GM introduced a car that is 700 pounds lighter than the version it replaces. One of the secrets?
Superglue!
This is an interesting article that helps explain how innovation is critical to reaching stretch targets (like the massive expected increase in fuel economy over the coming years).
The Superglue Diet
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Monday, August 8, 2016
Do Your Friends Actually Like You
Interesting article discussing the nature of friendship. I thought the idea about the limits of time constricting the overall number of deep friendships any one person could have to be quite true.
In my own experience, I think that there is a relatively select group of individuals who have made it to the most exclusive levels of friendship. I think that is entirely appropriate.
Here is an excerpt describing that phenomenon:
According to medical experts, playing it safe by engaging in shallow, unfulfilling or nonreciprocal relationships has physical repercussions. Not only do the resulting feelings of loneliness and isolation increase the risk of death as much as smoking, alcoholism and obesity; you may also lose tone, or function, in the so-called smart vagus nerve, which brain researchers think allows us to be in intimate, supportive and reciprocal relationships in the first place.
....
In the presence of a true friend, Dr. Banks said, the smart or modulating aspect of the vagus nerve is what makes us feel at ease rather than on guard as when we are with a stranger or someone judgmental. It’s what enables us to feel O.K. about exposing the soft underbelly of our psyche and helps us stay engaged and present in times of conflict. Lacking authentic friendships, the smart vagus nerve is not exercised. It loses tone and one’s anxiety remains high, making abiding, deep connections difficult.
Here is a link to the full article: Do Your Friends Actually Like You?
In my own experience, I think that there is a relatively select group of individuals who have made it to the most exclusive levels of friendship. I think that is entirely appropriate.
Here is an excerpt describing that phenomenon:
Because time is limited, so, too, is the number of friends you can have, according to the work of the British evolutionary psychologist Robin I.M. Dunbar. He describes layers of friendship, where the topmost layer consists of only one or two people, say a spouse and best friend with whom you are most intimate and interact daily. The next layer can accommodate at most four people for whom you have great affinity, affection and concern and who require weekly attention to maintain. Out from there, the tiers contain more casual friends with whom you invest less time and tend to have a less profound and more tenuous connection. Without consistent contact, they easily fall into the realm of acquaintance. You may be friendly with them but they aren’t friends.
“There is a limited amount of time and emotional capital we can distribute, so we only have five slots for the most intense type of relationship,” Mr. Dunbar said. “People may say they have more than five but you can be pretty sure they are not high-quality friendships.”
The article goes on to explain why meaningful friendship is important:According to medical experts, playing it safe by engaging in shallow, unfulfilling or nonreciprocal relationships has physical repercussions. Not only do the resulting feelings of loneliness and isolation increase the risk of death as much as smoking, alcoholism and obesity; you may also lose tone, or function, in the so-called smart vagus nerve, which brain researchers think allows us to be in intimate, supportive and reciprocal relationships in the first place.
....
In the presence of a true friend, Dr. Banks said, the smart or modulating aspect of the vagus nerve is what makes us feel at ease rather than on guard as when we are with a stranger or someone judgmental. It’s what enables us to feel O.K. about exposing the soft underbelly of our psyche and helps us stay engaged and present in times of conflict. Lacking authentic friendships, the smart vagus nerve is not exercised. It loses tone and one’s anxiety remains high, making abiding, deep connections difficult.
Here is a link to the full article: Do Your Friends Actually Like You?
Thursday, August 4, 2016
See It, Own It, Use It
Stress can actually be helpful.
I still get nervous before any big presentation. It's similar to the jitters you feel before a performance. While it can be a bit uncomfortable in the moment--my heart starts racing and it can get so bad that I am literally shaking--I also feel that without some nerves you end up lacking energy and vitality.
This article from Science of Us discusses actual research comparing two groups of students. The group that was told that stress could be helpful actually performed better.
Science of Us: Why Olympic Athletes Shouldn't Try to Calm Down
Here's one excerpt:
What’s interesting, though, is that a burgeoning scientific literature suggests that, when it comes to high-pressure, high-stakes task, trying to stay calm probably isn’t the best approach. In fact, it’s more likely to trip you up than to help you. It’s better, this research argues, to embrace your anxiety, but to reframe how to look at it — to take it as a sign that your body is getting ready to help you perform at the highest level. Now, there is a kernel of truth to the idea that anxiety can be harmful: If you’re extremely anxious, you probably won’t perform at a high level. But experts who study the psychology of performance under stress now believe that the goal shouldn’t be to get rid of your anxiety altogether, but rather to get it to a moderate level, and to then use it to your advantage.
A key point:
What mindset intervention research seems to find, over and over and over, is that contrary to the popular idea that stress is always bad and harmful (in the worst cases, deadly even), there’s a vitally important middle step between experiencing stress and responding to it: how you expect to respond to it. Your mindset with regard to stress is a strikingly powerful predictor of what stress will do to you, in other words.
Here is the three-step process:
I still get nervous before any big presentation. It's similar to the jitters you feel before a performance. While it can be a bit uncomfortable in the moment--my heart starts racing and it can get so bad that I am literally shaking--I also feel that without some nerves you end up lacking energy and vitality.
This article from Science of Us discusses actual research comparing two groups of students. The group that was told that stress could be helpful actually performed better.
Science of Us: Why Olympic Athletes Shouldn't Try to Calm Down
Here's one excerpt:
What’s interesting, though, is that a burgeoning scientific literature suggests that, when it comes to high-pressure, high-stakes task, trying to stay calm probably isn’t the best approach. In fact, it’s more likely to trip you up than to help you. It’s better, this research argues, to embrace your anxiety, but to reframe how to look at it — to take it as a sign that your body is getting ready to help you perform at the highest level. Now, there is a kernel of truth to the idea that anxiety can be harmful: If you’re extremely anxious, you probably won’t perform at a high level. But experts who study the psychology of performance under stress now believe that the goal shouldn’t be to get rid of your anxiety altogether, but rather to get it to a moderate level, and to then use it to your advantage.
A key point:
What mindset intervention research seems to find, over and over and over, is that contrary to the popular idea that stress is always bad and harmful (in the worst cases, deadly even), there’s a vitally important middle step between experiencing stress and responding to it: how you expect to respond to it. Your mindset with regard to stress is a strikingly powerful predictor of what stress will do to you, in other words.
Here is the three-step process:
1. See it. This entails simply recognizing that you are feeling anxious, and naming the source of your anxiety it a clear, explicit way. As the Crums put it, “[Y]ou might simply say to yourself: ‘I’m stressed about my son failing school.’ … Or ‘I’m stressed about my husband’s recent health diagnosis.’” For the sprinter, it could be something as simple as: “I’m nervous because this is a really important race.”
2. Own it. “The key to ‘owning’ your stress is to recognize that we tend to stress more, and more intensely, about things that matter to us,” write the Crums. You are stressed-out because the thing in question matters to you, or because it is somehow connected to something that does, by definition. This seems to have the effect of shifting people from pondering failure to reflecting on how a given source of stress matters to them, and what success might mean. For the sprinter, again, this is easy: “I’m stressed out because competing at the highest possible level is really important to me, I’ve been preparing for this race for years, and medaling in an Olympic event has always been a dream of mine.”
3. Use it. Time for some myth-busting about what stress is, and what it does to human bodies. “Contrary to what you might think,” write the Crums, “the body’s stress response was not designed to kill us. In fact, the evolutionary goal of the stress response was to help boost the body and mind into enhanced functioning, to help us grow and meet the demands we face.” Yes, in certain situations stress can be harmful, but again, as the aforementioned experiments showed: how you interpret it makes a huge difference. So now, when you’re feeling stressed, would be a good time to remember that stress brings all sorts of physiological benefits, that it releases hormones and increases the flow of blood and oxygen and does all sorts of other stuff that helps us prepare for the task ahead and perform better while it’s under way. The anxiety I’m feeling is going to help my body help me with this race, the sprinter might think to himself. It isn’t even anxiety, really — it’s excitement, anticipation at what my body can do when I train hard, which I have done, and when I push it to its limits, which I’m about to do.
None of this is particularly complicated, and it’s as useful for an office worker as it is for an Olympic sprinter. But even after you learn it, it’s easy to forget it given the chaos — and, yes, stress and anxiety — of everyday life. As with any habit, repetition matters: Make a point of reminding yourself, whenever possible, that anxiety doesn’t get to call the shots; you have the power to redefine it, to make it work for you, whether you’re getting into your stance for the race of your life or standing up to make an important presentation.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
A measure of redemption
The exciting win on Sunday qualified Walpole for the semi-finals last night. Since he had done quite well in the last two games in his limited opportunities, Older Brother (OB) was now back in the lineup. He was scheduled to play centerfield for the whole game and bat third (!).
On the ride in to batting practice before the game, OB admitted to me that he was nervous. What if he made the big mistake that cost his team the game? I reminded him that he is a talented young man. He should focus on doing his best. While he may not always get the win or the hit, all you can do is your best. I told him that I believe you find what you are looking for. You should look for success and more often than not you will find it!
Due to scheduling conflicts, his younger brother had a math class that overlapped with the beginning of the game. I was able to pick him up and get him there to cheer his brother on while the bottom of the first was still in progress. We had missed OB's first at-bat, but he had walked. He was now standing on second and the bases were loaded with one run already in. Walpole would eventually score three in the inning and lead, 3-0 going into the second inning.
Our opponent, Whitman, had already changed their pitcher in the first inning shortly after we arrived. Meanwhile, our ace was on the mound and performing like an ace should. He set the side down in order in the second. We couldn't get anything going, either. The new Whitman pitcher was really tough and struck out three kids looking. In the third, there was a little trouble. A Whitman player hit a high fly to right center. OB moved over to get it, but slowed up because the right fielder was also charging. The ball would fall in for a hit. It rolled past the right fielder, but OB was in great position to back him up and then fired to second to hold the runner to a single. I checked after the game and he admitted he probably could have caught it, but didn't want to collide with his teammate (who was closer). It ended up without incident as the next batter was retired on a lazy fly to right.
In the bottom of the third, OB came up with one out. He hit a line drive to right for a single on the first pitch. I had asked him about his approach before the game, and he told me that he looks for a specific area of the plate on the first pitch. If it's there, he swings. If not, he'll take it (even if it goes for a strike). Whatever he's doing, it's working well for him. Unfortunately, the next two batters were unable to put the ball in play and we went down with a whimper.
In summer ball, you are not limited by pitch count. Instead, your pitcher can only pitch three innings (no matter how well they are doing). We turned to our #2 pitcher. This fireballer throws really hard. I'm estimating that his pitches are in the high 50's. It's significantly faster than most kids (who generally throw in the mid- to high 40's). When he's accurate, he mows down the opposition.
The downside to high velocity is that if the ball is struck well, it tends to go a long way. In this case, they got to him. The first batter launched a ball to left center that got all the way to the wall for a double. At that point, our #2 started aiming his pitches or trying to throw with a little something extra to blow it past the batters. That caused him to jerk the ball high. The balls were sailing at eye level or above. With his wildness, the ump also squeezed the plate. At 3-2, there was a pitch that (from our side angle) appeared to catch the corner of the plate but was called a ball. It seemed to be in the same location that two of our batters had struck out on in the previous inning, but it didn't make any difference now.
In the lone regular season loss, we had also had trouble in the fourth inning. It was eerily similar. Our ace had only given up one run. With a 6-1 lead, we brought in another hard-throwing pitcher. Through bad fielding and walks, he proceeded to give back three runs in the fourth and then two more in the fifth. With runners on first and second, coach called on OB. He allowed a fly ball to right that the fielder settled under. It fell into his glove and then just popped out. That would load the bases. A chopper through the middle got booted by the shortstop and the go-ahead run came across. Another ball went to the same right fielder and he again dropped it. A ball dropped in just behind the mound and by the time the short stop got to it and threw to first, it was too late and more runs scored. We would trail 12-6 by the end of the inning.
In this game, our #2 tried to settle himself. He ended up walking the next batter. Coach pulled the infield in. Another walk scored a run to make it 3-1. You could see the pitcher desperately trying to regain control. He would walk another run in to make it 3-2. Coach went out to talk to him hoping against hope he could somehow find the plate. Again, it didn't matter. With his wildness, he was getting no help from the umpire on any close pitches and missing badly high. He would walk in the tying run and coach walked out to the mound to replace him.
Coach called on the first baseman to be the relief pitcher. This young man throws a little less hard than the #2, but still misses a lot of bats. His main issue is his control. In the previous game, he had gone through the first inning without issue, but ran into trouble with two outs in his second inning. His meltdown allowed two runs to tie and forced coach to bring in the ace in the last game. Still, he's a solid pitcher and we hoped he could get us out of this pickle.
The first batter hit a soft fly to left. It was caught for the first out of the inning. Still, it was deep enough to score the runner from third. The infield still remained in to try to throw home and prevent a run if there was a weakly hit ball. The next batter walked to reload the bases. The batter after that hit a soft flare just over the reach of the second baseman. While he didn't catch it, he was able to keep a glove on it and keep the runner at second from scoring. It was now 5-3. Our pitcher struck out the next batter. Coach moved the infield back and everyone was hoping to stop the bleeding here.
The pitcher started tossing two strikes. He then deliberately threw high hoping the batter would swing through, but he wouldn't bite. A ball in the dirt and it was 2-2. The next pitch was the same one that seemed to catch the corner. We thought we were out of the inning. No dice. It was called a ball. He wasn't close on the next pitch and another run came across. The next batter was almost the same. He ended up walking and it was now 7-3.
At that point, coach called in OB from center. He jogged in and seemed surprisingly calm. After the game, I talked to him and he told me that he felt with a four run deficit, he would just concentrate on throwing strikes and getting outs. Here was the end of the first at-bat.
On the ride in to batting practice before the game, OB admitted to me that he was nervous. What if he made the big mistake that cost his team the game? I reminded him that he is a talented young man. He should focus on doing his best. While he may not always get the win or the hit, all you can do is your best. I told him that I believe you find what you are looking for. You should look for success and more often than not you will find it!
Due to scheduling conflicts, his younger brother had a math class that overlapped with the beginning of the game. I was able to pick him up and get him there to cheer his brother on while the bottom of the first was still in progress. We had missed OB's first at-bat, but he had walked. He was now standing on second and the bases were loaded with one run already in. Walpole would eventually score three in the inning and lead, 3-0 going into the second inning.
Our opponent, Whitman, had already changed their pitcher in the first inning shortly after we arrived. Meanwhile, our ace was on the mound and performing like an ace should. He set the side down in order in the second. We couldn't get anything going, either. The new Whitman pitcher was really tough and struck out three kids looking. In the third, there was a little trouble. A Whitman player hit a high fly to right center. OB moved over to get it, but slowed up because the right fielder was also charging. The ball would fall in for a hit. It rolled past the right fielder, but OB was in great position to back him up and then fired to second to hold the runner to a single. I checked after the game and he admitted he probably could have caught it, but didn't want to collide with his teammate (who was closer). It ended up without incident as the next batter was retired on a lazy fly to right.
In the bottom of the third, OB came up with one out. He hit a line drive to right for a single on the first pitch. I had asked him about his approach before the game, and he told me that he looks for a specific area of the plate on the first pitch. If it's there, he swings. If not, he'll take it (even if it goes for a strike). Whatever he's doing, it's working well for him. Unfortunately, the next two batters were unable to put the ball in play and we went down with a whimper.
In summer ball, you are not limited by pitch count. Instead, your pitcher can only pitch three innings (no matter how well they are doing). We turned to our #2 pitcher. This fireballer throws really hard. I'm estimating that his pitches are in the high 50's. It's significantly faster than most kids (who generally throw in the mid- to high 40's). When he's accurate, he mows down the opposition.
The downside to high velocity is that if the ball is struck well, it tends to go a long way. In this case, they got to him. The first batter launched a ball to left center that got all the way to the wall for a double. At that point, our #2 started aiming his pitches or trying to throw with a little something extra to blow it past the batters. That caused him to jerk the ball high. The balls were sailing at eye level or above. With his wildness, the ump also squeezed the plate. At 3-2, there was a pitch that (from our side angle) appeared to catch the corner of the plate but was called a ball. It seemed to be in the same location that two of our batters had struck out on in the previous inning, but it didn't make any difference now.
In the lone regular season loss, we had also had trouble in the fourth inning. It was eerily similar. Our ace had only given up one run. With a 6-1 lead, we brought in another hard-throwing pitcher. Through bad fielding and walks, he proceeded to give back three runs in the fourth and then two more in the fifth. With runners on first and second, coach called on OB. He allowed a fly ball to right that the fielder settled under. It fell into his glove and then just popped out. That would load the bases. A chopper through the middle got booted by the shortstop and the go-ahead run came across. Another ball went to the same right fielder and he again dropped it. A ball dropped in just behind the mound and by the time the short stop got to it and threw to first, it was too late and more runs scored. We would trail 12-6 by the end of the inning.
In this game, our #2 tried to settle himself. He ended up walking the next batter. Coach pulled the infield in. Another walk scored a run to make it 3-1. You could see the pitcher desperately trying to regain control. He would walk another run in to make it 3-2. Coach went out to talk to him hoping against hope he could somehow find the plate. Again, it didn't matter. With his wildness, he was getting no help from the umpire on any close pitches and missing badly high. He would walk in the tying run and coach walked out to the mound to replace him.
Coach called on the first baseman to be the relief pitcher. This young man throws a little less hard than the #2, but still misses a lot of bats. His main issue is his control. In the previous game, he had gone through the first inning without issue, but ran into trouble with two outs in his second inning. His meltdown allowed two runs to tie and forced coach to bring in the ace in the last game. Still, he's a solid pitcher and we hoped he could get us out of this pickle.
The first batter hit a soft fly to left. It was caught for the first out of the inning. Still, it was deep enough to score the runner from third. The infield still remained in to try to throw home and prevent a run if there was a weakly hit ball. The next batter walked to reload the bases. The batter after that hit a soft flare just over the reach of the second baseman. While he didn't catch it, he was able to keep a glove on it and keep the runner at second from scoring. It was now 5-3. Our pitcher struck out the next batter. Coach moved the infield back and everyone was hoping to stop the bleeding here.
The pitcher started tossing two strikes. He then deliberately threw high hoping the batter would swing through, but he wouldn't bite. A ball in the dirt and it was 2-2. The next pitch was the same one that seemed to catch the corner. We thought we were out of the inning. No dice. It was called a ball. He wasn't close on the next pitch and another run came across. The next batter was almost the same. He ended up walking and it was now 7-3.
At that point, coach called in OB from center. He jogged in and seemed surprisingly calm. After the game, I talked to him and he told me that he felt with a four run deficit, he would just concentrate on throwing strikes and getting outs. Here was the end of the first at-bat.
He was able to get a weak grounder to short to get out of the inning.
Walpole loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth, but we just couldn't push any runs across.
OB pitched well in the fifth. He struck out the first two batters and then got this result:
OB led off the fifth. He fouled off a pitch and then worked the count to 3-1. He took a ball in the dirt for his second walk of the game. We needed base runners. The next batter hit a slow roller to short. The shortstop fumbled with the ball and OB hustled down to second. He was able to slide in just ahead of the throw and now we had two runners on. A walk would load the bases. The next batter hit a flare just over third base. The third baseman and shortstop both ran over. With his back to home plate, I saw the shortstop reach out for the ball, which popped out of his glove. I was about to yell when I saw him reach out with his bare hand to snare it in mid-air. The runners had thought the ball was going to drop and now had to dash wildly back to the bag. They were able to double off the runner on second. Instead of two runs scoring, we now had runners on first and third with two outs.
A weak ground ball later, we now had nothing to show despite loading the bases in back-to-back innings.
OB was back out on the mound for the sixth. The first pitch to the next batter induced a high popup that drifted towards our dugout. The catcher, first baseman, and OB came running over. OB was able to make a diving catch right in front of the dugout for the first out. The next batter was able to hit a ball to center for a single. Right after that, there was a grounder to short that was bobbled, but the throw caught the runner in a close play at second. The play was so close that the Whitman coach actually walked out to confront the umpire. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and the game continued. On the very next pitch, our catcher tossed back to OB. The runner from first took off (hoping to catch us off guard). OB turned around and calmly threw to short to gun the runner down. We were out of the inning.
We now needed a big rally. The first batter ran the count to 3-1, but ended up striking out. That brought up the top of the order. OB was due up fourth in the inning, so we needed someone to get on. The leadoff batter got too far under a ball and popped up meekly. The next batter lifted a ball in the air to center and the game ended with OB in the on-deck circle.
It was a sad ending to the season. In the other semi-final, Westwood beat Milton. We had beaten both teams during the regular season, so we would have been a favorite if we could have advanced.
It feels a bit bittersweet. I was really thinking they could win it all. That said, OB could not have played better in his final game. I think he really won over some of the coaches with his hustle, heart, and heady play. I think it will carry over to fall ball and potentially next season.
OB was surprisingly serene on the ride home. He normally gets really upset when they lose. I think he realized (as I told him) that he could not have played any better than he did. He was remarkably upbeat--probably because he had personally done so well. He told me that he is looking forward to working on a few things to improve his game.
It may not have been a championship, but I think, in the end, it's so much more....
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