(Picture: metro.co.uk)

When youre a vegetarian or vegan, going out for dinner can be a minefield.

Sometimes youll be lucky enough to stumble into a restaurant that actually offers multiple delicious things you can eat, but all too often theres just one sad option if that.

So naturally, you rejoice at the existence of all vegan and all vegetarian restaurants. Places where you dont have to interrogate the waiters or aggressively inspect the menu.

For one meat-eater, though, all-vegan restaurants are the definition of evil.

Despite being able to eat all the food on offer (the opposite of the case when a vegetarian goes to an all-meat spot), one person was very disappointed to go to all-vegan restaurant V Rev Diner, in Manchester, and not find a single non-vegan option.

No option for non-vegan, they wrote. I find out once I had been there.

Its a bit of a weird complaint considering the entire restaurant is marketed as being fully vegan (so complaining about vegan food is like going to a wine bar then saying BUT WHERE IS THE TEQUILA?), but also because the reviewer can absolutely eat all the vegan options. Theres nothing stopping them.

In V Rev Vegan Diners credit, they handled the bad review pretty brilliantly.

Wow yes, they tweeted, must be really hard to go to a restaurant where theres nothing to suit your dietary needs.

Which we greatly applaud.

If youd like non-vegan food specifically, it may be wiser to go to, well, any other restaurant other than an all-vegan diner. Just an idea.

MORE: Vegan in Manchester: 15 of the best places to eat

MORE: 10 best vegan-friendly biscuits ranked from taste torture to worship-worthy

MORE: Get your hands on this vegan bratwurst in a bun

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Vegan restaurant's response to review complaining they don't serve meat is brilliant - Metro

Women's Health

5 Vegan Dinners With As Much Protein As A Chicken Breast Women's Health Do you whip up vegan smoothies for breakfast and hummus six ways for lunch, only to lose your love of plants when dinnertime rolls around? Understandably, it can be harder to get excited about another pasta or rice bowl. Not only does the idea of ...

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5 Vegan Dinners With As Much Protein As A Chicken Breast - Women's Health

Some people become vegetarians because they love animals. Some, as comedian A. Whitney Brown put it, because they hate plants.

But vegans are committed. Not only do they not eat food that harms or kills animals, some don't even want food that inconveniences animals.

Like honey. Hardcore vegans will not eat honey because, as Noah Lewis of vegetus.org puts it, "the simple fact is that the bees are enslaved." Similarly, some vegans will not eat cane sugar because, while it comes entirely from a plant, refined cane sugar is whitened by using bone char, which comes from animals.

In 2009, the American Dietetic Association took the position that vegetarian and vegan diets reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and lead to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

But there are some things to watch out for when on a vegan diet: You have to make sure to get enough protein and vitamin B-12 -- and calcium, iodine, vitamin D, iron, zinc and n-3 fatty acids.

Fortunately, a well-balanced vegan diet provides all of these essential nutrients, although you may want to take vitamin B-12 supplements, just in case.

Still, cooking a well-balanced vegan diet can be difficult, at least if you want to stick to what most Americans think of as normal ingredients. Many vegan recipes attempt to re-create meatless versions of familiar meat-based dishes, and to do so they rely on such potentially off-putting processed ingredients as mycoprotein vegan "chicken," egg replacers and nondairy "cheese."

Other recipes use soy products such as tofu and tempeh for their protein, and it is one of these that I tried first in cooking a vegan diet for a day.

Mee Goreng, which is a type of stir-fried noodle dish, is popular street fare in the Philippines. When I have had it before, it always had meat in it, usually chicken or shrimp or both. But then I came upon a vegan recipe for it using tofu, and tofu fans are sure to be instantly hooked.

If they like spicy food, that is. As with a lot of street food, Mee Goreng usually packs a kick. If you want it milder, simply trim down or eliminate the amount you use of sambal oelek, the all-purpose Indonesian and Malaysian ground chile paste.

Also as is the case with much street food, Mee Goreng tends to be a little oily. The recipe calls for 5 tablespoons of oil for four to six servings; I got by with four tablespoons, but that is still a quarter cup of oil.

Do you need it? Yes. The oil brings the dish together, from the spicy sambal and the faintly bitter bok choy to the sweet sauce made from equal parts of soy sauce, brown sugar and molasses.

The tofu, which has the amazing ability to soak up all the flavors in which it is cooked, serves as a protein-rich punctuation to the meal.

For my next dish, I dispensed with the tofu and received my protein in the form of garbanzo beans, which are also known as chickpeas.

Indian-Style Vegetable Curry With Potatoes and Cauliflower (that name seems a little over-descriptive to me) is another spicy dish. I like spices; sue me. If less fiery food is more your style, you can use a mild curry powder (but I wouldn't use much less) and leave out the serrano chile.

This dish benefits greatly from the mutually complementary flavors of potato, cauliflower, garbanzo beans and curry. A bit of tomato paste and a cup of coconut milk make it deeply satisfying, yet it is so healthful that you'll practically pat yourself on the back for eating it.

It is the kind of dish that calls out for basmati rice; if you have it, use it.

Finally, I made a vegan version of one of the least vegan dishes I could think of, pancakes.

Pancakes pretty much need eggs, milk and butter. If you try to make them from just flour, water, sugar, salt, baking powder and a little oil, you'll wind up with paste.

Or so I thought. But then a colleague passed me a recipe for Vegan Pancakes that she swore was excellent. And she was right.

I don't know how this works. I don't understand how they hold together without becoming slightly sweetened hardtack. I'm guessing the oil has something to do with it, but we are only talking about a single tablespoon for 10 smallish pancakes.

These vegan pancakes are fine the way they are, but I incorporated a couple of additions suggested by my colleague: I added two tablespoons of soy milk (almond milk would also do) and a teaspoon of vanilla, just to make the pancakes even better.

They are a perfect foil for maple syrup. And maple syrup doesn't inconvenience any animal.

Mee Goreng

1 pound fresh Chinese noodles (yellow wheat or "stir fried") or 12 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 large shallots; 2 minced and 2 sliced thin

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons sambal oelek (see note)

14 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use

1 pound bok choy, stalks and greens separated and sliced 1/2-inch thick

4 green onions, sliced thin on bias

Lime wedges

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk sugar, molasses and soy sauce.

In a separate bowl, combine minced shallots, garlic and sambal oelek.

Spread tofu on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and let drain for 20 minutes. Gently pat dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, then toss with cornstarch. Transfer coated tofu to a strainer and shake gently over bowl to remove excess cornstarch.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add tofu and cook, turning as needed, until crisp and browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the now-empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add sliced shallots and cook until golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

If necessary, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the now-empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add bok choy stalks and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Clear center of skillet, add garlic mixture and cook, mashing mixture into skillet until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir into vegetables.

Stir in noodles, tofu, bok choy leaves and green onions. Whisk sauce to recombine, add to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle fried shallots on top. Serve with lime wedges.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: Look for sambal oelek on the international aisle or Asian aisle of well-stocked grocery stores.

Nutrition information: Each of 6 servings contains approximately 665 calories, 18 g protein, 26 g fat, 91 g carbohydrate (29 g sugar), no cholesterol, 1,624 mg sodium and 6 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen

Indian-Style Vegetable Curry With Potatoes and Cauliflower

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 teaspoons curry powder

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (see note)

2 onions, finely chopped

12 ounces red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Salt and ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 pound cauliflower, cored and cut into 1-inch florets

1 1/2 cup water

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Pulse diced tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until almost smooth, about 3 pulses.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add curry powder and garam masala and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Stir in onions, potatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned and potatoes are golden brown at edges, about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in garlic, chile, ginger and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cauliflower florets and cook, stirring constantly, until florets are coated with spices, about 2 minutes.

Gradually stir in water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in chickpeas and processed tomatoes and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce to gentle simmer and cook until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Uncover, stir in peas and coconut milk, and continue to cook until peas are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve over rice.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: Garam masala is a spice blend common in Indian cooking. Look for it with the spices at the grocery store. If you can't find it, make your own by blending 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Nutrition information: Each of four servings contains approximately 429 calories, 15 g protein, 21 g fat, 53 g carbohydrate (17 g sugar), no cholesterol, 367 mg sodium and 17 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen

Vegan Pancakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons soy or almond milk, optional

Into a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vanilla and, if using, soy or almond milk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until just blended.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Pour batter onto the griddle or skillet until it forms a 6-inch puddle. Cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry; check underneath to see if the bottom is lightly browned. Flip and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Makes about 8 (6-inch) pancakes.

Nutrition information: Each of eight pancakes (prepared with canola oil and almond milk) contains approximately 100 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g fat, 19 g cargohydrate (4 g sugar), no cholesterol, 125 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Food on 04/26/2017

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Make it vegan | NWADG - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Demand was so high when the new St. Paul vegan restaurantJ. Selbys opened that the spot has had to temporarily close to regroup, replenish and hire more staff.

The restaurant opened April 17. By April 21, a post on the restaurants Facebook site read: We have recently realized that our opening week has left us at a place where we are unable to provide you all, our customers, with the service, the food, and the experience you deserve. So, with that said, we are going to close this weekend starting now (Friday at 4 p.m.) so we can better prepare ourselves for the large crowds we expect in the future. We apologize deeply for this, but we want to make sure that the experience you get here at J. Selbys is the one you deserve.

We will be using the time we are closed to make sure we are prepared going into our second week. We know many of you have told us that kinks are expected, but some of the kinks we have run into are ones that prevent us from being at our best. We are sorry for any and all inconvenience. Thank you all for your patience, your love, and allowing us to be a part of your community.

As to when it will reopen, we can only guess that owner Matt Clayton, a retired physician, would say patience, my friends.

Updates can be found at facebook.com/jselbys/

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St. Paul vegan eatery J. Selby's closes temporarily days after opening - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

Agree with it or not, we love complex situations because we find it challenging. Even in the case of getting rid of stress, we will try every complex alternative and skip the simple tricks that work every time!

Here are some of the easiest ways in which you can get rid of stress immediately.

When youre stressed, any music is good for you. However, if you have a preference and listen to your favorite music tracks, it will be easy for you to get into the mood quickly and find relief at the earliest.

If youre confused, listen to relaxing music because playing calm music will have a positive effect on your brain and body.

One of the easiest ways in which you can relieve stress is by talking to someone. Remember that talking about random topics can help, but if you talk to them about your problems, youll feel light and better.

To get quick results, talk to someone whose reassuring voice can make you feel good.

If youre worried about your company's poor reputation, get in touch with credit repair companies and let them help you with it. Similarly, if youre going through a troubled relationship, talk to your partner and get rid of the misunderstanding.

In short, look for this solution and don't wait for things to happen magically. Remember that your life can be as good as any movie, but we need to keep magic out of it.

Joining a laughter club to relieve stress is a great idea. Watching a comedy movie or TV show can help. Reading a joke will even do the trick. Thinking of the funniest moments in your life will help you bring a smile on your face.

We are giving you these suggestions because simply laughing at nothing can make you look crazy, especially if there are many people around you.

What can be easier than going for a walk to relieve stress? You can walk in the park or even walk to and fro from work to help you get rid of stress.

Walking is difficult for people who are addicted to chairs and comfortable couches. However, if you want to get rid of stress, try this for a week, and you'll not be disappointed.

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Simple ways to relieve stress - TG Daily - TG Daily (blog)

What could be better than a comfortable, peaceful sanctuary for mom on Mothers Day? You guessed itthis sanctuary is your session room.

Your session room has to be a place your clients lovea place where clients can simply think about and feel relaxed before they even arrive.

With a little bit of creativity, intuition and a small expenditure, you can design a sanctuary-like session room moms will adore, thereby taking their session experiences beyond the ordinary.

Here, massage industry expertsJean Shea, Rodella Shastro, Jordan Mariah Reed, Brad Pressman and Shoona Cookexplain how the scents, sounds and sensations of your session room add up to a blissful experience on Mothers Day.

While looking for a quiet location, make sure the office location is also odor-free. This means that it will not smell like cooking, painting or anything else that might be offensive to your clients.

Burning an aromatherapy candle creates a pleasant scentbut aromatherapy scents mixed with food smells are unpleasant to many people. Try to eat your meals well before your clients appointment and far away from your therapy room if possible.

When burned on their own though aromatherapy candles can help create a healing environment.

An aromatherapy scented candle can disperse a soothing, uplifting or rejuvenating aroma, depending on which type of pure essential oil is used, explains Jean Shea, CEO and founder of BIOTONE.

Burning lavender-scented candles, for instance, can have a relaxing effect, whereas a mandarin aromatherapy candle can help create a calming environment and relieve anxiety.Aromatherapy candles with citrus oils can be used to improve concentration.

Furthermore, never underestimate the importance of providing clients with an opportunity to take the great experience home, Shea adds.

Every time they light the candle, she says, whether it was chosen primarily for the therapeutic effect or for the experience, they will be transported back to your treatment room.

Aromatherapy can be added to a session room in a variety of ways such as through a diffuser, candle or aroma stick to name a few examples. .

Aromatherapy diffusers come in all forms.You can also use cotton balls, tissue or cosmetic pads scented with essential oils to put under pillows, sheets or near the client. This is a more passive method of diffusing because there is not a fan or electrical device used to disperse the essential oils.

A step far above this is a mechanical diffuser. A diffuser might be fan-generated, which can cover either small or larger spaces. Higher-end diffusers would be ultrasonic nebulizers. They work by emitting very fine particles of water and oil into the air and usually cover a large area.

Scents are found in massage products as well, such as creams used for facial massage, and specialty oils. Be sure to ask your clients if they are allergic to any essential oils or other ingredients and offer a sample scent before beginning the session.

First, you need to find a location as quiet as possible. Sometimes, depending on your office location, noise can be difficultbut not impossibleto control.

Insulating windows and doors helps a lot. A draft guard across the bottom edge of the door works wonders to cut down on noise. You can also use a combination of air cleaners with fans for white noise, a window-mounted air conditioner in the summer or a space heater with a fan in winter. A large water fountain also masks noise and is soothing. Of course, playing gentle music on a CD or iPod player creates comforting sounds.

Music that carries qualities of relaxation, peacefulness, meditation and silence can be of great contribution to any healing modality, says Rodella Shastro, president of Malimba Records.

According to music expert Jordan Mariah Reed, the right music should help the client feel not only relaxed but also comfortable so he enters a receiving state.

You can also have the client choose her own tunes for the session, suggests Brad Pressman, president of Water Music.

The wrong music during a massage or facial can be detrimental to the therapist-client relationship and could lead to a one-hit wonder with the guest never to return, he says. Whatever style is chosen, music will either enhance or detract from the overall guest experienceand it is inherently plausible to have the guest choose their preferred style or even bring their own mix to the treatment room.

To add a warm feel and help muffle sound in the room, your floor should be carpeted wall to wall or covered with a thick rug.

By using all of these techniques, my clients say they cant hear any noise encroaching from outside my session room despite the fact cars are driving by, dogs sometimes bark and other people are moving around in my building.

The lighting you choose is also very important. It is useful to have a variety of mood lighting, so you can use bright light while clients change and dim light as you work.

You need enough light to see your client as you work, but the light should be low enough to allow them to relax. A soft, three-way lamp, electric candles or string lights will all help create a relaxing atmosphere.

Lighting trends include battery-operated candles, which means you can put mood lighting almost anywhere safely.

In addition to buying a sturdy, well-made table that will last as many years as you need it, you might want to invest in a hydraulic-lift table. Each client you see has a different body size and requires a different working table height, and a hydraulic table can contribute to your career longevity. A headrest that adjusts in several directions helps provide the most effective session.

Cover the headrest and massage table with lambs wool, then add a memory-foam pad on top. Next add a table-warming pad. (Your clients will love you for it, so dont skip it.) This pad should be used year-round as it warms the muscles and relaxes the body. Use flannel sheets in the winter for warmth and jersey-knit sheets in the summer.

Your tables linens represent one of the most intimate impressions left on clients. Your client might, upon entering a treatment room, respond to the sight, smell and touch of the linen and blankets.

Wrinkled and worn sheets will evoke images of unsanitary and used linen. This certainly is not the first impression you want. Drape your client in luxurious, soft, clean linens that convey professionalism, luxury and an environment of health and well-being.

Another nice touch is to provide two mirrors: a small one to check makeup and hair, and a full-length size to check clothing. Another necessity is a lubricant warmer, which keeps oil or lotion continuously warm for the entire session.

I provide clients a comfortable chair to sit in when writing out checks to me, and next to this chair, I have a small table for clients to put glasses and personal items on. I keep a carafe of water, paper cups and tissues there as well.

Hang a few relaxing photos and paintings, along with your massage certificates, but make sure not to create a cluttered feel. Hang curtains on your windows for a softening effect. Professionally produced posters that communicate the benefits of massage therapy will also augment your session-room environment.

By adding attractive posters, you create inviting, relaxing surroundingsa tranquil sanctuary, explains Shoona Cook, R.M.T., creative director and owner of Fingerprintz, which sells massage posters and other products. When a client enters your beautiful space and feels welcomed and comfortable, you have enhanced the entire massage experience.

Clients make a powerful connection between massage and health and well-being when they see poster images and messages about massage, Cook continues. By reinforcing the message that regular massage is an important proactive part of their health care, you have empowered clients by the experience.

I have also covered my session-room ceiling with shear, billowing blue cloth for a cozy, cloud-like feel. This softens the feel of the room and adds another relaxing element.

A small wind chime hanging on the therapy-room door allows you to gently ring the chime to wake any client who may have fallen asleep. It acts as a quiet alarm, waking clients easily rather than jarring them from their relaxed state.

Once you have your therapy room furnished and decorated, dont make any drastic changes. Remember, your clients are thinking about your roomvisualizing the way it looks and how they feel being therelong before their scheduled appointment time.

On Mothers Day, if clients walk into a room that doesnt match their vision, it may shock them out of that relaxed state.

As creative massage therapists, you will come up with some terrific ideas to add on your own. Anything you can do to make your clients as relaxed and happy as possible will keep them coming back.

Your clients wont mind paying a little extra when you have provided a beautiful, stress-free haven for them to visit after a difficult day. The extra time and expenditure it takes is not only well worth it, but it will pay you back again and againand with a great first impression, youll convert your Mothers Day clients into regular customers.

Sara J. Blazo, N.C.T.M.B., has run a successful private practice incorporating Swedish massage, deep-tissue and neuromuscular therapy in Forest Grove, Pennsylvania, since 1997.

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Harvard Gazette

Tai chi can prevent elderly from falls, add mental agility Harvard Gazette With relaxing music playing in the background, the students shift their weight from one leg to the other, turn their waists, and rotate their arms as if they indeed were clouds. When class ended, Elaine Seidenberg and Fran Rogovin, both 84 and close ... and more »

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Tai chi can prevent elderly from falls, add mental agility - Harvard Gazette

There are few moments in my day that are experienced in silence. This is due to my ample consumption of music, mostly thanks to a Spotify subscription. I listen to music as I walk to class, as I eat meals, while I do homework, while I exercise and even sometimes as I fall asleep. But I almost never listen to music, simply to listen.

I took a world music appreciation class last year and our professor asked us when the last time we really listened to music was. My first instinct was to say it was just prior to class, as I had my headphones in on the way there.

However, this was not what he meant at all. He advocated for the quiet, uninterrupted intake of music. He said true appreciation of music comes when it is given your full attention. Not when youre doing homework or getting from place to place, but when you can give your whole presence of mind to the music and fully absorb its qualities.

When I considered this, I realized I might not have ever truly listened to music. I couldnt recall a single time when I had listened without distraction or intrusion.

We so rarely focus on individual tasks. Even as Im typing this, Im doing something else at the same time. Were almost never concentrated on one thing at a time. You need to multitask constantly to be truly productive.

While music can be consumed simultaneously, maybe it shouldnt be.

Im not saying you cant appreciate music while youre in the car or studying for your finals, but you should find time to admire it on its own, too.

Listening to music uninterrupted and undistracted is not only therapeutic and relaxing but can also give you a deeper understanding of the music you already appreciate.

This year, I really took some time to set aside parts of my day, every once in awhile, to listen to music I thought I would appreciate. Whether it was Kanye West, John Mayer or a classical romantic symphony, I tried to really listen to music and do what my professor taught us.

I even spent an hour over spring break laying in bed listening to every second of Drakes new album at 1 a.m., the moment it was released.

Listening to albums in their entirety, or even individual songs or pieces, is time consuming but incredibly rewarding. When you listen to music without any other distraction you can truly appreciate the nuances of the sound.

You pick up on things other than the beat and melody and begin to really appreciate the work the artist put into each song individually, and as a whole contribution to the album or the artists other work.

Not only has this more intense style of listening increased my appreciation of music, it has allowed me to become a better listener and consumer of music. I pay more attention to the composition of the work and its easier for me to pick up on the themes and tonality of songs. Truly listening to music allowed me to focus my attention on the purpose of each song and the artists intent.

When you truly listen to music it enhances your experience and leads to a greater appreciation of sound and the artist who produced it.

So next time you find yourself with an hour or two to spare, get your headphones, settle down in a quiet space and revisit an album you already love or want to explore for the first time. Listen to the music and really focus on the sound. Cast your other thoughts away and truly appreciate the work produced for your enjoyment.

arts@dailynebraskan.com

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GLEASON: Take moment to truly appreciate, listen to music - Daily Nebraskan

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How many times have you forgotten to pay a bill, write an email, make a phone call or cancel an appointment? And every time you do, you probably say to yourself I should get an assistant. However, if for whatever reason hiring another human to share your workload is not the answer for you, perhaps hiring a machine is, or at least time-sharing it

by Beata Socha

Do you remember PAC-MAN? If youre too young to remember it, you must have seen it in a movie or a TV show. The classic 1980s game keeps making comebacks in popular culture, a nostalgic nod to the wonders of arcade gaming.

Either way, everyone knows that the yellow circular characters goal was to eat all the pac-dots in the labyrinth while avoiding being eaten by his four enemies (Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde). The interesting thing is that the enemies appear to be somewhat intelligent when awake, theyd follow Pan-Man through the maze. By todays standards, its hardly impressive. It would be fairly easy to program the game so that the enemies calculated the shortest route to Pac-Man at any given moment, but with 1980s computing power, it was not an easy feat. The games creators came up with a rather ingenious way to do it. They programed Pac-Man to leave a trail a stench if you will, that fades away with every move he makes and every second that passes. So when the enemies came across the trail, they just followed its gradient the stronger the stench, the more recent the trail. Thats just one of many examples of how very simple rules can create seemingly intelligent behavior.

Imagine that you walk into your home and your house lights up immediately, your favorite relaxing music is already on and your cappuccino machine has just served you a cup of hot, foamy deliciousness. When you take off your coat, your TV switches on and lists all the programs it has tivoed for you in order of importance. While youre watching, your phone chimes and reminds you that ticket sales to your favorite bands concert are about to start and you should log on the site to get the best seats. Half an hour later your phone chimes again to tell you that youve only walked 5,000 steps today and you may want to go out jogging, especially since its a warm and sunny afternoon. It seems too good to be true, but it isnt. In fact, all of this is possible today.

We have been gradually automating our lives for years: a standing bank order to pay the rent, Google alerts telling you about the latest reports on a topic of interest, lights running on proximity sensors all of these are in common use. Now, all these processes can be combined, intertwined and tweaked to your liking using very simple rules that altogether make for an excellent virtual personal assistant.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

An increasing number of manufacturers equip their products with technology that allows them to send and receive information and respond to it. The only question that remains is how they can understand the information they receive from other products and services, made by other manufacturers. Your phone, your dishwasher, your car and your thermostat all speak different languages and what they need is a universal tongue, a lingua franca if you will. There is a number of such platforms that can be used for that, but one in particular seems to be catching on more quickly than others: the If This Then That technology (IFTTT). There are already over 400 service providers that equip their products with IFTTT which means that they can send and receive data from the IFTTT platform via the internet. If you have two devices furnished with IFTTT, they will be able to communicate and respond to one another.

The way it works is quite simple. You create a rule, which are called Applets in the IFTTT language (previously also Recipes). One of the devices serves as a trigger and the other performs an action. Lets say you are allergic to pollen. If the weather report says the level of pollen is high in your area, the weather website that supports IFTTT (e.g. Weather Underground) will know to initiate the rule. What it does is send your phone a message to notify you of the pollen situation, e.g.: High pollen concentration. Take allergy meds. This is called an action.

You can create rules for your social media accounts (e.g. if someone tags you in a photo, you can have it automatically saved to your dropbox), cars (if youve ever lost your car youd be glad to have a map with your location emailed to you every time you park in the city), home appliances (you can tell the Alexa device to locate your phone, for instance), and much more. You can even trigger your phone to give you a phantom call if you are in a middle of an awkward conversation and in need of an easy way out. The collection of existing applets is growing at an astronomical pace. Thats because they are extremely easy to program, so anytime someone comes up with a useful new rule, they can make it available to all IFTTT users. There are tens of millions of rules already in use. Most big internet services support IFTTT: Google Drive, Gmail, Dropbox, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, BuzzFeed, eBay, Craigslist you name it.

SAFE AND COMFY

Even if social media is unchartered territory for you, youll still find many uses for automated rules in your home. An automatic response in case of fire detection and flooding seems like a must in a modern home. Automation can also prevent burglary. After all, how satisfying is it to watch your security camera feed after your house has been broken into? But what if the system catches the perpetrator in the act and alerts you to their presence so you can in turn call the police? Smart homes with motion sensors can do that. The system detects movement in the apartment while were away and sends an alert to your smartphone whenever something unsettling happens. This allows you to immediately take action and, for instance, notify the security in the building, explains Mikoaj Pertek, developer market expert at Fibaro. The system can check a number of conditions before sending the alert: if its night time and youre at home, the system will ignore your stroll to the kitchen, but it will start beeping if someone opens the balcony door and enters your home.

Thermostats were supposed to be the ultimate solution to temperature regulation, but they are not impervious to human error and forgetfulness. If you open the window to get cool air, your thermostat will compensate for the breeze, using even more power. By applying a few simple rules, and allowing the thermostat to communicate with your smart home central computer the devices will automatically respond to temperature changes resulting from opening a window, and will not try to heat a room when its inefficient, said Pertek.

The number of possibilities that devices connected to the internet offer is expanding rapidly. All it takes it to turn on a few simple rules you can choose from a menu. And yes, there are always safety concerns, as with every new technology. But with the number of things we deal with on a daily basis, automation seems like the only way to remain sane.

The Internet of (vulnerable) things

As the Internet of Things market increases, so does the number of incidents involving breeches in security of internet-connected devices. Only recently, an industrial dishwasher-disinfector was discovered to have system flaws that allowed a hacker to access and plant malware on it, which could later be used to attack other devices in the network. Given that this type of dishwasher is almost exclusively used in restaurants and cafes, such a hack could potentially have dire consequences (e.g. the malware could compromise the conditions at which food products are refrigerated, which could lead to dangerous infections and poisoning). Earlier this year, IoT forums were buzzing about a brand of internet-connected teddy bears that had reportedly exposed over 2 million voice messages between parents and children to online hackers. There is no way of knowing how much of the information actually got into the wrong hands, but its not too difficult to imagine how it could aid criminals in planning e.g. a burglary or even a kidnapping.

OUT OF THE BOX

Some automation rules can be very handy, others are a little out there, and then there are some that will make you smile and think: What would anyone ever need that for? Heres our selection of some of the more interesting IFTTT Applets.

SHHHH! TURN IT OFF!

Ever felt embarrassed in the movies when your phone suddenly buzzes, or worse, when your Gangnam style ringtone that youve been meaning to change in like forever goes off? You can create a rule that will switch your phone to mute whenever youre in a place where phone use is frowned upon, like the movies, libraries or churches.

NEED COFFEE, NOW!

Would you like to literally wake up to the smell of coffee? You can hook up your fitness band Fitbit to your coffee maker so that when your pulse indicates youre waking up, the machine will automatically start brewing you a nice hot cuppa joe.

THATS NOT VENUS

Imagine youre looking up at the stars with a date. You point to a brighter dot flying overhead and you say: Did you know that the ISS is flying above us right now? Who wouldnt be impressed? Or maybe youd like to know when an astronaut is launched into space?

HONEY, DID YOU WANT ME TO GET SOMETHING?

Whenever youre shopping your phone can automatically send a text message to your spouse asking them if they need anything from the store. Think about all those unnecessary repeat trips to the store you will never have to make again!

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Running on autopilot - Warsaw Business Journal

Cuba Points to Urban Farming to Boost Organic Food Production

Not far from Havanas iconic Revolution Square, a Green plot of land offers a welcome break from the skyline and hubbub of Cubas capital.

More importantly, it guarantees the people an assortment of fresh Organic fruits and vegetables year-round.

This urban farm, like numerous others like it, grows leafy greens, such as cabbage, lettuce, chard and occasionally arugula, ensuring fresh vegetables feature on local dinner tables.

Thanks to a government program begun 30 yrs ago, urban farms today produce more than 1-M tonnes of Organic crops.

The program, which has spread across the country and is present in almost all major cities, was strengthened in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, then Cubas main political and economic ally.

The produce goes from the plot to our plates, says a retiree, who at least once a week visits the urban farm near her home in a populous Havana neighborhood.

It is a good source of Organic vegetables to complement the typical Cuban dish of rice, beans and pork, she said.

By Y 2020, government plans to invest more than $96-M, 80% from international financing to expand urban farms, according to the programs executive director.

The investment will be earmarked to develop irrigation, seed production, organic fertilizers, agro-ecological management and use of renewable energy, among other aspects, he recently told a Congress of urban, suburban and family agriculture in Havana.

As part of the program, locals will receive training to produce Organic vegetables and fruits, including local production of seeds, organic fertilizers, farm implements, bio-control and other factors.

Director of development for Cubas Agricultural Business Group, Alina Beltran, said the program has in the past year produced 70% of the lettuce seeds it needs, 80% of the Chinese cabbage seeds and 40% of radish seeds.

The program also teaches children how to plant and harvest vegetables, herbs and fruits.

By Y 2019, officials expect to produce around 1.2-M tonnes of Organic fruits and vegetables at 10,000 hectares of urban farms throughout Cuba.

Agriculture production is a priority of the national push to modernize the economic and productive system, with the goal of producing up to 60% of the countrys food needs.

Cuba currently spends some $2-B a year on imported food products, according to government officials.

Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively

Cuba, farms, fruits, government, organic, produce, program, urban, vegetables

Paul A. Ebeling, polymath, excels in diverse fields of knowledge. Pattern Recognition Analyst in Equities, Commodities and Foreign Exchange and author of The Red Roadmasters Technical Report on the US Major Market Indices, a highly regarded, weekly financial market letter, he is also a philosopher, issuing insights on a wide range of subjects to a following of over 250,000 cohorts. An international audience of opinion makers, business leaders, and global organizations recognizes Ebeling as an expert.

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Cuba Points to Urban Farming to Boost Organic Food Production - Live Trading News