Electric Cello - Who Knew?

Whoever heard of an electric violin, electric cello or, for that matter, an electric singer?
~Andres Segovia

I knew there was such a thing as an electric cello. I just had never seen one before. I went with my son to a concert this evening, and saw something I had never seen before. "What the heck is that?" I thought. I couldn't figure out if it was more a knee guitar that was played with a bow, or a knee violin. I certainly couldn't hear the deep plaintive notes I expect from a  cello over the 42 or so violins that were also playing.



The player was petite, and did not sit whilst playing. She stood the whole time, and the instrument rested on her knee. It was plugged in to an amplifier, but could not be isolated as a distinct sound.

So now I know what it is. I wish I could hear one played without any accompaniment to determine what it sounds like. It certainly doesn't possess the beauty of a good old fashioned cello.

Note: This is a very expensive instrument!

Mood-boosting Bacteria Found in Dirt - Mycobacterium vaccae

They also leave us wondering if we shouldn't all be spending more time playing in the dirt.
~Neuroscientist Dr. Christopher Lowry

Mycobacterium vaccae, a bacteria found in dirt, stimulates the immune system and boosts the production of serotonin, a mood-regulating brain chemical. M vaccae has been used as a vaccine against tuberculosis, and is being tested as a treatment for cancer patients and in asthma sufferers to control the allergic reactions and help ‘rebalance’ the immune system.

Studies on mice led by neuroscientists at the University of Bristol suggest the bacteria may have applications as a treatment for depression. A chance observation by oncologist Mary O'Brien who was trying an experimental treatment for cancer that involved inoculating patients with Mycobacterium vaccae led to the University of Bristol study. When the inoculation was administered there were fewer cancer symptoms, and an improvement in patients' emotional health and mood.

 The study also lends support to the "hygiene hypothesis"  - that exposure to common bacteria from a young age helps balance the immune system and  make us less vulnerable to disease.


The study: Identification of an immune-responsive mesolimbocortical serotonergic system: Potential role in regulation of emotional behavior

Note: The initial discovery of  the antidepressant qualities of M vaccae was 10 years ago.

Something else I learned: Stress free mice enjoy swimming.

Tech Dorks Secretly Wear Amazing Socks -Flamboyantly Colored, Audaciously Patterned

If at first you don't succeed; call it version 1.0
~Uncredited Nerd

Today's techies (nerds, geeks, dorks, etc), according to the New York Times Fashion section, are wearing flamboyantly colored, audaciously patterned socks. Socks, they say, are acceptable as "flair" in a male dominated environment because no one really notices - men, it seems, don't look at each others feet. Quote the Shawshank Redemption: "I mean, seriously, how often do you really look at a mans shoes?" (Or socks?)



A search for nerd socks seems to confirm the NYT article. Nerd socks are abundant. And some of them are very cool, not dorky at all!

Note: Hello Kitty socks are not dorky or nerdy at all!

Something else I learned:  "gullible" is defined in the dictionary as "those who wear nerdy socks." Really!

Finally Figured Out How to Use Dreamweaver to Update Via FTP

Though the dawn may be coming soon
There still may be some time
Ooh dream weaver
I believe you can get me through the night
Ooh dream weaver
~Gary Wright

(The relevance of today's quote can be parsed a couple of different ways. What you read in to the quote depends on whether or not you've ever had to create a webpage with a deadline. Besides, it's a great song!)

I am dabbling in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for a client as of today. That means sweeping changes to the existing site. The page in question is not on a CMS, so no quick and easy template changes to make global updates. Cute FTP is okay for the occasional update, but I will probably be working on this site daily for a little while. So, the time has obviously come for me to get my server setup with Dreamweaver.

Open Dreamweaver. On the Files pane, select Remote Server from the dropdown.


A window will open asking for your FTP username and Password. You also have the option to name your connection on this window. After entering your information, test the connection to be sure it works. You are now ready to get and put files! It was just that easy!

Note: Most of the sites I work on are on Content Management Systems, so there was never a pressing need to figure this out until now.

Something else I learned: It is really easy to forget the user name and password you gave to a client for Google Analytics if you don't write it down somewhere.

The Romanian Government Just Collapsed Due to Austerity Outrage

Do not put your spoon into the pot which does not boil for you.
~Romanian Proverb

The Prime Minister (Emil Boc) and his cabinet resigned "to defuse political and social tension." President Traian Basescu  appointed Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu (the only Cabinet member unaffiliated with a political party)  as interim prime minister to serve until a new government is approved. The resignations came as the Romanians begin to feel the effects of the austerity cuts.

"Austerity" is the popular European buzzword that means drastic cuts in spending that most severely affect those largely NOT responsible for the economic crises. In Romania, sales taxes jumped from 19% to 24%. Government workers took a 25% pay cut. These types of cuts are unpopular in the countries in which they are taking place.

According to the Dictionary:
Austerity refers to being strict, serious, and inflexible or to being very moral and refraining from carnal pleasures. (noun)

1. A very strict teacher would be an example of a person with austerity.
2. The puritan way of life with few luxuries and a strong moral code is an example of a life of austerity.

Protests in Romania in January:


Some links to articles about the collapse of the Romanian Government:

• Romania's government collapses after protests (AP)
• Emil Boc announces Government steps down to "ease social tension" in Romania (HotNews.ro)
• Romania, IMF Agree on $664 Million Tranche as Economy Slows (Bloomberg) 

Note: I had to search for news about the collapse of the Romanian government. There were no headlines on my usual news searches.

The History of Football - Walter Camp, the Father of American Football

Academe, n.: An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught. Academy, n.: A modern school where football is taught.
~Ambrose Bierce

Walter Camp was born in 1859. He studied medicine at Yale from 1876 to 1882, where he played in the first Yale-Harvard rugby game in 1876. From that point on, he influenced the game so as to bring about an evolution to American football. He played for the Yale team until 1882 and is known historically as the Father of American Football.

He helped organize and plan the game and served on the rules committee until his death. He contributed to the establishment of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and authored a number of books about football (he also penned several novels).



Walter Camp is credited with the following changes in the evolution of rugby in to American football:

• The line of scrimmage
• 11 players on a team
• Undisputed possession of the ball by one side, until it is given up through a series of violations
• Created the quarter-back and center positions
• The  forward pass
• The numerical assessment of goals
• The safety, interference, penalties, and the neutral zone
• In 1912 a touchdown increased in value to six points and a field goal decreased to three points

In 1906, the game of football was under intense scrutiny due to the necessity of physical force. As leader of the American Football Rules Committee, Camp helped oversee the adoption of  certain changes including the forward pass. The new pattern of play added to the popularity of the game and was crucial to the continued play of the game.

Note:The first attempt to write down the rules of American football was in 1876.

Something else I learned: In 1823 William Ebb Ellis, a rugby player in England was the first person noted for picking up the ball during a soccer game and running with it.

NASA Releases Rare Image of Earth

The latest image is focused on the East, showing Africa, Saudi Arabia and India. Compiled by a NASA Goddard scientist, the image has the perspective of a viewer looking down from 7,918 miles above the Earth’s surface.



High-Res Image of Earth: The Other Side