This is a recent quote from Nicholas Negroponte in Spain at the IaaC Lecture Series:
"Design school is the future, business school is dead."
The point may be stated in the extreme, but the point to consider is the importance of design in the future of business.
I have heard Nicholas talk about design several times but my thinking on design began with some posts from Frog Design after reading Helmust Esslinger's "A Fine Line" (Esslinger founded Frog Design.) Frog helped me to see the parallels to entrepreneurship in design. I then found the Stanford Design School, which is heavily influenced by the thinking of the design firm IDEO, and began reading about their design processes. Lately I have been reading Karl Ulrich's writings on design. Ulrich is another alumni of MIT (Negroponte) who teaches a Coursera offering on design. He also advocates that design should be part of a general requirements university curriculum, like writing, calculus, etc.
All of this reading lead me to realize that design process is an excellent model for the first part of a two-part process approach to entrepreneurship, which I described in this post a few days ago. I think both Nicholas and Ulrich would agree with this concept that a formal design process is the foundation of entrepreneurship, or at least the foundation to develop the hypothesis to be tested in the market. (For the sake of completeness, let us assume that the design process is used for addressing documented large market opportunities.)
In this post, "How to Survive the End of the Industrial Age", I basically argued that the individual must control their economic destiny in the 21st century and that entrepreneurship is the best solution. Therefore, I believe that business schools, as one means to teach entrepreneurship, must change as follows:
Business school curriculum must be changed to use entrepreneurship as the principal theme of the curriculum, as opposed to the current focus on strategy, productivity and finance.
Design courses and the design process must be taught as a required course with several electives in the subject
Computer science must be taught such that every graduate has sufficient knowledge to program, understand the design of a computer or smart phone at the component level and recognize a business opportunity in big data and the technology required to commercialize it, to name a few courses to be offered
Every student needs to develop a new business with each course/semester helping the student to refine their concept and commercialize it. (Ideally the business school would provide the seed money.)
Adjunct professors with practical experience would teach a larger percentage of the courses
WASHINGTON ? Barbara Boxer has long been one of the Senate's environmental champions, racking up perfect scores for each of the last five years on the League of Conservation Voters' report card on key votes.
But the Californian now finds herself on the opposite side of an issue from her usual environmental allies and some of her fellow Democrats. Environmentalists are upset because she is pushing legislation that would impose deadlines for environmental reviews of water projects, a move they see as "tilting the scales" toward rushed approvals.
"It's difficult to have one of your stalwart environmental champions working to undermine one of the bedrock environmental laws," said Friends of the Earth President Erich Pica, who, like other environmentalists, was conflicted about publicly taking on a powerful longtime ally.
"I say to my friends in the environmental movement, we can't agree 100% of the time," Boxer said.
At issue is the $12-billion Water Resources Development Act. The measure, coming before the Senate next week, is a rarity on hyper-partisan Capitol Hill: It was passed unanimously out of the Boxer-chaired Environment and Public Works Committee.
Boxer disputed any effort to weaken environmental laws but acknowledged that she was seeking to end delays to crucial projects, such as those needed to protect communities from flooding.
"The environmentalists don't like to have any deadlines set so that they can stall projects forever," Boxer said. "I think it's wrong, and I have many cases in California where absolutely necessary flood control projects have been held up for so long that people are suffering from the adverse impacts of flooding."
Although she said she was open to listening to the environmentalists' concerns, in this case, "I don't think this is legitimate."
Boxer's support for the bill puts her in a tough spot, trying to balance her devotion to environmental groups with her desire to attract Republican votes for a bill she considers important to the economy and the environment.
The measure would authorize not only flood protection projects that have gained urgency after Superstorm Sandy, but also coastal restoration in the Florida Everglades and the Gulf Coast and projects aimed at promoting commerce on waterways. The bill is also expected to bring more money to Los Angeles and Long Beach for maintenance of their ports.
"It's always hard for us to go after one of our champions, particularly someone like Sen. Boxer," said Scott Slesinger, legislative director of the Natural Resources Defense Council. "We're going to have to fight our normal allies if they're going to be attacking what we think is one of the most important environmental statutes." He referred to the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires extensive reviews of projects that could affect the environment.
Slesinger said Boxer's legislation would establish deadlines for project reviews, leading to a "rush to judgment" on development that could cause significant environmental damage. Government agencies would face fines of up to $20,000 for failing to meet deadlines for project reviews, a requirement that he warned could lead to "slapdash" reviews.
"If the agencies are pressured into making decisions quickly, we will end up with projects that cause more harm than good," said Melissa Samet, senior water resources counsel for the National Wildlife Federation.
Two of Boxer's Democratic colleagues, Sens. John D. Rockfeller IV of West Virginia and Ron Wyden of Oregon, also have expressed concern about the "project acceleration" provisions.
But the senator says she is only seeking to end needless delays.
It's not the first time Boxer has surprised her allies.
A few years ago, the stalwart liberal and frequent antagonist of big business sided with Republicans to champion a tax break for multinational corporations. She also defied the majority of her own party.
At the time, she was pushing a measure eagerly sought by California's high-tech industry.
New stats: Plastic surgery trend has women armed for spring and summerPublic release date: 29-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Shannon McCormick shannon@mediasourcetv.com 614-477-2719 American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Inspired by strong-armed celebrities, upper arm lifts jump 4,378% since 2000, new ASPS statistics show
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., April 29, 2013 New statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) show that arm lifts in women have skyrocketed more than 4,000 percent in just over the last decade. It is a trend fueled, in part, by sleeveless fashions for women and more focus on strong-armed celebrities. In 2000, more than 300 women got upper arm lift procedures. Last year, more than 15,000 did.
Arm Lifts By The Numbers:
Procedures in 2012
Overall: 15,457 up 3% since 2011 / 4,473% since 2000
Women: 15,136 up 4,378% since 2000
98% of arm lift patients were women
Most popular with patients over 40. The majority, 43%, of patients were ages 40 and 54, 33% were over age 55.
Average surgeon fee: $3,939 / total spent on arm lifts: $61 million
Upper arm lifts can include liposuction or a surgical procedure known as brachioplasty, in which loose skin is removed from the back of the arms.
"Women are paying more attention to their arms in general and are becoming more aware of options to treat this area," said ASPS President Gregory Evans, MD. "For some women, the arms have always been a troublesome area and, along with proper diet and exercise, liposuction can help refine them. Others may opt for a brachioplasty when there is a fair amount of loose skin present with minimal elasticity."
Doctors say there is no single reason behind the increase, though celebrities from the White House to the red carpet may be having an influence. A recent poll* conducted on behalf of ASPS found that women are paying closer attention to the arms of female celebrities.
According to the poll, women most admire the arms of first lady Michelle Obama, followed closely by Jennifer Aniston. Actresses Jessica Biel and Demi Moore, and daytime TV talk show host Kelly Ripa also got votes for their toned arms.
"I think we are always affected by the people that we see consistently, either on the big screen or on TV," said ASPS Public Education Committee Chair David Reath, MD, based in Knoxville, Tenn. "We see them and think, 'yeah, I'd like to look like that'."
That's just what happened to 24-year-old Natalie Robinson of Knoxville, who says she was inspired by the arms of the first lady. "I looked at Michelle Obama and said 'Oh my gosh, I want her arms. When I first started losing weight and started to tone up, I had her image in my head."
That was three years ago. Today, Robinson has lost more than 170 pounds and continues an amazing transformation through diet and exercise. But for all the weight she'd lost, Robinson says she still wasn't entirely happy.
"I had a lot of excessive skin around my upper arms," she said. "Every time I looked in the mirror there was a reminder of a heavier person and I just couldn't get rid of it."
That's when Robinson contacted Dr. Reath, who performed her brachioplasty. "Natalie had the perfect arms for this procedure," said Dr. Reath, "but it's not for everybody."
A brachioplasty requires an incision from the elbow to the armpit, generally on the back of the arm, leaving a visible and permanent scar. For Robinson, the scar was much easier to deal with than the excessive skin, but Dr. Reath cautions patients to carefully consider the pros and cons before having an upper arm lift, particularly a brachioplasty.
"It's a trade off. We get rid of the skin, but we leave a scar," he said. "So, as long as there's enough improvement to be made in the shape of the arm to justify the scar, then it's a great procedure."
Dr. Reath stresses the importance of proper diet and exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle to all his patients, but says some women simply can't achieve the look they want on their own. Many who simply want to tighten and tone their upper arms, but don't have a lot of excess skin, opt for liposuction instead of a brachioplasty.
"We are genetically programmed to have different accumulations of fat in different areas, and for some women the arms can be a problem area," said Dr. Reath. "The arms are a very noticeable area and if excessive fat and skin are an issue, they tend to look more out of proportion than the rest of the body."
That was certainly the case for Robinson, but not anymore. Robinson says she never expected surgery to make her arms perfect, just more normal. "Well-proportioned is what I was going for, and I'm very happy. It was well worth the investment," she said. "I would do it again."
###
For more new statistics on trends in plastic surgery including gender, age, regional, national average fees and other breakouts, refer to the ASPS 2012 National Clearinghouse of Plastic Surgery Procedural Statistics report at http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news-and-resources/2012-plastic-surgery-statistics.html. (Stats on this site will be updated with the specific demographics and trends when embargo lifts on 4/29/13). Information about procedures and referrals to ASPS Member Surgeons can be found at http://www.PlasticSurgery.org.
* This poll was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons from March 28-April 1, 2013 among 1,219 women ages 18 and older. This online poll is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete poll methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Shannon McCormick.
About ASPS
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the world's largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons. Representing more than 7,000 Member Surgeons, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. ASPS advances quality care to plastic surgery patients by encouraging high standards of training, ethics, physician practice and research in plastic surgery. You can learn more and visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeons at PlasticSurgery.org or Facebook.com/PlasticSurgeryASPS and Twitter.com/ASPS_News.
Broadcast quality multimedia elements at: http://bit.ly/14STmA2
(Multimedia Newsroom is password protected until embargo lifts. Please contact media relations representative listed below for password prior to embargo.)
Media Contacts: Shannon McCormick, 614-932-9950 (ext. 14) shannon@mediasourcetv.com or ASPS: 847-228-9900, media@plasticsurgery.org
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New stats: Plastic surgery trend has women armed for spring and summerPublic release date: 29-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Shannon McCormick shannon@mediasourcetv.com 614-477-2719 American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Inspired by strong-armed celebrities, upper arm lifts jump 4,378% since 2000, new ASPS statistics show
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., April 29, 2013 New statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) show that arm lifts in women have skyrocketed more than 4,000 percent in just over the last decade. It is a trend fueled, in part, by sleeveless fashions for women and more focus on strong-armed celebrities. In 2000, more than 300 women got upper arm lift procedures. Last year, more than 15,000 did.
Arm Lifts By The Numbers:
Procedures in 2012
Overall: 15,457 up 3% since 2011 / 4,473% since 2000
Women: 15,136 up 4,378% since 2000
98% of arm lift patients were women
Most popular with patients over 40. The majority, 43%, of patients were ages 40 and 54, 33% were over age 55.
Average surgeon fee: $3,939 / total spent on arm lifts: $61 million
Upper arm lifts can include liposuction or a surgical procedure known as brachioplasty, in which loose skin is removed from the back of the arms.
"Women are paying more attention to their arms in general and are becoming more aware of options to treat this area," said ASPS President Gregory Evans, MD. "For some women, the arms have always been a troublesome area and, along with proper diet and exercise, liposuction can help refine them. Others may opt for a brachioplasty when there is a fair amount of loose skin present with minimal elasticity."
Doctors say there is no single reason behind the increase, though celebrities from the White House to the red carpet may be having an influence. A recent poll* conducted on behalf of ASPS found that women are paying closer attention to the arms of female celebrities.
According to the poll, women most admire the arms of first lady Michelle Obama, followed closely by Jennifer Aniston. Actresses Jessica Biel and Demi Moore, and daytime TV talk show host Kelly Ripa also got votes for their toned arms.
"I think we are always affected by the people that we see consistently, either on the big screen or on TV," said ASPS Public Education Committee Chair David Reath, MD, based in Knoxville, Tenn. "We see them and think, 'yeah, I'd like to look like that'."
That's just what happened to 24-year-old Natalie Robinson of Knoxville, who says she was inspired by the arms of the first lady. "I looked at Michelle Obama and said 'Oh my gosh, I want her arms. When I first started losing weight and started to tone up, I had her image in my head."
That was three years ago. Today, Robinson has lost more than 170 pounds and continues an amazing transformation through diet and exercise. But for all the weight she'd lost, Robinson says she still wasn't entirely happy.
"I had a lot of excessive skin around my upper arms," she said. "Every time I looked in the mirror there was a reminder of a heavier person and I just couldn't get rid of it."
That's when Robinson contacted Dr. Reath, who performed her brachioplasty. "Natalie had the perfect arms for this procedure," said Dr. Reath, "but it's not for everybody."
A brachioplasty requires an incision from the elbow to the armpit, generally on the back of the arm, leaving a visible and permanent scar. For Robinson, the scar was much easier to deal with than the excessive skin, but Dr. Reath cautions patients to carefully consider the pros and cons before having an upper arm lift, particularly a brachioplasty.
"It's a trade off. We get rid of the skin, but we leave a scar," he said. "So, as long as there's enough improvement to be made in the shape of the arm to justify the scar, then it's a great procedure."
Dr. Reath stresses the importance of proper diet and exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle to all his patients, but says some women simply can't achieve the look they want on their own. Many who simply want to tighten and tone their upper arms, but don't have a lot of excess skin, opt for liposuction instead of a brachioplasty.
"We are genetically programmed to have different accumulations of fat in different areas, and for some women the arms can be a problem area," said Dr. Reath. "The arms are a very noticeable area and if excessive fat and skin are an issue, they tend to look more out of proportion than the rest of the body."
That was certainly the case for Robinson, but not anymore. Robinson says she never expected surgery to make her arms perfect, just more normal. "Well-proportioned is what I was going for, and I'm very happy. It was well worth the investment," she said. "I would do it again."
###
For more new statistics on trends in plastic surgery including gender, age, regional, national average fees and other breakouts, refer to the ASPS 2012 National Clearinghouse of Plastic Surgery Procedural Statistics report at http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news-and-resources/2012-plastic-surgery-statistics.html. (Stats on this site will be updated with the specific demographics and trends when embargo lifts on 4/29/13). Information about procedures and referrals to ASPS Member Surgeons can be found at http://www.PlasticSurgery.org.
* This poll was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons from March 28-April 1, 2013 among 1,219 women ages 18 and older. This online poll is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete poll methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Shannon McCormick.
About ASPS
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the world's largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons. Representing more than 7,000 Member Surgeons, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. ASPS advances quality care to plastic surgery patients by encouraging high standards of training, ethics, physician practice and research in plastic surgery. You can learn more and visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeons at PlasticSurgery.org or Facebook.com/PlasticSurgeryASPS and Twitter.com/ASPS_News.
Broadcast quality multimedia elements at: http://bit.ly/14STmA2
(Multimedia Newsroom is password protected until embargo lifts. Please contact media relations representative listed below for password prior to embargo.)
Media Contacts: Shannon McCormick, 614-932-9950 (ext. 14) shannon@mediasourcetv.com or ASPS: 847-228-9900, media@plasticsurgery.org
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
FILE - In this May 22, 2007 file photo, the McGraw-Hill Cos. building is shown in New York. A spokesman for the McGraw-Hill Cos., which owns S&P, Moody's Corp. and Morgan Stanley confirmed that ratings agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and investment bank Morgan Stanley have settled two lawsuits dating back to the financial crisis that accused them of hiding risky investments. The lawsuits from King County in Washington state and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank claimed that the ratings agencies and Morgan Stanley hid the risk of investing in a fund that purchased bonds backed by subprime mortgages. Judge Shira Scheindlin dismissed the lawsuits, in federal court in New York on Friday, April 26, 2013, with prejudice. This means they can't be filed again. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
FILE - In this May 22, 2007 file photo, the McGraw-Hill Cos. building is shown in New York. A spokesman for the McGraw-Hill Cos., which owns S&P, Moody's Corp. and Morgan Stanley confirmed that ratings agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and investment bank Morgan Stanley have settled two lawsuits dating back to the financial crisis that accused them of hiding risky investments. The lawsuits from King County in Washington state and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank claimed that the ratings agencies and Morgan Stanley hid the risk of investing in a fund that purchased bonds backed by subprime mortgages. Judge Shira Scheindlin dismissed the lawsuits, in federal court in New York on Friday, April 26, 2013, with prejudice. This means they can't be filed again. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Ratings agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and investment bank Morgan Stanley have settled two lawsuits dating back to the financial crisis that accused them of hiding risky investments.
The lawsuits from King County in Washington state and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank claimed that the ratings agencies and Morgan Stanley hid the risk of investing in a fund that purchased bonds backed by subprime mortgages.
Judge Shira Scheindlin dismissed the lawsuits on Friday, in federal court in New York, with prejudice, which means they can't be filed again.
Spokesmen for the McGraw-Hill Cos., which owns S&P, Moody's Corp. and Morgan Stanley confirmed the settlements but did not disclose terms.
"This settlement allows us to put the significant legal defense and related costs, as well as the distraction, of these very protracted litigations behind us," said Moody's spokesman Michael Adler in an emailed statement. "We are satisfied that it is in the best interests of our company and shareholders."
McGraw-Hill spokesman Jason Feuchtwanger said the cases were settled without any admission of liability or wrongdoing.
Ratings agencies came under intense scrutiny following the 2008 financial crisis for giving top-notch ratings to investments backed by subprime mortgages. As defaults and losses mounted in the housing market, especially among subprime loans, the value of bonds backed by the bad debt plummeted.
As the mortgage market collapsed, the ratings agencies sharply lowered their ratings on the investments.
With the value of such investments declining, funds that purchased the bonds filed for bankruptcy. King County and Abu Dhabi sued the ratings agencies and Morgan Stanley claiming the banks misled them about the safety of some investments that were part of a structured investment vehicle.
A structured investment vehicle is a fund that borrows money by issuing short-term securities at a low interest rate and then lends that money by purchasing long-term securities at higher interest. That process can make a profit for its investors from the difference.
While our own Tim Stevens is currently adapting to life through Google Glass, developers are going beyond scratching the surface to fiddle with what's inside. Hot on the heels of Jay Freeman rooting Glass, devs will be pleased to know Google's throwing 'em a bone to by publicly releasing the kernel source. Interestingly, Karthik's Geek Center spotted info within the file that points to Glass potentially being equipped for NFC support. If you're up for tinkering, you'll find the temporary location of the tar.zx file itself at the source link.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Russian authorities secretly recorded a telephone conversation in 2011 in which one of the Boston bombing suspects vaguely discussed jihad with his mother, officials said Saturday, days after the U.S. government finally received details about the call.
In another conversation, the mother of now-dead bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was recorded talking to someone in southern Russia who is under FBI investigation in an unrelated case, officials said.
The conversations are significant because, had they been revealed earlier, they might have been enough evidence for the FBI to initiate a more thorough investigation of the Tsarnaev family.
As it was, Russian authorities told the FBI only that they had concerns that Tamerlan and his mother were religious extremists. With no additional information, the FBI conducted a limited inquiry and closed the case in June 2011.
Two years later, authorities say Tamerlan and his brother, Dzhohkar, detonated two homemade bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring more than 260. Tamerlan was killed in a police shootout and Dzhohkar is under arrest.
In the past week, Russian authorities turned over to the United States information it had on Tamerlan and his mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva. The Tsarnaevs are ethnic Chechens who emigrated from southern Russia to the Boston area over the past 11 years.
Even had the FBI received the information from the Russian wiretaps earlier, it's not clear that the government could have prevented the attack.
In early 2011, the Russian FSB internal security service intercepted a conversation between Tamerlan and his mother vaguely discussing jihad, according to U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation with reporters.
The two discussed the possibility of Tamerlan going to Palestine, but he told his mother he didn't speak the language there, according to the officials, who reviewed the information Russia shared with the U.S.
In a second call, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva spoke with a man in the Caucasus region of Russia who was under FBI investigation. Jacqueline Maguire, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Washington Field Office, where that investigation was based, declined to comment.
There was no information in the conversation that suggested a plot inside the United States, officials said.
It was not immediately clear why Russian authorities didn't share more information at the time. It is not unusual for countries, including the U.S., to be cagey with foreign authorities about what intelligence is being collected.
Nobody was available to discuss the matter early Sunday at FSB offices in Moscow.
Jim Treacy, the FBI's legal attache in Moscow between 2007 and 2009, said the Russians long asked for U.S. assistance regarding Chechen activity in the United States that might be related to terrorism.
"On any given day, you can get some very good cooperation," Treacy said. "The next you might find yourself totally shut out."
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva has denied that she or her sons were involved in terrorism. She has said she believed her sons have been framed by U.S. authorities.
But Ruslan Tsarni, an uncle of the Tsarnaev brothers and Zubeidat's former brother-in-law, said Saturday he believes the mother had a "big-time influence" as her older son increasingly embraced his Muslim faith and decided to quit boxing and school.
After receiving the narrow tip from Russia in March 2011, the FBI opened a preliminary investigation into Tamerlan and his mother. But the scope was extremely limited under the FBI's internal procedures.
After a few months, they found no evidence Tamerlan or his mother were involved in terrorism.
The FBI asked Russia for more information. After hearing nothing, it closed the case in June 2011.
In the fall of 2011, the FSB contacted the CIA with the same information. Again the FBI asked Russia for more details and never heard back.
At that time, however, the CIA asked that Tamerlan's and his mother's name be entered into a massive U.S. terrorism database.
The CIA declined to comment Saturday.
Authorities have said they've seen no connection between the brothers and a foreign terrorist group. Dzhohkar told FBI interrogators that he and his brother were angry over wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the deaths of Muslim civilians there.
Family members have said Tamerlan was religiously apathetic until 2008 or 2009, when he met a conservative Muslim convert known only to the family as Misha. Misha, they said, steered Tamerlan toward a stricter version of Islam.
Two U.S. officials say investigators believe they have identified Misha. While it was not clear whether the FBI had spoken to him, the officials said they have not found a connection between Misha and the Boston attack or terrorism in general.
___
Associated Press writer Adam Goldman in Washington and Michael Kunzelman in Boston contributed to this report.
The Focusrite Forte ($749.99 list) is one of a host of portable, higher-end audio interfaces that have appeared in the wake of Apogee's now-iconic original Duet. It one-ups the Apogee lineup in that it works with PCs as well as Macs?helping not just PC users, but also musicians and engineers, like myself, who use both Macs and PCs on a regular basis, and don't want to be restricted to a specific platform for a particular piece of gear. That said, there are a few limitations with the Forte you should be aware of before purchase, such as its AC power requirement when using phantom power, and sound quality that, while very good, doesn't quite catch Apogee. But overall, it's a top-quality piece of audio gear that's easily worth its high entry price.
Design, Display, and Connectivity The Forte gets its name from the company's original recording console, which was based on famed engineer Rupert Neve's designs for George Martin's AIR studios. At least physically, if an audio interface can be beautiful, the Forte certainly is, with its solid aluminum enclosure, colorful OLED display, and oversized volume and control knob. The small display shows individual track levels with fat meters that turn green, yellow, and red depending on signal level.
Below the display are four touch-sensitive mode buttons for selecting input level (which alternates between input 1 and input 2 when you press it again), speaker volume, headphone volume, and DAW mode for controlling a software transport. The multi-function encoder knob spins around smoothly, but with a lightweight feeling to it, unlike the Apogee Duet for iPad & Mac's knob, which clicks ever so slightly as you turn it. As with the Duet, to make selections, you push the Forte's knob down.
A ?-inch headphone socket sits on the front edge; two would have been better at this price, as many engineers and musicians tend to work with another person simultaneously. (The MOTU Track16, which we haven't tested yet, is the only similar unit on the market with two headphone outputs, although one is 1/4-inch sized and the other is a consumer-level 3.5mm jack.)
Around back, you get a power input, a USB 2.0 port, an input socket for the breakout cable, and a pair of TRS line outputs?meaning that if you're not recording, you don't need to attach the breakout cable even when listening over speakers, unlike the Duet. The "loom connector," as Focusrite calls the breakout cable, contains a pair of XLR microphone inputs and a pair of TRS line/instrument-level inputs, so you can connect two mics and two instruments at the same time and leave them all hooked up; the Duet, by comparison, combines the inputs together, which is fine in most cases but could become inconvenient if you do a lot of stereo miking.
However, chances are that if you're attaching the Forte's breakout cable to record, you'll also need to plug in the AC adapter, as it's required whenever you record microphones that require phantom power. For most people recording at home or on the go, that's pretty much all of the time, since both small- and large-diaphragm condenser mics need phantom power. In addition, when running without the AC adapter, the speaker and headphone outputs are limited to -18dB?not as big a deal, but something to note if you're monitoring over headphones with a high impedance and you're recording at a noisy venue; I certainly noticed it with several different pairs of closed-back headphones, all of which could have gone a little louder than the -18dB point without discomfort.
Setup, Performance, and Conclusions Setting up the Forte is a snap; you register on the company site, download the drivers and bundled Midnight Plug-in Suite software, install everything, and then connect the Forte via USB. A reboot is required after installing the software, even on a Mac, which isn't true of the Apogee Duet. The bundled Forte Control software (pictured above) offers low-latency monitoring and level control.
I?tested the Focusrite Forte with an Apple MacBook Pro running OS X 10.8.3 (Mountain Lion), a quad-core Xeon-based Mac Pro running OS X 10.7.5 (Lion), and a Lenovo ThinkPad L420 running Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. In all three cases, I tested recording and playback using Avid Pro Tools 10, which worked perfectly, and at acceptably low latencies. The Focusrite Forte records at 24-bit and 192kHz, thanks to its built-in D/A converters. The two mic preamps are the same ones from the company's RedNet range of pro audio interfaces, and offer 75dB of gain range.
As I expected from a higher-end Focusrite interface, sound quality was sublime for both recording and playback. I didn't hear quite as much detail in the upper midrange to high-end as I did on the Duet; recordings made through a Rode NT-1A mic sounded a little more present, with less of a thin veil over the result, with the Duet, although the Forte sounded just as warm and full otherwise. ?The Forte's preamp also sounded a bit cleaner than the Avid Mbox Mini's, although I'd argue you could make excellent recordings with any of these interfaces. Still, the differences are there.
The same goes for playback; listening to Dave Matthews Band's "Funny the Way It Is," I heard a clean, smooth, and well-separated presentation through the Forte, although the Duet lent a little more presence and clarity to specific details in the recording that didn't jump out at me quite as much with the Forte.?Both exhibited exceptionally tight and extended bass response.
All told, the Focusrite Forte sets out what it's designed to do, and unlike some of the competition, it works on both PCs and Macs. You can also leave the cable loom detached except when you're recording. That said, it's not exactly equivalent to the Apogee Duet, as it sounds a bit different, and requires the AC adapter to be attached most of the time. The Apogee Duet is probably a better choice if you're exclusively on the Mac platform, as it integrates a bit better, and its iPad connectivity is second to none in its simplicity.
Other options: Propellerhead Reason fans can save a bit of cash by looking at the clean-sounding Propellerhead Balance interface, which integrates better with that company' software, while the Editors' Choice Focusrite iTrack Solo brings clear recording to PCs, Macs, and iPads at a budget price.
Apr. 26, 2013 ? Intermittent fasting is all the rage, but scientific evidence showing how such regimes affect human health is not always clear cut. Now a scientific review in the British Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease published by SAGE, suggests that fasting diets may help those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, alongside established weight loss claims.
Intermittent fasting -fasting on a given number of consecutive or alternate days -- has recently been hailed as a path to weight loss and improved cardiovascular risk. A team led by James Brown from Aston University has evaluated the various approaches to intermittent fasting in the scientific literature. They searched specifically for advantages and limitations in treating obesity and type 2 diabetes using fasting diets.
The basic format of intermittent fasting is to alternate days eating 'normally' with days when calorie consumption is restricted. This can either be done on alternative days, or where two days each week are classed as 'fasting days'. These types of intermittent fasting have been shown in trials to be as effective as or more effective than counting calories every day to lose weight. Evidence from clinical trials shows that fasting can limit inflammation, improve levels of sugars and fats in circulation, and reduce blood pressure. Our fasting bodies change how they select which fuel to burn, improving metabolism and reducing oxidative stress.
For people with obesity, only one drug (orlistat) is currently available in the UK, and gastric surgery is a relatively rare and expensive alternative. Dietary changes remain the most common intervention used for obese people. Fasting is known to help, but former treatments were based on intermittent starving. Today's intermittent fasting regimes are easier to stick to, and are proven to help remove excess pounds melt away.
Scientists have known since the 1940s that intermittent fasting helps us lose weight, and can cut the incidence of diabetes in lab animals. Recent studies have also confirmed that restricting calorie intake could possibly reverse type 2 diabetes in some people. Researchers measured improved pancreatic function and fewer of the fatty deposits associated with insulin resistance were present in fasting subjects.
A healthy heart
In animal models, scientists have shown that intermittent fasting has some cardiovascular benefits that appear similar to exercising, such as improving blood pressure and heart rate, and lowering cholesterol. Fasting also appears to aid those with ischemic heart disease. Fasting may even protect the heart by raising levels of adiponectin, a protein that has several important roles in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and vascular biology.
"Intermittent fasting might achieve much of the benefit seen with bariatric surgery, but without the costs, restriction on numbers and risks associated with surgery," according to lead author, James Brown. "Whether intermittent fasting can be used as a tool to prevent diabetes in those individuals at high risk or to prevent progression in those recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes remains a tantalising notion and we are currently in preparation for clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of this form of lifestyle intervention in various patient groups."
Intermittent fasting is an increasingly popular diet plan that hit the headlines in the run up to Christmas 2012 after the release of a book on the subject. Proponents claim that in addition to weight loss, the diet can lead to longer life, and protection against disease, particularly conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by SAGE Publications, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
James E. Brown, Michael Mosley and Sarah Aldred. Intermittent fasting: a dietary intervention for prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease?British Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease, April 2013
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Apr. 25, 2013 ? Scientists have determined the temperature near the Earth's centre to be 6000 degrees Celsius, 1000 degrees hotter than in a previous experiment run 20 years ago. These measurements confirm geophysical models that the temperature difference between the solid core and the mantle above, must be at least 1500 degrees to explain why the Earth has a magnetic field. The scientists were even able to establish why the earlier experiment had produced a lower temperature figure.
The results are published on 26 April 2013 in Science.
The research team was led by Agn?s Dewaele from the French national technological research organization CEA, alongside members of the French National Center for Scientific Research CNRS and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility ESRF in Grenoble (France).
The Earth's core consists mainly of a sphere of liquid iron at temperatures above 4000 degrees and pressures of more than 1.3 million atmospheres. Under these conditions, iron is as liquid as the water in the oceans. It is only at the very centre of the Earth, where pressure and temperature rise even higher, that the liquid iron solidifies. Analysis of earthquake-triggered seismic waves passing through the Earth, tells us the thickness of the solid and liquid cores, and even how the pressure in the Earth increases with depth. However these waves do not provide information on temperature, which has an important influence on the movement of material within the liquid core and the solid mantle above. Indeed the temperature difference between the mantle and the core is the main driver of large-scale thermal movements, which together with the Earth's rotation, act like a dynamo generating the Earth's magnetic field. The temperature profile through the Earth's interior also underpins geophysical models that explain the creation and intense activity of hot-spot volcanoes like the Hawaiian Islands or La R?union.
To generate an accurate picture of the temperature profile within the Earth's centre, scientists can look at the melting point of iron at different pressures in the laboratory, using a diamond anvil cell to compress speck-sized samples to pressures of several million atmospheres, and powerful laser beams to heat them to 4000 or even 5000 degrees Celsius."In practice, many experimental challenges have to be met," explains Agn?s Dewaele from CEA, "as the iron sample has to be insulated thermally and also must not be allowed to chemically react with its environment. Even if a sample reaches the extreme temperatures and pressures at the centre of the Earth, it will only do so for a matter of seconds. In this short timeframe it is extremely difficult to determine whether it has started to melt or is still solid."
This is where X-rays come into play. "We have developed a new technique where an intense beam of X-rays from the synchrotron can probe a sample and deduce whether it is solid, liquid or partially molten within as little as a second, using a process known diffraction," says Mohamed Mezouar from the ESRF, "and this is short enough to keep temperature and pressure constant, and at the same time avoid any chemical reactions."
The scientists determined experimentally the melting point of iron up to 4800 degrees Celsius and 2.2 million atmospheres pressure, and then used an extrapolation method to determine that at 3.3 million atmospheres, the pressure at the border between liquid and solid core, the temperature would be 6000 +/- 500 degrees. This extrapolated value could slightly change if iron undergoes an unknown phase transition between the measured and the extrapolated values.
When the scientists scanned across the area of pressures and temperatures, they observed why Reinhard Boehler, then at the MPI for Chemistry in Mainz (Germany), had in 1993 published values about 1000 degrees lower. Starting at 2400 degrees, recrystallization effects appear on the surface of the iron samples, leading to dynamic changes of the solid iron's crystalline structure. The experiment twenty years ago used an optical technique to determine whether the samples were solid or molten, and it is highly probable that the observation of recrystallization at the surface was interpreted as melting.
"We are of course very satisfied that our experiment validated today's best theories on heat transfer from the Earth's core and the generation of the Earth's magnetic field. I am hopeful that in the not-so-distant future, we can reproduce in our laboratories, and investigate with synchrotron X-rays, every state of matter inside the Earth," concludes Agn?s Dewaele.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by European Synchrotron Radiation Facility.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal References:
S. Anzellini, A. Dewaele, M. Mezouar, P. Loubeyre, G. Morard. Melting of Iron at Earth's Inner Core Boundary Based on Fast X-ray Diffraction. Science, 2013; 340 (6131): 464 DOI: 10.1126/science.1233514
R. Boehler. Temperatures in the Earth's core from melting-point measurements of iron at high static pressures. Nature, 1993; 363 (6429): 534 DOI: 10.1038/363534a0
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
According to a new study published on Wednesday, drinking as little as one can of sugary soft drinks a day is linked to an increased risk of diabetes later in life.
Using data from 350,000 people in eight European countries, researchers found that consuming one can a day of sugar-sweetened drinks raises the relative risk of diabetes by about ?one-fifth, compared with one can a month or less. ?
?The consumption of sugar sweetened soft drinks increases your risk of diabetes?so for every can of soft drinks that you drink per day, the risk is higher,? lead researcher Dora Romaguera from Imperial College London told BBC News.
According to Reuters, the findings of this study mirror previous findings conducted in the US, where several studies showed that intake of sugar-sweetened drinks is strongly linked with higher body weight and conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
The Moroccan Federation of Consumer Rights (FMDC) also rang the alarm bell on soft drinks. In a communiqu? published last Ramadan, the federation encouraged Moroccans to reduce their sugar consumption, especially that of soft drinks.
Over the last several months, we have seen tons of changes being made in the cell phone industry. It all started when the cell phone companies decided to speak with government officials about the potential of illegalizing the jail breaking, or unlocking, of cell phones for use on another carrier?s network. They claimed that this was cutting into their business since they are essentially designing cell phones as a way to lure people into signing a contract with their company.
However, if someone could unlock the cell phone to where it would work with any carrier, they would have no incentive to switch carriers; thus hurting the manufacturing carrier?s company.
Then, we have seen numerous cell phone providers come up with some pretty aggressive plans as yet another way to persuade potential customers to go ahead and sign the contract with them. T-Mobile is the latest company to make a very aggressive offer that should appeal to a lot of cell phone users. They are now offering contract-free cell phone services, which is a great way to escape the thought of being stuck with a provider for two years if their service begins to decline over the course of the contract. Sure, T-Mobile is not the first cell phone service to offer month by month service, but they are the first with a big reputation.
However, T-Mobile is currently dealing with one major problem in relation to their new month to month plans. They had apparently been misrepresenting the cost of the phone and how the financing plans worked when someone would purchase a phone to use on their network. As a result, the Attorney General in Washington State has required them to make some major revisions.
Of the revisions T-Mobile is to make, ensuring that there is adequate information in the contract about the financing plan for the phone and having clear communication about the reprimands of cancelling the contract are two of the biggest issues T-Mobile is to work on. T-Mobile has also been ordered to pay in excess of $26,000 in attorney fees for the revisions.
Along with the revisions T-Mobile is required to make, they also have to give users an opportunity to cancel their current plans and return their cell phones for a full refund as long as they were purchased between March 26 and April 25 and are undamaged.
WACO, Texas (AP) ? President Barack Obama consoled a rural Texas community rocked by a deadly fertilizer plant explosion, telling mourners Thursday they are not alone in their grief and they will have the nation's support to rebuild from the devastation.
"This small town's family is bigger now," Obama said during a memorial service at Baylor University for victims of last week's explosion in nearby West, Texas, that killed 14 and injured 200. Nearly 10,000 gathered to remember the first responders killed in the blast, a crowd more than triple the size of West's entire population of 2,700.
"To the families, the neighbors grappling with unbearable loss, we are here to say you are not alone. You are not forgotten," Obama said to applause. "We may not all live here in Texas, but we're neighbors too. We're Americans too, and we stand with you."
The April 17 explosion left a crater more than 90 feet wide and damaged dozens of buildings, displacing many residents from their homes. The Insurance Council of Texas estimates it caused more than $100 million in damage, and crews were sifting the rubble to search for clues to what caused the explosion or whether foul play was involved.
The blast came about 20 minutes after a fire was reported at West Fertilizer. Ten of those killed were first responders who sped out to the nighttime blaze.
The memorial service honored those first responders and two civilians who tried to fight the fire and were posthumously named volunteer first responders. Among the dead were brothers Douglas and Robert Snokhous, West High School graduates who volunteered together for the town's fire department for more than 13 years.
As Obama spoke, the gymnasium lit up with the flashes of cameras and cellphones, glimmering like stars in the dimly lit room. The president spoke for 16 minutes, quoting scripture and lauding the men whose flag-draped coffins laid before him. "When you got to the scene, you forgot fear and you fought that blaze as hard as you could, knowing the danger," Obama said.
The service opened with a photo slideshow set to country music and projected onto a movie screen. It showed images of the men from their childhood, their weddings and other moments throughout lives filled with children and friends. Mourners were given programs with full-page profiles of each of the victims, describing their lives, their values and their faith.
Both the president and first lady Michelle Obama wiped away a tear as bagpipes sounded "Amazing Grace."
"How does one find such love to be willing to lay down your life so that others may live?" asked Texas Sen. John Cornyn, speaking on behalf of the state's congressional delegation. "This will forever be the legacy of those who ran toward the fire last week."
Texas Gov. Rick Perry eulogized the unpaid first responders, lamenting that each had a personal story and journey that drew to a close too soon.
"These are volunteers. Ordinary individuals blessed with extraordinary courage and a determination to do what they could to save lives," he said. "They're the ones who proudly said 'not on my watch' in the moments immediately following that explosion."
Perry's remarks were followed by video of the victims' grim-faced family members remembering their lives and expressing pride for their heroism. The brother-in-law of Cody Dragoo, another volunteer firefighter, remembered how Dragoo would leave notes for his wife, Patty, when he was traveling, and how he loved hunting and NASCAR.
Obama added his appearance at the memorial service onto a long-planned trip to Texas for Thursday's opening of George W. Bush's presidential library at Southern Methodist University. Bush sent his sympathies in a statement read at the service by Baylor President Ken Starr, the former special prosecutor who investigated President Bill Clinton.
Obama's solemn reflections at the memorial required an abrupt shift in tone by the president, whose morning in Dallas was filled with smiles, music and pageantry as he and the other four living presidents celebrated one of their own. Less than an hour later, Obama was airborne over West, circling the scene of the explosion ? still a harrowing site more than a week after tragedy first touched the small Texas town.
From his helicopter, Obama saw what looked like a massive construction site, with cranes and dozens of vehicles dotting a wide swath of brown earth. Piles of burnt rubble and scorched earth were clearly visible. Obama could also see the school field first responders used as a staging ground.
Obama has made such a trip countless times before, touring damage and consoling survivors of other disasters including Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy and a string of mass shootings. It was just one week ago that Obama was in Boston, offering solace to the nation at a memorial for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, another larger-than-life tragedy that compounded the nation's grief the same week as the explosion in West.
After the service, the president and first lady were planning to visit privately with relatives and friends of firefighters killed in the explosion, the White House said.
Fire trucks and other first responders' vehicles paraded through Waco en route to the ceremony at Baylor's sports arena. The vehicles entered under an archway formed by the ladders from two fire trucks with an American flag hung between them. Many of the mourners wore the uniforms of police, firefighters and paramedics and wiped tears from their eyes.
Brian Crawford, fire chief in the Dallas suburb of Plano, attended with 11 others from his department even though they live 100 miles from West.
"With these unfortunate circumstances, it's time to show we are all a family," Crawford said. "These were our brothers and they paid the price."
As the service drew to a close, a bell was rung once for each victim, reverberating through the hall and setting off a long moment of silence.
Then, with hushed sobs breaking the quiet, a loudspeaker re-enacting a dispatcher's radio identified the victims one by one, calling each firefighter to duty for the last time:
"Until we meet again. Dispatch clear."
___
Associated Press writer Nedra Pickler in Washington contributed to this report.
Manchester IL Girl Improving After Surviving Shooting That Kills 5 Family Members
Manchester IL Girl Improving After Surviving Shooting That Kills 5 Family Members
Thursday, April 25 2013 2:26 PM EDT2013-04-25 18:26:07 GMT
The Coroner in Scott County, Illinois, Justin Daws, officially released the names of the five murder victims in the Manchester, Ill., homicide investigation. The bodies of the three adults and two childrenMore >>The Coroner in Scott County, Illinois, Justin Daws, officially released the names of the five murder victims in the Manchester, Ill., homicide investigation. The bodies of the three adults and two childrenMore >>
Moline Detective Sheds Light On 23-Year-Old Cold Case
Moline Detective Sheds Light On 23-Year-Old Cold Case
Thursday, April 25 2013 11:59 AM EDT2013-04-25 15:59:24 GMT
Local police are looking into a cold case that stems back to October of 1990. A Moline, Ill. detective recently started looking into a missing person investigation of 52-year-old Jerry A. Wolking. NearlyMore >>Local police are looking into a cold case that stems back to October of 1990. A Moline, Ill. detective recently started looking into a missing person investigation of 52-year-old Jerry A. Wolking. NearlyMore >>
Moline Police Digging For Clues In 1990 Disappearance
Moline Police Digging For Clues In 1990 Disappearance
Wednesday, April 24 2013 6:16 PM EDT2013-04-24 22:16:23 GMT
Moline Police are digging through a rural area of Milan, searching for new clues in a cold case. Back in October, 1990, 52-year-old Jerry Wolking was reported missing. His blood-stained GMC SuburbanMore >>Moline Police are digging through a rural area of Milan, searching for new clues in a cold case. Back in October, 1990, 52-year-old Jerry Wolking was reported missing. His blood-stained GMC SuburbanMore >>
Davenport Schools Investigate Test Discrepancy
Davenport Schools Investigate Test Discrepancy
Wednesday, April 24 2013 3:29 PM EDT2013-04-24 19:29:24 GMT
Some students at Madison Elementary School in Davenport are going to have to retake state standardized tests after an investigation into erasure marks on several of the answer pages. KWQC-TV 6 is workingMore >>Some students at Madison Elementary School in Davenport are going to have to retake state standardized tests after an investigation into erasure marks on several of the answer pages. KWQC-TV 6 is workingMore >>
Police say 5 people found dead in small Ill. town
Police say 5 people found dead in small Ill. town
Authorities are investigating the slayings of five people whose bodies were found in a house in the tiny Scott County community of Manchester. A suspect is in custody.More >>Authorities are investigating the slayings of five people whose bodies were found in a house in the tiny Scott County community of Manchester. A suspect is in custody.More >>
Sylvan Island Bridge Closed Due To Safety Concerns
Sylvan Island Bridge Closed Due To Safety Concerns
Thursday, April 25 2013 9:57 AM EDT2013-04-25 13:57:18 GMT
The Sylvan Island Bridge in Moline, Ill., is closed due to safety concerns. With the increase in foot traffic, it has been deemed unsafe for use and will remain closed until engineers can determine howMore >>The Sylvan Island Bridge in Moline, Ill., is closed due to safety concerns. With the increase in foot traffic, it has been deemed unsafe for use and will remain closed until engineers can determine howMore >>
For years, they were part of the splendor at Saint Irenaeus Church in Clinton. Three large stained glass windows are?the originals from the church. Over time, pieces from the windows began to deteriorate, and were desperately in need of repair.
That's where?technicians from Glass Heritage of Davenport stepped in. For?several months, the technicians have been involved in a labor intensive project to restore the windows. Each piece of glass is cleaned. Technician Patricia Rogers says the pieces are placed on a build pattern. That pattern shows the lead lines of the windows.??
Kirk Prebyl says technicians do their homeowrk before the repairs and replacements are made. Technicians spend hours planning, documenting, and finding ways to restore the windows as much as possible to their original look. Workers treasure every scrap of original glass, replacing the original only when there is no other choice.
The three windows depict the Crucified Christ, and two figures on either side. Each of the windows has about a thousand pieces of stained glass. The windows should be installed in the church in June.
The Clinton County Historical Society owns the church building. The society acquired it when the Diocese of Davenport decided to close the church. ?The society raised about fourteen thousand dollars for the restoration work.?Glass Heritage is certified by the Stained Glass Association of America. ?
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Public release date: 29-Apr-2013
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