Bartimaeus Posted August 11, 2015 Posted August 11, 2015 http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1533/ Quote How I have existed fills me with horror. For I have failed in everything - spelling, arithmetic, riding, tennis, golf; dancing, singing, acting; wife, mistress, whore, friend. Even cooking. And I do not excuse myself with the usual escape of 'not trying'. I tried with all my heart. In my dreams, I am not crippled. In my dreams, I dance.
Hurlshort Posted August 11, 2015 Posted August 11, 2015 http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1533/ Ah, the nostalgia of looking back at the universe through refracted light tinted glasses.
Raithe Posted August 11, 2015 Posted August 11, 2015 WWE forced to change Submission Sorority name after porn site blunder The WWE really have not been having a good time of things in recent weeks. First there was the Hulk Hogan racism saga, which has seen Vince McMahon and the rest of the WWE do all they can to completely scrub Hogan out of their history following the release of quotes that showed Hogan going on a racist and homophobic tirade. And it hasn't stopped there. It has now been revealed that the WWE have been forced to change a stables name after an embarrassing porn site blunder. According to a report from Wrestling Inc, the Divas faction of Paige, Charlotte and Becky Lynch will be having their stable name changed to 'The Submission Sisters.' This is because their original name - The Submission Sorority - is actually the name of a number of pornographic films, all of which pop up when you try to google the team's original name. The porn series is called HazeHer and it is produced by adult entertainment giants BangBros. It includes a very different kind of piledriver to what wrestling fans would normally tune in to watch on a Monday. BangBros traffic analyst Delilah McGinnis reportedly said that their web traffic shot up 56% overnight, and they saw a 35% rise in subscriptions, according to a report from TMZ. Unlucky WWE, maybe do a bit of research before your decide to name your next tag team. I guess no one has told them about John Cena's '5 Knuckle Shuffle' yet. "Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum."
Bartimaeus Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 Explosion in China. Quote How I have existed fills me with horror. For I have failed in everything - spelling, arithmetic, riding, tennis, golf; dancing, singing, acting; wife, mistress, whore, friend. Even cooking. And I do not excuse myself with the usual escape of 'not trying'. I tried with all my heart. In my dreams, I am not crippled. In my dreams, I dance.
Woldan Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 Hm, I wonder whats exploding there. Looks like a powder mill or chemical plant going boom. I gazed at the dead, and for one dark moment I saw a banquet.
Bartimaeus Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 Some context: https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/3gr1bh/huge_explosion_reported_in_chinese_port_city_of/cu0odde Quote How I have existed fills me with horror. For I have failed in everything - spelling, arithmetic, riding, tennis, golf; dancing, singing, acting; wife, mistress, whore, friend. Even cooking. And I do not excuse myself with the usual escape of 'not trying'. I tried with all my heart. In my dreams, I am not crippled. In my dreams, I dance.
Azdeus Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 (edited) Trawled through the comments; https://www.reddit.com/r/China/comments/3gqksa/huge_gas_explosion_near_the_docks_in_tianjin/ There's one video that looks like someone is filming just a couple of hundred metres away from the fire, then the explosion comes... http://sendvid.com/i7pcfexm Edited August 12, 2015 by Azdeus Civilization, in fact, grows more and more maudlin and hysterical; especially under democracy it tends to degenerate into a mere combat of crazes; the whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary. - H.L. Mencken
Bartimaeus Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 (edited) Unrelated: something's broken with the avatar system (see: Woldan and myself). Can't upload anything. pls fix admin (e): Trawled through the comments; https://www.reddit.com/r/China/comments/3gqksa/huge_gas_explosion_near_the_docks_in_tianjin/ There's one video that looks like someone is filming just a couple of hundred metres away from the fire, then the explosion comes... http://sendvid.com/i7pcfexm That person seems likely to be dead...surprised by how quickly the footage was somehow recovered, though. Edited August 12, 2015 by Bartimaeus Quote How I have existed fills me with horror. For I have failed in everything - spelling, arithmetic, riding, tennis, golf; dancing, singing, acting; wife, mistress, whore, friend. Even cooking. And I do not excuse myself with the usual escape of 'not trying'. I tried with all my heart. In my dreams, I am not crippled. In my dreams, I dance.
kgambit Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 (edited) Hm, I wonder whats exploding there. Looks like a powder mill or chemical plant going boom. Chemical explosion at a container facility. CCTV quoted police saying it took place at a facility operated by Tianjin Rui Hai International Logistics—a firm that transports hazardous materials. There were two other similar explosions just recently: one in July at a petrochemical plant in Shandong province and one in April at a paraxylene plant in Fujian. Edited August 12, 2015 by kgambit
Azdeus Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 That person seems likely to be dead...surprised by how quickly the footage was somehow recovered, though. From what people in the comments said, it was streamed online. Some people also say that the same account/phone is still filming, but I find that unlikely. Civilization, in fact, grows more and more maudlin and hysterical; especially under democracy it tends to degenerate into a mere combat of crazes; the whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary. - H.L. Mencken
Bartimaeus Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 (edited) I have trouble believing that either phone or person could survive that...but I guess crazier things have happened. (e): ENGLISH Edited August 12, 2015 by Bartimaeus Quote How I have existed fills me with horror. For I have failed in everything - spelling, arithmetic, riding, tennis, golf; dancing, singing, acting; wife, mistress, whore, friend. Even cooking. And I do not excuse myself with the usual escape of 'not trying'. I tried with all my heart. In my dreams, I am not crippled. In my dreams, I dance.
Barothmuk Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 (edited) A collection of some of the footage. Also there's (likely) dead bodies so heads up if you can't handle that sort of thing. Edited August 12, 2015 by Barothmuk 1
Bartimaeus Posted August 12, 2015 Posted August 12, 2015 (edited) Yeah, I saw that one earlier, but opted for my video because I wasn't sure if showing dead people and such was really appropriate when I could choose not to...and also I wasn't sure if it was implicitly against the rules or something. Edited August 12, 2015 by Bartimaeus Quote How I have existed fills me with horror. For I have failed in everything - spelling, arithmetic, riding, tennis, golf; dancing, singing, acting; wife, mistress, whore, friend. Even cooking. And I do not excuse myself with the usual escape of 'not trying'. I tried with all my heart. In my dreams, I am not crippled. In my dreams, I dance.
Malcador Posted August 13, 2015 Posted August 13, 2015 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/13/us/in-california-millions-of-shade-balls-combat-a-nagging-drought.html California finally gets some balls when it comes to fighting their drought. 1 Why has elegance found so little following? Elegance has the disadvantage that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra
s13ep Posted August 13, 2015 Posted August 13, 2015 Anyone know of a game called Dark Cloud? This was an awesome dungeon game that is up there amognst underrated tiles such as Shenmue or Onimusha. I was wondering if anyone knew of games like this, and whether fairy fencer is similar? King of Kings Lord of Lords
Gfted1 Posted August 17, 2015 Posted August 17, 2015 20 of the Most Useless Dungeons & Dragons Spells Ever. 1 "I'm your biggest fan, Ill follow you until you love me, Papa"
Bartimaeus Posted August 18, 2015 Posted August 18, 2015 Honestly, Hold Portal isn't that bad. There are times i could've certainly used it in Baldur's Gate against more advanced mod-added AI, that's for sure. Quote How I have existed fills me with horror. For I have failed in everything - spelling, arithmetic, riding, tennis, golf; dancing, singing, acting; wife, mistress, whore, friend. Even cooking. And I do not excuse myself with the usual escape of 'not trying'. I tried with all my heart. In my dreams, I am not crippled. In my dreams, I dance.
Raithe Posted August 18, 2015 Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) Since I can't be arsed to quest for and resurrect the fitness related thread, I thought I'd throw this out here... Possibly of interest to Woldan and the rest of the exercise maniacs.. io9 - This is What happens to your body when you stop Exercising It takes a lot of hard work to stay in shape, which is why it’s important to exercise on a regular basis. But it’s not always possible to remain active, and sometimes a few days off can turn into a more... extended hiatus. Here’s what happens to your body when you suddenly stop exercising. Measuring FitnessTo understand what we stand to lose when we stop exercising, it’s helpful know about how we quantify fitness in the first place. When it comes to our bodies and our respective levels of fitness, we’re all different. We train differently, we engage in different sports, we vary in age, and we all have unique physical strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, the effects of inactivity, or “detraining,” as it’s often called, will manifest differently from person to person. There are, however, some standard measures that can be used to assess a person’s level of fitness. Among the more important measures is oxygen uptake, or VO2, which is a measure of the difference in oxygen concentration between the blood leaving the heart and the blood that returns to the heart. Another tool used by exercise physiologists is the measure of lactate a person produces at a particular exercise intensity; lactate is produced by the muscles when the amount of oxygen is limited, so it provides an indirect measurement of the body’s efficiency at delivering oxygen to the tissues. Other measurements quantify things like muscle endurance, muscle strength, and flexibility. Relatedly, there are “gym-type measurements,” which include push-ups, pull-ups, abdominal plank, toe-touching, and so on. But according to Andreas Bergdahl, an assistant professor in cardiovascular physiology at Montreal’s Concordia University, these tests are more subjective than, say, VO2 and lactate measurements. Lastly, there’s the science of endocrinology, which measures the effects of exercise on hormonal levels, metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, and a host of other things. Our Bodies on ExerciseIn order to understand the effects of sudden physical inactivity, it’s important to consider the effects of regular exercise on the body. Regular exercise, of course, encompasses many different things, from lifting weights (i.e. resistance training) to endurance work, such as rowing or running. But as Bergdahl explained to io9, endurance training benefits a person’s overall capacity, while resistance training has limited effects on the aforementioned measures of fitness. Bergdahl says that regular endurance exercise leads to four major consequences: Increased ability of the heart to eject blood increased ability of the blood vessels to send blood to where blood is needed Increased number of capillaries (the vessels that deliver oxygen and ‘food’ to the muscles) increased size and the number of mitochondria (the “power plants” of the cells). All these changes lead to the more efficient use of oxygen, as well as nutrients. “Instead of sending lots of blood to your gut, kidneys and skin, all with limited ability to enhance someone’s performance, your body has trained its capacity to use the resources for maximizing performance,” says Bergdahl. Harry Pino, a senior exercise physiologist at the Sports Performance Center at NYU Langone Medical Center, agrees that endurance training has a profound effect on the body. “Research shows that thirty consecutive minutes of cardiovascular activity, when done regularly, will not only improve your cardiovascular system, but will also improve some core mobility,” Pino told io9. What’s more, he says that regular exercise increases muscle strength, power, coordination, stability, and flexibility, while improving endocrine measures, such as sugar and fat levels. “There are so many different types of benefits,” says Pino. “But from a cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory standpoint, those are the key ones that we can visually observe, and also observe via changes to biomarkers.” Apparently Healthy but Deconditioned IndividualsSo what happens to the body when physical activity comes to a grinding halt? People, be they elite athletes or regular gym-goers, get injured, take extended fitness breaks, or simply lose interest. Exercise physiologists refer to such people as “apparently healthy but deconditioned individuals,” and the effects of detraining are profound, to say the least—but it largely depends on the person’s initial fitness level. As Pino explained to me: “The fitter you are, the harder you fall.” It’s a sentiment mirrored by Bergdahl, who says an athlete’s fitness drops faster the fitter they are. “This means that what applies to an elite athlete after one week might take a sedentary individual one or two months to experience,” says Bergdahl. The elite athlete will still be in better shape than the couch potato, but will have lost a greater percentage of her fitness. An analogy is useful here: Two pots of water —one just off the boil, the other hot but not scalding—will both lose heat as they cool and approach room temperature, but the hotter pot will lose more heat faster; after five minutes, the former pot will still be hotter than the latter, but it will have lost a greater proportion of its overall heat. Disheartening DeclinesTypically, VO2 Max is the first fitness measure to be affected, followed by declines in muscle structure, power, strength, stamina, and coordination. Athletes in detraining mode can also expect to experience a rise in sugar levels and blood pressure. And indeed, some changes happen very quickly. As Bergdahl explained, the aerobic enzymes which provide food for the mitochondria decrease within days, while the adaptation in blood supply decreases relatively slowly. Basically, the local (within muscle) metabolic system declines greatly when compared to the capacity to circulate and deliver oxygen. “There are studies indicating a decline of 7 to 10% of VO2 after 12 days of sudden inactivity, 14 to 15% after 50 days, and 16 to 18% after 80 days,” says Bergdahl. “Maximal values for cardiac output, stroke volume [the amount of blood pumped out of the heart during each contraction] and ability of mitochondria to extract oxygen each decline along the same lines while the heart rate increases.” Like Bergdahl, Pino says that endurance is among the first things to go. In otherwise healthy people, detraining begins to produce its deleterious effects within the first week, though in very low percentages (less than 5%) in both VO2Max and muscle power. Pino says that runners demonstrate some of the most dramatic declines in these areas. For example, Pino considers a person who can run 5 kilometers in 20 minutes. After just one week of inactivity, that person will typically worsen their time by approximately 10 seconds. But after 10 to 14 days, that’s when the percentages really start to drop. Runners begin to experience a reduction in muscle power, and start adding around one minute and five seconds to their time. Between 14 to 30 days, athletes can expect to experience around a 12% reduction in VO2 and a noticeable decrease of muscle power. “Notice that during the first two weeks I described it as being a reduction of muscle power,” adds Pino, “but now we’re describing it as a decrease in muscle power.” What was once a 20-minute 5K has now turned into a 23-minute 5K. By the 1- to 2-month mark, athletes typically lose about 19-20% of the VO2, and a significant decrease in muscle power. At this stage, they’re pushing 24-minutes or so. After two months, athletes typically exhibit a 26% reduction in VO2. “It’s shocking to see what happens to the body,” says Pino. “We start to see lots of changes to muscle, strength, and fat levels—it really deteriorates your structural well-being.” Not surprisingly, these dramatic declines can be disheartening for elite athletes, particularly after all the hard work they put in. “This can really discourage people from starting exercises for the fear that they’re going to lose it,” he says. “Well, they will— and the subsequent recovery will take longer, so it’s important that they keep this in mind.” Interestingly, Pino says that some people blame these declines, particularly endurance, on age, but the reality is that a person’s VO2 does not change dramatically with age. “Certainly, it will eventually change with age, but what typically changes are the habits of practicing at high level intensity, and that’s how you slow down,” he says. “It’s not so much the frequency of exercise, but the quality of exercise.” Essentially, the fit individual gradually turns sedentary with detraining. Muscles and FatCardio may be the first to go, but losses in muscle mass eventually follows. Bergdahl says the rate of loss is largely dependent on age, as the older we are the faster we lose our muscles. But while it’s possible to produce substantial improvements in physiological function among the elderly, regular exercise can only slow, and not completely halt, muscle atrophy. “Basically, the aging effect is the same as what will happen during detraining,” says Bergdahl. “The cross sectional area of the muscle fibers—in particular what we call the slow twitch fibers—will decrease, quickly at first and then more slowly. This means that an individual undergoing detraining will reduce the amount of muscle tissue they have. The changes will start within the first two weeks. Furthermore, the oxidative capacity (i.e. the ability of the mitochondria to produce energy) will decline in the explosive muscle type we call fast twitch muscle fibers.” According to Pino, higher trained athletes tend to show a drop of aerobic endurance within three weeks of detraining, but even after 12 weeks they will still retain a significant amount of bulk strength and endurance. “That’s because they were at a high level of fitness,” he says. “But if we’re talking about deconditioning individuals, now they’re really going to start hitting those numbers already mentioned.” Pino says that regardless of whether a person is a pro athlete or just someone who works out regularly, the effect of detraining on the structural system, typically between 10 to 28 days, will manifest as noticeable diminished muscle strength and a loss in power, including speed and agility, mobility, moving from side-to-side, the ability to stop on a dime, and a loss of coordination. And then there’s fat to consider— though Pino says there’s a big misconception about muscles converting into fat. “What really happens is that the muscle cells —which are completely different than fat cells—become smaller, because now you don’t have a demand of power and strength—they’re not growing,” he told io9. “That’s atrophy. Then you have fat cells that are starting to get larger and bigger, which will lead to changes in your appearance. Instead of looking lean and trim, you start feeling bloated and round.” When it comes to weight loss via exercise, Pino says there are three important components to consider: frequency, duration, and intensity, with the first two being the most important. Inactivity BadnessIn addition to weight gain (and the potential for obesity), a completely sedentary lifestyle can lead to a host of related complications, including health issues such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and problems with joints and ligaments. Another important aspect is that a lack of exercise will hasten the decline in functional capacity which happens with aging. “Physiologic and performance measures improve rapidly during childhood and achieve a maximum between late adolescence and approximately age 30,” says Bergdahl. “The decline starts shortly after—sometimes after 40 depending on the body system—and the changes are similar to detraining.” Regular exercise, says Bergdahl, will slow down this deterioration and will keep your body “younger” for a longer period of time. Lastly, there are the psychological effects of physical inactivity to consider: A lack of exercise has been shown produce certain psychological effects, including depression and lower self-esteem. “Part of that has to do with blood flow (again oxygen) to the brain,” explains Bergdahl. “More oxygen equals better brain function. Furthermore, exercise is actually a form of stress—but a good, controlled one—which is used to train your body to handle not only an increased oxygen demand but also increased levels of certain hormones such as norepinephrine. By exercising you desensitize the receptors which means that it will take higher concentrations of these hormones, as well as longer exposure for your body to feel stressed.” Thus, a lack of exercise will produce the opposite effect. Active RecoveryTaken together, it’s clear that the sudden adoption of a sedentary lifestyle, particularly after a period of regular training or exercise, has a profoundly negative effect on the body. “That’s the importance of staying physically active, even if you’re not training as you used to. Even if you take a break you still have to be training.” says Pino. “This is what we call ‘active recovery.”’ To that end, Pino recommends that athletes, even after running a marathon, or when nursing an injury, can still find ways to remain active. He recommends such things as the stationary bicycle, elliptical, or rower. Many of his athletes cross-train during their detraining phases. “This gives the muscles that work hard a break,” he says, “but they won’t lose that much aerobic fitness.” Edited August 18, 2015 by Raithe "Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum."
Meshugger Posted August 18, 2015 Posted August 18, 2015 Ashley Madison, the site for people who wish to cheat on their partners got hacked. They refused to pay hackers and now they have dumped all data on all 37 million users on the deeb web. Torrents are already up and the chans are now friviously scanning the database dumps for....interesting characters in media, military and politics. Fun times ahead fellas. "Some men see things as they are and say why?""I dream things that never were and say why not?"- George Bernard Shaw"Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man."- Friedrich Nietzsche "The amount of energy necessary to refute bull**** is an order of magnitude bigger than to produce it." - Some guy
Darkpriest Posted August 19, 2015 Posted August 19, 2015 Honestly, Hold Portal isn't that bad. There are times i could've certainly used it in Baldur's Gate against more advanced mod-added AI, that's for sure. Well for one you do not have to have a key and iirc you cant open such "portal" with a key you have so it can be useful i certain scenarios.
Gfted1 Posted August 20, 2015 Posted August 20, 2015 Fortune hunters say they've found legendary Nazi treasure train in Poland. "I'm your biggest fan, Ill follow you until you love me, Papa"
Raithe Posted August 20, 2015 Posted August 20, 2015 While this is aimed more at couples relationships, I'm fairly sure it might catch some interest for relating to a few friends and loved ones in general. How to Love Someone With High Functioning Autism Relating to Someone with High-Functioning Autism: 20 Tips for Partners You have a friend or love with High Functioning Autism (Asperger's), and you don't understand him or her, so it's making you crazy? It doesn't have to be that way. Remembering a few things will enable you both to have a very rewarding relationship: 1. Accept that people with HFA are intelligent, and may have extraordinary skills that you may or may not understand, but very possibly lack what will seem to you to be common sense. The best way this was described to me one day was this way: “HFA is one of the 'unkind' disorders. Most individuals can't understand how an HFA adult can solve very complex problems, but doesn't know to get out of the rain.” What this means in your relationship is that the partner you care for is intelligent enough to come up with solutions, even complex ones. Making things simple is the harder part. Accept that if he/she says ''I need help with ___'', that is what he/she needs help with, even if it doesn't seem possible. The other side of the coin is if your partner says ''I am capable of ___'', it is a good idea to trust that. A diagnostic measure of HFA is that these individuals must be of at LEAST average intelligence. As such, the man or women you care about is more likely to know his or her limitations. 2. Accept that HFA people need love and understanding. Individuals with HFA (despite what has been widely written) do have emotions. In fact, more often they are rich with emotion, not devoid of it. More modern literature is starting to reflect this more accurate position. The difference is that the response is different in them. Individuals with HFA are often very lonely and can become depressed as a result of feeling out of place in the world. 3. Accept that you and your partner don't think alike. This means that you are likely to misunderstand each other. Knowing this will enable you to do three things: When he/she says or does something that seems hurtful, you can trust that it may not have been intended the way you thought, even if it seems very clear to you. When you say/do something that your partner takes offense at, you can trust that he/she is misunderstanding you honestly and not trying to be critical. When family members, co-workers or friends seem to be having a ''group opinion'' in the negative about your partner, you have the insight to be able to say, ''It may appear to be that way, but I think it's a big misunderstanding''. 4. Accept that you don't experience life the same way as your HFA partner, so his/her obstacles, interests, complaints, frustrations are likely to seem illogical to you and those around you. There are many issues which contribute to the way HFA people view the world around them. There are communication issues, stigma, sensory, stereotypical interests, unique responses to social issues and stressors ...many more things than you may be able to imagine. If you look at it as if they are dodging paintballs all day long every day (paintballs which are invisible to you), it may make a little more sense that they move the way they do, talk the way they do, and make the decisions they do. 5. Adjust your non-verbal messages. If your HFA partner seems to be misunderstanding things (e.g., your tone of voice, body language, pauses, breaks in communication, expressions, etc.), you can educate him/her to understand your messages in a non-threatening way. With regard to body language, be sure to make an exaggerated connection between the motion and the emotion. If for you, crossed arms mean you are thinking and not angry, you could nod thoughtfully (with arms crossed) and say, "Hmmm.... Yes, I'm thinking about that." The same goes with leaning in, turning away, etc. Make the connection clear. The good news is that with this type of "lesson," your partner is likely to learn your messages fairly quickly. Communicating tone, pitch, volume, etc., is a little more overt. If you are cognizant of the misinterpretations, simply say how you are feeling or thinking at the time. The way this is different from the above is that it's direct information instead of strongly implied. If your tone of voice seems to frighten your HFA partner, simply say, "I know my tone may sound firm to you, but that is because I am very worried about this situation" ...or, "I'm pausing for a minute here to think." With this type of information, your communication is likely to need to continue, as tone of voice, etc., is a very subtle change and has more room for frequent misinterpretation. Body language is a little more consistent. 6. Adjust your words. Once you know whether your HFA partner is relying more on words or non-verbal messages, take an extra step to be clear in that area. Use specific words, think about how you want to explain what you want to say, communicate in email if practical, so the words can be read and re-read if necessary. If you believe you are being misunderstood, ask! Check for clarity. Phrases like "If I understand you correctly, it sounds like you are saying..." and "Help me understand what you mean by..." On the other side, you could also say, "Does that make sense?" ...or, "I'm not sure if I'm getting my message across." This opens the door for your HFA partner to say, "Actually, could you explain further?" 7. Agitation, or a sense of nervousness, being hyper, etc., is often a result of stress in the individual with HFA. If you see increased activity, you can actively participate in dialing down the intensity by saying things which might be relaxing (e.g., "Ok, let's take a step back here"). 8. Be aware of your HFA partner's personal space. She or he may have a space defined differently, spatially. If you see that your partner seems agitated or diverts gaze when you are within a certain distance, you can trust that you are within her or his personal space. 9. Consider your verbal vs. non-verbal communication. Most HFA people will fall into one of two categories with this regard. They may either rely more heavily on your words and less on body-language, or they may rely on body-language, but result in higher frequency of misinterpretation. Find out which your HFA partner does. How? Listen. If you find that he/she is frequently misunderstanding you without stopping to consider that he/she is completely off base, he/she may be misinterpreting your body-language and otherwise non-verbal messages (e.g., expressions, tone of voice, conversational pauses, etc.). On the other hand, if your HFA partner repeatedly asks questions about what you are saying, he or she is relying more heavily on your word usage. 10. Don't be afraid to ask questions. When a remark sounds ambiguous, it's perfectly fine to say, "What do you mean, exactly?" People with HFA know that "neurotypicals" (i.e., people without autism)) have a hard time understanding what they say. You are likely to raise more flags if you don't ask questions about their meaning than if you do. 11. If the HFA individual you are communicating with is not very close to you, it may be helpful to maintain a more formal tone in your communication. Not that it is necessary, but the type of communication used in more formal verbal communication can be very comfortable to adults on the autism spectrum. 12. Intellectual icebreakers can put individuals with HFA at ease. Discussing something you learned or read about can reduce the stress in this person and very likely improve the success of the conversation. 13. Keep your eyes and ears open for signs that your HFA partner is trying to understand. Communicating is not a one-way street, and the responsibility of connecting with information should not rest solely on your shoulders. Although it may seem like it sometimes, you might not be aware of what your HFA partner is doing to try to understand. You process information differently, so the things you would do to try to understand him or her may not be the same things he or she would do. Watch for things like concentrating intently in a conversation, questions about what you are saying, and repeating back to you what you just said. Using "big" words is another way that adults with HFA try to be very clear. They are intelligent and don't always realize that their neurotypial partner may not understand the difference between close synonyms. Another trait which might be frustrating to some neurotypical partners is when HFA people over-explain. If you can see this as an attempt to be clear, you can re-frame your perspective and possibly feel more comfortable in saying, "Ok, yeah, I gotcha." You may be surprised to find your dear HFA man or women a little bit relieved that you get what he or she is saying! 14. Individuals with HFA don't respond to criticisms, threats and manipulation the way typical people do. Even if you don't think you are, if your interaction is perceived this way (even falsely), you are likely to get an unexpected response. Diffuse the situation by saying something caring or suggesting a break. 15. Put aside what you "think" you know. Communicating with someone who has HFA (while holding on to what you think you know about how people communicate and what certain things mean) can create unnecessary stress. The individual on the other side of your message is also an individual -- a person who thinks about things in a different way than you do. 16. Reaching out to someone who has HFA may open more questions for you than provide answers, but a greater effort is likely to yield a greater reward in the long run. 17. Stress increases behaviors you may find frustrating. Decrease the stressors, however small, and you will decrease behaviors which you both find frustrating. 18. The more comfortable an HFA person is, the more likely he/she is to be relaxed in conversation and easier to communicate with, understand, and be understanding. Trust the individual with HFA who demonstrates a wish to do something relaxing in the face of important issues. Reduction of stress can be critical in important situations, and might not be considered as a lack of understanding about the urgency of the situation. 19. Think about your words. Many people with HFA listen to each word which is spoken, and they interpret your meaning based on their understanding of the definition of the words you use. Most neurotypicals are able to generalize a little better when someone says, "Put a pile of mashed potatoes on my plate ...I'm starving." Say this to a person with HFA and you might get a blank look. When the message is in words (rather than body language), it pays to be as specific as possible. Doing so can save time in the long run, preventing repeat requests or lengthy explanations, when a more precise word or phrase is all that is really needed for the HFA partner to get your meaning. 20. When an HFA person looks away during communication, see it for what it is: reducing visual stimulus to be able to better process what is being heard, or to more clearly determine what he or she wants to say. Shifty eyes do not necessarily mean deceit! 1 "Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum."
Hurlshort Posted August 20, 2015 Posted August 20, 2015 That is great stuff Raithe. I've had a number of autistic students, and I'm always terrible uncomfortable listening to co-workers complain about their behavior in class. It's uncomfortable because they are often my favorite students, and I am frustrated that they cannot see what is special about them. While they are all incredibly unique, I've found they are the first ones to really be able to look outside the box and get me to think about things differently.
Malcador Posted August 21, 2015 Posted August 21, 2015 Just make sure said Asperger's is not self diagnosed 1 Why has elegance found so little following? Elegance has the disadvantage that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra
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