1. What does the word "Yoga" mean?
The word Yoga is a Sanskrit word and in Yogic philosophy, it has two meanings. Firstly, it means Unity. Yoga is a state or a moment when the individual soul is in Union with the Divine soul; when history, present, and future merges and the individual feels being part of everything everywhere – an inseparable part of the whole universe. Some people a feeling like this when they do Mindfulness meditation, which also is a big part of yogic practices.
The other meaning of Yoga is a practice system. In a way, to reach this Unity, a person can use the 8-limb system of yogic practices creates by sage Patanjali. It includes 8 kinds of practices; moral practices, social practices, physical practices, breathing practices of sense control, concentration practices, and meditation practices.
In the modern west, the word Yoga is mostly used when we talk about asana practice, which is the physical yoga practice sequence done in Yoga Studios, gyms and retreats.
2. How is Yoga helpful in our day to day life?
Yoga helps in many levels; firstly it includes the physical asana practice that builds strength and flexibility to muscles and thus can help in maintaining a better posture, more movements in joints and in maintaining weight.
Leaner body, strong muscles, and flexibility definitely contribute to many aspects of health; it can help in preventing muscle stiffness and headaches, it helps your cells to produce more energy and fight against pathogens. It helps in maintaining a healthy posture and flexibility – both in the body and in the mind. Yoga asanas also improve neuromuscular connection and help in moving and balancing.
Yoga also has special practices of sensory control, breathing, and meditation. For example, some simple breathing techniques help to bounce back quickly from everyday stressful situations at work, or emotional stress. It takes only a few minutes of mindful breathing and some positive emotions to balance the running mind and hyperactive nervous system and all this can be learned with yoga practice.
3. Which is the best time to perform Yoga?
The best time to practice asana, breathing, and meditation is in the morning.
Asana practice in the morning opens up your body and increases the blood and the lymph flow in your system. You are already naturally burning more fat in the morning so it also increases fat loss and helps your body to build metabolic flexibility.
The morning time is beautiful, it is your own special time to work for your own health and wellbeing –> you are not yet occupied by other ideas or daily tasks, so you have the full concentration on your practice. No one is not bothering you with calls and most likely the social media is not yet beeping.
In addition, breathing practices are best to perform before you have eaten anything so the diaphragm can expand to it's fullest capacity. Also, if you choose to practice good belly breathing in the morning, you will naturally breath better for the rest of the day.
Meditation is also easiest in the morning and late at night; when you don't have other occupations and you can totally be present in the practice.
4. Should Yoga be practiced only in the morning?
Even though the most useful time for yoga is in the morning, yoga can be practiced at any time during the day. Even just taking 3 minutes meditation can be a yogic practice. The most important thing in yoga practice is that you are fully present and you concentrate on your practice. Actually, it is really useful to take short yoga moments along the day; to open up the body, stretch, focus on your breathing and meditate. According to some studies, even a couple minutes of breath awareness can increase calmness, relaxation and emotional balance, and lower stress.
5. What is the advantage of Yoga over to other Exercises?
Yoga is a really holistic practice, but the benefits of yoga practice really depend on the style of yoga. For example, if yoga asana would be your only physical practice, it should preferably include asanas that work on both; strength and flexibility. The advantage of yoga is that it is not only a physical practice but that includes practices for mind and spirit as well; by developing mindfulness, and mental flexibility you will increase your self-knowledge and emotional balance in addition to physical strength. It is easier to connect with your own ideas, organize them and pursue your life purpose when your mind is clear. Yoga helps you to be more present, work on your mindfulness and work on self-compassion, acceptance and universal love. In a way, yoga is also a social practice, because the whole purpose of yoga is to understand that you are linked to everything, everywhere, all the time. No man works in a vacuum and yoga is a great way to start practicing understanding your life purpose in the bigger picture that we call the Universe. In yoga, this is called Dharma.
6. Can Yoga be helpful in the weight reduction?
The physical and frequent yoga-asana practice can really help a lot in managing weight. For example, vinyasa flow yoga, ashtanga yoga, and power flow yoga includes a lot of postures where you need to use your strength – especially big muscles and core. The more muscle mass you have the more efficient is your body in fat burning. In addition, flexibility training can help in maintaining good lymph and blood flow, both of which are important in maintaining a healthy weight. It has also been shown that Mindfulness can help in weight reduction so the answer is definitely yes – yoga can help in the weight reduction.
7. How can Yoga help in reducing stress in the office?
Yoga teaches you to be more self-aware of any emotions that arise in your mind and body. If your body signals stress, we many times get in sort of a panic state due to the amygdala activation in the deep parts of the brain. Stress also activates the HPA-axis in the body which initiates stress hormone production in adrenals and brain.
Yoga helps in two ways; by learning to relax your body, you can immediately lower the stress response by controlling the nervous system. The easiest way to do this is to control your breath so you can activate the vagus nerve and increase the parasympathetic nervous system activation while lowering the sympathetic nervous system activation. All of this can help you to lower down stress.
In addition, yoga helps you recognize maladaptive emotions and detach yourself from them. Yoga not only helps you to control your emotions but also shift them from negative to positive. Many times our stress is induced or increased by pessimistic thinking, which can only be controlled by letting go of the terror in the mind and starting to practice some acceptance, optimism, and compassion towards each an every situation.
8. Are there any special instructions for the women while practicing Yoga?
Yes, women should avoid doing very demanding asana sequences and any postures upside down while on period.
Also, pregnant women should take special classes and avoid any postures which include rolling on the belly.
9. What is Relaxation technique?
Normally at the end of each yoga class, we perform Savasana, a relaxation. This is when yogi just lies in the floor on their back and completely let all muscle tension go. Sometimes a meditation or Yoga Nidra can be performed in Savasana. Why is it done? Well, yoga asana practice includes stretches, contractions, twists, and inversion. In savasana, the body will have a chance to recover and rejuvenate itself and to shed to their regular state and habits. It also allows the mind a moment to transition from the practice to the next moment whichever it is that follows the intensive asana practice.
10. Which are the diseases that can be cured by Yoga?
Yoga is a complete lifestyle and it increases the physical and mental strength, emotional balance.
Yoga can contribute to healing from depression, anxiety, obesity, pessimism and many other diseases. It can help in decreasing the risk for seasonal flu, chronic pain, diabetes and heart diseases, but it should be noted that human body works as a whole and that yoga is not a "medicine" that you can just take to cure a disease. If yoga is intelligently incorporated into everyday life it can definitely improve happiness & health in many levels but when it comes to physical diseases, other health behaviors, nutrition, and even the environment play a big role too. Nevertheless, yoga gives you the opportunity to practice such intuitive deep connection with your body and mind that this connection will naturally reach its effect into every moment and guide you always in making healthier decisions that can even prevent you from getting some diseases.


At VCA Valley Animal Hospital you will find some of the most dedicated and professional veterinary team members in the area. Our mission is to provide down right excellent patient and client service. Our professional staff regularly attends continuing education to keep up with the latest advances in Veterinary medicine. We are also fortunate to have access to the nation's largest network of board certified specialists within VCA.
At VCA Valley Animal Hospital you will always be treated as part of our family. Many of our staff members have been here for 10+ years or has 15+ years experience, and every one is dedicated to our patient's care. We hope you always have a warm and welcoming experience at our "home away from home".


text:
Info For... Alumni
Department of Classics
Classics Spotlights
Ryan Barilleaux, Ph.D.
Interim Department Chair
Deborah Lyons, Ph.D.
Denise McCoskey, Ph.D.
Jeremy Swist, Ph.D.
Zara Torlone, Ph.D.
Steven Tuck, Ph.D.
James Hanges, Ph.D.
Pascal Massie, Ph.D.
Judith de Luce, Ph.D.
Jack Dutra, Ph.D.
Stephen Nimis, Ph.D.
Peter W. Rose, Ph.D.
The Department of Classics is committed to teaching and scholarly work in the areas of Greek, Latin, and Classical Humanities and to contributing to the general liberal education of students enrolled in its courses at all levels.
105 Irvin Hall
400 E. Spring St.
Dr. Ryan Barilleaux, Interim Chair barillrj@MiamiOH.edu
For General Inquiries: classics@MiamiOH.edu
Department of Comparative Religion
Department of Spanish and Portuguese
Department of German, Russian, and East Asian Languages and Cultures
Department of French and Italian
Interactive Language Resource Center
Humanities Center

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We were invited to attend some seminars on the benefits of natural solutions to pet health. We thought that some of our guests and their parents/owners would be interested as well. All of the proceeds from the seminars are going to be donated to the BCSPCA, so it will be a win win for everyone.
Through October and November, Dr. Jason (from Pandosy Village Veterinary Hospital) and friends' innovative alternative medicine seminars cover hot topics like raw food diets, herbal medicine, clicker training and healthy senior pet aging.
Tuesday Nov 18, 2014: Raw Pet Food – What's the Scoop?
We would like to welcome Alex to our team at Woofy World Kennels & Daycare.
Alex is a true animal lover with a bubbly, lovable personality. Her mother started a kennel and grooming business in Quesnel before Alex was born, so Alex has had the pleasure of being involved with the business since birth. At her mother's kennel, Alex was accustomed at handling over sixty-five dogs in house, plus thirty-five sled dogs.
Alex ran sled dogs (Alaskan Huskies) herself, plus she also skijored (which is where you have skis on and hook the dogs directly to you). She participated in The Mail Run in Barkerville and multiple races in Ft. St. James.
She is a confident pack leader and the dogs adore her.
Congratulations to April Anderson, winner of a $50 Gift Certificate and Prize Package from Woofy World Kennels & Daycare at the SPCA Paws For A Cause Walk and Fundraiser.
Every year, the SPCA helps over 40,000 animals in need of care, medical treatment and support. The BC SPCA currently receives no provincial or federal support. The abused and abandoned animals they rescue depend on your support!
Thank you to everyone who came out to support this great cause.


Online shopping for children school trolley bags? DHgate.com is a wholesale marketplace offering a large selection of monkey school bags with superior quality and exquisite craft. You have many choices of school car bags with unbeatable price! Take children school bags animal character home and enjoy fast shipping and best service! Search by Bags, Luggages & Accessories, School Bags online and more.


An Arab terrorist tries to run over victims north of Hevron, is shot by security forces.
An Arab terrorist attempted to conduct a car attack during Arab riots at Halhoul, located north of Hevron in Judea.
The attack unfolded along Route 35; the terrorist was shot and seriously wounded by Haruv soldiers from the IDF's Kfir Brigade before being able to cause any injuries.
"The force identified the threat and responded with fire toward the assailant," a military spokeswoman told AFP. "The attacker received medical care at the scene and is now being evacuated to an Israeli hospital."
She has been transferred to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, Arutz Sheva has learned.
Shortly afterwards, she was identified as a 72-year-old woman - the oldest terrorist since the current wave of daily attacks began.
The road is currently closed to traffic as police carry out an investigation.
Just two days ago, an Arab terrorist ran over a Border Police officer at the same site, critically injuring him. Security forces eliminated the terrorist at the scene.


I believe this bug to be greatly detrimental to the server because of the following explanation.
Player Seller, auctions 1 Stick with a Starting bid of $100, and a bid increase of $10, for 60 seconds.
Player 1 bids $100 with their maximum bid of $10,000.
Things are looking good, until Player 2 bids $110, with a maxbid of $300,000, 2 seconds before the end of the auction.
The auction overwrites the max bid to 300,000, but does not get to the max bid of Player 1. Thus, Player 2 wins the auction for $110, even though Player 1 had a maximum bid of $10,000.
This bug is bad for the auctions, as anyone with a large balance can bid a huge maxbid with seconds to go, and win for less than another's maximum bid, thus winning items by force, not by legitimate bidding up to other's bids.
This means people with lower balances can be pushed out of auctions that sell for less money than they have, when it should rightfully go above their maximum bid - I dont know if what I am saying makes sense.
On eBay lets say, if you were to maxbid $40 for a cookery book, someone would have to bid OVER $40 in order to beat you, not maxbid $1,000 and beat you at $21.
We've been aware of this for a little while, and I just haven't had time to look into fixing this bug recently.


text:
Australia Blog
News and notes from Google Down Under
Collaborate and edit anywhere with the updated Google Docs for Android
As I was sitting on the ferry commuting to Google's Sydney office this morning, two thoughts occurred to me. First, Australia is beautiful. If you've never been here, you really should visit. And second, it's amazing how productive I can be with just my Android phone and an Internet connection. I was responding to email, reading news articles and editing documents—just like I do at the office. Only the view was better!
We want to give everyone the chance to be productive no matter where they are, so today we're releasing a new update to the Google Docs app for Android. We've brought the collaborative experience from Google Docs on the desktop to your Android device. You'll see updates in real time as others type on their computers, tablets and phones, and you can just tap the document to join in.
We also updated the interface to make it easier to work with your documents on the go. For example, you can pinch to zoom and focus on a specific paragraph or see the whole document at a glance. We also added rich text formatting so you can do things like create a quick bullet list, add color to your documents, or just bold something important. Watch the new Google Docs app in action:
If you want to hear about the latest Docs news or send us feedback on the new app, visit Google Docs on Google+.
Gotta run—I've got another ferry to catch!
Posted by Vadim Gerasimov, Software Engineer
This is a cross-post from the Official Google Blog
Labels: android , Google docs
Making computer science accessible: apply now for 2012 CS4HS Grants
Working with micro-controllers at UQ's worskhop.
The need for computer science professionals is increasing faster than universities are able to graduate CS students -- not just in Australia and New Zealand, but around the world. That's why Google has worked with universities around the world to develop the CS4HS program: Computer Science for High School.
CS4HS is an initiative sponsored by Google to promote Computer Science and Computational Thinking in high school and middle school curriculum. The program takes a "train the trainer" approach. Universities develop 2-3 day workshops for teachers that provide training, tips, and actual classroom materials to help them teach programming and computing in their schools and turn their students into computational thinkers and creators.
This summer five CS4HS workshops were held in Australia and New Zealand, at University of Melbourne, University of Canterbury, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Queensland, and University of Adelaide. University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney will hold theirs in the coming weeks. Over 200 teachers have:
learned about programming software directly from developers, full-time CS faculty, and Google engineers;
participated in hands-on workshops ranging from robotics programming to mobile app development with App Inventor;
attended informational talks by industry leaders; and
discussed new and emerging CS curricula at the high school and middle school level.
CS4HS participants and tutors at the University of Queensland's workshop.
This sort of training is especially helpful for the surprising number of teachers in Australia and New Zealand who are devoting their own free time to offering computer science classes as a club or an extra course outside of the school's primary curriculum.
Professor Paul Strooper, Head of the School of Information Technology & Electrical Engineering at the University of Queensland, said, "The CS4HS program was a huge success for UQ since the funding enabled us to develop three new hands-on computer science workshops for high schools which we are hoping to deliver to groups of students throughout the year. We used part of the funding to offer travel grants which enabled 15 teachers from all over Queensland and as far as Sydney to attend the CS4HS Workshop. Participating teachers from the Brisbane area have already started contacting us to organise workshops for their students at UQ and we are planning to visit the teachers from Mackay later in the year to run workshops for their students."
From now until 3rd March 2012, CS4HS is accepting applications for 2012 grants; if you're affiliated with a college or university in Australia or New Zealand, we'd love to hear from you. If you're not affiliated with a college or university you can still encourage your local university, community college or technical school to apply for a grant. After applications close, we'll post the workshop websites of participating schools on cs4hs.com for professors looking for ideas and for teachers interested in learning more about what's being offered.
Posted by Sally-Ann Williams, Program Manager Engineering, Google Australia
Labels: computer science , students
Hitting your target audience... with a snap!
One of this week's viral sensations on YouTube is a science fiction-themed ad for the Central Institute of Technology (CIT) in Perth. The skit-style video commercial, titled "It's A Snap", features CIT grads-turned-YouTube stars Henry & Aaron, who magically jump from one CIT department to the next with a snap of Aaron's fingers. The comedy takes a distinctly darker turn when Aaron's teleporting skills start going horribly wrong -- with gruesome results.
This video holds a couple of lessons for marketers. First of all, it's a great example of one of the newest rules of the web marketing game: "think popular, not premium." When it comes to celeb endorsements, don't just think pro athletes or movie stars -- follow your audience. Comedy duo Henry & Aaron are celebrities on YouTube, and they come with their own devoted following and credibility among their fans. Odds are they've got a pretty good following among CIT's target audience of teenagers considering a technical college education.
We've seen this strategy of piggybacking on YouTube stars pay off in Australia before. Sydney-based shoe start-up Shoes of Prey worked with popular "hauler" Juicystar07 on YouTube - 18-year old beauty guru Blair Fowler - to create a shoe giveaway. Blair promoted the shoes in her video and Shoes of Prey got one of their best weeks of orders. Last year, Lonely Planet worked with Australia's most successful YouTuber, Sydneysider Natalie Tran, whose videos have been viewed more than 400 million times. Natalie's short travel videos from Miami to the Maldives, Buenos Aires to Egypt, helped to connect Lonely Planet with her many online fans.
Secondly, let's take a look at the content of the video itself. It may stray into gory territory that's traditionally scared marketers off, but it's earned rave reviews--tech news site Gizmodo has called it the "Best. Technical College Ad. Ever"--and it's gotten more than 1.4 million views online. Head of Marketing at CIT Kenley Gordon sums it up nicely in the press release, saying that even though the ad isn't everyone's cup of tea, you can't argue with its popularity: "The youth market is what Henry and Aaron know and judging from the hits, they nailed it." What's interesting is that the gross-out ending delivers the shock value that's perhaps helping this go viral, but it doesn't interfere at all with the key messages of CIT.
The barriers to entry have disappeared and the next star to shoot to global popularity on the web can come from anywhere. It's worth considering how your brand might hitch a ride. One thing is for sure: going popular helped CIT reach its target audience...with a snap.
Posted by Karen Stocks, Head of YouTube & Display, Google Australia
An edited version of this blog post was first published on Mumbrella.
Introducing our Google Student Ambassadors
After putting a call out for students interested in acting as on-campus liaisons between Google and their universities, we selected 52 student ambassadors representing 23 universities across Australia and New Zealand. Ambassadors get the chance to learn about Google products and programs and organise campus events for their fellow students.
Our ambassadors are a diverse bunch. Not only are they geographically scattered, but they have majors from computer science to anthropology, business and even zoology. What they all have in common is a passion for new technology, enthusiasm about Google, and deep involvement in their school communities.
Desiree Kelly is currently studying Computing and Intelligent Systems and Software Development at Griffith University. Desiree wants to be an advocate for women in I.T. and has been active in helping organise Geek Girl Coffees in Brisbane.
Sam Jarman, a seasoned app developer and Computer Science student at the University of Canterbury, and fellow Kiwi Julius Bennett, a finance and accounting student in Auckland, hope to raise campus awareness about the benefits of the cloud with a product like Google Docs.
Desiree, Sam and Julius attended the two-day summit with their fellow ambassadors and received presentations from Googlers about Google Apps for Education, YouTube, Google Chrome, Google Maps, Google Places and Google+.
It was not all work though. There was plenty to time to socialise as they took part in Google Sydney's weekly TGIF drinks and went on a Sydney Harbour cruise, bringing the summit to a fitting close.
All our ambassadors finished the summit with lots of ideas they'll bring back to campus. One of our ambassadors has also put together a circle on Google+. Add everyone to your own circles to follow what they're doing on campus.
Posted by Marco Duarte, Engineering Programs and Recruiting Specialist, Google
Last week we welcomed our newly appointed Google Student Ambassadors to our Sydney office and the inaugural Google Student Ambassador Summit.
Unnecessary regulation could stop the digital economy in its tracks
The Connected Continent" discovered that the Internet contributed $50 billion directly to the Australian economy in 2010 — the same as iron ore exports. In short, Australia's digital economy is booming — and this is a boom that every Australian is a part of.
Australian content is certainly booming on YouTube. A new class of Aussie artists and entrepreneurs is making high-quality videos that are racking up tens of millions of views across Australia and the world, and many of them are earning enough to quit their day jobs. Rob Nixon, for example, was once a ground crew worker at Perth airport; now he's "Nicko the Chef" with a YouTube cooking channel with 37M views. Interestingly, Australia is running a trade surplus in online video. In 2011, overseas viewers watched more hours of Australian content on YouTube than Australians watched of overseas content.
Unfortunately, there's a real danger at the moment that unnecessary regulation — like that being sketched out in the Interim Report from the Convergence Review — could stop this thriving part of the digital economy in its tracks. We were surprised and disappointed to see this report moving toward the imposition of unwarranted and unworkable TV-style regulation on the online media sector. (You can read Google's official comment here.)
Long-standing government policy, re-articulated by the Convergence Review, aims for a media sector with diverse voices, lots of high-quality Australian content, and community standards for content. Simply put, we believe the web — and especially online video sites like YouTube — is already delivering this.
The web has solved previous issues of media scarcity. This has traditionally been a key part of the justification for government regulation of media. On YouTube, anybody with a video camera (or a smartphone!) can start their own media channel, broadcast to massive audiences home and abroad, and through our YouTube Partner Program, turn their popular videos into a business. This is driving an explosion in Aussie content. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 40% of Australians with Internet access now create content online, from videos to blogs.
The openness of the web is generating diversity in Australian voices. It's even filling in the gaps left by traditional content providers. SportingPulse, in Melbourne, helps local sports leagues across the country get videos of their matches online where their most passionate fans can find them. Talent from diverse backgrounds is thriving on YouTube, from two Adelaide mates' Encyclopedia of Magic to sister singers Janice and Sonia Lee. On the web there are no casting agents or producers deciding who gets on screen or what stories should be told, and this has resulted in an explosion of new faces and voices.
Our most respected cultural institutions are embracing the web to reach Australia and the world. The Sydney Opera House can only fit so many people into its seats — but through the web, they reach the vast majority of us who can't get to Bennelong Point on a regular basis. And Screen Australia's Vault on YouTube breathes new life into heritage films that might otherwise be collecting dust. Many content creators have more content than they can broadcast, screen, or publish through traditional channels; platforms like YouTube are giving this content new life and new fans.
This incredible online momentum is creating a new golden age of Australian content unparalleled in the quality, quantity, and great diversity of voices it represents. The last thing we want to see is unnecessary regulation squelching its growth. The web has flung open the doors of creative and economic success to all Australians, and we want to make sure those doors stay wide open.
Posted by Iarla Flynn, Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Google Australia
Last August, Google commissioned a first-of-its-kind research report from Deloitte Access Economics to take an in-depth look at how the Internet is rewiring Australia's households and businesses in fundamental ways. "The Connected Continent" discovered that the Internet contributed $50 billion directly to the Australian economy in 2010 — the same as iron ore exports. In short, Australia's digital economy is booming — and this is a boom that every Australian is a part of.
Helping Dean Sell His Coffee Online
that more than a third of Australians made at least one online purchase last year? As more and more of us use the web to research and buy products online, businesses of all sizes need to make sure that their products can be found quickly and easily online.
Dean from Geronimo Coffee Roasters signed up for a free website through MYOB and Google's joint initiative Getting Aussie Business Online that now also includes e-commerce features. Thanks to these, Dean created an online store where customers can browse and buy his products. He can now also receive payments online.
Like Dean, businesses that sign up for a free e-commerce enabled website through Getting Aussie Business Online can get additional exposure for their products through Google Shopping.
As soon as they upload product photos to the gallery on their site and make them available for purchase, information for each product is automatically submitted to Google Shopping and can appear in Google Shopping search results. For Dean it's a great way to be found by local customers as they can see what items are available in his store.
Within just a couple of months Dean started to see the payoff from promoting and selling his products online. With over thirty sales already, some of which are interstate, Dean is excited for the future of his business and he hopes to help customers with a coffee machine understand what truly fresh coffee tastes like.
Posted by Bora Toska, Small Business Marketing, Google Australia
Did you know that more than a third of Australians made at least one online purchase last year? As more and more of us use the web to research and buy products online, businesses of all sizes need to make sure that their products can be found quickly and easily online.
Introducing Chrome for Android
Google Mobile Blog.
In 2008, we launched Google Chrome to help make the web better. We're excited that millions of people around the world use Chrome as their primary browser and we want to keep improving that experience. Today, we're introducing Chrome for Android Beta, which brings many of the things you've come to love about Chrome to your Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone or tablet. Like the desktop version, Chrome for Android Beta is focused on speed and simplicity, but it also features seamless sign-in and sync so you can take your personalised web browsing experience with you wherever you go, across devices.
Speed With Chrome for Android, you can search, navigate and browse fast—Chrome fast. You can scroll through web pages as quickly as you can flick your finger. When searching, your top search results are loaded in the background as you type so pages appear instantly. And of course, both search and navigation can all be done quickly from the Chrome omnibox.
Simplicity Chrome for Android is designed from the ground up for mobile devices. We reimagined tabs so they fit just as naturally on a small-screen phone as they do on a larger screen tablet. You can flip or swipe between an unlimited number of tabs using intuitive gestures, as if you're holding a deck of cards in the palm of your hands, each one a new window to the web.
One of the biggest pains of mobile browsing is selecting the correct link out of several on a small-screen device. Link Preview does away with hunting and pecking for links on a web page by automatically zooming in on links to make selecting the precise one easier. And as with Chrome on desktop, we built Chrome for Android with privacy in mind from the beginning, including incognito mode for private browsing and fine-grained privacy options (tap menu icon, 'Settings,' and then 'Privacy').
Sign in You can now bring your personalised Chrome experience with you to your Android phone or tablet. If you sign in to Chrome on your Android device, you can:
View open tabs: Access the tabs you left open on your computer (also signed into Chrome)—picking up exactly where you left off.
Get smarter suggestions: If you visit a site often on your computer, you'll also get an autocomplete suggestion for it on your mobile device, so you can spend less time typing.
Sync bookmarks: Conveniently access your favorite sites no matter where you are or which device you're using.
Chrome is now available in Beta from Android Market, in select countries and languages for phones and tablets with Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich. We're eager to hear your feedback. Finally, we look forward to working closely with the developer community to create a better web on a platform that defines mobile.
Posted by Sundar Pichai, SVP, Chrome and Apps
This is a cross-post from the Google Mobile Blog.
Labels: android , chrome
Doodling for Dickens' Birthday: A behind the scenes look
Today marks the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens's birthday (born February 7, 1812). To celebrate the life and work of one of the world's greatest storytellers, the Google doodle team created this fantastic celebratory Doodle for our home page:
In addition, our Google Books editorial team curated a collection of free and featured Dickens classics available in Google eBookstore in Dickens's native land (United Kingdom) and some Commonwealth countries (Canada, Australia) as well as the US -- a relatively new nation that Dickens himself visited in 1842 and 1867.
As anyone who has read a Dickens novel can attest, they are full of memorable characters, realism, humour, lyricism, and social commentary. He is considered one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era, and responsible for some of the most iconic stories in English literature. Contemplating Dickens' diversity of characters and themes, I wondered how the artist who created the Dickens doodle, Mike Dutton, handled the challenge.
Prior to working at Google, Mike was a freelance artist, and illustrated several children's books, including Donovan's Big Day. He is no stranger to making the words on a page come alive through imagery.
Mike has worked on countless doodles, some honoring other authors like Richard Scarry, and others celebrating events like the Royal Wedding and the World Cup. His favorite doodles to work on (so far!) were Mary Blair's 100th birthday and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (author of The Little Prince).
When asked about his experience trying to represent Dickens, Mike said that it posed a greater challenge than most. "Google doodles," he said, are intended to be fun and delightful; however Dickens' work is frequently serious in tone. So I decided to focus on Dickens' characters to bridge this gap."
And Mike's doodle is full of characters! We see Nell and her grandfather in the The Old Curiosity Shop, many characters from Little Dorrit, Oliver and his friends from Oliver Twist and Estella and Pip from Great Expectations. Even a certain French aristocrat graces the doodle, sitting inside the uppercase "G" -- a reference to his eventual death by guillotine. And no tribute to Dickens would be complete without Ebenezer Scrooge and a vivid depiction of London in the background.
Mike said that while he normally works on his tablet, he had to go back to a physical drawing board for the Dickens doodle, creating each character separately so that he could place them within different parts of the Google logo. Like an engineer, he likes to iterate on what he designs, until he gets it right.
Mike's puzzle – layering characters
from Great Expectations and Oliver Twist
When I visited his office, I also saw that like other artists, Mike immersed himself in his subject. He had Dickens' novels stacked by his desk, as well as images from adaptations of the author's novels pinned to his wall.
"Just happy to be here."
Interestingly, while a doodler's work neither hangs in a museum nor receives the reverence of a Da Vinci or a Picasso, the illustrations are perhaps more widely and instantly viewed than any other artists' in history. When asked about this, Mike responded:
"Sometimes I feel I got to cut in line somewhere along the artist's journey. Being a doodler is a very fun job, but we take it seriously. Our ultimate goal is to engage and delight users, but we want to make sure we really pay proper homage to each figure along the way too."
Mike's doodle lets Dickens' characters speak to the author's impact, the way Dickens himself used them to speak his messages to the world. They are familiar, warm, and tell their sometimes harsh stories in a way that makes us want to take notice and enjoy. He uses them to successfully capture what made Dickens' great: characters that are real to us.
Find out more about Dickens' work and Google doodles:
Browse our Free and Featured Collection of Dickens' pieces (available in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia)
Learn more about Google doodles
Posted by Ariel Levine, Google eBooks Associate
This is a cross post from the Inside Google Books Blog
Labels: Doodles
Today is Safer Internet Day, a collaborative effort between government, industry and child safety organisations to put front and centre the safe and responsible use of technology, especially amongst children and young people.
This year's theme of connecting generations and educating each other is about encouraging all members of your family and the school community to talk about online safety. Research on intergenerational attitudes to social networking and cybersafety suggests that young people themselves are the most valuable resource for adults concerned about the online safety of their children and it encourages parents to sit down and talk with their kids about what they do online.
Safer Internet Day is the perfect time to sit down with your kids, nieces and nephews or grandkids, and find out more about the sites they visit and the ways they manage their information online. Why not ask them to take you on a tour of their favourite sites, show you how they use the privacy settings and teach you tips and tricks to get the most out of each one?
If you want to learn more about staying safe online, visit our safety centre. You'll find information on Google safety tools, tips from Google parents and advice from our partners.
You might also like to download the cybersafety help button, a government initiative that gives you access to help and information on cybersafety issues. Once downloaded, the button sits on the computer desktop or within the taskbar, and takes you directly to a web page where you can talk, report or learn more about cybersafety issues.
Over the coming year, we will continue to work with Australian child safety organisations: Kids Helpline, NAPCAN, Inspire Foundation, Bravehearts, The Alannah & Madeline Foundation and the Youth and Wellbeing Cooperative Research Centre.
We look forward to continuing to help all Australians to be smart, safe and responsible online. Just like in real life where we need street smarts; on the web we need cyber smarts.
Posted by Ishtar Vij, Public Policy and Government Affairs, Google Australia
Technology plays a huge part in our daily lives, so now more than ever it's critical that we all have the tools and knowledge we need to be safe, smart and responsible online.
Entries open for the Google Australia Eureka prize for computer science
Eureka Prize for Innovation in Computer Science are now open. Each year, the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes reward excellence in research and innovation, science leadership, school science, and science journalism and communication.
Google is delighted to sponsor an award in the Research & Innovation category. The $10,000 prize is awarded annually to an individual or team of Aussies who demonstrate real innovation in computer science.
Here at Google we're passionately committed to innovation in computer science. We hope that by encouraging future generations to embrace the power of an IT education now, we'll foster our next generation of innovators. Previous winners of the Google Australia Eureka prize include:
Associate Professor Moss from the School of Physics at the University of Sydney was awarded the 2011 prize last year for his work in incorporating light onto silicon computer chips. This groundbreaking work has led to the development of a laser that allows light to be generated on silicon chips, which overcomes many energy and bandwidth obstacles for on-chip and chip-to-chip communications.
Professor Peter Stuckey from the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at the University of Melbourne who was awarded the 2010 prize for his development of Lazy Clause generation, a software method which solves mathematical challenges of resource allocation significantly faster than any other existing method.
Entries in the Google Australia Eureka Prize for Innovation in Computer Science should be cutting-edge and represent a tangible advance in their field. The winning innovation will have the potential to improve the lives of many other Australians.
You can enter as an individual or as a team, and your submission can take the form of a research contribution, commercial product or completely private work such as an open source development.
Further information on criteria and how to submit your entry is available here.
Posted by Alan Noble, Engineering Director Google Australia and New Zealand
Entries for the Google Australia Eureka Prize for Innovation in Computer Science are now open. Each year, the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes reward excellence in research and innovation, science leadership, school science, and science journalism and communication.
Android and Security
The last year has been a phenomenal one for the Android ecosystem. Device activations grew 250% year-on-year, and the total number of app downloads from Android Market topped 11 billion. As the platform continues to grow, we're focused on bringing you the best new features and innovations - including in security.
Adding a new layer to Android security
Today we're revealing a service we've developed, codenamed Bouncer, which provides automated scanning of Android Market for potentially malicious software without disrupting the user experience of Android Market or requiring developers to go through an application approval process.
The service performs a set of analyses on new applications, applications already in Android Market, and developer accounts. Here's how it works: once an application is uploaded, the service immediately starts analysing it for known malware, spyware and trojans. It also looks for behaviors that indicate an application might be misbehaving, and compares it against previously analysed apps to detect possible red flags. We actually run every application on Google's cloud infrastructure and simulate how it will run on an Android device to look for hidden, malicious behavior. We also analyse new developer accounts to help prevent malicious and repeat-offending developers from coming back.
Android malware downloads are decreasing
The service has been looking for malicious apps in Market for a while now, and between the first and second halves of 2011, we saw a 40% decrease in the number of potentially-malicious downloads from Android Market. This drop occurred at the same time that companies who market and sell anti-malware and security software have been reporting that malicious applications are on the rise. While it's not possible to prevent bad people from building malware, the most important measurement is whether those bad applications are being installed from Android Market - and we know the rate is declining significantly.
Android makes malware less potent
In addition to using new services to help prevent malware, we designed Android from the beginning to make mobile malware less disruptive. In the PC model, malware has more potential to misuse your information. We learned from this approach, designing Android for Internet-connected devices. Some of Android's core security features are:
Sandboxing: The Android platform uses a technique called "sandboxing" to put virtual walls between applications and other software on the device. So, if you download a malicious application, it can't access data on other parts of your phone and its potential harm is drastically limited.
Permissions: Android provides a permission system to help you understand the capabilities of the apps you install, and manage your own preferences. That way, if you see a game unnecessarily requests permission to send SMS, for example, you don't need to install it.
Malware removal: Android is designed to prevent malware from modifying the platform or hiding from you, so it can be easily removed if your device is affected. Android Market also has the capability of remotely removing malware from your phone or tablet, if required.
No security approach is foolproof, and added scrutiny can often lead to important improvements. Our systems are getting better at detecting and eliminating malware every day, and we continue to invite the community to work with us to keep Android safe.
Posted by Hiroshi Lockheimer, VP of Engineering, Android
Labels: android , mobile
AdWords Express
agencies adwords TV
Australian IT
Big Query
Developer Day
enhanced campaigns
Equatorgate
G'day Google
Getting Aussie Business Online
gonegoogle
Google Australia
Google Serve
Googlers and culture
internet industry
Stupid Google employee tricks
voicesearch
zeitgeiest
Follow @googledownunder


Add water into tray (amount may vary based on use).
Place one Micro-Mat on the water surface (centered) and allow to absorb water.
Pour off any excess water by carefully tilting the tray.
Spread seeds evenly over the hydrated mat and mist.
Cover and keep in dark for a few days (time and technique may vary based on seed type).
Remove cover and add water as needed until harvest.
After harvest, compost the spent mat made from the Micro-Mat and intertwined root system.
With the tray over a sink or other area where excess water can drain safely, pour water onto Micro-Mat to saturate. Excess water will drain.
Avoid pouring water in one spot as fully hydrated mat is easily damaged by water streams focused on one area.
Remove cover and add water as needed until harvest. Water from above or flood from below.
***Please Note: Micro-Mats are cut to fit 20" x 10" growing trays. Because Micro-Mats expand when absorbing water, the pads are cut smaller than the interior dimensions of the trays. This is normal. When placing the mat in the tray, center the mat so it expands evenly toward the edges. If the mat doesn't not expand all the way to the edges this is okay. Generally seeds off the edge will still sprout their roots will knit into the root mat formed by the growing seedlings.


In order to get your website up and running you must first register yourself with a provider and get a web hosting account that allows you to use the server resources like disk space for data storage and provides services like data transfer.
The next step is to put your entire web content on the server so that it is visible to all your clients, customers and business partners. These web hosting companies / providers are authorized owners of the bandwidth of 'www' that they claim to have and also provide other services like user interface for control and maintenance of the corresponding websites of the user accounts that they have leased out and providing a security for data transfers.
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is exclusively used for e-commerce sites.
Reasonable cost for the disk space and bandwidth that you require.
It is not really possible for any server to have a 100% up-time since servers definitely require some downtime for updates, hiccups and upgrades. So we must look for a maximum up-time of 99.99%. Make sure the providers are genuine and provide you with their customer support numbers, e-mails and other communication channels, in case you run into problems with your site, network or servers.


text:
Åbo Akademi Hem
Genomslag
Estonian NGOs at the Crossroads of Professionalization and Grassroots Activism
Mikko Lagerspetz
Samhällsvetenskaper
Minoritetsforskning
Forskningsoutput: Kapitel i bok/konferenshandling › Kapitel › Vetenskaplig › Peer review
1 Nedladdningar (Pure)
The chapter provides an overview of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Estonia. More specifically, it discusses prominent features of the sector's development in the 2000s, including an ongoing professionalization of the organizations and the emergence of symbiotic relations with the state and local authorities. On the one hand, such development could be seen as a strengthening of civil society due to the increased access of NGOs to public resources, and to the sector's more established social position. On the other hand, it could also lead to the weakening of its function as a central component of civil society.
Odefinierat/okänt
Titel på gästpublikation
The Nonprofit Sector in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. Civil Society Advances and Challenges.
Redaktörer
David Horton Smith, Alisa V. Moldavanova, Svitlana Krasynska
ISBN (elektroniskt)
ISBN (tryckt)
https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004380622_008
Publicerad - 2018
MoE-publikationstyp
A3 Del av bok eller annan forskningsbok
Åtkomst av dokument
10.1163/9789004380622_008
CEE NPO chapter Lagerspetz.pdf
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2020102788496
Citera det här
Lagerspetz, M. (2018). Estonian NGOs at the Crossroads of Professionalization and Grassroots Activism. I D. Horton Smith, A. V. Moldavanova, & S. Krasynska (Red.), The Nonprofit Sector in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. Civil Society Advances and Challenges. (s. 154–173). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004380622_008
Lagerspetz, Mikko. / Estonian NGOs at the Crossroads of Professionalization and Grassroots Activism. The Nonprofit Sector in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. Civil Society Advances and Challenges.. redaktör / David Horton Smith ; Alisa V. Moldavanova ; Svitlana Krasynska. Brill, 2018. s. 154–173
@inbook{f2a7fea988714e398cb2fab9e95ddfca,
title = "Estonian NGOs at the Crossroads of Professionalization and Grassroots Activism",
abstract = "The chapter provides an overview of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Estonia. More specifically, it discusses prominent features of the sector's development in the 2000s, including an ongoing professionalization of the organizations and the emergence of symbiotic relations with the state and local authorities. On the one hand, such development could be seen as a strengthening of civil society due to the increased access of NGOs to public resources, and to the sector's more established social position. On the other hand, it could also lead to the weakening of its function as a central component of civil society. ",
author = "Mikko Lagerspetz",
doi = "10.1163/9789004380622_008",
editor = "{Horton Smith}, David and Moldavanova, {Alisa V.} and Svitlana Krasynska",
booktitle = "The Nonprofit Sector in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. Civil Society Advances and Challenges.",
Lagerspetz, M 2018, Estonian NGOs at the Crossroads of Professionalization and Grassroots Activism. i D Horton Smith, AV Moldavanova & S Krasynska (red), The Nonprofit Sector in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. Civil Society Advances and Challenges.. Brill, s. 154–173. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004380622_008
Estonian NGOs at the Crossroads of Professionalization and Grassroots Activism. / Lagerspetz, Mikko.
The Nonprofit Sector in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. Civil Society Advances and Challenges.. red. / David Horton Smith; Alisa V. Moldavanova; Svitlana Krasynska. Brill, 2018. s. 154–173.
T1 - Estonian NGOs at the Crossroads of Professionalization and Grassroots Activism
AU - Lagerspetz, Mikko
N2 - The chapter provides an overview of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Estonia. More specifically, it discusses prominent features of the sector's development in the 2000s, including an ongoing professionalization of the organizations and the emergence of symbiotic relations with the state and local authorities. On the one hand, such development could be seen as a strengthening of civil society due to the increased access of NGOs to public resources, and to the sector's more established social position. On the other hand, it could also lead to the weakening of its function as a central component of civil society.
AB - The chapter provides an overview of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Estonia. More specifically, it discusses prominent features of the sector's development in the 2000s, including an ongoing professionalization of the organizations and the emergence of symbiotic relations with the state and local authorities. On the one hand, such development could be seen as a strengthening of civil society due to the increased access of NGOs to public resources, and to the sector's more established social position. On the other hand, it could also lead to the weakening of its function as a central component of civil society.
U2 - 10.1163/9789004380622_008
DO - 10.1163/9789004380622_008
BT - The Nonprofit Sector in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. Civil Society Advances and Challenges.
A2 - Horton Smith, David
A2 - Moldavanova, Alisa V.
A2 - Krasynska, Svitlana
Lagerspetz M. Estonian NGOs at the Crossroads of Professionalization and Grassroots Activism. I Horton Smith D, Moldavanova AV, Krasynska S, redaktörer, The Nonprofit Sector in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. Civil Society Advances and Challenges.. Brill. 2018. s. 154–173 https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004380622_008
Åbo Akademi datalagringspolicy


Las Vegas just moved into your phone. This Portable Video Poker is all you need to satisfy your needs... Real Algorithms exactly like in the real casinos!
Download it now, experience all the fun in your own pocket video poker game!


Joris-Jan van den Boom - I'm JJ, a Dutch UX/UI Designer living in Helsinki.
I'm JJ, a Dutch UX/UI Designer living in Helsinki.
I've been a fan of Wes Anderson for years. The first time I consciously fell in love with a movie of his was when I saw 'The Royal Tenenbaums' in 2007. I probably saw his movies before, but this was the moment I really took notice.
Over the years I noticed a lot of videos dedicated to Wes Anderson's work: video essays, homages, specials, etc., and I thought I could do something with those. Then, when I saw that the url wesanderson.tv wasn't taken yet, I bought it and started working on a website. I found some technical solutions that did exactly what I wanted and I implemented them.
Over the years, I didn't attend much to the website anymore though, and the technical solutions stopped working. I didn't possess the knowledge to fix the site, so I thought about a big overhaul, using WordPress.
In the past week, I finally had the time to actually rebuild the website from the ground up, and I'm happy to say that the website is now relaunched!
I some additional ideas about the website, which I plan to implement over the next weeks/months, so keep an eye on the site! Also, let me know about good videos that aren't on the site yet.
Hi there, welcome to my new website! I figured I'd give the whole blogging thing another try, let's see where it'll go. In the mean time, feel free to read a little bit about me or take a look at my work.
© 2019 Joris-Jan van den Boom. All Rights Reserved.


Read user comments about the side effects, benefits, and effectiveness of Apresoline oral.
Heart palps,very rapid pulse after having taken this drug for one day.It is 50 mg.Doctor prescribed it for me for 3x daily plus one more if I felt I needed it.Pain in chest,dizziness, intense headache that last a full day after stopping taking it. I will never,never take this drug again. Thought I was having a stroke or heart attack.
I only took Hydrazaline for only one day 50 mg 4 times a day. I was on Clonadine a week prior to the office visit and my Doctor took me off and gave me the Hydrazaline. After one day on this medicine my heart was pounding and beating irregular, I had pain going up my arm to my jaw and the nausea was overbearing. While in the hospital, I was offered a 10mg dose of Hydrazaline thinking that maybe this would work, but I had the same effect of the medicine as if I had took the 50mg. I ended up staying in the hospital for 6 days, almost lost my kidneys from all the trauma that was done to my internal body from this medicine. This medicine should not be on the market.
I started hydralazine 50mg twice a day on 3/29/12. I already take lisinopril 40mg once a day and HCTZ 12.5 once a day. I was taking Amlodipine Bysalate 5mg but the doctor took me off that when I started the hydralazine. Within 3 days my heart was pounding so fast I couldn't lie down and had to sit up all night. I took my blood pressure and it was up to 195/77 pulse 91, the highest it's ever been. I ended up in the emergency room for two nights. My blood pressure shot up to 225. They had to give me all kinds of heart tests and finally changed me from Hydralazine to Metoprolol Tratrate 50mg twice a day which brought my blood pressure down to 120. I would not recommend Hydralazine to anyone.


Leather pouch, covering the need to reveal or conceal different identities.
A passport ordinarily represents being a citizen of a country. Although the United Nations has recognised Palestine as a non-member state, travelling with a Palestinian Authority passport is still subject to many limitations. Many additional documents are necessary for Palestinians to move, including a current identity card. All countries — except Jordan — require visa applications. Palestinians who apply for a visa don't have any guarantee of success, because no specific guideline for access or denial to foreign countries for Palestinian travel documents exists. Some Palestinians possess a Jordanian passport or other dual citizenship that can be used to their advantage during their journey.
The 'Hide & See Travel Pouch' unifies all the necessary documents in a single wallet by hiding one identity and revealing the other one, for whenever the need occurs.


text:
Why Blockchain Has a Bright Future in the Energy Industry
By Christos Ruci and Todd DiLeo
We've already seen how emerging technologies like IoT, big data and analytics benefit exploration, production, distribution and delivery of energy—but now there's another tech player in the energy arena: Blockchain.
Blockchain does more than connect renewable energy producers to end users; it's enabling energy companies to settle futures trading considerably faster, and can even help energy companies improve how they track resources and maintain regulatory compliance.
Here's a refresher on how blockchain development works, and how it's transforming the way energy companies operate:
The Birth of Blockchain: How Does it Work?
Blockchain is a decentralized ledger system that originated from computer scientist Ralph Merkle's "Merkle Trees"—a data structure used in computer science applications that, when used in cryptocurrencies, help encode blockchain data more securely. Although Merkle invented the Merkle tree in the '70s, it wasn't until the '90s that people began using the trees to create a secured chain of blocks, or data records, that record every transaction and maintain a complete history of the entire chain.
But this system became even more interesting when "distributed ledger technology" emerged, providing a peer-to-peer network to verify each exchange. This technology, which allows the entire ledger to be managed securely without a central authority, underlies the blockchain technology that we know and use today.
Blockchain records and tracks data exchanges. In the cryptocurrency world, this record is referred to as a "ledger," while each data exchange is a "transaction." Every verified transaction is added to the ledger as a "block."
Blockchain utilizes a distributed system, or a peer-to-peer network, to verify each transaction.
Once signed and verified, the new transaction is added to the blockchain and cannot be altered. Hacking a blockchain is virtually impossible because the data is linear and held across numerous distributed resources. You may fool one computer, but not all of them.
What are Some Benefits of Blockchain?
Advocates of blockchain technology say it makes Bitcoin transactions safer and more secure than other traditional transactional systems. But blockchain isn't just limited to Bitcoin; numerous other companies—like Ethereum, Ripple, Hyperledger, IBM and R3—are creating blockchain-based platforms to help companies with everything from cryptocurrency to smart contracts.
Proponents of blockchain believe opportunities for a distributed, autonomous, secure transaction system are limitless because they make processes cheaper, faster and more traceable. And they're right about blockchain's versatility: from protecting the integrity of elections to simplifying supply chain monitoring, the use cases for blockchain are plentiful—especially for the energy industry.
Here are some specific ways that energy companies can use blockchain:
Microgrids: Peer-to-Peer Virtual Energy Trading Networks
Electric utilities and other energy producers are central suppliers of energy. They manage a grid where energy is produced at power stations, then distributed to customers through a wide transmission network. But as renewable energy has become more popular, an increasing number of smaller "distributed" power generators and storage systems—such as rooftop solar panels, electric vehicle batteries and private wind farms—have also contributed to the grid. These "off-the-grid" energy producers sell their surplus energy back to others in a physical microgrid, but at some cost.
Blockchain's support of peer-to-peer energy trading reduces transactional costs and supports the creation of "virtual microgrids." A microgrid can be created almost anywhere and is less dependent on market structures because they operate autonomously. They service local users with energy generated from local sources, and they allow consumers that produce energy on their own—via wind turbines or solar energy systems—to sell surplus energy back to peers on a pay-per-use basis. But how do they work with blockchain? This article from Deloitte best sums up how microgrids and blockchain work together:
"While physical microgrids are still rare, we do observe the development of virtual microgrids using peer-to-peer energy trading. Blockchain is just one element in the transformation of electricity supply, providing Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to members of a peer-to-peer energy network, or microgrid. It offers [or 'provides'] a reliable, lower-cost digital platform for making, validating, recording and settling energy transactions in real time across a localized and decentralized energy system."
Furthermore, renewable energy certificates (RECs) are currently provided to individual solar energy producers by a central agency and are typically based on estimates. Sensors paired with blockchain smart contracts could record actual usage and production data to a blockchain ledger with little or no manual interaction. This not only reduces costs incurred by central public agencies who administer the RECs, but also allows the RenTech (renewable technology) sector to grow more quickly.
Smart Contracts: Electric Vehicle Charging
Electric vehicles (EVs) are great, but we all know there isn't a charging station on every corner. Many buyers shy away from purchasing electric cars because they worry about limited access to charging stations, which has slowed the growth of electric vehicles in the U.S. automotive market.
With blockchain-based applications, individuals can overcome this challenge by sharing their own EV charges with other consumers. They can use peer-to-peer EV charging platforms to share access (for a fee) during times their charger is available. But even more impressive is the incorporation of smart contracts: Smart contracts are computer programs stored in a blockchain that automate the transfer of crypto-tokens between users, according to agreed conditions. Unlike traditional centralized solutions, smart contracts can automate the entire transaction from payment to preference. In the EV instance, a smart contract could incorporate the driver's planned route, battery status, traffic information and other criteria to request bids from personal and commercial charging stations along their intended route.
It is hard to say how long applications like this will be relevant. Commercial charging stations, which tend to charge much more quickly than private stations, are being built rapidly (Projecting 52 percent compound annual growth rate [CAGR] from 2014-2020 in the global charging infrastructure market). In the short term, however, access to private charging stations will boost adoption rates and pave the way for greater energy demand.
The Road Ahead for Blockchain
Like most emerging technologies, the impact of blockchain on energy could be best summed up in the following motto: "We'll know when we know." The energy sector is already embracing blockchain technology on several fronts, but the impact is likely to become more evident as blockchain and the energy sector evolve over the next decade.
GTM Research reports that as of mid-2018, at least 122 blockchain startups were operating in the energy space, with 54 new firms having launched since January 2017. In fact, energy-focused blockchain startups raised $322 million between the second quarter of 2017 and the first quarter of 2018, both from venture capitalists and through initial coin offerings.
While this growth indicates a bright future for blockchain, it's important to remember that blockchain isn't going to change the energy industry overnight. In fact, the benefits of distributed, peer-to-peer transactions are much clearer for newcomers to the market than for traditional players. While larger companies may take advantage of operational cost-savings in the short term, the ultimate value of blockchain may be grounded in future models yet to fully materialize.
Forward-thinking energy producers and utilities understand that their roles will evolve alongside technology and changing consumer demands. Most are investing directly and participating in the development of programs, research and collaboration hives to better understand the blockchain opportunity.
Our team is doing the same. AgileThought has a long history of success in helping large companies with complex business models, including energy and utility companies. The majority of our clients are now exploring the potential of blockchain, and of other emerging tools as well: Download our white paper, "Energy Sector Transformation with Advanced Analytics and IoT," to learn what these other tools include, what's holding energy companies back, and how to implement modern technologies in your own company.
Previous Post	| Next Post
Podcast Ep. 34: Sam Falco on Understanding the Definition of Done in Scrum
Data Analytics Expert to Host "Loading Data into Azure Data Lake Gen2 with Azure Data Factory v2" Webinar
FORTUNE Names AgileThought One of the 2019 Best Workplaces for Millennials
You've Done a Data Science, ML or AI Proof of Concept (PoC)—Now What?
Senior Agile Coach Earns Scrum.org Professional Scrum Trainer™ Certification


text:
#include "arduino.h"
#include "definitions.h"
#include "motors.h"

using namespace BFH;

bool PowerSwitchEnable = true;

void
InitMotors ()
  {
    /* Configure pins as outputs  */
    pinMode (Pwm1APin, OUTPUT);
    pinMode (Pwm1BPin, OUTPUT);
    pinMode (Pwm1ENPin, OUTPUT);
    pinMode (Pwm2APin, OUTPUT);
    pinMode (Pwm2BPin, OUTPUT);
    pinMode (Pwm2ENPin, OUTPUT);

    /* Set timer3 divisor to 1, for PWM frequency of 31372.55 Hz  */
    TCCR3B = TCCR3B & 0b11111000 | 0x01;
    /* Set timer4 divisor to 1, for PWM frequency of 31372.55 Hz  */
    TCCR4B = TCCR4B & 0b11111000 | 0x01;
  }

void
EnablePowerSwitch ()
  {
    PowerSwitchEnable = true;
  }

void
DisablePowerSwitch ()
  {
    PowerSwitchEnable = false;
  }

void
SetPwmLeft (int Value)
  {
    /* Limit parameter value  */
    if (Value > 255)  Value = 255;
    else if (Value < -255) Value = -255;

    /* Handle negative values  */
    bool reverseMode = false;
    if (Value < 0)
      {
        Value = -Value;
        reverseMode = true;
      }

    if (PowerSwitchEnable)
      {
        /* Control motor  */
        digitalWrite (Pwm2APin, reverseMode);
        digitalWrite (Pwm2BPin, !reverseMode);
        analogWrite (Pwm2ENPin, Value);
      }
    else
      {
        digitalWrite (Pwm2ENPin, LOW);
      }
  }

void
SetPwmRight (int Value)
  {
    /* Limit parameter value  */
    if (Value > 255)  Value = 255;
    else if (Value < -255) Value = -255;

    /* Handle negative values  */
    bool reverseMode = false;
    if (Value < 0)
      {
        Value = -Value;
        reverseMode = true;
      }

    if (PowerSwitchEnable)
      {
        /* Control motor  */
        digitalWrite (Pwm1APin, !reverseMode);
        digitalWrite (Pwm1BPin, reverseMode);
        analogWrite (Pwm1ENPin, Value);
      }
    else
      {
        digitalWrite (Pwm1ENPin, LOW);
      }
  }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Register 2 new partners via purchase of the Welcome Pack and you'll receive 1 complimentary bottle of Alveo (flavor of choice).
Register 3 new partners via purchase of the Welcome Pack and you'll receive 2 complimentary bottles of Alveo (flavor of choice).
Register 4 new partners via purchase of the Welcome Pack and you'll receive 4 complimentary bottles of Alveo (flavor of choice).
Register 1 new partner via purchase of the Gold Pack and you'll receive 4 complimentary bottles of Alveo (flavor of choice).
A shipping charge of $13.00 will be applied to all of the above.
Please note that you will not receive any points for any complimentary bottles of Alveo.
Offer valid through May 1, 2011 to June 30, 2011 or while supplies last. Akuna reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue this promotion at any time. Additional terms and conditions may apply.
Spring and summer bring a lot of energy and optimism. However, for some people, it is the time they dread the most. Why? Because they suffer from allergies that can make each day an ordeal.
Seasonal allergic rhinitis (commonly called hay fever) is an allergic reaction that can affect nose, roof of the mouth, back of the throat and conjunctiva (whites of the eyes). The name "hay fever" is misleading because hay is rarely the trigger and a fever is never present.
In the early 1800s, British doctors noticed that some rural residents started sneezing, coughing and got itchy eyes after being exposed to cut hay or grass. Today we know that seasonal pollens and molds can set off these symptoms. They called the condition a "fever" because it caused nervousness, one of the old English definitions of fever.
Perennial allergic rhinitis is a reaction that involves mostly the nasal tissue and it can occur at anytime throughout the year.
Normally, our immune system fights off foreign substances (commonly called antigens). The immune system of some people is hypersensitive and can overreact to certain antigens that are harmless to most people. This over-reaction triggers an allergic reaction.
The first exposure to the antigen (in an allergic reaction it is called allergen) usually does not cause any symptoms but the person gets sensitized, so that every subsequent encounter with the allergen triggers a release of the body's own chemical substances (such as histamine) that initiate and inflammatory response in a particular part of the body.
Allergies have become increasingly common in the development countries and as research suggests, this is paradoxically due to the wide use of mainly antibiotics and household disinfectants. Development of a healthy immune system requires some exposure to bacteria, viruses and parasites and since we get less and less exposed to them, our immune system may instead react to harmless substances such as pollen and mold and thus activate an allergic reaction.
In seasonal rhinitis, allergens causing inflammation of the nose, throat and eyes are outdoor pollens (from tree, grass, ragweed), spores and molds that are carried on the wind during certain times of the year, hence seasonal rhinitis. People may react to one or more allergens.
Indoor allergens, such as animal dander, dust mites, and molds/spores (found in carpeting, wallpaper, house plants) trigger allergic reaction all year around, hence perennial rhinitis.
In recent months Akuna has been working long and hard to make significant improvements that would drive your business, allow you to further develop and grow your organization, and of course, maximize your profits.
1. Prices of all products have been reduced by 25% (of retail cost)!
A case of Alveo has been reduced from $240.00 to $180.00.
A case of Onyx Plus has been reduced from $160.00 to $120.00.
A set of Take a Plaster has been reduced from $88.00 to $75.00.
5. New bonuses and exciting incentives for all distributors!
6. Simplified ways to become a Leader faster!
7. New bonus price is now $0.4125 per point.
Akuna hopes that these changes will serve as tools to help you effectively expand your independent Akuna business.
You may download New Compensation Plan 2011.
And what about chicken soup, you ask?
The suspected benefits of chicken soup have been reported for centuries. The Egyptian physician Maimonides recommended it for respiratory symptoms in his 12th century writings that were, in turn, based on earlier Greek writings. And, of course, mothers all over the world have said it time and time again.
University of Nebraska researcher, Dr. Stephen Rennard, became interested in the subject, and in 1993, he conducted a well-controlled research study on chicken soup that he prepared in the laboratory following his family's recipe. He was not able to identify the exact ingredients or ingredients in the soup that he prepared in the laboratory following his family's recipe. He was not able to identify the exact ingredient or ingredients in the soup that made it effective but concluded that it was the combination of all the vegetables and the chicken soup that made it so beneficial.
The study also presented evidence that chicken soup can stop or reduce inflammation. Since inflammation, particularly of the respiratory tract, contributes to cold/flu symptoms, the soup clearly has its benefits. For comparison purposes, commercially available chicken soups were tested for anti-inflammatory effects, and most of the soups were just as effective as the homemade chicken soup.
There are also many herbs, which are recommended for both conditions. Some boost the immune system, some suppress cough, and yet other reduce fever. Since all herbs contain active substances that may interact with other herbs, supplements or medications, or trigger side effects, it is advisable to consult a knowledgeable practitioner in this field. Here some of the herbs used to treat cold/flu that are also found in Alveo: Licorice, Peppermint, and Yarrow.
Similarly, dietary supplements (such as vitamins, minerals and others) may interact with medications or have various side effects; therefore, a consultation with a knowledgeable health provider is advised. Despite a popular belief that vitamin C can cure a cold/flu, the scientific evidence in support of this, is limited. Some experts suggest that vitamin C may only be beneficial for individuals with already low levels of this supplement. Others suggest that the effect of vitamin C may be very individual – some people may improve, while others may not.
Several studies, but not all, have revealed that zinc lozenges and nasal zinc gels may reduce some symptoms of cold and flu, cough in particular. However, nasal zinc spray does not appear to have the same benefits.
Even though everybody gets cold/flu from time to time, there are preventive measures one can take. The best defense is frequent hand washing. Scrubbing your hands for at least 15 seconds with the ordinary soap and water is the most efficient way to prevent viruses from entering the body. Remember: telephones, doorknobs, shopping cart handles and computer keyboards, are well known carriers of germs! And of course, a healthy diet, regular exercise, adequate rest and reduction of stress are all essential I building a strong immune system.
One of the reasons our body needs food supplements is the quality of food in our stores and markets. Most of our food, if not all, is mass-produced, meaning it is produced with the use of pesticides, colorants and additives. It often has decreased nutritional value. Since food is essential in keeping our organs and body systems working properly, we need to add supplements to our diets to meet nutritional requirements and to keep our bodies strong and resilient.
In order to get all nutrients to our organs, our digestive system must absorb them well. Alveo is an excellent digestive tonic and as such, helps in the gastrointestinal absorption by stimulating digestive enzyme production. The herbs found in Alveo also have anti-inflammatory properties in the gastrointestinal tract. When our organs are well-nourished and function properly, we are much more prepared to face the fall and winter seasons.
Fall and winter are upon us once again, and with them the most common illnesses of the season: the cold and the flu. People often use the terms cold and flu interchangeably; however, these are two separate conditions.
The common cold is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. It is usually not accompanied by a fever but it does affect the nose, sinuses, throat, larynx, and often also the trachea and bronchi.
Influenza, or flu (grippe, grip), is also a viral infection affecting the respiratory tract but in addition is accompanied by fever, general malaise, headache, muscle pain, stomach pain and such. In severe cases, it may even result in death.
There are over 200 different types of viruses which can cause a cold. Most commonly, you can get a cold by touching your nose, eyes or mouth after handling a contaminated object. However, cold-causing viruses can also be transmitted through the air. Exposure to chilly outdoor air will not make you more susceptible to get a cold as is often believed, on the other hand, emotional distress and excessive fatigue actually may. On average, an adult may experience between 3-6 colds in a year, while a child may have as many as 8-10.
Many different types of influenza viruses belonging to either Influenza A or B groups may cause the flu. The flu is very contagious and spreads easily from person-to-person (e.g. through handshakes or the sharing of utensils) or via air droplets (containing a virus) that contaminate objects. Flu epidemics often occur about every x number of years and usually affect the entire country; occasionally (about once per decade), the flu spreads across all continents.
Conventional medicines, herbs, supplements and other forms of treatment can only help in alleviating the symptoms of both, the cold and the flu, but cannot treat or cure either condition.
Saline nasal sprays – will help you combat stuffiness and congestion. Unlike decongestants, saline sprays don't lead to a rebound effect – a worsening of symptoms when the medication is discontinued. They are safe and nonirritating, even for children.
Do you often feel under the weather, sluggish and mentally drained?
Your body may be overloaded with harmful toxins and you may not even know it!
In order to help our bodies naturally return to a healthy, balanced state there are several actions we can take.
In this Detox Guide Dr Jari Bertlik discuss these options and show you how with the help of two excellent Akuna products, you can jumpstart your way a healthier and happier you.
Alveo should be a basic part of our preventive health program against majority of diseases and premature aging.
Alveo improves the function of Central Nervous System (CNS) by supporting blood circulation and the nutritional requirements of the brain. It also improves the activity of neurontransmitters (chemicals which help to transmit nerve impulses), and has a calming effect. The extracts that have the greatest effect in this area are ginkgo biloba, gotu kola, lavender, passionflower and blessed thistle. The result is an improved memory, better concentration, an improved ability to adapt one's mood (and in avoiding depressive moods), and deeper sleep. CNS functions are important to support because the brain creates hormones that affect every other organ in the body.
A healthy brain usually means a healthy body. Alveo harmonizes the hormonal system by providing prohormones of phytosterol, plant hormones that activate your natural metabolism by working on the endocrine glands. The main extracts utilized in this area are red clover, licorice, and alfalfa, as well as several others. They are important to menstrual regularity, fertility in both genders and for moderating the symptoms of menopause. These extracts also help to regulate blood sugar levels, helping to prevent diabetes and obesity.
Alveo also harmonizes the function of the immune system by adapting the capacity and mucous membranes of the alimentary tract, harmonizing the microbes in the large intestine and by boosting the Peyers patches; the cells of the immune system that surround the small intestine. It helps food move through the intestines and has anti-inflammatory effects on the intestinal wall. Baradykinase from aloe, tannins, pectins, chlorophyll and antibiotic substances are those parts of Alveo that are active here.
Alveo helps the hormonal system create estrogen – an essential hormone even for men. It also increases our resistance to stress by boosting the immune system and has detoxicative and diuretic effects that facilitate the function of the liver and kidneys.
Extracts from gingko biloba, licorice and alfalfa lead the way in fighting off autoimmune diseases (diseases where the body has an immune response to itself) such as psoriasis. Extracts from Siberian ginseng, gingko biloba, red clover, licorice, horsetail, Chinese fo-ti-tieng, alfalfa and Korean ginseng also have a positive influence on the prevention of oncogenous diseases.
Alveo ensures the efficiency of vitamins in fighting increased levels of homocystein because by working on hormones it regulates the enzymes and the substances from which an organism creates these enzymes. Alveo therefore operates at the earliest stages of the defect development, compared to most of today's pharmaceutical products; which try to fix problem once it has already become major.
Alveo positively influences the activity of the digestive tract by improving the appetite and optimizing the amount and composition of the digestive system and biliary juices (in particular, decreasing the growth of the Helicobacter pylori using Irish moss extract, and thereby preventing ulcerative disorders of the stomach and the small intestine). It also supports the activity and enzymatic set of the liver (this is where the organ sulphides and bitter extracts from the blessed thistle and yellow genitian come in), and by assisting the adaptation of enteric micro-flora, which provide anti-bacterial, anti-virus and anti-fungal effects, especially in the large intestine and the regulation of bowel movement (through extracts from aloe, licorice, red clover and thyme).
Alveo harmonizes blood circulation by improving heart activity (by utilizing Siberian ginseng, Korean ginseng, alfalfa, lavender, gotu kola and passionflower), improving blood clotting ability, expanding the blood vessels from the coronares to the capillaries (gingko biloba, cayenne and cinnamon operate here) and accelerating blood circulation. In addition, Alveo supports blood cell creation because the immune system becomes more harmonized with the cytokine set-the cells which destroy alien proteins in the blood.
Alveo stimulates and protects the respiratory system: it positively influences the depth and frequency of the breath (using yarrow and cayenne); and commensurate with your present condition it may moisten the airways and release mucus, Alveo aids the airways in their expansion and contraction, stimulating expulsion (blessed thistle, horsetail, fennel seed, licorice, Irish moss) and at the same time calming a dry cough (boneset and thyme). By virtue of its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral effects. Alveo leads to the prevention of diseases of the respiratory system.
Alveo harmonizes the musculoskeletal system: it releases tension in the muscles (ginseng, passionflower and guarana) and strengthens muscles that are flaccid and weakened. By regulating muscle tension, it helps to protect ligaments and bones from stress due to contracted muscles (using Chinese fo-ti-tieng, cardamom and gotu kola). It also improves the quality of articular cartilage – the anti-inflammatory effects from the extracts can assist in the prevention of rheumatism and arthritis, which are often a result from inflamed joint cartilage.


Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports a 4.5 magnitude earthquake occurred at Kilauea Summit this morning at 12:30 a.m. No damage was reported. Earthquakes continue at Kilauea Summit and Fissure 8 continues to erupt into the channel sending lava flows into the ocean at Ahalanui, creating a large laze plume.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that Fissure 8 continues to be very active and is feeding a lava channel to the ocean at Kapoho. The flow is producing a broad ocean entry along the shoreline, and continues to expand into Kapoho Beach Lots and the Four Corners intersection.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that Fissure 8 continues to be very active and is feeding a lava channel to the ocean at Kapoho. The flow is producing a broad ocean entry along the shoreline and is also oozing fresh lava at Kapoho Beach Lots and a flow near the Four Corners area.
The flow is producing a broad ocean entry along the shoreline, and is also oozing fresh lava at Kapoho Beach Lots.


Fine Powder Crusher, Wholesale Various High Quality Fine Powder Crusher ... High reliabilit fine gypsum powder double stage crusher, used small jaw crusher ..... Red clay brick plant crushing equipment fine powder roller crusher price.
Roll crusher - Shanghai Mining Machinery Co., Ltd.
Product Information, Double Roll Crusher. ... User-friendly, high-functional Crusher Supports a ... uniform crushed particle size that contains minimal fine powder.
Double-Roll-Crushers are used for the crushing or medium-hard rock as well as for ... fine product size distribution and they produce very little dust and powder.


When sewing blocks for a quilt, one of the most important steps is "squaring up"– that is, making sure all blocks are of uniform size and shape and are perfectly square. Squaring up a block is pretty straightforward, but recently when I was squaring up a bunch of blocks for a quilt, I started using this trick to make things run a little more smoothly and quickly.
First, I take 2 pieces of masking tape and I align them on my cutting mat based on the size of the blocks I am trimming. In this case, I was trimming blocks to be 8.5 inches square, so I made sure the inner edge of the pieces of tape were 8.5 inches apart.
Next, I laid my square between the pieces of tape. I just eyeball it to make sure the middle is centered, but you could mark this off with tape, too.
I position my ruler along the inner edge of the tape, and I trim the block. Note– I also make sure the ruler is lined up with the grid lines on the mat above and below the tape to ensure that the cut is perfectly straight. But, having the tape as a guide makes it much faster to line the blocks up and trim evenly from both sides.
After trimming 2 sides, turn the block to trim the remaining sides. Make sure that the trimmed sides line up perpendicular to the taped lines. I usually pick a horizontal line on the mat and make sure my edge is flush with it before trimming.
And there you have it! Perfectly square blocks, all trimmed quickly with the "cheat" lines taped onto the mat.


MARTINEZ — A 22-year-old Vacaville man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of driving beneath the affect after hitting a California Freeway Patrol car on Interstate 680, authorities mentioned.
The CHP mentioned two officers had been driving south on I-680 at Pacheco Boulevard simply earlier than 5 a.m. Sunday when one other car rear-ended them. That car's driver bought out and cooperated with officers, and was detained and arrested after an investigation.
The officers suffered minor accidents and had been handled at an space hospital and launched.
"The message right here is that this; None of us are resistant to DUI/Impaired drivers on the roadways," a tweet from the CHP's Contra Costa workplace mentioned partly Sunday.


text:
import time # Timing utilities
import psycopg2 # PostgreSQL wrapper
import subprocess # Shell utilities ... compressing data files
# Read the settings from the settings file
settings_file = open("./settings.txt")
# e.g. "/dev/ttyUSB0"
port = settings_file.readline().rstrip('\n')
# path for data files
# e.g. "/home/logger/datacpc3775/"
datapath = settings_file.readline().rstrip('\n') + "SQL/"
# psql connection string
# e.g "user=datauser password=l3tme1n host=penap-data.dyndns.org dbname=didactic port=5432"
db_conn = settings_file.readline().rstrip('\n')
# ID values for the parameters and site (DATA, ERROR, SITE)
# e.g. "408,409,2" == CPCdata,CPCerror,QueenStreet
params = settings_file.readline().rstrip('\n').split(",")
# Close the settings file
settings_file.close()
# Set the time constants
prefix = time.strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M%S",time.gmtime())
try:
	con = psycopg2.connect(db_conn)
except psycopg2.Error, e:
	pass
else:
	subprocess.call(["mv",datapath + "missed_inserts.sql",datapath + "processing.sql"])
	sql_buffer = open(datapath + "processing.sql","r")
	cur = con.cursor()
	for line in sql_buffer:
		cur.execute(line)
	con.commit()
	cur.close()
	con.close()
	subprocess.call(["mv",datapath + "processing.sql",datapath + prefix + "processing.sql"])
	subprocess.call(["gzip",datapath + prefix + "processing.sql"])


Sugardaddie is one of the sites where mail order brides have a wonderful chance to meet wealthy men. In order to be come a member of Sugardaddie, a man should earn at least $100,000 a year. There are no such restrictions for women members, which mean there's a lot of competition between the women. Members on Sugardaddie.com are looking for others who have similarities to themselves and things in common that can give them assurances of compatibility. In addition, they understand that good times and great memories come from wonderful experiences.
Geographic Regions covered: Canada, USA, Australia, United Kingdom.
Services: Free membership allows to browse for members via country location.
– $69.99 – 6 months or $99.99 – 1 year.
Find Wealthy Men & Gorgeous Women. Join Sugardaddie.com.


I read a tweet the other day that said, "The remaster of Pretty Hate Machine as mp3s over laptop speakers sounds worse than the original cassette copy did in my parents' car stereo." Normally, I'd be tempted to agree with him; laptop speakers compare about as well to traditional stereos as tinny $15 earbuds do to over-the-ear noise canceling headphones. I always figured that was the trade-off for portability, and that laptops, by definition, have to have bad sound. Now, I'm not so sure — I'm starting to think that it doesn't have to be that way. See, HP hooked PMA up with a Beats by Dre laptop and asked us to play with it for a couple of weeks and share our experience with you all. We're also giving away a pair of tickets to see The Roots and John Legend live in NYC, again, courtesy of HP.
I listen to music all the time, probably ten hours a day, minimum. And sound quality is key. I used to listen on junky headphones and not know or care the difference. I've grown up since then and come to appreciate a well-mastered album and a sweet sound system. Now, I crave that deep bass and crisp treble. Honestly, the HP Envy 14 with Beats Audio is the only laptop with bass that even merits mention.
I've been fooling around with the computer for a couple weeks now, and I'm very impressed. The computer is fast and powerful, and is one of the more visually stunning laptops I've seen. From the packaging to the red backlit keyboard, things are clearly really well thought out. Carrying this laptop makes me feel cooler than I am. Plus, every time I open it up, I just want to yell "BEATS!" as loud as I can. True story. Gets awkward in Starbucks.
There's some cool new tech on the laptop, which is fun to mess around with. The Windows Live Essentials' suite has robust social networking tools, and there are some really cool photo editing programs, which will work nicely for concert shots and the like. The display is large and bright, and makes working on the comp a breeze.
In the end for me, though, it all comes back to the sound. If you're looking for a laptop that doesn't sound like you're listening through earmuffs, the Beats is pretty untouchable. There's no distortion in the upper or lower registers, and every note rings clear. I can't say enough about how good this laptop sounds. Throw on a pair of Beats headphones when you're on the run, and you're good to go.
The special edition Beats computer isn't the only one with the audio tech, so there are lots of options for getting the crisp lower range on a laptop you can afford. Check out the whole line of HP PCs with Beats Audio.
But there's more to this post than me just raving about this computer. HP also hooked us up with a pair of tickets to an invite-only concert with The Roots and John Legend next week in NYC. I'll be there – enter below for a chance to join me on Tuesday, Dec. 7 at the Highline Ballroom, courtesy of HP. Doors are at 8pm.
It doesn't end there, we are currently working with HP to bring together a sweet project that will eventually put one of these laptops in a lucky reader's hands. More on that later.


text:
Prepared Foods logo
Breakfast, Cereals & Bars
Food & Beverage Product Videos
Phosphates & Acidulants
Antioxidants & Nutritionals
Batters, Breading & Coatings
Cheese, Sauces & Bases
Emulsifiers, Fat & Oils
Flavors, Seasonings, Spices
Flours, Grains, & Pasta
Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts
Gums & Starches
Proteins & Enzymes
Allergens & Intolerance
Authentic & Ethnic
Calorie Reduction
Shelf Stability
Sugar & Sodium Reduction
R&D Lab Tech / QA-QC / Food Safety
Functional New Products
Functional Benefits
Favorite Products Poll
Interactive Spotlight
New Product Conference
Spirit of Innovation Awards
Prepared Foods Store
First Person Q&A
19 Product Development Resources
Home » Vegan Diet's Stroke Protection
Vegan Diet's Stroke Protection
March 18/Press Association -- Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers could reduce their risk of heart attacks and strokes by cutting meat, dairy products and gluten out of their diets, new research suggests.
The condition afflicts around 350,000 people in the U.K., with women more likely to be affected than men.
It causes pain, swelling and inflammation in the joints and can leave people feeling generally unwell and tired.
Rheumatoid arthritis also puts sufferers at higher risk from strokes and heart attacks.
A new study published in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy found that a gluten-free vegan diet -- which excludes animal products -- lowered levels of "bad" cholesterol, which is linked to heart disease.
The diet also raised the levels of natural antibodies to fight compounds in the body which are implicated in arthritis, according to the study.
Experts from the Rheumatology Unit at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, split a group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, with half eating a vegan and gluten-free diet and half eating a non-vegan diet.
A total of 30 patients in the vegan group and 28 in the non-vegan group completed at least three months on the diet and were included in the final analysis.
The result showed a decrease in the total level of cholesterol and in levels of "bad" cholesterol, also called LDL, among those on a vegan diet.
There was also an increase in levels of natural protective antibodies.
In contrast, the diet among the control group did not influence cholesterol values significantly.
Of the results of the vegan diet, the authors said, "There is now a large body of evidence indicating that this change of lipid profile is favorable in relation to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, and this diet therefore is likely to be antiatherogenic also in rheumatoid arthritis.
"We also report that both BMI and weight decreased significantly in the vegan diet group, which was not the case in the control group."
The authors recommended a larger study to help confirm their findings.
A spokeswoman for the Arthritis Research Campaign said the study would have to be replicated in larger numbers before firm conclusions could be drawn but was still of "great interest."
"The role of diet and how it can reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis tends to be exaggerated," she said.
"However, we do know that, for example, eating oily fish can reduce inflammation, and risk factors for developing the condition include high consumption of red meat and low consumption of fruit and vegetables, so diet does play some role, however limited."
Professor David Scott, chief medical adviser to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, added, "This has lots of potential value, so we should certainly encourage this group's research whilst keeping an open mind about its more widespread implications."
From the March 31, 2008, Prepared Foods e-Flash
Full-fat Dairy May Protect Against Stroke
White-flesh Fruits and Veggies May Protect Against Stroke
Soy-rich Diets for Stroke Patients
Antioxidant-rich Diet May Cut Stroke Risk
Prepared Foods eNewsletter
2020 Food Trends: Intuitive Eating, Sustainability Take Shape
Banza Plant-Based Mac & Cheese
What's Hot on Restaurant Menus in 2020
Tommy's Superfoods Whole Plant-Based Products
MORE: Lean Cuisine with 20% More Protein, Vegetables
BEST SNACKS OF 2019
Which is your favorite snack launch from 2019?
Doritos Flamin' Hot Nacho
LesserEvil Protein-Rich Egg White Curls
Umamis Crunchy Snacks
FitJoy High Protein, Low Carb Snack Puffs
Del Monte Foods Bubble Fruit
Blue Diamond Spicy Dill Pickle Almonds
Accelerating New Food Product Design and Development, 2nd Edition
Check out the January 2020 issue of Prepared Foods, featuring our cover story on what seasonings can add to food and beverage products, the increasing number of meal kit consumers, and much more.
New Product Submission Form