Synesthesia Conference in Miami in October

We are pleased to announce that the Eleventh American Synesthesia Association Conference will be held at the University of Miami, Florida, on October 2 – 4, 2015, and we hope you will join us. 

We will post the Call for Papers on the ASA website very soon but we wanted to ask you personally to submit an abstract for consideration. 

Please see the information below, which includes the Call for Papers and Abstract information, and the request for a list of equipment you would need for your presentation. 

Please let us know if you are interested in sending an abstract by emailing Carol at rednote2@gmail.com 

Best regards, Brit Brogaard Sean Day Ed Hubbard Lawrence E. Marks Daphne Maurer Carol Steen 

CALL FOR PAPERS 

American Synesthesia Association 11th Annual Conference in 2015 Call for Papers The Board Members of the ASA are pleased to announce the Eleventh National Meeting of the American Synesthesia Association, Inc., which will take place October 2 ­– 4, 2015 at the University of Miami, Florida. 

The conference will be hosted by Dr. Berit Brogaard and the University of Miami, and made possible by the Board Members of the ASA. 

We invite the submission of abstracts from individuals wishing to make a presentation in any of the following formats: a scholarly paper, a discussion of creative aspects of synesthesia, a reading, a presentation of visual artwork, audio or video works. Abstract submissions can be made online: http://www.synesthesia.info/ This link will be available on the ASA website soon. 

Please submit an abstract no longer than 250 words. Include your name, email address, telephone contact number, and a short resume (no more than two pages) or web-link to same. The number of presentation slots will be limited, so there is no guarantee that a submission can be accepted. Our abstract review board is representative of diverse interests, talents, and approaches to exploring and experiencing synesthesia. It includes artists, linguists, historians, and scientists, some of whom are synesthetes themselves. 

This year’s conference Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Anina Rich from the Department  of Cognitive Science/Centre for Cognition & its Disorders (CCD), Macquarie University, Australia 

DEADLINE for Abstract Submission: Friday, May 15 NOTIFICATION by May 29, 2015.

You Can Trick Someone Into Loving You?

From my TIME Magazine article:

You want to fall in love, you say? Be careful what you wish for. Lovers might assume a broken arm may hurt more than a broken heart, but they’d be wrong. Emotional pain can feel just like physical pain by firing the very same neurons in the brain. Your heart can actually hurt. ... And if you think love can’t kill you? Think again there, too. The idea of “broken heart syndrome” has been around for ages, but it’s a real condition — known as “stress cardiomyopathy” in the medical community. Heartbroken lovers with stress cardiomyopathy have two to three times as much adrenaline in their blood as people who suffer from a classic heart attack, and they have seven to thirty-four times more adrenaline than normal individuals. What that means? Taking a Tylenol actually might ease your emotional pain.

Psychiatrist Joke

A man walks into his psychiatrist's office.

Man: I suffer from CDO.

Psychiatrist: You mean you suffer from "OCD"?

Man: No, it has to be in alphabetical order!

Hot: Split Infinitive Violation. Not: Correct Grammar

Now: "Another reason to not mix work, family: Money makes parenting less meaningful, study suggests"

Back When:

"Another reason not to mix work, family: Money makes parenting less meaningful, study suggests"

Does Perception Have Content?

My edited volume Does Perception Have Content?Oxford University Press, is out!

Relations between philosophers

Merrill Cook created this chart of how various scholars are related to one another. 

Source: SuperScholar.org/

Lucid Dreaming Research in St. Louis, Missouri. Participants Needed.

Test your lucid dreaming abilities by participating in a new study at University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Princess Beatrice tells pupils: “Dyslexia is an opportunity”

HRH Princess Beatrice visited two ARK schools in South London yesterday to talk to pupils and teachers about their work supporting children with dyslexia. Pictures are available here: http://we.tl/lZxTNFkmdZ

 

Princess Beatrice told a group of dyslexic pupils:

“Dyslexia is not a pigeonhole to say you can’t do anything. It is an opportunity and a possibility to learn differently. You have magical brains, they just process differently. Don’t feel like you should be held back by it.”

The Queen’s granddaughter paid a special visit to ARK Globe Academy in Elephant and Castle and Bolingbroke Academy near Clapham Junction to see how pupils are supported by the Drive for Literacy programme, a partnership between ARK Schools and the Driver Youth Trust, to develop their reading and writing skills.

Pupils at both primary and secondary school are screened for dyslexia, and given small group and specialist tuition if they need extra support .The schools use a range of evidenced-based techniques including encouraging primary school pupils to form letters in a tray of sand or shaving foam to develop writing skills, as well as using magnetic letters and electronic spell checkers for older children and bespoke computer programmes.  Specialist dyslexia training is provided to all teachers, to encourage a ‘whole school’ approach to literacy, whatever the subject.

The daughter of the Duke of York Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York told pupils:

“I was diagnosed with dyslexia when I was seven and it was a bit of a struggle to begin with. It was a challenge as I began my school career – spelling and reading was something I couldn’t really get my head around. I created what I describe as a ‘toolkit’ for myself of skills you learn and pick up over the years, which I still have to use today. A lot of my best friends were dyslexic so we used to study together, working at our own pace.”

She said that she didn’t like reading until the Harry Potter books came out when she was eleven: 

“The second the story came out, I couldn’t put it down. Now I read so much quicker, so much better and I studied history at university which involved a lot of reading.”

She praised the work that ARK Schools is doing in partnership with Drive for Literacy programme to support dyslexic pupils:

 “One of the most important things is to figure out what the best methods are to support young people. I came across the Drive for Literacy and the partnership with ARK Schools and it is inspiring to see how every child in the classroom can be supported. I was really interested to see the way in which they do the screening process for dyslexia. It was particularly interesting to come to Globe Academy because there are real opportunities for children with special needs to really excel. Walking round the classroom and meeting the teachers, the support the pupils have in an area of London with people from a whole range of backgrounds is really important.”

Princess Beatrice continued:

“I went to a school that was really dyslexia friendly, like Bolingbroke Academy. Pretty much half of my class was dyslexic.  The most important thing was having great teachers who took the time to make sure we were all really well supported. I did a lot of extra classes, a lot of practice, and a lot of asking questions!”

Tristran Seguim, a twelve year old pupil at ARK’s  Bolingbroke Academy said: “It was really exciting to meet Princess Beatrice, I was quite nervous before though.  I really enjoyed it and she was very nice. The teachers at my school help me a lot to understand certain things and my English teacher will help me get my grades up as I was struggling before, now I feel much more confident in English.” 

Aman Miah, a nine year old pupil at ARK Globe Academy, said: “I was shocked and didn’t expect her to come to my school. I really like coming to Globe, and I like writing.”

ARK Globe Academy, along with all ARK’s primary schools, runs the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, a programme evaluated by York University to raise communication and language skills for pupils who start school behind.

Bolingbroke Academy has been awarded a Dyslexia Friendly School Quality Mark by the British Dyslexia Association and all staff spend 30 minutes every day in organised reading groups after lunchtime. 

Principal Claire Edis always wanted Bolingbroke to be a place where pupils with dyslexia could thrive. She said, “I know people with dyslexia who went through school thinking that they weren’t as good as other pupils,” she says. “That mindset held them back. I wanted to make sure no child at Bolingbroke ever felt inadequate or unable to take on challenges.”

Damage from Asbestos

Hi there!

My name is Heather Von St. James and I was wondering if you’d be willing to help me with a cause that means a lot to me!

Eight years ago, I was diagnosed with mesothelioma; a rare and deadly cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. I had just given birth to our daughter Lily, and was only given 15 months to live. After a life saving surgery that included the removal of my left lung, I made it my life’s mission to educate people about this deadly disease and it’s cause.

Asbestos has been used for many applications in the past including building materials in homes, office buildings, and naval ships. It is STILL not banned in the United States today.

Please spread the word. You can find my awareness page here.

Heather Von St. James
http://www.mesothelioma.com/heather/

Here is Peter Ohlin's cool punk rock cover for my forthcoming book with OUP