform benefits.
We are interested in all internal ideas, each of which is considered by the Project Selection Panel (PSP) for official inclusion in the R&D Project Certified Backlog.
R&D Project Certified Backlog
If the PSP greenlights a project idea, it is formally added to the certified backlog, which we use Trello to maintain. This serves as a tracker and allows projects to move through the stages shown above.
Each in-progress project is discussed every Thursday morning at the weekly AI R&D meeting, which is open to anyone within WWT and serves as an opportunity to keep the R&D community up to date, flag potential problems and discuss future plans and areas of interest. Once out of the Model Training stage, project members document their work on the platform and research potential internal or external applications.
Similar to the Operations Team, the PSP serves in a rotation-scheme and decided to hold a project ideation session as their rotation also came to an end. The purpose of this session was to collectively brainstorm with the broader R&D community about potential project ideas to submit and have a pipeline of innovative and value-based ideas for the new PSP team to evaluate.
Despite being limited to purely a virtual setting, the ideation session was nothing short of a smashing success. Using breakout rooms on virtual meetings and virtual whiteboarding tools, we were able to recreate the setting as close to that of a physical ideation and encouraged the team to think divergently about use cases they were passionate about while staying client-driven and skillset-focused. The result was a shortlist of ideas with the potential to leverage the latest data analytics and science processes and technologies, all while developing our client-facing expertise and skillsets.
The team was encouraged to then think about how these ideas served different criteria as we mentioned above (innovation/novelty, new learnings, marketability, client benefits, feasibility and platform benefits) and were then asked to present those ideas formally to the PSP at a later date.
The result of those presentations is yet unknown since the evaluation process is currently underway. We hope to share which ideas were successfully selected and placed into the project pipeline in our next article.
Redesigning the weekly meeting format
The weekly AI R&D meetings have always been one of the most important drivers of new idea development for the AI R&D team. Given the growing attendance to these meetings from the broader WWT community, we decided it was time to improve the format of these meetings. While the R&D team always has engaging content to share, the previous format of the weekly meetings was a bit disjointed, inhibiting optimal engagement from larger audiences. As such, we decided to enhance these meetings to encourage increased participation.
Perhaps the most observable change we made to the weekly meetings was our implementation of a standardized presentation deck that our viewers could easily follow. Instead of navigating through Trello boards and piecemeal slides to present updates and roadblocks on ongoing projects, R&D team members now place their updates and supporting visuals into a formalized presentation with a clearly defined agenda.
standardized meeting presentation deck
Providing an easy-to-follow structure has made R&D content more consumable and standardized for our audience, thereby encouraging more participation from the group.
A notable trademark of the new weekly meeting presentation format is the inclusion of a project spotlight that takes place in the first half of each meeting. One of our key inspirations for revamping the structure of the weekly meetings was to increase group engagement; the changes we made needed to reflect that goal beyond just the creation of a new PowerPoint template.
Placing a project spotlight at the beginning of each meeting was a foundational component of captivating our audience. In addition, it put a healthy pressure on the AI R&D project teams to be able to synthesize their ideas and present them more regularly.
While previous meetings had started off with logistical updates followed by brief status updates of each ongoing project, the new project spotlight gives R&D members the opportunity to kick off the weekly meetings by presenting a deep dive into the respective projects they are working on. Going beyond surface level updates has, so far, generated unexpected levels of additional group participation, often to the point that project spotlights extend well beyond the thirty-minute period that is allotted to them.
Our hope moving forward is that increased audience participation encourages the type of knowledge sharing and collaboration between the AI R&D team and the greater WWT community that leads to tangible and formative idea creation and iteration for the program.
Revamping the peer review process
The R&D Program has always encouraged data scientists and other participants in R&D projects to document their work afterwards via an article or a whitepaper. And although each piece was carefully edited before publication, we decided to add some additional rigor and structure to the reviewing process. See the new and improved peer review process below:
improved peer review process
Now as scientists are completing a draft of the piece for publication, project team members work with an Accountability Group to find peer reviewers for their work and ensure that it meets the highest standards for quality and accuracy. The Accountability Group includes members of the R&D Operations Team who keep the process running smoothly, as well as any additional volunteers interested in the peer review pipeline.
Instead of reaching out to everyone in the WWT AI R&D community for potential editors, authors are now connected with individuals associated with one of the five topic "buckets" below. We collectively decided on these buckets based on the skillsets and backgrounds of the people most involved in the R&D Program.
topic buckets for review
These subject matter experts have previously expressed interested in reviewing and editing papers coming out of the R&D Program, generally to sustain, enhance or share their knowledge. Due to the pace of publication and the number of interested people, each topic bucket expert is expected to review no more than a few articles or whitepapers per year. These peer reviewers have provided the additional reviews on the last three articles published from the R&D program, and we look forward to their involvement in many projects to come.
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Creating an MLOps POC, an ambassador group and a training platform
Spinning up an ambassador group to promote training and learning
The AI R&D team is always looking for opportunities to get ahead of the curve in the AI/ML space and the creation of an MLOps ambassador team was testament to that ideal. Our previous article goes into great depth of what MLOps is, its growing demand in the industry and our efforts to build out an MVP applied to an existing project.
We decided to further mature these initiatives, as we recognize that most industries are trending towards increasingly advanced and complex data science. With this maturation, however, comes the consequential difficulty of scaling out and managing of ML operations.
recent data science challenges
One of the biggest benefits of focusing on the internal productionalization of MLOps within our R&D team is that it not only serves to build out our internal capability, but also helps us gain hands-on experience, allowing us to leverage our understanding of change management, technical bottlenecks and areas of steep learning curves when going to market.
In order to ensure that MLOps received the attention it deserved, we decided to create a cross-functional ambassador group, consisting of consultants, data scientists and engineers to help build out our internal capabilities through experimenting with different MLOps platforms and tools, while also creating a knowledge-sharing platform to train interested data scientists. The primary role of


This 3200 Year Old Tree is So Massive, It's Never Been Captured in a Single Image…Until Now
It takes a special kind of tree to have a nickname like "The President". The giant sequoia stands 247 feet tall and is an estimated 3,200 years old. The trunk measures 27 feet across and, between the base and the highest peak, there are an estimated two billion needles.
It took an intricate set of pulleys and levers to scale the tree, which one scientist argues is the largest in the world (if you take into account width). After stitching together 126 separate photos, we are left with this mind-blowing portrait of "The President" captured in a single photo for the first time.


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In business life, most of the time, there are only four ways most businesses can increase their revenues. Knowing this very clearly, and knowing the details of each of those 4 methods, allows you to strategically plan revenue growth in your business.
Let us look at the four ways you can increase revenues in your business.
1. Increasing the number of customers. That is pretty obvious. But how? The ere many ways to do that but increasing leads is the most common approach. The golden rule is that you should always have at least 5 to 7 lead-generation methods permanently working all the time, no matter what. For example, have a newsletter, a Facebook Page that is active, classified ads, LinkedIn, a word-of-mouth or referral program, direct mail ads, online ads, calling prospects, print ads, and so on. At any one time, always, you should have 5 to 7 active lead-generation methods working.
2. Increasing prices. This will only work in certain cases, for certain businesses.
3. Increasing average transaction size per customer. For example, you can do so by using up-sells, which is what McDonald's does when they ask you if you would like a larger Coke and fries with your order. You can also bundle offers, whereby you give an option of buying two for the price of one and a half or something like that. You can also create new forms or packages of your value but at higher price points, for example, if you are selling information or training materials, instead of selling MP3s you can add a DVD option and an even more expensive live seminar or private coaching option.
4. Increasing the frequency of transactions per customer. For example, if you are selling food, you can offer a subscription option whereby you automatically deliver the food on a monthly subscription basis, so customers will never forget to order. You can also add back-end or add-on products, which means you find products that your customers would love because they are related to what you are already selling them, and add those products to your offering.
To increase revenues, always consider, always, how you can keep improving on the above four points in your business. Improve upon each point individually but also look at the four points together and see how you can mix them up in creative ways.


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Difficult Conversations, Part 2: How do we get there from here?
In last week's post we discussed the difference between positions and interests. In brief, positions are what an angry person presents during a confrontation; interests are the secret, unmet needs that anyone in a dispute may be reluctant to share. We also learned that the only way to move toward a resolution is to discuss those hidden interests; arguing positions will inevitably lead to butting heads. So how does one help an angry position-based person focus on underlying interests?
Here at OGIS we rely on a set of communications skills identified by our friend Jean Whyte, director of the National Archives' alternative dispute resolution program, as we attempt to move our customers from positions to interests. While not every situation calls for each of these techniques, they're good to have in your toolbox.
Cultivate curiosity. When you are curious, you tend to let go of presuppositions about the issue or people in dispute. Stay calm, and express that calm through a low, even, relaxed tone of voice. Don't be defensive, even if the other person is on the attack. Be hard on the problem at hand rather than the person in conflict (no matter how big a "problem" that person might seem). Cultivating curiosity and expressing that curiosity through kind detachment helps an angry person relax. It also builds trust — the other person will be more willing to admit his or her interests when you use this technique.
Ask open questions. Do you know what an open question is? Wait, let me ask that a different way. Could you tell me what you know about open questions? A closed-ended question (like my first question) draws from a defined list of answers, such as "yes" or "no." An open question stimulates conversation by inviting a person to share his or her thoughts and experiences. Open questions are like the gas pedal that quickly drives a position-based dispute toward a discussion of underlying interests.
Practice active listening. In order for an angry person to trust you enough to share his or her interests, you first need to show that you are a good listener. "Active listening" doesn't refer to any one behavior, but it includes techniques like summarizing what you hear the other person say, engaging non-verbally through eye contact and nods, and checking out your assumptions with the speaker. Active listening does not include interrupting, finishing the other person's sentence, or acting distracted or bored. Active listening also doesn't mean total silence on the part of the listener — a silent listener may be completely misunderstanding what he or she is hearing.
Try reframing "hot" phrases. An angry person may use highly emotional language to express his or her positions. You may be able to rephrase a statement in a way that makes it neutral while acknowledging the person's emotions. For example, if someone says "Nobody ever answers their phone in the federal government! Federal workers do nothing all day!" you might reframe that statement as "I understand that you are angry, and that you are trying to connect with someone who can assist you. You have reached me now, and I will do all I can to help." Reframing is extremely difficult, but also very effective.
Focus on the future, not the past. As you begin to move the conversation away from positions and toward interests, help the (formerly) angry person focus on the outcome that he or she desires rather than the events in the past that created the dispute. It's fine to be pretty explicit with this technique, to say things like "that's what happened in the past. Let's focus instead on what you would like to see happen in the future."
We wish you happy travels as you negotiate the road between positions and interests. We'd love to hear your tips for productively dealing with disputes.


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In his Sacred Journeys in a Modern World, Roger Housden writes that travelers in the Sahara often wear a long scarf called a jelaba as protection from the elements. That makes sense. However, some who live in the desert believe the jelaba also keeps evil spirits from entering the mouth or nose.
No-nonsense types dismiss such spiritual concerns as a harking back to the Dark Ages, thus having little or nothing to do with 2013. Not so fast. The passage mentioned above is memorable because I once knew a southern Illinoisan who refused to whistle for fear the Devil would slip into his person by way of the melody. Others likely believed the same. It could be a few still do.
With hazards of whistling in mind, I turn to Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases of Illinois, a useful work to have on hand whether in a whistling mood or not. Published by SIU Press in 1965, and edited by Frances M. Barbour, the book is crowded with print so small it is barely readable without a magnifying glass. The final word is at hand, or is it?
Expecting a wealth of Devil/ whistling references, I find the following:
1. Clean as a whistle.
2. Keen as a whistle.
3. Slick as a whistle.
4. You can't make a whistle out of a pig's tail.
Also included, is that old standby "Whistling in the dark," which happens to be a line by John Dryden, the poet and scholar who so detested sentences ending with prepositions, most of us still shy away from such usage, that according to C. S. Lewis.
If we rely on folk sayings handed down, (and who among us doesn't?) it would appear whistling is a minor pleasantry, no more or less important than whittling, or doodling, or watching TV.
But what if folk sayings merely gloss the surface?
That question returns us to the beginning, i.e., the quaint conviction held by a few that the act of whistling is too dark an invitation ever to be extended. It does sound pretty odd. Too bad we don't have John Dryden to solve this burning question once and for all. Of course, if still alive Dryden would probably not respond, busy far too busy weeding prepositions from the tail end of sentences.


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On site Asbestos detector offers promise of better workplace safety
Asbestos was once called a miracle material because of its toughness and fire-resistant properties. It was used as insulation, incorporated into cement and even woven into firemen's protective clothing. Over time, however, scientists pinned the cause of lung cancers such as mesothelioma on asbestos fibre inhalation.
Asbestos was banned in the many industrialized countries in the 1980s, but the threat lingers on in the ceilings, walls and floors of old buildings and homes. Now a team of researchers from the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K. has developed and tested the first portable, real-time airborne asbestos detector.
They hope that the prototype, described in a paper published today in the Optical Society's (OSA) open-access journalOptics Express, will be commercialized in the U.K. in the next few years, providing roofers, plumbers, electricians and other workers in commercial and residential buildings with an affordable way to quickly identify if they have inadvertently disturbed asbestos fibres into the air. "Many thousands of people around the world have died from asbestos fibre inhalation," says Paul Kaye, a member of the team that developed the new detection method at the University of Hertfordshire's School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics.
"Even today, long after asbestos use was banned in most Western countries, there are many people who become exposed to asbestos that was used in buildings decades earlier, and these people too are dying from that exposure." Currently, the most common way to identify hazardous airborne asbestos at worksites is to filter the air, count the number of fibres that are caught, and later analyse the fibres with X-ray technology to determine if they are asbestos. The approach requires expensive lab work and hours of wait time. An alternative method to evaluate work site safety is to use a real-time fibre detector, but the current, commercially available detectors are unable to distinguish between asbestos and other less dangerous fibres such as mineral wool, gypsum and glass. The University of Hertfordshire team's new detection method, in contrast, can identify asbestos on-site. It does so by employing a laser-based technique that takes advantage of a unique magnetic property of the mineral.
The team has tested their detector in the lab and has worked with colleagues in the U.K. and Spain to develop prototypes that are now undergoing field trials at various locations where asbestos removal operations are underway. "Our colleagues estimate that it will take 12 to 18 months to get the first production units for sale, with a target price of perhaps 700-800 U.S. dollars," Kaye says.
As production increases after the initial product launch, Kaye hopes that costs may be cut even further, making the detectors even more affordable for an individual plumber, electrician or building renovator. "These tradespeople are the most frequently affected by asbestos-related diseases and most who get the diseases will die from them," Kaye says.
The team hopes that, over time, the new detector will help to reduce the 100,000 annual death toll that the World Health Organization attributes to occupational exposure to airborne asbestos.
When exposed to a magnetic field, asbestos fibres orient themselves to align with the field. The property is virtually unique among fibrous materials. "Asbestos has a complex crystalline structure containing several metals including silicon, magnesium and iron. It is thought that it is the iron atoms that give rise to the magnetic properties, but the exact mechanism is still somewhat unclear," says Kaye. Kaye notes that his team wasn't the first to try to exploit the magnetic effect to develop an asbestos detector. "Pioneering U.S.-based scientist Pedro Lilienfeld filed a patent on a related approach in 1988, but it seems it was not taken forward, possibly because of technical difficulties," he says.
The Hertfordshire team's new detection method, developed under the European Commission FP7 project 'ALERT' (FP7-SME-2008-2), works by first shining a laser beam at a stream of airborne particles. When light bounces off the particles, it scatters to form unique, complex patterns.
The pattern "is a bit like a thumbprint for the particle," says Kaye, sometimes making it possible to identify a particle's shape, size, structure, and orientation by looking at the scattered light. "We can use this technique of light scattering to detect single airborne fibres that are far too small to be seen with the naked eye," he says. After identifying the fibres, the detector carries them in an airflow through a magnetic field, and uses light scattering again on the other side to tell if the fibres have aligned with the field. "If they have, they are highly likely to be asbestos," Kaye says.
Mitigate against the risks of asbestos exposure on your non domestic premises with the help of R B Asbestos.
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Alice Dunbar Nelson
Alice Dunbar Nelson
Alice Ruth Moore
July 19, 1875
|Died||September 18, 1935 (aged 60)|
|Alma mater||Straight University|
|Occupation||poet, journalist, political activist|
|Spouse(s)||Paul Laurence Dunbar (1898–1906)|
Henry A. Callis (_PHONE_)
Robert J. Nelson (1916–1935)
Alice Dunbar Nelson (July 19, 1875 – September 18, 1935) was an American poet, journalist, and political activist. Among the first generation born free in the South after the Civil War, she was one of the prominent African Americans involved in the artistic flourishing of the Harlem Renaissance. Her first husband was the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar; she then married physician Henry A. Callis; and married, lastly, to Robert J. Nelson, a poet and civil rights activist. She achieved prominence as a poet, author of short stories and dramas, newspaper columnist, and editor of two anthologies.
Alice Ruth Moore was born in New Orleans on July 19, 1875, the daughter of an African-American seamstress and former slave and a white seaman. Her parents, Patricia Wright and Joseph Moore, were middle-class people of color and part of the traditional multiracial Creole community of the city. At a time when fewer than 1% of Americans went to college, Moore graduated from Straight University (later merged into Dillard University) in 1892 and worked as a teacher in the public school system of New Orleans at Old Marigny Elementary.
In 1895, her first collection of short stories and poems, Violets and Other Tales, was published by The Monthly Review. About that time, Moore moved to Boston and then New York City. She co-founded and taught at the White Rose Mission (White Rose Home for Girls) in Manhattan's San Juan Hill neighborhood. Beginning a correspondence with the poet and journalist Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Her writing and photo in a literary magazine captured his attention, and in 1898, after corresponding for two years, she ended up moving to Washington, DC to join him and they married in 1898. But the relationship proved stormy, exacerbated by Dunbar's declining health due to tuberculosis, alcoholism developed from doctor prescribed whisky consumption, and depression. In 1902, after he beat her nearly to death, she left him, and moved to Delaware. She and Paul Dunbar separated in 1902 but were never divorced. He was reported to also have been disturbed by her lesbian affairs. Paul Dunbar died in 1906.
Alice Dunbar then moved to Wilmington, Delaware and taught at Howard High School for more than a decade. During this period, she also taught summer sessions at State College for Colored Students (the predecessor of Delaware State University) and at the Hampton Institute. In 1907, she took a leave of absence from her teaching position in Wilmington and enrolled as a student at Cornell University, returning to Wilmington in 1908. In 1910, she married Henry A. Callis, a prominent physician and professor at Howard University, but this marriage ended in divorce.
From 1913 to 1914, Dunbar was coeditor and writer for the A.M.E. Review, an influential church publication produced by the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church). In 1916 she married the poet and civil rights activist Robert J. Nelson. She joined him in becoming active in politics in Wilmington and the region. They stayed together for the rest of their lives.
Dunbar Nelson was an activist for African Americans' and women's rights, especially during the 1920s and 1930s. While she continued to write stories and poetry, she became more politically active in Wilmington, and put more effort into numerous articles and journalism on leading topics. In 1915, she was field organizer for the Middle Atlantic states for the woman's suffrage movement. In 1918, she was field representative for the Woman's Committee of the Council of Defense. In 1924, Dunbar-Nelson campaigned for the passage of the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, but the Southern Democratic block in Congress defeated it.
From about 1920 on, she made a commitment to journalism and was a highly successful columnist, with articles, essays and reviews appearing as well in newspapers, magazines, and academic journals. She was a popular speaker and had an active schedule of lectures through these years. Her journalism career originally began with a rocky start. During the late 19th century, it was still unusual for women to work outside of the home, let alone an African-American woman, and the journalism business was a hostile, male-dominated field. In her diary, she spoke about the tribulations associated with the profession of journalism – "Damn bad luck I have with my pen. Some fate has decreed I shall never make money by it" (Diary 366). She discusses being denied pay for her articles and issues she had with receiving proper recognition for her work.
She moved from Delaware to Philadelphia in 1932, when her husband joined the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission. During this time, her health was in decline and she died from a heart ailment on September 18, 1935, at the age of sixty. She was cremated in Philadelphia. She was made an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Her papers were collected by the University of Delaware.
Her diary was published in 1984 and detailed her life during the years 1921 and 1926 to 1931 ("Alice Dunbar-Nelson"). As one of only two journals of 19th-century African-American women, Dunbar-Nelson's diary provided useful insight into the lives of black women during this time. It "summarizes her position in an era during which law and custom limited access, expectations, and opportunities for black women" ("Alice Dunbar-Nelson"). Her diary addressed issues such as family, friendship, sexuality, health, professional problems, travels, and often financial difficulties.
The rhetorical context of Alice Dunbar-Nelson's writing includes subject, purpose, audience, and occasion. "Dunbar-Nelson's writings addressed the issues that confronted African-Americans and women of her time". In essays such as "Negro Women in War Work" (1919), "Politics in Delaware" (1924), "Hysteria," and "Is It Time for Negro Colleges in the South to Be Put in the Hands of Negro Teachers?" Dunbar-Nelson explored the role of black women in the workforce, education, and the antilynching movement. The examples demonstrate a social activist role in her life. Dunbar-Nelson's writings express her belief of equality between the races and between men and women. She believed that African-Americans should have equal access to the educational institution, jobs, healthcare, transportation and other constitutionally granted rights. Her activism and support for certain racial and feminist causes started to appear around the early 1900s, where she publicly discussed the women's suffrage movement in the middle American states. in 1918, she officially held the role of field representative for the Woman's Committee of the Council of Defense, only a few years after marrying Robert J. Nelson who was a poet and a social activist as well. She significantly contributed to some African American journalism such as the Wilmington Advocate and The Dunbar Speaker and Entertainer. Following her leading role in the Woman's Committee, Alice became the executive secretary of the American friends inter-racial peace committee, which was then a highlight of her activism life. She successfully created a political/feminist career co-editing newspapers and essays that focused on the social issues that minorities and women were struggling through in American through the 1920s, and she was specifically influential due to her gain of an international supportive audience that she used to voice over her opinion.
Much of Dunbar-Nelson's writing was about the color line – both white and black color lines. In an autobiographical piece entitled "Brass Ankles Speaks", she discusses the difficulties she faced growing up mixed-race in Louisiana. She recalls the isolation felt as a child, and the sensation of not belonging to or being accepted by either race. She said as a child she was called a "half white nigger" and that while adults were not as vicious with their name-calling, they were also not accepting of her. Both black and white individuals rejected her for being "too white." White coworkers didn't think she was racial enough and black coworkers did not think she was dark enough to work with her own people. She wrote that being multiracial was hard because "the 'yaller niggers,' the 'Brass Ankles' must bear the hatred of their own and the prejudice of the white race" ("Brass Ankles Speaks"). Much of Dunbar-Nelson's writing was rejected because she wrote about the color line, oppression, and themes of racism. Few mainstream publications would publish her writing because it was not marketable. She was able to publish her writing, however, when the themes of racism and oppression were more subtle.
- Violets and Other Tales, Boston: Monthly Review, 1895. Short stories and poems, including "Titée", "A Carnival Jangle", and "Little Miss Sophie". Digital Schomburg. ("The Woman" reprinted in Margaret Busby (ed.), Daughters of Africa, 1992, pp. 161–163.)
- The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories, 1899, including "Titée" (revised), "Little Miss Sophie", and "A Carnival


Uplifting Black Muslim Youth
Black Muslim youth stand at the cross section of anti-Black racism and anti-Muslim sentiments. What is it like to identify with both of these uniquely marginalized groups? How are young Black Muslims thriving in these conditions? What can adults do to ensure optimal development? Following 10 years of work from the authors who have pioneered research on American Muslim youth and counseling Muslims, this groundbreaking book explores the complex factors impacting Black Muslim youth outcomes. Centering the voices of Black Muslim youth, this book summarizes the latest research and is a road map for individuals and institutions invested in transforming feelings and experiences of marginalization, to those of strength and resiliency.
ISBN: 9781543988765
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The history of the British Isles and its inhabitants, both human and canine, has long been entwined. Breed reveals the enduring and affectionate relationship between the British people and their dogs and explores the very beginnings of pedigree dog breeding in Britain.
This is a "self delivery" pack which has been designed specifically for National Science and Engineering Week 2013. The science behind fingeprints is well known! What is not so well known is the link between fingerprints and footprints. Right Angle Events have launched a new education pack called 'Toes for Turf' comprising at least 4 hours of fun teaching material linked to Key Stage 1-4 Mathematics.
We have designed a fantastic scheme especially for National Science & Engineering Week called "Toes For Turf". The science behind fingerprints is well known. What is not so well known is the science behind footprints or "feet prints". This activity enables students to take, classify and "lift" both fingerprints and foot prints. As the research on footprints is meagre, this scheme will allow students to make some discoveries about the correlation or otherwise between fingerprints and feet prints.
We will be running a science club for children from the junior school for 8 weeks before science week. Children will be working on projects designed by local scientists and making posters to show what they've done. A competition will be held and prizes will be given for the best posters and projects. During science week we'll have a science day for the whole school. Local scientists will come to the school and we'll have science themed activities all day.
Imagine you are part of the team planning and designing the first manned mission to Mars. Your job is to investigate just one problem of the mission, and come up with an idea that might solve it. You're asked to create a poster, no bigger than A1-sized, to explain the problem and your idea. The idea can be anything you like, but it must be based on real-science. The competition is for Years 7, 8, or 9. We can accept both individual and team entries. All Posters must be received by us by 4pm 12th March 2013. You can hand your posters in through participating schools and STEM clubs.
Primary School competition - teams of four to prepare a 5 minute demo and supporting display on the theme of Inventions and Discoveries. Winning team from each school to compete at Chipping Campden School Primary Science Conference on March 18th. An egg race type activity will also form part of the competition. A demo lecture will finish the proceedings.


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Buckyballs, Bucky Balls & Neocube
Buckyballs (also called NeoCube) consist of 216 strong magnetic balls (material neodymium), this magnet balls give you the power to create and re-create an unlimited number of 2D, and 3D shapes! With Bucky Balls you can create and construct whatever you want! It's a puzzle with billions of combinations providing hours of fun - At least, if your friends or relatives haven't got a hold of your Buckyballs :-)
Educational - A NeoCube is also good educational toy
Have fun with your amazing puzzle toy and grow up the physic and geometry skill at once - the buckyballs are not only for adult but also great as an educational teaching toy.
Train up you brain while you have fun!
Buckyballs are a truly an amazing thing. It has the ability to simultaneously stimulate and train both of your brain hemispheres - this fact is making a neocube to a more beneficial puzzle toy than most other types of puzzles.
The right side of your brain is responsible for: spatial thinking, creativeness, facial recognition and visual mental imagery and the left side of your brain is responsible for: mathematics, languags and logic skills and this side controls the right side of muscules. When you are playing with an Bucky balls you not only need "mathematic skills or creativity" need nearly all of these skills and that's what makes a Neocube so special.
NeoCube is a new Game for every day
The most available toy / puzzle games have a fixed goal - you have rules to solve it - with a neocube it's different: you have no rules. Have fun with them, break the borders of your imagination and create billions of possible shapes and patterns.
Short Features of Bucky Balls
Buckyballs are a set of 216 strong ball magnets
Bucky balls stimulates and encourage creativity.
Helps to understanding the geometry, mathematics and physics.
Improves your personal problem solving skills.
Train up your brain while playing neocube.
No game rules - break the borders of your imagination and create billions of possible shapes and patterns


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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Phononic stop bands are formed for materials with periodic elastic properties. The material does not need to be a crystal.
The basis of phononic crystals dates back to Newton who imagined that sound waves propagated through air in the same way that an elastic wave would propagate along a lattice of point masses connected by springs with an elastic force constant E. This force constant is identical to the modulus of the material. Of course with phononic crystals of materials with differing modulus the calculations are a little more complicated than this simple model.
Based on Newton's observation we can conclude that a key factor for acoustic band-gap engineering is impedance mismatch between periodic elements comprising the crystal and the surrounding medium. When an advancing wave-front meets a material with very high impedance it will tend to increase its phase velocity through that medium. Likewise, when the advancing wave-front meets a low impedance medium it will slow down. We can exploit this concept with periodic (and handcrafted) arrangements of impedance mismatched elements to affect acoustic waves in the crystal – essentially band-gap engineering.
The position of the band-gap in frequency space for a phononic crystal is controlled by the size and arrangement of the elements comprising the crystal. The width of the band gap is generally related to the difference in the speed of sound (due to impedance differences) through the materials that comprise the composite.
- "Sound ideas". Physics World (2005-12-01). Retrieved on 2008-01-19.
- G.P Srivastava (1990). The Physics of Phonons, CRC Press. ISBN _PHONE_.


Facebook Scammers What You Click 'Like' & 'Share"
 It is called "Facebook Farming", when page creators pile up hundreds of thousands of likes and shares, with the sole purpose to make money.
 How do they do it? Let's say a page gets tons of shares, the crook could then strip the page and promote something else, like products that they get a commission for selling. On the other hand, they may turn around and sell the page through black-market websites to someone who does the same.
 It is a way to trick Facebooks' algorithm, which is designed to give more value to popular pages than the ones, like scams.
 While it may seem harmless, experts say scammers are breaking the site's rules to make easy cash.
 Fresno State Computer Science Professor Ming Li says, "Many times when you click 'like', or 'dislike', or'share', the information will be connection by those pages and have the potential to be sold."
 Li says the new page may used to spread malware - software that attacks your computer - and attempts to gather you credit card numbers, passwords, or other personal information.
 Li says, "Think before you click, because your action will have some consequence on yourself, or other people. Internet security has no ultimate solution, because technology is always evolving."
 Facebook is always making improvements to try and detect and block these pages, but you need to take extra steps as well.
 Websites like,, show you how to improve the security of your facebook account.


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Change Collision Shapes
A collision shape is the surface area around an object that gets affected when two objects from different collision groups collide.
For example, even though it looks like the ball in the image on the left can clearly make it over the cone obstacle, it will actually collide with it. If you click the Collision Shape Editor button in the scene, you will see in the image on the right that the cubic collision shape of the ball will graze the top of the conic collision shape of the obstacle. If not, see Viewing Collision Shapes.
Here's what you need to know about collision shapes:
- A collision shape may be the same physical shape as the object or be of different shape, for example, a cone can have a cylinder collision shape.
- You can expand a collision shape in size, as if to add padding to the object, typically to increase the collision surface of the object.
- You can also move a collision shape away from the object.
Thus, when two assets collide, for example, when a character runs into an obstacle, it is their collision shapes that get affected, not the objects themselves.
To change a collision shape of an asset:
- On the Mind Map, double-click the World node where you want to change a collision shape of an asset.
The Scene Editor is displayed.
- On the toolbar, click the Collision Shape Editor button.
- Select the asset in the scene.
- In the Options panel on the right, in the Collision Shape field, select the shape you need.
- Mesh—A sophisticated shape, with outer and inner vertices created to reflect the shape details, such as a hole in a torus, for example, which would let objects go through it during a collision.
- Hull—A "solid" shape that reflects only the outer frame of the selected shape, without details such as a hole in a torus, for example. No objects can go through a Hull collision shape.
- If you select Mesh or Hull, in the Collision Mesh field that appears below, click the Edit icon and select the appropriate shape from Mesh Manager and click Save.