Zero to Tri - Day 2

First Meet Up
I attended the meet up/sign up information session for Team in Training (TNT) at the Central Market in Dallas on Lovers Ln. What a nice group of people. I think there were maybe around nine attendees - I'm not sure since I was on the front row (over-achiever that I am). However when the marathon coach asked who was there for the triathlons I believe there were three of us raising our hands.

Next Steps
I believe one of the presenters said that TNT is the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's largest fund-raising effort. If I am mistaken about this, I will retract this statement. But what this means is that I will be given tools to help in my fund-raising efforts with one of them being a personal website where people can contribute for my goal. I'll be sure and post that link when I get it. The St. Anthony tri will require me to raise $3500.  Only 25% of what I raise will be overhead for the organization. The rest goes to

• Patient financial aids
• Research
• Patient and community services
• Advocacy
• Educational outreach

November
November will be the month when all the participants for the North Texas Chapter get together for a big kickoff - I think it's the 10th and then the following Saturday Nov 17 we start training. I'll post the workouts when I learn more.

Zero to Tri - Day 1

Brain Good? Check!  Body Good? Nope!
It's been about a year since I last posted something here. Can't say I've been too busy, can't say I've had nothing to say. No excuses. School is still going well. I'm actually getting close to the dissertation phase of my doctorate but that's another subject for another post. This past year I have taken stock of my life, accomplishments, etc and can say that it's been a good year except for one thing, my fitness factor is a big "0", nada, nunca, zilch. My brain is good (some might question this statement), but the rest of my body,...well... not so much.

A Decision Has Been Reached
So I have a made a big decision, huge decision really. I want to (should I say "am going to") complete a triathlon before I reach my 60th birthday. That gives me about ...gulp...a year from this December. Now, to be honest, I have done a few of these before but about 20 years ago so am not new to the concept or pain. However the unknown for me is training for a triathlon with an older body and much less fit body than before. I'm treating this experience as something totally new.

This isn't a spur of the moment decision, I've been requesting literature from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program for the last couple of years but didn't act. This year is different. I will be going to the information session this Saturday to learn more about what they do, what I will need to do, etc. My end goal of this adventure is the St. Anthony's tri in April 2013.

Taking Control
As I have been writing this, I've been trying to find some clever pictures of couch potatoes, book worms, fattening food and wine glasses to add to this post. None of them have really resonated with me. I think this is because this journey is about taking control of my life, not what I have allowed to take control of me in the past, therefore, I will not ponder the past - only the future - and it looks interesting.

Consider this installment 1 of the chronicles of my journey. There will be no before/after pics (unless the after pic looks awesome!). But hopefully lots of training tips, milestones, successes, and very few setbacks. Hopefully my journey will inspire others. Just putting this all in writing makes it real now.

Looking at the Past

Today is my birthday. As I look forward to the coming year I realize that my next birthday is the last one before a huge and inevitable milepost. I started thinking about all the changes that I have seen over my lifetime thus far and figured it would be a good idea to write down my memories before they fade as perhaps many have already. So here they are in no order really, just what comes to mind.

I remember when:

• There were only full service gas stations that offered “Ethyl” or the other. When I was little, I thought somehow that “Ethyl” from I Love Lucy was involved. The gas station attendant always washed the windshield, and checked the oil and tires.



• Black and white television sets were the only choice and required rabbit ears.
  



• There were no remote controls. If you wanted to change the channel, you had to get up to do so.
  


• There were three television stations. They signed off at midnight (with the Star Spangled Banner) followed by a station “off the air” image and tone.
  On television shows there were absolutely no curse words.
  


• The Flintstones was a primetime television show on Friday nights.


• When I was very little, I heard “Gunsmoke” on the radio.


• The space program was so important that we watched rocket launches at school on live TV.


• The Cuban Missile crisis sobered the classroom and required us to practice drills in case of nuclear attack. Of course we now know that those “duck and cover” practices would have been futile. I remember a favorite undergrad professor of mine had the greatest sign in his office “In case of nuclear attack, duck and kiss your ass goodbye.”


• Our neighbors had a bomb shelter installed in their back acreage. It was a giant metal cylinder with bunk beds and room for food and water supply. It also had electricity and most importantly air filters to “filter” out the nuclear fallout. However, its main purpose was to provide a wonderful playground for the neighborhood children as well as serve as an awesome tornado shelter. I wonder if the people living there now even know it’s there?


• There were three movie theatres in town. They only showed one movie each but before each movie there would be a news reel, a cartoon and then the movie.
  One of the movie theatres showed the Saturday kid matinee. That was a great experience.


• Polio was a very real threat. My brother and I could not go to the local swimming pool because of it.


• I went to school with children who had the after effects of polio. I saw children in iron lungs. It was horrifying to me as a child to think that they would be there for the rest of their lives. I never could figure out how those worked. Guess I should look it up.


• Penicillin could only be administered through a shot. It was a stellar day for me when I was able to take penicillin orally.


• Smallpox vaccines used to be jabbed in the arm with a needle type device. I hated that. But what a great thing indeed when I was able to get the vaccine on a sugar cube.


• We used to dress up to go anywhere outside of the house (except for sporting events, etc). If we were going out to eat, we dressed up. If we were going shopping, we dressed up. We dressed up when taking an airplane or a train.


• Propeller planes were the only choice. I took a Trans Texas Airways DC3 somewhere to a swim meet. It was not pressurized and had curtains on the windows. It stopped at almost every town on the way. TTA was affectionately called “Tree Top Airways.”


• Beef was range-raised, no hormones, no antibiotics. There were no feedlots early on. The taste was so much better then.


• We could run wild in the neighborhood and beyond with no fear. Neighbors looked after each other.


• Family dogs could roam the neighborhood without being picked up by the dog pound. Neighbors recognized them as “local” dogs just as well as they did the children.


• Almost everyone in the neighborhood had a horse. We kids would saddle up and be gone for most of the day. Those horses were great babysitters.


• The local newscast would show films from Viet Nam. I grew up watching those. They usually gave the death count.


• B52s from the local airbase would make a slow bank over our house. Some were camo-painted.


• Former classmates of mine from high school lost their lives in Viet Nam.


• Segregation was the norm. There were actually areas in my city that were named after the description of the inhabitants’ race or ethnicity.


• The first Pizza Hut and Taco Bell came to town.


• Family owned drugstores, hardware stores and department stores were the only options. Now we have chain stores, big box stores.


• Ice trays were how we made ice at home.


• The first microwave ovens were available.


• The exotic and quite revolutionary clothing material Ban-Lon came on the scene. "No more ironing" was its claim to fame.


• The British Invasion. The Kinks were my early favorites. Of course my favorite group was “The Beatles”. I think my Mom bought me their first 45 which was a surprise. I played it on my portable record player. My Granny heard it and thought they were black people singing.


• I watched the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show with my Granny.


• Cars were giant land yachts that probably got around 5 miles to the gallon.


• The Cadillacs with their huge fins and Easter egg colors were sights to behold.


• Ladies dyed their hair those same Easter egg colors. Some had Poodles that they did the same thing to so they matched.


• There were no area or zip codes.


• Telephone numbers had a prefix that was a name. One of our number's prefix was “Gypsy”


• You had to dial the operator to make a long distance call. Those calls were very expensive so we only made these calls for special occasions or emergencies.


• Slide rules were the computers/calculators.


• Life before GUIs. All we had was a blinking comment line, DOS and a green screen.


• If you had a phone in your car, you were rich.


• I thought that elected officials were smart and to be trusted. Not the clowns that they portray today.


• We had Christmas and Easter. Not “Winter whatever” and “Spring whatever”.
  

I’m sure that there are many other things that have changed, but this list is getting very long. I have heard people say that the past was a gentler, easier time to live. I counter that it wasn’t, it’s the same. it’s all relative to the moment. Humans experience it and cope.
Merry Christmas to you all and have a very good New Year full of future memories.
Laura

Little Superheroes

Bravo Volkswagen!
I did not watch the super bowl but happened to catch the airing of the Little Darth Vader commercial for Volkswagen. Bravo and well done Volkswagen! For one who has had the distinct pleasure of raising a young and budding superhero, this commercial warmed the cockles of my otherwise carefully guarded and vigilantly aware heart when it comes to television commercials.




Capes, Cowboy Boots and Underoos
These little superheros (and you know who you are) donned bath towel capes, underoos, cowboy boots and their favorite character's Halloween masks (du jour) to use their special super powers and weapons to rid the world of evil (combating villains and rescuing distressed citizens - often parents and lame sidekicks). Along the way, they flew, became invisible, manipulated the dark force, deflected incoming projectiles and other magnificent and privileged feats.




Living the Dream
The moment Little Darth Vader used his powers to start the car allowed me to live the superheroes' reality that can only be experienced if one is a superhero. I was able to join in the joy and excitement in the sense of accomplishment that they must feel as they move from one adventure to the next.
thank you VW



Images
sfchron.com
cynical-c.com

The "V" Word

Due to the horrible event that happened in Tucson, I have noticed several words floating to the top of the news reports that aren't often used or at least I haven't noticed them. One of the words is "vitriol". Vitriol has several meanings:
As a noun it means sulpheric acid - a highly corrosive stubstance.
As a noun it can also mean abusive or venemous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will.

It appears that across the board (conservative/liberal/others) news reports are using this word. Here are a few of those reports(from Google):
As portrait of Jared Loughner sharpens, 'vitriol' blame fades (The Christian Science Monitor, January 12, 2011)
Arizona Sheriff Blasts Rush Limbaugh for Spewing 'Irresponsible' Vitriol (ABC News, January 10, 2011)

Vitriol focus of lawmakers after Arizona shooting of Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (LA Times, January 10, 2011)
The New Vitriol-Free Cable News Network (Huffington Post, January 10, 2011)
Vitriol first, and now the bloodshed:Gunfire that wounds a member of Congress and kills six people punctuates a poisoning of the nation's political discourse (BuffaloNews.com, January 10, 2011)
Did 'Vitriol' on Airwaves Trigger Arizona Attack? (Fox News, January 9, 2011)

Isn't Vitriol the Same as Passionate Debate?
Not really. It is a step over the line of decorum. It is a personal attack style, it reviles, vilifies, insults, snipes and assaults. It goes beyond passion to become mean-spirited, and as such reduces the value of the argument when value is present at all.

Why Am I Writing about This? So What?
The word just caught my eye - the numerous uses of it and it seems to be widely recognized and perhaps agreed upon that it's becoming common in political rhetoric (or sloganeering as they seem to be doing more of)and that perhaps a more civil discussion has gone the way of what was considered at one time to be a skill that intelligent people used to debate the issues.

This civil discourse has seemed to have left the halls of business, the arenas of sports and definitely the multi-channeled venue for entertainment. We as consumers of vitriol have become complacent and numb to it as it moves into more areas of our lives, spreading insidiously and intertwining itself upon us until we don't recognize it any longer - it is common place.

In addition, as a media psychology doctoral student I am looking at the overall picture of the potential for a cause and effect relationship between vitriol as viewed and or listened to via a media channel and a violent act by a consumer of that vitriol.




A Violent Past
Vitriol and violence (I'm not using this in a cause and effect way)are unfortunately nothing new in American politics. Worthy of remembering and mentioning here are some instances that happened in our past.

In 1856, Senator Charles Sumner gave a speech criticizing pro-slavery southerners. Three days later, he was beaten badly on the Senate floor by U.S. Rep. Preston Brooks of South Carolina. He didn’t return to the Senate for three years ("Art & History Home Historical Minutes 1851-1877 The Caning of Senator Charles Sumner," n.d.).

In the 1950s, communist hunter Senator Joseph McCarthy ruined many lives in his quest to "expose" communists in the United States (Miller, 2006).

In 1963, anti-United Nations protesters struck U.N. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson on the head and spit on him in Dallas (a month before Kennedy visited)("Texas: A City Disgraced - TIME," 1963).

When Kennedy arrived in Dallas, handbills were already printed and being circulated with a picture of the President and a caption "Wanted for Treason" (The Warren Commission report: report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy., 1992). And of course the assassination of JFK occurred shortly after.

There is a long list of Presidents who have been assassinated and had attempts made on their lives and if you are interested, you can always visit Wikipedia or this site>.

Media Violence and Violent Behavior
The question often arises if media violence causes violent behavior or those who have demonstrated aggressive behavior tend to consume violent media. Several studies have been conducted in an attempt to answer this question. In a study by Paik and Comstock, aggregated meta-data was used to look at viewing-to-behavior and behavior-to-viewing effects as well as socio-economic statuses (SES) among the test subjects. The results showed that viewing-to-behavior was more likely to cause aggression than behavior-to-viewing (Comstock, 2008). So yes, media violence does cause aggressive behavior in certain consumers and one could possibly include vitriol as media violence. But why does it cause aggressive behavior in only certain consumers, why not all violent media consumers?

To partially answer this, according to Comstock (2008) there are five attributes of a consumer that makes him or her more at risk from the effects of media violence:
1. A predisposition for anti-social or aggressive behavior: surveys (Belson, 1978; Robinson & Bachman, 1972), experiments (Celozzi, Kazelskis, & Gutsch, 1981; Josephson, 1987), meta-analysis (Paik, 1991).
2. Rigid or indifferent parenting; unsatisfactory social relationships: (Chaffee, McLeod, & Atkin, 1971; McLeod et al., 1972b).
3.Low psychological well-being: (D. R. Anderson, Collins, Schmitt, & Jacobvitz, 1996; Canary & Spitzberg, 1993; Comstock & Scharrer, 1999; Kubey & Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Maccoby, 1954; Potts & Sanchez, 1994).
4. Having been diagnosed or suffering from disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs): (Grimes, Bergen, Nichols, Vernberg, & Fonagy, 2004).

Comstock goes on to say that violent media consumers with a predisposition for anti-social or aggressive behavior are at the greatest risk.

The Persuasive Effect of Media
Finally, in an attempt to analyze this topic quickly, media is a big player when it comes to persuasion. When we view a movie or television program, we inject ourselves into it, it becomes real, we no longer realize we are watching fiction, a talk show, the news, (or a reenactment of an actual event). Why do we do this? “The mass media artfully, skillfully, and adeptly use knowledge of human psychology to get our attention, and yes, even when we don’t necessarily ‘want’ to give it.” (Dill, 2008, p. 24).

References

Art & History Home Historical Minutes 1851-1877 The Caning of Senator Charles Sumner. (n.d.). U.S. Senate. Retrieved January 22, 2011, from http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Caning_of_Senator_Charles_Sumner.htm
Art & History Home Historical Minutes 1941-1963 "Communists in Government Service," McCarthy Says. (n.d.). U.S. Senate. Retrieved January 22, 2011, from http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Communists_In_Government_Service.htm
Comstock, G. (2008). A Soci0logical Perspective On Television Violence and Aggression. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(8), 1184-1211.


Comstock, G., & Scharrer, E. (1999). Television: What’s on, who’s watching, and what it

means. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Dill, K.E. (2009). How fantasy becomes reality: Seeing through media influences.
New York: Oxford University Press

Miller, A. (2006, August 23). Arthur Miller - McCarthyism American Masters. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved January 22, 2011, from http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/arthur-miller/mccarthyism/484/

Texas: A City Disgraced - TIME. (1963, November 1). Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. Retrieved January 22, 2011, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,875296,00.html

Images


http://www.john-f-kennedy.net/wantedfortreason.htm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/7891088/Obama-Hitler-billboard-removed.html

The User Interface – You’ve Come a Long Way Baby

The User Interface – You’ve Come a Long Way Baby

My final paper in PSY 769 (Psychology and Website Design) was about semiotics and the Graphical user interface (GUI). While writing this paper I started thinking about how the user interface had changed over the years and at what point did icon-laden interfaces come to light and why. I had to struggle with the DOS era - learning the language of the Command Line interface (CLI), so I have a high regard for the progress of the user interface. With that said, I thought it would be interesting to see how far the user interface has come over the years.

1960s
Early discussions involving the computer and humans was highlighted by D.C. Engelbart (1962):
"This is an initial summary report of a project taking a new and systematic approach to improving the intellectual effectiveness of the individual human being. A detailed conceptual framework explores the nature of the system composed of the individual and the tools, concepts, and methods that match his basic capabilities to his problems. One of the tools that shows the greatest immediate promise is the computer, when it can be harnessed for direct on-line assistance, integrated with new concepts and methods." (p. 1).

In 1968 Engelbart and his team demonstrated the “personal computer” that they designed and developed. It was called the oN-Line System and included a vector graphics display system, typewriter keyboard, a five key chording keyboard and a rudimentary mouse.







1970s
In 1970 Xerox developed the Alto. Its working components fit in a tower that fit under the desk. Its most striking feature was its display, which was the same size and orientation as a printed page, and featured full raster-based, bitmapped graphics at a resolution of 606 by 808. It also had a keyboard and an updated version of Engelbart’s mouse. For the first time, the mouse pointer resembled an arrow.




In 1974 Xerox developed the first “modern” GUI. It was called Smalltalk and was designed to be the interface of the Smalltalk programming language (first object-oriented) and development environment. Note the icons for the mailbox and clock.



Apple designed an early version of the Lisa interface in 1979. Note on the following mockup, the early menu area and how limited it was. The Lisa did provide hotkeys for frequent tasks and also provided an indication of completed tasks by placing a “check mark” next to the task. But from the options provided on the interface, it seemed that the design was limited by what users could actually do on the computer.




1980s
The final version of the Lisa, released in 1983. Note the recognizable icons of folders, trash can, calculator, however the Tool icon is a folder like the folders icon.


The makers of the first spreadsheet application VisiCorp released VisiOn in 1983 with a user interface that contained no icons and reverted the mouse pointer back to the pre-arrow days of Engelbart.



The Tandy Deskmate was released in 1984. It was designed to be primarily used with the keyboard using function keys as shortcuts for menus.



Windows 1.0 was released in 1985. Its interface came with scrollbars, color and tiled windows.



Commodore’s Amiga was released in 1985. Its GUI was called Workbench. The windows could be moved and there was also a fixed menu at the top of the interface that remained hidden unless activated with the right mouse button. Note the amount of icon usage. Some of the icons resemble desk drawers.



Berkeley Software released the Geos in 1986. The rudimentary icons for printer, desktop, color manager, paint and trash are interesting. A step forward compared to some of the previous interfaces. These also indicate that more tasks are available for the user at this point.



Windows 2.0 was released in 1987. Note the overlapping windows. The maximize and minimize icons are arrows and there are scrollbars.



Acorn Computers, a UK-based company released their interface called Arthur. This interface contained the first “dock” concept where icons of programs and tasks could be launched. Also note that the icons for maximize and close are closer to those of today.



In 1988 Steve Jobs released NeXTSTEP, the new GUI and operating system for his NeXT computer. Note the almost exclusive use of icons in the Workspace/File area. Also note the menus for workspace, files and tools are separate. Is that a “reload” or “redo/undo” icon at the bottom of the dock area located on the right side of the screen? By the way, the dock could be moved to any side of the interface. There is an icon with an image of a house but it is labeled “Me” so I’m not sure what that is for.



1990s
Windows 3 was released in 1990 and came with better looking imagery for the icons. Note that accessories and games are available.



Windows 95 was released in 1995. The icon for the control panel now featured images of tools. This computer could be on a network (dial-up networking) as indicated by the icon of connected computers. Trash has been renamed “recycle bin” which is more environmentally friendly.




Mac’s OS X 10.0 shows many familiar icons. Note the heart and house. Also, the familiar maximize, minimize and close icons are present.



2010
With the advent of content management systems, a user friendly GUI was necessary to allow non-programmers/developers to develop websites and their content. The following image is the content editor in Drupal used by media psychology doctoral students in a psychology of web design class. The entire site was conceived, designed and developed by these students who for the most part are not developers. Notice the use of icons in the menu now compared to those in the previous decades. An interesting thing to note is that these icons are second nature to most users now. An image icon, a video icon and text icons are examples of readily recognizable icons by users.



What Caused the Progression from CLI to the Icon Heavy GUI?
Many things have contributed to the progress including the progress of the technology itself. But I offer that it was the human experience that caused the changes. That initially, the interfaces were designed to accommodate a very narrow group of users who had access to computers – scientists and engineers. The developers were the designers. As the computer became more accessible to the public, more uses were required and the complex language used to operate computers needed to be replaced with recognizable signs from the physical, known world of humans.

Nadin (1990) suggests that despite the diversity in structure and purpose, signs are intermediaries between two or more distinct entities brought together through a specialized human activity called design. He goes on to offer a generalized concept of design as interface:
"The product of design is the reality through which user and designer communicate. I should repeat that interface, no matter what kind, specifies the optimal set of signs for the interaction between two entities, be they animate or inanimate. In a limited sense, user interface specifies the action the user is supposed to take in order to access different parts of a system to the design of the conceptual model that is the basis of that particular system." (p. 427).
Interface design is coding and replacing complex language instructions with signs. In the case of the GUI, the design is coding with signs (icon, index, symbol and metaphor) which replace the complex language of DOS as well as the limited interaction offered by a CLI for the user.

Brosnan (1988) wrote that about one-third of the human population was afraid of technology (at the time of his writing) and it was the computer that mostly contributed to it. Part of that fear was the unfamiliarity of the language required to operate computers. To facilitate adoption and diffusion of innovations, the innovation and the user’s needs should be scrutinized.
An interesting perspective that fits this statement is offered by J. H. Carr Jr. (n.d.):
"Successful adoption/diffusion is the assumed result of an innovation's technological superiority. The innovation's developer is viewed as the primary change agent. For instrumentalists the process is evolutionary, and the causes of change are in social conditions and in human aspirations for change and improvement. Thus their focus is on the user (adopter) of a technology and its value as a tool to bring about desired change. Human control over the innovation is a key issue, and it is considered essential to understand the social context in which it will be used and the function that it will serve." (Adoption/Diffusion Theories section, para. 8).
The change from a CLI to the GUI is that human control over the innovation that contributed to reducing the initial resistance and fear of using the computer (Brosnan 1998). Humanity integrated with technology at the very basic level of our understanding of the world around us using a system of signs.
 
References

Brosnan, M. J. (1998). Technophobia the psychological impact of information technology. New York: Routledge. Retrieved November 11, 2010, from Questia.

Carr Jr., V. H. (n.d.). Technology Adoption and Diffusion. This site has been updated. Retrieved August 04, 2010, from http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/innovation/adoptiondiffusion.htm

Engelbart, D. C. (1962). AUGMENTING HUMAN INTELLECT: A Conceptual Framework (Rep.). Menlo Park, CA: Stanford Research Institute. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from Http://www.invisiblerevolution.net/engelbart/full_62_paper_augm_hum_int.html.

Nadin, M. (1990). Design and Semiotics. Semiotics in the Individual Sciences, II, 418-436.

Images:
About Media Psychology. (2010, October 25). Media Psychology Now. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://mediapsychnow.com

Reimer, J. (2005, May 5). A History of the GUI. Ars Technica. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2005/05/gui.ars/

Subbacultcha: The Most Awesome Thing Ever...even more Awesomer

Subbacultcha: The Most Awesome Thing Ever...even more Awesomer