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Using 3-D Printing To Create Synthetic Organs ~ Medical technology has come a long way within the last decade, and every new advancement provides mankind with the opportunity to preserve itself just a bit longer. Even though , scientists are claiming that 3D printers can be used to produce synthetic tissues and organs that could revolutionize the way medical testing and treatment is done. While the whole thing does sound like something out of a Terminator movie, the machine-creation of artificial human parts from a scan of the original is a reality that is at the doorstep of mainstream implementation. The possibilities of such a technology are nearly infinite, and here’s how bio-printing can help in the near future.

The major issue with human drug testing is that injected substances can hurt or kill an innocent human being. That’s why most laboratories are stocked with mice or other mammals that have a body composition similar to that of humans. The problem is that harming or fatally injuring innocent animals isn’t much better than doing the same to our own kind. That’s where bio-printing comes into play. Artificially creating human parts from stem cells allows researchers to have near-identical clones of real human parts that look and function in the same manner. When scientists test on these “test tube” organs, they know exactly what should happen in an actual human body.
Organ transplantation

In the case of severe illness or injury, organ transplantation may be the only option for survival, but finding a compatible organ often proves to be a very expensive and lengthy process. Unfortunately, patients can be put on a waiting list for years when the health issue requires a transplant within months, weeks, or even days. Patients may soon have the option to receive a bio-printed organ that was created to the ideal specifications for a lower cost, shorter wait time, and a higher success rate. Using lab-created organs in this manner isn’t realistic at this point in time, but the day will come before we all know it.
Tissue replacement

Like for organ transplants, 3D printers may have the capability to mass produce real human flesh and skin to repair body parts that have been damaged or severed by injury and disease. Soldiers, police officers, professional fighters, athletes, and other people who regularly engage in activities that have a high rate of bodily injury will benefit most from such a breakthrough. People who previously would have never had the chance to return to the workplace or re-participate in their favorite hobbies would be able to do so with bio-printing and do so sooner than ever before.
To extend lifespan

With lab-created tissues and organs at our disposal, we can simply replace a malfunctioning part to get the body functioning like normal again–just like swapping out parts in a car or computer. Humans would be able to live much longer than they do today if all it took was swapping out worn parts for ones. In theory, we could live forever thanks to bio-printing, but we all know that theory and fact aren’t one and the same.

5 Business Advantages of Responsive Web Design ~ Despite 2013 being dubbed “the year of responsive design” it seems that despite the techno-ravers adoration of the new-look and design-love, businesses across the board seem to be slow on the uptake, with many still dragging their digital heels.
With this in mind, we’ve put together some top notch reasons that your business needs to jump on the responsive design train.
#1 Increased sales and conversion rates.

Reach more tablet users with a responsive web design

It may seem like a simple and clichéd assumption, but the facts speak for themselves. With 70% of users abandoning websites that take too long to load, this common problem still plagues so many sites when users access them via tablets and mobiles. Even with ‘mobile’ versions of websites, users still can face difficulty locating information or with usability.
With responsive design, the entire site experience is improved. There is no need for re-direction (ie. ‘m.’ mobile redirection), and the use of standardized Style Sheets will ensure a unified design approach with a consistent look and feel to all ‘versions’ of the site.
It goes without saying that consistent user experience will have nothing but a positive impact on your conversion rates. As users become familiar with a unified look and navigation across sites/devices, the usability will be increased. On top of this, loading times will be at a minimum, almost eradicating drop out due to dysfunctional websites. Learn more about how to convert visitors into sales on this article: Make an Impact with Powerful Web Design.
#2 Increased visibility within search engines.

With responsive design, you are able to manage one singular website with one single set of hypertext links. This reduces the amount of time you spend maintaining your website, with as a result allows you more time to focus on link building and a consolidated SEO strategy. The ‘one stop’ website means you can invest in a unified strategy and unified tactics which covers all devices.
With content being a vital attribute in SEO, good quality and regular postings can affect search ranking page positioning. Responsive design ensures fewer resources are taken up/wasted in duplication of content across sites, with content only being applied to one single site, thus increasing your chances of higher search engine rankings.
As a secondary and equal plus, Google also suggests that ‘responsive’ sites are more prominently featured in localised search results. For smaller local businesses who are trying to compete with high street retailers, responsive design is a must.
#3 Increased reach to tablet/mobile audiences.

Responsive design – reach tablets and mobiles via Infocux

Without doubt, mobile and tablets are here to stay, and are the driving force behind the use of responsive web design. Traditionally users were re-directed to a ‘mobile’ specific site (see the .m in the URL). With responsive, this isn’t the case. One site can be used on all devices – whatever the brand, make or model of mobile/tablet.
With more and more users relying solely on their ‘on the go’ devices, can you really afford to lose out on such a large percentage of custom?
For example, say you are a local business, a bistro or café. Someone looks to find a bite to eat close to their current location. Your website takes too long to load or worse – is unreadable/un-navigable as you do not have a responsive website. They promptly leave and head over to your competitors.
This logic doesn’t just apply to food outlets. Gyms, watch-makers, tailors, marketing firms, app developers… the list is endless. If you have a website, and a customer that uses it to make you money – responsive is a must.
#4 Enhanced offline browsing experience.

Alas, this is probably the more technical of benefits – but stay with us!
Whilst the online capabilities/advantages of responsive design are almost infinite, responsive design also allows site owners (using the offline browsing capabilities of HTML5) easier access to their content ‘on the go’
With so many tablets and smartphones HTML5 enabled (with this only set to increase as older models are naturally phased out) this becomes increasingly important. Content in web applications and email newsletters for example, are increasingly consumed on the move in the absence of an internet connection. Responsive design allows this capability to be maximised.
#5 Time and money saved across the board.

Arguably – with every other pro and positive aside – time and money being saved is number one priority on any business owners list when it comes to their company expenses. Whilst the initial ‘investment’ cost of responsive design is there, the long and short term savings across the board will make every moment spent on the conversion worth it.
With one streamlined website there is no need for multiple site developments and testing, no need for support and maintenance and a stream of various experts for various platforms.
As mentioned above; SEO will be positively impacted, as well as customer exposure. The overall multi-device experience is enhanced and intensified.
What does responsive design come down to?
More customers, more exposure,  less time spent, less money wasted.
When put so simply….what is it you’re waiting for? Find out more about our responsive web design services and how we can help you.

How Smart Cars Enable Smart Criminals ~ Einstein, contrary to what he himself may have believed, was indeed smart. But perhaps what he missed in his quote was that beyond being able to stay with his problems, he was actually able to first recognize their existence. As vehicles become “smarter”, everybody hails the advancements as exciting and fun. Some even go as far as to coin it revolutionary, as is often common nowadays. But countless people wait anxiously for autonomous vehicles to make their public debut. Many are hardly able to wait today for the technological advancements of tomorrow… But should we hope for such hasty advancements? Is there nothing we’re not considering fully? Is there no problem here we’re not noticing?

The answer is sadly and surprisingly yes, there are countless problems that have yet to be considered or even recognized. But one that has both consumers and auto manufacturers most concerned is the fact that as cars become smarter, there are newer and far cleverer ways for thieves to be mischievous. You will soon no longer need a crowbar and screwdriver to break into and steal a car. All you’ll need is a laptop and quick access to the computer plugins in the vehicle under the hood or dashboard. At which point, the car can almost be left alone until the time is right to steal it whenever and wherever desired. It’s quite a new concept, and one which has people a little concerned.
What a Vehicles Internal Computer Controls

Below are a few of the various ways a Car Hacker can figuratively break into your car to steal whatever desired. And rest assured, these things are already being done today save for the self-driving and autonomous vehicle bit. But once that takes place, cops are going to have an extremely difficult time… police chases with no one driving the suspect vehicle. Makes you wonder if it’s even worth the chase at that point. There’s not really anyone getting away any more. But I digress, and without further ado, here are a few of the smarter ways car thieves are scoring big. Or in the least… having a hearty laugh.
Windows

Of course, this only matters if you have automatic windows. If you’re still hand cranking your windows shut, you need not have a worry over this. But remember that anything electric or automated nowadays is controlled by a computer, even your windows. Granted, if your vehicle was broken into they’re probably not worried over hot wiring your windows. But that said, it’s still possible and if need be, they could always open them later when it’s more useful.
Radio/MP3/CD

Car audio system via Michael Sheehan

Again, not something that would be much of a concern, but a criminal could be clever. Perhaps use the audio system of another vehicle to distract and keep attention away from a different vehicle; Or perhaps to deafen the driver so as to make them pull over. Or even stop using their car for a few days as they may believe something is broken. Point is, people will become a little baffled once their radio goes ghost on them, playing random tunes at ear shattering volume levels. Again, a clever criminal could find a use for this.
 

You may also like this article: Ceremic Stereo – A thoughtful NFC dock for your phone.

Check Engine Lights

You can image that compared to windows and the radio, a criminal could come up with a few good reasons to hack into a vehicles check engine light system. Nowadays, sensors know more than simply your vehicles engine temperature, they know your tire pressure from the monitoring system, your levels of gas and oil, and a whole slew of other things.
Start Engine Button

You can easily imagine that if a vehicle can be started with the push of a button, it can certainly be turned off as well. Doesn’t take long to realize the benefit a criminal would have if this were possible.
Braking & Accelerating

Computers in many of the newer vehicles being produced can recognize if you are about to get into an accident and will automatically brake for you. Computers also can regulate your acceleration, and many vehicles have computers in place to reduce your overall top speed to help avoid going too fast. If a computer can stop your car and make it go faster, it wouldn’t take long for a hacker to do the same given a moment’s access to your vehicle.
Steering

Finally, there’s the one thing that has always been done by the hands of man, and that is steering. But with advancements in autonomous and self-driving vehicles, we’ve begun to give cars the ability to drive themselves. Which means that if a hacker wanted to steal a car, it can be accomplished without ever actually having to drive the vehicle. They can simply log in, and drive the vehicle wherever they please. In fact, they wouldn’t even need to drive it, the car could drive itself! They would simply have to tell it where to go. Which means that in the future, fewer people would be jacking cars as is done nowadays. More of them would be car hacking.

In the latest mishap to befall the Olympic flame, a Russian torchbearer's clothing caught fire this week as he carried it through a Siberian city.

A clip posted on YouTube by the Russian site Lifenews shows former Olympic bobsledder Pyotr Makarchuk parading the torch through a crowd in the city of Abakan when flames suddenly leap from the left shoulder and upper arm of his jacket.

Escorts immediately put out the flames and Makarchuk was not injured, said Roman Osin, spokesman for the Russian Sochi 2014 torch relay, who witnessed the incident on Wednesday.

The flames were caused by drops of liquid gas that fell on Makarchuk's jacket, he said.

Russia is conducting the longest torch relay before any Winter Games: a four-month, 65,000-km (40,000 mile) journey that will end at the opening ceremony in Sochi on 7 February 2014.

The Olympic flame has been to the north pole and Lake Baikal, and cosmonauts took an unlit torch on a spacewalk last month outside the International Space Station.

But the torch has gone out dozens of times, including an incident minutes after president Vladimir Putin handed it off in Red Square on 6 October. At other times it has burned too fiercely.

Osin said nobody has been injured by the torch. He declined to say how many times it has gone out.

How to Care for Your Beard ~ You don’t want to get messed up with a guy like Koji Uehara of the Boston Red Sox. He’s a loner. A rebel. A fearless, clean-shaven cowboy on a baseball diamond beset by a brotherhood of bearded ball players; and in the official MLB World Series video that just released yesterday, this pitcher’s beardless brawn has him throwing more than just wins for the Sox. He's lobbing gauntlets, and at his own team. “I think it’s just nasty to grow a beard that long,” he says about his teammates now legendary beards.

 

We think it’s pretty obvious that beard size and its filth factor are not necessarily related, but rather than besmirch the man for his sweeping generalization, lets take this moment to ensure that your beard is not, in fact, nasty:

Stink: Only you know all the places your beard has been, so by all means, rinse if that’s all you need to do. Otherwise, keep it cleaned, like your work clothes. A regular shampoo and conditioner will wash well, but if you’re feeling fancy, Mister Beardwash, which is formulated with botanicals specifically for the thicker follicles on your face, is like taking your beard to the dry cleaners.

Read more: Men's Fashion - Style Tips and Fashion Trends for Men - Esquire
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Figuring that a guy who spent fifteen years in the Senate, and served as majority leader, and toiled as a special envoy to both Northern Ireland and the Middle East, and wrote the Mitchell Report on steroid use, would know how to diffuse tension, we called George Mitchell for some pointers on artfully navigating the tumultuous political waters over the holiday.

 

ESQUIRE WEEKLY: You've been in some pretty tense situations. Is there a common thread where you found a way to cool hostile people down?

GEORGE MITCHELL: There's no common thread, each situation is unique. But what I did on a couple instances in Northern Ireland was to mix up the seating at mealtime—we had isolated ourselves in two very hostile groups—and tell everyone they couldn't discuss politics or the issues that we were negotiating. Talk about your kids, your dog, your vacation, your other job, anything you want, but don't talk about the issues. And it actually worked pretty well. In an American family, given the political dysfunction now, there's no talking politics. Talk about football, brag about your kids, but stay off the disputed subjects.

ESQ: What if someone insists?

GM: If you have to talk about them, insist on some fair allocation of time. You have a problem where one group could talk all day, and the other doesn’t have that same degree of passion. You don't get a discussion then—you get a monologue. That's the worst circumstance.

ESQ: What should we do, say, if you’re a liberal and your uncle says something crazy about Obamacare? Do you try to correct him?

GM: It depends on the circumstances. Nobody likes to be embarrassed in front of a crowd. If I thought it was really egregiously wrong I would probably wait till later and privately, say “I just want to let you know I don't think what you said is correct.” There's no need to upset a whole family dinner by pointing out errors publicly.

ESQ: What if he goes berserk?

GM: The most important thing is to have patience and perseverance. Don't respond in kind. If someone who is angry runs into someone who is calm, they tend to calm down. Don't add any fuel to fire. It's a little difficult when people have been drinking—so it’ll take a little bit of patience.

ESQ: I happen to think—and maybe it's just the political climate now—that it's pointless to argue about politics anymore with anyone. You're never going to get them to change their minds anyway.

GM: I think that's true about their party choices. I don't ever go to anyone and say I'd like you to convert from Republican to Democrat. It's less true on certain specific issues. I think you often can persuade people on a particular issue, despite political difference. It's the same as conflict resolution. You have to identify what their self-interest is, and figure out a way to accommodate that. That's the essence of negotiating, understand what the person's real bottom line is, and try to accommodate it. Not one hundred percent—just some portion of it. Of course this is a big country, three hundred million people, there are a lot of people you can't persuade of anything on either extreme. I think a very big segment of the public is still open to rational persuasion.

ESQ: How important is having a sense of humor in any disagreeable situation?

GM: It’s very important. The event in Northern Ireland I described earlier, I had them all at the dinner table and a little banter started over non-contentious issues. The guy I was sitting next to, David Trimble, who was a leader of the Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, someone yelled across table, “David, what's the last opera you heard?” He was a well-known opera buff. He described it. The guy yelled across the table, “Senator, you ever go to the opera?” Yes I do, I said, I go on a regular schedule. “What's that schedule?” I said when I go to the opera I know what I'm going to hear. I've seen La Boheme twelve times, and Rodolfo never uttered a word off script. That's just like coming over here, I told him: You guys sing the same songs every time. That got a little laugh, broke the tension a little bit. Humor can be very important. Be careful it isn't directed just at one side or the other, though.

ESQ: What’s your own family like on holidays? Any disagreements?

GM: No no. We're all Democrats, so no one disagrees. My older brothers always thought I was not tough enough on the Republicans, they would give me a hard time. Of course the Republicans thought otherwise. We argue about others things. Usually sports, local items, schools, stuff like that. I got married late in life. I have two teenage children, a tenth grade son and daughter in seventh grade.

ESQ: Are they politically engaged?

GM: Not yet. My son is very interested. He asks a lot of questions, but doesn’t commit to any position. He's a real question machine. He likes history, but it will be his choice.

ESQ: What if he registers as a Republican?

GM: I'll ask him why. What issues motivated him? It would be his choice, I'd leave it to him. This is your decision. I neither have right nor desire to impose judgment on you. But I'd want to know what it's about—if it's something based on a misperception.

ESQ: Who was the hardest to deal with of all the negotiations you've been involved in, from Northern Ireland to the Middle East, to baseball, to the Senate?

GM: It was all very tough, to be frank, but in terms of complexity and difficulty, the Middle East is toughest situation I've been in. I was in Jerusalem a few years ago giving a lecture at a big event. I answered a question about Ireland, I made the comment that the peace agreement was reached eight-hundred years after British domination of Ireland began. After I left the stage, people came up, wanted autographs, picture, to disagree. An old guy said, “Did you say eight hundred years in Ireland?” He repeated it in a loud, dismissive voice. “No wonder you settled it, it's such a recent argument!” Only in the Middle East would eight hundred years be seen as recent argument.

Read more: Diplomat George Mitchell on Thanksgiving Diplomacy - Esquire
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Like everybody else, I have many reasons for hating turkey. It's too big. It's too dry. It has no flavor. You only make it once a year, so your odds of doing it well are slim at best. Because it is so enormous, nothing you can do to it will matter much. Brine it for weeks! Spread Thai hot pepper paste over its skin and cram Alba truffles under its ocean of breast skin! Shtup it with preserved lemons and potpourri! Nothing you do will matter. At the big moment, you will still be standing in front of a morbidly obese surgery patient, followed by a mountain of tasteless white meat and the most unwieldy animal leg this side of a mantis shrimp, a Cambrian arthropod with the most powerful limb in the animal kingdom. And the mantis shrimp is at least tasty.

 

In past years I have recommended replacing the turkey with something equally imposing: a baron of lamb, say, or even a whole roasted piglet. If you want, you can have a show turkey, one to present and then throw into the alley like Paulie Pennino in Rocky. This year, though, I am doing bison. I am an ardent supporter of this animal, and am even a founding member of the Bison Council, and committed to eating these large and delicious animals, and promoting the eating of them. Thanksgiving is an ideal time to start. Insofar as Thanksgiving is meant to recall the country's founding, bison is a much better symbolic choice. There was never a period when hundreds of thousands of turkeys covered the Great Plains, nor do the bloated and buxom birds we eat today much resemble the scrawny things the pilgrims were reduced to eating. No, the bison you eat now is more or less the same animal shot at from trains by our forebears. It's also infinitely more flavorful than turkey, and has all the flavor of grass-fed beef without the gnarly, tough texture. I was skeptical of bison at first, but I got the celebrated Dallas chef John Tesar, a good friend, to cook it at Meatopia Texas and it was one of the best things there. This recipe, which includes potato chips fried in bison tallow, will be the one I am using this year, and I recommend it to you. It also works for prime rib, should you be unable or unwilling to get bison. If you don't have a way of getting three cups of rendered bison tallow, I would suggest using canola oil with some trimmed-off bison fat dropped into it for flavoring purposes. If you don't want to slice up potatoes into chips, you can use tater tots, which is what I will likely do. Anyway, this recipe is sick, as the video suggests. (It also includes a picture of a bison running alongside some guy's car; it isn't clear whether he took a potshot at it. I hope he didn't.)

Read more: Bison Thanksgiving Recipe - Why You Should Eat Bison - Esquire
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