If AI and robots are going to take our jobs, at least they can do it in the most relaxing way possible. Just like Shimon here a four-armed marimba-playing robot designed by George Techs music technology center. Sure, Shimon is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI making music, but just listen to those jazz-fusion vibes.

Like many AI music experiments, the music Shimon is playing is generated by a method called deep learning. This essentially means mining a large amount of information (in this case, a dataset of some 5,000 songs) and looking for common patterns in the music. For example, if you have a sequence of notes F, G, A, what note will follow next? Deep learning will give you a good answer.

Shimon the robot has been around for a while now, playing alongside human musicians using preprogrammed songs. But now, its being used to play original compositions. The video above shows the first melody Shimon ever created, while the one below is melody number two a slightly faster number:

As weve seen with previous experiments, the actual musical output is a bit avant-garde. Researchers working in this field say this is because the deep learning systems we use to analyze music tend not to be so good at thinking about long-term structure. They analyze the music in short bursts, and the resulting melodies sound quite abstract. It is possible to program in artificial constraints so the programs will produce songs with traditional verse-chorus structures, but at that point its not really AI-created music, but AI-human collaboration.

So, although the marimba is a particularly non-threatening instrument, the melody itself is proof that machines have a way to go. For more information on Shimon, check out this interview with its teachers, Gil Weinberg and Mason Bretan, over at IEEE Spectrum.

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This AI-powered robot can play the marimba, the least threatening of instruments - The Verge

Addison County Independent

VUHS social studies teacher Pam Taylor reflects on 43 years in front of the classroom Addison County Independent ... studies and some English classes at Vergennes Union High School, that former Ira Central School student Pam Taylor is ready to step away and spend more time reading, painting, playing music, relaxing in her North Ferrisburgh home, and traveling.

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VUHS social studies teacher Pam Taylor reflects on 43 years in front of the classroom - Addison County Independent

Produce processors and retailers are finding it increasingly difficult to secure sufficient supplies of organic produce, as domestic demand continues to rise at a pace that exceeds production, according to a new report from CoBank. The dollar value of U.S organic produce sales doubled from 2011 to 2015 and annual sales now amount to $5.5 billion. Currently, 15 percent of all U.S produce sales are organic. While organic acres have nearly doubled over the last decade, that pace of supply-side growth has been sluggish relative to demand.

Sales of organic fruit, vegetables and nuts have increased dramatically in recent years and this growth trend will continue, said Christine Lensing, CoBank senior economist, specialty crops. More than half of U.S. households are now purchasing some organic produce. But for a variety of reasons, production has not been keeping pace with demand and the supply gap is widening.

More domestic growers would need to transition to organic to bridge the supply gap. But Lensing concludes that given current consumption trends and the length of the required transition period, organic produce supplies will likely remain under pressure over the next three to five years.

Food companies and large retailers have increased imports to meet demand and secure supplies throughout the year. The volume of U.S. imports of selected organic specialty crop items soared by almost 800 percent from 2011-2013 before leveling off.

Its quite clear the market for organic produce will continue to grow, which creates opportunities for growers, adds Lensing. However, transitioning to organic comes at a cost and is not without risk. Steady domestic supply growth will be dependent on consistent, wide premiums that reward growers for accepting the elevated risks associated with organic production.

Despite premiums of 30 to 50 percent, the perceived risks associated with transitioning to organic are often a significant deterrent for conventional growers. Key among those risks is the absence of an established market that offers transitioning growers a premium price during the lengthy three-year transition period. Concerns about market and price sustainability, the additional labor required for organic farming and the absence of support systems such as subsidies or grants compound grower reluctance.

According to Lensing, the organic industry recognizes these challenges and is taking steps to help alleviate some of the pressures on transitioning growers.

A new partnership between the Organic Trade Association and the USDA has been established to provide guidance to growers transitioning to organic production and is laying the foundation for a transitional organic market.

Initiatives such as the transitional organic certification program and the formation of additional strategic partnerships should serve to encourage more domestic organic production and help address the marketing challenges created by supply shortfalls, added Lensing.

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Surging demand for organic produce widens US supply gap - High Plains Journal

Dive Brief:

While the popularity of organic food is growing, it is inevitable that organic food fraud may increase, too.According to the OTA, organic food sales totaled $43 billion in 2016. Organic produce makes up about 15% of all of the fruits and vegetables Americans eat. And these numbers are projected to keep growing. According to a TechSci Research report, the global organic food market is projected to grow at a CAGR of more than 14% until 2021.

The organic certification also can be given to products imported into the United States. Those products are supposed to be subject to the same rigorous guidelines and inspections as the ones produced domestically.

But late last year, The Washington Post found three large shipments of corn and soybeans that came into the United States from Turkey were labeled as "USDA Organic," even though they were conventionally farmed and had been treated with pesticides.Reporters found pesticide residue tests on "organic" produce were uneven, with more than a third of the tests done by a single test company in China showing more than traces of the residue.

Many have criticized USDA for being too lax and slow in inspecting fraudulent organic imports. In this situation, it makes sense for a trade association to step up its efforts. Batcha told The Washington Post the agency is lobbying to give USDA more enforcement powers in the next farm bill, which is set to be passed next year.

In the meantime, USDA announced it will post more organic program enforcement actions on its website. In an email press release this week, the agency said it's now publishing suspension or revocation of organic certification notices. Settlements and decisions also will be added to the site much more quickly within weeks instead of quarterly.

While the industry is redoubling efforts to ensure organic food lives up to its certification, how consumers may feel about it is another question. With organic fraud stories getting a fair amount of play in the news, do consumers trust the products that are labeled as "organic"? Stepping up enforcement and boosting transparency are two parts of regaining consumer confidence.

Public information campaigns about organic food, inspections and what the certification actually means may be another piece of the puzzle. Showing consumers more about what makes products organic and how manufacturers and regulators ensure the products deserve the certification can bridge the credibility gap that may have opened.

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Organic Trade Association steps up the fight against fraud - Food Dive

TechCrunch

Headspace's revamped app helps busy people turn meditation into a habit TechCrunch After years of struggling to make it part of my daily routine, I've started to suspect that if I were mindful enough to remember to meditate, then I probably wouldn't need to meditate in the first place. To get the attention of people who, like me ... Headspace evolves into the app you need to find zen in 2017CNET Headspace's Paid Version Just Got a Lot NicerLifehacker Australia all 3 news articles »

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Headspace's revamped app helps busy people turn meditation into a habit - TechCrunch

The benefits of meditation for adults are well-researched and supported by science. Improved cognition, decreased anxiety and increased focus are just a few of meditations touted effects. The research on childrens meditation isnt as plentiful, but studies have shown that kids, too, can reap the benefits of quieting the mind. Asheville parents and teachers are seeking out ways to introduce their children and students to these techniques.

In 2013, meditation and kindergarten teacher Elise Cross attended a teaching given by the Dalai Lama in Louisville, Ky., with her husband and two young daughters. He spoke on the increased need of adding secular ethics to our education system, says Cross. He explained how were focused on material goals but not necessarily teaching kindness and warm-heartedness.

As a kindergarten teacher at The New Classical Academy in Ashevilleand kids meditation teacher at Urban Dharma, Cross resonated with the Buddhist leaders words. I became much more intentional with how I could incorporate these lessons in the classroom and into [the Urban Dharma] childrens program, she says.

Cross has been teaching her monthly Meditation for the Young class at local Tibetan Buddhist center Urban Dharma for the past two years. The class, which varies by age group, is offered in conjunction with Jubilee!, a local faith community.

Cross doesnt expect her young students to practice meditation in the same ways that adults do, saying itisnt realistic or effective to expect kids to sit and be quiet for long stretches of time. Instead, I try to point out how mindfulness is relevant in their lives and the importance of having the ability to not get carried away by emotions, she says. We talk about how were exercising and training our minds, working toward being able to act from this calm state when were in the midst of chaos or a challenging situation.

A typical class includes several exercises and often begins with a body awareness and breath meditation. Drawing the attention to the body and breath helps calm the mind and draw their awareness to the present, says Cross. She also directs the children in visualization activities and guided meditations aimed at building compassion toward themselves and others.

Meditations for kids should be kept brief so they can feel successful and enjoy the experience, says Cross. With this in mind, she will break up the meditation exercises with stories that focus on secular humanist ethics, followed by discussion.

Even with adjusted expectations for young meditators, Cross is struck by how kids respond to the practice. Even the most energetic kids have been able to achieve a pretty impressive level of calm and quiet in a fairly brief amount of time, she says.

Vicki Garlock is the nurture coordinator at Jubilee! Community Church. She works with Cross to introduce the children at Jubilee! to other faith-based traditions. But she points out that meditation and mindfulness dont have to be religious in nature. Many activities can be mindful, and its becoming harder and harder to maintain boundaries between faith-based meditative practices and more secular mindful practices, says Garlock. Regardless of motivations, many activities like making crafts, praying or even stretching can be mindful, and perhaps even meditative, if they are done in a quiet and reflective manner.

For Garlock, its very important that the kids at Jubilee! experience quiet and stillness, especially in our distracting, even chaotic, world. All that noise can prevent us from getting in touch with the truest part of ourselves, she says. Silence and stillness help us access those places deep within us that are often masked or hidden from view.

James Dougherty, who studied under a Tibetan lama and practices meditation as a Buddhist,takes his 9-year-old granddaughter Lilly to Cross class regularly. Mindfulness meditation does not conflict with ones religion, he says. It is unfortunate that people think it will brainwash their kids, or its strictly a religious practice, says Doughterty. The classes Elise teaches are secular, with lots of stories and activities.

Furthermore, says Dougherty, the effects of meditation on his granddaughter are evident. It is a process, but I did see an immediate improvement in Lillys attitude toward others, and she was a calmer child, he says. Study after study has confirmed that adults who meditate have more clarity, are happier, have less addiction problems, are better able to avoid conflict, are more successful, have fulfilling relationships. Translate this to kids, and they do better in school, are more contented, have less behavioral issues, have more fulfilling friendships and grow up more balanced.

Kimberly Mason volunteers at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, where she teaches Neighboring Faiths, a class in which she and her students explore other faith traditions. It was through this program that she met Cross. Masons 5-year-old daughter, Libby, practices mindfulness as part of of her kindergartencurriculum at Isaac Dickson Elementary.

Mason says her daughter practices a type of mindfulness practice at home called loving-kindness meditation, using it as a prayer before dinner. In this practice, the practitioner repeats the words, May I be safe, may I be happy, may I be healthy, may I live with ease, eventually replacing the I with you.

It is really lovely, says Mason. Sitting meditation is less interesting to the active 5-year-old, but Mason tries to addit in small doses. I do encourage her to join me in sitting in silence for a minute or two, and that is about all she can handle, says Mason. But I think its worth my persistence because the benefits are so great and so well-established. So we try just brief sittings (a minute or two), and then we talk about why this is good for our brains.

Mason imagines that sitting meditation may come later for Libby, but in the meantime, she is happy to keep incorporating the mindfulness practices she has learned into her home routine. I think meditation is an antidote to stimulation addiction that is pretty widespread these days, says Mason. It helps us regain control of our attention and focus, so that we are not at the mercy of our emotions and cravings. Its easy to see how this can lead to more success in relationships, school, job performance and just about every aspect of life.

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Asheville kids learn meditation and mindfulness - Mountain Xpress

Ive been to Hawaii only once, ten years ago for a family wedding. It turned out to be a great trip but getting there was a major pain.

Because the trip wasnt planned at our leisure, it required a grueling day of travel: two back-to-back six-hour flights - with a restless five year old. Who, for the most part, was a trooper. Until stepping out onto the quaint little Kauai baggage claim area where she proceeded to throw up.

Even with that, we were still greeted with the traditional warm and inviting aloha from everyone at the airport.

But what happens as you start making your way around the island, it becomes quickly apparent that the aloha at the airport is not just part of some welcome-to-fantasy-island show.It is actually the customary greeting from everyone you come in contact with - cab drivers, hotel staff, strangers. Everyone.

Seems pleasant enough. Should be no big deal. Except at first, theres something awkward about it. Its like an instant reminder youre not in your comfort zone anymore.Its a fish out of water feeling that brings your insecurities up to the surface gasping - Do I have to say it back? What if I dont? Cant I just say hi? Why am I so uptight about this?

But after a couple of days, when youve had some time to decompress and let go of the heavy baggage, a shift happens.

What initially catches you off guard, starts to feel completely natural and just like home. Suddenly, youve taken to aloha like a native. By the time youre ready to leave, youve even branched out to mahalo (thank you) and youre feeling so free, an aloha doesnt feel complete without a hug.

Thats what meditation is like.

At first, its off-putting and awkward. It feels foreign - like some secret language that only other people comprehend. But then over the course of a few days or weeks or sometimes months of sticking with it, a shift happens.

What initially fills you with panic, becomes something you actually look forward to. Instead of wishing it would be over, youre surprised time's up so fast and you want it to last longer.Your load begins to lighten and those cumbersome protective layers start peeling away. And its surprisingly freeing.

It reminds me of a tweet from a funny guy I follow:

It would take at least 8 more years of therapy for me to be able to say "Aloha" to another person.

Meditation is like mini therapy sessions that help send those kinds of insecurities packing. Some experts say you need two 20-minute sessions per day to reap the full benefits. I say start anywhere.

Just start small and see where it takes you. Even if its only 1-minute, it doesnt matter. Sit down, set a timer and give it a shot. Theres no right or wrong way of doing.Its simply a practice of being.

Most people would agree that any moments spent on a relaxing getaway are better than none at all - and meditation can be your ticket there. And just like a good vacation, it can help you recharge, clear your head and ultimately be more productive. So its never a waste of time or too far to go - especially for those who say theyre too busy or impatient to sit still.

I havent returned to the island since that trip - and that marriage has come and gone - but that feeling of aloha has never left me. Ive discovered that all I have to do is close my eyes, sit quietly and I can reach that state without the baggage or the jet lag.

Wake up to the day's most important news.

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Meditation: The Aloha State - HuffPost

We're not always fans of the health practices Gwyneth Paltrow endorses (remember that whole jade egg thing?!). But last weekend at her Goop Health Summit, Paltrow and her friends did discuss some pretty interesting topics. Among them? Orgasmic meditation. In fact, Jenni Konner (producer of Girls and Lena Dunham's BFF) said she's such a big fan that she tells as many people about it as she can, reports Elle. (Here, find 21 surprising facts you didn't know about your orgasm.)

So what is it exactly? Well, it turns out that orgasmic meditation (OM) is actually a brand name for a practice created by Nicole Daedone, whose company OneTaste is a platform for the idea. "Orgasmic meditation is a type of meditative practice that essentially integrates bringing your full awareness and attention into the present moment along with the connected experience of orgasm, though orgasm may or may not occur," explains Christene Lozano, L.M.F.T., who specializes in sex addiction and sexual health.

"During an orgasmic meditation session, the 'stroker' gently strokes the clitoris of the 'strokee' for 15 minutes. The length of 15 minutes is a deliberate time frame, as this is a long enough amount of time for the mind and body to get into a state of orgasm while being short enough to practice on a regular (even daily) basis," she says. The goal? Just to feel the sensation, not necessarily actually orgasm. Generally, the practice is done with a partner, not alone, and you caneven find workshops provided by trained facilitators.

Admittedly, this practice might have first piqued our interest because anything Goop-recommended needs a closer look, but once you learn more, it seems like a great way to promote sexual equality. Not to mention that during the summit's panel discussion,Konner expressed another unique use. "The amazing thing about orgasmic meditation, besides that it helps people learn about their bodies and couples connect, is that it is a hugely healing practice for sexual trauma." It made us wonder, could slow stroking actually help women heal mentally?

According to experts, maybe, but it's probably not the best way to go about it for a few different reasons. "As a sex therapist treating couples who are having difficulty connecting physically, I find a variety of reasons which contribute, including trauma, past negative sexual experiences, sexual pain, insecurity, or performance fears, shyness, or just lack of knowledge," says Angie Gunn, L.C.S.W., a sex and trauma therapist and Talkspace.com sexuality expert. The most important thing when dealing with trauma, she says, is getting to the root cause and figuring out what kind of help is needed. Once that happens, you can treat it more effectively. (FYI, this is the biggest sex issue no one is talking about.)

There are a few reasons Gunn doesn't advocate for OM with her clients, though. "I generally don't recommend OM to most clients, but support it if they find it on their own, because it's really restrictive in its gendered assumptions about bodies (male stroker, female recipient), limited in terms of the type of activity, and restricts individual creativity and connection," she says. Fair enough. What if you're part of a same-sex couple or don't identify as male or female, or you want to try something a little different from just stroking for 15 minutes? Then this meditation method probably isn't for you.

But that doesn't mean you can't practice a similar concept. "Instead, I encourage clients to practice mindfulness and meditation in a way that best suits them, their personality, their lifestyle, and find creative ways to add this to their sex," says Gunn. There are actually a whole host of ways to be more mindful about your sexual experiences without the branded OM, whether or not sexual trauma is part of the equation. "Some clients do yoga and breathing activities as a part of the preparation for sex, practicing syncing their breathing and movement," she notes. "Another client I work with does body scanning or progressive muscle relaxation (checking each part of their body, breathing into it, through it deeply, tensing and relaxing each muscle) as a way to be in their body, feel safe, and become more open to pleasure and connection."

Another important thing to acknowledge? OM is definitely not a replacement for cognitive behavioral therapy or sex therapy, especially if trauma has occurred, according to Lozano. Instead, if you're having trouble connecting with your partner sexually, it's a good idea to seek the help of a professional. If you're simply curious about OM or similar practices and think it might enhance your sex life, then experts say go aheadyou just might find you like it!

Excerpt from:

What Exactly Is Orgasmic Meditation? - Shape Magazine

AndroidGuys

Mindfulness, relaxation, and meditation: Massive discounts on a premium Aura account (Deal of the Day) AndroidGuys It's vitally important to meditate or dedicate time to relaxing and improving your overall well-being. Did you know that even just a few minutes each day can lead to a more stress-free life and an improved mood? Indeed, and there are plenty of ways to ... Prioritize your mental health with this highly reviewed mindfulness appThe Daily Dot all 4 news articles »

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Mindfulness, relaxation, and meditation: Massive discounts on a premium Aura account (Deal of the Day) - AndroidGuys

Are you a stressed-out New Yorker looking for an artsy way to chill? The Museum of Modern Art has something for you.

For three Wednesdays this summerJuly 5, August 2 and September 6MoMA will be charging discounted admission to select exhibitions from 7:30am to 9:00am as part its new Quiet Mornings series. On July 5, for instance, ticket prices of $15 for adults ($10 off the regular admission), $12 for seniors and $10 for students gets you into the wing of the permanent collection housing works from the 1880s to the 1950s, as well into two of the museums current blockbuster exhibitions: Frank Lloyd Wright at 150: Unpacking the Archive and Robert Rauschenberg: Among Friends.

Besides being a way to beat the usual MoMA crowds, the special hours offer a chance to look slowly, clear your head, silence your phones and get inspiration for the day and week ahead. And if that isnt enough to center your chakras, the museum is also providing a drop-in meditation space with guided meditation sessions from 8:30am to 9:00am. So if you have a yen for zen with a side order of culture, check it out.

Howard is the editor-at-large and chief art critic for Time Out New York. Follow him on Twitter at @HowardHalle.

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MoMA is hosting morning meditation sessions this summer - Time Out New York (blog)