A Very Cool Quadruped

It seems there's no shortage of robot videos online. YouTube is a virtual "robot central" with new robot videos popping up very day. Most of these robot videos are interesting, some entertaining. But every once in a while, these robot videos are simply amazing.

This video is of a four-footed robot that has amazing ability to balance itself. The operators ran it up and down hills, over ice and through snow, as well as over rubble. It can even hop and run.

So what? We've seen lots of robot videos. What's so special about this one? Well, first of all, it has a fairly strong cargo capacity (340 lbs.) and it's huge - looks to be about 4 ft. tall. And yet it has a nimbleness that's incredible. They run it onto ice and while it does slip, it recovers almost instantly. You can check out more info at Boston Dynamics.

How Good Is Your Hearing?

I came across this test online that I think everyone should take.

Being able to listen, to hear, is one of our most important resources. This test on a Norwegian site tests to see how well you can hear.

I've found that my hearing occasionally misses some things, either confusing them or not hearing them at all. When we don't hear, we can really miss the important things in our life that make a difference.

The test takes approximately three minutes. For best results, use headphones, but you can use computer speakers. I used the speakers in my laptop and was able to take the test completely. Be sure to give enough time to complete the test so that the results can be fully measured.

When you are done with the test, come back to this page and re-read it. The results from the test may cause you to rethink some of the things in this post. If you find the results cause you to take action, please pass this on to friends and family so they can take the test as well. Most importantly, don't tell them how the test is conducted, as this will affect the results.

How well do you hear?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

To all of our friends, I thought I'd send this little St. Patty's day wish.

This is the second year in a row that I have been able to get a picture of Carolyn with Brian, the guy who dresses up like a leprechaun at O'Sheas. He's a great guy, and fun to be around.

To commemorate the day, I thought I'd share a couple of Irish Blessings... and a joke or two:

May you be half an hour in Heaven
Before the Devil knows you're dead.

Jimmy-Joe finds a Genie lamp and rubs it. Out comes the Genie and asks "Master you have released me from the lamp and I grant you three wishes, what would you like"

Jimmy-Joe scratches his head, then answers "A bottle of Guinness that never gets empty. "Granted master" retorted the Genie and produced the bottle. Jimmy-Joe was delighted and got drunk on this one magic Guinness bottle for weeks then he remembered that he had two other wishes. He rubbed the lamp again and the Genie appeared. "Yes master, you have two more wishes, what would you like?" "You know that magic, never ending Guinness bottle" he asks the Genies. "Well, for my final two wishes, I'd like another two of them"

Whenever there is happiness
Hope you'll be there too,
Wherever there are friendly smiles
Hope they'll smile on you,
Whenever there is sunshine,
Hope it shine especially
For you to make each day for you
As bright as it can be.

Joey-Jim was tooling along the road one fine day when the local policeman, a friend of his, pulled him over. "What's wrong, Seamus?" Joey-Jim asked. "Well didn't ya know, Joey-Jim, that your wife fell out of the car about five miles back?" said Seamus. "Ah, praise the Almighty!" he replied with relief. "I thought I'd gone deaf!"

May your pockets be heavy-
Your heart be light
And may good luck pursue you
Each morning and night

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Make The Change That Will Improve Your Life

Image Courtesy Rowan of Ravara

From Keeping the Stress Monster in Check | Slow Down Fast Today! ~ David B. Bohl

Are you stressed? Ready for the therapist’s couch? Wondering if you should just dump your corporate job and run away to Alaska to work on a fishing boat?

In today’s world, more people are having to deal with increasing anxiety at the intersection of career, home, family and social life. Is it just me, or are a lot of us just not sure of whether we’re coming or going anymore?

The amount of stress that assaults us daily is tremendous. Work, money, relationships - they all create their own level of stress. The gadgets and tools that were supposed to make our lives easier have only served to add to the stress. Between cellphones, email, text messaging and other technological wonders, getting away from the things that stress us out has become difficult.

As David points out, there are a number of ways to reduce the amount of stress you are subjected to. Which you can use depends on your situation. But one in particular can be life-changing.

The Big Change

If you dread going to work in the morning, or come home from work feeling like you've been put through the ringer, give serious consideration to changing jobs. Yes, that makes it sound very easy. But even if you have to take a pay cut, the improvement in your quality of life can mean a world of difference. The theory that if you do what you love the money will follow holds true far more than you might think.

When you are doing something you enjoy, something you are passionate about, things seem to fall into place. Your mood is lighter, your tasks easier. You love what you do. But make no mistake - getting there may be the scariest thing you have ever done.

For many, changing a career is filled with obstacles. Money may be short. Family will be worried. And you will face self-doubt of a magnitude you may never have previously experienced. These will pass. With the lessening of stress,your thinking will become clearer, your resolve more powerful, your determination and resourcefulness will hit greater highs.

Making The Leap

If you decide to make a change, take some steps first:

• Decide what it is you really want to do. What is it that really makes you happy?
• Can you afford a quick switch? If money is an issue, think about how you can transition. Can you do it part-time while keeping your day gig?
• Make a plan. What do you need to do to be successful, to really enjoy what you will be doing?
• Be prepared to sacrifice. Achieving your dream career may require less time in front of the TV, or giving up some time on the weekends. You may have to tighten your financial belt, or give up some of your entertainment. Trust that as you get closer to your goal, your life will pull into balance.

If you're feeling overly-stressed, take a good long look at what you do to pay the bills. Changing your career to something you enjoy may just be the best thing you can do for you and your family.

How To Get The Best Service On Your Next Flight

Photo Courtesy Mauren Veras

Confessions Of... A Flight Attendant - Budget Travel

Other ways to get under a flight attendant's skin: asking for beverages and food before we even take off; requesting seconds before the rest of the cabin has been served; ringing the call button so you can give us your trash after we've passed through with a garbage bag half a dozen times; ringing the call button to find out when we'll land. Basically, you never want to push the call button at all.

If you fly a little, or fly a lot for that matter, you've probably seen your share of flight attendants. From the surly to the sickly sweet (Buh-bye!), they run the gamut. But these folks really do have an important job. No, not serving you half cans of Coke and a bad of stale pretzels. Their job is to be there in case the unthinkable happens. In case of emergency, these folks are there to try to protect and save your hiney.

This article offers up some tidbits of advice on how to get the most out of your flight - and flight attendants. These folks can make your trip pleasant or miserable, and all it takes is a little kindness and understanding on your part.

In addition to the tips in the linked article, there are some I've been able to put together over my miles of flying:

• Address them by name - If you can get their name, either by asking or just checking a nametag, and use it when you address them, you're more likely to get a warm response to a request. One way to find out the name - actually listen when they make their announcements. They usually indicate who is speaking and name names.
• Listen to the preflight instructions - Yup, you've heard them. So have they. They are about as thrilled at repeating them as you are of hearing them. But trust me, they'll make eye contact with those that listen. And that helps things later on.
• Help them out - Stay out of the aisles unless you absolutely have to be there, don't hang out in the galley area unless you have to, and lay off the call button unless it's really urgent. And a fresh drink doesn't count as urgent.
• Don't be an idiot - If you would be embarrassed to behave a certain way in front of your mom or your significant other, don't subject the flight attendants or your fellow passengers to it. If you can't handle your liquor, don't consume.

I'm sure you've probably got some more, so be sure to drop a comment and share!

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How To Predict The Next President

Photo Courtesy JM3

2008 Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College

It seems every election season, Tim Russert drags out a whiteboard and starts speculating on the electoral college count for presidential candidates. If you want to be like Timmy, you might want to check this site I stumbled across today. The site keeps track of the electoral college count based on recent polls, showing where each state stands and where in the electoral college count each candidate stands.

A candidate for president must garner 270 electoral college votes to win the presidential campaign. As election day nears, the site will present the possible outcomes and how each candidate can reach the magic 270. It even allows you to be your own electoral college analyst, changing the count by clicking on states in an interactive map.

So why is 270 the magic number? It's the math of elections. There are 538 Presidential Electors who represent the voting of their particular states. The number of electors is based on population, and the number of electors is equal to the number of congressional representatives each state has in Congress. The smallest state, therefore, has three electors, 1 for each Senator and one representative. The biggest states are California (55), Texas (34), New York (31), Florida (27), and Illinois (21).

Whenever the vote is close, as in 2000 and 2004, the subject of "faithless electors" comes up. This is the concept that an elector, who is pledged to vote for one candidate, changes their vote. It has happened, but in reality, many states have legal recourse against such actions, and penalties for doing so. Electors essentially pledge that they will vote as the electorate has, and in most cases are bound to do so.

Given that this election may be one of the most closely watched and hotly contested in recent history, bookmark www.270towin.com to keep track of how things are going.

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What We Often Forget

Copyright 2008 Soderman Consulting

I read a great post today over on IWillChangeYourLife.com on some of the things we forget while we rush through our busy lives. The post covers such things as:

• Take Joy Where You Find It
• Free Yourself By Forgiving Your Rivals
• Do Not Take Yourself Seriously
• Enjoy Friendship and Companionship
• Give to Others

The point made by the post is that by observing some easy-to-follow, yet easily forgotten steps, we can liberate ourselves from the stresses we feel each day, and in turn, lead a more joyful life.

Why do we forget such simple lessons as "take joy where you find it". Children know this lesson instinctively. They can find the pleasure of splashing in a puddle, playing with mud pies, or just a big hug, and each creates just as much joy as the next.

But as we grow older, as we become grownups, we gradually lose the sense of wonder that a child thrives on. We become cynical, and "reality" intrudes. It doesn't have to, of course. We just get wrapped up in the trappings of life - the bling, the bills, the relationships - and we start to forget what is important: the joy.

Take some time, maybe even now, to think about the last time you felt joy. Was it today? Yesterday? Last week? Can you recall it at all?

Without joy, life is just a stumble from one event to another. Don't waste another minute. Find what it is that brings you joy, and strive for it, revel in it. Then share it with those around you. It will multiply, and you won't forget it.

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