Service dogs don't understand that their owners are blind

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/seriouslyscience/2014/07/01/service-dogs-dont-understand-owners-blind/#.U7P0ltB_W2c / guide dogs help blind owners navigating public transportation preventing crossing streets in traffic dogs know what they need to dodo they know why they are needed French anthropologist filmed guide dogs pet dogs asking owners for food both groups used visual cues indicate their desire looking back and forth between food dish owner guide dogs continued to use sight based communication learn that sounds can help communicate owners licked their chops more frequently than the dogs of sighted owners auditory cue guilty look Canis familiaris eyes of humans as a cue during human dog interactions interactive modalities guide dogs pet dogs differ accessing food gazing at the container gazing at the owner sonorous mouth licking vocalisation contact with the owner incidental learning new distal cue dogs have a poor ability to generalise /

The highest paid CEOs are the worst for investors

Credit: Business Insider

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/ceo-pay-and-stock-performance-2014-6 / cumulative abnormal returns company firm top bottom deciles annually ranked excess CEO incentive compensation distribution 1994-2011 plotted event time invest investing companies highest paid CEO enormous salaries successes leadership yield research Professor Michael J. Cooper Huseyin Gulin P. Raghavendra Rau research relationship CEO incentive compensation future stock price performance CEO pay negatively related correlated future stock returns more CEOs get paid worse stock performs CEOs upper 10% of pay earn negative abnormal returns approximately 8% negative correlation stronger CEOs receive higher incentive pay enormous salaries lead to overconfidence by the CEO aggressive unnecessary investment merger acquisitions damage value company /

Exercise enthusiasts really need smarter socks

Credit: Sensoria/The Gadgeteer

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/06/30/exercise-enthusiasts-really-need-smarter-socks// pair smart socks high tech running friendly fabric electronic anklet magnetically magnetic magnet snap cuff anklet charger dedicated mobile application app monitors guides real time audio cues running runner run purchased separately 100% textile sensors Bluetooth smart detachable anklet superior accuracy step counting speed calories altitude distance tracking track track cadence foot landing technique weight distribution foot walk run identify identifies injury prone running styles heel strike striking overpronating overpronation under over pronation pronate leverage mobile app coach runner real time via audio cues dashboard help achieve goals improve performance reduce risk bad tendencies habit smart phone smartphone app available iPhoneiOS 6 above Android OS 4.3 Windows Phone 8.x /

Facebook's mood manipulation experiment — how do you feel about being used as an experimental subject without your approval?

Credit: International Business Times

So the organisation that plays fast & loose with your privacy, now feels free to use you as an experimental subject without your permission.

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/06/everything-we-know-about-facebooks-secret-mood-manipulation-experiment/373648/

We've had the, "Don't put anything on Facebook you wouldn't want your worst enemy to see," rule for some time.

Now, add the, "Don't read the Facebook news feed," rule. / social network serious fire today mood study conducted 2012 Robinson Meyer data scientists skewed Facebook users logged into service content preponderance happy positive words shown content analyzed sadder average manipulated users positive negative words results logged analyzed study emotional contagion Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Facebook users had no idea legal ethical Adrienne LaFrance Atlantic Susan Fiske editor study serious concerns told participate participants research agree option not to agree to it without penalty opt out Jacob Silverman Terms of Service: Social Media, Surveillance, and the Price of Constant Connection researchers initial positive negative vote social site prime users sentiment contagious influential new media sites HuffPo Upworthy Buzzfeed Business Insider A/B testing data analysis encourage readership shares time spent on site headlines reworked articles rearranged market research studies we're subjects disturbing essentially manipulated sentiments users without asking permission Facebook's own practices trust /

Six foods that increase or decrease your risk of cancer (video)

https://theconversation.com/six-foods-that-increase-or-decrease-your-risk-of-cancer-28270?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+30+June+2014+-+1750&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+30+June+2014+-+1750+CID_98877020b138d976db8e429196513645&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=evidence%20stands%20on%20six%20foods%20and%20drinks / cancer disease control prevent preventable prevention cases of cancer considered preventable positive nutrition lifestyle choices nutrition cancer prevention guidelines published today Journal of the American College of Nutrition sound advice cancer big killer of Australians responsible for 30% all deaths each year big five order of incidence prostate bowel breast melanoma lung cancer love sun smoke smoker smoking food exercise lifestyle choices risk of cancer cancer prevention recommendations Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables cancer prevention superfood combination food variety greatest benefit variety fruits vegetables fruit vegetable antioxidants fibre phytochemicals weight control weekly shop dark leafy greens broccoli spinach leaf lettuce kale limit avoid alcohol drinking good for your heart alcohol strongly linked cancer of the mouth oesophagus breast colon liver greater risk conversion acetaldehyde directly damage cellular DNA damage liver increase solubility other cancer causing chemicals increase level of estrogen decrease levels some beneficial nutrients folate avoid red processed meat well supported by evidence World Cancer Research Fund WCRF convincing highest level of evidence possible avoid processed meats red meat under 500 grams cooked meat per week fish chicken good alternative overcooking meat grilling frying overcooked high temperatures reactions in the food produce heterocyclic amine HCA potent cause breast lung colon stomach prostate cancer women eat soy foods reduce your risk of breast cancer evidence soya bean soy cancer is patchy class of phytochemicals isoflavones chemical structures similar to estrogen inhibit natural estrogen in stimulating cell growth theory edamame tempeh tofu steer clear protein concentrates supplements estrogen receptor positive breast cancer high concentrations of isoflavones men limit avoid dairy products reduce risk prostate cancer balance risk lifestyle choices preventing cancer milk calcium lower risk colorectal cancer diet vitamin D production regulator of cell growth colon calcium bind potentially carcinogenic compounds intestine insoluble easily excreted physical activity too much weight especially around the middle breast and colon cancer risk regular physical activity reduces your risk of cancer /

Nissan Leaf replacement battery with heat-resistant chemistry: $5,500 US

Credit: Nissan/MIT Technology Review

Unlike some others, Nissan Leaf electric vehicles have air cooled batteries. This has been blamed for the the relatively high loss of range in Leafs operating in the hottest parts of the USA.

Nissan has responded by:
● developing a battery with heat resistant chemistry
● offering it as a replacement to existing owners at the surprisingly low price indicated in the headline

This will have the effect of:
● supporting the value of used Leafs
● silencing the nay-sayers who claimed that: "After a few years, an electric car will need a new battery costing tens of thousands of dollars."

Notice too, that Nissan wants the old battery. Persumably this is for reuse as grid storage or other second-life purposes.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092983_nissan-leaf-battery-cost-5500-for-replacement-with-heat-resistant-chemistry

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/09/01/nissan-testing-heat-resistant-battery-adding-two-more-ev-models/ / Nissan Leaf went on saleannounced cost of a replacement lithium-ion battery pack electric car EV low $5,499 $1,000 credit turning in the old pack which is required plus installation fees tax 3 hours of labor lithium-ion lithium ion LiIon battery pack cells assembled into modules replacement pack $225 installation kit new battery backward compatible earliest Leaf models 24 kilowatt hour packs more heat-tolerant battery chemistry reduces capacity loss very high temperatures potential plans higher-capacity replacement batteries announcement buyer of a used Nissan Leaf certainty certain cost replace battery energy capacity fall to 70 percent of the original figure potential potentially electric cars longer life than previously thought Nissan's aggressive pricing losing money initially on low initial demand for replacement packs future economies of scale battery making sales of its battery-electric vehicles continue to rise pack-replacement cost post on the MyNissanLeaf forum Brian Brockman senior manager of corporate communications at Nissan 24 hours post generated more than 125 comments earlier lease plan for replacement batteries capacity loss extremely hot cities Phoenix Arizona financing plan for the replacement battery replacement process recycled secondary usage energy storage /

Qwerkywriter - the keyboard inspired by vintage mechanical typewriters (video)

To quote the developer, "Both fun to type on, & beautiful to look at."

Can't actually confirm the, "fun to type on", but, "beautiful to look at" — just look at the pictures.



Qwerkywriter is a Kickstarter project.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/954250822/the-qwerkywriter-typewriter-inspired-mechanical-ke?ref=nav_search

http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/qwerkywriter-typewriter-inspired-mechanical-keyboard-05-06-2014/ / 84 key USB vintage typewriter inspired mechanical keyboard fun to type on beautiful to look at Qwerkywriter 84 key USB typewriter inspired mechanical keyboard simulates tactile clicky feel vintage typewriter classic custom typewriter inspired keycaps integrated tablet stand detachable USB cable mini-usb port Mini USB early hand built proof of concept prototype final shipping version CAD engineered machine tooled factory built mechanical keyboard modern switch emulates typewriter clicky feel features beautiful chrome accented round keycaps vintage typewriter inspired frame tablet stand accommodate a wide range of tablets up to 5/8 inches thick integrate Bluetooth wireless support stretch goal chrome return bar platen knobs function programmable macro function key blank keycaps upon request font fonts user replaceable Windows WIN MAC OSX Macintosh layout supported $289 price point machine tools cost of the mechanical key switches highest quality mech keyboards custom moulded 3 piece keycap narrow tolerance specs specifications beautiful hybrid metal plastic frame tier supporting ISO layout popular demand $295 pledge supporting international languages compact form factor emulate vintage typewriter footprint dedicated arrow function keys ANSI US layout exceed our funding beautiful occupy my workspace ugly tactile feed back Cherry MX Bluesclicky mechanical switch vintage keycaps metal chrome accented clear top common relegendable keycaps tablet stand wireless WiFi Bluetooth transceiver return bar platen roller programmable macro key knobs platen roller /