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Haptics is to touch the way optics is to sight. It's a user interface that circumvents the cluttered inputs of sight and sound, and it's appearing in an increasing number of objects we interact with daily. Vibration is just the beginning.
Any sort of information received through touch is haptic; braille could be considered haptic communication. But as it appears in technology, it's generally either tactile (expressing texture) or kinesthetic (expressing force or position). Haptics is used to better robotic control, to increase realism in gaming, and even to sit up straighter.
The roots of haptic technology are mechanical, says Will Provancher, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Utah and co-chair of the World Haptics Technical Committee.
"Right around the time of WWII, people were trying to handle radioactive materials, and if you have direct contact with these materials, you will eventually die," he says. "So to be able to handle these materials safely, people started making kinematic linkages."
That is, scientists and engineers used a mechanical apparatus to manipulate the samples — pull, and it pulls, turn, and it turns. But more recently, computers have become an interface between controller (master) and controlled (slave). Motor control is much finer, but that's not always enough.
Haptics in Robotics
Take robot surgery, for example. It's difficult to respond accurately to solely visual cues, and when you're wielding a cutting tool, it's important to be able to tell how much pressure you're applying to whatever you're cutting, lest you slice right through it (and anything else in the way).
"People believe that by adding some tactile, or kinesthetic, just generally haptic feedback, there might be some potential advantages for improved surgical outcomes," says Provancher.
That's one path Kinea Design is trying to forge, with haptic tactors that provide feedback based on signals from artificial fingers. The company's research is targeted more at prosthetics — it's involved in DARPA's Revolutionizing Prosthetics program — but much of the feedback technology accomplishes similar functions. Sensors on the prosthetic's fingertips relay pressure, texture, and friction information back to a mount that artificially recreates it in the nerve endings at the juncture to the body.
Photo: Courtesy of HDT Global, which acquired Kinea in 2011
Phone Feedback
It was relatively simple to introduce haptics into phones. Actuators are cheap, especially relative to the cost of a smartphone, and they're regularly in contact with our hands or bodies, so there's a direct link. But the ways haptics can be integrated are expanding, first from vibrating ringers to buzzing on a key-press.
As haptic outputs get more precise, says Provancher, they'll be able to impart still more information in the form of vibrotactile signatures. And you'll be able to feel it, just as the vibrations from a tuba feel different from those from a car engine, or the bass in a movie theater.
"So you could make different waveforms that felt much more different from each other," he says. "They're calling this area HD haptics."
The oscillations of a vibrotactile device can be described by a sine wave. They've got an amplitude and a frequency, and varying the speed of a vibrating motor changes them. But incorporating more nuanced vibrators could allow devices to vary amplitude and frequency independently, giving them a much wider range of possible signatures — enough even for every contact in your phone book.
But that's not the only way to expand haptic technology in phones. Tactus Technology is working on a dynamic smartphone screen that features physical buttons that rise up out of the screen when needed.
The idea is to blend the qualities of large-screen phones with the tactile interface of keyboard phones, like BlackBerries, and Tactus says it could replace haptic key-press buzzers with buttons.
Tactus uses a microfluidic technology that pressurizes a fluid in the buttons based on a signal from the device. The fluid expands through tiny holes beneath the screen, and pushes a small bulb out over a predetermined location.
Currently, it exists as an additional layer, set over a touchscreen, that raises the buttons about a millimeter, but it could also be integrated into new phones and tablets, or even non-screen locations such as car doors or keypads.
Photo: Courtesy of Tactus Technology
Haptic connections aren't just limited to reproducing reality; they can give important information about virtual situations as well. That's what Disney Research is developing with Surround Haptics. By introducing vibration to gaming environments, Disney is trying to increase the realism, calling it an "immersive tactile experience."
This project goes well beyond rumble packs. By integrating it into seats, gloves, vests, and shoes, Surround Haptics has been able to reproduce road conditions in driving games, but also represent skidding, acceleration, and collisions.
It works by drawing patterns of vibrations on the user's back; instead of feeling two distinct vibrating points, the brain perceives the input as one vibrating point, equidistant from the real ones. A network of points used this way can impart many different sensations, associated with different gameplay actions.
The fruits of the research are available in an Avengers branded gaming pad that sells for $100, but as the seat relies only on audio input — it simply matches vibrations to the game's sound — it's more of a glorified rumble pack than an immersive tactile experience.
Photo: Courtesy of Marvel
Safety and Notifications
Cadillac has spent much of its history trying to eliminate vibrations from the road. But with several of the 2013 line, Caddy is also rumbling seats.
The Safety Alert Seat is linked to sensors on the car's outside. If there's an impending collision, the car will notify you via your backside. Cadillac says this is to cut through all the other sensory inputs — i.e., sight and sound — vying for your attention.
Cadillac ATS Photo: Courtesy of General Motors
Interpersonal Communication, or How to Be Suave
Somewhere between the Surround Haptics research, with it's network of vibrating nodes, and the Cadillac, with its left/right directional notifications, is the RISR body language training shirt.
Basically, the RISR uses an iPhone app to read the wearer's posture and give feedback in the form of vibrations. Furthermore, it uses an infrared camera on the front to monitor social cues from a date, and helps the wearer position him or herself in response. Or at least that's what it would do, if it were real.
Unfortunately for the awkward, it's not available; it's a fictional product based on a design-school project.
Photo: Courtesy of RISR
Passive Haptics and Balance
Unlike the feedback-based, interactive vibrations from Surround Haptics, Cadillac, and RISR, the vibrating insoles Jim Collins is working on don't impart information to the user — at least not consciously.
Collins — a bioengineer at Boston University and the Wyss Institute at Harvard — found that random vibrations introduced in the feet of participants helped them sway less, or keep their balance better.
"It's not a feedback-based system," says Collins, who has been studying the effect for almost 20 years. "What we're doing is introducing a bias signal, to their sensory neurons, which is basically serving as a pedestal or booster for the signals they normally would detect."
That is, small vibrations in the feet cause heightened nerve sensitivity, and thus users — including stroke victims, diabetics, the elderly, but also the young and fit — detect signals they would normally miss.
The insoles aren't on the market yet, but Collins envisions additional future applications in sports equipment, like ski boots and golf shoes.
Photo: Courtesy of the Wyss Institute
Another arm of Disney Research — called REVEL — has been exploring reverse electrovibration as a way to project texture onto smooth objects.
Electrovibration is the practice of running an alternating current through an object to give it texture: a finger drawn across it will alternately be attracted and released, almost imperceptibly, and the result will feel like a rubbery friction.
Disney's project, headed by Olivier Bau and Ivan Poupyrev, runs the current through the user, instead of the object. That way, in combination with a sensor, a computer system knows what they're interacting with and can alter the item's texture based on a predetermined condition.
As it currently exists, the technology depends on a lot of conditions: the object must include conductive and insulating layers; an apparatus has to be connected to the body to transmit the signal; an external camera or sensor must provide locational context; and both objects must connect to a common ground.
But the core concept, that you can run a signal through your finger based on what's observed in your proximity, and project tactile information on it, could be useful in entertainment, education, and even security. Variations in the current (which remains lower than the threshold for human sensation) can change the perception of the environment.
Photo: Hanna Fuhrmann
More Notifications: Turn Signals
Makers and hackers are exploring haptics too: this student project installed vibrating actuators in bike helmets (though handlebars could work also) to notify riders when a turn is approaching. The system uses an Arduino to run a signaling algorithm, which tells the actuators when to vibrate based on a Bluetooth connection to an Android device running a GPS and a custom app.
Photo: Becky Stern/Flickr
Involuntary Contractions
Electrodes placed on the forearm can cause (painless) involuntary muscle contractions. A user holding a phone — say, for a video game — would tilt that phone to one side or the other.
Pedro Lopes and Patrick Baudisch of the Hasso-Plattner-Institut, an engineering and design school in Potsdam, Germany, built a prototype "force feedback" device that uses electrodes (and the body's own muscles) instead of a mechanical actuator to give haptic feedback. If a windmill blows your digital plane one way, your (arm will cause the) device to tilt, and you'll have to respond, forcing the other arm back up.
Photo: Courtesy of Hasso-Plattner-Institut
Education, Motility, and Robot-Assisted Driving
Infants and toddlers develop socialization skills in conjunction with motility skills, says University of Delaware Professor of Physical Therapy Cole Galloway. But for special needs children, those skills are often learned disparately, out of context.
Galloway and his colleagues Sunil Agrawal (pictured with Galloway), Xi Chen, and Christina Ragonesi discovered that the hard way, while experimenting with smaller mobility carts — around 25 pounds, compared to a typical 250-pound power chair — for infants and toddlers.
The team used haptic joysticks to teach special needs kids from six months to four years old to navigate an obstacle course while mounted on the carts. Sonar and laser guides mounted on the carts calculate a dynamically-changing open path. Then the joystick offers slight physical resistance if the kid pushes it toward an obstacle instead of the clear path.
"We can teach you to be mobile, and the robotics can teach you to be social," says Galloway. "You're driving. But there's a soft, probabilistic push."
Though the kids learned to zig-zag around mats in a gymnasium, they refused to drive the carts when placed in a social setting. So the researchers used the same technology to encourage the kids to interact with each other, gently nudging the drivers toward a group of kids playing ball.
"What we're seeing is, that toddlers who wouldn't necessarily go over and play ball with kids, we can turn on the robotics and it sort of softly gets them over," says Galloway. "And then when we turn it off, they go over by themselves."
Photo: Evan Krape/University of Delaware


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Hello there, I'm beebee from walkotws.blogspot.com. I am a student, blogger, and aspiring designer from Malibu, California. I love exploring my garden, taking photographs, crafting, winter sweaters, and letter writing.
I recently ordered from the newly opened Fog Linen Shop, which sells gorgeous linens, tea towels, checkered trays, incredibly soft pillowcases, and simply pure, and minimalistic daily items that you just can't live without. Upon receiving my order (which consisted of two lovely gingham tea towels and a pack of linen tapes!), I hoped that I would be one of the first 75 Fog Linen customers, as they were giving away a free "Around Fog Linen" book/catalog filled with inspiration for the home, crafts, and a peek into the lives of many creators. So, as I opened up my package, my eyes lit up as I slowly pulled out my shiny new book.
I must say, it is filled to the brim with exceptionally well- lit photographs, homes so beautiful and perfect that they are impossible not to envy, and interesting interviews with questions such as, "what is your breakfast today?" I was sold on the first page.
The overall layout is different that what one would expect, as it organized in such a way that the pictures are randomly placed on the page, but somehow, it works. The book itself has certainly been perfected to the last page, as the paper stock, font, and even smell of the book has been meticulously selected. Of course, this doesn't surprise me, as Fog Linen's products are always designed tastefully.
My favorite interview was of "Sally and Chris" from design within reach (one of my favorite design shops!), as their home seems to come straight out of a catalog, and I also appreciate the fact that they have a wall of washi tape. Simply genius.
Anywho, "Around Fog Linen" is available for purchase on their main webstore, Fog Linen Work, along with their other lovely publication.

subset: commoncrawl


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SALEM, MA -- A small fire in the men's room sauna of a Bally Total Fitness on Wednesday could have been the result of arson by an employee who was laid off by the company, the Salem News reports.
A police report said somebody had stacked newspapers on the side of the sauna's heating unit, and the papers caught fire, according to the newspaper. Police learned that the company had layoffs this week at several clubs, including the Salem location, and an employee who was let go may be involved, the newspaper reports. The fire, which was put out before firefighters arrived, is still under investigation.
Bally corporate spokesperson Pete Marino acknowledged today that there was a fire at the club and that property damage was minimal. Arson is not a consideration at the moment, Marino said.
When asked about layoffs at the Bally club or clubs, Marino said, "Clubs are adding and subtracting staff all the time. There's nothing in that particular club that was out of the ordinary."


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New $100,000 pump track for Nesbitt Park
Friday, 22 May
The Lismore City Council has received a grant of $99,769 from the NSW Government to help upgrade the Nesbitt Park BMX bike track into an asphalt pump track.
The conversion will mean people can use the facility safely, all year round.
Nationals Member of the Legislative Council Ben Franklin said the upgrade would mean more people could use the track and not have to worry about weather damage.
"This will now be an even better space for people to get outdoors and ride safely, especially for young people," Mr Franklin said.
"Parks are playing a big role for recreation and exercise in people's lives at the moment and so any upgrades to local parks are great for the community.
"Asphalting the dirt track will open up the facility to include BMX riders, scooters, skate boards, trikes, balance bikes, mountain bikes and gravel bikes.
"The existing track is easily damaged by the weather and is often impacted by soil cracking, compaction issues, dust and water retention and often remains unsuitable and unsafe for community use. Converting the track will mean this would no-longer be a problem."
A pump track is a circuit of rollers, banked turns and features designed to be ridden completely by riders "pumping"—generating momentum by up and down body movements, instead of pedalling or pushing. This can be enjoyed by many users and all ages, whether they are on a push bike, scooter, skateboard or rollerblades.
Lismore City Councillor Neil Marks said the upgrades will make a positive impact in the community.
"This is a great outcome for the community," he said.
"Nesbitt is a very popular and well-used park. Over many years Council has invested in Nesbitt Park to improve its facilities. This latest upgrade of an asphalt pump track means the park can be used by even more people, more often, regardless of the weather."
News Updates
Two new roundabouts to improve safety on our roads
Thursday, 28 May> Read More
Bookings removed at waste facilities; recycling now permissible
Wednesday, 13 May
Residents and businesses are no longer required to make bookings to visit the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre or the Nimbin Transfer Station.> Read More
Map to assist with parking in Lismore Hospital precinct
Friday, 08 May> Read More
Feedback wanted on new Sports and Recreation plan
Friday, 08 May> Read More
Upgrade of Nimbin's emergency infrastructure and Showground
Thursday, 30 April> Read More
Upgrade of facilities at Lismore and Nimbin Showgrounds
Wednesday, 29 April> Read More
Return and Earn bulk collection centre reopens
Wednesday, 29 April
The Return and Earn bulk collection centre at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre in Wyrallah Road has reopened today, 29 April, with new COVID-19 safety measures in place.> Read More
Waste facility open this Sunday due to ANZAC Day closure
Thursday, 23 April
The Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre will open this Sunday to cater for weekend waste disposal as the centre will be closed on Saturday, 25 April for ANZAC Day.> Read More
Lismore aspires to become Australia's aviation education and training hub
Thursday, 23 April
Plans to develop an Aviation Training Hub at Lismore Airport got a major boost with global company Airways Aviation signing a lease to base a commercial pilot training school at the airport.> Read More
Some waste restrictions lifted; bookings remain essential
Wednesday, 22 April
Lismore City Council has eased restrictions on the disposal of waste at its Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre and the Nimbin Transfer Station, however, bookings to visit these facilities remain essential.> Read More
Councillors vote to cut CBD rates to support local businesses
Wednesday, 22 April
Lismore City Councillors last night voted to support inner-CBD businesses by cutting council rates by 20 per cent.> Read More
Councillors vote for free parking around Lismore Base Hospital
Thursday, 16 April
Parking in the hospital precinct on Hunter and Dalziel streets will be free for the next six months and parking restrictions waived in Weaver Street, Laurel Avenue and Mckenzie Street to enable all-day parking after Lismore City Councillors voted to introduce the changes because of the COVID-19 pandemic.> Read More
Visitors told to holiday at home this Easter holidays
Monday, 06 April
Lismore City Council has always been happy to welcome tourists to our region, however, now is not the time to visit.> Read More
Councillors call on Governments for COVID-19 assistance
Thursday, 02 April
Lismore City Councillors have called on the Federal and NSW Governments to provide urgent assistance so that council can continue to provide the community with essential services during this critical time.> Read More
Heritage Park to get makeover while parks are closed
Wednesday, 01 April
Lismore City Council is taking advantage of the shutdown of its playgrounds due to COVID-19 to undertake an upgrade of Heritage Park.> Read More
COVID-19 forces major changes to waste disposal
Tuesday, 31 March
The Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre and the Nimbin Transfer Station have reopened today as essential services only.> Read More
Support Lismore backs local businesses amid COVID-19
Monday, 30 March
Lismore City Council is encouraging people to get behind an online campaign aimed at supporting local small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.> Read More
Council commences COVID-19 relief measures
Friday, 27 March
Lismore City Council will reduce fees and defer the commencement of interest on overdue payments by 60 days as part of a range of measures to help residents and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.> Read More
No playgrounds, park equipment or camping please
Friday, 27 March
With the weekend nearly upon us, Lismore City Council is advising residents not to use playgrounds or park equipment for public health reasons.> Read More
Council elections postponed; meetings to go online
Thursday, 26 March
The NSW Government has postponed the September local government elections in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.> Read More
Essential services continue under new COVID-19 restrictions
Wednesday, 25 March
Lismore City Council is continuing essential services while ensuring the safety of employees and community members following the announcement of new coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions announced by the Prime Minister on Tuesday night.> Read More
Extraordinary meeting called to discuss rates
Tuesday, 24 March
An extraordinary meeting of Lismore City Council has been called for this Friday, 27 March to discuss possible rate relief for ratepayers facing hardship from COVID-19.> Read More
Facilities closed and services reduced to guard against COVID-19
Monday, 23 March
In line with NSW Government announcements seeking to minimise the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lismore City Council has made significant changes to its service delivery.> Read More
Council lifts restrictions on supermarket deliveries
Wednesday, 18 March
Lismore City Council has removed all restrictions, delivery curfews and planning constraints on supermarket loading bays to help them meet current demand in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.> Read More
Council closes Revolve Shop as COVID-19 precaution
Wednesday, 18 March
Lismore City Council is taking a proactive approach in response to the rapidly-changing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and has closed the Lismore Revolve Shop indefinitely.> Read More
Local libraries to close for two weeks due to coronavirus
Tuesday, 17 March
Member Councils of Richmond Tweed Regional Library are taking a proactive approach in response to the unfolding situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19) and have made the decision to temporarily close all Richmond Tweed Regional Library branches from tomorrow as a preventative measure to support the health and wellbeing of staff, volunteers and the community.> Read More
Eat the Street food festival to go ahead as planned
Friday, 13 March
Lismore's annual street food festival Eat the Street will go ahead as planned this Saturday, 14 March in the Lismore CBD following the federal government's latest advice about public events and the coronavirus (COVID-19).> Read More
Maintaining respect and safety in our community
Thursday, 12 March
Lismore City Council can confirm that a small number of residents have recently received notices prohibiting them from attending Council meetings for a period of time, on the basis of specific and repeated incidents of disorderly conduct and unacceptable risks to the health and safety of others.> Read More
Ensuring a safe and healthy Eat the Street
Wednesday, 11 March
Eat the Street Food Festival is happening in the Lismore City Centre this Saturday, 14 March from 12pm to 9pm. Lismore City Council is committed to providing a safe, healthy and enjoyable experience for all involved at the event.> Read More
Mayor Smith welcomes direct return flights to Sydney
Tuesday, 10 March
Lismore City Mayor Isaac Smith has welcomed the decision by Regional Express to trial direct flights between Lismore and Sydney next month.> Read More
From Masterchef to Masterclass at Norco Eat the Street
Monday, 09 March
Budding home chefs will remember the infectiously bubbly and seriously talented Georgia Barnes from the 2015 season of Masterchef. With the aim to inspire everyday people to cook from scratch and to see the beauty in real food, Georgia will be headline guest chef at this year's Norco Eat the Street courtesy of festival partner Northern Cooperative Meat Company.> Read More
Award-winning author in conversation at Goonellabah Library
Friday, 28 February
Award-winning author Chris Hammer will appear 'In Conversation' at the Goonellabah Library in early March courtesy of Richmond Tweed Regional Library's new Regional Readers Book Club.> Read More
Join the Garden Party at 2020 Norco Eat the Street Festival
Wednesday, 26 February
For the first time the Back Alley Gallery will be transformed into a private retreat, giving festival attendees the option to escape the crowds and relax in a laid-back atmosphere with live music, a private bar, private facilities and lots of seating.> Read More
New CCTV cameras a good look for Nimbin village
Wednesday, 26 February
Lismore City Council has completed the upgrade of the CCTV camera network within the Nimbin Village.> Read More
A musical feast at 2020 Norco Eat the Street Festival
Friday, 21 February
Once you have tantalised your tastebuds at the 2020 Norco Eat the Street Food Festival, head over to the Southern Cross University Entertainment Stage and excite your ears with local talent and the Brisbane-based octet Steele Syndicate.> Read More
Nimbin's water restrictions lifted due to rain
Thursday, 13 February
Water restrictions in Nimbin have been lifted, thanks to the recent heavy rains.> Read More
Help plan your future - additional workshop for Lismore
Wednesday, 12 February
Lismore City Council is holding an additional community workshop in in late February as part of its Planning for Lismore's Future engagement exercise.> Read More
New security measures at Council meetings
Tuesday, 11 February
Lismore City Council has adopted new security measures for Council Meetings and Briefings to ensure all community members can attend these meetings in a safe environment.> Read More
Mental Health focus of International Women's Day Lunch
Wednesday, 05 February
This year, Lismore City Council is hosting an International Women's Day Luncheon with the theme An equal world is an enabled world.> Read More
Eat the Street serves up delicious fun for all ages
Wednesday, 05 February
If you love your food, art and music, then Lismore is the place to be on Saturday March 14 as the much loved Eat the Street festival returns for its sixth year with a new sponsor - NORCO.> Read More
Nimbin water restrictions lowered to Level 2
Wednesday, 05 February
Water restrictions in Nimbin has been lowered to Level 2 after recent rain and water savings by the community has seen the DE Williams Dam return to full capacity.> Read More
Two Free field days - Get the Latest Buzz On Native Bees
Monday, 03 February
Two fascinating events will be held in early March for macadamia and avocado growers who are passionate about pollination and are looking for ways to improve productivity and support the natural ecosystems on their farms.> Read More
2020 Australia Day winners help make our community a special place to live
Sunday, 26 January
David Henderson was one of six individuals and groups recognised at the Australia Day ceremony on 26 January at Lismore City Hall, where Mayor Isaac Smith also welcomed more than 50 new Australians in the annual citizenship Ceremony.> Read More
New sandstone safety barriers installed at The Quad
Thursday, 23 January
Stylish sandstone barriers that double as seats have replaced the temporary orange crash barriers at the popular Lismore Quad.> Read More
Lorraine Gordon announced as 2020 Australia Day Ambassador
Thursday, 23 January
Lorraine Gordon has been announced as the 2020 Australia Day ambassador for Lismore.> Read More
Local koala trees poisoned
Monday, 20 January
Lismore City Council is investigating the illegal poisoning of a mature Tallowwood koala food tree and a Bloodwood tree in a neighbourhood park in Fischer Street, Goonellabah.> Read More
Level 2 water restrictions set for 20 January 2020
Monday, 13 January
Poor rainfall outlook coupled with high water demand over the holiday period has prompted water restrictions to be elevated to Level 2 for the Lismore Local Government Area, excluding Nimbin, effective Monday, 20 January 2020.> Read More
New public only water fill station in Lismore
Tuesday, 24 December
A new water fill station for public use has been installed by Rous County Council in response to increased demand for water carters and supply delays.> Read More
Lismore's Rappville Wishing Tree spreads Christmas Cheer
Friday, 20 December
Lismore City Mayor Isaac Smith today handed over Christmas presents donated by the Lismore community for those affected by the recent Rappville fires to Richmond Valley Mayor Robert Mustow.> Read More
Fines for dumping rubbish at our local op shops
Friday, 20 December
If people dump rubbish outside of op-shops they will be caught on our newly installed CCTV cameras and fined up to $2000, Lismore City Council's Environmental Compliance Officer Stuart Thomson has warned.> Read More
Living Christmas tree carries on recycled tradition
Thursday, 12 December
Lismore's 2019 recycled Christmas tree was unveiled in the CBD today - and it's alive.> Read More
Level 1 water restrictions across Lismore LGA
Monday, 09 December
Level 1 Water Restrictions will apply to Lismore Local Government Area as of Saturday 7 December 2019. Nimbin is now on Level 3 Water Restrictions.> Read More
Santa takes up residence at Santa's Wonderland
Friday, 29 November
Santa Claus is coming to town and will be staying at his new Wonderland at 142 Molesworth Street right up until Christmas eve as part of Lismore City Council's Christmas in the Heart celebrations.> Read More
Council votes to raise rates to invest in roads
Wednesday, 20 November
Lismore City Council Councillors last night voted to apply for a special rate variation over four years to fund a massive investment in our local roads and help re-invigorate the CBD.> Read More
Evacuated residents can return home
Monday, 18 November
Lismore City Council today conducted impact assessments of certain roads of the Tuntable area. After consultation with the RFS and Emergency Operations Centre it is agreed that residents in nominated roads can return home.> Read More
Free Christmas fun at 2019 Carols in the Heart
Monday, 18 November
Australian country music legend Adam Harvey has been announced as the headline act for this year's Shopbaby Carols in the Heart.> Read More
Level 2 water restrictions for Nimbin
Monday, 18 November
Level 2 water restrictions have been introduced in Nimbin, effective immediately.> Read More
Free entry to Memorial Baths for bushfire evacuees
Thursday, 14 November
Lismore City Council is offering free entry to the Lismore Memorial Baths for families who have evacuated because of the bushfires.> Read More
Annual African football friendly postponed
Friday, 08 November
Lismore City Council staff will be looking to retain their trophy when the African All Stars vs Lismore Legends annual soccer match kicks off on Wednesday, 13 November.> Read More
100 jobs created at local medicinal cannabis facility
Monday, 04 November
Up to 100 new local jobs will be created at a multi-million dollar medicinal cannabis operation in the Lismore Local Government Area.> Read More
Work underway on Lismore Flood Mitigation project
Thursday, 31 October
Work is underway on the $8.2 million South Lismore Flood Mitigation Project, with Lismore City Mayor Isaac Smith today inspecting the progress.> Read More
Australia Day Award nominations open
Friday, 25 October
Lismore City Council is calling for nominations for the 2020 Australia Day Awards.> Read More
TAFE artist takes up residence at Revolve Shop
Monday, 21 October
Artist and TAFE student Naomi Mikkelsen has taken up residence at the Revolve Shop to prove that you can turn waste into art.> Read More
Tis the season for birds and birdwatching
Tuesday, 15 October
Lismore City Council is encouraging the community to get involved in this year's Aussie Backyard Bird Count by simply downloading the app and start counting.> Read More
New CCTV cameras a good look for Lismore and Nimbin
Tuesday, 08 October
Lismore City Council is currently installing new CCTV cameras in Lismore and Nimbin as part of two projects to increase safety in both locations.> Read More
Major Events grant for North Coast National
Thursday, 03 October
The North Coast National has received a $10,000 grant under Lismore City Council's Major Events Fund to help with this year's Lismore Show, Mayor Isaac Smith said.> Read More
South Lismore flood mitigation works underway
Friday, 27 September
Work on the South Lismore Flood Mitigation Works Project is likely to commence in the next couple of weeks with SEE Civil recently appointed the principal contractor to undertake bulk earthworks.> Read More
Get a bargain at Second Hand Saturday
Tuesday, 24 September
Second Hand Saturday - the country's biggest garage sale - will be held again this Saturday, 28 September.> Read More
Sports lovers descend on Lismore for Masters Games
Friday, 20 September
More than 1600 sports lovers on the wrong side of 30 will take to the field this weekend for the 11th Lismore Workers Masters Games.> Read More
Can Natural Sequence Farming change our future?
Friday, 20 September
Lismore City Council is hosting training into Natural Sequence Farming from 23-26 September at Jiggi Hall in an effort to contribute to flood mitigation and explore ways to combat climate change.> Read More
Mouse house the centrepiece of Kadina Park upgrade
Friday, 20 September
Kadina Park in Goonellabah has recently been upgraded with more than $235,000 worth of improvements.> Read More
Water Wednesday is coming to Rocky Creek Dam!
Wednesday, 18 September
To celebrate the school holidays, Lismore City Council is inviting families to Water Wednesday at Rocky Creek Dam on 9 October.> Read More
Biodiversity Awards recognise environmental excellence
Friday, 13 September
Local people working to protest the local environment have been recognised at the second Lismore Biodversity Awards announced last night (12 September).> Read More
Revamped collection truck reminds us to ask R U OK?
Thursday, 12 September
To mark R U OK? Day today (12 September) Lismore City Council has emblazoned a waste collection truck with the R U OK? message.> Read More
Big Scrub Rainforest Day offers up Science in the Pub and more
Tuesday, 10 September
The 21st annual Big Scrub Rainforest Day includes four days of exciting events across the region from September 19 to 22.> Read More
Lismore Memorial Baths reopens with a splash
Friday, 06 September
The Lismore Memorial Baths will reopen next Monday, 9 September for the 2019/20 swimming season.> Read More
Research survey looks at pros and cons of holiday letting
Friday, 06 September
Researchers from Southern Cross University (SCU) are giving residents a chance to voice their opinions on the future of Short-term Holiday Letting (STHL) in the region.> Read More
Return and Earn bulk collection centre reopens Friday
Thursday, 05 September
The Return and Earn bulk collection centre at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre will reopen this Friday, 6 September as part of the ongoing staged reopening of the facility.> Read More
Get the inside scoop on council life with Mandy Nolan
Wednesday, 04 September
Local government is a powerful way to make a difference in your community. But what does it involve? What kind of challenges will come your way? How do you learn not to take things personally? How do you sit through long meetings without falling asleep?> Read More
New rates proposal now open for community feedback
Wednesday, 04 September
Lismore City Council has launched a second round of community consultation on rates with a new proposal for consideration.> Read More
Please be patient at recycling centre this weekend
Friday, 30 August
Lismore City Council is reminding people that there may be delays at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre this weekend and is asking people to be patient.> Read More
Free field day for landholders living with koalas
Friday, 30 August
Council is inviting farmers, graziers and other landholders on the Wilsons and Richmond floodplains to a free field day about living with koalas on rural lands.> Read More
Recycling centre staged reopening begins
Tuesday, 27 August
The Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre will reopen tomorrow (Wednesday, 28 August) with limited services for the community.> Read More
Recycling centre fire extinguished; damage assessed
Wednesday, 21 August
The fire at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre in Wyrallah Road has been extinguished today by Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) with the assistance of Lismore City Council staff.> Read More
Dunoon farmer pays the price for scare gun
Friday, 16 August
A blueberry farming company in Dunoon has paid a hefty price for challenging a fine issued by Lismore City Council in relation to the use of a bird scare gun.> Read More
Last chance to register for historic Masters Games
Friday, 16 August
Organisers of the 11th Lismore Workers Masters Games are urging people not to dilly dally as registrations for the 2019 event close on 23 August.> Read More
World Cup baseball contenders swing into Lismore
Friday, 16 August
Canadian and Australian baseball teams competing in the Under 18 World Cup in South Korea this September will be training in Lismore from next week in the lead-up to the big event.> Read More
New directors help transform Council for the better
Friday, 16 August
Lismore City Council has appointed two new directors whose extensive experience will help Council transform into a modern and efficient organisation.> Read More
Sydney pump trucked in to douse recycling centre fire
Thursday, 15 August
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) are transporting a high-power water pump from Sydney to Lismore today to help extinguish the fire still burning in compost piles at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre.> Read More
Firefighters work to extinguish fire; air pollution alert in place
Wednesday, 14 August
Firefighters are slowly making progress extinguishing a fire burning in nine large compost piles at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre.> Read More
Recycling centre remains closed; interim waste measures in place
Tuesday, 13 August
The Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre in Wyrallah Road, East Lismore, will remain closed until the fire in the compost piles is extinguished and damage to the Materials Recovery Facility is assessed.> Read More
Recycling centre remains closed due to weekend fire
Monday, 12 August
Residents affected by smoke from a fire at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre in Wyrallah Road, East Lismore, are being advised to stay indoors or use a respirator if venturing outside.> Read More
Choose to reuse and join Second Hand Saturday
Thursday, 08 August
Want to do your bit to spread the love and not the landfill? Choose to reuse this spring and join forces with your local community for the Second Hand Saturday garage sale day on 28 September.> Read More
Last chance to shape new Economic Development Strategy
Friday, 02 August
Lismore City Council is calling on businesses to help shape Lismore's new Economic Development Strategy and register for the final consultation workshops next week.> Read More
Oakes Oval and Eat the Street bring home gold awards
Friday, 02 August> Read More
Young female Ranger named 2019 Outstanding Employee
Friday, 02 August
Lismore City Council Ranger Skyhe Hoyt was named the 2019 Lismore Business Awards Outstanding Young Employee of the Year at the annual awards night on 20 July.> Read More
Community feedback wanted on rates consultation
Thursday, 01 August
Lismore City Council is asking the community for vital input into a 10-year rating strategy over the next two months.> Read More
Corndale farmers go for big restoration results
Friday, 19 July
Corndale farmers Jean Marc and Morgane Furio have planted 700 trees on their 50-hectare property as part of a project to restore waterways and improve biodiversity and habitat.> Read More
Asia Pacific accord grows cities through shared innovation
Friday, 12 July
Lismore Mayor Isaac Smith signed an accord with 146 other countries this week that commits local government to sharing innovation to grow cities across the Asia Pacific region.> Read More
Compost sales on hold until further notice
Thursday, 11 July
Lismore City Council has temporarily stopped compost sales until further notice.> Read More
Community grant helps koalas triumph against the odds
Thursday, 04 July
A $5000 community grant has helped Friends of the Koala (FOK) build a permanent home for a very special koala.> Read More
Feedback wanted for new Economic Development Strategy
Wednesday, 03 July
Lismore City Council is developing a new Economic Development Strategy and is seeking input from the business community on how to grow Lismore as a regional city into the future.> Read More
Three-week loans are back at your local library
Monday, 01 July
Richmond Tweed Regional Library branches have returned to a three-week loan period from today.> Read More
Council wins NSW award for innovative treatment plant
Friday, 28 June
Lismore City Council has won an excellence award at the 2019 Local Government Awards for the innovative - and under budget - $25 million South Lismore Sewage Treatment Plant.> Read More
New shipping container amenities opened at Mortimer Field
Thursday, 27 June
A modern and flood-ready new amenities block at Mortimer Field was opened on Wednesday, 26 June by Lismore's Deputy Mayor Elly Bird.> Read More
Mature players wanted for new Masters basketball comp
Wednesday, 26 June
Basketball is one of three new sports being played as part of the 2019 Lismore Workers Masters Games - and new players are wanted!> Read More
Let's celebrate together at NAIDOC Day 2019
Tuesday, 25 June
People are invited to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture at Lismore City Council's annual NAIDOC Celebration Day on Thursday, 4 July.> Read More
Masters Games early bird registrations close 28 June
Friday, 21 June
If you've been thinking of signing up for the Masters Games, now is the time to take the plunge - before early bird registrations close on 28 June.> Read More
Foster to relive past glories at Masters Games
Friday, 14 June
Former Socceroo captain and Lismore local Craig Foster is returning to his hometown this September to participate in the 2019 Lismore Workers Masters Games.> Read More
Last chance to nominate for 2019 Biodiversity Awards
Tuesday, 11 June
Lismore City Council is encouraging people to nominate for the biennial Lismore Biodiversity Awards by 28 June to celebrate and recognise excellence in environmental stewardship.> Read More


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Public Comment
BUSD mailer touts false accomplishments in student achievement
Along with the usual campaign flyers that arrive in mailboxes during election season, Berkeley residents are receiving a glossy brochure from the Berkeley Unified School District touting a rosy laundry list of twenty disparate "accomplishments" in academics, facilities, and finances. Among the "Twenty Things to Know," the claim that all Berkeley public schools have shown improved student achievement is false and misleading. Berkeley High has not shown improvement for years.
The district claims "In the Berkeley Public Schools we've improved student achievement in all of our schools." The brochure continues, "Each of our eleven elementary schools achieved close to or above the state goal of 800 on the Academic Performance Index (API). All three middle schools have surpassed an API of 800." All true.
The brochure makes no mention that the largest school in the district, Berkeley High, enrolling over 3,200 of the district's 9,000 students, has shown long-term declines in student achievement. In fact, Berkeley High posted an API of 715 this year (compared with 725 in 2005) landing it at the bottom (the lowest 10%) of 100 similar public high schools in California.
The school board and the district seem to have lost sight of insuring that all high school students gain proficiency in critical math and English skills that will prepare them for post-secondary college and job opportunities. After years of district emphasis and investment in small schools reform and redesign of Berkeley High, student performance has declined in math and English in all of the six learning communities at Berkeley High. Moreover, the four "small schools" posted proficiency rates in math and English well below average state of California proficiency rates. There has been no progress in closing of the achievement gap at Berkeley High.
With respect to the budget, the district claims "Submitted a balanced budget for the next three years." What does that mean? The brochure goes on, "The state budget crisis and difficult economic climate have cut resources to our schools, but a combination of efforts by teachers and staff, parents, voters, and community supporters has provided the people power, creativity and funding to ensure critical community priorities that strengthen our schools." Has the board approved balanced budgets for the next three years? How can this be true?
The community should be asking how Berkeley students are doing and whether the school board and district are effectively targeting and managing fiscal resources. Student achievement and financing public education are top issues locally and statewide, but a serious discussion is warranted that goes beyond a superficial listing of dubious "accomplishments."
Berkeley taxpayers support BSEP and maintenance parcel taxes, and construction bond measures. The public deserves better accountability, including accurate information on BUSD academics, facilities, and finances. Using scarce public funding to produce and mail a poorly written "puff piece" is an insult and a disservice to the community.
The school board is elected to provide direction and oversight to BUSD and to provide accountability to the public. Can school board members and candidates move the discussion to a meaningful action plan of what needs to be done?


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"The Thief" is a short film that Chris Wood has been working on all year long. Sure, it's yet another Skyri fan film, but this one looks notable for the fact he's spent some money on it, and that it looks very professional.
The actors? They're actually acting, not grunting while plastic swords clash. The costumes? They're beautiful, a cut above the normal fare you see slapped together for these kind of things. There's even a proper, original story here, not just an excuse for a computer-assisted battle sequence.
You can catch a trailer above, while there's more info - and some shots showing off the fancy costumes - at the site below.
The Thief [Indiegogo]


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Uh.. o.o
On other news, I can now wear my suit of chainmail! The left side is completely finished, and the chest... the right side sleeve is just started, and the right side is just started. No back yet, but, I can wear it!
It feels, and looks, extremely cool.


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I wanted to get everyones perspective on the Christian mentality of "We are all born sinners". Obviously this is not a sentiment I agree with.
The only argument I have yet to hear from a Christian is "it just means we are not born perfect". Despite the fact that very few Christians define sin as "imperfect"
Views: 1238
Well, in my opinion, it makes total sense if you consider the beginning of the Christian (Catholic) church. What better way to get people to subscribe to your faith and display an obedience than to tell them that we are all inherently sinners thanks to Adam and Eve. We are all instantly destined for eternal torment....but wait... We have the cure. If you believe in Jesus and so on and so forth he can cleanse you and you can live in eternal joy if you just accept what we are selling. The idea comes from the early church's power hungry days and has carried forth to today. At least from my understanding
NO, I was NOT born a sinner. I have however perfected it to a fine art. :)
When are you going to start giving lessons? I can think of a few people who would benefit ;-)
I will start as soon as I get the non-refundable $10,000 deposit. :D
I remember learning in one of my lit classes that a long time ago (I wish I could remember an exact time period), some believed that sex was a sin, and therefore all babies were born sinful because they were created through sin (sex).
I wonder how they thought the human race was supposed to continue?
The problem is we are all born in the flesh. We are all born human. The question that we have is whether we see being human as a state to be desired. If you say being human is an undesirable state, then you accept the doctrine of being 'born in sin' and needing of redemption. Are we born defective or are we born human?
I believe we are born human and that there is nothing wrong with being a human. I believe there is nothing wrong with us, that we are in no way in need of an upgrade...a Human 2.0 program. We aren't a born in a Beta mode. We are born as we are and as we should be. The issue is shall we accept our humanity or shall we reject it?
If we reject our humanity we are setting ourselves up for a life of constant struggle. We are saying there is something wrong with the way we are, something that needs correcting before we can be "the way we ought to be."
After years of struggling with the idea that there is something wrong with me that needs fixing I have come to the conclusion that the only thing wrong is that I refuse to accept who I am. But why do I feel myself inferior? Why do I think that I am somehow not who I should be? There is no reason, no objective standard by which I fall short. I am what I am.
I am not an atheist. That is a philosophical position that needs defending. I see myself as a Secular Mortalist. That is to say, I am a person who accepts his own mortality...that, as a human being, I have a fixed life expectancy that may be improved upon, extended by scientific methods...but that still is a fixed and absolute measure of my lifespan.
To be a human is to accept your mortality.
This knowledge that we will one day cease to exist is what defines us a human.
We are not imperfect because who we are defines the parameters of our potential perfection. We are not born in sin we are simply born as human. Whether you accept this fact or try to find a way to be somehow more than human is a matter of vanity.
We want to distinguish ourselves from the lower classes, those people who are not as human as we are. So we think of ourselves as born in need of perfection so we can claim we have achieved that perfection and are superior to the low lives who have not.
All religion is about being able to judge other people. We want to believe we are superior, so we create fantasies that support this desire.
The truth is simple. We are human. We are mortal. We will one day die and cease to exist. We are the same as the poorest of humans. We are the same as those we declare to be evil. We are all Hitlers.
Death is the great equalizer.
I'd be interested to hear the rationalization for 'we are created in God's image, his perfect creation (since surely God can't create anything 'imperfect') and yet we're also supposedly 'sinners'. There's always free-will, but it seems to me that a perfect creation, even with free-will and the ability to choose to do bad things, simply wouldn't do bad things, or we wouldn't be perfect. This is only compounded by the idea that Adam, with no knowledge of good or bad, can't be held accountable for doing something he didn't know was bad.
@Phillip Jarrett:
"I am not an atheist. That is a philosophical position that needs defending."
Phillip, I don't label myself as an atheist either, the word atheist doesn't include a philosophical position. The word is defined simply as not a theist and the basic word can be used to partially describe me since I am not a theist.
Is in not fair to also describe a Secular Mortalist as also not a theist and therefore an atheist?
"I am not an atheist. That is a philosophical position that needs defending."
This statement is true only if you accept the notion that the burden of proof is on the skeptic.
The Christian premise is that all ills on earth including death are empowered by sin. But sin gets its power from the law. Prior to the law allegedly, God just winked at mens sins. But the law was manifested to capture all men under sin so that there would be only one way to salvation, that is by belief upon his son who laid down his life as a sacrifice to save all that believe upon his name ( this goes beyond the phonic pronouncement, but in the middle east, it was understood that a gods name was a living entity in itself.)
Moreover, allegedly, strong spirits of delusion have been sent to the earth so that men would believe the lie rather than the truth and both men and woman would start lusting after each other rather than the opposite sex, to make sin exceedingly wicked so that on that day no man can boast in their own righteous, save the righteousness that is imputed through believe upon the savior of the world. .
Are we born sinners? I think we are born atheists.
:) On point, but don't tell the religious, such straight-forward commentary scares them.


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Julito (from The Wire) Freestyle On Radio With Tahiry In The Room! (He Mentions Joe Budden's Name)
Couldnt make out the line he says "Tahiry In The Room. Joe Budden Lookin.." Dub Live On The Leak Radio With Tahiry, Julito, Gage, Bizkit And Dj Killa Touch. Plus EXCLUSIVE FREESTYLE To B.I.G's "Who Shot Ya"
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Winless no more, the Detroit Pistons had good reason to break out the cheers in a locker room celebration.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? Winless no more, the Detroit Pistons had good reason to break out the cheers in a locker room celebration.
The worst start in franchise history was over.
Greg Monroe had 19 points, 18 rebounds and six assists to help the Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers 94-76 on Wednesday night.
Kyle Singler scored 16 points in his first start of the season, and Tayshaun Prince and Brandon Knight each scored 15 points for the Pistons, who improved to a still-woeful 1-8. But they will take it.
"We're disappointed in our start, but it wasn't like we had any doubt we were going to win a game," coach Lawrence Frank said. "When we deserve to win, we'll win."
Gobbling rebounds with each Sixers miss, the Pistons deserved this one. Playing their seventh road game out of nine games this season, the Pistons controlled the lethargic Sixers from the opening tip. Four Pistons starters scored in double digits and forward Jason Maxiell had eight points and 12 rebounds.
"We felt like, as a team, this was long overdue," Monroe said.
The Pistons played so well they didn't even need both eyes on the ball from the free-throw line. Late in the second quarter, Monroe was fouled on a drive down the lane and had a contact shuffled around in the process. He touched his right eye, squinted, and buried the first shot. With his contact back in place, he clanked the second attempt. The moment was good for a chuckle in a game that turned into a laugher.
"My contact was just acting a little funny," Monroe said, laughing.
Monroe had a small shiner but blamed a hit from Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant in Monday's game.
The Sixers easily played their worst game of the season, making only 25 of 84 shots, for 30 percent. Lavoy Allen led them with 14 points, and Jrue Holiday had 12.
"When you see somebody beating up on you, you're supposed to hit back," Holiday said. "We didn't have that today. After a while, when we tried to, everything was going their way."
Without injured center Andrew Bynum, the Sixers continued to get dominated inside. They were outrebounded by 17 in Monday's loss to Milwaukee and got crushed on the boards 33-15 by halftime in this one. Monroe had nine at the break ? or as many as the Sixers' starting lineup combined.
Philadelphia missed 30 of 43 shots in the first half and made only 5 of 10 free throws.
The few thousand fans that showed up made for a dreary preseason atmosphere and they all booed the Sixers off the court at the break.
Kwame Brown started at center after missing four games because of a strained left calf, picked up two quick fouls, and played only 8 minutes in the first half.
The Pistons had plenty of room to maneuver in the paint ? Singler scored 13, Prince had 12, and Monroe added 11 points in the first half.
Detroit had most of its fun in the second quarter, stretching a two-point lead into 52-34 at the break. The Pistons made only three 3-pointers all game, scoring the bulk of their points on mid-range jumpers, and easy buckets around the basket.
The Sixers again struggled with their halfcourt offense, showing little ball movement and firing up long jumpers as the shot clock ticked down. Bynum hasn't played all season because of a bone bruise and isn't expected back until at least early January. It's clear they need help in the middle because the Brown-Spencer Hawes-Thaddeus Young combination has been a bust.
"It's not the end of the world," Hawes said. "We're going to get it right. We're going to get it back on track."
The Pistons led by as many as 23 points and had their way with the Sixers in the paint (42-28), on the fastbreak (17-11) and, most impressively, the glass, outrebounding the Sixers 57-38. The Pistons beat them 45-27 on defensive rebounds, just the kind of performance that will win a few more games.
"It shows what we're capable of doing," Frank said. "It's got to be a standard of how we play."


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The watershed of the mighty Mackenzie, rendered as an urban transit network, covering a vast and minimally-populated region in Canada. Some of these places are, even today, only accessible by river or plane, so for some locations this map could theoretically double as an actual transit map.
Click the image below to view/download a free PDF, which you may use according to the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. If you wish, you can pay me what you think my work is worth, via PayPal.


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I'm looking to see a few tipping points in 2011 and, quite honestly, I'm strangely optimistic that the new year will bring some positive change, even if it's unlikely to be around climate policy. The energy transition we're in has been slow, but in retrospect, we've come a long way on many fronts. My Clean Break column today — the last one of the year — takes a look at five areas I'll be watching closely. There are more, of course, but the limitations of print kept me to five.
Happy New Year to all.


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- This event has passed.
ISU Planetarium presents Cosmic Colors
Event Description
The Illinois State University Planetarium is pleased to present Cosmic Colors. Show times for Cosmic Colors are Wednesdays at 2 PM and Fridays at 7:30 PM. The show runs from May 18 through July 22, with no programs July 1.
Cosmic Colors takes you on a wondrous journey across the electromagnetic spectrum. Discover why the sky is blue and Mars is red. Explore the human eye and then journey within a plant leaf. Investigate x-rays by voyaging to a monstrous black hole and then back at your doctor's office. You will even see the actual color of a dinosaur, based on recent evidence. Get ready for an amazing adventure under a rainbow of cosmic light!
Admission to the ISU Planetarium is $4 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-12 and seniors, and $2.00 for children ages 3-4. Tickets may be purchased in the Planetarium Gift Shop, next to the Planetarium, beginning 20 minutes before each show.
The ISU Planetarium is located under the white domed roof at the eastern end of Felmley Hall of Science. Felmley Hall is located on the northeast corner of the ISU campus at the intersection of College Avenue and School Street.
Inexpensive parking for the 2 PM Wednesday matinees is available in the ISU visitor lot, located on Locust Street. Free parking for the 7:30 PM Friday programs is available a short distance from the ISU Planetarium in University parking lot F-67, located on the east side of School Street.
For more information, please call the ISU Physics Department at (309) 438-8756 or visit our web site at www2.phy.ilstu.edu/~trw/planet.html.


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Can You Hear Me Now?
I sat in my mother's car, staring out the window at all the headstones. I thought of what mine would say in that little line too short to truly encapsulate a human.
"I hope mine says, 'he made people laugh,'" I suggested.
"What about, 'thank god that's over'?" my sister countered.
*   * *
Friday night, I flew to New Jersey for a college convention, and while waiting for my bags, I plugged my phone in to recharge it. Nothing.
I didn't freak out right away. I tried removing and replacing the battery. I tried restarting it. I tried removing and replacing the battery while restarting it. Nothing. Then, I freaked out.
I am attached to my cell phone. I never shut it off except when I'm on stage or asleep. I rue the times I am out of service. So much that I use the word "rue." Occasionally I'm in a situation where I can't answer it. But I am still comforted knowing someone is calling.
I have not reset my phone book in the five and a half years I have had a cell phone. I have also not backed up my phone book, which is probably a ridiculously stupid idea on my part. But so was flying Southwest Airlines, and that didn't stop me. (I rue them, too).
I was trying to figure out what was wrong with my phone. The light on my charger was on, so it was probably the battery or (gasp!) the phone itself. With 8 more months on my contract, I knew I wasn't getting a new phone anytime soon. This one needed to be fixed.
I took the battery out again and looked at it, as if I'd be able to identify the problem.
"Oh, there it is! There's a tiny man dancing on one of the connecter pins! Now that I've shooed him away, it's time to get this baby charged!"
I tried everything. I restarted it again, in case it didn't know it was being restarted the first few times. I even blew on it, Nintendo-style. If it worked for Contra, it'd work for Sprint. No luck. I was phoneless.
I made whatever calls I needed to, which were all punctuated by my cries of "I gotta go , my phone is dying!" Then I shut it off to preserve the final 10 minutes of talk time. I had a busy weekend and I knew it'd be days before I could hit a Sprint store. There were definitely people I called earlier in the day that wouldn't have heard from me if I knew how little battery I had left. (Now I rue them, too.)
I had a good convention otherwise, but spent most of it stressed about my phone. What if an agent was calling? What if a hot girl was calling? What if a hot girl agent was calling? Oh, the sheer possibilities of what I was missing drove me crazy. Even though I actually missed nothing.
Sunday morning, I boarded a train to New York. I was going home, albeit for a few hours. My grandmother passed away over the summer, and Jewish tradition dictates a gathering at the graveside to unveil the headstone and say a few last words. I was glad I could be there, but stressed I couldn't make any calls. Between the train station and my mother's apartment, I borrowed the cab driver's phone to call my mother and tell her I was going to be able to make it after all. And I checked my messages just in case I missed any agents or hot girls.
I arrived five minutes early, and stopped at Radio Shack to see if I could miraculously revive my phone. My now discontinued phone they weren't selling. As I began stressing more at this new piece of knowledge, the clerk offered to at least plug it in to see if it was the charger.
"It's not the charger," I said, before she showed me it was indeed the charger. I bought a new one and left for the apartment, much less stressed knowing that soon, I'd have phone service again.
With my phone charging, I sat in my mother's car, staring out the window at all the headstones. I thought of what mine would say in that little line too short to truly encapsulate a human.
After a brief exchange with my sister, my phone rang. Excited for who it could be, I picked up and got a telemarketer. Hanging up and looking back across the cemetery, I realized my headstone should say, "he missed the point." How ironic that I kept telling everyone that my phone was dying just before visiting the grave of my grandparents. I spent the weekend stressed about my messages when my mother did fine thinking about arrangements for her mother's headstone. I laughed aloud. Partly as a defense mechanism, and partly because I spend so much time writing about other people's stupidity, I often forget my own.
Perhaps "he made people laugh," would be appropriate for my headstone. As long as it was followed by "especially himself."
I unplugged my phone.


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Two-thirds of UK managers believe that lack of management skills is the major factor contributing to bullying at work, according to new research. Misuse of power was listed as the most prolific type of bullying used within the workplace.
A survey by the Ban Bullying at Work campaign questioned 512 senior managers across the UK in conjunction with the Chartered Management Institute ahead of the fifth national Ban Bullying at Work day which takes place on 7th November.
The other main factors, given by managers themselves, which contribute to bullying at work included unrealistic targets (cited by 27%); authoritarian management styles (56%); personality (57%); and failure to address incidents (37%).
The survey also asked managers what they believed was the most prolific type of bullying used. Misuse of power was cited by 71% of managers while 63% cited overbearing supervision and 55% cited exclusion.
The report also looked at the reasons why organisations should tackle bullying at work. Improving low morale was the most cited answer, followed by improving productivity and reducing absenteeism.
Lyn Witheridge, chief executive of the Ban Bullying at Work Campaign, said: "We are challenging businesses to speak out against bullying to create workplaces where employees can see clearly that bullying behaviours will not be tolerated."
Catherine Barker, an employment lawyer at Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind OUT-LAW.COM, said that although there is no specific legislation making bullying at work illegal, every employer owes its staff a duty of care to make sure that its workplace is somewhere where they are not subjected to harassment.
She said: "There is also anti-discrimination legislation which will catch many instances of bullying behaviors. If, for example, a person is bullied for reasons connected to their sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion or belief, they may be able to bring a discrimination complaint to an Employment Tribunal.
"Bullying can, however, take many other forms and may be as a result of a personality clash or frustration by management regarding an individual's performance. In this situation any employee is entitled to raise a grievance and if management fails to deal with the grievance properly, this could underline trust and confidence in the employment relationship.
"When this trust and confidence is severely undermined, an employee may feel they have no option but to resign and in this situation they may have a valid constructive dismissal complaint in an Employment Tribunal."
Barker added: "The best thing businesses can do is to ensure that the workplace culture is one of respect and equality so that bullying and harassment of any description is simply not tolerated. This can be achieved by having proper anti-bullying policies in place, training managers on these policies, and dealing with any grievances properly as soon as they arise.
"But, if poor performance – by employees or management – is genuinely the issue, then this should also be properly managed, rather than allowing the problem to fester."
From: http://www.out-law.com/page-8416
Also worth reading along the same lines: LACK OF MANAGEMENT SKILLS CONTRIBUTES TO BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE


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Featured Post
Is the new professionalism and ACP's new ethics really just about following guidelines?
The Charter ( Medical Professionalism in the New Millennium.A Physician's Charter) did not deal with just the important relationship of ...
Monday, November 28, 2005
New trend in drug company CME sessions?FP docs as the experts.
It is interesting that family docs are now the experts for some of these talks.A urologist is likely to see many more cases of BPH and have much more experience in the vagaries of day to day assessment and treatment than would a FP physician.Further,urologists have only to be current in urology while FP have the Herculean task of keeping up with just about everything and if for no other reason than that less likely to be expert in anything. So why are they chosen to speak about certain topics to a group that typically consists of FPs,NPs and internists? Maybe they believe that if primary care docs listen to another primary care doctor who is apparently very comfortable in managing bipolar patients,they will have fewer qualms in prescribing the latest atypical antipsychotic medication for the next bipolar patient. Is the message crafted to be "we, primary care doctors, do not need to refer bipolar and BPH patients to the psychiatrists and urologists , we will just prescibe drug x and drug y"?
3 comments:
- Anonymous said...
I think in certain areas of the country, primary doctors are the psychiatrist and urologists of the community. There is such a shortage in psychiatric care that a good primary care physician should be able to recognize and treat bipolar disorder. They should be able to recognize which disorders should be referred to a specialist and which should be followed closely.
- Anonymous said...
It seems like the new mnemonic is "F" x 3:
F lomax
F low improvement (urine)
F loppy iris (63% of patients)
- Anonymous said...
I tend to agree with the first comment. I live in a major metropolitan city, and there is access to multiple specialists. However, they are truly not accessible, and most of the two diseases mentioned (BPH and Bipolar) goes to the PCP's office, not the urologist or psychiatrist. I believe that an FP who gave a talk should be given the respect of another MD, despite not being a "specialist" of anything. The typical FP sees 25 per day, and more than 50% is psych.


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Oregon's Willamette Valley is an American Viticulture Area – an AVA. Within this large area, however, lie 6 distinct AVA, where the soil, location and weather combine to give each area a distinct flavor to grapes grown within it. While a winery might be in one AVA, it may source grapes from many different AVAs. The Willamette Valley has wineries open all year long and every day of the week, and they pour great wine, even when we have Oregon's famous "liquid sunshine"
Chehalem Ridge B&B is located within the Chehalem Mountains AVA, where ancient seabeds, glacial sediment, flood waters and wind impacted the soil. We love the smaller wineries that dot this landscape. We often suggest:
• Bells Up Winery, located just downhill from us, is a new micro-boutique winery opened by Dave and Sara Specter, who were once guests of ours. Dave is making very small lots of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Pinot Blanc and Rosé.
• Bergström Wines focuses on bio-dynamic Pinot Noirs
• Arborbrook Vineyards, very small producers of Pinot Gris (both dry and off-dry), Pinot Noir and a yummy dessert wine
• Adelsheim Vineyards is one of the valley's oldest wineries focuses on Pinot Noir
• Natalie's Estate Winery, open by appointment only, makes small lots of pinot noir from its own vineyards and bigger reds, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah using grapes from the Columbia and Yakima Valleys in Washington
• Anam Cara Cellars has a tasting room in Newberg with a very dry, acidic Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a yummy dessert wine
Within the Chehalem Mountain AVA is the mini-AVA of Ribbon Ridge. Many wineries on Ribbon Ridge are open by appointment only, but a few do not. They are wonderful to visit and include:
• Trisateum makes great Riesling and Pinot Noir from three different sites within the Willamette Valley AVA and houses the winemaker's art gallery in the tasting room
• Aramenta Cellars is a teeny-tiny winery on the Century Farm of the Looneys with good Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Southwest of Chehalem Ridge B&B is the Dundee Hills AVA, known for its volcanic soil named Jory. Lots of big name wineries are located here, like
There are also smaller wineries within the Dundee Hills AVA that we love, such as
• Winderlea Vineyard and Winery
• Crumbled Rock Winery & Vineyards
Further southwest, we have the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, the McMinnville AVA and the Eola Hills-Amity AVA which are home to some great wineries like