If you’re studying math or science, you are probably pretty familiar with Wolfram Alpha as a tool for figuring out complicated equations. That makes it a pretty good tool for cheating, but not necessarily for learning. Today, the Wolfram Alpha team is launching a new service for learners, the Wolfram Problem Generator, that turns the "computational knowledge engine" on its head.
via TechCrunch
Wolfram Alpha Launches Problem Generator To Help Students Learn Math
Grab Over 500 Free Programming Books from GitHub
Whether you’re learning to code or are already an experienced programmer, this GitHub repository is an incredible resource of free programming books.
Victor Felder updated this Stack Overflow list with new and corrected links and shared it over on GitHub for collaborative updating. You’ll find books on professional development, specific platforms like Android and Oracle Server, and about 80 programming languages. There are also lists in other languages.
Definitely worth a look for your continuing coding education. There’s nothing quite like free books!
Free Programming Books | GitHub via ITworld
Photo by Linda N..
via Lifehacker
Grab Over 500 Free Programming Books from GitHub
Standing on Weekdays Burns Calories Like Running 10 Marathons a Year
We’ve already talked a lot about how sitting all day is killing us, but what you might not know is just how good simply standing for a few hours a day can be. A new study found remarkable health benefits of standing versus sitting.
The BBC and the University of Chester conducted a simple experiment with a small group of ten volunteers. The volunteers were instructed to stand for at least three hours and wore throughout the day an accelerometer (to measure movement), as well as heart rate monitors and glucose monitors. The researchers took measurements on days when the volunteers stood and compared them to days when they sat.
The results:
- On standing days, the volunteers’ blood glucose levels went back to normal much more quickly after eating a meal compared to on the days when volunteers sat. High glucose levels have been linked with increased risks of heart disease and diabetes.
- Standing caused the volunteers to have a much higher heart rate (around 10 beats per minute higher), which adds up to burning about 50 calories more per hour versus sitting. Over a year, that adds up to about 30,000 more calories or 8 pounds of fat.
"If you want to put that into activity levels," Dr Buckley says, "then that would be the equivalent of running about 10 marathons a year. Just by standing up three or four hours in your day at work."
This was just a small, simple study, of course, but it’s just another indication that getting up out of your chair is good for you, particularly if you want to lose or maintain weight. (And, yes, of course, this isn’t an excuse not to regularly exercise.) Ready to get started? Check out our standing desk resources, and for even more fitness while working, consider a treadmill desk or do yoga at your standing desk.
Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting? | BBC News
Photo by massdistraction.
via Lifehacker
Standing on Weekdays Burns Calories Like Running 10 Marathons a Year
Review: Sony’s VAIO Flip 13 dies the death of a thousand cuts
Pen input is a great feature, but the complete package is better on paper than in person.
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via Ars Technica
Review: Sony’s VAIO Flip 13 dies the death of a thousand cuts
Bake Soft, Perfectly Sized Cookies in a Muffin Pan
If you prefer your cookies soft and round, rather than spread out into one giant layer, just bake the cookies in a muffin pan.
This is just one of a huge collection of food hacks over at MyFridgeFood, and the photo above kind of says it all. If you have a mini muffin pan, you can also easily make mini cookies.
If you prefer cookies with a crunch, you could also turn over a muffin pan and make cookie bowls instead.
via Lifehacker
Bake Soft, Perfectly Sized Cookies in a Muffin Pan
Comic for October 12, 2013
Dilbert readers – Please visit Dilbert.com to read this feature. Due to changes with our feeds, we are now making this RSS feed a link to Dilbert.com.
via Dilbert Daily Strip
Comic for October 12, 2013
How To Opt Out Of Google’s Weird New Ads That Use Your Face And Name
Angry that Google is planning on using your face and name for the sake of advertisements? Here’s how to make them not.
via TechCrunch
How To Opt Out Of Google’s Weird New Ads That Use Your Face And Name
Nationwide Children’s spinoff starts approval process for gene therapy for rare fatal syndrome
Nationwide Children’s Hospital has licensed an experimental gene therapy for a fatal syndrome to a Cleveland biotech startup that’s aiming to start clinical trials next year.
Abeona Therapeutics LLC said in a release it is raising funds this month toward starting Phase 1 and 2 trials, which test safety and get preliminary data on effectiveness of a drug on the way toward U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. (Actually they buried the lead in a release about an award.)
Such efforts take…
via Columbus Business News – Local Columbus News | Business First of Columbus
Nationwide Children’s spinoff starts approval process for gene therapy for rare fatal syndrome