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Social Media Spaces Can Be Instruments of God’s Unconditional Love, Theologian Says
Being 'always on' can be a source of anxiety or sorrow, but it also can be a way to strengthen faith, Baylor author says Many of us are “always on” — scrolling through social media, checking email or searching the web, says author Angela Gorrell, Ph.D., assistant professor of practical theology at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. In her book “Always On,” she writes about how social media spaces can be instruments of God’s unconditional love — but also sources of anxiety, jealousy and depression. With the arrival of 2020 — and its potential for change for the better — she discusses in this Q&A some tools for understanding social media and enabling Christian communities to address its use in constructive ways. Q: From your perspective as a practical theologian, are the social media strategies you recommend aimed solely at people of faith? Dr. Gorrell: Practical theology takes different forms. Ultimately, I aim to write about issues — like social media — that matter to people and shine the light of the Gospel on them. I also research and write about theology and faith in practice, how people express and perform their values, hopes and beliefs through practices, rituals, disciplines, activities, relationships, work—through their way of life. While I write about social media from a Christian perspective, much of what I have written about using social media mindfully and having “interested conversation” about media is applicable to people from a variety of religious and philosophical perspectives. Q: There is much talk about how people spend too much time on social media, to the point of ignoring family and friends when in their presence. How much is too much? And what problems can this create for people? Dr. Gorrell: The most important thing for people to realize is that how you spend time online is more important than how much time you spend online. There are a variety of issues that “passive,” unintentional, unregulated, time online can extend and nurture. I say extend because all of these issues can also be in-person issues. For example, empathy burnout, depression, anxiety and jealousy. We often encounter an enormous amount of suffering online. The amount of suffering and the velocity of these encounters — and rapidly seeing multiple examples back to back in articles or our newsfeeds — can nurture empathy burnout. We can become numb to the suffering we see online and take in but do nothing about it or think very little of it. Likewise, being on social media and passively scrolling through people’s status updates, tweets and stories for unbounded sets of time and looking at copious amounts of content but never replying, messaging, posting or sharing has been linked to depression and anxiety. Similarly, passive following, which is following people closely that we do not know (e.g., celebrities) or people we do not see regularly in person (e.g., high school friends) has been linked to jealousy, which can negatively impact how we perceive ourselves and our lives . . . When we see someone a lot in person or talk to them regularly by phone, we know that their lives have a lot more going on than what they are sharing online. Q: What strategies do you suggest help people use social media wisely? Dr. Gorrell: The goal is meaningful participation. I encourage people to limit passive scrolling and following as much as possible. Create something and share it online. Join conversations. Reply to people’s statuses rather than just clicking emojis. When you see that someone is celebrating, share their joy in a significant way. Share it as your status with a note of congratulations or text them or call them. When you notice someone is mourning, message them. When you encounter suffering online, stop scrolling and do something in response. Get offline, take a walk and pray about this suffering. Give money to an organization that is relieving this suffering. Find other articles and educate yourself on the issue. Learn more about how to help or how to invite other people to care. Q: Any suggestions as to how and where people might create a space to ask and answer questions about social media use? Dr. Gorrell: Asking powerful questions about people’s online experiences that encourage storytelling and helping each other think about new media can happen around the dinner table, in a church small group or on a road trip in the car. When family and friends ask each other about one another’s lives, we can include asking questions about and discussing social media experiences. We can ask curious, open-ended questions without simple yes or no answers like: 1. How do you make decisions about what to respond to online? 2. Have you ever been frustrated or sad about new forms of technology? What causes frustration or sadness for you? 3. When have you had a joyful experience online? Could you describe a time when you felt heard, affirmed or understood online? 4. How does social media help you love God and others and/or prevent you from loving God and others? 5. When have you had a painful experience online? Could you describe a time when you felt unheard, bullied, left out or misunderstood online? 6. What are the top two feelings you experience when using social media, and why do you think this is so? Q: How can we do a better job of using social media? Dr. Gorrell: Develop a rhythm for life with your friends or family that specifically addresses technology — when you will use it and for what purposes, when you will not use it, what boundaries you will have. Using social media constructively requires intentionality. I encourage people to find times in their week or month or year to not use devices and social media and to write down their plan on a calendar. A college student told me that he and his friends put all their phones in the center of the table at restaurants and say that the first person to pick up their phone during dinner pays the entire bill. Since they started this ritual, no one has picked up a phone during dinner. Practices like these help people to be present to people they are with in person. It is a great idea to put all devices away at night one to two hours before bed so minds and bodies can get prepared for sleep. I know families that have a basket for this purpose in their homes. I especially encourage parents to make sure children under 18 do not have a device in their room during sleeping hours so they can get adequate rest. I invite people to consider turning off notifications from all social media platforms and email and only check apps and email at a certain time each day. It is also important to have a plan for difficult moments and conversations online. What will you do when you get angry, disagree with someone else or feel depressed about your life or feel left out? What will you do next? It is equally important to think about what you will use social media for. How can you use social media to love people well, truly stay connected to people, expand your thinking on certain subjects, remain humble and open to being corrected, and nurture your creativity and increase your compassion? How might meaningful participation online support goals like these? ABOUT ANGELA GORRELL Angela Gorrell, Ph.D., assistant professor of practical theology at Baylor’s Truett Seminary, is the author of “Always On: Practicing Faith in a New Media Landscape,” which addresses the perils and possibilities of Christian faith in an era of massive technological change. She also is writing a book that addresses America’s crisis of despair, illuminated by its suicide rates and opioid addiction, and describes joy as the counteragent to despair. Gorrell earned a bachelor’s degree in youth ministry from Azusa Pacific University and an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary. She came to Baylor from the Yale Center for Faith and Culture at Yale Divinity School, where she developed relationships with more than 250 scholars from roughly 150 institutions on four continents while managing metrics and evaluation for the project. She has more than 14 years of experience in congregational and parachurch ministry, including serving as a chaplain at a women’s maximum-security prison. ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT GEORGE W. TRUETT THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is an orthodox, evangelical school in the historic Baptist tradition that equips God-called people for gospel ministry in and alongside Christ’s Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, Truett Seminary provides theological education leading to the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, Master of Theological Studies, Doctor of Ministry and Ph.D. in Preaching. The MACM and MTS degrees also can be completed at the seminary’s Houston campus. In addition, Truett Seminary offers joint degrees: M.Div./M.S.W. and M.T.S./M.S.W. with the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, M.Div./M.B.A. with the Hankamer School of Business, M.Div./J.D. with Baylor Law School, M.Div./M.M. with the School of Music and M.Div./M.S.Ed. or M.Div./M.A. with the School of Education. Visit www.baylor.edu/truett to learn more.
Pharmaceutical aerosols are painless, fast-acting and less likely to cause side effects than medicines delivered via pills or injections. Yet inhaled therapies are often avoided because of the challenges associated with targeting how aerosol particles are deposited within the lung. “Current inhalers produce fairly large particles, so approximately 90 percent of the medication gets lost in the mouth and throat. It’s swallowed and wasted. This prevents many medications from being delivered through the inhalation route, even though there are a number of advantages to be gained, such as improved efficacy and reduced side effects,” said Worth Longest, Ph.D., the Louis S. and Ruth S. Harris Exceptional Scholar Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering in the VCU College of Engineering. Simply making the particles smaller isn’t a solution. “The problem with making the particles smaller is that they go in really well — but they also come straight back out during exhalation,” said Michael Hindle, Ph.D., the Peter R. Byron Distinguished Professor in the VCU School of Pharmacy. With three National Institutes of Health R01 grants totaling more than $7 million, Longest and Hindle are applying a combined engineering and pharmaceutical approach to make inhaled medications more effective and available. In “High-Efficiency Aerosol Delivery Using the Excipient Enhanced Growth Concept: A Human Proof of Concept Study,” Longest and Hindle have created a novel platform that produces particles that are tiny when they enter the lungs — but grow in size as they travel down the warm, humid airways. This platform comprises a device that uses a mixer-heater to produce tiny particles, about one-fifth the size of those from conventional inhalers. With this delivery concept, a pharmaceutical powder or liquid is enhanced with a hygroscopic excipient, essentially a substance that attracts water. “Your lungs are full of water,” Hindle said. “So if you put something inside your lungs that likes water, it’s going to swell and grow in size and not be expelled.” Using sodium chloride — salt — as the hygroscopic excipient, they have tested their system in vitro. The results have been promising. “We’ve flipped the needle,” Longest said. “Previously, only 10 percent of the initial dose would reach the lung, and that 10 percent was poorly targeted within different lung regions. With our approach, you can get 90 percent in and distribute that 90 percent evenly, or target a specific lung region.” The researchers will begin testing their method on adults in two human proof-of-concept trials beginning in late 2019 and early 2020. In two separate, but related, NIH studies, Longest and Hindle are adapting this concept for patients ranging in age from newborn to six. Each project proposes a device approximately the size of a lipstick tube that contains a pediatric formulation (liquid or powder) enhanced with a hygroscopic excipient. There are currently no inhalers on the market specifically designed for children or infants, even though their inhaling patterns and volumes differ from those of adults. Pediatric patients therefore must use adult-sized devices. One study focuses on targeted lung delivery of the antibiotic tobramycin to children with cystic fibrosis, a population prone to respiratory infection because of overproduction of mucus in the lungs. Pediatric cystic fibrosis patients with lung infections usually receive the medication via, 20-minute nebulizer treatments daily, sometimes up to four per day. Longest and Hindle’s proposed alternative is a pediatric dry powder inhaler that is fast and easy to use. Because its particles are engineered to reach the deep lung, it is expected to eradicate infection more efficiently because there is less risk of resistant strains of bacteria forming in undertreated regions of the lung. The other study focuses on delivery of surfactant aerosols to premature infants. Surfactant is a substance found in healthy lungs that keeps the tissue supple enough to expand and contract properly. The respiratory system is among the last to develop in utero, so in newborns and preemies, this substance is sometimes not fully developed — or not present at all. When these infants experience severe respiratory distress, the current protocol is to intubate and administer large doses of liquid surfactant to the lung by way of the throat. This highly invasive and potentially dangerous procedure causes distress and blood pressure fluctuations. In this third NIH-funded study, the researchers are also developing a tiny, small volume nebulizer and a dry powder inhaler for efficient, noninvasive respiratory support for infants.
2020 is the goal for launching 5G, a collection of technologies that is expected to increase cellular technology worldwide by 1,000 times the capacity, 100 times more devices and 10 times less delay. “5G is about connecting everything everywhere, anything you can imagine,” says Mojtaba Vaezi, PhD, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Villanova’s College of Engineering, whose area of expertise is wireless communication, signal processing and information and communication technology. Partly because of our changing habits there are applications that will need higher speed, and 5G will increase their capacity. “We’re consuming more and more data these days, so we need higher volume of data. The new generation watches TV online and plays games online. They want to select whatever they like and download it when they want it,” says Dr. Vaezi. “The speed of communication is going to increase about 10 to 20 times, so if it takes one minute to download a movie in your cell phone today, in a few years we’ll be able to download a movie in three to six seconds.” 4G technology has mostly been about connecting cell phones, but 5G will be about connecting all kinds of devices: Cars will be able to connect to other cars, traffic lights and cell phones; customers ordering online will be able to track their package as it travels across the ocean; trucks will connect to each other, sharing information such as if a route needs to be changed. There are many applications, from driverless cars to surgeries on a patient in one country done remotely by a doctor in another country, connecting thousands of miles away in just a fraction of seconds. There are always challenges associated with new technology, however. In particular, 5G researchers worldwide have been working for a decade to increase the capacity and number of connections foreseen for 5G networks. In 4G and previous generations, each cell phone would transmit in distance frequencies, otherwise they’d interfere with each other. In 5G and beyond, cell phones may share their frequencies with other cell phones or devices, or we wouldn’t be able to accommodate the exploding number of new devices. This will introduce inter-device interference which is a challenge. Now, we have two or four antennas packed inside the phone. Soon, mobile towers and cell phones will have tens of antennas, further increasing capacity.
Facebook Buys Startup Building Neural Monitoring Armband
Facebook has talked a lot about working on a non-invasive brain input device that can make things like text entry possible just by thinking. So far, most of the company’s progress on that project appears to be taking the form of university research that they’ve funded. With this acquisition, the company appears to be working more closely with technology that could one day be productized. Circuit Seed for continuous analog signal processing and Corelogika for discrete digital logic could greatly enhance the success of commercialization of Armband. These are building blocks to build low power high performance circuits that result in products that are smaller, very low power consumption, increased sensitivity and accuracy and they are insensitive to process variation and temperature that are challenges for other devices. Since they use standard CMOS digital processes with no extensions, the designs are less complex, fewer bill of materials resulting in lower cost, higher yields and better margins. For more information, please contact: Lesley Gent Director Client Relations, InventionShare™ lgent@InventionShare.com (613) 225-7236, Ext 131 Or visit our website at www.CircuitSeed.com
In March of 2018, Transparency Market Research published a report announcing that the worldwide low noise amplifier market is estimated to be worth US$ 7.9B by 2026. The LNA industry is fragmented with the usual group of semiconductor companies. Circuit Seed is a new platform utilising the Complementary Current injection Field Effect Transistor (CiFET) for processing analog signals using 100% digital components. This allows you to build a low noise amplifier using only two CiFETs which can be perfectly tuned to a 50 or 100 ohm antenna by adjusting the i-ratio. The power consumption is a fraction of traditional LNA devices, with a lower noise floor resulting in better range and lower SNR. The small size, less complexity and fewer BOM lowers the cost of the device. Circuit Seed is an ideal solution for low power LNAs. For more information, please contact: Lesley Gent Director Client Relations, InventionShare™ lgent@InventionShare.com (613) 225-7236, Ext 131 Or visit our website at www.CircuitSeed.com
Planet Analog featured, on 25 May 2019, Bill Schweber’s article “What to do about analog inaccuracies?”. Three options were presented: calibrate the sensor; use better parts; if possible, self cancellation. Circuit Seed is a new platform utilising the Complementary Current injection Field Effect Transistor (CiFET) for processing analog signals using 100% digital components that can be constructed to build any low power analog device. Circuit Seed designs are aligned with all three options presented in the article. Circuit Seed is completely linear, and insensitive to temperature and process variation without correction circuitry that reduce inaccuracies. The build blocks are better parts with low power consumption and low SNR ratio. The CiFET itself uses self cancellation due to the complementary nature of the circuit improving performance. Finally, the designs are less complex thereby requiring less wafer space, fewer BOM which means less cost. In a recent contribution to Planet Analog, author and engineer Bill Schweber takes a look at the importance of being accurate and even tries to and out just how close is ‘close enough’ when it comes to analog design. For more information, please contact: Lesley Gent Director Client Relations, InventionShare™ lgent@InventionShare.com (613) 225-7236, Ext 131 Or visit our website at www.CircuitSeed.com
Starting January 2019, the stakes will be even higher when it comes to distracted driving in Ontario. CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is reminding Ontario drivers that strengthened distracted driving laws will take effect January 1, 2019. New additions include licence suspensions, increased demerit points and an increase to the minimum financial penalty that can be charged to those guilty of distracted driving. "CAA fully supports the increased fines and penalties that will be in place for distracted driving starting tomorrow,” said Elliott Silverstein, manager, government relations, CAA SCO. “Hopefully these new rules will encourage motorists to remain focused on the road and keep devices far from reach when operating their vehicle." Distracted driving continues to be a challenge on Ontario's roads, nearly a decade after the initial legislation banning handheld devices was passed. This new legislation is the first increase since September 2015 when demerit points were added to distracted driving convictions. Recent CAA research shows that one in three Ontario drivers claim to engage in distracted driving as a result of using a mobile device. According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, one person is injured in a distracted driving collision every half an hour. “The new fines and penalties are some of the strongest in the country, and they will further aid law enforcement in their continued effort to make road conditions safer for everyone,” continued Silverstein. Starting January 1, 2019, Ontario drivers can expect the following fines and penalties if caught driving distracted: The minimum financial penalty will increase from $490 to $615. A first conviction for distracted driving will now result in a three-day licence suspension, three demerit points and a minimum financial penalty of $615. A second conviction will result in a financial penalty of up to $2000 (previously up to $1000), six demerit points and a seven-day licence suspension. For third (or more) convictions, drivers will face a financial penalty of up to $3000 (previously up to $1000), six demerit points and a 30-day licence suspension. CAA recommends the following tips to reduce distractions behind the wheel: Turn off mobile devices Stow and secure loose objects Avoid eating, drinking or smoking Prepare children with everything they need Pre-set the climate control and radio Pre-program your route on GPS Allow phone calls to go to voicemail Don't text, surf the web or read emails CAA is dedicated to helping change certain rules and regulations for Ontario’s roads that will improve safety for everyone who uses them. Through its road safety efforts, CAA has been helping to educate and bring awareness about distracted driving, Slow Down, Move Over rules and cycling safety laws.
Overhaul of FDA's approval process for medical devices overdue, but balanced approached needed
The Food and Drug Administration has announced plans to overhaul its system for approving a certain category of medical devices, which critics have said fails to protect consumers from risky implants and medical instruments. George Ball, assistant professor of operations and decision technologies and the ArcelorMittal Supply Chain Faculty Fellow, at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, studies the medical device industry, in particular medical device recalls. There are two primary approval pathways for medical devices. “510(k)” clearances are reserved for products that demonstrate substantial equivalence to a previously approved device. Clinical trials are normally not required and this method is much faster and cheaper than the other pathway, a “Pre-Market Approval (PMA).” PMA new product submissions are reserved for those products that are new or substantially modified from previously approved devices. Clinical trials in humans and laboratory study data are normally required to demonstrate safety and efficacy. In comparison to 510(k) clearances, PMA approval pathways are time-consuming and expensive. “The FDA’s announcement regarding an overhaul of the 510(k) approval process seems to be warranted, as medical device product approvals are currently on two ends of an extreme spectrum,” Ball said. “New PMA products can require years and millions of dollars to successfully obtain approval by the FDA. Conversely, 510(k) clearances are significantly faster and cheaper, as the manufacturer has to simply demonstrate equivalence with similar, already approved products. “As 510(k) products represent the bulk of new product approvals, they also represent the bulk of medical device recalls, unsurprisingly,” Ball said. “In the last decade, 510(k) products were recalled at a ratio of 17-to-1, compared to PMA products.” “However, the method of approval currently practiced for 510(k) products has many benefits for manufacturers as well,” he said. “Demonstrating equivalence with prior approved similar devices makes the development time exponentially faster compared to PMA product approval times. “A middle-ground here seems logical and advisable. For example, the FDA approves products using a two-pronged approach: safety and efficacy. While efficacy may be easily established by demonstrating similarity to prior products, evidence of safety for 510(k) products may require additional verifications and tests. Doing so may help ensure that new 510(k) products, which are often much more technologically advanced than the ones they are compared against for approval purposes, are also safe for patients.” Ball can be reached at 812-856-0625 or gpball@indiana.edu
Guinness World Record Holder Jon Bruney To Speak at Biohacker Summit in Toronto
(Toronto) Renowned Strongman and Fitness Expert to speak at Spark Biohacker Summit at Metro Toronto Convention Center on October 15th, 2018 Jon Bruney, creator of the “Pressing the Limits” motivational strength program, will appear in Toronto at the Spark Biohacker Conference. A devoted researcher in the pursuit of finding the edge in performance, Jon will speak about his experience using transcranial and intranasal light therapy. Jon, one of a number of elite athletes, has been working with Technology developed by Dr. Lew Lim, NMD, MBA and Founder & CEO of Vielight in Toronto. Dr. Lim will be on hand to answer questions about the broad base of international research behind photobiomodulation and what we know so far about it's mechanism. "With photobiomodulation, you can tap into the secrets of the nervous system, helping your body to push farther, to push harder, to push longer than you ever believed you could." Jon Bruney using Vielight photobiomodulation device at his Performance Training Center in Indiana Jon Bruney and Dr. Lew Lim, Founder and CEO of Vielight, will be available for questions at the Vielight exhibition booth held alongside the Biohackers Summit. For one-to-one interviews, please contact Edward D'Mello on 647-865-2803. Session Details Monday Oct. 15, 2018 1230PM - 130PM Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building (Hall G) 222 Bremner Boulevard Toronto, Ontario M5V 3L9 About John Bruney John's work with competitive athletes includes Olympians and NFL players. He has been featured in Ripley’s Believe it or Not, The Guinness Book of World Records, shown nationwide on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, The Today Show, ABC’s To Tell the Truth, and TruTv’s Guinness World Records unleashed. A true renaissance man in the realm of strength-development, Jon Bruney is a best-selling author, world-class trainer, coach and motivational speaker. He is the author of the best-seller Neuro-Mass: The Ultimate System for Spectacular Strength and The Neuro-Grip Challenge: A Radical Program For Building Strength and Power in Your Upper Body. He also writes a training series called “Foundations”, featured in MILO, widely considered the world’s most prestigious strength training journal. Jon has been responsible for the design of numerous pieces of cutting-edge training equipment now in use around the world. Jon is a veteran of multiple trainer certification courses and was the first to achieve the grueling Battling Ropes Level 2 Certified status. He is also the co-owner of Submit Strength equipment. About the The Biohacker Summit The Biohacker Summit is the largest biohacking event in the world that connects well-being companies with medical professionals, technology experts, investors, entrepreneurs, health and nutrition enthusiasts, and other pioneers. Biohacking - better living through science, technology and nature - is a fast growing international trend. The aim of the conference is to make the world healthier and happier place, prevent disease, and extend human capabilities and lifespan. Media Contact Edward D'Mello M: 647-865-2803 E: edward@vielight.com #photobiomodulation #light #therapy #Toronto #Canada #Ontario #wellness #health #mentalhealth #quantifiedself #biohack #biohacker #mental #brain #body #sport #performance
Are Smart Speakers the next must have for Canadian connected consumers?
With Smart Speakers all the rage, connected adds-ons, extras and accessories are the logical next step in building a meaningful smart home. After all, what’s the point of an expensive smart speaker with an assistant built into it if it can’t do more than help you search for a song? Smart Speakers seem to be the trending topic for most smart homes – Google and Amazon have already established their presence in the market. Sonos and JBL aren’t far behind and are now offering their alternatives; with heavyweight, Apple standing on the sidelines waiting to enter the arena. However, with home assistants still building out interconnectivities with partnering brands, does the current ecosystem of partners limit the market’s potential to grow or does it open the flood gates for more supported devices to come? How influential will the ecosystem of supported devices be in smart device adoption? Do partnering device manufacturer’s care which home assistant is used to control their device or just that smart home devices market continues to grow? As smart-homes devices continue to proliferate and home assistants become more commonplace, competition will be fierce and it will be interesting to see who prevails. IDC launches a new Worldwide Smart Home Device Tracker this week sizing up the shipment market of such connected devices as consumers continue to build the smart home of their dreams today! Manish Nargas is a research analyst specializing in consumer and mobile research. He is an expert in emerging consumer technologies with a focus on usage trends and adoption. Simply click on Manish’s icon to arrange an interview. Source:
