Words and Links

This is a wonderful take on the traditional story of Little Red Riding Hood from an engineers perspective.  The cutaway of the VW Bus is the best part.  Either that or the nutritional summary of Grandma.

Slagsmålsklubben – Sponsored by destiny from Tomas Nilsson on Vimeo.

The following is a true letter to the editor from a North East Pennsylvania newspaper.  It is frightening to think that there are people out there who think like this.

A new Constitution to reflect the present

I am fed up with conservatives who criticize everything our president and the Democrats do.  They love to refer to a 200-plus-year-old document that is about as relevant today as the horse and buggy.  We need a new Constitution.  One that reflects our current needs and rights and Obama’s mandate for change from the American people gives him the power and indeed, the obligation to create one.  We know now that the free market does not work.  Obama was wise enough to know that only government could save us from ourselves and our adherence to a capitalist system that is run on greed.  Let’s use this wisdom to ensure that every American has the right to health care, housing, transportation, a college education and a good-paying job.  As for the current health care debate, how can the average American understand such a complex problem?  We have experts in the government to figure out what is best for us.  Let’s let them do the job we voted them into office to do.

No, I am not putting the writers name here out of sympathy for them.

How can we nurture habits of serious, critical thought in our children? How do we help them sharpen their minds for a highly competitive future? The answer is to stretch the mind beyond the obvious. Experts say that the only route to that would be to develop a “thinking environment” in our home.

Children’s understanding and potential may be defined largely by the age group they belong to, yet a broad set of do’s and don’ts may be all we need to help them make competitive thinkers and well rounded humans as a whole. Here is a “crash course list” of some of those:

The starting step would be first and foremost to examine our own “thinking about thinking”. Deep thinkers may not always be best scholars or the most intelligent kids. The reason behind this may be that while an intelligent person may be able to give quick (read lazy) answers, on the other hand, a daydreamer may often provide deep insights.

Start early. Even as a 5 year old, an early start may give the child a much needed head start as well as an ingrained sense of really thinking about things.

Give them something to think about. Taking the kids to excursions, museums, sharing TV time with them and then discussing about what they have just experienced, challenge their imaginations. Like it may be thought provoking for them if after a tour of the museum you ask them “What might the earth be like if the dinosaurs come back?”

Involve the whole family. Dinner time conversation or small harmless talks at gatherings can go a long way in developing the thinking habit as it will develop the tendency to give and take ideas and sense of sharing thoughts and experiences.

Find patterns. Teach the child to relate new information with the old one. Once the child recognizes patterns of sorts, the decision making and understanding of choices are easier done. What factors determine the purchase or rejection of a certain toy today, may go further and help them decide whether or not a certain bicycle is worth buying or not.

Say what you mean. Be articulate so as to give clear ideas and signals to the child. Asking the child to daily relate certain story or to describe a picture in detail and then discuss the same with them. This will teach them to understand and relate their own experiences in clear words.

Urge them to wear the other person’s shoes, make them understand how others think and feel. Often putting oneself in the other person’s place can drastically alter our perception of the situation.

Teach them to take responsibility for their own expenses in an interesting way. Each time we pass a toy shop, how often have we heard “I want this …” or “buy me this”? This situation presents us with an opportunity to teach another important lesson about personal finance and savings and to make the kids understand that people often save their money for things they want to buy.
This may be done by introducing the concept of piggy bank or earnings through household chores.

Thinking is not a substitute to studies. Thinking and education can not be substitutes for each other, both are necessary for intellectual development.

Thinking takes practice so keep at it! Young people do not develop the habit of logical thought over the night. But if you keep at it then like any well learned skill, it is worth it.

The key here is to follow our hearts. Keep the malleability of their little minds in consideration while trying to instill any values in the children, and what is most important … treat them and their decisions with respect. That way they will also come to respect your decisions and aspirations for them.

Vitamins

The wife recently found out that she is deficient in vitamin K so since I have the research done, I’ll share it with you.

Vitamin K is one of the lesser-known vitamins, yet it is very important in ensuring that our body functions properly.

Vitamin K is responsible for helping the blood to make the specialized proteins that are found in blood plasma, that is, the clear fluid in the blood. One of these proteins is prothrombin, and this ensures that our blood clots. If this was not present, then it is likely we would bleed to death if we cut ourselves. Hemophiliacs are usually unable to make enough vitamin K by themselves, and so need supplements.

Vitamin K also helps the body to maintain and make kidney and bone tissue. Along with vitamin D, it is essential in the maintenance of healthy bones. Vitamin K ensures that proteins that are essential for bone cell production are activated. Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium that is also needed for healthy bones.

The US Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for an Adequate Intake (AI) of vitamin K for a 25-year old male is 120 micrograms/day. The Adequate Intake of this vitamin for adult women is 90 micrograms/day, for infants is 10-20 micrograms/day, for children and adolescents 15-100 micrograms/day. However most people get all the vitamin K they need from their diet. Vitamin K is made in the large intestine, with the help of “friendly bacteria”. Newborn babies may not have enough of these bacteria in their gut to make vitamin K, and so an injection of synthetic vitamin K may be given to them, until they are able to make their own.

Vitamin K is found in liver, cheese, fruits, cereals and dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach and broccoli.

Deficiency in vitamin K is rare, and supplements are not generally necessary. As with all things medical, consult a doctor if you need more advice.

Yes, you can click on the above and Google will place your call to one of my phones, or to voicemail as I choose.  This is just one of the nice conveniences of Google Voice services. 

When you sign up for Google Voice you get a permanent number that you will give out to people that can be directed to whatever phone you choose based on the number that is calling.  For example if Joe from work calls, you might choose to have his call go to your cell, but when Mom calls you might route her call to your home phone.

Their call screening feature will announce callers and can allow you to listen to the message that is being left before answering.  Also you can create a list of numbers to block and phone spammers can be eliminated by banning them according to Google’s spam list.

SMS messages can be sent, received, and stored through this service and accessed through your phone or on the web.  The web interface allows for easy configuration of all services and management of call information and messaging. 

When a voicemail is left it is automatically transcribed and can be read on the web or sent right to your cell phone.  The transcription is not perfect, but this is a convenient feature allowing you to skip calling into voicemail to check messages.

Some other features are conference calling, the ability to record calls, saving preferences by groups, the ability to switch phones mid-call, and GOOG-411 directory information.

For more of the 411 on Google Voice check out their info site.

The Family Guy animated television series is at least as popular as The Simpsons, and arguably far funnier.  With millions watching the show there has to be some curiosity as to who is behind the cast of Family Guy characters.  Here are the faces that you can now associate with the Family Guy cast.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane is the voice of Peter Griffin, the patriarch of the Griffin household and central character of Family Guy.  MacFarlane also voices the characters: Brian Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Glenn Quagmire, The Kool Aid Man, Bill Clinton, William Shatner and others.  Seth MacFarlane is the creator of the series.

Alex Borstein

Alex Borstein voices Lois Griffin, Peter’s wife and the sometimes voice of reason on the show.  She also plays Loretta Brown, Barbara Pewterschmidt, Tricia Takanawa, and Queen Latifah among others.

Seth Green

Seth Green is the voice of Chris Griffin, son of Peter and Lois, and probably the dimmest bulb of the show.  Green also portrays Neil Goldman.

Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis, That 70’s Show girl is the voice of Meg, the awkward daughter of the Griffins.

Mike Henry

Mike Henry voices Cleveland Brown, Herbert, The Greased Up Deaf Guy, Magic Johnson, Fred Rogers, and O.J. Simpson among others.

You can view a good clip of the actors performing their roles here on YouTube.  Learn more about Family Guy here.