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2012/06/26

Neatorama

Neatorama

The Sleep-Retardant Properties of My Ex-Girlfriend

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 05:01 AM PDT

by Ryan Shaun Baker
Human-Computer Interaction Institute
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittburgh, Pennsylvania

The importance of a good night's sleep can not be overestimated. Getting more than 7 hours of sleep a night helps in retention and deep encoding of information, which is essential in graduate school.[1] Also, getting sufficient amounts of sleep results in a better mood and a greater level of happiness.[2]

Given this, I decided to conduct a study on those factors which influenced the amount of sleep I was getting, in order to determine how to get more sleep.

One factor which I predicted would have especially large effects was my girlfriend at the time, Hermina. I have induced that several of my acquaintances believe that Hermina would have significant positive effects on sleep — in the words of one such acquaintance, Tom, “Man, she's hot. I'd really like to sleep with her.”[3] Other acquaintances have also expressed an interest in her sleep-inducing properties.[4,5]

There are many reasons why one might postulate that Hermina would increase sleep — the quote above points to an important one, that she is quite hot, being a mammal with a body temperature of around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.[6] A warm blanket has been identified as a source of good sleep[7], and it is quite possible that Hermina performs a similar function.

 

Figure 1. The amount of sleep I got at my own place, and at Hermina's place.

Design

Over the course of 28 consecutive nights, I collected data on the number of hours of sleep I obtained, and on a number of factors that might potentially affect the amount of sleep obtained.

These variables included:

• whether or not I had read in bed that night
• whether it was a weeknight or weekend night
• whether I had gone drinking
• whether I had attended a social event
• whether I had been feeling ill the previous day
• whether I had an academic deadline
• whether I was returning a graded homework assignment in the class I TA the next day
• how late in the day my first meeting or class was
• how much sleep I had gotten the night before
• how much sleep I had gotten the previous two nights
• whether or not I had slept at Hermina's apartment or my own

I used these variables in order to develop a regression model to explain the amount I slept.

Results

The first step towards developing a regression model of how much sleep I got was to transform all the binary variables (such as whether or not I had slept at Hermina's apartment) into 0 and 1 so that I could treat them as quantitative variables.

I then conducted a forward-inclusion search for candidate variables in the model as such:

Using a statistical package, I computed Cp, BIC, AIC, RSS, and adjusted r-square metrics for models composed of each of the variables.

The clear best model by each of this metrics was the one composed of where I had slept. It explained 22.3% of the data (adjusted R2=0.223) and the term was significantly different than zero. (ESS=27.79, Edf=1, s2=3.07, F=7.03, p<0.001)

Next, I examined whether a second variable explained more than the effects which were explained by where I slept.

The best model by each metric was one where I added in as a variable whether or not I had gone on a social outing (including drinking) the night before. However, this term was not significantly different than zero. (ESS=6.5, Edf=1, s2=2.94, F=2.21, p>0.10)

No other term was significant, in further investigations, either when added to the model including where I slept, or in a model by itself.

The final regression model was

S = -2.018 H + 7.47

In essence, what this model means is that I got an average of two hours and one minute less sleep when I slept at Hermina's apartment rather than my own. The exact amounts of sleep I got in each condition are shown in Figure 1. This is clear evidence for Hermina's sleep-retardant properties.

Discussion

After obtaining these results, the appropriate course of action became clear. I spoke to Hermina and explained my study and its results, as well as the importance of getting sufficient sleep, as illustrated in [1] and [2]. I concluded by explaining that, due to her sleep-retardant properties, I could not continue to sleep with her, an act she termed “breaking up.”[8]

I should mention that Hermina suggested that my data, being from an observational study rather than an experimental study, only shows correlations rather than causation, and that it was quite possible that I had only chosen to sleep at her apartment on nights when I was less tired, or that I had actually chosen to get less sleep on nights when I had come to her apartment. She proposed that, instead of taking hasty action, we conduct an experimental study where we flip a coin each night to determine whether I would sleep at her apartment or my own, in order to prove a causative effect.

Obviously, I rejected this suggestion. Although this study is insufficient to conclusively prove Hermina's causative role, this strong a correlation, and the importance of getting enough sleep, are sufficient together to suggest that action needs to be taken expeditiously.

When Tom, whom I mentioned earlier in the paper, discovered that Hermina and I had broken up, he expressed interest anew in sleeping with her. I attempted to warn him about Hermina's sleep-retardant properties. In response, he referred to me as an “idiot.” This clearly demonstrates his lack of understanding of the value of sleep.[1,2] (Although it would be fair to point out that since I only sampled from my own amount of sleep, my results may not generalize to Tom. Nonetheless.)

I would like to conclude by encouraging others to embark on this sort of data-collection activity in their own lives. By helping me identify and eliminate the foremost factor reducing the amount of sleep I get, it has enriched my life. I believe it will enrich your life as well.

Works Cited

1. Are You Getting Enough Sleep? [pamphlet], University of Iowa Student Health, 2001.
2. Wellness: A Lifetime Commitment, Patricia A. Floyd, et al., Hunter Textbooks, 1991.
3. Personal communication, Tom. October 19, 2001.
4. Personal communication, Dick. October 24, 2001.
5. Personal communication, Harry. October 24, 2001.
6. Yahoo! Health: Body Temperature Normals. 2001.
7. “To Be Alive,” Seth Schachne. Poem written for Ms. Teifeld's 8th grade class. Temple Habonim Religious School, Barrington, Rhode Island, 2001.
8. Uncoupling: Turning Points in Intimate Relationships, Diane Vaughan, Vintage Books, 1990.

_____________________

This article is republished with permission from the May-June 2002 issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. You can download or purchase back issues of the magazine, or subscribe to receive future issues. Or get a subscription for someone as a gift!

Visit their website for more research that makes people LAUGH and then THINK.

Tied for an Olympic Slot

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 04:30 AM PDT

Imagine that the dream you’ve nurtured for a lifetime came down to a coin toss. The U.S. Olympic trials saw a tie for third place in the 100-yard dash this past weekend as Allyson Felix and Jenebah Tarmoh both crossed the finish line in 11.068 seconds. Since only one of them can be in the top three and race in the Olympics, they will have to break the tie one way or another.

It took nearly 24 hours after the 11-second race ended for USTAF to announce its ruling that Felix and Tarmoh will be given the option of breaking the tie with a coin toss or a runoff. And it’s not as simple as it sounds, explains the Associated Press: “If both athletes choose the same option, [that option] will determine the tiebreaker. If the athletes disagree, the tiebreaker will be a runoff. If both athletes decline a preference, the tiebreaker will be a coin toss.” The runners have not been given a timeline to announce their decisions, but it’s expected they’ll wait until after they compete in the 200 meters race later this week.

Link

(Image credit: AP/US Track and Field)

Ultimate AR-15 Mall Ninja Tactical Zombie Destroyer

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 04:00 AM PDT


(YouTube link)

“We got some zombies that need killin’!” Well, get out the AR-15! It’s got everything! -via Geeks Are Sexy

Painted Wedding Shoes

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 03:24 AM PDT

These hand-painted satin shoes are designed specifically so that a bride can wear “something blue” that’s very special. Etsy seller nora has all kinds of hand-painted and decorated shoes for weddings or other special occasions, and will do custom projects, too. It almost makes me wish I had a special occasion coming! See the variety at her shop, norakaren. Link  -via Nag on the Lake

Window Pain

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 11:00 PM PDT


(YouTube link)

Simon’s Cat’s latest adventure involves making sure the window is there, even when you can’t see it. Another cute animation by Simon Tofield. -via The Daily What

Previous: More Simon’s Cat.

Sylvester Birdhouse

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 10:30 PM PDT

 

Sylvester Birdhouse | $27.95

Watch out, Tweety! Actually, there’s no danger in this Sylvester Birdhouse, just a cute 10″ resin birdhouse featuring Sylvester sitting on top of a rocket ship. The birds will find a home, and you’ll love the look!

Or you may like one of the other birdhouses available at the NeatoShop. Get yours today!

Link

Cork Pants

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 10:00 PM PDT


Photo: Blog Your Wine - via Weird Universe

Eye see that you're looking at this quirky (corky?) Cork Pants, butt you can't have it.

 

An Open Book for Your Books

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT

 

Ah, the perfect bookshelf for bibliophiles. Take a look at 418 Pagina
by J.L. Berthet and Denis Vasset, which looks exactly like an open book:
Link – via The
Blog on the Bookshelf

Pizza Slices Encased in Lucite

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 08:30 PM PDT

New York City-based artist Steph Mantis sells pizza slices in blocks of lucite. She calls them “Ninja Throwing Slices,” but I think this project as the ultimate achievement in food preservation. Is that pizza that has been sitting on your kitchen counter for two days still safe to eat? This one would be.

Artist’s Website -via That’s Nerdalicious!

The Colors of Vogue

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 08:00 PM PDT

British artist Arthur Buxton boiled down the most prominent colors on the covers of Vogue magazine in the past 130 years from United States, United Kingdom, France, and Italy.

The pretty colors actually tell us something about the fashion magazine industry:

Using open-source sampling tools, Buxton located the five most prominent colors in each issue’s cover, then stacked them on top of each other to create a color sandwich. The sandwiches were then arranged into columns, with each vertical column representing a year of magazine covers, and each horizontal column representing a month. [...]

What do the charts tell us? Mostly, they just affirm some long-held stereotypes about fashion in different parts of the world. Note how the palettes of Italy and France are overall much darker than those of the United States and the UK, lending credence to the notion that “wearing color” in Paris and Milan means dressing in head-to-toe black. There is also a startling amount of white in U.S. Vogue, and not just before Labor Day.

Suzanne Labarre of Fast Company has the post: Link

 

Anti-Cheating Wedding Ring

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:30 PM PDT


An adulterer won’t be able to just slip off his/her wedding ring before heading out on the prowl. The Cheeky’s titanium wedding ring leaves the words “I’m Married” imprinted on the wearer’s finger.

Link -via Nag on the Lake

Shirt? Sculpture? It’s Both!

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT

Mashallah Design and Linda Kostowski collaborated to create this magnificent 3D sculpture of a wolf T-shirt you can wear: Link | More cutting-edge T-shirt over at the T-Shirt Issue - via Designaside

How to Weaponize Your Trash

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:00 PM PDT

One man's trash is another man's deadly weapon! Take a look at what Joerg Sprave (previously on Neatorama) of The Slingshot Channel can make out of your trash (don't try this at home, kids!):

A while ago, COLORS magazine asked us if we can make weapons out of trash. Sure! A quick walk to the woods, and we came home with a good selection of stuff.

This video shows how you can make pepper spray from old chili powder, bolas from cat food cans and batteries, and even a full blown crossbow from a broom handle and old kitchen gloves.

Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - via Devour

 

Century-old Lens Still Making Pictures

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 05:00 PM PDT

What's so special about the photo above? Photographer Timur Civan snapped that photo using a modern digital camera with a vintage 104-year-old Wollensak lens.

Back in 2010, Timur wrote:

He found in a box of random parts, hidden inside anther lens this gem. A circa 1908 ( possibly earlier) 35mm lens. Still functioning, mostly brass, and not nearly as much dust or fungus as one would think after sitting in a box for over a hundred years. This lens is a piece of motion picture history, and at this point rare beyond words. So i say to him, "Wow... what do you have in mind?" he smiles, and says, ( in the thickest russian accent you can imagine) " i can make this fit EF you know..." my eye twinkled, and then 6 nail biting hours later,he had it finished. My Russian Lens technician is a mad scientist and he took what sounded like an angle grinder to the lens to make its clear the flange distance and the mirror....... This lens' value is unclear. its sort of on loan. It's the only lens of its kind on a 5D... or any digital for that matter.

Link - via Artinfo

The Tyrant of Clipperton Island

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 04:30 PM PDT

Clipperton Island is an abandoned atoll in the Pacific Ocean, 1,000 kilometers from the coast of Mexico. Its history is one of being passed from nation to nation as its value was explored and judged inadequate. Around 1910, Mexico sent 13 soldiers to guard the island. They were joined by their wives and some servants, and soon children were born. Another island resident was a reclusive lighthouse keeper named Victoriano Álvarez. Then in 1914, supply ships stopped coming. Malnutrition set in, and the men were the first to die. After an escape attempt cost three men their lives, only two soldiers remained, along with the women and children. And the lighthouse keeper.

Just then, Álvarez the hitherto-unassuming lighthouse-keeper abruptly arrived at the destroyed settlement, collected the weapons, and threw them into the deep waters of the lagoon. Saving one rifle for himself, he announced to the women and children that he was now the king of the island. With that, he began a campaign of enslaving the women for whatever purposes he desired. One mother-daughter pair who refused to obey him were raped and shot to death. The rest were given regular beatings at the minimum.

Two years later, in 1917, an American ship found the survivors: three women and eight malnourished children. They were taken to Mexico to be reunited with relatives who had given up all hope. The survivors told the story of what happened on the island, but the crew of the rescue ship kept the details secret for seventeen years, lest the women face legal consequences. But you can read the whole thing at Damn Interesting. Link

At Home with Moles

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 04:00 PM PDT

At the age of 16, Peter Stafford won his first award for taking a photograph of a nest of moles in the wild.

Fast forward 45 years later, Peter is still filming moles. As this BBC Springwatch documentary shows, it turns out that filming moles in their natural environment is actually quite a difficult task: Hit play or go to Link [BBC]

 

John Wayne Flask

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:30 PM PDT

John Wayne Flask | $19.95

Hey there, Pilgrim! Keep your favorite beverage handy with the ultra-manly John Wayne Flask from the NeatoShop! It hold six ounces, is dishwasher-safe, and most importantly, pays tribute to “The Duke.” This flask comes in a lovely gift box because we know you’ve got a John Wayne fan somewhere in your family.

See the complete selection of flasks, with something for every taste, at the NeatoShop!

Link

Inside Formula One

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT

What's inside the most technologically advanced race car in the world? The Sauber F1 Team cut a race car in half to show us the technology packed inside a Formula One car ... and how the driver actually fit inside it.

Notcot has the video clip: Link [embedded YouTube]

 

The Good News About Growing Old

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 02:30 PM PDT

You know what they say -don’t complain about getting old because it beats NOT getting old! But there are some advantages. While some mental capabilities diminish, others get better. And the wisdom of age comes in handy in social situations.

For a 2010 study, researchers at the University of Michigan presented "Dear Abby" letters to 200 people and asked what advice they would give. Subjects in their 60s were better than younger ones at imagining different points of view, thinking of multiple resolutions and suggesting compromises.

It turns out that managing emotions is a skill in itself, one that takes many of us decades to master.

And what’s even better, people over 50 tend to be happier. Read a roundup of recent research on aging at Smithsonian. Link

(Image credit: Karsten Thormaehle)

Tasty Fashion

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT

Hungry for the best fashion accessories? Italian photographer Fulvio Bonavia created this art series "A Matter of Taste," which turns food into haute couture. Take a look over at Yatzer: Link

 

Dachshund Encounters Crab

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:30 PM PDT


(YouTube link)

Madeline the puppy sees a ghost crab and isn’t sure what it is. The crab is sure he wants to escape to the safety of the ocean. -via Arbroath

Name the Songs on Born to Run and Nevermind

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:00 PM PDT

Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss is actually two quizzes, so you can take your pick or try both. Can you name all the songs on Bruce Springsteen’s huge 1975 album Born to Run? Maybe you’d prefer to try naming all the songs on Nirvana’s hit album from 1991, Nevermind? Select one and see how you score against the other fans who took the challenge. Me? I knew I wouldn’t do well, so I didn’t take a chance on ruining the stats. Yeah, that’s the ticket! Link

Another Mouth to Feed

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:30 PM PDT

Be polite. Just look her in the eyes and pretend that you don’t see it. It’s rude to point out physical deformities.

In this case, it’s just paint. A Japanese student who goes by the handle Chooo-san has a knack for body painting. She uses it to create extra eyes and mouths on her face and arms.

Link -via Oddity Central | Chooo-san’s Blog

Warzone Carpet

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT

Chebad Abdallah of Cheesecake Powerhouse created a carpet that features a rather unique set of images. Behold, the Warzone Carpet: Link - via Who Killed Bambi

 

Things to Release at a Wedding Ceremony

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT

If you’re going to release a Kraken at your wedding, please send me an invitation! Found at Coolness Graphed. Link -via TYWKIWDBI

Full Size RC Toy Car

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT

This jeep and its controller are scaled to match the iconic 1979 Wild Willys RC car. It was built at The Bug Box, a mechanical shop and studio in Weiden, Germany. The jeep even has the old school ribbed RC car tires.

Link (Google Translate) -via Jalopnik

Little Boy Is Not an Android Fan

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT

This Apple fanboy was was spotted in Hangzhou, China. I wonder what the bangs are supposed to represent.

Link -via Kotaku | Photo: China Free Press

Garbage Disposal in a Volcano

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT


(Live Leak link)

Campers in Ethopia threw a bag of garbage into a volcanic crater to see what would happen. The bag broke through the thin crust covering a pool of magma and allowed the lava to spew out. And, of course, the garbage was incinerated. No word on whether they were fined for littering. -via reddit

Roman Artifacts Found in Fifth Century A.D. Japanese Tomb

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT

Even with the limited transportation technologies of the time, the passage of trade over the world carried glass beads from the Roman Empire to the Fifth Century A.D. Utsukushi burial mound in Nagaoka, Japan:

It found that the light yellow beads were made with natron, a chemical used to melt glass by craftsmen in the empire, which succeeded the Roman Republic in 27 BC and was ultimately ended by the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.

The beads, which have a hole through the middle, were made with a multilayering technique — a relatively sophisticated method in which craftsmen piled up layers of glass, often sandwiching gold leaf in between.

Link -via The Agitator | Photo: Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties

Previously: East Asian Man Found in Roman Empire

Commander Spock and Lt. Uhura Potatoheads

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:13 AM PDT

Mr. Potato Head – Commander Spock and Lt. Uhura | $34.95

Spock and Uhura now come in Mr. Potatohead form! Get these 5″ tall figures while they’re hot. Spock has his hand raised in the Vulcan greeting, and Uhura has her tricorder ready. The two come in a set together, and can’t wait to join the Mr. Potatohead version of Captain Kirk and Klingon Kor. Order yours today! And …live long and prosper.

See more Mr. Potatohead items and more Star Trek items in the NeatoShop!

Link

301 Views on YouTube

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT


(YouTube link)

Have you ever noticed a YouTube video that has a hundred comments and thousands of likes, but only 301 views? Brady Haran of Numberphile explains why that happens. -via Geekosystem

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Station Wagon

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT

For a bulk order of frozen pizza, our heroes headed to a Sam’s Club in Nashville. That’s where redditor kvnmahan spotted their tricked out station wagon. Supposedly the QR code on the window leads to the website of a rapper named Lex Top Dollar, though I can’t get it to scan on my phone.

Link -via Geekologie
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