PUNE: Online library platform Knimbus is going from being an e-library platform to enabling colleges and institutes create their own virtual libraries.

"Knimbus 3.0 will be a full stack platform that will allow institutes to build and customise their own online libraries using the material we have. They will have their own homepage and mobile app, which will allow students access content from anywhere," said Rahul Agarwalla, CEO, Knimbus.

Set up in 2011 as a platform to make online content more easily searchable for research students, the new version also marks a shift from catering to PhD students and researchers alone to university and college students as well.

Agarwalla likens it to a variation of the Netflix model, where all the content is curated by Knimbus onto one platform, which is then customised by users as per their preferences. Agarwalla said the SaaS platform was currently being rolled out to existing customers like Niti Aayog and the NIT, New Delhi, and undergoing final testing before opening it up to others. The company hosts content from over 500 publishers along with e-learning material from universities across the world, some of which is available for free, while some is premium content.

"We are currently working with 300 paid customers and have 750 live libraries. The aim is to get to a 1,000 paid customers by the end of 2018," said Agarwalla.

A recent survey conducted among librarians by Knimbus showed that almost 60% of them had some sort of a digital footprint. The biggest constraints according to them were the cost of doing so and the lack of infrastructure.

"All our content is on the cloud and we manage the back-end, which makes it easy for anyone to set up their online library," said Agarwalla.

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Knimbus is making e-libraries a virtual reality for colleges - Economic Times

CUMBERLAND In a world heading increasingly toward digital media, Prince Memorial Library is keeping pace by scanning several key local texts.

A link on the 266 Main St librarys website, princememorial.lib.me.us/researcher, is a gateway to the online repository of information.

Digital collections of books and maps scanned in by the Cumberland library town meeting records from the 1821 incorporation through 1952, as well as vital records, town census compilations, school yearbooks, planning documents and municipal meeting minutes are among the many offerings that can be accessed from anywhere around the world, at no charge, through the link.

The service is available through the Maine State Librarys Digital Maine network.

The project was conceived when library Director Thomas Bennett attended a workshop hosted by the Maine State Library in 2014.

The Maine State Library is responsible for retaining government documents, he said in an interview July 19. They had an idea that, instead of trying to keep 20 paper copies of every government document that came out they would do a digital initiative, have the different departments publish digitally and it goes up on Digital Maine.

Doing so makes such documents much more accessible to the public, and easier to maintain in libraries growing increasingly cramped for space, Bennett said.

The state library opened the initiative to public libraries and historical societies around the state, and Prince Memorial has been scanning and posting items in the three years since.

Along with historic documents, Cumberlands online offerings include self-published books on various aspects of town history, such as Early Days of the Cumberland Fire Department by Kenneth Chase and History of the Town of Cumberland, Maine by Mary Sweetser.

(For) anybody interested in Cumberland history, its great stuff, Bennett said.

Another resource is the towns online collection of planning documents, which can aid developers in learning the history of a given parcel.

We now have like 500 engineering plans and other documents, Bennett said.

Everything is searchable by keyword through the website, and through Google. Thanks to the library transcribing the texts of its historic documents, the contents as well as the titles and subjects can be found via search engine, saving researchers significant time in perusing page after page for what they need.

And with the state librarys recent partnering with Digital Public Library of America, all the records are showing up there as well, and pointing back to Cumberlands repository.

For us its great, because we have some documents, some books that are fragile, we dont want them going out of the building, Bennett said. We can put them up here (online), and people can find them, make copies.

The librarys outreach efforts have paid off. According to a top 10 downloads listing at digitalmaine.com/topdownloads.html, Vital Records of Cumberland Maine, 1701-1892), compiled by Bennett, was in third place as of Monday with about 3,000 downloads, while minutes of the Town Council meeting of April 12, 1999, ranked 10th.

Its really nice that we can do this, that we can get stuff out there, Bennett said. It takes the stress off of our collection, and gets our information out to a wider public.

And if the original documents are ever destroyed, they would remain preserved digitally for perpetuity.

Cumberland records have been downloaded all over the world, including South Africa and Australia, according to Bennetts data.

Looking to the future, he said he wants to scan and post more self-published works by local authors, to get them back into public consumption, without the cost of going back to a publisher.

Lets get those up on (the web), so that their work can get out there, Bennett said.

Thomas Bennett, director of Prince Memorial Library in Cumberland, shows a searchable catalog of local offerings available online, such as historic documents and books by town authors.

More:
Cumberland library adds to digital collection - The Forecaster

Not long ago, it seemed to Melissa Larson that solar eclipse glasses were everywhere at the Walmart, the Best Buy and all over the internet. Surely she could take her time before she and her husband left for Southern Illinois to catch a prime view of this rare cosmic phenomenon.

But a few weeks later, her confidence vanished. Store after store was sold out, and websites were demanding a pirate's ransom for the glasses if they had them at all.

So Larson, of Inverness, put a notice on Craigslist on Monday offering to buy two pairs for $20. As of late afternoon, she had no takers.

"The only thing I can find online are 10-packs," she said. "That's ridiculous. Who needs 10 of them?"

Like fidget spinners or flu shots, solar eclipse glasses have become scarce just as demand has reached a frenzy less than a week from the Aug. 21 event. The Chicago Public Library announced it would give away 15,000 pairs, only to be greeted with lines Monday that stretched out the door at some branches.

"If they're not out already, they won't be around much longer," spokesman Patrick Molloy said. "We knew it would be popular, but we didn't know the demand would be that heavy."

In Naperville School District 203, the high schools sagely ordered their supply more than a year ago, but other schools are still scrambling to track down the gear. Spokeswoman Michelle Fregoso said administrators are planning to livestream video images of the celestial event for children who remain unequipped.

"No one's going to miss out on the eclipse," she said. "You may miss out on being outside to view it."

Eclipse glasses block ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation, and, according to NASA, allow people to gaze at the sun for long durations without harming their vision. Taking a peek with the naked eye is a bad idea, said Dr. Felix Chau, an ophthalmologist with the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"With the eclipse, the danger is people are fooled, and since the sky will be much darker and part of the sun will be blocked, they'll think maybe it's safe," he said.

It's not. Chau cited a condition called solar retinopathy, in which light energy causes a permanent scar on the retina, leading to vision loss. He recommended using a pinhole camera or other indirect means to view the eclipse, concerned that the specialized glasses might not be safe.

"Who made those glasses and how protective are they really?" he said. "If there's damage to the retina, some people will have to deal with the injury for the rest of their lives."

But Mike Kentrianakis of the American Astronomical Society said glasses that have the approval of the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, have proven to be safe and effective. The problem is that some opportunists are selling counterfeit glasses, ISO logo and all.

He said the best way to be sure that eclipse glasses work properly is to try them on and look at a bright light everything other than the light should be barely visible.

"If you can see faint florescent lights in your home or make out any details indoors, or even outdoors (in sunlight), they're no good," he said.

Researchers have gauged the toll of eye injuries from previous eclipses and reached varying conclusions. One study found that 1 in 7 people who sustained eye injuries during a 1999 eclipse claimed to have used safety glasses or welder's masks.

"No additional information about these devices was provided, so it is likely that some or all of them were homemade, not certified as safe, or otherwise deficient," the society said in a summation of the research. "In any case, all patients in this study recovered their vision after several weeks."

The demand for glasses has factories churning one manufacturer, Tennessee-based American Paper Optics, has said it wants to crank out 100 million pairs and prices spiking.

A five-pack offered last week on Amazon for $19.95 was going for $39.95 Monday. On eBay, one vendor wanted $24.95 for a single pair and within hours had sold more than 100.

One answer to the price gouging has been to buy in bulk. Rachel Hambleton of Evanston found a 25-pack that, with shipping, worked out to $6.50 a pair. She quickly rounded up other parents on Facebook who were eager to share in the haul, finding the response so great that she placed a second order.

"I'm still getting people asking me (for the glasses)," she said. "I say, 'You'll have to check with the other moms. I've already ordered 50.'"

The Adler Planetarium has served as a major distributor of eclipse glasses after ordering 200,000 from American Astronomical Society-endorsed manufacturer Rainbow Symphony. It gave the Chicago Public Library part of the supply, and also is selling them in the gift shop for $2.50 a pair.

Other libraries have secured a cache of glasses through grants by a STEM-related organization. The Oak Lawn Public Library has already given out about 200 pairs, but is holding back about 800 for people who show up on eclipse day.

"Even if they come in droves, we'll have glasses for them," said Emily Kenny, the library's youth services associate. "We feel confident in that."

In the end, supply and demand have a way of working out. By Monday evening, Larson finally got a response to her Craigslist ad: A seller offered her and her husband a five-pack of eclipse glasses for $30.

"Looks like we'll be the ones with extras," she said.

jkeilman@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @JohnKeilman

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As interest in eclipse reaches frenzy, viewing glasses in short supply - Chicago Tribune

There are many characteristics associated with effective leaders; you can find those lists easily, or you can just make a list yourself. If you have read my writing much, you know that I believe that remarkable leaders are learners that they must be learning to be successful in nearly every part of their role. I believe that an important part of our ability to be a learning leader is to be self-aware.

The Oxford Dictionary defines self-awareness as a conscious knowledge of ones own character, feelings, motives, and desires. Given that definition, I want to give you three reasons why you would want to build the skills and habits of self-awareness if you want to be a better leader and some reflection questions for each of these reasons.

Others are watching. Everything in your behavior is being observed and evaluated by those around, especially your team. They are noticing what you do and say, how you do and say it, and even what you arent doing or saying. The degree to which a leader is unaware of their behavior and how it is being perceived by others limits their ability to be successful today, and become more successful tomorrow. To better understand this, consider questions like:

How are people responding to you? In what ways are those responses surprising? How often do you feel misunderstood, or your actions are misinterpreted? Do you recognize other peoples perceptions as feedback to consider?

You impact everything. Like a pebble tossed into a pond, your presence and behavior will necessarily change the way your team operates, what they value and what they believe.

Who you are and how you behave changes the relationships your team members have, the expectations they carry about their work, how productive they are, and what values they carry in their work. As a leader, you must realize how your presence affects the team. To think about this more carefully ask yourself questions like: Do you notice your team (or individuals) changing when you walk into the room? If so, in what ways? How open does your team seem with you? How would you access the level of trust team members have in you?

Consider cause and effect. As it relates to self-awareness, the most important cause and effect relationship starts with your thoughts. What you are thinking impacts your actions, consciously or not, and therefore directly impacts the two items above. Some questions to ask yourself here include:

What are your beliefs about your team and each member of it? What are the most important parts of your job? What do like most about your role as a leader? What do you wish you were better at?

Self-awareness requires introspection: to look inside yourself at what you were thinking and feeling at any moment, and how it lead you to speak and act. When looking back at a situation, you can see how you responded and why, but more importantly, you can see what type of reaction or outcome resulted. Since we mostly operate on auto-pilot, when we stop and reflect on what we did, why we did it and how it worked, we have a chance to change the auto-pilot settings in the future (if we so choose).

If you want to become a more effective leader, decide to be more self-aware, more introspective, and step back to assess yourself using the kinds of questions above. Time spent doing this will almost assuredly aid you in your journey to becoming a more effective leader.

And before we close, one more important thing . . .

The most effective leaders recognize the power of self-awareness, and are also more open to and actively seek feedback from others as a part of their learning and growth. As important as the self-awareness and self-evaluation is, it is just a starting point and fuel for the desire to grow as a leader and a human being.

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The Self-Aware Leader - Inside INdiana Business

15 ways to find your inner calm after the Bank Holiday Weekend

Independent.ie

His profound yet simple teachings have already helped countless people throughout the world find calm, contentment and greater fulfilment in their lives. Here, Eckhart Tolle shares his 15 ways to find inner peace.

http://www.independent.ie/life/health-wellbeing/health-features/15-ways-to-find-your-inner-calm-after-the-bank-holiday-weekend-36000560.html

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His profound yet simple teachings have already helped countless people throughout the world find calm, contentment and greater fulfilment in their lives. Here, Eckhart Tolle shares his 15 ways to find inner peace.

"Worry is a destructive and futile thought pattern that many people are trapped in. In the present moment, you may be faced with a challenge but you don't have time to worry about it. You either run away from it or you deal with it. Worry never refers to something that is happening in the present moment. If you look more closely, you will see that the thought pattern we call 'worry' is ultimately a form of illusion because it refers to a future moment that is not reality right now. You cannot deal with the future because it's not here. You can only deal with the present moment."

2 IT'S NOT THE SITUATION, BUT HOW YOU INTERPRET THE SITUATION

"Many things are happening in the world that justifiably seem to make us feel anxious. But if you look back in history, there have been many time periods when life was even more uncertain than it is now. Jesus was already talking about anxiety - several times he emphasised the importance of being aware of your own state of consciousness. We always think the cause for our anxiety is outside of us -but if we look more deeply, we realise that, ultimately, it's not things outside of us that make us anxious but our thoughts about the things outside of us that make us feel anxious."

3 LIFE IS UNCERTAIN BY ITS VERY NATURE

"It would be a delusion to believe that you will reach a stage in life where everything - relationships, jobs, health, finances - is secure. This never happens because the essence of life is that there is always uncertainty and insecurity. One challenge replaces another. People think this shouldn't be happening. They think, 'My life should be in such a way that I can finally relax and be at peace,' but life is not like that. Everything, as the Buddha said, is impermanent. The external world will never give you a sense of security but we can find freedom inside of ourselves so that we enter into a skilful relationship with the eternal world so that our mind does not become our torture chamber."

4 KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 'FOCUSED THINKING' and 'WORRIED THINKING'

"People are under the illusion that worry has some useful purpose, but it doesn't. Unconsciously, they feel, 'If I don't worry about my life, I'm not taking responsibility for my life.' But you cannot because the situation is not here now. I'm not talking about planning. Of course you can plan to take certain steps in the future. Focused thinking is very different from worried thinking - you take out a piece of paper and think about what actions you can take. Worry, on the other hand, is an incessant, repetitive stream of thinking that does not lead to any useful action. So you are trapped in this vicious circle - with one fearful thought producing another fearful thought producing another fearful thought."

5 THERE IS NEVER A GOOD TIME TO START PRACTISING STILLNESS

"People think they can only have inner peace when their external conditions are conducive to inner peace. That happens very rarely, unfortunately. People always want to postpone it - they think, 'Once my problems are sorted out, then I'll be able to do it.' But your problems never get sorted out. You sort out one set of problems and then you encounter a new set. So you have to decide, no matter what your life situation, that inner peace, which is your state of consciousness, is your first priority. Everything else is secondary."

6 HOW ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?

"In The Power of Now, I posed the question: 'What problem do I have right now?' That question can be very helpful. The mind is telling you that you're burdened with these terrible things - but it's all mental; it's not actual. So, what problem do I have right now? Suddenly you realise that you are in this warm bed and you are not being threatened by anything right now, except by your mind."

7 LEARN TO NOTICE WITHOUT NAMING

"Wherever you are, take a moment to use your sense perception to look and listen. For example, I can look out the window and see the sky and a park with beautiful trees, and I can look at that without calling it anything. This is another state of consciousness where you are fully conscious but not thinking, or thinking very little. And that is a portal into inner peace and inner stillness, which is a deeper dimension of consciousness."

8 USE YOUR BREATH AS AN ANCHOR

"A very easy thing to do is simply to become aware that you are breathing. Your attention goes to your breath so you breathe consciously. You don't have to change your breathing. If you bring your attention to the fact that you are breathing, you begin to enjoy the rhythm of your breath and you enjoy observing your breath. And when you do that, you are not thinking anymore. You cannot think and at the same time be aware of your breathing. And when you're no longer thinking, you are no longer worrying."

9 TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO BE STILL in the MORNING

Don't check your phone first thing in the morning. Instead of cluttering your mind, you need to have a little space of awareness or presence - even for five minutes. This also applies to the last moments before bed. I call it going into sleep consciously. When you turn off the light and close your eyes, become aware of your breathing and notice that your breath moves in and out. This will help you find stillness."

10 BECOME AWARE OF YOUR BODY

"Becoming aware of your breathing can almost automatically take you into this inner body awareness which I have written about in The Power of Now. That means you feel the aliveness inside your body - your hands, your feet, your legs. I always recommend that people begin by feeling the inside of their hands by directing attention into their hands. Some people tell me that they don't know what I'm talking about. The easiest way for me to explain it is to say, 'Hold your left or right hand out, close your eyes and ask yourself, "Is my right hand still there?" How can I know if it is still there? My eyes are closed and I'm not touching anything.' Very often this is a helpful question for people who cannot feel the inner body. This practice can transform your life because it makes you the master of your mind and is the most helpful anchor for being in a state of presence. I sometimes call it a portal into inner peace."

11 YOUR STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS AFFECTS YOUR ENVIRONMENT

"There is nothing that will prevent you from practising inner body awareness - even if you're surrounded by highly anxious people. If you can feel your inner body, you're no longer resonating with that state of consciousness that is around you. Sometimes it just takes one person to be present to have a beneficial effect on the entire group. However, there are some workplaces that are so dysfunctional, so dominated by infighting, anger and anxiety, that only you can know if you want to continue being in a particular environment or if you want to remove yourself from it."

12 STILLNESS TRANSCENDS ANY SITUATION

"I often receive correspondence from people who are in prison. They have discovered that they can enter this state of consciousness; they can be in their body and find inner peace that they never had before. They experience a transformation of consciousness in prison because their surroundings are so unpleasant that they have to go deeper inside. People have written to me to say 'I'm still in prison, but I feel free.' It's a wonderful realisation. There is, within very human being, that dimension of consciousness already present."

13 CREATE A TECH-FREE ZONE

"The mind was already dysfunctional, but now it has become amplified through technology, so modern, contemporary humans are probably even more anxious and uncentred than people were in the past because of our exposure to this kind of technology. We have to be very aware of the addictive nature of these things... and we need to create little spaces where we do not interact with these devices. If you do not allow your cellphone or your computer in your bedroom, then you have at least one space where you are not being bombarded with these things."

14 TAKE MOMENTS TO JUST BE

"When I'm waiting somewhere, unless there is really something that I need to communicate, I don't just take out my cellphone to start looking around it. You can just be when you're waiting somewhere - just allow yourself to be in that moment, to look around, to feel the energy inside your body. We need to exercise the power that we have so that we are not slaves to our mind - and slaves to the devices that the mind has created. Otherwise, no matter what you have, there is always a sense of dissatisfaction, underlying anxiety and discontent."

15 LEARN TO TRUST IN LIFE

"Faith is a deep sense of trust that you are being supported by something greater than yourself - a vast power that lies behind life; a vast intelligence lying behind all the manifestations of life. When you find inner stillness, you can sense that there is a presence in that stillness and that presence carries you. People feel they have to control every aspect of their life and basically what that means is a lack of trust. When you have that connection to the inner stillness, then you can have this trust in life, and that neurotic need to control every little thing is no longer there. Then you can do real thinking that is more constructive and you can focus on the power of your thought - that's another story...

* Eckhart Tolle will be speaking in the RDS, Dublin, on September 9 at 7pm. For more information, see seminars.ie

Health & Living

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15 ways to find your inner calm after the Bank Holiday Weekend ... - Independent.ie

Ever suffered from anxiety? I have, and it's no picnic. About 10 years ago, I checked into the ER before a speaking engagement thinking I was having a heart attack. The electrocardiogram showed that my heart was as strong as ever. What had happened? I had had a panic attack, which is a sudden, overwhelming surge of anxiety and fear that mimics a heart attack. Doctors told me it had been induced by stress. That made sense. It was one of the most stressful periods of my life.

Numerous speaking engagements later, I had learned how to control feelings that commonly led to anxiety. I had learned that anxiety is often the result of fears (mostly based on things that haven't happened yet) you may have about uncertain situations, places, and even people in your life.

This is a serious issue. A study by Dr. Michael Freeman, a clinical professor at University of California, San Francisco, found that nearly half of 242 entrepreneurs surveyed reported having one or more lifetime mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults, a whopping 18 percent of the population.

If anxiety is beating up on you, you can reduce it with these helpful hacks.

The most commonly suggested way to manage anxiety is to calm the nervous system by using diaphragmatic breathing (deep breathing). Doing it for a few minutes sends the brain the message that you're not actually in any danger, and in return it will kick your body into relaxation mode instead of fight-or-flight. If any part of your brain is sending signals that you're under threat (and in reality, you're not), kick the fear by gently talking yourself out of it. Convince that part of your brain sending you into fight-or-flight mode that you are just fine.

If you're feeling anxious, move. Literally move -- go outside and get some fresh air. Put on your earbuds and start listening to your favorite relaxing music (give the speed metal or gangsta rap a break) while going for a brisk walk. Try to take your mind away from what's bothering you. Focus as you walk on positive thoughts that will make you feel safe, accepted, loved, and honored. When you're at homeostasis, reflect on how fortunate and blessed you actually are.

Journaling about your fears and worries helps you process how you really feel, which can be healing. Use a notebook, and write these headings at the top of a page: 1) Situation; 2) Thoughts/What am I telling myself?; 3) How anxious do I feel? Jot down a short sentence about the situation and the date so you can monitor your progress. Most important, write down any thoughts you're having either in anticipation of or during a situation that causes anxiety. What are you telling yourself? Is it true, or does it come from irrational fear? In the third column, rank how you feel on a scale of one to 10, or write a few words to describe how you feel. Once you get clarity on the situation, you can look at what actions to take to move yourself forward.

Often, worry is the direct result of trying to control people, things, or certain situations that are actually well beyond your control. Understanding that you can't and shouldn't control everything and releasing your worry will help you manage your emotions better. Focus on the things that are in your control, slow down, and take one thing at a time. Now you can refocus on what's immediately in front of you, and go from there. Releasing your attempt to control will help ease some of the discomfort you're experiencing from your anxiety.

By exposing yourself to whatever it is you fear, it loses its power and control over you. No matter what it is that you fear, if you literally submerge yourself in it for a long-enough period of time, the illusion of fear (because there's no such thing as fear--it's all in our minds) will eventually be gone. That weakness becomes your great strength. When you figure out the thing that you fear, it's usually the most important thing you need to make yourself or your business successful.

A growing body of research in neuroscience suggests that mindfulness is one of the best-kept secrets for helping people deal with anxiety. You can practice it by intentionally focusingon your emotionsand accepting in a nonjudgmental way whatever thoughts and sensations you're experiencing in the moment. Matt Tenney, author of The Mindfulness Edge, summarizes it like this: "We train our awareness so that we become less distracted by our own thinking, which allows us to enjoy our lives more, to be more present with people, and to see our world, both inner and outer, with greater clarity."

Read the original here:

6 Powerful Brain Hacks to Cope With Anxiety Every Day - Inc.com

WooliebuGGer recently released Constant Evolution Parts 1 & 2, from his forthcoming EP or album, slated to drop later this year. Hailing from Aurora, Illinois, WooliebuGGer began creating music at the age of 14, stating, I am inspired everyday by the idea of what can be accomplished.

Stylistically, WooliebuGGers sound encompasses electronic, experimental, ambient, minimal and glitch elements. And his musical influences include Brian Eno, Kraftwerk, Future Sound Of London, Stereolab, Pink Floyd, The Doors and The Beatles.

Constant Evolution is a single, lengthy song composed of two distinct segments: part 1 consists of a radiant dance beat, while part 2 dampens the rhythm and takes on a flowing, almost psychedelic flavor rife with extended, syncopated notes.

The bipartite song begins with a percolating synth rhythm, followed by a mesmerizing, futuristic melody that exudes electronic dance elements riding on leitmotifs projected by the synths. The leitmotif gives the impression of gazing into a sonic mirror that reflects the melody in ever devolving fractal patterns. The groove is provided by handclaps that ebb and flow, depending on the intensity of the synth matrix. Part 1 concludes with a protracted synth note that vibrates horizontally as part 2 enters riding a clicking, popping groove, with white noise sound effects and an escalating shrill tone that abruptly halts. The tune segues into percussive effects backed by, and riding on, a rapidly stuttering synth, which eventually fades, leaving only the percussive effects, which assume a light industrial feel that elongates and increases in tension, like something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey. As the tune culminates, two part harmonies percussion and synth slowly fade, increase and end on a vibrating tone.

The overall sound of parts 1 and 2, together, is electronic ambient music that is kept fresh by the replicating leitmotifs serving as an elastic melody, a melody that ultimately devolves into an austere, minimalist series of detached sonic expression in Part 2. Even though part 2 depicts an almost mechanical detachment, it remains intense with suppressed energy.

Constant Evolution Parts 1 & 2 evokes turbulent, stylish sonority, along with tensile flamboyance under precise control. The latter component, the tensile flamboyance, provides the tune with an edgy tightness that imbues the music with pressure and strain that borders on apprehension. To that end, although its eccentric and quasi-experimental, it is good. That being said, if youre searching for relaxing ambient music, this is not it. On the other hand, if youre searching for ambient music that is pregnant with mysterious sonic symbolism stridently asserting its vitality, this is just the ticket.

Find out more about WooliebuGGer here.

Listen to more WooliebuGGer here.

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Music Review: Constant Evolution Parts 1 & 2 WooliebuGGer - HuffPost

Ever want to escape lifes worries and drift away on a sea of bliss?

Michelle Garrett, a Norman massage therapist specializing in ashiatsu and owner of Drift Therapeutic Spa says Drift, in partnership with Float OKC, may have just what you need to find that escape.

The whole goal with floating is to reduce sensory input during the session, said Float OKC owner Neal Smock.

While both floating and massage help people relax, the combination, Garrett and Smock believe, multiplies the relaxation.

They pair really well together, Smock said.

Drift offers several types of massage, including aromatherapy, Ashi-Thai, deep tissue, hot stone, Swedish and prenatal in addition to ashiatsu barefoot massage.

Garrett said clients should first consider how much pressure they want before selecting which type of massage is best for them. Those who want something really gentle might try Swedish massage. For an extra-relaxing experience, she suggests adding aromatherapy which can be paired with all massage types.

Still, theres nothing like ashiatsu barefoot massage to get a truly therapeutic experience, she said.

We offer deep tissue massage, but most of our clients who like a lot of deep pressure opt for the ashiatsu, Garrett said. Its what were known for. You still get the long flowing strokes, so its still relaxing.

She recommends the ashiatsu for people with chronic tension and pain.

To pair massage with floating, the client can decide which he or she wants first. Garrett said often a client will float to release tension then follow with a massage. Other times, a person may want the deep massage first then finish unwinding in the float chamber.

Its a personal choice, that can vary by client, she said.

Smock said people use floating to decompress, and, while some might want a totally dark, quiet experience, others may want to leave on a dim light in the chamber or have soft, meditative music playing.

People are often surprised how quickly an hour passes in the float chamber Smock said.

Garrett agreed. She said during her first experience floating, five minutes in, she thought, this isnt for me, I dont think I can do this, but then her mind disengaged and the next thing she knew the lights were coming on, and she couldnt believe an hour had passed.

Dont fight the urge for your brain to jump from thought to thought, Smock said.

As the thoughts flow through, eventually without the constant sensory overload we experience in our daily lives, the mind will relax, he said.

Some people even fall asleep which is completely safe, because of the high content of epsom salts which makes the water dense and allows people to float effortlessly. The salts also give the water a silky feel.

Each float chamber has a private shower on the outside, so clients shower before and after floating. Ultraviolet light filters and cleans the float water which is warmed to 93.5 degrees to match the surface temperature of skin.

Thats really important for the sensory aspect, because with the water matching your skin temperature, it becomes neutral, Smock said. It feels like youre floating on nothing.

After few moments, people no longer consciously think about being in water, he said.

While the client controls the light, going pitch black to eliminate sensory input helps the mind rest, Smock said. The spacious chambers are four feet wide by eight feet long and at the lowest point are seven feet high to prevent claustrophobia.

After floating or massage, clients are welcome to decompress further with a cup of Prairie Bloom herbal tea. Drift uses cruelty free, mostly organic Prairie Bloom Botanical products, in part because of the quality of the products, but also because theyre produced locally.

Garrett, a Norman native, said she is pleased to partner with other local businesses.

Float OKC has been in Edmond for two and half years and has been partnered with Drift in Norman since mid-July.

Smock owns the float side of the business, while Garrett owns the Drift massage side of the business.

Drift Therapeutic Spa

480 24th Ave. NW, Suite 120

405-701-2832

driftnorman.com

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Float your troubles away - Norman Transcript

One in five consumers overall agree that organic foods are worth the extra cost.

Customers dont always opt for organic foods, but when it comes to produce, its a high priority.

New research from Mintel reveals that half (50%) of consumers say they are most likely to purchase organic fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables, compared to other food categories like meats/poultry/seafood (41%), juice (39%) and dairy/milk/yogurt (38%).

While three in 10 (29%) Americans say they do not typically buy food and drink with an organic or natural claim, these products are finding their place in shopping carts across the country. One third (32%) of consumers say half or more of the groceries they buy are organic.

Whether a cart full or just a few items, nearly three in five (57%) Americans agree that today they are buying the same amount of organic foods as they did in 2016. However, it appears preference for organic options is on the rise as one third (34%) say they are buying more organic foods in 2017 than a year ago.

Mintel research indicates that price and authenticity are purchase deterrents, even among organic shoppers. Just two in five (39%) consumers whose food purchases are at least half organic and one in five (21%) consumers overall agree that organic foods are worth the extra cost. In fact, Americans are most likely to say they would purchase more organic foods if they were less expensive (62%). Highly skeptical of organic claims, just one quarter (26%) of consumers say they trust organic food labels, while a mere 13% agree that organic foods are highly regulated. For many, brand name outweighs an organic label as just one in seven (14%) consumers agree that an organic claim is more important than a specific brand.

The fact that consumers are more likely to seek organic fresh produce items not only speaks to the lack of organic options in certain segments, but also to the notion that organic claims simply resonate in some categories more so than in others. Our research shows that organic brands appeal to younger consumers, but there is significant effort required to persuade older generations of the value of organic or natural claims. This indicates that if organic brands can reassure consumers that organic foods are indeed living up to their claims, whether through on-pack messaging or marketing campaigns, it could be a boon to the category, said Billy Roberts, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel.

In addition to organics being more affordable, Americans say they would be motivated to purchase more organic foods if they were proven to be healthier (33%) and stayed fresher longer (31%). And with organic consumers the most likely to say they purchase organic foods and beverages at a supermarket (55%) or mass merchandiser (36%), more than one quarter (27%) of Americans overall agree they would purchase more organic foods if there were more organic options from major brands. Meanwhile, one in seven (13%) of those who purchase organic foods shop through online channels, including both delivery and in-store pickup.

Overall, Mintel research shows that feeling good inside and out compels consumption for natural and organic food shoppers. More than one quarter (28%) of Americans agree that they feel better about themselves when buying organic foods, rising to nearly half (48%) of those who are buying more organic foods this year. Whats more, 28% of consumers overall report buying natural/organic products because they know these products are better for them, again, rising to half (49%) of those consumers who are buying more organic foods this year.

While consumers overall may be unaware of organics traits or the precise benefits of eating organically, the products do enjoy a positive reputation and generally appear to make consumers feel good about their purchase, even if it comes at a higher cost. More affordable organic options would do well with consumers and more private-label options are emerging that could help push prices down. While consumers pay attention to brand names, in their eyes, there is little difference between national brand and store-brand organic options. As such, a considerable price difference could compel consumers to turn away from national brands in favor of a comparable option with an organic claim, concluded Roberts.

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Shoppers Choosing 'Organic' Produce - Convenience Store Decisions

Organic groceries can cost you more than twice as much as conventional groceries. For example, you could get a basket filled with conventional chicken, eggs, milk, zucchini, carrots and apples for $10.68. But if you bought the organic versions of those same products, you might pay $24.21, according to Consumer Reports. Yet many people would like to buy organic, either for the health of their families or the health of the planet.

When my family began this adventure in eating whole and natural foods, we experienced sticker shock, said Chrissy Pate who runs the savings website BeCentsable.net. So, I did some research and found that great benefits could be had from making some smaller changes in the right areas.

Pate found that you dont have to spend your whole paycheck to go organic. Instead you can graze through a variety of strategies and do quite well. There are simple, practical ways to get deep discounts on organic products. Here are 10 methods:

[Tech has taken the work out of couponing. Heres how to save big with little effort.]

1. Prioritize your organics. The Consumer Reports Food Safety and Sustainability Center says produce is the highest priority thing to buy organic, in order to avoid pesticide residues. But even within that category you can cut costs with this loose guideline: If a fruit or vegetable has a protective peel that you do not eat, buying organic is less important.

Consumer Reports says organic poultry, meat and dairy are of medium to high importance, in order to avoid antibiotics and hormones and to get the most nutritious benefits. Lowest priority are packaged foods, since they are highly processed even if theyre organic.

2. Try a regular store. You dont have to go to a specialty store for organics. Conventional grocery chains like Safeway and Giant have devoted more and more space to organic foods as their popularity has surged. Their organic prices are often fairly close to their regular prices, but you should shop and compare to make sure. Also watch out for conventional and organic produce that are displayed next to each other, as store misters could spread pesticide residue from one to the other.

3. Try a small store. When Consumers Checkbook shopped around for organic produce, it found that prices at Moms Organic Market were eight percent lower than those at other Washington-area grocery stores. Trader Joes stores are small, but carry many organic foods. When MarketWatch compared Trader Joes prices with those of three other stores, it said Trader Joes was by far the cheapest.

4. Try a big store. Costco boasts that its Kirkland Signature Organics line will save consumers 20 percent. Walmart is now the biggest seller of organics in America, and since its known for its rock-bottom prices, its worth a look. Target stores especially Super Targets have also made a huge investment in organics.

5. Shop online. I tested online grocers for a Dr. Oz Show segment and found that Thrive Market was promising. We bought a months worth of snacks for a family of four, and Thrives price was $46, compared to $61 at a specialty grocery store. An intriguing newcomer is called Brandless.com. Brandless sells page after page of organics and every product is $3! As you can guess from the name, the products are simply packaged, no-name items.

[Parents, do you have the best 529 college savings plan? (Yes, you can choose.)]

6. Go generic. Regardless whether you are shopping at a conventional, big, little, or online store, generic organics are another way to save. For example, Safeway has its O brand and Whole Foods house brand is called 365. Consumers Checkbook found that often these generic organics were cheaper than the equivalent name-brand conventional foods. The website Cheapism.com found 200 Whole Foods 365 foods that were less expensive than equivalent products at regular grocery stores.

7. Use coupons. Yes! Organic coupons do exist. Dont be fooled into thinking you cant get coupons on these types of items, said Pate. There is a growing customer base for organic foods and, as a result, companies are competing harder to get your business!

First of all, most coupons offered for things like spaghetti sauce are good for the companys conventional sauces or organic sauces, even if the conventional sauce is the one pictured on the coupon.

The other trick is to simply search the name of an organic brand you like and the word coupons and see whats out there. I found five different coupons for Annies Homegrown products this way and even a coupon to receive $1 off of Earthbound Farms organic lettuces. You can also sign up for your favorite organic brands newsletter. They often contain generous coupons. Bonus tip: Create a separate email address just for shopping to avoid clogging up your main email account.

8. Save on non-food groceries. Get other products for little or nothing and then spend the money saved on organics. This is totally doable if you match coupons with sales or stack multiple coupons together, as I explained in my June 6 column. Thanks to websites that find the deals for you, its not hard.

For example, as I write this you can get shaving cream and deodorant for free at CVS, shampoo and Kleenex for free at Target, and Band-Aids and tape for free at Walmart. Several of these deals even allow you to make a profit by combining coupons and sales and getting cash back.

9. Go natural. There are three tips within this tip. The first is to shop seasonally because produce, in particular, is far less expensive when its in season. Second, why not grow your own? This year I spent $31 on seeds for my small garden in D.C., and I estimate its generated many times that in organic veggies. The third idea is to join a CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You are basically subscribing to a local farmer and usually go to a central location weekly to pick up a box of organic food. I once compared a Sandy Spring, Md., CSAs prices with grocery store prices and found they paid $11 less for their box of nine vegetables.

10. Know your labels. And finally, make sure the food you are buying is all you hope it is. The reliable labels to look for are USDA Organic, Certified Organic and 100% Organic. Made with organic ingredients means a product only has to be 70 percent organic. And terms like cage-free arent tightly regulated, so you have to rely on the producers integrity. Even the terms natural and all-natural are misleading because they dont have any government force behind them.

Heres the proof that it works: I put together an all-organic grocery list that included milk, three yogurts, peanut butter, eggs and lettuce mix. If I paid full price, my tab would be $35.55. But by combining several of the strategies above warehouse buys, generics and coupons I was able to get this basketful of food for just $22.80. Thats a 36-percent savings and a relief.

Elisabeth Leamy is a 13-time Emmy winner and 25-year consumer advocate for programs such as Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show. Connect with her at leamy.com and @ElisabethLeamy.

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10 ways to save money on organic groceries - The Washington Post - Washington Post