A bedspread is a close relation to the coverlet
and is constructed similarly, but is designed to meet the floor.
This style adds a soft, ethereal romance to a bedroom and works
especially well in a period style home.
Coverlets
differ from quilts only slightly and sometimes not at all. Coverlets typically fall a couple of inches
below the mattress. Quilts contain a middle layer for
warmth, coverlets may not. The purely ornamental choice can be
as simple as two sheets of fabric stitched together, usually
consisting of a decorative face fabric and a plain reverse
fabric. Coverlets can be made loose, throw-style, semi-fitted,
or fitted. The side flaps are sewn together so that the coverlet
fits over the mattress like a cap. It is not designed for easy
bed making or for tossing and turning under.
A comforter looks much like a duvet, except that it is
decorative and all parts are integral. Its fill is more lofty
than that of a quilt and comes in a wide range of densities and
fiber contents. Comforters can be smooth, quilted, or shirred
(gathering). Quilting and shirring help ensure the fill stays
evenly distributed.
A duvet is a cotton, polyester, blended, or down feather
blanket that can be used in place of upper sheet and blanket. A
duvet cover is little more than a washable bag for the duvet. It
is composed of two fabric sides that are joined together by a
zipper, ties, or buttons. Placing a duvet at the foot of a bed
is a popular stylistic choice for those who feel the pattern is
too much of a good thing. On the other hand, those who opt for
dual, coordinating fabrics for the face and reverse sides are
rewarded with the opportunity to showcase both simultaneously if
they flip the top of their duvet. With a warm layer underneath,
a smaller duvet can serve as an extra comfort to the sleeper who
requires a bit more warmth.
A quilt is one of the most traditional bed coverings.
Before fabric was loomed in long sheets, frugal home sewers
pieced together scraps of worn clothing and kitchen textiles
into two sides of a blanket that sandwiched a warmth layer.
Today we use batting for this layer, though in centuries past it
could have been any insulating agent, from horsehair to grass.
Quilting is also a term for the designs created by threads as
they bind together the two fabric layers and the internal layer
of any bed covering. This means that quilting is not limited to
quilts: Duvets can be quilted, as can comforters.
Incidentally, matelasse is a special type
of fabric made in the French tradition with a jacquard loom
that gives a tufted look and can be made into comforters,
duvet covers, coverlets, and quilts. The term simply refers to
a cotton fabric with a raised design.
Nov 16, 2018
Quick Ice Pack
Pour one third rubbing or other
alcohol and two thirds water in a sandwich bag. It will freeze,
but still be flexible.
Super Brain Computer
Researchers at Manchester
University have just switched on the world’s largest
neuromorphic supercomputer. While a neuromorphic supercomputer
may be the closest thing we have to an artificial brain, we are
still a long way off from building the huge head-shaped computer
from The Matrix: Revolutions - which is a good thing.
A neuromorphic supercomputer mimics the biological neural activities of a human brain by emitting spikes of pure electro-chemical energy. To achieve this, scientists at Manchester University built the computer with one million processors at its core.
So far SpiNNaker is able to make 200 trillion actions per second and it took ten years to build.
A neuromorphic supercomputer mimics the biological neural activities of a human brain by emitting spikes of pure electro-chemical energy. To achieve this, scientists at Manchester University built the computer with one million processors at its core.
So far SpiNNaker is able to make 200 trillion actions per second and it took ten years to build.
More Keyboard Shortcuts
Finding words in
documents is tedious, but with Apple, typing (command key) ⌘ + f
speeds up the process. The command works in Pages, Safari,
Chrome, Word, and just about everywhere else.
- In Windows use CTRL + f
Selecting everything, especially in a big document, can take ages. Hitting ⌘ + a selects everything. Copy and paste text with the Mac by typing ⌘ + c (copy) and then ⌘ + v (paste) makes it much easier. This shortcut works with text, photos, and anything else that can be copied.
- In Windows it is CTRL + a, (select) CTRL + c (copy), and CTRL + V (paste).
switch apps by pressing ⌘ + tab.
- In Windows ALT +tab.
Take an instant screenshot of everything on the Apple screen with ⌘ + shift + 3.
- In Windows shift + prnt screen.
- In Windows use CTRL + f
Selecting everything, especially in a big document, can take ages. Hitting ⌘ + a selects everything. Copy and paste text with the Mac by typing ⌘ + c (copy) and then ⌘ + v (paste) makes it much easier. This shortcut works with text, photos, and anything else that can be copied.
- In Windows it is CTRL + a, (select) CTRL + c (copy), and CTRL + V (paste).
switch apps by pressing ⌘ + tab.
- In Windows ALT +tab.
Take an instant screenshot of everything on the Apple screen with ⌘ + shift + 3.
- In Windows shift + prnt screen.
Hereditary Titles
Hereditary titles have a hierarchy
known as the five grades or ranks of the peerage, just as in
various other European countries. The highest grade is
duke/duchess, followed by marquess/marchioness, earl/countess,
viscount/viscountess, and baron/baroness.
Dukes and duchesses are addressed with their actual title, but all other ranks of the peerage are addressed as Lord or Lady. Non-hereditary life peers are also addressed as Lord or Lady.
Life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as age and citizenship. The legitimate children of a life peer are entitled to style themselves with the prefix "The Honourable", although they cannot inherit the peerage itself.
Lord and Sir are two titles that show difference between them in terms of their significance and application. Lord is an inherited title or given by a government. A Lord can occupy the seat of the House of Lords.
Sir refers to the Knight, so it is an honor of Knighthood bestowed on an individual by the Queen. The title of Sir is lower rank of nobility when compared to the title of Lord. These are individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their field and have been awarded official honors in the name of the reigning monarch. There are different categories, but only those receiving the highest level of award are entitled to use the title Dame or Sir.
The fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, for example, received a knighthood in 2000 from Queen Elizabeth II, while actress Dame Judi Dench received the female equivalent of a knighthood in 1988 – Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Elton John (Reginald Kenneth Dwight) was knighted by Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.
Dukes and duchesses are addressed with their actual title, but all other ranks of the peerage are addressed as Lord or Lady. Non-hereditary life peers are also addressed as Lord or Lady.
Life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as age and citizenship. The legitimate children of a life peer are entitled to style themselves with the prefix "The Honourable", although they cannot inherit the peerage itself.
Lord and Sir are two titles that show difference between them in terms of their significance and application. Lord is an inherited title or given by a government. A Lord can occupy the seat of the House of Lords.
Sir refers to the Knight, so it is an honor of Knighthood bestowed on an individual by the Queen. The title of Sir is lower rank of nobility when compared to the title of Lord. These are individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their field and have been awarded official honors in the name of the reigning monarch. There are different categories, but only those receiving the highest level of award are entitled to use the title Dame or Sir.
The fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, for example, received a knighthood in 2000 from Queen Elizabeth II, while actress Dame Judi Dench received the female equivalent of a knighthood in 1988 – Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Elton John (Reginald Kenneth Dwight) was knighted by Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.
Nov 9, 2018
Happy Friday
The sun does not wait for
you to rise. Neither does happiness.
You must rise up to take advantage of either or both, especially on a Happy Friday!
You must rise up to take advantage of either or both, especially on a Happy Friday!
AR vs. MR, vs. VR
AR is augmented reality. If virtual reality is total
immersion, augmented reality is all about layering virtual
elements onto the real world. Pokémon Go is probably the most
well-known example of this technique, with a nexus of magical
animals layered onto a real-world map and what you can see with
your phone’s camera.
Until recently, AR has been distinguished by a level of disconnect between the virtual and real world. You may have information imposed on your field of vision – like images or text, but these virtual elements are not anchored to the real world, and do not respond to physical objects in real-time.
Devices such as Google Glass were early attempts to integrate AR into headwear, but while there are reports that Apple is working on hardware dedicated to AR, and there are some crazy patents about AR contact lenses, the current mode for AR is to layer virtual elements using pre-existing devices such as smartphones and tablets.
MR is mixed reality. Mixed reality involves a strong element of interaction between physical and digital elements. The clearest case of this is Microsoft’s HoloLens, which can impose virtual models of buildings, bodies, and vehicles that designers can walk around, inspect and tweak as they see fit. Experimental hardware such as the Magic Leap and Intel’s Project Alloy prototype have given a glimpse of where this path could lead, potentially encompassing elements like haptics (touch).
The lines between AR and MR have blurred somewhat. You could argue the IKEA app, for example is a form of mixed reality as it allows users to walk around virtual furniture on a real-world carpet, as it if were a physical object. Some say MR is another way of saying ‘“true AR”. It is likely that, as digital-physical interactions become more sophisticated, one term will likely take over the other. Many believe mixed reality will prevail.
VR is virtual reality. It is most often used as an umbrella term for many immersive, computer-simulated environments. This means that you can probably get away with calling AR and MR subsections of VR.
Virtual reality is a totally computer-simulated version of reality (for sound and vision). Head-mounted displays like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR, as well as mobile-based headsets like Google Daydream and Samsung Gear, are all VR hardware. You strap them onto your face, and are immersed in a digital environment. Another subsection of VR is 360-degree video. Special cameras capture these images, so they are not computer-made virtual environments, but you still experience them using a VR headset.
Ideally, a VR user should feel like they have been transported from their living room into a totally different space. Having your field of vision taken up by a virtual world can trick your brain into feeling physically present within that reality. These ideas about presence and immersion and the potential for VR to communicate another person’s perspective, making a user feel physically involved in a way screen-based film cannot.
None of these should be confused with AI, artificial intelligence, which is a totally different topic.
Until recently, AR has been distinguished by a level of disconnect between the virtual and real world. You may have information imposed on your field of vision – like images or text, but these virtual elements are not anchored to the real world, and do not respond to physical objects in real-time.
Devices such as Google Glass were early attempts to integrate AR into headwear, but while there are reports that Apple is working on hardware dedicated to AR, and there are some crazy patents about AR contact lenses, the current mode for AR is to layer virtual elements using pre-existing devices such as smartphones and tablets.
MR is mixed reality. Mixed reality involves a strong element of interaction between physical and digital elements. The clearest case of this is Microsoft’s HoloLens, which can impose virtual models of buildings, bodies, and vehicles that designers can walk around, inspect and tweak as they see fit. Experimental hardware such as the Magic Leap and Intel’s Project Alloy prototype have given a glimpse of where this path could lead, potentially encompassing elements like haptics (touch).
The lines between AR and MR have blurred somewhat. You could argue the IKEA app, for example is a form of mixed reality as it allows users to walk around virtual furniture on a real-world carpet, as it if were a physical object. Some say MR is another way of saying ‘“true AR”. It is likely that, as digital-physical interactions become more sophisticated, one term will likely take over the other. Many believe mixed reality will prevail.
VR is virtual reality. It is most often used as an umbrella term for many immersive, computer-simulated environments. This means that you can probably get away with calling AR and MR subsections of VR.
Virtual reality is a totally computer-simulated version of reality (for sound and vision). Head-mounted displays like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR, as well as mobile-based headsets like Google Daydream and Samsung Gear, are all VR hardware. You strap them onto your face, and are immersed in a digital environment. Another subsection of VR is 360-degree video. Special cameras capture these images, so they are not computer-made virtual environments, but you still experience them using a VR headset.
Ideally, a VR user should feel like they have been transported from their living room into a totally different space. Having your field of vision taken up by a virtual world can trick your brain into feeling physically present within that reality. These ideas about presence and immersion and the potential for VR to communicate another person’s perspective, making a user feel physically involved in a way screen-based film cannot.
None of these should be confused with AI, artificial intelligence, which is a totally different topic.
Wordology, Dashboard
A dashboard, or dash, was a rectangular piece of wood, metal,
or leather fixed to the front of a horse-drawn carriage to stop
mud from being splashed, or dashed on the riders.
Artificial Intelligence
Making sure
Artificial Intelligence (AI) does what we want and
behaves in predictable ways will be crucial as the technology
becomes increasingly ubiquitous. It is an area frequently
neglected in the race to develop products, but DeepMind has now
outlined its research agenda to tackle the problem.
AI safety, as the field is known, has been gaining prominence in recent years. That is probably at least partly down to the overzealous warnings of a coming AI apocalypse from Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking. It is also recognition of the fact that AI technology is quickly pervading all aspects of our lives, making decisions on everything from what movies we watch to whether we get a mortgage.
That is why DeepMind hired researchers who specialize in foreseeing the unforeseen consequences of the way we built AI back in 2016. The team has spelled out the three key domains they think require research if we are going to build autonomous machines that do what we want.
In a new blog designed to provide updates on the team’s work, they introduce the ideas of specification, robustness, and assurance, which they say will act as the cornerstones of future research. Specification involves making sure AI systems do what their operator intends; robustness means a system can cope with changes to its environment and attempts to throw it off course; and assurance involves our ability to understand what systems are doing and how to control them.
AI safety, as the field is known, has been gaining prominence in recent years. That is probably at least partly down to the overzealous warnings of a coming AI apocalypse from Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking. It is also recognition of the fact that AI technology is quickly pervading all aspects of our lives, making decisions on everything from what movies we watch to whether we get a mortgage.
That is why DeepMind hired researchers who specialize in foreseeing the unforeseen consequences of the way we built AI back in 2016. The team has spelled out the three key domains they think require research if we are going to build autonomous machines that do what we want.
In a new blog designed to provide updates on the team’s work, they introduce the ideas of specification, robustness, and assurance, which they say will act as the cornerstones of future research. Specification involves making sure AI systems do what their operator intends; robustness means a system can cope with changes to its environment and attempts to throw it off course; and assurance involves our ability to understand what systems are doing and how to control them.
Laughing Fact
Laughing for
fifteen minutes has the same benefit as getting two extra hours
of sleep.
Ceiling Fan Changes
Many people do not realize the difference made with the
reversal of ceiling fans between summer and winter. Ceiling fans
are designed to cool you off during the summer and warm you in
the winter.
Every ceiling fan has a switch. When the temperature level drops in late fall, flip the switch so the fan is moving clockwise as you look up to it. This redirects rising hot air back down into the room, making it feel warmer. Using a fan during the winter can save as much as 10% to 15% of heating costs. Also remember to slow down the speed during winter.
During the summer you want the fan to blow air straight down, so your ceiling fan needs to run in a counter clockwise direction as you look up at it. The warmer it is, the higher the speed should be. During the winter, your fan should run at a low speed in a clockwise direction, which pushes the naturally rising warm air back down.
Incidentally, the two largest consumers of your energy costs are heating and air conditioning. Fans can mitigate some of those costs, because the worst energy guzzling ceiling fans on the market, on average will likely cost less than 2 cents per hour to run, depending on local energy costs.
Every ceiling fan has a switch. When the temperature level drops in late fall, flip the switch so the fan is moving clockwise as you look up to it. This redirects rising hot air back down into the room, making it feel warmer. Using a fan during the winter can save as much as 10% to 15% of heating costs. Also remember to slow down the speed during winter.
During the summer you want the fan to blow air straight down, so your ceiling fan needs to run in a counter clockwise direction as you look up at it. The warmer it is, the higher the speed should be. During the winter, your fan should run at a low speed in a clockwise direction, which pushes the naturally rising warm air back down.
Incidentally, the two largest consumers of your energy costs are heating and air conditioning. Fans can mitigate some of those costs, because the worst energy guzzling ceiling fans on the market, on average will likely cost less than 2 cents per hour to run, depending on local energy costs.
Funny Words
Umpty
had been in use since the mid 19th Century as a slang term for
an unspecified or seemingly impossibly large number, such as the
word umpteen in the early 1900s.
Twankle, according to the English Dialect Dictionary (1905), to twankle is ‘to twang with the fingers on a music instrument’. Absentmindedly strumming or playing an instrument is also known as twiddling, twangling, tootling, noodling, plunking, or thrumming.
Xanthippe is a scolding, quarrelsome woman, named after the wife of the Greek philosopher Socrates, who was referred to by one of his students as "the most difficult woman not just of this generation … but of all the generations past and yet to come". While the reasons for that reputation are unclear, Xanthippe’s name ended up in the dictionary as a reference to a henpecking, argumentative spouse.
Twankle, according to the English Dialect Dictionary (1905), to twankle is ‘to twang with the fingers on a music instrument’. Absentmindedly strumming or playing an instrument is also known as twiddling, twangling, tootling, noodling, plunking, or thrumming.
Xanthippe is a scolding, quarrelsome woman, named after the wife of the Greek philosopher Socrates, who was referred to by one of his students as "the most difficult woman not just of this generation … but of all the generations past and yet to come". While the reasons for that reputation are unclear, Xanthippe’s name ended up in the dictionary as a reference to a henpecking, argumentative spouse.
Cultured Chicken Nuggets
The Just company is predicting that it will have
a cultured chicken nugget available during 2018. It is not the
only company doing so, but will be the first of many to produce
a cultured product.
The CEO said in an interview that his company would have a chicken nugget, foie gras, or sausage available by the end of 2018. Looks like it will be a chicken nugget. The company calls it 'clean meat'.
To make cultured chicken, you first collect some cells, and that can be done through a small harmless biopsy from a live chicken, through a cell bank, feathers, or other ways. The cells are separated and the best are loaded into a bioreactor, given plant based nutrients, and a scaffolding material on which to grow. It can take from a few days to a few weeks to produce a nugget.
Two BBC News reporters were able to try a sample and said it was flavorful, that the skin was crisp, and the texture was slightly softer than that of fast food nuggets.
The plan is to introduce the product in Europe first, and then the US, after FDA and USDA decide how to deal with it.
Not sure they will stack up well to the new McDonald's Triple Breakfast Stacks. Each sandwich features two sausage patties, two slices of cheese, eggs, and bacon strips. Guests can choose between a McMuffin, Biscuits, or a McGriddle triple.
The CEO said in an interview that his company would have a chicken nugget, foie gras, or sausage available by the end of 2018. Looks like it will be a chicken nugget. The company calls it 'clean meat'.
To make cultured chicken, you first collect some cells, and that can be done through a small harmless biopsy from a live chicken, through a cell bank, feathers, or other ways. The cells are separated and the best are loaded into a bioreactor, given plant based nutrients, and a scaffolding material on which to grow. It can take from a few days to a few weeks to produce a nugget.
Two BBC News reporters were able to try a sample and said it was flavorful, that the skin was crisp, and the texture was slightly softer than that of fast food nuggets.
The plan is to introduce the product in Europe first, and then the US, after FDA and USDA decide how to deal with it.
Not sure they will stack up well to the new McDonald's Triple Breakfast Stacks. Each sandwich features two sausage patties, two slices of cheese, eggs, and bacon strips. Guests can choose between a McMuffin, Biscuits, or a McGriddle triple.
Quick Emojis
Emojis are fun and now you can get at them fast. Place the
cursor where you want to insert.
For Windows 10, press the Windows key and . (period) key to display the Emoji keyboard. This does not work on previous versions of Windows.
For Mac users, press Command and Control and Spacebar to access them.
For Windows 10, press the Windows key and . (period) key to display the Emoji keyboard. This does not work on previous versions of Windows.
For Mac users, press Command and Control and Spacebar to access them.
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