June 21, 2006, 10:30 PM CT

Dancing Science

Emily Jacobs-Palmer finds some of today's political and social attitudes toward science appalling. "I want to live in a world that respects researchers and values our work," says the molecular biology and biochemistry major, a senior at Wesleyan University. To create such a world, however, Jacobs-Palmer believes science must become more accessible-more comprehensible and interesting-to the general public.

It never occurred to her that one path to that goal might be through dance. Then she met Liz Lerman, winner of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" award and founder of the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. Lerman was spending the year as an artist-in-residence at Wesleyan, while she choreographed Ferocious Beauty: Genome, a dance about the human genome.

One of Lerman's artist-in-residency projects was an HHMI-supported symposium on science and dance, in which Jacobs-Palmer participated. "Before that, the last way I would have thought to present science to the public was through dance," Jacobs-Palmer remarks.

Wesleyan, a small, private university in Middletown, Connecticut, led in commissioning the genome dance project after Pam Tatge, director of the university's Center for the Arts, saw Lerman's troupe perform. Lerman, known for her choreography of political and social issues and her intergenerational troupe of dancers, mentioned her desire to do a dance based on the human genome. So Tatge introduced her to Laura Grabel, a professor of biology who was then dean of natural sciences and mathematics at Wesleyan. Grabel danced professionally herself while she was in graduate school and as a postdoctoral fellow, and she was intrigued by the idea of using dance to communicate science to the public.........

Posted by: Tom      Permalink         Source

June 20, 2006, 9:02 PM CT

Consumers Don't Pardon Advertisements

A new study from the recent issue of the Journal of Consumer Research shows that the more consumers are absorbed in the narrative flow of a story - a process known as transportation - the less likely they are to respond positively to the intrusion of advertisements. These findings have interesting implications for advertisers, a number of of whom pay more for "premium" ad placement that may actually deter consumers.

"Media create the audience for most advertising. Consumers come to a medium for its content," explain Jing Wang (University of Iowa) and Bobby Calder (Northwestern University). "If the ad interrupts the transportation experience, this in itself creates a negative experience associated with the ad,".

When the story is personally relevant to the reader, these effects are increased. On the other hand, ads that are relevant to the reader's personal goals are deemed the most intrusive. However, absorption in a narrative does not always cause the reader to view ads negatively. The scientists found that absorption in a story can enhance the effect of advertisements - if they appear after the story has ended.

"Transportation can have both negative and positive effects on advertising," write the authors. "If an ad does not interfere with this process, say by occurring after the story is completes, the positive experience of transportation will be associated with the ad."........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

June 20, 2006, 8:27 PM CT

MEGA Screen MP3 Player

Don't be intimidated with the name of this MP3 Player, with such good words like Super, Talent and Mega included in the name you'd expect an outstanding player, sadly, the outcome is not what the name describes.

It is good in almost all aspects that serious MP3 buyers are interested: small, light, great display, high capacity for a flash player 2GB, MP3/WMA playback, FM reception, image viewing. BUT when it comes down to the actual usage of the player (functionality), the software is icky and inferior when comparing to rest of mp3 players, or so they say.

XYZComputing has an in-depth review of the Mega Screen MP3 player made by SuperTalent.........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

June 20, 2006, 8:12 PM CT

Swarovski Crystals Covered Cars

Having a Mini encrusted with over 35,000 Swarovski crystals on the road is insane. Burkitt & Burkitt has put together one-sixth scale models of various crystal-covered cars each individually placed by hand.

The stunning showpiece will be a unique promotional tool to attract both media and public interest at shows and exhibitions around the world. The jewelry company is currently looking for sponsors and investors to help finance a vehicle in a theme of their choice. I think you have to spend millions of dollars to get it done. Anyone interested?.........

Posted by: Jim      Permalink         Source

June 20, 2006, 7:55 PM CT

Couple's Car Turns Heads At Top Shows

The sleek, teardrop-shaped car is eye-popping in its perfection - the closer you examine it, the more perfect it becomes.

And Rich and Paige Udell of Swan Lake have ridden this street rod to fame over the last two years, winning the most prestigious hot-rodding awards in North America. The Udells and "The Instigator" have been featured in hot rodding magazines around the world, along with dozens of television programs.

The highly modified 1934 Chevrolet Sedan, scarlet and black, has appeared in advertisements, on billboards and posters and promotions and even on sporting-event tickets across the country.

"It is a piece of hot-rodding history now," says Rich Udell. "It has had more ink, more television and more exposure than any car in the last 20 years".

The ride culminated last month in Cincinnati, Ohio, where The Instigator was picked as the overall international champion at the International Show Car Association's annual competition.

That was the pinnacle for the Udells, who have been gradually improving on a series of hot rods since the early part of 1990s.

"This is the fourth or fifth car that we've had," Rich says. "Each one got a little better and a little better, until we got to this one".

For Rich, it was the culmination of a lifetime interest.........

Posted by: Jim      Permalink         Source

June 20, 2006, 7:13 PM CT

Tap Them with Your Fingers

No this is not a funky mouse pad neither it is a toy.....but a compact version of the good old drums. They have nothing in common with the old drums, except for the fact that they give out the same kinda beats complete with snare, high hats' zingy sound and the clinky tom toms, in short great music.

You have to put your fingers to use to rock these drums since these are 'Finger Drums'. All you have to do is just tap your fingers to hear the 'incredible' music from the inbuilt speaker unit on the top of this thing. The touch sensitive pad features the picture of a drum station packed with all possible requirements including a snare, high hat, three tom toms, a base drum and two cymbals.

You just have to tap the particular instrument to hear the sound. Seems a funky piece of entertainment for those who always wanted to be a rock star but couldn't afford the huge drum set, this one comes really light on the pockets as it's priced at just $32. So get yours and try on your musical powers.........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

June 19, 2006, 11:36 PM CT

Interfering With Rainfall And Water Cycle

In the past half-century, cities have begun to expand in some of the Earth's most arid areas. While researchers have known for some time that the so-called "heat-island" effect of large cities such as Atlanta and Houston can affect their weather, they knew less about this effect and other processes in arid cities, such as Phoenix, which have experienced explosive population growth.

Now, a study by a climatologist in the department of geography at the University of Georgia has shown, using a unique 108-year-old data record and NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, that arid cities such as Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and Phoenix have an effect on rainfall patterns around them. As important, it appears that human activities such as land use, aerosols and irrigation in these arid urban environments affect the entire water cycle as well.

"A number of of the fastest-growing urban areas are in arid regimes," said Marshall Shepherd, author of the report just reported in the online edition of the Journal of Arid Environments. "Because their total rainfall is low, these areas have been largely ignored in studies on how human activities affect the water cycle. But these cities are especially sensitive to such changes, since the water supply is so critical."........

Posted by: Tyler      Permalink         Source

June 19, 2006, 11:31 PM CT

Hurricanes and the US Gulf Coast

Science and sustainable rebuilding

The American Geophysical Union today published the report of a Conference of Experts, intended to guide policy makers charged with rebuilding areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The 20 researchers who participated in the conference looked at seven major areas: hurricanes, storm surge and flooding, subsidence, climate change, hydrology, infrastructure, and disaster preparedness and response. For each topic, they assessed current understanding of the phenomenon, near-term scientific needs, and longer-term directions.

Following is the text of the Executive Summary of the report. The full 30-page report may be seen at http://www.agu.org/report/hurricanes/.

Summary of Report

The knowledge available among AGU members provides scientific expertise on nearly all of the physical environment of the dynamic Gulf Coast ecosystem complex. Intelligently rebuilding features such as fisheries, oil fields, seaports, farms, and wetlands after hurricanes Katrina and Rita will require "a well-constructed collaborative effort to maximize the role of science in decisions made about the rebuilding," wrote Charles Groat, former director of the U.S. Geological Survey, in a news article published in Eos that stimulated an AGU meeting of experts.........

Posted by: Tyler      Permalink         Source

June 18, 2006, 6:32 PM CT

Big Plans In Making For Itasca Auto Maker

It's been a big year for Midas Inc.

In the past six months, the Itasca-based automotive supplier has made its president chairman, launched a new television ad campaign, seen its profits rise 46 percent, bought back $4 million of its shares and shed its exhaust distribution business.

But with half a year to go before Dec. 31, the former operator of muffler shops may want to hold off on the champagne.

For Midas, which has 1,788 shops in the United States and Canada and 2,610 worldwide, 2006 also has packed some punches, including a 7 percent dip in sales in the first quarter, its shares trading on the lower end of its 52-week high, and less-than-expected comparable-store sales.

But equipped with a sweeping growth strategy that includes a goal of improving store sales by 40 percent by 2010, restarting store expansion in North America, and repurchasing $50 million in stock, the company remains optimistic about the future, even as clouds gather over the automotive service industry.

Traffic in shops has been "less than we hoped for," said spokesman Bob Troyer. But he added, "we're focused on executing all initiatives to keep sales at levels they should be".

In the first quarter ended April 1, the company saw growth of just 1.3 percent, with similar preliminary results for May. Midas attributed the softness in retail sales growth to consumer reaction to higher gas prices.........

Posted by: Jim      Permalink         Source

June 18, 2006, 3:32 PM CT

Rautakoura-2006

Feel free to order our CDs via e-mail (rautakoura{a}netti.fi), please include your postal address. The two albums are yours for 10 euro altogether, including postal charges in Europe. Total price outside Europe is 12 euro.

Payment preferrably via PayPal, inside EU bank transfers are also welcome.

1. Koydet irti

2. Matkalla etelaan

3. Ruutitynnyri

4. Mies yli laidan!

5. Aamuun asti

6. Aallon pohjalla

7. Hylatty majakka

8. Jaamerelle

9. Rahat tai henki!

10. Uutiset uudestaan

11. Paluu horisonttiin........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

Older Blog Entries   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12