Clipmarks | kandalf's clips

Did an Ancient Language of Universal Symbols Exist?

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:24:43 GMT

clipped by: wildcat

Over the last several years, similar petroglyphs have been identified on as many as five continents. They all date from roughly the same time-period. In the late 20th century, archaeologists discovered a collection of symbols carved in stone as petroglyphs in the Negev desert of Israel that appeared to be writing. Dating of these symbols showed that they were made over an extended period time, beginning around 1700 BC.

This strange collection of symbols was first examined by Dr. James Harris, a petroglyph expert and archaeologist from Brigham Young University. He identified the alphabet as being a proto-Canaanite system, which successfully translated by using old-Hebrew or Thalmudic phonetic sounds.

Earlier, William McGlone, an amateur archaeologist and retired space engineer, discovered the same collection of symbols carved in heavily patinated stones surrounding the Southeast town of La Junta, Colorado

the patina corresponded to the same era as the writing found in Harkarkom in Israel.

Tags: petroglyphs, archaeology, language, symbols

The new shape of music: Music has its own geometry, researchers find

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:24:57 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Fascinating!

Clip Source: www.physorg.com

The connection between music and mathematics has fascinated scholars for centuries. More than 200 years ago Pythagoras reportedly discovered that pleasing musical intervals could be described using simple ratios.

Writing in the April 18 issue of Science, the trio has outlined a method called "geometrical music theory" that translates the language of musical theory into that of contemporary geometry. They take sequences of notes, like chords, rhythms and scales, and categorize them so they can be grouped into "families." They have found a way to assign mathematical structure to these families, so they can then be represented by points in complex geometrical spaces, much the way "x" and "y" coordinates, in the simpler system of high school algebra, correspond to points on a two-dimensional plane.

The work represents a significant departure from other attempts to quantify music

The method could help answer whether there are new scales and chords that exist but have yet to be discovered.

Tags: music, musicology

Digital Sound Separator

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:39:47 GMT

clipped by: Aribeth
clipper's remarks: The new tool promises to give musicians and producers powerful new ways to manipulate recordings both old and new.It might let studio engineers peer inside a chord-heavy rhythm-guitar part and nudge individual notes into tune. Or it could let them salvage unheard takes by classic musicians like Duke Ellington or Jimi Hendrix, left unreleased due to out-of-tune instruments or misplayed notes. It will certainly give musicians new ability to sculpt sound, such as prerecorded samples or loops, as if they were modeling clay.

Clip Source: www.technologyreview.com

Digital Sound Separator

New software can modify the individual notes of a recorded chord.

Peter Neubäcker, a former German guitar maker turned programmer, has done what many in the computer-music business believed impossible.

A new piece of software called Direct Note Access

will for the first time allow computers to analyze the digitized sounds of guitar or piano chords, or even multi-instrument recordings, and then extract and modify individual notes.

Computers have revolutionized the recording process, giving sound engineers wide latitude to manipulate notes recorded singly--to change their pitch, their tempo, or where they fall. But teasing apart notes recorded simultaneously, as in a six-string guitar chord, has never before been practical.

"In terms of sound processing, this is kind of the holy grail," says Michael Bierylo, a guitarist and professor of computer music at Boston's Berklee College of Music. "It's something everyone more or less thought we couldn't do."

Who Are We? Coming of Age on Antidepressants

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:00:11 GMT

clipped by: Aribeth
clipper's remarks: The reason has to do with the way drugs are tested and approved. To get F.D.A. approval, a drug has to beat a placebo in two randomized clinical trials that typically involve a few hundred subjects who are treated for relatively short periods, usually 4 to 12 weeks.So drugs are approved based on short-term studies for what turns out to be long-term — often lifelong — use in the world of clinical practice.

What do I say to a depressed patient who is doing well after five years on such a drug but can’t stop without a depressive relapse and who wants reassurance that the drug has no long-term adverse effects?I usually say that we have no evidence that the drug poses a risk with long-term use; and since the risk of untreated depression is much greater than the hypothetical risk of the drug, it makes sense to stay on it.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Who Are We? Coming of Age on Antidepressants

April 15, 2008

“I’ve grown up on medication,” my patient Julie told me recently. “I don’t have a sense of who I really am without it.”

At 31, she had been on one antidepressant or another nearly continuously since she was 14. There was little question that she had very serious depression and had survived several suicide attempts. In fact, she credited the medication with saving her life.

But now she was raising an equally fundamental question: how the drugs might have affected her psychological development and core identity.

Her experience is far from unique.

Since

1980

Prozac and Zoloft

the most widely prescribed drugs

depression in young people is a very serious problem

suicide is the third-leading cause of death in adolescents

By contrast, the risk of antidepressant treatment is small.

Still, what do we know about the effects of, say, 15 to 20 years of antidepressant drug treatment that begins in adolescence or childhood? Not enough.

Tags: depression, psychiatry, drugs, adolescence, medical

Top 10 Linux Games

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:14:37 GMT

clipped by: rj3sp
clipper's remarks: Athough Linux is not a gaming platform there are quite some good games available. Below we list the Top 10 of the "Top 25 Linux Games" reviewed in the 'because you value your mind' weblog.

Clip Source: rangit.com

Battle For Wesnoth

Nexuiz

America’s Army

Enemy Territory : Quake Wars

Tags: linux

Color Psychology

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:12:03 GMT

clipped by: Aribeth
clipper's remarks: Color psychology is concerned with the effects of color on mood, emotion, behavior.Colors are not only used for decorations or adding beauty to an object, but they can be used to determine personality traits to affect people’s mood and to effect on other people around you. Each colour is connected to various areas of our body and will affect us differently emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Several ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and Chinese, practiced chromotherapy, or using colors to heal. Chromotherapy is sometimes referred to as light therapy or colourology and is still used today as a holistic or alternative treatment.

In this treatment:

* Red was used to stimulate the body and mind and to increase circulation.

* Yellow was thought to stimulate the nerves and purify the body.

* Orange was used to heal the lungs and to increase energy levels.

* Blue was believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain.

I'll take red

Clip Source: www.egodevelopment.com

- Red
Associated with: Danger, passion, energy, warmth, adventure and optimism.
Physical: increase blood pressure, increases respiratory rate, aids digestion, increases strength

- Blue
Associated with: serenity, peace, sadness, loyalty, sincerity, justice
Physical: lowers blood pressure, slows respiratory rate, cooling and relaxing

- Green
Associated with: growth, envy, inexperience, refreshment, birth, jealousy, wealth, compassion
Physical: rejuvenation, expansiveness, balance

- Yellow
Associated with: optimism, irritability, wisdom, cheer, annoyance, warmth
Physical: increases irritability, increases hostility, sharpens memory, aids digestion, stimulates circulation, stimulates appetite

- Black
Associated with: mourning, mystery, fright, elegant, dignity, sophisticated, uncertainty, intimidated, intimidating
Physical: mourning, fatigue

- White
Associated with: joy, hope, innocence, cleanliness
Physical: purity, enlightenment

- Brown
Associated with: earthiness

Physical: encompassed, dull

Commonly overused words

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:47:33 GMT

clipped by: Aribeth
clipper's remarks: "When you write, use the most precise word for your meaning, not the word that comes to mind first. Consult this thesaurus to find alternatives for some commonly overused words. Consult a full-length thesaurus to find alternatives to words that do not appear here. Keep in mind that the choices offered in a thesaurus do not all mean exactly the same thing. Review all the options, and choose the one that best expresses your meaning."

Clip Source: www.phschool.com

about approximately, nearly, almost, approaching, close to

absolutely unconditionally, perfectly, completely, ideally, purely

amazing overwhelming, astonishing, startling, unexpected, stunning, dazzling, remarkable

awesome impressive, stupendous, fabulous, astonishing, outstanding

better preferable, superior, worthier

certain unquestionable, incontrovertible, unmistakable, indubitable, assured, confident

easy effortless, natural, comfortable, undemanding, pleasant, relaxed

far distant, remote

funny comical, ludicrous, amusing, droll, entertaining, bizarre, unusual, uncommon

get obtain, receive, acquire, procure, achieve

go proceed, progress, advance, move

good satisfactory, serviceable, functional, competent, virtuous, striking

great tremendous, superior, remarkable, eminent, proficient, expert

hurt injure, harm, damage, wound, impair

important significant, substantial, weighty, meaningful, critical, vital, notable

keep retain, control, possess

main primary, foremost, dominant

Everyone is a book of blood

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:20:46 GMT

clipped by: Aribeth
clipper's remarks: ...until he realizes that there are greater forces at work than he had ever thought. And there, I think, is a story with a perfect happy ending - he goes through hell and he comes through on the other side, utterly changed, utterly transformed.... At the end of 'In The Hills, The Cities', both protagonists die, but they gain meaning, extraordinary meaning. Perhaps not a meaning that one would want to celebrate... It's ambiguous. But when they see the beasts in the hills, some new vision is presented to them which hitherto they wouldn't even have been capable of imagining.... I very much like the ambiguity or the ambivalence of a moment which can be terrible and significant simultaneously, the way that many of the pivotal moments in our lives are very often rites of passage moments in which things are lost which can never be claimed again. Yet the territory ahead is, by virtue of the fact that it is new, also exciting and extraordinary."

Clive Barker on the books of blood

Clip Source: www.clivebarker.info

The dead have highways...

And with those words, Clive Barker launched himself upon an unsuspecting audience.

Clip Source: www.clivebarker.info

On The Books Of Blood...

What interests me is the idea of characters who confront the ordinary, and find new meaning in the extraordinary, rather than simply finding some creatures or some forces that they must eradicate or exorcise in order to return to the norm that they had on page one. I think of my stories as having happy endings, perversely enough, because they very often end with scenes of revelation of one kind or another: characters understanding themselves and realising why they need fresh meaning in their lives. Even if that meaning is called Rawhead Rex, is nine feet tall and is likely to tear off their head, which occasionally happens. Even so, there is meaning and there are new ways of looking at themselves in relation to their own subconscious... [in The Midnight Meat Train] Kaufman's a real marginal, a disenfranchised accountant whose life doesn't mean anything

Tags: clive barker

The Singularity

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:46:53 GMT

clipped by: rj3sp
clipper's remarks: The technological singularity is a hypothesized point in the future variously characterized by the technological creation of self-improving intelligence, unprecedentedly rapid technological progress, or some combination of the two. [Wikipedia]
Below clips about the book and a film "The Singularity is Near".

Clip Source: www.singularity.com

The Singularity is an era in which our intelligence will become increasingly nonbiological and trillions of times more powerful than it is today—the dawning of a new civilization that will enable us to transcend our biological limitations and amplify our creativity.

Clip Source: www.singularity.com

The Singularity is Near - The Movie Home

At the Onset of the 21st Century, it will be an era in which the very nature of what it means to be human will be both enriched and challenged as our species breaks the shackles of its genetic legacy and achieves inconceivable heights of intelligence, material progress, and longevity. While the social and philosophical ramifications of these changes will be profound, and the threats they pose considerable, celebrated futurist Ray Kurzweil presents a view of the coming age that is both a dramatic culmination of centuries of technological ingenuity and a genuinely inspiring vision of our ultimate destiny.

Tags: singularity

Words and images

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:21:14 GMT

clipped by: Aribeth

Clip Source: www.dragonpack.com

Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken.

Clip Source: blog.libero.it

Clip Source: www.dragonpack.com

If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal.

Clip Source: blog.libero.it

Clip Source: www.dragonpack.com

Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements.

Clip Source: blog.libero.it

Clip Source: www.dragonpack.com

Lock it up save in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.

Clip Source: blog.libero.it

Clip Source: www.dragonpack.com

But in that casket --safe, dark, motionless, airless --it will change.

Clip Source: blog.libero.it

Clip Source: www.dragonpack.com

It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

Clip Source: blog.libero.it

Clip Source: www.dragonpack.com

To love is to be vulnerable.

Clip Source: blog.libero.it

Clip Source: www.dragonpack.com

C.S. Lewis

Technological advances in the next 25 year

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:42:43 GMT

clipped by: rj3sp
clipper's remarks: PC World predictions about technological advances in the next 25 years, including devices that deliver information and entertainment to our homes and our pockets, sensors that monitor our environment and chips that deliver augment reality inside our bodies.

Clip Source: www.pcworld.com

Five Sci-Fi Scenarios That Will Come True

In the next 25 years, these technological advances, made famous in movies and on TV, will become reality. How accurate are our prognostications? Check back with us in 2033.

Clip Source: www.pcworld.com

Biometric Security (predicted mainstream date: 2010)

Clip Source: www.pcworld.com

Space Tourism (predicted mainstream date: 2013)

Clip Source: www.pcworld.com

The Holodeck (predicted mainstream date: 2016)

Clip Source: www.pcworld.com

Self-Aware Computers (predicted mainstream date: 2019)

Clip Source: www.pcworld.com

Domestic Robots (predicted mainstream date: 2020)

Tags: futurism

Useful Websites

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:30:37 GMT

clipped by: rj3sp

Clip Source: www.ewriting.pamil-visions.com

Ten Startups with Great Potential

By Mihaela Lica on Jan 22, 2008

Tags: lists

Solar Trees in Europe

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:03:41 GMT

clipped by: oneilljn

Clip Source: www.metaefficient.com

the streets of Europe could soon be lit by "solar trees". These self-contained streetlights could save cities energy and money too. Unlike regular streetlights, they do not require costly underground wiring to install, and they are immune to blackouts.

the lights have 10 solar panels arrayed at the top of tree-like branches, which charge built-in batteries. The batteries then power LEDs for illumination. Compared to conventional streetlights, they emit much less light pollution, because LEDs generate a very directed light. The trees also incorporate light detectors! So the lights automatically turn on sunset and off at sunrise.

The solar trees went on display for four weeks in October on a busy street — the Ringstrasse — in Vienna, Austria. They were able to provide enough light during the night-time even when the sun did not show for as much as four days in a row.

Putting solar powered LED light systems on trees would cut down on the carbon emissions

Tags: solar power, streetlights, energy, europe

Do You Know How To Read?

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:43:10 GMT

clipped by: Q-tips

Clip Source: www.friends.hosted.pl

Tags: test

Imaginary friends

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 21:46:32 GMT

clipped by: Aribeth
clipper's remarks: While it's generally perfectly fine to humor your child and go along with her claims about the existence of an imaginary friend, there are a few ground rules:
-Don't let the "friend" be your child's only companion.
-Don't let your child shift responsibility for everything bad to the friend.
-Treat the friend with respect.
-Don't use the friend to manipulate your child.
Most kids lose their imaginary friends between their third and fifth birthdays. Sometimes the friends are forgotten, sometimes they're sent on a distant and permanent trip, and other times they "die" in a horrible accident.
(from familyresource.com)
Pretend friends rarely are a sign of emotional problems.If a child claims a friend is controlling her and making her do things she doesn't want to do, parents should seek psychological help.But if a child isn't depressed and has real-life friends too, pretend pals shouldn't cause concern.
In fact, parents should look for day care and preschool programs that

Clip Source: www.familyresource.com

Young children often have imaginary friends

human

animals

occasional visitor

constant companion

Clip Source: www.usatoday.com

About two-thirds of children have played with imaginary companions by age 7, and one-third still have them at 7

"Cecil" is an imaginary friend drawn by a 7-year-old boy. A growing body of research indicates that "pretend" friends can help children practice conflict resolution and other life skills

Imaginary companions have had a bad rap from psychologists for a long time

Kids who have imaginary friends feel just as competent and popular as those who don't

Clip Source: www.familyresource.com

Imaginary friends are a pretty normal part of growing up, especially during the toddler years, and they serve several important functions:

They can be wonderful companions for pretend play

They can act as a child's trusted confidant

They can help kids figure out the difference between right and wrong

They can give you some valuable insights into your child's feelings

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

Clip Source: www.familyresource.com

Most kids lose their imaginary friends between their third and fifth birthdays

Tags: psychology

Clipmarks | kandalf's clips

Did an Ancient Language of Universal Symbols Exist?

The new shape of music: Music has its own geometry, researchers find

Digital Sound Separator

Digital Sound Separator

Who Are We? Coming of Age on Antidepressants

Who Are We? Coming of Age on Antidepressants

Top 10 Linux Games

Color Psychology

Commonly overused words

Everyone is a book of blood

On The Books Of Blood...

The Singularity

The Singularity is Near - The Movie Home

Words and images

Technological advances in the next 25 year

Five Sci-Fi Scenarios That Will Come True

In the next 25 years, these technological advances, made famous in movies and on TV, will become reality. How accurate are our prognostications? Check back with us in 2033.

Useful Websites

Ten Startups with Great Potential

Learn Languages Online With babbel

Put a Contract on Yourself with stickK

Free Business Card Designer

Be a Star with Glogster

Plan Events with Planaganza

Alphabetizer – the Solution for Lazy List Makers

Modern Medicine – Your Online Resource for Healthy Living

Got Something To Say? Shout Out!

Redesign Your Appliances

Free Favicon Generator

Solar Trees in Europe

Do You Know How To Read?

Imaginary friends