We've seen that nutrition involves bringing into the body a full set of "building blocks" such that the body can build, repair, and maintain itself.
Starvation occurs when the body does not have enough calories to maintain its "operational needs" -- not enough fuel to keep going. When the body does not have enough calories, it first burns stored fats and then starts burning proteins -- which include muscles and organs (such as the heart) and eventually causes death.
Malnutrition occurs when the body does not have enough of all of the different "building blocks" to create, repair, and maintain the various components of the body. This is particularly devastating to the young when they are initially forming the body -- it can cause long-term effects. (In adults, temporary malnutrition can be recovered from unless it lasts too long.). Illness and inability to perform daily tasks well are often the outcome of malnutrition.
In the U.S., we are fortunate that private charitable food banks and government programs make starvation almost non-existent. However, malnutrition exists to a considerable degree with a greater concentration among the poor.
There are four components of achieving good nutrition. These are knowledge of good nutritional needs, action taken based on that knowledge, time, and money. Most of the focus is on knowledge -- but many educational programs in school attempt to avoid science and rely on "rote" formulas. This lack of foundational understanding of nutrition makes the task of achieving good nutritional balance difficult in an atmosphere of mass media marketing. False, or misleading, claims are easily accepted. Sometimes it causes rote formulas to be followed such as "red meat is bad" without understanding WHY read meat CAN be "bad".
Money directly enters into nutritional decisions. Good nutrition is more expensive than poor nutritive, high calorie choices. Given a sufficient budget, however, it is possible to provide good nutritional meals but it requires time to plan, choose, and prepare good meals.
I have never encountered a "30 minute meal" that I can prepare in 30 minutes. A parent who is working two (or three) part-time minimum wage jobs does not want to allocate the time -- there is homework to work with, houses to clean, medical appointments and soccer games to juggle. Well balanced restaurant meals are expensive but fast food alternatives are widely, and energetically, marketed and sold to the public.
Frozen vegetables are more nutritious but take more time to prepare than canned. Given a choice between a $1 apple and a $1 candy bar -- which do you think most children would choose?
Many books and even television series have been produced about good nutrition. In order for it to be applied, however, the underlying principles need to be understood in order to map that information to good choices that can be applied each day.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Friday, November 30, 2012
The Science and Economics of Nutrition, Part 5
In the past few posts, I have talked about the three caloric supports of nutrition -- fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates only supply energy but fats and proteins also supply necessary "building blocks" for the body to build and repair itself. However, these are not sufficient -- it is also necessary to have other components which we usually call vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins are organic compounds that cannot cannot be synthesized by the human body. Thus, some items (such as Vitamin C) are needed vitamin for humans but not considered such for other animals. Vitamins primarily act as catalysts for building processes within the body. This means that they help the body produce needed cells and substances but are not directly incorporated into the body.
Minerals are often thought of as the "basic elements" such as Calcium, Iron, Copper, and so forth. However, most minerals in the diet are actually combinations of elements -- often with Oxygen but possibly a combination of various elements such as Calcium and Carbon. Since Oxygen is such a high percentage (about 46.6% by weight) of the earth's crust, it has to be expected that Oxygen will be incorporated in many minerals.
Minerals and vitamins interact in various ways. For example, it is difficult for the body to use Calcium unless sufficient quantities of Vitamin D (particularly D3) are present in the diet. On the other hand, if the body doesn't have enough Magnesium, then the Calcium will "substitute" and there might be a deficiency of Calcium available in the body. Some minerals help regulate specific processes in the body -- Chromium is often considered to be important in insulin production within the pancreatic glands.
Vitamins and minerals can be obtained via meats and other animal products. However, since vitamins can be weakened, or destroyed, by cooking, meats are not a preferred source of vitamins.
Fruits and vegetables really shine when it comes to providing the body with vitamins and minerals. They are usually cooked less, or left raw, and this means the nutrients are left intact for the body to use. In addition, the organic compounds which contain the minerals are thought to be better utilized by the body than those from an inorganic source.
Alas, fresh fruits and vegetables are quite expensive on a per-calorie basis. Canned produce are less expensive but often have reduced nutrients due to the canning process and, in the U.S., are often compromised with added salt and sugar. Frozen fruits and vegetables are often the best balance of nutrition and cost -- but, of course, requires a freezer for storage.
One of the biggest challenges in food preparation of fruits and vegetables is countering the media advertising for processed foods. The more processing, the more profits. The more home processing (or preparing a recipe, if you prefer), the more time needed. We will go more into these trade-offs in the next blog, which will be a summary of nutrition with an emphasis on economics.
Vitamins are organic compounds that cannot cannot be synthesized by the human body. Thus, some items (such as Vitamin C) are needed vitamin for humans but not considered such for other animals. Vitamins primarily act as catalysts for building processes within the body. This means that they help the body produce needed cells and substances but are not directly incorporated into the body.
Minerals are often thought of as the "basic elements" such as Calcium, Iron, Copper, and so forth. However, most minerals in the diet are actually combinations of elements -- often with Oxygen but possibly a combination of various elements such as Calcium and Carbon. Since Oxygen is such a high percentage (about 46.6% by weight) of the earth's crust, it has to be expected that Oxygen will be incorporated in many minerals.
Minerals and vitamins interact in various ways. For example, it is difficult for the body to use Calcium unless sufficient quantities of Vitamin D (particularly D3) are present in the diet. On the other hand, if the body doesn't have enough Magnesium, then the Calcium will "substitute" and there might be a deficiency of Calcium available in the body. Some minerals help regulate specific processes in the body -- Chromium is often considered to be important in insulin production within the pancreatic glands.
Vitamins and minerals can be obtained via meats and other animal products. However, since vitamins can be weakened, or destroyed, by cooking, meats are not a preferred source of vitamins.
Fruits and vegetables really shine when it comes to providing the body with vitamins and minerals. They are usually cooked less, or left raw, and this means the nutrients are left intact for the body to use. In addition, the organic compounds which contain the minerals are thought to be better utilized by the body than those from an inorganic source.
Alas, fresh fruits and vegetables are quite expensive on a per-calorie basis. Canned produce are less expensive but often have reduced nutrients due to the canning process and, in the U.S., are often compromised with added salt and sugar. Frozen fruits and vegetables are often the best balance of nutrition and cost -- but, of course, requires a freezer for storage.
One of the biggest challenges in food preparation of fruits and vegetables is countering the media advertising for processed foods. The more processing, the more profits. The more home processing (or preparing a recipe, if you prefer), the more time needed. We will go more into these trade-offs in the next blog, which will be a summary of nutrition with an emphasis on economics.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
The Science and Economics of Nutrition, Part 4
Carbohydrates are an important part of a general diet because they provide fuel for the body. They are not directly used as building blocks but provide energy for use of fats and proteins and incorporating minerals and vitamins into our bodies. They consist of only Carbon, Oxygen, and Hydrogen atoms -- thus, the name "carbohydrates" although they are not chemically considered to be "hydrates".
When I was double-checking my sources for this article, I found that I had incorrect ideas about alcohol. Alcohol (or, more specifically, ethanol -- drinking alcohol) is NOT considered to be a carbohydrate in spite of having only carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms. However, just as ethanol can be used to fuel machines, our bodies can make use of it as an energy source. Alcohol provides about 7 calories per gram (almost as caloric as fat). Alcohol is not considered to be nutritional and burning alcohol is hard on the body (the liver in particular) and should be used sparingly. A tablespoon of pure alcohol would be about 85 calories -- an 8 ounce glass of wine about 190 calories.
Carbohydrates are largely the same as saccharides. Saccharides are grouped into monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. The first two are usually referred to as "sugars" while the other ones have various names including "starches". Since carbohydrates do not provide any "building block" materials the amount can actually be fairly low with calories provided by fats and proteins -- but this is not really recommended. The range of percentage of calories provided by carbohydrates in the diet is suggested to be in the 45% to 65% region.with simple "sugars" limited to around 10%.
It is difficult to discuss carbohydrates without bringing dietary fiber into the discussion. Dietary fiber is looked at as being in two categories -- soluble and insoluble fiber; "good carbs" are talked about versus "bad carbs". It really isn't a matter of the carbohydrates -- it is how they are utilized within the body. The metabolism of carbohydrates (and fats) is regulated by insulin and, thus, eating "simple" carbohydrates will cause a rapid rise of insulin in the body which is hard on the body and related to metabolic problems like diabetes. Soluble fiber works with carbohydrates to allow the digestion to be greatly slowed and extended (look at it as "time released" carbohydrates) and this allows the carbohydrates to be better utilized by the body. A system called the Glycemic Index is a good method of determining the gentleness of different carbohydrates in the diet. Note that insoluble fiber is of use, also, as it provides "roughage" to allow the muscles of the digestive and excremental tracts to be more effective.
One aspect of the Glycemic Index is that it is an isolative, or simplified, look at a single food source. It is possible to still have a gentle diet with simple carbohydrates if it is eaten WITH other foods that can supply the soluble fiber. Thus, rice is not really easy on the body -- but eating rice with high-fiber foods such as beans, or seaweed, or vegetables means that the entire meal is well balanced. This is why many diets that rely on rice are healthy -- it is because they are in combination with other foods which supply needed soluble fiber.
The economics of carbohydrates come into play because simple carbohydrates are inexpensive and, thus, are easily incorporated into unhealthy diets. More balanced carbohydrate sources, such as oats, barley, and beans are also fairly inexpensive but it requires more time to work with them. In the area of applied nutrition, time does equal money. Thus, many fast processed foods have a high percentage of simple carbohydrates and fats. In part six of this series, we will discuss how the choices for food can be made, could be made, and are normally made. (In part five, we will finish up the nutritive discussion with vitamins and minerals.)
In summary, carbohydrates provided needed energy for the body to be active and build cells. In order to be used in a manner that is easier on the body, the entire meal must be planned and examined.
When I was double-checking my sources for this article, I found that I had incorrect ideas about alcohol. Alcohol (or, more specifically, ethanol -- drinking alcohol) is NOT considered to be a carbohydrate in spite of having only carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms. However, just as ethanol can be used to fuel machines, our bodies can make use of it as an energy source. Alcohol provides about 7 calories per gram (almost as caloric as fat). Alcohol is not considered to be nutritional and burning alcohol is hard on the body (the liver in particular) and should be used sparingly. A tablespoon of pure alcohol would be about 85 calories -- an 8 ounce glass of wine about 190 calories.
Carbohydrates are largely the same as saccharides. Saccharides are grouped into monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. The first two are usually referred to as "sugars" while the other ones have various names including "starches". Since carbohydrates do not provide any "building block" materials the amount can actually be fairly low with calories provided by fats and proteins -- but this is not really recommended. The range of percentage of calories provided by carbohydrates in the diet is suggested to be in the 45% to 65% region.with simple "sugars" limited to around 10%.
It is difficult to discuss carbohydrates without bringing dietary fiber into the discussion. Dietary fiber is looked at as being in two categories -- soluble and insoluble fiber; "good carbs" are talked about versus "bad carbs". It really isn't a matter of the carbohydrates -- it is how they are utilized within the body. The metabolism of carbohydrates (and fats) is regulated by insulin and, thus, eating "simple" carbohydrates will cause a rapid rise of insulin in the body which is hard on the body and related to metabolic problems like diabetes. Soluble fiber works with carbohydrates to allow the digestion to be greatly slowed and extended (look at it as "time released" carbohydrates) and this allows the carbohydrates to be better utilized by the body. A system called the Glycemic Index is a good method of determining the gentleness of different carbohydrates in the diet. Note that insoluble fiber is of use, also, as it provides "roughage" to allow the muscles of the digestive and excremental tracts to be more effective.
One aspect of the Glycemic Index is that it is an isolative, or simplified, look at a single food source. It is possible to still have a gentle diet with simple carbohydrates if it is eaten WITH other foods that can supply the soluble fiber. Thus, rice is not really easy on the body -- but eating rice with high-fiber foods such as beans, or seaweed, or vegetables means that the entire meal is well balanced. This is why many diets that rely on rice are healthy -- it is because they are in combination with other foods which supply needed soluble fiber.
The economics of carbohydrates come into play because simple carbohydrates are inexpensive and, thus, are easily incorporated into unhealthy diets. More balanced carbohydrate sources, such as oats, barley, and beans are also fairly inexpensive but it requires more time to work with them. In the area of applied nutrition, time does equal money. Thus, many fast processed foods have a high percentage of simple carbohydrates and fats. In part six of this series, we will discuss how the choices for food can be made, could be made, and are normally made. (In part five, we will finish up the nutritive discussion with vitamins and minerals.)
In summary, carbohydrates provided needed energy for the body to be active and build cells. In order to be used in a manner that is easier on the body, the entire meal must be planned and examined.
Friday, October 19, 2012
The Science and Economics of Nutrition, part 3
When it comes to the area of proteins, the description of food as building blocks is even more directly true than ever. Although most of us think of proteins in terms of muscle and (possibly) hair/fingernails, proteins are an important part of our entire body -- from "scaffolding" for cell walls to acting as catalysts for general digestion.
However, protein eaten does not directly translate to protein built in the body. The body's digestive processes break down proteins into building blocks called amino acids. It then uses these amino acids, as determined by specific gene sequences, to create the proteins the body needs. There are 20 or 21 (depending on how you classify them) amino acids used within the human body. Some of these can be created by the body from general food (that is, not amino acids). Others can be created from other amino acids (changed from one to another). Some, however, must be eaten and these are the "essential" amino acids.
Essential amino acids must be part of a regular diet -- but that doesn't mean they all have to be eaten each day. The body just must have a reserve of them in the "storehouse".
Meat has the advantage in that the animal has already gathered up, or created, the various amino acids needed. However, it is fully possible to get all the needed amino acids from a varied vegetarian diet. The mixes needed to have a complete set are called "complementary" foods. Beans and rice work as complementary" foods. Lentils and barley are a great combination. There are many others.
As mentioned, meats give "complete" sets of proteins -- whether it be beef, poultry, fish, pork or some other meat from animals. Beef often gets a bad name as a meat. This is not because of the protein but, rather, from the saturated fat that is often mixed in with the protein. Depending on the particular cut of meat and the way that it is prepared, it is possible to have very lean, healthy, beef as a part of a meal. In fact, if you prepare poultry in a high-fat manner (think fried chicken), chicken can have higher levels of fat than beef. Fish is often separated from other types of meat because the fat which it contains is normally UNsaturated (including "Omega-3" (linoleic) acids). Thus, fish protein is lean and the oils that come with it are recommended types of oils.
In the area of economics, meat is an expensive choice. This is largely because it is higher on the "food chain". In the U.S., at the grocery store, chicken can average $3/pound, turkey $1.50/pound, fresh fish may cost $7/pound (depending on geographic location). It is difficult to spend less than $1.50/pound for meat but it is possible to spend more than $50/pound for particular cuts of meat or specially prepared meat or varieties of animal meat. On the other hand, a combination of lentils and barley (enough for a single person) may only cost 30 cents ($0.30). If you choose the vegetarian route then you have three advantages -- cost, a light footprint on the earth (less of earth's resources used) and an automatic advantage in not getting "unhealthy" fats (allowing you to choose what fats to incorporate within your meals). The disadvantage is that you MUST vary your diet deliberately in order to have what your body needs.
One additional disadvantage of animal meats should be mentioned. This is the fact that most meats available at grocery stores are "factory meats". The animals have been treated as raw materials to produce meat. Not only are these methods not kind to the animals but the process requires antibiotics and hormones to keep the animals alive long enough to harvest. The factory meat process is probably the largest reason for waves of recalls of contaminated meat. (Note, however, that vegetable products are not immune to this -- the recent recall of peanut products.). While you can get non-factory meat, it will be more expensive and it still requires a lot of food (particularly grain products) to produce.
I love a good hamburger -- and bacon must truly be set into a class of its own. However, I also love a good lentil and quinoa salad. We are designed to be omnivores and, as long as we are aware of what we eat, we can get good protein into our diet in many different ways.
However, protein eaten does not directly translate to protein built in the body. The body's digestive processes break down proteins into building blocks called amino acids. It then uses these amino acids, as determined by specific gene sequences, to create the proteins the body needs. There are 20 or 21 (depending on how you classify them) amino acids used within the human body. Some of these can be created by the body from general food (that is, not amino acids). Others can be created from other amino acids (changed from one to another). Some, however, must be eaten and these are the "essential" amino acids.
Essential amino acids must be part of a regular diet -- but that doesn't mean they all have to be eaten each day. The body just must have a reserve of them in the "storehouse".
Meat has the advantage in that the animal has already gathered up, or created, the various amino acids needed. However, it is fully possible to get all the needed amino acids from a varied vegetarian diet. The mixes needed to have a complete set are called "complementary" foods. Beans and rice work as complementary" foods. Lentils and barley are a great combination. There are many others.
As mentioned, meats give "complete" sets of proteins -- whether it be beef, poultry, fish, pork or some other meat from animals. Beef often gets a bad name as a meat. This is not because of the protein but, rather, from the saturated fat that is often mixed in with the protein. Depending on the particular cut of meat and the way that it is prepared, it is possible to have very lean, healthy, beef as a part of a meal. In fact, if you prepare poultry in a high-fat manner (think fried chicken), chicken can have higher levels of fat than beef. Fish is often separated from other types of meat because the fat which it contains is normally UNsaturated (including "Omega-3" (linoleic) acids). Thus, fish protein is lean and the oils that come with it are recommended types of oils.
In the area of economics, meat is an expensive choice. This is largely because it is higher on the "food chain". In the U.S., at the grocery store, chicken can average $3/pound, turkey $1.50/pound, fresh fish may cost $7/pound (depending on geographic location). It is difficult to spend less than $1.50/pound for meat but it is possible to spend more than $50/pound for particular cuts of meat or specially prepared meat or varieties of animal meat. On the other hand, a combination of lentils and barley (enough for a single person) may only cost 30 cents ($0.30). If you choose the vegetarian route then you have three advantages -- cost, a light footprint on the earth (less of earth's resources used) and an automatic advantage in not getting "unhealthy" fats (allowing you to choose what fats to incorporate within your meals). The disadvantage is that you MUST vary your diet deliberately in order to have what your body needs.
One additional disadvantage of animal meats should be mentioned. This is the fact that most meats available at grocery stores are "factory meats". The animals have been treated as raw materials to produce meat. Not only are these methods not kind to the animals but the process requires antibiotics and hormones to keep the animals alive long enough to harvest. The factory meat process is probably the largest reason for waves of recalls of contaminated meat. (Note, however, that vegetable products are not immune to this -- the recent recall of peanut products.). While you can get non-factory meat, it will be more expensive and it still requires a lot of food (particularly grain products) to produce.
I love a good hamburger -- and bacon must truly be set into a class of its own. However, I also love a good lentil and quinoa salad. We are designed to be omnivores and, as long as we are aware of what we eat, we can get good protein into our diet in many different ways.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
The Science and Economics of Nutrition, part 2
"You are what you eat". This is basically true although, if you eat an apple, you are safe about not having little bits of apple roaming about your body. A good way to look at it is that what you eat provides building blocks for your body to use -- both keeping the body at operating temperature as well as to replace old cells and build new ones. The system of doing this is called metabolism and it is not really well understood although there is a new theory (and a new diet) on a regular basis.
Most of the nutritional studies are of an experimental kind. This doesn't usually mean a room full of lab rats (although such may be involved). It means that the people examine what goes in and then monitor effects that can be measured. The "in-between" mechanisms are still rather mysterious -- but there are some fascinating studies that have been published in the last few years about the symbiotic roles of bacteria, viruses, and other "critters" that exist on our skin, within our digestive track and even within our cells and organs. The mitochondria, that exist within all of our cells and are an integral part of metabolism, probably originated as one of the first symbiotic organisms.
One thing to be very careful about when considering nutrition is that the food brought in is broken down and then reused (building blocks, remember). If a person eats cholesterol (a fat with a bad reputation), it does NOT get directly rerouted to the arteries. You can eat all the protein you want and, without doing other things, it will not automatically give you huge muscles.
We mentioned in the previous blog that nutrition is involved with the availability of various components in the diet -- including fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber (actually, soluble dietary fiber). This blog will focus on fat which probably has the worst Public Relations system of all.
It would probably help the reputation of fat if there were two words for different situations. Call the fat that you consume "oils" and the fat that you possibly have in excess around your middle as "reserve materials". Fat is very important in our diets and our bodies cannot produce healthy cells without it.
Oils are organic solvents. This means that organic materials tend to be able to dissolve in, and disperse within, fats or oils. This is why fat added to cooking aids the flavor significantly. Spices and other materials that cause us to say "yummy" are dispersed within the fat. This same property is necessary within our metabolism -- the fats provide a "kettle" that can be used to concoct all kinds of cells. One important class of cells that requires fat is our nervous system. A lack of sufficient fat in the diet can cause nerve damage and is why pediatricians emphasize to NOT give fat-free milk to infants -- they need the fat to help produce healthy brains and a healthy nervous system and do not have other sources for the fat.
There is rarely a consensus (everyone agreeing) within the nutrition field but, in general, it is recommended that about 25% of the calories we consume come from fats. Since fats have a bit more than twice the calories per unit as proteins and carbohydrates, this means about 12% of our food, by weight, should be fats. Excess fat, by itself, will not directly lead to greater "reserve materials" around the waist.
Our bodies are very wise and they know what we need. We are designed as omnivores -- so the easiest way that our bodies can grab all the needed building blocks from our diet is to eat a good assortment of foods, including meat, vegetables, and grains. Vegetarians, and vegans, can also have a very healthy diet (some say more healthy) but the body alone can not grab all the needed building blocks without some careful planning of our diets -- the building blocks that come from meat (in particular, a balance of "essential" amino acids) must be replaced by equivalent building blocks from other foods. If we get all we need, the excess will be removed from our bodies. However, if we get an excess of calories (and have the base foundation nutrition that we need), the body probably WILL make use of some of the building blocks to put down a layer of those "reserve materials".
The area of greatest controversy and the fastest shifting arena within nutrition is the battle of "good fats" and "bad fats". Once upon a time, people were encouraged to eat margarine and avoid all the "bad fats" of butter which comes from animals ("moo"). Currently, butter is considered to be better than margarine because, in the process of making margarine solid, it creates certain "bad fats" known as Trans-fats. Butter also has trans-fats but less than most solid margarine and more "natural" since it was created by an animal. There are saturated fats, unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, monosaturated fats, Omega-3 fats, and so forth. If you want to know more about these, there are lots of good books about various fats out there. Right now, the general idea is that the less saturated that the fat is the better it is for you.
So, what is the best fat for you? This is where economics rears its head again. A person can get oils from fruits (olives), vegetables (sunflowers), legumes (peanuts), grains (rapeseed -- canola), and animals (lard as well as Omega-3 oils). Many recipes and references just split these oils into vegetable oils and animal fats.
Canola oil is produced heavily and is, therefore, one of the cheapest oils but there is some controversy over its genetic history. Omega-3 oils are in much smaller supply and are, therefore, one of the more expensive oils. Since this area is most in flux, I certainly won't try to recommend a specific oil but, if you look into the pantry of people, the type(s) of oils you find will certainly reflect income level to a considerable degree -- and some say the more expensive oils are "better".
Most of the nutritional studies are of an experimental kind. This doesn't usually mean a room full of lab rats (although such may be involved). It means that the people examine what goes in and then monitor effects that can be measured. The "in-between" mechanisms are still rather mysterious -- but there are some fascinating studies that have been published in the last few years about the symbiotic roles of bacteria, viruses, and other "critters" that exist on our skin, within our digestive track and even within our cells and organs. The mitochondria, that exist within all of our cells and are an integral part of metabolism, probably originated as one of the first symbiotic organisms.
One thing to be very careful about when considering nutrition is that the food brought in is broken down and then reused (building blocks, remember). If a person eats cholesterol (a fat with a bad reputation), it does NOT get directly rerouted to the arteries. You can eat all the protein you want and, without doing other things, it will not automatically give you huge muscles.
We mentioned in the previous blog that nutrition is involved with the availability of various components in the diet -- including fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber (actually, soluble dietary fiber). This blog will focus on fat which probably has the worst Public Relations system of all.
It would probably help the reputation of fat if there were two words for different situations. Call the fat that you consume "oils" and the fat that you possibly have in excess around your middle as "reserve materials". Fat is very important in our diets and our bodies cannot produce healthy cells without it.
Oils are organic solvents. This means that organic materials tend to be able to dissolve in, and disperse within, fats or oils. This is why fat added to cooking aids the flavor significantly. Spices and other materials that cause us to say "yummy" are dispersed within the fat. This same property is necessary within our metabolism -- the fats provide a "kettle" that can be used to concoct all kinds of cells. One important class of cells that requires fat is our nervous system. A lack of sufficient fat in the diet can cause nerve damage and is why pediatricians emphasize to NOT give fat-free milk to infants -- they need the fat to help produce healthy brains and a healthy nervous system and do not have other sources for the fat.
There is rarely a consensus (everyone agreeing) within the nutrition field but, in general, it is recommended that about 25% of the calories we consume come from fats. Since fats have a bit more than twice the calories per unit as proteins and carbohydrates, this means about 12% of our food, by weight, should be fats. Excess fat, by itself, will not directly lead to greater "reserve materials" around the waist.
Our bodies are very wise and they know what we need. We are designed as omnivores -- so the easiest way that our bodies can grab all the needed building blocks from our diet is to eat a good assortment of foods, including meat, vegetables, and grains. Vegetarians, and vegans, can also have a very healthy diet (some say more healthy) but the body alone can not grab all the needed building blocks without some careful planning of our diets -- the building blocks that come from meat (in particular, a balance of "essential" amino acids) must be replaced by equivalent building blocks from other foods. If we get all we need, the excess will be removed from our bodies. However, if we get an excess of calories (and have the base foundation nutrition that we need), the body probably WILL make use of some of the building blocks to put down a layer of those "reserve materials".
The area of greatest controversy and the fastest shifting arena within nutrition is the battle of "good fats" and "bad fats". Once upon a time, people were encouraged to eat margarine and avoid all the "bad fats" of butter which comes from animals ("moo"). Currently, butter is considered to be better than margarine because, in the process of making margarine solid, it creates certain "bad fats" known as Trans-fats. Butter also has trans-fats but less than most solid margarine and more "natural" since it was created by an animal. There are saturated fats, unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, monosaturated fats, Omega-3 fats, and so forth. If you want to know more about these, there are lots of good books about various fats out there. Right now, the general idea is that the less saturated that the fat is the better it is for you.
So, what is the best fat for you? This is where economics rears its head again. A person can get oils from fruits (olives), vegetables (sunflowers), legumes (peanuts), grains (rapeseed -- canola), and animals (lard as well as Omega-3 oils). Many recipes and references just split these oils into vegetable oils and animal fats.
Canola oil is produced heavily and is, therefore, one of the cheapest oils but there is some controversy over its genetic history. Omega-3 oils are in much smaller supply and are, therefore, one of the more expensive oils. Since this area is most in flux, I certainly won't try to recommend a specific oil but, if you look into the pantry of people, the type(s) of oils you find will certainly reflect income level to a considerable degree -- and some say the more expensive oils are "better".
Saturday, August 25, 2012
The Science and Economics of Nutrition, Part 1
In some ways, this is not about what most people would call technology. However, the science behind nutrition is something that can be useful to all of us. There are a lot of people who do not understand just what is involved with "good nutrition" and they rely on aids, such as food pyramids, to attempt to create a good diet. However, understanding allows making better choices and knowing why we make those choices.
A healthy diet is composed of two factors -- calories and nutrition. On average, an adult needs approximately 15 calories per pound to maintain their weight. There's a lot of variation on this. Athletes and pregnant or lactating women need more. Sedentary people need less. But let's go with the 15 calories (actually kilocalories -- but most people just call them calories) per pound. This means that a 120 pound person (or someone who wants to get to 120 pounds) needs 1800 calories per day.
Calories are a measurement of the energy from food and, once again, it is simplified in presentation. A gram of fat is about 9 calories and a gram of protein or carbohydrates is about 4 calories. In general, it doesn't matter what kind of fat it is -- it will give you the same amount of calories. So, olive oil may contain "better" (from a nutritional point of view) calories but it will still be the same amount as that from lard. Proteins, once again, are all about the same for calories but the ability to be "burned" (metabolized) varies depending on the mixture of other foods with the protein.
At any rate, fats are the most calorie-dense foods at 9 calories per gram. This means that an average 120-pound person could get their daily calories from drinking 18 tablespoons (1 1/8 cups) of oil. They would also get severe diarrhea and eventually die of other causes -- but they would have enough calories. Prices of food vary around the world but, in the U.S., you can get canola oil at about $10 per gallon. There are 16 cups per gallon, so this amount of oil would cost about 70 cents.
At the high end of the scale -- I just don't know what that would be -- probably some rare gourmet low-calorie item. Let's just say that you can probably spend more than a $1000 for your 1800 calories. This is talking about actual base food costs -- eating at a restaurant would certainly increase your costs.
OK. We see that you can spend from 70 cents up to thousands of dollars to satisfy your caloric needs. But, we said at the beginning that a healthy diet is composed of calories AND nutrition. What is nutrition? These are the various components that your body needs to be as healthy as possible. It includes a proper balance of fats (and the right kinds of fats), protein (and the right kinds of protein), and carbohydrates (and the right kinds of carbohydrates). It also requires minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber.
In the next post, I will start talking about the nutrition aspect of a healthy diet along with the economic impact of choices.
A healthy diet is composed of two factors -- calories and nutrition. On average, an adult needs approximately 15 calories per pound to maintain their weight. There's a lot of variation on this. Athletes and pregnant or lactating women need more. Sedentary people need less. But let's go with the 15 calories (actually kilocalories -- but most people just call them calories) per pound. This means that a 120 pound person (or someone who wants to get to 120 pounds) needs 1800 calories per day.
Calories are a measurement of the energy from food and, once again, it is simplified in presentation. A gram of fat is about 9 calories and a gram of protein or carbohydrates is about 4 calories. In general, it doesn't matter what kind of fat it is -- it will give you the same amount of calories. So, olive oil may contain "better" (from a nutritional point of view) calories but it will still be the same amount as that from lard. Proteins, once again, are all about the same for calories but the ability to be "burned" (metabolized) varies depending on the mixture of other foods with the protein.
At any rate, fats are the most calorie-dense foods at 9 calories per gram. This means that an average 120-pound person could get their daily calories from drinking 18 tablespoons (1 1/8 cups) of oil. They would also get severe diarrhea and eventually die of other causes -- but they would have enough calories. Prices of food vary around the world but, in the U.S., you can get canola oil at about $10 per gallon. There are 16 cups per gallon, so this amount of oil would cost about 70 cents.
At the high end of the scale -- I just don't know what that would be -- probably some rare gourmet low-calorie item. Let's just say that you can probably spend more than a $1000 for your 1800 calories. This is talking about actual base food costs -- eating at a restaurant would certainly increase your costs.
OK. We see that you can spend from 70 cents up to thousands of dollars to satisfy your caloric needs. But, we said at the beginning that a healthy diet is composed of calories AND nutrition. What is nutrition? These are the various components that your body needs to be as healthy as possible. It includes a proper balance of fats (and the right kinds of fats), protein (and the right kinds of protein), and carbohydrates (and the right kinds of carbohydrates). It also requires minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber.
In the next post, I will start talking about the nutrition aspect of a healthy diet along with the economic impact of choices.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Updating an Electronic Device
A few months ago, I talked about computer memory and its various types. One of the important types is Read Only Memory (ROM). This contains the basic instructions (including the instruction that is executed first when power is applied to the device) to bring up all of the supporting programs (Operating System, etc.) that allow you to do what you want to do.
What happens if you have a device (such as a cellular phone or a game system) that is "updatable"? This device also has ROM but, somehow, the basic system that is in ROM is still able to be changed.
This is possible because there are different types of ROM. In particular, there is a type called "Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory" (EEPROM). Like general ROM, this memory is non-volatile -- it will retain its contents even when there is no power. However, by applying a higher-than-normal power through the device, the contents can be erased and then new contents can be written. Thus, a device which is meant to be upgradable can split its base program memory into two parts -- one in ROM which still contains the initial program upon powering up the device and one in EEPROM which should not normally be altered either during use or when powered down.
The program in ROM is enhanced to include the program(s) that allow updating the EEPROM. Then, when an update is desired, it stores the new system program to be written to the EEPROM in some type of RAM, erases the original contents of the EEPROM and then copies over the new system program into the EEPROM.
There are variations on this, of course. When a device is updated via a host computer, there is the option to back up the data and current contents before doing the update. This reduces the danger involved in case power is interrupted, or an error occurs, before the update can complete. The time when an update is in progress is still a critical period of time and, if at all possible, the device should remain powered up until updating is complete.
Once the update is complete, the device should operate the same as before (with whatever improvements exist within the new system program).
What happens if you have a device (such as a cellular phone or a game system) that is "updatable"? This device also has ROM but, somehow, the basic system that is in ROM is still able to be changed.
This is possible because there are different types of ROM. In particular, there is a type called "Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory" (EEPROM). Like general ROM, this memory is non-volatile -- it will retain its contents even when there is no power. However, by applying a higher-than-normal power through the device, the contents can be erased and then new contents can be written. Thus, a device which is meant to be upgradable can split its base program memory into two parts -- one in ROM which still contains the initial program upon powering up the device and one in EEPROM which should not normally be altered either during use or when powered down.
The program in ROM is enhanced to include the program(s) that allow updating the EEPROM. Then, when an update is desired, it stores the new system program to be written to the EEPROM in some type of RAM, erases the original contents of the EEPROM and then copies over the new system program into the EEPROM.
There are variations on this, of course. When a device is updated via a host computer, there is the option to back up the data and current contents before doing the update. This reduces the danger involved in case power is interrupted, or an error occurs, before the update can complete. The time when an update is in progress is still a critical period of time and, if at all possible, the device should remain powered up until updating is complete.
Once the update is complete, the device should operate the same as before (with whatever improvements exist within the new system program).
Friday, June 15, 2012
The Dangers of Hi-Tech
I am NOT a Luddite. I enjoy technology and, even more, I love the thinking processes involved in creating something new and tweaking (called "hacking" in programming) existing things to make them perform even better.
However, that does not mean that I am not always aware of the dangers of advanced technology. Sure, there is the Frankenstein aspects -- designing "smart" robots that take over the world. I'm not that awfully fearful of that -- although it certainly could happen.
The Luddites were more fearful of how technology affects society and how new things cause the old things to be denigrated. What happens to the horses when a steam engine can pull the plow? Each change in technology affects the society and people involved with the old technology. That is still true today and, perhaps, even more true as the pace of change continues to increase. Still, that has always happened and it always causes chaos. The first people who made use of iron weapons were ascendent over those who still used stone weapons and the people who used bronze weapons were ascendent over those using iron and so forth. This has not changed -- only the rate of change where now the change can occur many times in one's lifetime rather than over a period of several generations.
My primary fears are the pyramid effect of Hi-Tech.
If I worked carefully over a period of a few weeks, I could make a gramophone. (This is one of those old "record players" with a big copper funnel over the needle to make the noise louder.). With more time and access to more tools, I could probably make a "record player" that connects to a home-built electric speaker. It wouldn't be of great quality but, with practice, I could make pretty good ones. But could I make a ceramic cartridge magnetic needle casing with a full powered amplifier and multiple speakers? Yes -- but only by using a lot of other tools that are a per-requisite to make it. Over a lifetime, I might be able to create the entire set of tools and then use those tools for the final product. A lifetime wouldn't be enough to create a CD player.
My father would have been even better qualified to build something than I am -- among his many jobs, he was a machinist and an auto mechanic. He could have built a working carburator from chunks of metal. However, even he could not have mined the ore, smelted the ore, refined the metal and created the metal chunks that he needed.
Every "hi-tech" product relies on components that, in themselves, are "hi-tech" and requires specialized tools to build. On and on down the line.
I have a "landline" phone in addition to my cell phone. I have no intentions of giving it up (although economics may eliminate them as an option someday in the future). Why? First, the sound quality of a dedicated circuit-switched line is better than anything you can currently find in cell phones and probably better than you ever WILL find in cell phones. But, more importantly to me, a basic landline phone is powered by the line that leads to the phone company. They have banks of batteries to supply the very low voltage current needed to power the phones. If the electricity goes out -- I still have a working phone! Even there, most people have landline phones that are connected to local electricity -- and those won't work without the power. They COULD be designed to make use of the line power but most aren't.
So, what is the danger? The danger is that a disruption in one vital element of a product will eliminate the feasibility of the product. Many things are dependent on oil products -- run out of (or be separated from the access to) gas/oil/diesel and much of society's products will stop working. Have an electromagnetic pulse take place in New York City and much of our economic records would disappear -- even worse if backup sites are attacked/broken.
So, when you pick up your smart phone, think a bit about what it really took to make it and be able to use. There's a lot of industries, professions, and people involved in that one product. Then turn on a light and do the same type of thinking -- still a lot of factors involved in the use of that light switch. If you have a gas cooktop you are reliant on a steady gas supply but if you have an electric cooktop you have a different set of dependencies.
However, that does not mean that I am not always aware of the dangers of advanced technology. Sure, there is the Frankenstein aspects -- designing "smart" robots that take over the world. I'm not that awfully fearful of that -- although it certainly could happen.
The Luddites were more fearful of how technology affects society and how new things cause the old things to be denigrated. What happens to the horses when a steam engine can pull the plow? Each change in technology affects the society and people involved with the old technology. That is still true today and, perhaps, even more true as the pace of change continues to increase. Still, that has always happened and it always causes chaos. The first people who made use of iron weapons were ascendent over those who still used stone weapons and the people who used bronze weapons were ascendent over those using iron and so forth. This has not changed -- only the rate of change where now the change can occur many times in one's lifetime rather than over a period of several generations.
My primary fears are the pyramid effect of Hi-Tech.
If I worked carefully over a period of a few weeks, I could make a gramophone. (This is one of those old "record players" with a big copper funnel over the needle to make the noise louder.). With more time and access to more tools, I could probably make a "record player" that connects to a home-built electric speaker. It wouldn't be of great quality but, with practice, I could make pretty good ones. But could I make a ceramic cartridge magnetic needle casing with a full powered amplifier and multiple speakers? Yes -- but only by using a lot of other tools that are a per-requisite to make it. Over a lifetime, I might be able to create the entire set of tools and then use those tools for the final product. A lifetime wouldn't be enough to create a CD player.
My father would have been even better qualified to build something than I am -- among his many jobs, he was a machinist and an auto mechanic. He could have built a working carburator from chunks of metal. However, even he could not have mined the ore, smelted the ore, refined the metal and created the metal chunks that he needed.
Every "hi-tech" product relies on components that, in themselves, are "hi-tech" and requires specialized tools to build. On and on down the line.
I have a "landline" phone in addition to my cell phone. I have no intentions of giving it up (although economics may eliminate them as an option someday in the future). Why? First, the sound quality of a dedicated circuit-switched line is better than anything you can currently find in cell phones and probably better than you ever WILL find in cell phones. But, more importantly to me, a basic landline phone is powered by the line that leads to the phone company. They have banks of batteries to supply the very low voltage current needed to power the phones. If the electricity goes out -- I still have a working phone! Even there, most people have landline phones that are connected to local electricity -- and those won't work without the power. They COULD be designed to make use of the line power but most aren't.
So, what is the danger? The danger is that a disruption in one vital element of a product will eliminate the feasibility of the product. Many things are dependent on oil products -- run out of (or be separated from the access to) gas/oil/diesel and much of society's products will stop working. Have an electromagnetic pulse take place in New York City and much of our economic records would disappear -- even worse if backup sites are attacked/broken.
So, when you pick up your smart phone, think a bit about what it really took to make it and be able to use. There's a lot of industries, professions, and people involved in that one product. Then turn on a light and do the same type of thinking -- still a lot of factors involved in the use of that light switch. If you have a gas cooktop you are reliant on a steady gas supply but if you have an electric cooktop you have a different set of dependencies.
Friday, June 8, 2012
What does the cloud provide?
OK. We have seen that the cloud is a nickname for the potentially changing and somewhat mysterious connections that allow equipment (and people) to talk and send data to each other. The modern cloud will usually make direct use of the Internet Protocol (IP) network -- although that is not mandatory. The advantage to using the IP network is that each request can be routed to a different location.
In the old cloud, you basically had a direct connection (often called "point-to-point") between two pieces of equipment (possibly phones). With an IP network, since each message contains the address of the originator and the address of the destination, the resulting connections are "many-to-many". Your local equipment probably has a single IP address but the IP address is used in conjunction with another piece of information called the "port". The IP address identifies the physical device that is receiving and transmitting data and the port is used for routing the data to the right application or task.
What does this mean in real life? Let's say that you have a word processing application open and you also want to listen to music while you are typing on the document. The word processing app might be using a combination address of "53.13.18.01:2022" where the part before the colon (":") is the IP address and the part after is the port number. The music application makes use of "53.13.18.01:1954" (these are arbitrary numbers). Since the two apps are making use of two distinct ports, the data can be routed appropriately.
On the other end, the word processing app might be connected to "103.44.17.34:1113" and the music app is getting the music (data) from "87.19.33.92:1954". Note that the music app and its data are using the same port number -- it's not required but it does simplify some of the interactions. We can see from the addresses that we have two applications on a single physical device connected to two separate data providers which are likely on separate physical devices.
This is the power of the cloud -- the physical and logical separation of the data from the applications making use of the data. The data storage might be of music, documents, spreadsheets, ebooks, or whatever else you can imagine.
Next, what about applications in the cloud (sometimes referred to as "Software as a Service" or SaaS)? Well, actually, the data providers are applications and are interpreting the data coming from the "local" application in order to retrieve and route data appropriately. SaaS moves most of the processing of the data to the remote server. It isn't actually in the cloud but, from the point-of-view of the local user, it may still be located anywhere and, thus, part of the cloud from one endpoint's point-of-view.
Finally, the cloud can provide alternative paths and destinations. This can provide data transparent backup. Let's say that you have your endpoint making use of data stored at location C. Unknown to the user, C is constantly backing up ("mirroring") the data at location D. If the physical device hosting C goes down (is now unavailable) then the local app can be routed to D without the user even knowing anything has gone wrong.
The cloud provides many services and will provide even more in the future. However, with this complexity comes different types of vulnerability. I will address that in the next blog.
In the old cloud, you basically had a direct connection (often called "point-to-point") between two pieces of equipment (possibly phones). With an IP network, since each message contains the address of the originator and the address of the destination, the resulting connections are "many-to-many". Your local equipment probably has a single IP address but the IP address is used in conjunction with another piece of information called the "port". The IP address identifies the physical device that is receiving and transmitting data and the port is used for routing the data to the right application or task.
What does this mean in real life? Let's say that you have a word processing application open and you also want to listen to music while you are typing on the document. The word processing app might be using a combination address of "53.13.18.01:2022" where the part before the colon (":") is the IP address and the part after is the port number. The music application makes use of "53.13.18.01:1954" (these are arbitrary numbers). Since the two apps are making use of two distinct ports, the data can be routed appropriately.
On the other end, the word processing app might be connected to "103.44.17.34:1113" and the music app is getting the music (data) from "87.19.33.92:1954". Note that the music app and its data are using the same port number -- it's not required but it does simplify some of the interactions. We can see from the addresses that we have two applications on a single physical device connected to two separate data providers which are likely on separate physical devices.
This is the power of the cloud -- the physical and logical separation of the data from the applications making use of the data. The data storage might be of music, documents, spreadsheets, ebooks, or whatever else you can imagine.
Next, what about applications in the cloud (sometimes referred to as "Software as a Service" or SaaS)? Well, actually, the data providers are applications and are interpreting the data coming from the "local" application in order to retrieve and route data appropriately. SaaS moves most of the processing of the data to the remote server. It isn't actually in the cloud but, from the point-of-view of the local user, it may still be located anywhere and, thus, part of the cloud from one endpoint's point-of-view.
Finally, the cloud can provide alternative paths and destinations. This can provide data transparent backup. Let's say that you have your endpoint making use of data stored at location C. Unknown to the user, C is constantly backing up ("mirroring") the data at location D. If the physical device hosting C goes down (is now unavailable) then the local app can be routed to D without the user even knowing anything has gone wrong.
The cloud provides many services and will provide even more in the future. However, with this complexity comes different types of vulnerability. I will address that in the next blog.
Friday, June 1, 2012
So, What is a Cloud?
Clouds have been around for a long time. No, I'm not talking about the groups of water droplets that sometimes are between us and the sky. The cloud has been the nickname for the general network for a long time. When a picture was drawn of two people talking together over the phone system, the picture usually had the originator (call this person 'A') talking on a phone which had a line to a cloud-shaped symbol which then had another line leading out of it to the recipient (call this person 'B') of the call. When a physical connection exists between A and B, it is called a "circuit-switched" line.
Over the years, what has actually been within that cloud has changed. Long, long ago, the contents of the cloud were a series of connected wires such that, physically, there was a single wire leading from A to B. In order to achieve this connection, various people ("operators") would use a small section of wire (called a "patch cord") to connect lengths of wire together. So, your local operator (which had ALL the local phone wires leading into the office) would connect your wire to a wire leading to a long-distance operator, who would then connect to the destination region, who would connect to a destination city who would connect to a local phone company who would then connect to B's line and then put a "ringing signal" on the line to tell B that they had a call.
The next iteration of content in the cloud was to replace part (then all) of the human operators with mechanical analog (no bits and bytes) switches. One switch type, called a "cross-bar" was an important development that allowed this progression to change. There was still, by the time a call was completed, a single physical connection from A to B.
The change from analog to digital allowed "breakage" of the physical connection. While there was still, after the call was completed, a physical connection, the form of the signal now changed from section to section of the connection. This usually meant a parallel line that contained "signal" information. The signal information includes such things as to whom the call has been placed, who made the call, when it occurred and (for billing purposes, in particular) how long the call was active.
Packet-switching broke the physical connection. Packet switching includes the address information (telephone number, etc) with the data (voice, video, music, ...). Since the address was included along with the data, it could be sent anywhere -- it could even be stored temporarily if a connection was unavailable. Finally, the Internet Protocol (IP) started to take over this type of combined address/data format.
However, when you make a call (or, access a computer or network service or whatever), you don't really know what is happening in the network -- and that is why it is still envisioned as a cloud. And, you don't really CARE how it gets from A to B as long as it gets there. It is likely to be a mixture of technologies and it just isn't important to A or B -- but it is vitally important to the providers of the network.
Modern "cloud" services rely on a packet-switched Internet Protocol network to allow access, storage, transfer, and interpretation of data. The next blog will talk about some of those specific services.
Over the years, what has actually been within that cloud has changed. Long, long ago, the contents of the cloud were a series of connected wires such that, physically, there was a single wire leading from A to B. In order to achieve this connection, various people ("operators") would use a small section of wire (called a "patch cord") to connect lengths of wire together. So, your local operator (which had ALL the local phone wires leading into the office) would connect your wire to a wire leading to a long-distance operator, who would then connect to the destination region, who would connect to a destination city who would connect to a local phone company who would then connect to B's line and then put a "ringing signal" on the line to tell B that they had a call.
The next iteration of content in the cloud was to replace part (then all) of the human operators with mechanical analog (no bits and bytes) switches. One switch type, called a "cross-bar" was an important development that allowed this progression to change. There was still, by the time a call was completed, a single physical connection from A to B.
The change from analog to digital allowed "breakage" of the physical connection. While there was still, after the call was completed, a physical connection, the form of the signal now changed from section to section of the connection. This usually meant a parallel line that contained "signal" information. The signal information includes such things as to whom the call has been placed, who made the call, when it occurred and (for billing purposes, in particular) how long the call was active.
Packet-switching broke the physical connection. Packet switching includes the address information (telephone number, etc) with the data (voice, video, music, ...). Since the address was included along with the data, it could be sent anywhere -- it could even be stored temporarily if a connection was unavailable. Finally, the Internet Protocol (IP) started to take over this type of combined address/data format.
However, when you make a call (or, access a computer or network service or whatever), you don't really know what is happening in the network -- and that is why it is still envisioned as a cloud. And, you don't really CARE how it gets from A to B as long as it gets there. It is likely to be a mixture of technologies and it just isn't important to A or B -- but it is vitally important to the providers of the network.
Modern "cloud" services rely on a packet-switched Internet Protocol network to allow access, storage, transfer, and interpretation of data. The next blog will talk about some of those specific services.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Here Come the Clouds
Once upon a time, I had a Cathode Ray Terminal (CRT -- similar to old televisions) that was connected to a MODEM (MODulator DEModulator -- a box that converted digital signals to/from analog signals on a phone line) which connected to a "mainframe" (very large -- for those days -- computer). My terminal, an ADM 3A, was a monocolor screen with a keyboard. No local processor, no local storage. When I logged into my account on the mainframe, I had my own set of files and access to any applications that had been installed on the main computer.
Now, with the computing clouds, I can have a computer (possibly without a disk drive/local storage) of, perhaps, limited computing power connected to the Internet which gives access to one or more main computers and multiple storage areas. I can connect via different devices and from different locations and get access to my own set of files and make use of various applications installed on those devices/computers.
It sounds very similar between 1981 and 2012 doesn't it? It certainly does to me. What are the differences that exist and what makes those differences?
The first is access speed. In 1981, connections were slow. A person could type in a set of commands (no Graphical User Interface (GUI)) and expect to receive back sets of words or numbers -- possibly some crude pictures made up of typeable characters. The terminal would allow some movement of the "cursor" (think of the marker from the mouse) after receiving special characters that would be interpreted specially. But, basically, it was for sending and receiving text.
In 2012, expectations of connection speed are FAST or FASTER. This means that the user can use a GUI and can receive back all forms of data including video, music, and multiple windows of information.
The second difference is primarily on the "mainframe" side. Via the Internet, the user has access to many different computers, different environments, and a multitude of applications. Thus, the user can treat the "cloud" environment as their own individual computing setup. Plus, since the computer that one uses usually has its own memory (even without a disk), work can be divided between the local computer/PC and the cloud devices.
From an outside point of view, 1981 and 2012 seem rather similar. The effect of access speed and the Internet's capability of hiding where and what is happening creates a very different experience.
The next blog will go into greater details on the advantages (and disadvantages) of the cloud environment.
Now, with the computing clouds, I can have a computer (possibly without a disk drive/local storage) of, perhaps, limited computing power connected to the Internet which gives access to one or more main computers and multiple storage areas. I can connect via different devices and from different locations and get access to my own set of files and make use of various applications installed on those devices/computers.
It sounds very similar between 1981 and 2012 doesn't it? It certainly does to me. What are the differences that exist and what makes those differences?
The first is access speed. In 1981, connections were slow. A person could type in a set of commands (no Graphical User Interface (GUI)) and expect to receive back sets of words or numbers -- possibly some crude pictures made up of typeable characters. The terminal would allow some movement of the "cursor" (think of the marker from the mouse) after receiving special characters that would be interpreted specially. But, basically, it was for sending and receiving text.
In 2012, expectations of connection speed are FAST or FASTER. This means that the user can use a GUI and can receive back all forms of data including video, music, and multiple windows of information.
The second difference is primarily on the "mainframe" side. Via the Internet, the user has access to many different computers, different environments, and a multitude of applications. Thus, the user can treat the "cloud" environment as their own individual computing setup. Plus, since the computer that one uses usually has its own memory (even without a disk), work can be divided between the local computer/PC and the cloud devices.
From an outside point of view, 1981 and 2012 seem rather similar. The effect of access speed and the Internet's capability of hiding where and what is happening creates a very different experience.
The next blog will go into greater details on the advantages (and disadvantages) of the cloud environment.
Monday, May 14, 2012
New and Future Memory
I've got a few more ideas to talk about, but I thought it best to come through with what I said I would do next.
There are two trends going on with memory (for computers -- there is also some fascinating research going on about human memory) nowadays. The first trend is putting it elsewhere (in the "clouds") and the second trend is to eliminate the mechanical aspects of data storage and access.
I will push off the discussion of clouds to the next blog. We'll concentrate on the second trend.
There are a lot of excellent disk drives at the moment. The manufacturers have increased storage capacity, decreased the time to get to (access) the data, and greatly improved reliability.
Most improvements on disk drives have been associated with data density -- how many bits can be packed into the smallest area. The data density helps both storage capacity and transfer rates (the amount of time that is needed to move data from the storage device to working memory (or vice versa)). Blu-Ray disks work with a higher-frequency laser than do DVDs and DVDs use a higher-frequency laser than Compact Disks (CDs). The higher frequency means that the data density can be higher. Thus, Blu-Ray disks can hold more data than DVDs and DVDs more than CDs.
Further improvements are being made on materials, optics (the part that actually reads optical disks such as Blu-Ray), Wikipedia is a great source for more on specific formats and improvements.
What do these disks have in common? They have to move. In order to read (or write) the data, the reader ("sensor") must be over the datum. Usually, this means spinning the disk while the reader stays in the same place. Some magnetic hard disks have speeds exceeding 7800 revolutions per minute. However, movement means something to move it with and mechanical devices just will not work forever no matter how great the quality and design.
We now have many different electronic items -- phones, cameras, tablets, toys, and so forth that make use of non-moving memory. There are a lot of different categories for this, so lets just call them "flash" memory. In this case, there are still lots of data to access -- but the access method is built into the design of the memory device. Let's take a game cartridge as a simple example. The cartridge will contain data which can be addressed. It also has leads (usually copper) that connect to the game player. The game player makes use of these leads to address, and transfe,r the data. No physical movement (except for connecting the cartridge to the game player) is required. Another common example is a "memory card" which is inserted into a camera. Some printers allow photos to be directly printed from that memory card (taking the card out of the camera and inserting it into the printer).
Direct access memory devices are (currently) more expensive that disk drives -- but the cost continues to decrease as they become more popular and it is my opinion that they will take over for local storage eventually. Personally, I am still hoping for holographic cube storage as was seen in Star Trek.
Let it be so.
There are two trends going on with memory (for computers -- there is also some fascinating research going on about human memory) nowadays. The first trend is putting it elsewhere (in the "clouds") and the second trend is to eliminate the mechanical aspects of data storage and access.
I will push off the discussion of clouds to the next blog. We'll concentrate on the second trend.
There are a lot of excellent disk drives at the moment. The manufacturers have increased storage capacity, decreased the time to get to (access) the data, and greatly improved reliability.
Most improvements on disk drives have been associated with data density -- how many bits can be packed into the smallest area. The data density helps both storage capacity and transfer rates (the amount of time that is needed to move data from the storage device to working memory (or vice versa)). Blu-Ray disks work with a higher-frequency laser than do DVDs and DVDs use a higher-frequency laser than Compact Disks (CDs). The higher frequency means that the data density can be higher. Thus, Blu-Ray disks can hold more data than DVDs and DVDs more than CDs.
Further improvements are being made on materials, optics (the part that actually reads optical disks such as Blu-Ray), Wikipedia is a great source for more on specific formats and improvements.
What do these disks have in common? They have to move. In order to read (or write) the data, the reader ("sensor") must be over the datum. Usually, this means spinning the disk while the reader stays in the same place. Some magnetic hard disks have speeds exceeding 7800 revolutions per minute. However, movement means something to move it with and mechanical devices just will not work forever no matter how great the quality and design.
We now have many different electronic items -- phones, cameras, tablets, toys, and so forth that make use of non-moving memory. There are a lot of different categories for this, so lets just call them "flash" memory. In this case, there are still lots of data to access -- but the access method is built into the design of the memory device. Let's take a game cartridge as a simple example. The cartridge will contain data which can be addressed. It also has leads (usually copper) that connect to the game player. The game player makes use of these leads to address, and transfe,r the data. No physical movement (except for connecting the cartridge to the game player) is required. Another common example is a "memory card" which is inserted into a camera. Some printers allow photos to be directly printed from that memory card (taking the card out of the camera and inserting it into the printer).
Direct access memory devices are (currently) more expensive that disk drives -- but the cost continues to decrease as they become more popular and it is my opinion that they will take over for local storage eventually. Personally, I am still hoping for holographic cube storage as was seen in Star Trek.
Let it be so.
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