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Grain Auger Safety
A grain auger is a tube containing a solid shaft in the center with flighting on it. Flighting is a spiral of flat steel that is welded onto the center shaft. As the center shaft turns in a clockwise direction, the flighting pulls the grain in and pushes it up the shaft. You can imagine what would happen to someone if their arm or leg got pulled into the end of an auger.
A grain auger is used to put grain into a grain bin for storage or to transport the grain out of the bin to a truck or grain wagon to take to market. This grain auger is portable and can be moved from bin to bin by using the wheels attached to it.
Portable grain augers like the one shown can be 60 feet long. It is very important to lower the grain auger to its lowest position before moving it. If the grain auger is moved when it is raised it could get into power lines and electrocute those moving it. It is also important to have proper clearance between the bin and any electrical wires. If possible, it is safer to have electric lines to bins buried under the ground.
In order to keep objects other than grain from being pulled into the end of an auger, guards are placed over the intake end. These are good examples of guards on the end of grain augers.
Many grain augers in use do not have any guard at all, or they may have guards such as this one. This old guard would allow large objects to be pulled in. It should be replaced with a guard similar to the good examples shown.
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Back Surgery Hardware Failure
In spinal fusion surgery there is an element of competition between the recovery processes of the body and the resilience of the hardware used in fusion. Most spinal fusion surgery will make use of pedicle screws to stabilize the spine as the bone graft forms a solid union, along with metal plates, rods, and cages in some cases. If a spine is particularly unstable then it presents a higher degree of risk that the hardware will fatigue and snap before a strong fusion occurs. Patients may experience the movement of hardware prior to fusion occurring, particularly where back support has been neglected initially.
The initial recovery period following spinal fusion is extremely important as vigorous activity, bending, twisting, and lifting movements can all increase the risk of hardware failure and failed back surgery syndrome. Whilst it is inadvisable to remain bedridden or inactive for too long after back surgery, patients are commonly prescribed a physical therapy regime that incorporates appropriate stretching and strengthening exercises to facilitate a good recovery. A back brace is usually worn for a short period of time following surgery, particularly when traveling in a car or other vehicle in order to prevent sudden jolts to the spine. Eventually, following the formation of a solid union, the patients’ bones will provide the appropriate spinal stability and support with the hardware shouldering the burden in the meantime.
People more at Risk for Hardware Failure
As well as smokers, patients at particular risk of hardware failure include those who are overweight and who have a larger number of vertebral segments fused. Both of these things can put extra pressure on the hardware prior to a solid fusion being formed from the bone graft. Additionally, those who are overweight may be at risk of poor blood sugar homeostasis which can cause an increase in inflammatory reactions in the body and poor endocrine regulation (including increased cortisol levels). Impaired circulation due to peripheral vascular disease can further compromise healing, which is also a consideration for smokers as this habit can cause dysfunction of the blood vessels. Single level fusion in optimum weight patients rarely results in hardware failure and can be very effective at achieving stability in the spine with the patients’ leg and back pain relieved successfully.
Next Read About: Improper Diagnosis for Back Surgery
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Aspirin May Lower Breast Cancer Risk
But Studies Show Benefit Is Not Seen With Lower Doses of Aspirin
March 10, 2008 -- Regular use of aspirin and possibly other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce breast cancer risk by as much as 20%, but it is still not clear if the risks of long-term treatment outweigh the potential benefits, a review of the research shows.
The good news from the studies is that aspirin does seem to protect against breast cancer, study researcher Ian Fentiman, MD, of London's Guy's Hospital, tells WebMD.
The bad news is that the protective effect was not seen with lower doses of the pain reliever, like those routinely given to protect against heart attacks and strokes, he says.
Long-term use of aspirin carries the risk of serious side effects, such as stomach bleeding and ulcers.
There have not been enough studies of other NSAIDs, like the Cox-2 inhibitors (such as Celebrex), to determine if they too have protective benefits, Fentiman says.
"What we have done with this review is say, 'Yes, the NSAIDs have promise for breast cancer prevention,'" Fentiman says. "But there are many unanswered questions with regard to toxicity and how we can best avoid it."
Aspirin and Breast Cancer
Fentiman and colleague Avi Agrawal reviewed 21 studies involving more than 37,000 women published between 1980 and 2007.
Eleven of the studies included women with breast cancer, while the remaining 10 compared women who had the disease with those who did not.
The studies showing a protective benefit for NSAIDs against breast cancer were found to be of higher quality than those showing no link between NSAID use and breast cancer risk.
"Recent studies using NSAIDs have shown about a 20% risk reduction in the incidence of breast cancer but this benefit may be confined to aspirin use alone and not to other NSAIDS," they write.
Additional research is needed to confirm the effect and to determine if the cancer prevention benefits of taking specific NSAIDs outweigh the risks.
A study involving daily treatment with the Cox-2 inhibitor Celebrex is now under way in Europe to determine if the drug can benefit breast cancer patients.
Cox-2 drugs carry less gastrointestinal risk than that seen with aspirin and other NSAIDs, but there is concern about cardiovascular risk. The best-selling Cox-2 arthritis drug Vioxx was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in September 2004 following reports of an increased incidence of heart attacks and strokes among users.
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The art of the missions of northern New Spain
July 2009 | After an hour and half of riding and from the top of a small hill we descried ahead of us the splendid buildings of the mission of San Luis Rey, their dazzling whiteness revealed in the first light of day. At that distance and in the uncertain light of dawn, the edifice, of a splendid design and supported by its numerous pillars, had the look of a palace; from afar the architectural faults were not seen, the eye taking in only the elegant mass of the building. The verdant valley where the mission stood, populated by great herds that now appeared only as red and white dots, extended as far as the eye could see to the north, where it ended in a range of mountains whose contours and summits were softly outlined in the light morning mist. Instinctively, I pulled up my horse in order to observe the beauty of the scene for a few minutes by myself.
To sustain them on their lengthy, rigorous, and potentially dangerous journeys, many missionaries brought works of art with them are now the states of Durango, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Baja California in Mexico; and California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida in the United States.
Not surprisingly, churches were the largest structures at the missions. Often designed by the missionaries or architect-builders who traveled with them, they were typically built by Indians, who were also sometimes trained to assist with exterior or interior architectural decorations such as wood or stone carving or wall painting. To decorate the interiors, however, missionaries acquired paintings, sculptures, and additional liturgical objects, mostly from prominent workshops in Mexico City and paid for by the Spanish crown, the orders themselves, or by their patrons. Spain’s global trading system also enabled the missionaries to acquire ivory sculpture from the Philippines and liturgical vestments made from Chinese and European textiles. Other centers of artistic production developed as well, and some objects were made at the missions themselves, including a small number by Indian artisans. This rich variety of objects, totaling in the thousands throughout northern New Spain, was found in virtually every mission church.
Some objects were produced in direct response to the practical challenges missionaries faced. They undertook conversion among vastly different native cultures about which they knew little, if anything. “At the time of European contact in the sixteenth century,” these Indians “spoke more than a hundred distinct languages, the differences among them comparable to those among English, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese.”3 Understandably, missionaries soon prepared Spanish-Indian language dictionaries and translated basic Catholic texts into Indian languages (see Fig.4).
Even before embarking for the distant regions of northern New Spain, Franciscan and Jesuit missionaries prepared themselves for the tasks—and risks—ahead. Their zeal was fortified in part by works of art that celebrated the example of those who came before them. The Franciscans naturally focused on their order’s founder, Saint Francis of Assisi, who was represented in multiple ways, for example as a victorious warrior for Christ carrying a standard (see Fig. 1). The Jesuits likewise celebrated their founder, Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556), as well as Ignatius’s compatriot Francis Xavier, founder of the Jesuit missions in Japan and other parts of Asia. Both were canonized in 1622, making their veneration all the more important to the still young order and its missionaries. Francis Xavier’s activities were celebrated in numerous paintings, such as the one showing him baptizing converts in Figure 2. Other works depicted even more starkly the risks missionaries could expect to encounter, for example, a painting memorializing two Franciscan missionaries killed by Indians at Mission San Sabá in present-day Texas (Fig. 6).
To sustain them on their lengthy, rigorous, and potentially dangerous journeys, many missionaries brought works of art with them. One, almost certainly used by a Franciscan, is a rare portable altar (Fig. 3) in which Saint Joseph and Saint Francis of Assisi surround an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, revered throughout New Spain since the time of her miraculous appearance in 1531 to Juan Diego in Tepeyac, just north of Mexico City. This central image was painted on conch shell, suggesting its maker’s familiarity with Indians’ use of shells for decoration and as a medium of exchange.4
The most common objects were those necessary to celebrate mass. They included chalices (see Fig. 7), crosses, candlesticks, ciboria, monstrances, censers, tabernacles, bells, and missals and other books. Baptism, the first sacrament provided to newly converted Indians, also required specific ceremonial objects. Virtually every mission church contained a baptismal font, many made of copper, which was mined extensively in the state of Michoacán. Another highly practical object was a wafer press (Fig. 12) for making the sacred host used for Communion.
Spectacle was a key element of missionaries’ efforts at conversion, perhaps the most conspicuous personal examples of which were the elaborate liturgical vestments they wore to celebrate mass and to conduct baptisms, weddings, funerals, and other religious ceremonies. These vestments were found in virtually every church in the Catholic world. Missionaries brought some with them and, once settled, acquired others; the chasuble in Figure 8 from Mission San Luis Rey de Francia is said to have been worn by the Franciscan Antonio Peyrí.
Typical of paintings for the missions were images of crucifixions or of saints held in particular regard by a mission’s founding order. In 1771, for example, Junípero Serra (1713–1784), Franciscan founder of the missions of Alta California, requested paintings of the “five patron saints of the missions”—the Archangel Gabriel, Luis Obispo de Tolosa, Antonio de Padua, Clare of Assisi, and Francis of Assisi. Several of these paintings, done by the Mexico City painter José de Páez (1720–1790), are still extant.5 Interestingly, while the Franciscans were administered centrally and generally acquired works of art by making requests to a procurador in Mexico City, Serra and his fellow friars of the Propaganda Fide were clearly able to assert their artistic tastes.6 He asked that Saint Luis Obispo be painted “with apostolic papal garb visible under the rochet, and the cord clearly seen, his mitre on his head, an elaborate cope, and his royal crown, and a scepter at his feet.” Saint Anthony of Padua had to be “apostolic, beautiful and with his baby Jesus,” and Clare represented “with our habit, and her veil, not in the style of nuns from here but rather falling over her shoulders, as painted in Europe.”7 Other devotional images, especially of the Virgin, held even greater significance for missionaries and their missions. Some were believed to have special powers, not only to convert the Indians, but also to heal and otherwise perform supernatural tasks. The Jesuits introduced and disseminated many miraculous images of Mary through-out the missions, including Our Lady of Loreto (Fig. 9). They brought this image to New Spain from one of the most famous shrines in Italy, where, according to legend, the house in which Mary was born and in which the Annunciation occurred was miraculously transported first to Tersato on the Balkan Peninsula to Italy in 1291, to Recanati in 1294, and Loreto in 1295. The blackened sculpture of the Virgin within it was alleged to have miraculous powers and inspired numerous copies, each regarded as having similar efficacy as the original. Not coincidentally, this tale of the house’s travel and the power of its sculpture related directly to the international character of the Jesuits’ own enterprise.
Perhaps the most impressive work of art at any mission was its main altarpiece. Despite the sometimes isolated locations of the missions, these altarpieces could be remarkably luxurious. Pedro Tamarón y Romeral, the bishop of Durango, in his account of his 1760 visit to the Jesuit mission among the Opata people at Santa María de la Asuncíon, noted that the church had “seven altars, each one with its corresponding colateral (altarpiece).”8 The form and materials of altarpieces varied according to a variety of circumstances. One at the Jesuit mission San Francisco Javier Satevó, located among the Tepehuan and Tarahumara people, was recorded in 1753 as “entirely gilded on the scale of the height and width of the front of the church with three large statues with their niches” and “sixteen paintings of several saints, and over the tabernacle a Christ Child in a niche.”9
Another type is the so-called perspective altarpiece, not simply a framed painting but a painted trompe l’oeil illusion of a carved altarpiece. Examples were found in the Sacristy of Satevó, at Santa María de Cuevas, and at San Lorenzo, all located in the state of Chihuahua just north of Parral, a burgeoning silver mining region during the missionary period.10 The one from San Francisco Xavier Satevó in Santa María de Cuevas is signed by the Mexico City painter Juan Correa (Fig. 5) and dates from around 1700, when most of the church’s interior decorations were completed. Perspective altarpieces were also found, on occasion, in the Franciscan churches of Alta California—one remains at Mission Santa Barbara, perhaps the original main altarpiece, which was replaced in the early nineteenth century.11
While the vast majority of art objects found at the missions were made by artisans in Mexico City, some were made at other centers of production that developed later, and some were made locally. Of these last, a small number can be attributed to Indian artisans, especially in areas around the Franciscan missions. Among the most distinctive were paintings on hide, found in relatively large numbers at the missions of New Mexico. The practice of painting on animal skins likely began shortly after 1598 when Juan de Oñate (c. 1594–1624) first led Spanish settlers to the region, resulting in an art form unique to New Mexico that incorporated a native tradition. By the 1630s there was a flourishing business of hide painting, with workshops employing Amerindians from local pueblos that produced large numbers of them for patrons there and as far away as Mexico City.
Whether any of these seventeenth-century examples were painted for the missions is not known, in part because of the damage done to mission churches in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 to 1692. During the eighteenth century both mestizo and Hispanic artists painted on hide, and it is possible that some Franciscans were among them. It is certain that hide paintings were used to adorn most mission and parish churches during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Their subjects typically included devotions particular to the Franciscan order as well as images of Christ and the Virgin popular in Spain and New Spain.
One shows the Virgin of Guadalupe(Fig. 10). Although the painting’s colors have faded (as is the case for virtually all hide paintings due to the light-sensitivity of their pigments), the decorative qualities and firm drawing are still visible. The selection of the subject can be traced in part to the growth of the cult of the Guadalupana following her 1746 designation as the patron saint of New Spain. The Virgin of Guadalupe’s popularity among Spaniards and Amerindians in central Mexico made her an especially appropriate artistic subject for the evangelizing missions. This hide painting may have hung at the Franciscan mission church at Pecos Pueblo, possibly executed by Carlos José Delgado, a missionary there in the early eighteenth century who was known for his ornate drawings on church records.12
A rare Indian-made work can be found at Mission Santa Barbara in California. Every mission church had a tabernacle, a cabinet placed on the altar in which the ciborium containing the consecrated hosts was stored. The unique polychromed wood tabernacle made around 1789 for Mission Santa Barbara was clearly made locally (Fig. 14). While its form and decoration indicate familiarity with stylistic preferences and techniques widespread in northern New Spain in the period, in design and materials it is unlike any others found in Alta California. The pediment contains polychromed relief symbols of the passion, mirrored doors, and abalone shell inlay in a diamond and flower design. Although mother-of-pearl had been used for decorative purposes by artists in New Spain, shell was a material that the Chumash in the area around Santa Barbara, for example, used as a medium of exchange; for personal decoration, clothing, and ritual objects; and for tools.13 Abalone, in particular, was used for funerary objects.14 The tabernacle’s unusual materials and form point strongly to collaboration between a resident Franciscan missionary and a local Indian craftsman.15
The Chumash were also expert basket makers who put their skills to use for objects directly associated with mission use. One basket (Fig. 11), dating from about 1822, contains decorations based on Spanish real coins used in New Spain, namely, the pillar-shield designs from the reverse of the so-called portrait dollar, which encircle the body of the basket, and the center motif, taken from the obverse of the earlier pillar dollar, with two hemispheres over ocean waves, flanked by pillars and surmounted by a Spanish crown. The inscription around the rim identifies its Chumash weaver, Juana BasiliaSitmelelene.16 Unique among Chumash basketry produced at the California missions is a hat woven in the shape of a wide-brimmed friar’s hat (Fig. 13). It was among artifacts collected by George Goodman Hewett, surgeon’s mate on the British exploratory expedition that included California and the Pacific Northwest led by Captain George Vancouver (1757–1798) from 1791 to 1795.17
The absence of texts revealing the voices of indigenous people sadly leaves us with very little information about the impact of the missions’ European-based imagery on those for whom it was intended. That so many works have come down to us today, however, is one measure of the mission communities’ acceptance of such objects. One instance of later im-position of Christian expression over earlier native imagery is at a site called Las Adjuntas, where following the Jesuits’ arrival an image of a church with its bell tower was carved on a panel that depicts a large turkey devouring a flower or a heart (Fig. 15). “In this way this ancient sanctuary was inserted into the new religious and political reality without losing its sacred nature.”18
Despite the decline of the mission system following Mexican independence, hundreds of churches have survived along with the works of art that once filled them. Scores of these are documented in the exhibition The Art of the Missions of Northern New Spain, which recently opened at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso in Mexico City, and its accompanying catalogue. Many are in need of conservation, as are the churches themselves. Happily, the exhibition has helped encourage restoration, subsidized by a combination of foundation, private, and Mexican government funding, thus contributing to a fuller understanding of a remarkable artistic legacy shared by Mexico and the United States.
The Art of the Missions of Northern New Spain (El arte de las misiones del norte de la Nueva España, 1600–1821) is on view at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso in Mexico City until August 16. It will travel to the San Antonio Museum of Art, October 17 to January 3, 2010; the Museo de Historia Mexicana, Monterrey; the Centro Cultural de Tijuana, Baja California; and the Oakland Museum of California. The exhibition is co-curated by Michael Komanecky and Clara Bargellini of the Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City. 1 See Duhaut-Cilly’s A Voyage to California, the Sandwich Islands, and Around the World in the Years 1826–1829, ed.August Frugé and Neal Harlow (University of California Press, Berkeley, 1999), pp. 110–111.
2 See David J. Weber, “Arts and Architecture, Force and Fear: The Spanish-Indian Struggle for Sacred Space,” in The Art of the Missions of Northern New Spain (Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, Mexico City, 2009).
3 William L. Merrill, “Indigenous Societies, Missions, and the Colonial System in Northern New Spain,” ibid., p.
4 See Michael K. Komanecky, entry for the tabernacle at California’s Mission Santa Barbara, ibid., No. 243.
5 See, for example, ibid., pp. 261–264.
6 The Jesuit and Franciscan missions each had their own resources and system of administration, and hence their own means of acquiring works of art. Unlike the usual practice of the Franciscans, the Jesuits were regularly allowed to manage money and handle requests personally. 7 Quoted in Clara Bargellini, “Art at the Missions of Northern New Spain,” in Art of the Missions of Northern New Spain, p. .
8 Libro XXXXV, fol. 105, Archivo Eclesiástico de la Catedral de Durango, quoted ibid.,” p. . Tamarón was bishop of Durango from 1757 to 1769.
9 Quoted in Bargellini, “Art at the Missions of Northern New Spain,” p. .
10 Ibid., p. .
11 My thanks to Kristina Foss, director of the Santa Barbara Mission Museum for bringing this piece to my attention.
12 See Kelly Wallace-Donahue’s entry on hide paintings in Art of the Missions of Northern New Spain, pp. 293–303.
13 For a discussion of the Chumash in California, see Janice Timbrook’s entry on Chumash baskets in ibid., pp. 327–332. The Chumash, whose population was estimated at some 20,000 when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (d. 1543) explored the California coast in 1542, were spread among some 150 principal towns and villages. The missions at San Luis Obispo, San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara, La Purísima Concepción, and Santa Inés were all founded in Chumash territory. By about 1816 nearly all of the native people in the region had been brought into these mission communities.
14 See Georgia Lee, The Portable Cosmos: Effigies, Ornaments, and Incised Stone from the Chumash Area, Ballena Press Anthropological Papers, No. 21 (Ballena Press, Socorro, N. M., 1981), pp. 17, 25, and 32–33.
15 For a more thorough discussion, see Art of the Missions of Northern New Spain.
16 See ibid., No. 245. Juana Basilia was from Sumuawawa, a town thought to have been located in the Santa Monica Mountains near present-day Thousand Oaks or Newbury Park. She was baptized at Mission San Buenaventura on February 7, 1806, at about twenty-four years of age.
17 The Vancouver expedition made two stops in November 1793 in the Chumash region, one at Santa Barbara and another at San Buenaventura. Based on its materials and weaving technique, it is likely the hat was made somewhere north of Santa Barbara. According to Timbrook, the crown portion resembles a traditional Chumash basketry cap of the type worn by women to cushion the head against the weight of the carrying strap, and the design in the brim is characteristic of traditional Chumash baskets. The small fragment of blue silk ribbon attached where the brim meets the crown is probably a remnant of ribbon used to tie the hat under the chin. Broken stitches at the edge of the crown and near the rim, as well as some discoloration inside the crown and fading on the upper surface, are indications that this hat was actually used. See Art of the Missions of Northern New Spain, No. 244.
18 Marie Areti-Hers, “Northern New Spain and the Ancient Interweaving of Images,” in ibid.
MICHAEL K. KOMANECKY is the inter-im director and chief curator of the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine. He is the co-curator of the exhibition The Art of the Missions of Northern New Spain.
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How will people and computers work together into the future? Life without
computers is already unimaginable. Computers accelerate calculations by
factors of thousands or millions. Computers make office work more
efficient, while dehumanizing it. Military applications are major areas of
computer innovation, spearheaded by the Development of Advanced Research
Planning Agency which is developing new artificial intelligence software and
expert systems, speech comprehension, machine vision, computer vision, and
natural language comprehension.
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Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a complication of type 1 diabetes, is one of the most serious and potentially preventable conditions affecting children with diabetes today. A new national study led by Seattle Children’s found a wide variation in cost, length of stay and readmission rates for children with DKA.
“Delivery of care for diabetic ketoacidosis in the U.S. is not ideal,” said Joel Tieder, MD, MPH, of Seattle Children’s Research Institute. “One out of five diabetic ketoacidosis admissions are potentially preventable. Hospitals and doctors and nurses who care for children with diabetes should take a look at our data to see if there’s room for improving healthcare delivery on their home turf.”
Hospital costs, length of stay, readmission rates
This study, published July 22 in Pediatrics, is one of the first and largest of its kind to look at readmission rates for DKA and costs per patient for hospital rooms, nursing, laboratory testing, clinical therapies, pharmacy, supplies and imaging. Researchers looked at data from 38 children’s hospitals in the U.S. between 2004 and 2009. Short-term complications from type 1 diabetes, including DKA, account for more than $67 million in hospital costs per year.
“Some hospitals in this study had really high rates of readmission, whereas, some had very low rates,” said Tieder. “This study has broader implications for national healthcare delivery at children’s hospitals.”
The cost for DKA admissions—nearly 25,000—at these 38 hospitals ranged from $4,125 to $11,916. Length of stay varied between 1.5 to nearly four days. There were 24,890 DKA admissions, and 20.3 percent of these were readmissions within one year. The one-year readmission rate at one hospital was six percent; at another hospital it was 40 percent.
What is diabetic ketoacidosis?
DKA occurs due to a problem with the production of insulin in the body. Patients with type 1 diabetes must monitor carbohydrates in their diet, frequently check blood sugar, and take multiple injections of insulin every day. If they don’t manage these things well enough, their blood can become acidic.
Too much acid in the blood throws off the body’s chemical imbalance and can lead to DKA, which can become a life-threatening disorder, requiring emergency treatment with intravenous fluids and insulin infusions. Children with DKA often need to go to the intensive care unit to manage this complication.
“When we think about where systems are broken in delivery of healthcare, this is the canary in the coalmine, so to speak,” said Tieder. “If rates for repeat DKA hospitalizations are comparatively low, then, in theory, the healthcare system is adequately teaching families, providing access to care, and giving them the resources to do self-management. Failure to do that leads to higher rates of repeat hospitalization, which is easily measured and seen in this study.”
Standardizing healthcare an important step to improve care
Seattle Children’s was among the first children’s hospitals in the country to tackle this topic several years ago, when hospital leaders created a process to help prevent readmissions for DKA. This pathway, as the guidelines are known, is one of many in place at the hospital.
Clinical pathways are meant to improve the quality of care by standardizing treatment and, as a result, reduce differences in healthcare delivery. Ildiko Koves, MD, an endocrinologist at Seattle Children’s, said her team is in the process of finalizing data related to the DKA clinical standard work pathway. They’ve already noted a decrease in the number of CT (computed tomography) scans performed in children with DKA.
If you’d like to arrange an interview with Dr. Tieder or talk with a patient family who has dealt with DKA, please contact Seattle Children’s PR team at 206-987-4500 or at [email protected].
Study coauthors include: Lisa McLoed, MD, MSCE; Ron Keren, MD, MPH; Xianqun Luan, MS, and Russell Localio, PhD (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia); Sanjay Mahant, MD, MSc (Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto); Faisal Malik, MD (Seattle Children’s Hospital), Samir Shah, MD, MSCE (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center); Karen Wilson, MD, MPH (Children’s Hospital, Colorado) and Rajendu Srivastava, MD, FRCP, MPH (University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Intermountain Healthcare, Inc.).
• “Variation in Resource Use and Readmission for Diabetes Ketoacidosis in Children’s Hospitals” from Pediatrics.
• Diabetes: When to call the doctor
• What is Ketoacidosis?
• Clinical Standard Work Pathways and Tools at Seattle Children’s
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| 0.949503 | 1,083 | 2.5625 | 3 |
We have already seen that the Aztecs tried to explain celestial phenomena through myths that recount the struggle of the gods; that is, the struggle of the heavenly bodies. This led them to make exact observations, which they recorded on their monuments and in their codices, that are evidence of the advanced stage they had reached in the science of astronomy. It also led them to adopt a calendar, which was undoubtedly the product of the older cultures that had preceded them. Even though it is inferior to the admirable computation made by the Mayas, which is still not surpassed by our present day system, the Aztec calendar has, none the less, elements that make it an extraordinary scientific development for a people who were, in other fields, very far from the cultural level it indicated.
The sun, called Tonatiuh, was invoked by the names of "the shining one," "the beautiful child," "the eagle that soars." He was generally represented by a disk, decorated in Aztec fashion. This disk is widely known because it is an essential part of the celebrated monument called the Aztec Calendar, which is simply a very elaborate representation of the sun.
In the center of the disk is the face of Tonatiuh; at the sides appear his hands, tipped with eagle claws clutching human hearts, for the sun was looked upon by the Aztecs as an eagle. In the morning, as he rose into the sky, he was called Cuauhtlehuanitl, "the eagle who ascends"; in the evening he was called Cuauhtemoc, "the eagle who fell," the name of the last, unfortunate, heroic Aztec emperor.
Around the figure of Tonatiuh there are sculptured in large dimensions the date "4 Earthquake," the day on which the present sun is to be destroyed by earthquakes. In the rectangles of the sign "earthquake" are the dates on which the former suns perished ("4 Jaguar"; "4 Wind," represented by the head of the god Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl; "4 Rain," represented by the head of Tlaloc; "4 Water," represented by a jar of water from which emerges the bust of the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue).
A ring surrounding these figures contains other representations of the signs of the days. Beginning at the top with the head of the alligator Cipacili, the ring closes with the sign for the flower, Xochitl. Then follow the bands with drawings of the solar rays and of jewels of jade or turquoise, for the Aztecs called the sun Xiuhpiltontli, "the turquoise child." They thought of him as the most precious thing in the universe and always pictured him as a jewel. Finally, the two outer bands are the two fire serpents who bear the sun through the sky. Between their fangs appear the faces of the deities who use these serpents as disguises.
These serpents of fire, or xiuhcoatls, that surround the sun also circled the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan and formed the famous coatepantli, or "wall of serpents." Nothing of the latter remains today except a few heads, which are in the National Museum of Mexico. In another temple at Tenayuca, however, such heads can be seen surrounding the temple dedicated to the sun.
Huitzilopochtli fittingly represents the blue sky, or the sky of day, but he is an incarnation of the sun. His struggle with the nocturnal powers led by the moon has already been recounted, and how he must defeat the gods of night each day in order to keep mankind alive and prevent the gods of darkness from destroying the sun. It has also been pointed out that Huitzilopochtli, unlike the majority of the other gods, seems to have occupied a place of importance only among the Aztecs. Indeed, up to the present time, the only representation of this god in any manuscript that comes from a region outside the Tenochtitlan area that has been brought to our attention is the one pointed out by Beyer [Hermann Beyer, a German scientist, formerly associated with the Middle American Research Institute at Tulane University. He was an authority on Mayan hieroglyphics and Middle American archaeology] in the Fejervary-Mayer manuscript [The Codex Fejervary-Mayer, an old Mexican picture manuscript now in the Liverpool, England, Free Public Museum], though the same Mexican god appears to be portrayed in a painting adorning the temples of Tulum, a Mayan city that came under strong Toltec influence.
However, the tribal character of Huitzilopochtli is clearly revealed in the legends of the Aztec migrations preserved in the codices and chronicles and in the foundations of Tenochtitlan.
As a matter of fact, it was Huitzilopochtli who, in the year "One Flint," the year of his birth, induced the leaders of the Aztec tribe to leave dieir mythical homeland, Aztlan, located in the middle of a lake, and undertake the long wanderings before establishing themselves on another island, also located in the middle of a lake, which would have not only the same physical but also the same mythical conditions as the place from which they had come. During their wanderings Huitzilopochtli was careful to arrange what his people should do; and his spokesmen, who carried his statue, whence came their name, teomama, told the people when they must settle and when they must abandon die places where they had taken up dieir abode. In this way they spent centuries wandering through the north and central parts of Mexico until they finally settled down in the valley.
Since the god had promised to give his people a definite homeland and dominion over the world, it was necessary for the Aztecs to remain separate from the other indigenous nations, their enemies. This was so necessary that when they were firmly established in the valley and commercial relations and marriages began to break their isolation, the priests were careful to see that a king's daughter who had been given in marriage to an Aztec prince was sacrificed. Hostilities would then break out again, and long-smoldering hatreds would be stirred between the Aztecs and the tribes they were destined to conquer.
But after they left the land of whiteness, they had to establish themselves in a place that was to be revealed by magical manifestations. When the astonished priests found the eagle poised on the cactus, the omen Huitzilopochtli had given them, the trees turned white and the waters became white; there the Aztecs were to found Tenochtitlan. A stream of blue water and another of red gushed forth from the spring, indicating the hieroglyphic atltlachinolli, which means "water, a burned thing," or the holy war which had as its objective the offering of the blood and hearts of the victims to the sun.
Metzli, the moon, is also pictured at times with a disk decorated on its outer bands like the solar disk, but generally this disk is black or ash-colored. At the center there appears the figure of a bone twisted into a form resembling a cross section of a small jar of water or the figure of a rabbit, as explained in the legend about the sun, the moon, and the rabbit. The eagle and the jaguar were the creatures in which the powers of light and darkness were incarnate. Warriors who attained the great honor of being called by these names were more dedicated than others to supplying nourishment to the sun by sacrifice.
The astral gods, being victims of the sun, appear in the codices with their bodies painted with white chalk, striped in red, just as the Aztecs painted the prisoners of war who were to be sacrificed. Facial painting in the form of a black mask marks them as gods of the night.
There were many astral deities, but the most important were Mixcoatl, "the cloud serpent," or the Milky Way; Camaxtle, tutelar god of the Tlaxcaltecans; Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, "the lord of the house of dawn," etc. All the stars, conceived of as gods, were thought to be grouped in two squadrons called Centzon Mimixcoa, "the unnumbered ones from the North," and Centzon Huitzndhuac, "the unnumbered ones from the South." They were the warriors against whom the sun must do battle each day. But the planets were the tzitzimime, or tzontemoc, "those who fell head first," that is, those who seemed to fall into the west, distinguishing thereby their course of movement from mat of the other stars. It is they who, transformed into jaguars on the terrible night at the end of the century, will come down to earth, changed into wild beasts, to devour man.
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In his seminal work in 1907, Vox Populi (The Wisdom of the Crowds), Sir Francis Galton looked at the results of a weight-judging competition where participants had to guess the weight of an ox for a monetary prize. As would be expected, there were a wide range of guesses, some of which were wildly inaccurate. Much to his surprise, however, when he pooled the guesses of all 787 participants together, the crowd guessed the ox’s weight nearly perfectly.
From apes to ants, animals make better decisions when they work in groups than when they’re own their own. What is it about working in groups that makes us perform better? In a paper published this year in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Dr. Max Wolf and colleagues present one way that bigger groups can make better decisions.
Harnessing collective intelligence
In their paper, Accurate decisions in an uncertain world: collective cognition increases true positives while decreasing false positives, the authors explain that groups can harness each members’ unique perspective on a problem by following a specific decision-making process. First, the group members must examine the problem themselves and secretly vote “yes” or “no.” (In the paper, “yes” or “no” indicates whether they saw a predator in a picture.) Next, the group members must pool their votes and vote for a second and final time, but this time they vote “yes” only if a sufficient fraction of group members also voted yes, called the quorum threshold. The result of this decision-making process is shown in the figure below.
In this model, each group member by themselves votes “yes” correctly 60% of the time (true positive) and votes “yes” incorrectly 30% of the time (false positive). This means that, by themselves, each group member will perform pretty poorly. However, when they follow the decision-making process described above, a group with 65 members can improve their accuracy to nearly 100%! How’s that for the wisdom of the crowds?
Since the authors didn’t include the code with their paper, I hacked together a quick version of the model and put it up on Github. Feel free to copy and reuse it as you like.
Now, you may be wondering: “How the heck does that work?” How do otherwise mediocre decision makers make near-perfect decisions when they work together? Unfortunately, the authors don’t go into detail on the why of this decision-making process, which no doubt means that will be the focus of future work.
What the paper does explain, however, is the importance of the quorum threshold value. If you play around with the quorum threshold value in the model I linked above, you’ll quickly find that this phenomenon only occurs when the quorum threshold value is in between the true positive and false positive rates. If you set the quorum threshold value outside of that range, then adding more group members can actually make the group less accurate.
Models are great, but what about the real world?
What the authors did next is what really made this study impressive. Knowing that their model predicts the optimal quorum threshold value to fall between a group’s true positive and false positive rate, they conducted an experiment with humans to see if this prediction holds up in the real world. Sure enough, shown in the figure below, each group’s quorum threshold (labeled “escape quorum”) fell in between the group’s true positive and false positive rate.
The implications of this finding are profound: Not only does having an intermediate quorum threshold increase the efficacy of a group, but it appears that humans are adapted to have an intermediate quorum threshold! It will be interesting to see how this quorum threshold varies across different decision-making tasks. I also wonder if this finding will hold if we measure it in other animal species, or if this finding only applies to humans.
So, what does this mean for me?
All this theory and experimental findings are neat, but what does this mean for businesses, engineers, and the public at large? As it turns out, we all have to make important “yes” or “no” decisions every day. I’ll highlight a couple examples from the paper, then add a couple examples of my own. Feel free to add your own examples in the comments.
When a doctor examines a patient, they have to decide whether or not the patient has a disease or other ailment. Correctly diagnosing diseases (true positive) while avoiding identifying healthy patients as sick (false positive) is a vital part of a doctor’s job. As such, doctors can make better decisions by independently diagnosing a patient, then pooling their diagnoses together to make a final diagnosis.
Hiring a new employee can be an expensive and time-consuming process, so it’s important to choose the best employee for the position. Search committees can best assess their applicants by assessing each applicant individually before discussing the applicants as a group.
When analyzing the blueprints for a building, it is vital for engineers to accurately identify any potential structural faults in the building plans. Thus, design firms are better off having multiple engineers analyze the blueprints independently before holding a meeting to discuss any faults in the plans. Further, it is likely that numerous less-experienced engineers will identify more faults than a single experienced engineer.
I don’t know if the reddit designers intended to capitalize on the “wisdom of the crowds” with the reddit model, but there’s no denying that they owe their success to it. reddit delivers the most interesting content on the internet because thousands of people are voting on each link, which no doubt leads to an incredibly accurate decision of whether each link is interesting and relevant to the subreddit.
The future of collective intelligence
Decision making lies at the core of nearly every problem we face nowadays. A century after its discovery, there’s no doubt that we still have a lot to learn from animal collective intelligence. I hope that we see more research in this field so we can better understand how and why animals work together in groups.
Wolf, M., Kurvers, R., Ward, A., Krause, S., & Krause, J. (2013). Accurate decisions in an uncertain world: collective cognition increases true positives while decreasing false positives Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 280 (1756), 20122777-20122777 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2777
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Physlets run in a Java-enabled browser, except Chrome, on the latest Windows & Mac operating systems. If Physlets do not run, click here for help updating Java & setting Java security.
Problem 32.6: Field produced by oscillating charge
Please wait for the animation to completely load.
The animation shows how static electric field lines from a positive point charge produce a radiation field if the charge is caused to oscillate. Initially the charge is stationary. Restart.
Start the Charge Oscillating: Notice how the electric field lines form waves that move away from the charge when the charge is oscillating.
- What is the direction of the magnetic field associated with the waves to the right of the charge?
- In what direction is the radiation field a maximum?
Problem authored by Melissa Dancy.
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| 0.87633 | 168 | 3.484375 | 3 |
Pundits like to talk about how developing countries can “leapfrog” rich countries by skipping certain stages of development—for example, by going straight to an economy based on renewable energy without first passing through a phase of messy fossil-fuel based industrialization—but it rarely happens. M-Pesa, the system of mobile payments first launched in Kenya, is an exception.
Begun in 2007 as a way to send people their microloans, M-Pesa has since become the country’s dominant method of sending remittances from workers in the city to relatives in Kenya’s rural areas. Safaricom, the mobile telecommunications company that launched M-Pesa, has 19 million customers, which is nearly every adult in Kenya. Of those, 15 million use M-Pesa, which processes 80 transactions a second and handles transactions responsible for 31% of the $33.62 billion GDP of Kenya, reports the Financial Times (paywall).
There are more than 700 million cell phones in Africa, and 70% of the population has one. Coincidentally, 70% of the population also has no access to a bank. The runaway success of M-Pesa can be attributed to the collision of these forces, though it hasn’t been equally successful in every country in which it’s been introduced, notes Vanessa Clark at TechCrunch. For example, M-Pesa never took off in South Africa, possibly because banks there learned a lesson from what happened in Kenya and began offering similar mobile payment services before it even arrived. In South Africa, mobile payments are dominated by Fundamo, which was acquired by Visa in 2011 for $110 million and is now the basis of mobile payment systems being rolled out in India (where M-Pesa is also establishing a foothold) and Rwanda.
In the US and other rich countries, payments via cell phone are still languishing behind a tangle of standards—Near Field Communication, countless apps and various failed efforts at mobile wallets. In Africa, though, the lack of existing banking and other types of infrastructure have propelled many countries into the payments future that smartphones were supposed to enable—despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of phones in Africa remain low-end “feature phones.”
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| 0.96112 | 465 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Japanese cuisine is not the same in every region of Japan. It has two main groups. "Washoku" is traditional Japanese food and "Youshoku" is western style food which has been changed by local people. Japanese food has become more popular outside of Japan.
Definition[change | change source]
In the narrow sense, Japanese food means the original Japanese food, before the opening of the country to the world in the Edo era. But, in the broader sense, it now includes foods influenced by other cultures.
Examples[change | change source]
Soya beans[change | change source]
Soya beans are a very important ingredient in Japanese cooking; it is used in soya sauce, miso and tofu. Soya milk is also used as a drink. One example of a dish with soya beans in it, is tofu. Tofu is made from pressing soybeans into cubes and then boiling them. Tofu is often in soups and stews. Deep fried tofu is also used in many popular Japanese dishes, for example as kitsune udon and inari sushi. Soya beans also have omega 3 fatty acids, that can also be found in salmon.
Noodles[change | change source]
- Ramen (egg noodles with soup, vegetables and meat or fish)
- Udon (Thick noodles with soup that can be with tofu, meat or vegetables. For the hot dish, noodles and soup are usually served together in the same bowl. For the cold dish, noodles and soup are usually served in different dishes)
- Soba (Thin noodles with soy-sause-based soup. In hot dishes, noodles and soup are usually served together in the same bowl. For cold dishes, the noodles and soup are usually served in different bowls)
- Yakisoba (Stir fry vegetables and/or meat with egg noodles and a soy based sauce)
- Sōmen (Very thin white noodles made of wheat flour)
- Sōmin champurū (Okinawan very thin noodles that are stirred and fried with green onions and pork meat)
Seafood[change | change source]
Japan is surrounded by the ocean so there is a rich variety of seafood which is an important part of Japanese cooking.
- Sushi (cooked rice with raw fish, vegetables or other seafood)
- Sashimi (sliced raw fish)
- Yakizakana (cooked whole fish)
- Asari no miso shiru (miso soup with small mussels called "asari")
Meat[change | change source]
Japanese people did not eat meat until the Europeans first came. Fish was the most common food.
- Yakiniku (fried slices of beef with a sweet and spicy sauce- originally Korean)
- Nikujaga (beef, potatoes and usually carrots cooked in mentsuyu – a soy sauce based sauce)
- Yakitori (bits of chicken staked with soy based sauce)
- Shabu shabu is meat (or other protein-based food) and vegetables boiled in a simple broth flavored with seaweed and/or fish. Each piece of meat is put in the broth for a short time.
- Botan nabe
Wasabi[change | change source]
Wasabi is Japanese horseradish. It is often a green paste used with sashimi and sushi. Wasabi is also used with many other Japanese foods. Wasabi is sold as a paste or in powder form. Wasabi powder has to be mixed with water to be turned into a paste. Wasabi has a strong, very spicy (hot) taste.
Sashimi[change | change source]
Sashimi is very thinly cut raw seafood. Many different kinds of fresh fish and other seafood are served raw in Japanese dishes. Sashimi is one of them. It is almost the same as sushi, but it has no vinegar rice. When the slices of fish are put on small pieces of rice they are called "Nigiri Sushi". Sashimi is artistically arranged and put on the plate on top of shredded daikon and shiso leaves. The fish pieces are dipped into soya sauce before being eaten.
Seaweed[change | change source]
Seaweed has been a very important part of Japanese dishes for a long time. Today, many different types of seaweed are used in soups, seasonings and other forms of Japanese cooking. These are the three seaweeds used the most:
- Kombu (large type of seaweed)
- Wakame (sold in dried form, and then put in water before people use it in their foods)
- Nori (thin, dried seaweed sheets, used in sushi)
References[change | change source]
- 岡嶋芳枝. "世界の小麦料理、日本からは". Nippun. http://www.nippn.co.jp/entertainment/know/world_flour_cooking/detail/1198140_2564.html. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
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| 0.954988 | 1,088 | 3.28125 | 3 |
Henry Craik, ed. English Prose. 1916. Vol. III. Seventeenth Century
The Value of Natural Philosophy
By Robert Boyle (16271691)
From Usefulness of Natural Philosophy
THE NATURAL philosophy wont to be taught in schools, being little other than a system of the opinions of Aristotle and some few other writers, is not, I confess, Pyrophilus, very difficult to be learned; as being attainable by the perusal of a few of the more current authors. But, Pyrophilus, that experimental philosophy which you will find treated of in the following essays is a study, if duly prosecuted, so difficult, so changeable, and so toilsome that I think it requisite, before I propose any particular subjects to your inquiries, to possess you with a just value of true and solid physiology; and to convince you that, by endeavouring to addict you to it, I invite you not to misspend your time or trouble on a science unable to merit and requite it. In order, Pyrophilus, to the giving you this satisfaction, give me leave to mind you that it was a saying of Pythagoras, worthy so celebrated a philosopher, that there are two things which most ennoble man, and make him resemble the gods; to know the truth, and to do good. For, Pyrophilus, that diviner part of man, the soul, which alone is capable of wearing the glorious image of its author, being endowed with two chief faculties, the understanding and the will, the former is blest and perfectionated by knowledge, and the latters loveliest and most improving property is goodness. A due reflection upon this excellent sentence of him to whom philosophers owe that modest name, should, methinks, Pyrophilus, very much endear to us the study of natural philosophy. For there is no human science that does more gratify and enrich the understanding with variety of choice and acceptable truths; nor scarce any, that does more enable a willing mind to exercise a goodness beneficial to others.
To manifest these truths more distinctly, Pyrophilus, and yet without exceeding that brevity my avocations and the bounds of an essay exact of me, I shall, among the numerous advantages accruing to men from the study of the book of nature, content myself to instance only in a couple that relate more properly to the improving of mens understandings, and to mention a few of those many by which it increases their power.
The two great advantages which a real acquaintance with nature brings to our minds are, first, by instructing our understandings, and gratifying our curiosities; and next, by exciting and cherishing our devotion.
And for the first of these; since, as Aristotle teacheth, and was taught himself by common experience, all men are naturally desirous to know; that propensity cannot but be powerfully engaged to the works of nature, which, being incessantly present to our senses, do continually solicit our curiosities; of whose potent inclining us to the contemplation of natures wonders, it is not, perhaps, the inconsiderablest instance, that, though the natural philosophy hitherto taught in most schools hath been so litigious in its theory, and so barren as to its productions, yet it hath found numbers of zealous and learned cultivators, whom sure nothing but mens inbred fondness for the object it converses with, and the end it pretends to, could so passionately devote to it.
And since that (as the same Aristotle, taught by his master Plato, well observes) admiration is the parent of philosophy, by engaging us to enquire into the causes of things at which we marvel, we cannot but be powerfully invited to the contemplation of nature, by living and conversing among wonders, some of which are obvious and conspicuous enough to amaze even ordinary beholders, and others admirable and abstruse enough to astonish the most inquisitive spectators.
The bare prospect of this magnificent fabric of the universe, furnished and adorned with such strange variety of curious and useful creatures, would suffice to transport us both with wonder and joy if their commonness did not hinder their operations. Of which truth Mr. Stepkins, the famous oculist, did not long since supply us with a memorable instance; for (as both himself and an illustrious person that was present at the cure, informed me) a maid of about eighteen years of age, having by a couple of cataracts that she brought with her into the world, lived absolutely blind from the moment of her birth, being brought to the free use of her eyes, was so ravished at the surprising spectacle of so many and various objects as presented themselves to her unacquainted sight, that almost everything she saw transported her with such admiration and delight that she was in danger to lose the eyes of her mind by those of her body, and expound that mystical Arabian proverb which advises to shut the windows that the house may be light.
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- Category: News
- Published on 24 June 2013
A snake expert died after he was bitten by a snake during a reptile show.
The German snake expert died after being bitten several times by a snake during the presentation aimed at helping people ease their fears of reptiles.
Dieter Zorn, 53, an expert herpetologist, died of a heart attack minutes after being bitten by a Vipera aspis snake. At his show, Zorn encouraged attendees to handle reptiles in order to get rid of their fears of snakes. Zorn was in France to perform his reptile show, which teaches people how to overcome their fears of snakes, when he was bitten several times.
His co-host, Uschi Kallus, said that Zorn died from an "extremely rare allergic reaction" to the bite. Emergency personnel tried to save him by administering a blood thinner, but sadly, they were unable to save him. Kallus said the incident was "exceptionally rare."
Vipera aspis is a venomous viper species found in France, Switzerland, Spain and Italy. It can grow to about 20 inches long and live in a variety of habitats. A bite from this type of snake can be very painful, but only about 4 percent of all untreated bites are known to be fatal.
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| 0.989405 | 272 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Who's Who - Sir William Pakenham
Sir William Christopher Pakenham (1861-1933) served with the Royal Navy during the Battle of Jutland in June 1916 and thereafter as Commander-in-Chief of the Battle Cruiser Fleet.
Pakenham entered the Royal Navy in 1874. During the 1904 Russo-Japanese War Pakenham served with the Japanese fleet.
An intelligent, shrewd and witty officer, Pakenham was promoted in due course to Rear-Admiral in 1914, the year war broke out in Europe. He was given command of the 3rd Cruiser Squadron, and subsequently led 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron during the Battle of Jutland.
During the famous encounter with the German High Seas Fleet Pakenham was aboard HMS New Zealand, which remarkably emerged from the fighting undamaged. He was knighted the same year.
With Sir David Beatty's promotion as commander of the Grand Fleet in December 1916 Pakenham was given the former's post as Commander-in-Chief of the Battle Cruiser Fleet, a position he retained until the end of the war.
Having been promoted to Vice-Admiral in 1918 Pakenham subsequently served as President of the Royal Naval College from 1919-20 and then as Commander-in-Chief in the North Atlantic and West Indies.
He died in 1933.
The first zeppelin raid on London was on 31 May 1915. Earlier raids in January 1915 had avoided London. The London raid resulted in 28 deaths and 60 injuries.
- Did you know?
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| 0.980129 | 319 | 2.6875 | 3 |
People with COPD often have chronic bronchitis, and the primary cause of chronic bronchitis is smoking cigarettes. Chronic bronchitis is characterized by a chronic cough and chronic mucus production without another known cause (such as infection).
Cells that line the airways in the lungs normally produce mucus as part of the body's defense mechanism against bacteria, viruses, and other foreign particles. The mucus traps these particles, and tiny hair-like projections in the airways (called cilia) sweep the dirty mucus up and out of the lungs.
In chronic bronchitis, more mucus than normal is constantly produced. This causes a build-up of excess mucus that the cilia are unable to clear from the lungs. Exacerbating this is the fact that the cilia become dysfunctional and are less efficient at expelling mucus from the lungs. The build-up of mucus narrows the airways and provides havens for bacteria to thrive leading to more frequent and serious lung infections, and even more mucus production.
The hallmark symptoms of chronic bronchitis are:
Shortness of breath.
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<urn:uuid:907cfb0f-97d1-4d07-bf14-488f18dbd774>
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CC-MAIN-2016-26
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https://www.nationaljewish.org/healthinfo/conditions/copd-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease/associated-conditions/Chronic-Bronchitis
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| 0.933148 | 231 | 3.703125 | 4 |
Marathons May Cause Breathing Issues, Heart Attacks
Marathon running may trigger a lung condition that causes shortness of breath, severe coughing, and in serious cases, heart attacks or respiratory failure, according to a new study.
Half of 26 runners in the study who completed the 2011 Steamtown Marathon in Pennsylvania had some form of pulmonary edema, where fluid builds up in the air sacs of the lungs, about 20 minutes after the race, according to research led by Gerald Zavorsky of Marywood University. Twenty percent of the participants had a moderate or severe form of the condition, the study showed. The research was presented today at the European Respiratory Society annual meeting in Vienna.
The research adds to previous studies that showed marathon runners are at risk of high blood pressure and heart complications. There was no relation between marathon race time and the development of pulmonary edema, suggesting the condition can occur across all abilities, the researchers said.
“While pulmonary edema can be a negative consequence of marathon running, regular exercise can also keep you fit and healthy,” Zavorsky said in a statement.
Researchers took chest X-rays of the runners the day before the race and then at 19, 56 and 98 minutes after the race. Women were at much higher risk compared with men in developing pulmonary edema.
To contact the reporter on this story: Makiko Kitamura in London at [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Phil Serafino at [email protected]
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2012-09-03/marathons-may-cause-breathing-issues-heart-attacks-study-says.html
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| 0.94684 | 325 | 2.8125 | 3 |
When purchased by the City of Parma with matching federal funds, the Gibbs farm (as it was known then) was the last remaining working farm in Parma. Stearns Homestead consists of several buildings two houses – operated as museums with furnishings appropriate to their eras, a Yankee style barn and several outbuildings. All are free and open to the public.
The Stearns House (circa 1855) was build by Lyman Stearns. The farmhouse is representative of the Greek Revival style of architecture, popular throughout the United States prior to the Civil War. Our young country, which adopted much of it’s form of government from the Greeks, was also inspired by the “recent discoveries” of many Greek temples and antiquities.
Like most Greek Revival buildings, the original farmhouse structure had symmetrical, evenly spaced, multi-paned windows, substantial cornices that extend into gable ends as “returns”, and a roof with low pitched gables, similar to those of Greek temples. Also, it was, and is, painted “classically” white. It is one of the oldest remaining wooden houses in Ohio.
West Side Cleveland meat processor Earl C. Gibbs and his family bought the Stearns farm in 1919 and built the newer house in 1920. The family continued to graze cattle here through the 1970s, by which point the Parma suburbs had completely surrounded them. The City of Parma purchased the property from the Gibbs family in 1980 to preserve this unique remnant of Parma’s rural heritage. The Parma Area Historical Society has since maintained it as a working educational and historic farm.
The house is full of early twentieth century artifacts that are a wonder in this digital age. Most children – let alone adults – will be challenged to name the objects or describe their function!
Early New England farmers built their barns based on the traditional barn design they brought with them from England. They were approximately thirty by forty feet and had large, hinged doors on the long faces of the barn. Typically, there was no basement, and it was built on level ground.
The Stearns barn –built between 1836 and 1855 – is an example of a style that emerged in the U.S. in the mid 1800’s; the Yankee barn. A steeply pitched, timber-framed, side-gabled wood barn of post-and-lintel construction, it could house more cows – up to ten – then the earlier English style barn. The doors open on the gable end and there is a center corridor or “drive”. with the stalls, typical along one long wall, and hay and feed along the other. Although typically built into a hillside, the Stearns barn is on a flat site. It does feature the “new” style of siding called board and batten that was less drafty than the slatted English barns.
Country Store & Outbuildings
The Country Store is a museum and a store, stocked with historic items as well as current crafts and local treasures available for purchase. The outbuildings include several animal shelters including a chicken coop, turkey house, pig pen, others.
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<urn:uuid:35059f4b-b4b6-4003-adce-ffdfd7744705>
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CC-MAIN-2016-26
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http://www.stearnshomestead.com/farm-history/building-history/
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en
| 0.975347 | 670 | 2.671875 | 3 |
noun[mass noun] Law
The questioning of a witness by the party which has called that witness to give evidence, in support of the case being made. Compare with cross-examine.
- Affidavit evidence was used as examination-in-chief for most witnesses.
- In examination-in-chief the following questions were asked.
- The defendant cross-examined the plaintiff respecting some of the subject matter of the plaintiff's examination-in-chief and then ended her cross-examination.
For editors and proofreaders
Line breaks: examination-in-chief
Definition of examination-in-chief in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
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<urn:uuid:e1ab1976-1675-4cfb-bb58-ec328d1781d2>
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http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/examination-in-chief
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| 0.957256 | 161 | 3.203125 | 3 |
African Cherokees in Indian territory: from chattel to citizens
Includes bibliographical references (p. 313-341) and index. On the run in antebellum Indian territory -- Day-to-day resistance to the peculiar institution and the struggle to remain free in the antebellum Cherokee nation -- Conceptualizing and constructing African Indian racial and cultural identities in antebellum Indian territory -- Trapped in the turmoil : a divided Cherokee nation and the plight of enslaved African Cherokees during the Civil War era -- Cherokee freedpeople's struggle for recognition and rights during reconstruction -- Contested common ground : landownership, race politics, and segregation on the eve of statehood.
- LCC: E99
- Dewey Decimal: 975.004/97557
- Language: eng
- Physical Description: xii, 360 p. : ill., maps ; 22 cm.
- Edition Info: (pbk. : alk. paper)
- History -- Americas -- United States -- 19th Century -- General
- History -- Americas -- United States -- State & Local -- Oklahoma
- History -- World
- Nonfiction -- Social Sciences -- Anthropology -- Cultural
- Nonfiction -- Social Sciences -- Sociology
- Nonfiction -- Social Sciences -- Special Groups -- African-American Studies
- Nonfiction -- Social Sciences -- Special Groups -- Native American Studies
- Cherokee Indians -- History -- 19th century
- Cherokee Indians -- Mixed descent
- Cherokee Indians -- Kinship
- Indian slaves -- Oklahoma -- History -- 19th century
- African Americans -- Oklahoma
- African Americans -- Oklahoma -- Kinship
- Blacks -- Oklahoma -- Relations with Indians
Buying This Book
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<urn:uuid:b0aaf5f8-0d57-4f91-973d-a238adfdd31a>
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CC-MAIN-2016-26
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http://isbndb.com/d/book/african_cherokees_in_indian_territory_from_chattel_to_citize.html
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| 0.734834 | 532 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Caswell, Bryony A. and Coe, Angela L.
A high-resolution shallow marine record of the Toarcian (Early Jurassic) Oceanic Anoxic Event from the East Midlands Shelf, UK.
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 365-6 pp. 124–135.
The global deposition of organic rich-mudrocks, a mass extinction, and marked geochemical changes in the sedimentary rocks and fossils deposited during the early Toarcian indicates a period of extreme environmental change and an oceanic anoxic event. This study investigates at a high-resolution the environmental and biotic changes that occurred during the event in a shallow-marine area using rocks deposited on the East Midlands Shelf, UK. We present a new graphic log, geochemical data (δ13Corg, total organic carbon, CaCO3, total sulphur and total nitrogen), and benthic macroinvertebrate ranges from North Quarry, Holwell, Leicestershire, UK.
Comparison of the ammonite ranges between the Cleveland Basin (Yorkshire) and East Midland Shelf successions in the UK shows that there is a hiatus on the shelf across the Dactylioceras semicelatum–Cleviceras exaratum Subzone boundary. The new high-resolution geochemical data show that an ~− 5‰ δ13Corg excursion occurs similar to other lower Toarcian sections in the world, δ13Corg shifts ‘A’ to ‘C’ are missing in the hiatus, but that δ13Corg shift ‘D’ is present.
Similar to the Cleveland Basin, the C. exaratum Subzone of the East Midlands Shelf succession is dominated by three epifaunal bivalve species, but their ranges differ significantly between the successions. An increase in the faunal diversity occurs within the upper C. exaratum Subzone at Holwell and other UK sections. The biotic data indicate that conditions on the East Midlands Shelf were more hospitable than in the Cleveland Basin. The bivalve populations on the shelf may have provided a source of new recruits for the basins.
|Project Funding Details:
|Funded Project Name||Project ID||Funding Body|
|Not Set||Not Set||NERC (Natural Environment Research Council)|
► A high-resolution shallow marine record of the Early Toarcian OAE is presented. ► Geochemical data show an ~− 5‰ δ13Corg excursion most of which occurs over ~ 50 cm. ► A significant hiatus occurs at the D. semicelatum–C. exaratum Subzone boundary. ► The shelf may have been a source of new recruits for the basin bivalve populations. ► Higher benthic diversity indicates more hospitable conditions than in the basin.
||Toarcian (Early Jurassic); Bivalves; Oceanic anoxic event; East Midlands Shelf; Carbon isotopes; Biostratigraphy
||Science > Environment, Earth and Ecosystems
|Interdisciplinary Research Centre:
||Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR)
||02 Nov 2012 11:24
||20 Mar 2014 14:43
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<urn:uuid:bda82c39-192e-47b2-821f-0fdf2a607782>
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CC-MAIN-2016-26
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http://oro.open.ac.uk/35247/
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| 0.788184 | 710 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Bingo, a popular activity in nursing homes, senior centers and assisted-living facilities, has benefits that extend well beyond socializing. Researchers found high-contrast, large bingo cards boost thinking and playing skills for people with cognitive difficulties and visual perception problems produced by Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).
"The general finding of improved performance across healthy and afflicted groups suggests the value of visual support as an easy-to-apply intervention to enhance cognitive performance," researchers from Case Western Reserve University, Boston University and Bridgewater State University wrote.
The findings were reported in the article, "Bingo! Externally supported performance intervention for deficit visual search in normal aging, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease," in the journal Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition.
As people age, they begin to lose sensitivity to perceive contrasts. It is exacerbated in people with dementia, according to Grover C. Gilmore, a psychologist and dean of the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University.
Bingo is often used in nursing homes and senior centers as a social activity, and being socially engaged helps keep the mind healthy.
But little is known about how visual perception problems--common in aging players--affect the way these people think and play, said Gilmore, who has done extensive testing in his Perception Lab at Case Western Reserve.
Researchers tested cards of different sizes, contrasts and visual complexities to find out how visual perception problems impact cognitive functions among the study's participants: 19 younger adults, 14 individuals with probable AD, 13 AD-matched healthy adults, 17 non-demented individuals with Parkinson's disease and 20 PD-matched healthy adults.
When study participants played bingo on computer-generated cards that were manipulated for brightness, size and contrast, the researchers could compare the performance among the different age and health groups.
With some contrast and size changes to the card, researchers reported improvement in performances. For those with mild dementia, they could perform at levels of their healthy peers. Little change was reported for people with more severe dementia.
Gilmore and the study's lead investigator, Alice Cronin-Golomb from Boston University, have collaborated for two decades on projects that look at visual sensory deficits and cognition among people with dementia. For PD individuals, driving is affected by low contrasts as demonstrated in simulated fog situations.
They have found that boosting contrast in the living environment and also at the table enables people with dementia--who have lost the ability to distinguish between similar-contrast objects--to move safely around their homes and improve their eating.
For example, putting a black sofa in a white room would improve the contrast of the room and make it easier for individuals to move about. Additionally, they found that individuals with dementia actually eat more if they use a white plate and tableware on a dark tablecloth or are served food that contrasts the color of the plate.
Boosting contrast is among interventions known as Externally Supported Performance Interventions (ESPI). The researchers say these interventions allow people with dementia and others with visual perception deficits to live independently longer, perform daily tasks and enjoy life and having such pleasures as reading a book.
Other contributors to the study are: Boston University researchers Thomas M. Laudate, Sandy Neargarder (also from Bridgewater), Tracy E. Dunne, Karen D. Sullivan and Pallavi Joshi and Case Western Reserve University researcher Tatiana M. Riedel.
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| 0.946017 | 705 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Webelos Aquanaut Ideas
- Discuss the importance of the buddy swimming system.
- Have a demonstration of mask, fins, and snorkel by an expert.
- Take the den swimming. Let them try to pass the 100-foot requirements, and surface dive and snorkel optional requirements.
- If a rowboat is available, have boat safety methods and rowing techniques demonstrated by an expert.
Give boys a chance to practice the methods. Invite parents to come along.
- Teach the four basic rescue methods. Let boys’ practice reaching and throwing a lifeline for rescue.
- Practice rescue breathing on dummy.
- Go to a swim meet or diving exhibition.
- Go to a canoe or sailboat race.
- Invite an expert to explain how to handle emergencies in the water. (Contact a swim instructor, the YMCA or Coast Guard)
- Visit a boat yard.
- Have a quiz on boat safety rules.
- Study the safe swim defense plan.
- Learn about water pollutants in lakes and rivers in the area. How do they affect water consumption and recreation?
- At the end of the month, have a family splash party where Webelos Scouts can demonstrate proficiency in swimming, snorkeling, boating, and water rescue. Include games that the whole family will enjoy playing.
- Have a pack meeting at a local pool.
- Have a splash party for your Webelos and allow them to bring their friends (a good recruiting idea).
Alternately, have a parent and scout swim coupled with swim tests and instruction in fins, mask and snorkel.
- Know the rules of small-boat safety and practice at a local body of water. Watch the sun set from offshore.
- Invite a scuba diving expert to a den meeting to tell about his equipment and activities.
- Ask Boy Scouts to demonstrate and teach water rescue techniques.
- Use squirt guns to put out candle flames.
- Try to drive a nail into a piece of wood underwater in a washtub.
- Have a water sponge fight. A big bucket of water and everyone gets two sponges to throw. Less messy to cleanup than balloons.
- Have a bottle cap war. Give each scout a bottle cap. Set out a bucket with a large circle around it to denote the free zone. Scouts fill their bottle caps and go splash others outside the circle.
Scatter diving rings all over the pool bottom. On signal, players put on masks, fins, and snorkels and begin search. The one who retrieves the most rings wins.
Flapping Fins Race
On signal, players put on fins (no masks or snorkels) and race to the other side of the pool and back.
Table Waiter Race
Each swimmer carries a paper plate with a cork on it. He starts in the water and goes toward the finish line with the plate held at shoulder level with one hand. He may replace the cork if it falls off.
Guess the Rule
On separate slips of paper, write the 8 Sae Swim Defense rules - See Guide to Safe Scout page.
Put the slips in a bag and ask the first scout to pick one. He reads his directions silently and pantomimes the action.
The player who first guesses what he is doing becomes the next performer.
Nuts And Bolts
Materials: 1-inch diameter bolt and nut for each team. 4 foot string and balloon for each team. Also, a judge in the water for each team is helpful.
Blow up the balloon but not too full. Tie the balloon to one end of the string and the head of the bolt to the other. Thread the nut all the way onto the bolt.
Toss the bolt for each team out into the water at about 3 feet deep and spaced well apart.
On GO signal, first scout from each team runs into the water if playing in a lake, or jumps in if in a swimming pool.
Scout goes to bolt, goes underwater to unthread the nut, and brings it up.
When the judge gives him the go-ahead signal, he goes back underwater and threads the nut all the way onto the bolt and brings it up.
When the judge gives him the go-ahead signal, he drops the bolt and tags the next scout.
Find The Number
About twenty large, flat rocks are plainly marked on both sides with numbers ranging from one to five.
Drop the rocks into water from two to six feet deep, depending on the swimming ability of your group.
On GO signal, everyone brings back as many numbered rocks as possible to his position on shore.
Only one rock may be carried at a time.
The player who collects the highest total when the numbers on his rocks are added up is the winner.
Alternative: Add a letter to one side of each rock when painting them. Have every scout retrieve 3 or 4 rocks. Then, randomly choose a letter from a bag and the scout with that letter wins a prize.
Life Preserver Throw
Throw a weight attached to a rope. Award points for distance and accuracy.
Stretch a rope across the pool and play volleyball using a large beach ball.
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| 0.925198 | 1,092 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Quality of Life
This section contains information about numerous issues that have an impact on our quality of life as we age. Articles contain information based on latest studies and feedback on each subject.
Boomers are Fighting Ageism
Older persons encounter ageism in the workplace, the health care system, family settings, and in most other venues. By ignoring the existence of stereotyping, older persons in fact are encouraging discrimination against themselves. Let's learn how not to encourage these negative ageism behaviors.
Aging in Place
Aging in place is perceived by many to be a good concept overall, but many new types of support systems are needed in the community for older persons to age in place successfully. This article provides an overview, challenges recommendations based on the latest studies.
Aging Vision Loss and Protecting Our Independence
More than 3.3 million Americans age 40 and older have low vision and blindness, but we need to realize that serious vision loss is not inevitable as we age. Learn the warning signs and what we can do to prevent vision problems.
What is the value of preparing bucket lists/life lists? Making a "life list" is a great way to make positive plans for the future and give us reasons to look forward and not always back. Implementing our life lists also provide great memories for our older years.
Building Spiritual Connections in Later Life
Feeling hopeful and positive are important components of nurturing our spiritual side at any age. There are several kinds of activities we can select that will nurture that side. Learn what these action steps are, how to become more spiritual and how to feel more content as we age.
Selecting the cars we drive in older age is important as the choices we make directly affect our safety when we drive. Check out the guidelines for car selection and tips for comfort now and for the future.
Centenarians as An Aging Model
Research shows that centenarians represent an excellent model of aging well, and some of the reasons are included here. The New England study results give us the predictors as to why people live to be age 100. Interviews with centenarians have fostered advice as to how they made it to 100 plus.
Changes in Sleep Patterns
Changes in sleep patterns as we age sometimes go unnoticed, or if we notice them, we think something is wrong with us. Information gleaned from studies shows us that changes are normal and we should make efforts to work on healthy sleep patterns.
Companionship as We Age
Looking for companionship at any age, but especially in our older years, can be a challenge. Before looking, we need to explore our feelings and acknowledge the kind of relationship we want for ourselves. Learn about the three C's which help us to find the right mate and be safe a the same time.
Disability Trends Declining
Disability appears to be declining in older age say the experts. This is good news for us as we age. What's the bad news? Read this article and discover why "sitting disease" causes peril to our health.
Driver Rehabilitation Specialists - Keep Driving
There are an estimated 35 million older drivers and their fitness to operate a vehicle is critical. This article tells us how we can access valuable assistance to keep driving through the use of driver rehab specialists as we encounter certain health impediments.
Embracing Technology a Positive
Considering older generations did not grow up with computers, we have been more reluctant to embrace new technology,and in fact may be suspicious of it. We continue to lag behind younger Americans in tech adoption. Learn about this phenomenon and why embracing technology is the way to go!
Feeling Younger than Our Age
Older persons who feel younger than their actual age experience health benefits far beyond those who “feel their age.” We should think about our approach to aging and realize that "looking" younger isn't the same as "feeling" younger, and feeling younger than our actual age is where it's at!
We all know that stress can be a killer and that reducing stress in our lives is the healthiest option. This article provides us with some recommendations based on research that will help us move toward a healthier, stress free lifestyle.
Fighting the Aging Process
What kinds of action steps can we take to fight the effects of the coming years? Learn how to take up the challenge and begin feeling and looking better immediately.
Gifts for the Older Set
Buying gifts for older persons requires some original thinking. Some elders say they have everything they need, but there are some cool things out there that even the “please don’t buy me anything” folks might enjoy! As the holidays approach, we all could use some new ideas for gift giving!
Good Oral Health a Challenge
About 25% of adults 60 years old and older no longer have any natural teeth. Get the overview about oral health and aging and learn how you can enhance your oral health.
Heart Failure [offsite link]
Helping Others with Grief
Sometimes it is very difficult to know what to say to others when they have had an acute loss. Since losses become more common as we age, it is to our advantage to learn what we should and shouldn't say or do at these times. Learn the basics of helping others grieve.
High Blood Pressure in the Elderly [offsite link]
Hobbies are Good for Health
Studies show that if we choose hobbies that are mentally and physically challenging, we can enhance our health and quality of life. Get some suggestions and good ideas here.
Investing in Health Pays Off
Being diligent about routine checkups and not letting vanity or reluctance keep us from wearing eyeglasses and hearing aids if we need them are not easy tasks as we age. Learn ways to make health the top priority that it should be and hopefully chuckle along the way!
It's Important to Laugh!
Laughter, especially as we age, will enable us to get through the hard times and more readily appreciate the good. We need to be proactive in seeking out enjoyable times and laughter. Learn how to do it right here.
Itching Common Among Older Adults
Itching is probably one of the most common complaints that dermatologists encounter in older populations. Learn why this problem exists and how to help yourself and others with a malady that continuously affects a good quality of life.
Key Issues forTransitioning to Retirement
People don't think through some of the basics when they plan for retirement because their focus is on financial considerations as well as location. Read what other important issues we all should consider when thinking about retiring.
Late Life Remarriage
Remarrying in later years is not always easy since two people have to mesh their lifestyles, families, friends and interests. How to do it well? Read all about it!
Living Alone at 95
Living along as we age can be daunting, but when we have examples like Kathleen at age 95 delighted to have her own place, we realize it is "doable" to remain independent. This interview with Kathleen tells us about her support systems, memories and very positive attitude.
Managing Holiday Stress
As we get older, whether we are planning to be all alone for the Holidays or headed into an uncomfortable group situation, there is nothing like being prepared. Learn how stay in a positive frame of mind and take control as the holidays approach.
Older Adults and Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol at any age can cause health problems. Since older adults take more medication as they age and alcohol can affect drug interactions, drinking can be more dangerous for older persons. Learn about the effects of alcohol as we age and what to avoid.
Pets Enhance Well-being
Animals can reduce loneliness and encourage healthy behaviors. It is important to appreciate how pets can add to a healthy lifestyle as we age and as our loved ones also get on in years. Learn how owning a pet can add to our quality of life.
Planning for Final Years
Many of us avoid planning for our final years. Waiting and deferring to others can be a mistake, because it is just as crucial that we have peace of mind and a good quality of life in our final years as at any other time in our lives. Learn what to do to prepare and take charge!
Quality of Life Newsletter Content
This first newsletter article provides an overview of the content planned for the Quality of Life newsletter linked to BellaOnline's Geriatrics site.
Readers Weigh In
No matter what kind of concerns we experience as we age, we need to recognize that "we are all in this together." If an issue doesn't affect us directly, it probably has affected a member of our family, a friend or a loved one. Learn what some of our readers have to say!
Rolling with the Punches
Resilience helps us “roll with the punches” and to have a better quality of life. Learn how we can build on our innate resilience and help ourselves age more successfully.
Seeking Companionship After 50
Seeking a new friend and potential partner can seem daunting, especially if we haven’t been “out there” in years. We need to find the courage to learn how to look for companionship and feel safe doing it! This article provides us with some guidelines. More to come on this topic!
Selecting a New Place to Live
It’s really difficult to think about pulling up stakes and moving to a new location, especially when we are older and planning on “downsizing” and retiring. Learn about the most important factors to consider when making a move and how to "do the research."
Singular Living Not a Cause for Concern
Living alone as we age might not be preferred by many, but isn't as negative as we might think. Read about aging and living alone here and then check out our Geriatrics Forum to learn more.
Sore Feet Fixes
Many of us have had problems with our feet, but as we get older the problems seem to become more numerous: everything from heel pain to an ingrown toenail. These ailments can affect our mobility and independence so it’s important to learn how to address them soonest.
Taking a Reality Check
Sometimes we get so caught up in our day to day activities (or get stuck and mourn the lack of enjoyable activities) after we retire that we forget to take a reality check on how we are spending our precious time. We can’t change the past but can learn how to make our futures “all they can be.”
Taking the Heat for Eating Meat
Most of us enjoy meat as a regular part of our diet, so it is painful to hear that eating meat is now deemed a health risk. Learn why it is important to cut back, options for making the shift, and which foods are best as replacements.
Technology as We Age
Statistics show that many older persons are not keeping up with technology and get very frustrated when trying to learn, such as using smart phones. There are many tech tools that would be useful to us as we age and enhance our quality of life. The key is to go slowly but go!
The Happiness Factor
Happiness increases as we surpass sixty years of age because as we've aged we tend to deal better with negative circumstances than younger folks. Learn how to be proactive in making our lives more enjoyable as we get older and how we naturally become more attuned to having a better life.
Tips for Controlling High Blood Pressure [offsite link]
Under-treatment of Hypertension? [offsite link]
Volunteering in Later Years
Studies have shown that people who volunteer often feel that they receive more than they give and lead happier, healthier lives. Read about how volunteering can add to our quality of life!
Ways to "Lighten Up"
Most of us have too much "stuff" and find it harder and harder to let go of it as we age. These are things we worked hard for and we keep them whether we are using them or not, causing clutter and a disorganized atmosphere. Read and learn about ways to make letting go much easier.
Links marked with the [offsite link] designation point to websites not associated with BellaOnline.com. BellaOnline.com is not responsible for the material found there.
Geriatrics Homepage | Editor's Picks Articles | Top Ten Articles | Geriatrics Site Map
Think your link belongs here? Use the contact page to let this editor know.
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How are Canada’s Grade 8 students doing in math, science and reading?
WATCH: Grade 8 students across Canada were assessed on how they’re doing in math, science and reading. Overall, the results were quite positive. But, they suggest much of your kids’ success depends on where you live. Eric Sorensen explains.
TORONTO – A new broad-based study of most of Canada’s Grade 8 students suggests the vast majority of them take a solid grasp of science with them into their high school years.
The Pan-Canadian Academic Program, administered every three years by a group representing provincial education ministers, looks at academic performance in reading, science and math among students in their final year of middle school.
During each cycle, the program puts its primary focus on one discipline, providing detailed statistics on that area while offering more cursory overviews of the other two.
Tuesday’s results, which focus on science, were based on scores from 32,000 students from all 10 provinces, but none of the territories, who wrote the test in 2013.
View the full report below
The test found 91 per cent of students could perform at or above the expected grade level in science.
The study found average reading and math scores had risen very slightly from levels recorded in 2010.
The latest PCAP results, released by the Council of Ministers of Education Canada, mark the first time that science has come under a national microscope. Editions based on results gathered in 2007 and 2010 trained the spotlight on reading and math respectively.
Alberta Education Minister and CMEC chairman Gordon Dirks said the latest science results bode well for Canada’s future.
“Science is such a very important domain to our country,” Dirks said in a telephone interview. “It’s a domain that is vital to education, to economic development, to the future success of Canada. So we need to ensure that our students are getting the kind of quality education in science that our country expects and requires of our various education systems.”
Dirks said the test questions were not based on any one provincial curriculum. They were instead developed around elements common to all curricula, such as the characteristics of a sound scientific experiment.
Dirks said he was particularly encouraged by the lack of a gender gap on the science scores, which showed girls and boys performing equally well across the board.
Parity was not so easily achieved among the provinces.
Alberta and Ontario recorded the top science scores, with British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador also scoring at or above the national average.
Manitoba logged the lowest scores not only in science, but in all three disciplines covered by PCAP. The Manitoba Ministry of Education did not respond to a request for comment.
National averages in math and science rose very slightly from results recorded in 2010. The bell curved average reading score of 500 rose to 508 this year, while math scores inched up from 500 to 507. This year marked the first time that a national average score was calculated for science. The report placed that average at 500.
Quebec students in Secondary II — the equivalent of Grade 8 — led the pack in math scores this year, while Ontario students took top honours in reading.
Boys and girls achieved roughly equal scores in math, but girls outperformed their male peers in average national literacy scores. Dirks said that result is a red flag for the provincial governments.
“Everybody wants to do everything that we can across the country to ensure that our teaching methods in reading are going to assist boys in the early years to get a solid start, that we do everything we can to improve boys’ motivation to read, that we get the right kind of reading materials that are going to appeal to them,” he said.
Dirks said governments must also not rest on their laurels when it comes to the largely positive science scores, which roughly equal the math results posted in the last round of testing.
Dirks said it’s easy to overlook the fact that one in 10 students are not performing up to grade level, adding teachers and governments must keep working to close the gap.
The PCAP was administered in the spring of 2013 across 1,500 schools coast to coast. The governments of the three territories declined to participate in the testing.
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Chapter 1. African Independence and Before: Telling the people where the rain began to beat them
Chapter 3. In the Beginning: One struggle for paged history
Chapter 4. After Uhuru: Pulling smiles out of hanging lips
Chapter 5. Voices in the Dark: Them enemies
Chapter 6. No Sweetness Here: The straight way lost
Chapter 7. The Crown of Thunder: Groping after tomorrow
Chapter 8. Desperate Declamations: Globules of anguish strung together on memory
Chapter 9. Breaking the Circle: When the show comes to an end
Chapter 10. Tune the Melody to Purpose: Life in the house of the fire-god
Chapter 11. The Historical Novel: Hear this for the sound of it
Chapter 12. The Novelistic Autobiography: Actions alone
Chapter 13. The Realist Novel: Casting the contradictions
Chapter 14. The Allegory: Mirrors of ideology
Chapter 15. The Polemical Poem: A flash of fire
Chapter 16. The Satirical Play: Drama, society and politics
Chapter 17. Literary Form and Ideology: The Counter-Attack?
This study of black African writings in the period 1956 to 1975 is a contribution to the developing field of postcolonial cultural debate. The historical era involved seems to me to be a key narrative moment in the shaping of postcolonial patterns of response and in the re-shaping of connections between literature and social context. These literary 'passionate spaces' vibrate with political meanings that urgently need to be heard.
Some sections of this work have appeared earlier in different form. I acknowledge the following : New Literature Review for "Literary Form and Ideology : The African Counter-Attack?" and "'I address this book to the people' : Soyinka's Novelistic Autobiography"; World Literature Written in English and the University of Texas at Arlington for "Flash of Fire : Poems from Africa"; the Institute for the Study of English in Africa, Rhodes University for "Allegory : Okara's The Voice" originally published in English in Africa; the Literary Half Yearly for "Drawing the Lines of Battle : A Man of the People"; for "The African Historical Novel and the Way Forward", African Literature Today and Heinemann Educational Books.
The poem "Apres la Guerre" first appeared in A Shuttle in the Crypt published jointly by Rex Collings Ltd. and Eyre Methuen and Co. Ltd. I thank Wole Soyinka for both this poem, and for his helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript of Passionate Spaces.
Passionate Spaces : African Literature and the Post-Colonial Context would not have appeared without the continuing support of my colleagues in the English and Comparative Literature Programme at Murdoch University and the passionate commitment to the cultural liberation of the Australian continent by Aboriginal writers, especially Mudrooroo.
Perth, Western Australia, 1991
First published in 1991 by Postcolonial Press, Unit 3, 165 Moreing Road, Attadale, W. Australia 6156
Printed in Australia
ISBN 0 646 04316 1
©Hugh Webb 1991
This work is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without the written permission of the author.
New: 13 May, 1996 | Now 2 April, 2015
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Active Social Life Delays Memory Loss Amongst Seniors
As we get older, one of the first things to go is our memory. But new research suggests that an active social life could slow the rate of memory decline.
The researchers examined data from 1998 to 2004 from the Health and Retirement Study, a large, nationally representative population of U.S. adults 50 years and older. The researchers wanted to test whether memory loss might be associated with an active social life.
Memory was assessed every two years, starting in 1998, by reading a list of ten common nouns to survey respondents, then asking them to recall as many words as possible immediately and after a five-minute delay. Social integration was assessed by marital status, volunteer activities, and contact with parents, children and neighbors.
The results showed that individuals with the highest social integration had the slowest rate of memory decline from 1998 to 2004.
In fact, memory decline among the most integrated was less than half the rate among the least integrated. These findings were independent of sociodemographic factors (such as age, gender, and race) and health status in 1998. The researchers found that the protective effect of social integration was largest among individuals with fewer than 12 years of education.
The researchers found no evidence that the results could be due to reverse causation, that is, poor memory or memory decline causing social withdrawal.
“Social participation and integration have profound effects on health and well being of people during their lifetimes,” said Berkman. “We know from previous studies that people with many social ties have lower mortality rates. We now have mounting evidence that strong social networks can help to prevent declines in memory. As our society ages and has more and more older people, it will be important to promote their engagement in social and community life to maintain their well being.”
Memory loss and dementia pose a major public health burden among the elderly U.S. population. Memory loss is associated with dementia, a syndrome estimated to affect up to 10% of the U.S. population 65 years and older.
The results suggest that increasing social integration may help slow memory decline among older Americans and could help alleviate the public health burden, particularly because the aging population in the U.S. is expected to increase substantially.
“We hope this study adds to and advances our growing understanding of the important role that social forces play in shaping health,” said Karen Ertel, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Society, Human Development and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health.
“We need to understand more about how social integration reduces the risk of memory decline in order to target interventions that can help slow the decline,” said Ertel. “Future research should focus on identifying the specific aspects of social integration most important for preserving memory.”
Previous studies have suggested that an active social life may reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline among the elderly.
Source: Harvard School of Public Health
News Editor, P. (2015). Active Social Life Delays Memory Loss Amongst Seniors. Psych Central. Retrieved on July 2, 2016, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/05/29/active-social-life-delays-memory-loss-amongst-seniors/2378.html
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||Guano exploitation starts on the
Atlantic offshore islands.
David Livingstone visits for the first time an area which later becomes known as the Caprivi Strip. His efforts to establish a mission station there fail.
The Wesleyan Missionary Society establishes a mission station at Naosanabis (present-day Leonardville). The first missionary there is Joseph Tindall (1843-1844, 1847-1851), who is followed by his son, Henry Tindall (November 1852 to July 1855).
|09.03.||The Wesleyan missionary Edward Cook dies at Warmbad.|
|14.04.||The Chief of the Kai||khaun, ||Oaseb, visits Windhoek.|
|19.08.||Chief Jonker Afrikaner requests missionary Kleinschmidt to write a letter to the Chief of the Bondelswarts (!Gami-#nun), Abraham, to refrain from plans to attack, together with the Kai||khaun, the Ovaherero. The relationship between Jonker and the Kai||khaun is from the very beginning characterised by a combination of alliance and conflict.|
|03.10.||Carl Hugo Hahn marries Emma Hone, from the Victorian London. She introduces into Hereroland the Victorian dress which remains popular until the present day.|
|09.12.||Hahn reports during his trip to Cape Town on the many lions which plague Bethany.|
|1844||||Oaseb attacks Ovaherero leader
Oove ua Muhoko Kahitjene without Jonker Afrikaner lifting a finger to help the latter.
Kahitjenes defeat can be directly attributed to his attempts to win independent
access to guns, horses and information with assistance of a European missionary, Hahn.
This leads finally to his downfall in 1851.
The first permanent European colonists, the families of Sidney Dixon, James Morris and Frank Bassingthwaighte, settle in Walvis Bay.
|02.03.||Carl Hugo Hahn reports during his journey from Windhoek to Walvis Bay (25.12.1843 to 18. 03.1844) that he intends to establish a mission station near Walvis Bay. He names this station Keetmansdorf (later Scheppmannsdorf, present-day Rooibank (|Awang||hans)).|
|06.07.||Rhenish missionary Hans-Christian Knudsen reports on Jonker Afrikaners road building activities in the Auas Mountains, south of Windhoek and the Northern Bay Road to Walvis Bay.|
|August||More than four hundred ships are
moored at the Atlantic coast island Ichaboe (as also reported by missionary Scheppmann on
02.01.1845). Hundreds of sailors clear 250 000 tons of guano in a relatively small
period. The absence of any orderly state control leads to chaotic conditions on the
island. In 1845 the British Royal Navy steps in to restore order.
Jonker Afrikaner invites the Wesleyan missionaries Richard Haddy and Joseph Tindall to settle in Windhoek, which they call "Concordiaville". Subsequently Hahn and Kleinschmidt leave Windhoek, which they now call "Esek" ("fountain of the quarrel"), and go to Okahandja to work among the Ovaherero, but then they have to leave Okahandja due to lack of water, and move on to Otjikango (29.10.1844)(Nama: ||Katsabias; present-day Groß Barmen, which Hahn called "Neu-Barmen").
|28.09.||Hahn reports that the Kai||khaun Chief ||Oaseb has established a kind of efficient "tourist police" to assist foreigners.|
|03.10.||The Wesleyan missionaries Haddy (until 1846), Tindall (until 1845) and Timotheus Sneeue (until 1848) start working in Windhoek.|
|31.10.||A mission station is established
at Otjikango and is run by its founding missionaries Hahn (until 18.06.1852), Kleinschmidt
(until May 1845) and Johannes Hendrik Bam (until 1848), followed by Heinrich Scheppmann
(1844-1845), Johannes Rath (09.04.1845-1849), Friedrich Wilhelm Kolbe (23.04.1848-1851),
Heinrich Schöneberg (19.01.1851-21.11.1853), Matthäus Gorth (1852), again Hahn
(28.03.1856-26.06.1859), Peter Heinrich Brincker (20.02.1864-1878), Johann Jakob Irle
(1869-1870) and Freerk Meyer (from 1877).
Copyright of Photos: Dr. Klaus Dierks
With Jonkers and his ally Tjamuahas approval, many poor and cattleless Ovaherero (Ovatjimba) settle at Otjikango and later at Otjimbingwe. They form the core population in these two mission stations.
|16.12.||The Ovaherero Chief Katjari (Chief of the Otjirungu group under the leadership of John Samuel Aron Mungunda from Otjombuindja in the Ozongoto area, son of Chief Tjoro, son of Chief Tjihahu) takes a defiant attitude against the strong social influence exercised by the Rhenish missionaries in Otjikango.|
|1845||The Walvis Bay traders Sidney
Dixon and James Morris attempt to export cattle to St Helena via Walvis Bay. William
Latham works for Dixon at Sandfontein, and later works for Charles John Andersson,
supporting him in his war efforts against the Orlam Afrikaners.
Cattle are traded for wagons, guns, ammunition and alcohol. The profits of the European traders are exorbitant: 1 500 to 2 000 % gross profit and never less than 100 % net profit. Missionary Hahn, as one of the major traders, pays for example 42 % commission to one of his traders (May 1868).
The credit system evolves as early as the 1840s and starts to destroy the economic structures of many Namibian communities. Jonker Afrikaner is known, in the mid-1840s, to have incurred heavy debts with the trader Morris. There are indications that Jonkers raids on the Ovambanderu (1846) are a direct response to pressure from Morris.
TE Eden, a London surgeon, surveys the Atlantic coast and guano islands for minerals.
The first school book in the Nama language is printed by missionary Hans-Christian Knudsen.
The first detailed map of the southern region of present-day Namibia is published by missionary Heinrich Richter.
||Missionary Kleinschmidt moves to
Rehoboth where he establishes and runs a mission station (until 1861 and again during
1864). Other missionaries in Rehoboth are Franz Heinrich Vollmer (03.05.1848-1853) and
Friedrich Simon Eggert (20.08.1854-1855). The foundation stone for a church is laid in the
presence of missionary Hahn on 30.08.1845.
Willem Swartbooi (!Huiseb #Haobemab), Chief of the Swartbooi community (||Khau-|gõan) from the 1830s (and probably much earlier), settles with his people at Rehoboth. The Swartboois originate from the areas of Warmbad, Bethany and the upper Fish River and are.originally part of the Kai||khaun. They are the only Namaland group who do not later form an alliance with Jonker Afrikaner, but rather become allies of the Ovaherero.
|July||Wesleyan missionary Joseph Tindall establishes a mission station in Gobabis (until 1847).|
|04.12.||The Rhenish missionary Heinrich Scheppmann establishes and runs (until 29.08.1847) a mission station at Rooibank near Walvis Bay. He is followed by Johannes Hendrik Bam (22.03.1848-08.05.1856), Heinrich Schöneberg (1853-04.06.1855), Engelbert Krapohl (04.09.1857-1859), Friedrich Simon Eggert (26.07.1859-1868) and Christian Baumann (from 1878).|
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There used to be an aphorism in British Columbia that the obnoxious smell of a pulp mill should be tolerated because it is the smell of money.
That was when even forest companies considered anything that wasn’t used for lumber or pulp was a waste product.
Today, at Cariboo Pulp & Paper, a northern bleached softwood kraft mill operated by West Fraser at Quesnel, manager Bruce Eby sees things differently.
“If you can smell something, that means I am wasting chemicals,” he says. “Sure, it’s the smell of money. It’s the smell of money being wasted.”
Environmental and economic pressures have led to pulp mills installing recovery systems that capture most of those odour-producing chemicals. They are filtered out and recycled. What comes out of the stacks is mostly steam.
The drive to maximize value from wood permeates the industrial complex, an Empire of Wood, that West Fraser operates at Quesnel. Lumber is the primary product from our log, but every piece, right down to the last scrap of bark, is converted into something. It could be pulp bound for China or power to light your home.
The pulp mill does not utilize the white wood chips from the Quesnel sawmill, which are directed instead to a second West Fraser pulp mill, Quesnel River Pulp, which is adjacent to the sawmill. But it does use the bark stripped off the logs waste wood swept from the sawmill floor that cannot be diverted into more valuable product lines.
The sawmill consumes two million cubic metres of logs a year and that means Eby has a mountain of bark, called hog fuel, that he can burn for energy.
“We burn about 600 tonnes a day of hog fuel.”
The pulp mill completed a green energy project in 2012 to produce electricity to power the mill. Excess energy is sold to the BC Hydro grid. Funded by the federal government’s Green Transformation Program, BC Hydro, and West Fraser, Cariboo Pulp and Paper upgraded its boiler and added a new 30-megawatt turbo generator to produce power from steam. The steam is created by burning hog fuel to heat the mill’s massive boiler. In the past, bark was disposed of in beehive burners. It was a major source of air pollution in Interior mill towns.
Before the new generator was installed, the mill had a 32-megawatt generator for its own use. But it requires 37 megawatts, meaning it was buying five megawatts from BC Hydro. It now has excess capacity, producing a total of 50 megawatts of power from generators that could, if needed, supply 62 megawatts. The mill sells 12 to 15 megawatts to BC Hydro. Eby says.
“We are basically taking waste wood and generating clean power from it. That’s what the whole energy side is all about. When you burn wood to create electricity, that’s all part of the carbon cycle. The wood creates the CO2, it gets absorbed in making new trees, and it is all part of the carbon loop. So it is considered to be green energy because it is not based on fossil fuels.”
Across the Quesnel River from the kraft pulp mill, at the second pulp operation, general manager Keith Carter explains what happens to the white wood from our log that cannot be turned into lumber at West Fraser’s Quesnel sawmill. About 40 per cent of every log is chipped for pulp.
The mill makes a specialty pulp by breaking the wood fibre to a fluffy consistency, rather than treating it with chemicals, as is the case at the kraft mill.
“It’s a fluff-like product,” he says of the bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp produced at the mill.
The mill consumes all of the wood produced as a byproduct of taking a round log and squaring its sides. That’s about 40 per cent of the average log — once cracked and split boards, or boards with too much pine beetle damage are diverted from the lumber line. They are chipped at the sawmill and transported to the pulp mill, where they sit in mountain-high piles.
Quesnel River Pulp has a capacity of 400,000 tonnes of pulp a year, making it the largest bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp mill in the world. The fluffy pulp can be used in making paperboard products like coffee cups, tetra packs and paper towels.
The pulp is pressed by machines into bales, wrapped and loaded in rail cars for transit to Vancouver, where it is loaded aboard ships. Ninety five per cent of the market is overseas, Carter explained.
Because our log is a Douglas fir, with a 32-inch diameter, several log-length sections of the trunk will be directed to West Fraser’s plywood plant, on the banks of the Fraser River six kilometres south of Quesnel.
There, mill manager Chris Finch explains how a fir log can be converted to a thin sheet of veneer more than 100 feet long and exactly .127 inches thick in less than five seconds.
After soaking the log to soften the fibre, it is loaded into a high-speed lathe with laser-guided accuracy, where knives set at a specific angle sheer off a continuous sheet. The sheet is later cut into veneer pieces slightly larger than the four-by-eight finished size. They are coated in resin, laid down and pressed together and trimmed to the right size. Finch points out that the wood grain alternates sheet by sheet to create a structurally strong product.
Although oriented strand board has taken over much of the market for panels in the U.S., Finch said the Canadian market remains strong.
“Most of our market is Canadian, it goes to Ontario and Quebec, a little bit into the Maritimes as well. Very little goes into the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S.”
Plywood, he says, is simply a better product.
“We have long-standing customers who like the performance quality of plywood; that’s really what it is,” Finch said. “That’s a personal opinion, but I think it is a far superior product. I bought a house here that has OSB all over it. I wish I could do it over.”
Residual wood that is not used for plywood is chipped and shipped to Quesnel River pulp.
The final product to come from our log is made from sawdust, which is shipped to West Fraser’s WestPine medium density fibreboard plant at the north end of Quesnel.
“This sawdust used to go straight into the beehive burners and up into the air,” says manager Jim Scott.
Now sawdust and planer-mill shavings are ground in a process similar to that at Quesnel River Pulp, creating a fluffy fibre that, when sprayed with resin, can be laid down in an air-filled mat that looks much like a giant foam mattress. At that point, Finch says, the product is 90 per cent air, which is pressed out as the mat moves through the manufacturing process. It is all done by machine.
“This is an example of using all the byproducts,” Scott says. “We grind it much like the pulp mill does to a fine fibre, add some glue to it and make a salable board that goes all over North America. Most of it, about 70 per cent of it, goes straight down the I-5 corridor, primarily for cabinetry, between Seattle and San Diego.”
WestPine’s business is picking up as the U.S. housing market recovers, he says. In fact, the plant is running flat out.“When people build new homes, they like to put new furniture in it, new panel and new mouldings. That’s why we are tied really strongly to the new home market.”
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Soy Traders Agree to Protect Amazon, But Not Biologically Rich Cerrado
On July 24, the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Producers (ABIOVE) and the National Grains Exporters' Association (ANEC), an industry group representing the world’s leading soy exporters, agreed to a two-year moratorium on using soybeans from land that has been cleared for soy cultivation in the Amazon region. The announcement came in the wake of decisions by fast-food giant McDonald’s and other major food retailers to stop selling chicken fed on soy from these ecologically fragile areas, putting growing pressure on the soy producers.
Both rising consumer concerns and intense activist campaigning—particularly by the environmental group Greenpeace—contributed to the industry moves. In April, Greenpeace released a report outlining the links between soy cultivation and regional deforestation, slavery, and violence; it later helped broker the negotiations to discourage these destructive practices. According to the report, vast areas of Amazon forest are cleared each year by slave laborers and replanted with soybean monocultures, destroying valuable habitat for birds, insects, and other animals and contributing to significant human rights abuses.
While celebrating the recent victory, Greenpeace warns that more needs to be done for the ban to have lasting effects. “The soya traders decision to agree a two year moratorium on Amazon deforestation is a welcome first step, but the key issue is real action on the ground,” said campaign director John Sauven. “Within two years, we want to see proper procedures for legality and governance being put in place and real measures to be introduced to protect the Amazon rainforest.”
The agreement does not extend to what some consider to be an even more imperiled ecosystem: the cerrado, a biologically rich savannah that covers 23 percent of Brazil’s territory, or an area the size of Mexico. According to Donald Sawyer, director of the Instituto Sociedade, População e Natureza (ISPN), while about 20 percent of the Amazon forest has been deforested, as much as 80 percent of the cerrado has been cleared, mainly for soybean cultivation and cattle pasture. In addition to possessing vast biological wealth, including more than 10,000 different species of plants, 935 varieties of birds, and nearly 300 species of mammals, the cerrado feeds several major South American water basins, including the Amazon River.
This story was produced by Eye on Earth, a joint project of the Worldwatch Institute and the blue moon fund. View the complete archive of Eye on Earth stories, or contact Staff Writer Alana Herro at aherro [AT] worldwatch [DOT] org with your questions, comments, and story ideas.
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The statement “life is not fair” causes pain to most adults, so is it any surprise life’s inequity might inspire temper tantrums and screaming fits in children? At a really young age, a new study suggests, children have advanced ideas about fairness, such that they are willingly to pay a personal price to intervene even when they themselves are not personally disadvantaged by an unfair situation.
"This study shows children aren't just going to watch and let unfairness happen, they're going to put their money where their mouth is, in a sense,” said Dr. Katherine McAuliffe, a post-doctoral fellow at Yale. However, McAuliffe and her colleagues also discovered children’s reactions to unfairness may be biased in favor of those in their own group — in this case, children on the same team.
To understand how kids understand ideas of justice and fairness, McAuliffe and her co-researchers recruited 64 children, ages 6 and 8, to play a game with candy. First, though, the researchers established a group identity for each child. Rather than using pre-existing groups like hair color or race — qualities children may be aware of already — the researchers assigned each child to either the "blue team" or the “yellow team.” Next, the researchers reinforced group identity; members of the yellow team, for instance, wore yellow hats while drawing pictures using only their special color.
At this point, the games began with each child asked to play a third-party judge of another child who had divided up candies on the previous day. (To show how this transaction had occurred, the children were represented only by paper bags marked either as a blue or yellow team members.) If the child sitting in judgment approved of how the other divided up the candy, the researchers said all of the children would receive the candy. If the judge disapproved, however, all of the children had to sacrifice one of their candies, while another two players had to throw away all of theirs.
“We found that by age 6, punishment was already biased: Selfish resource allocations received more punishment when they were proposed by out-group members and when they disadvantaged in-group members,” wrote the authors in the study. Yet, they also found bias in punishment partially decreased between the ages of 6 and 8. Although 8-year-olds punished selfish out-group members more harshly, they were equally likely to punish on behalf of in-group and out-group members who had been treated unfairly.
Overall, the 8-year-olds were “less biased in the sense that they felt it was equally bad to treat people selfishly, regardless of what group they were in,” McAuliffe said. “They started to see out-group members as legitimate victims, or just as legitimate as in-group members." Going forward, McAuliffe and Warneken will explore whether the same trends hold true in Uganda and Vanuatu. McAuliffe wonders whether fairness norms are “specific to Western culture or are they more general norms that children learn around the world?" Certainly, this is a question worth answering.
Source: Jordan JJ, McAuliffe K, Warneken F. Development of in-group favoritism in children’s third-party punishment of selfishness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2014.
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Submitted by Charles Hugh-Smith of OfTwoMinds blog,
Great fortunes are built on the proper use of credit. Improper use of credit leads to mal-investment and wealth destruction.
In the chronically underdeveloped economies De Soto describes, households have assets--land, dwellings, small businesses--but since the assets do not have legally recognized status as "property" (because the system for recognizing and registering property is both cumbersome and corrupt), they cannot act as collateral for borrowed capital, i.e. loans.
As a result, the majority of the assets are "dead capital," difficult to sell, pass on to future generations or use as collateral.
Great fortunes are built on the proper use of credit. The borrower needs capital to expand his/her enterprise, and the lender needs a fast-growing enterprise with collateral and an income stream to support a low-risk, high-yield loan.
We can profitably look to Colonial America as an example of a credit-starved economy. In the wake of the Revolutionary war and the ratification of the Constitution (1789), the U.S. financial system was a mess: debts left by the war burdened the new government, which historian Thomas McCaw noted "started on a shoestring and almost immediately went bankrupt."
Differing views on the role of the central government, central bank and credit splintered the political elite, with Hamilton squaring off against Madison and Jefferson (though Madison's views were by no means identical to Jefferson's).
Meanwhile, in the real economy, ordinary farmers and entrepreneurs were desperate for long-term credit to fuel their rapidly growing enterprises. Though states were banned by the Constitution from issuing their own currency, states got around this prohibition by granting bank charters. The banks promptly issued the credit that an entrepreneurial economy needed.
The political elite, regardless of their differences, were appalled by this explosion of privately issued and essentially unregulated credit, but this access to credit--turning "dead capital" into collateral--fueled the astonishing growth of the U.S. economy in the 1790s and early 1800s.
The American economy in this phase was anything but orderly or well-regulated.Wild and risky better describe the financial and commercial chaos of the era, but this untamed capitalism led to more successes than failures, and the bankrupt enterprises and busted banks were absorbed by the fast growth of the real economy.
This chaotic explosion of credit and entrepreneurial drive was the opposite of central planning. Risk was everywhere; security in today's meaning did not exist.
All the complex machinations of the financial magicians in the 2000s to eliminate risk failed, for the profound reasons Mandlebrot explains.
A high rate of return (i.e. a high interest rate) leads lenders to transparently accept risk, and entrepreneurs to only borrow for the highest-return enterprises. A low-yield, high-risk investment is not worth funding. We call these mal-investments or unproductive uses of capital.
In our era, the Federal Reserve and Federal policies have massively incentivized mal-investment and unproductive uses of capital. Low interest rates destroy the needed discipline on both lenders and borrowers to only risk capital in the highest-return, lowest risk uses.
The Keynesian Cargo Cult's blind spot is they do not distinguish between productive and unproductive uses of capital. A bridge to nowhere is equally as worthy as a truly productive investment to Keynesians, because their cult believes that any borrowed-and-spent money is equally good at boosting their false idol, "aggregate demand."
But a truly productive investment of capital has a multiplier effect; it stimulates not just consumption but increased output and productivity. Mal-investments (duplicate MRI tests, McMansions built in the middle of nowhere, etc.) have no multiplier effect because they are simply forms of consumption--they are not even investments, though they are presented as investments by those feeding at the Federal/Federal Reserve trough of zero-interest credit and "free money" distributed by the government.
For credit to be productive, there must first be productive uses for the capital. In an economy with over-capacity in virtually every sector, a massive surplus of labor, a predatory financial sector and a grossly inefficient government in thrall to crony-capitalist cartels, truly productive investments are few and far between.
Instead we borrow trillions of dollars to squander on wasteful consumption and claim it's an "investment." Consumption is not investment, but this simple truth is taboo in our financialized, centrally planned Empire of Mis-Allocated Capital.
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Politicians always promise that their programs will create jobs. It’s used to justify building palatial sports stadiums for wealthy team owners. Alaska Rep. Don Young claimed the infamous “bridge to nowhere” would create jobs. The fallacy is the same in every case: Even if the program creates jobs building bridges or windmills, it necessarily prevents other jobs from being created. This is because government spending merely diverts money from private projects to government projects.
Governments create no wealth. They only move it around while taking a cut for their trouble. So any jobs created over here come at the expense of jobs that would have been created over there. Overlooking this fact is known as the broken-window fallacy. The French economist Frederic Bastiat pointed out that a broken shop window will create work for a glassmaker, but that work comes only at the expense of the cook or tailor the shopkeeper would have patronized if he didn’t have to replace the window.
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The study took place outside of a traditional lab setting and instead tracked participants in their ‘day-to-day’ sleep patterns outside of a controlled environment. Participants were middle-aged and researchers studied how their bodies reacted to a ‘standard three-dose hepatitis B’ vaccine.
Findings revealed that those who got less than six hours of sleep a night on average fared much worse than those who slept more when it came to antibody response. In fact, they were found 11.5 times more likely to be unprotected by an immunization.
Lead author Dr. Aric Prather pointed out that this study shows concrete evidence of a connection between inadequate sleep and being more prone to infectious disease.
Sleep, as we know, is linked to a number of health factors. Lack of sleep can affect children’s performance in school, weaken our immune systems, leave us unable to remain alert at work, and even lead to increased stress and weight gain. Recent data suggests that as much as 30 percent of Americans aren’t getting the rest they need, falling well below the recommended 7-9 hours a night. This is just one small but crucial piece of the puzzle when it comes to our nation’s declining health.
Researchers speculate that the body’s weakened reaction to immunizations may be related to changes in hormone levels caused by disruptions in the body’s internal clock. This is because when our sleep cycle is thrown off, our body begins experiencing altered levels of the hormone melatonin, which increases at night due to lack of light.
In short, when we spend too much time in light and consequently don’t get enough rest, it can affect other hormones that experts believe could potentially increase risks of cancer, diabetes and other serious health-related issues.
Prather ultimately hopes Americans will start taking sleep more seriously as is it’s so intimately connected to our health. Personally, sleep is the one area that’s so easy to push aside because I have so many other things to squeeze into my day, like cooking healthy meals and getting plenty of exercise. But this serves as an excellent reminder that getting my rest should be as high a priority as everything other area of my personal health.
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Parshat Ki Tetzei
The Torah describes the only permissible way a woman captured in battle may be married. If a man marries two wives, and the less-favored wife bears a firstborn son, this son's right to inherit a double portion is protected against the father's desire to favor the child of the favored wife. The penalty for a rebellious son, who will inevitably degenerate into a monstrous criminal, is stoning. A body must not be left on the gallows overnight, because it had housed a holy soul. Lost property must be return. Men are forbidden from wearing women's clothing and vice versa. A mother bird may not be taken together with her eggs. A fence must be built around the roof of a house. It is forbidden to plant a mixture of seeds, to plow with an ox and a donkey together, or to combine wool and linen in a garment. A four-cornered garment must have twisted threads tzitzit on its corners. Laws regarding illicit relationships are detailed. When Israel goes to war, the camp must be governed by rules of spiritual purity. An escaped slave must not be returned to his master.
Taking interest for lending to a Jew is forbidden. Bnei Yisrael are not to make vows. A worker may eat of the fruit he is harvesting. Divorce and marriage are legislated. For the first year of marriage, a husband is exempt from the army and stays home to make rejoice with his wife. Tools of labor may not be impounded, as this prevents the debtor from earning a living. The penalty for kidnapping for profit is death. Removal of the signs of the disease tzara'at is forbidden. Even for an overdue loan, the creditor must return the collateral daily if the debtor needs it. Workers' pay must not be delayed. The guilty may not be subjugated by punishing an innocent relative. Because of their vulnerability, converts and orphans have special rights of protection. The poor are to have a portion of the harvest. A court may impose lashes. An ox must not be muzzled while threshing. It is amitzvah for a man to marry his brother's widow if the deceased left no offspring. Weights and measures must be accurate and used honestly. The parsha concludes with the mitzvah to erase the name of Amalek, for, in spite of knowing about the Exodus, they ambushed the Jewish People.
The Sin Of The Cheese Danish
“An Ammoni or Moavi may not enter the congregation of G-d, even to their tenth generation, they may not enter into the congregation of G-d forever. The reason is they did not come out to meet you with bread and water on the way, when you were leaving Egypt.” (23:4-5).
What was so terrible about Ammon and Moav not coming out to meet the Bnei Yisrael with bread and water on their way out of Egypt? Just because they didn’t rush out to meet the Jewish People with ‘cheese Danish and coffee’? Is that such a terrible sin?
Even an Egyptian may convert and, after three generations, marry a Jew. And their ancestors used Jewish children for bricks in their palaces and mausoleums! Just because of a lack of hospitality, an Ammoni and a Moavi can never join the Jewish people?
The reason is that the Ammoni and the Moavi peoples owe their very existence to the Jews. For it was Avraham Avinu — the father of the Jewish People — who rescued Lot from being killed when Sodom was destroyed. Lot was the father of Ammon and Moav. Were it not for Avraham there would never have been an Ammoni or Moavi nation. When the people of Ammon and Moav didn’t come out to greet the Jewish People, the descendants of Avraham, they showed the essence of their character — lack of gratitude.
Ingratitude cannot be allowed to infiltrate the Jewish People, because to give thanks — to admit that one is beholden — is the essence of being Jewish. The word Yehudi is from the root to give thanks, to be grateful. When looking for a spouse this can be a yardstick for us: If chronic ingratitude makes a person unfit as a marriage partner, then, necessarily, the greatest ‘catch’ is someone who is always grateful.
An ingrate is impossible to make happy. But someone who is always grateful, who sees everything as a gift — that’s the easiest person in the world to make happy.
That’s the ideal spouse.
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Mice have been used for research in nearly every field, be it medicine, psychology or genetics. In one recent finding regarding genetics study on mice published in the BMC Genetics journal, scientists have managed to turn mice gay by simply altering their genome structure.
How so? Well, it seems a group of scientists from Korea’s Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have managed to alter the sexual habits of female mice by removing a single gene, called FucM (yes, I know. I laughed out loud at this too), that apparently is linked to sexual behavior in mice. Scientists observed how the female mice deprived of the FucM gene in embryo stage, after reaching sexual maturity, started to refuse advanced from male mice, and in turn tried to mate with female mice. Simply put, they’ve turned the female mice into lesbians!
Lead author, professor Chankyu Park, of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea, said: “The mutant female mouse underwent a slightly altered developmental program in the brain to resemble the male brain in terms of sexual preference.”
Scientists have long sought after a link between homosexual orientation and genes, however this particular research does nothing to suggest there’s the same connection in humans – it just proves there is in rodents. By deleting the enzyme-producing gene, the scientists believe that they caused the female mice to be exposed to extra oestrogen, by preventing their brains from filtering out the hormone.
The thing is, while oestrogen masculinises the brain in mice, it does not have the same effect in humans.
The research still is of immense interest, and professor Park stated he’ll soon begin work on his new research to see whether the enzyme produced by the gene – fucose mutarotase – has any influence on human sexuality. He admits, however, that he still doesn’t know where to find volunteers for this kind of project…Enjoyed this story? Like ZME Science on facebook:
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10 Ways to Save Energy
And Prevent Future Oil Wars
The US war on Iraq is largely driven
by America’s thirst for
cheap oil. Iraq has 112 billion barrels of proven oil reserves,
second only to Saudi Arabia. Prior to the war, Iraq’s
daily output capacity was about 2 million barrels, but oil
believe production could surge to 12 million barrels per day if
western oil and engineering companies took over Iraqi oil production.
is appealing to the United States, where 5% of the world’s
population consumes 25% of its oil.
Dependence on oil not only leads
to war, it also causes global warming, acid rain, oil spills
and smog. It is time to wean ourselves
oil and embrace energy efficiency and renewable power (solar,
wind and geothermal).
Following are ten things you can do to help
promote a shift to a more peaceful, just, sustainable planet.
Replace your standard incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent
lights (available in many hardware stores). Compact
use only a quarter as much energy, last ten times as long,
and can save up to $40 in energy over the course of their lives.
When shopping for appliances, make energy efficiency a priority
in your decisions. Visit http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_index.
Use public transportation, carpool, bike or walk whenever possible.
When purchasing a new car, consider a fuel-efficient model. Visit
car tuned up
and the tires properly inflated. Consolidate errands
5. Make your home energy-efficient with proper
insulation, double-paned windows, water heater blankets, etc.
6. Consider utilizing
non-polluting solar or wind energy. Visit http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid189.php.
Sign up for green energy if it’s available in your state.
Eat lower on the food chain. It takes a tremendous amount of
water and energy to produce meat. Visit
9. Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle. It takes energy to produce every product we use. By
goods, we can
reduce our dependence on oil. Recycling one
aluminum can saves the equivalent
of half a can of gasoline.
10. Vote for politicians
who support a national energy policy based on renewable energy
of Conservation Voters website at http://www.lcv.org.
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Tears are drops of liquid produced by the lacrimal, accessory lacrimal, and Meibomian glands, that contain proteins, enzymes, lipids, metabolites, electrolytes and traces of drugs.Well, that’s one way of putting it.
We also know that the chemical composition of tears differs depending on what caused them to spill: crying versus chopping an onion, for example. Is it possible that tears shed during crying contain chemical signals that have an effect on other people?
A group of researchers in Israel recently came up with multiple lines of evidence suggesting that women’s tears have a fairly specific effect on men; and it isn’t a pretty one.
To do research on human tears, you first need to collect some. Shani Gelstein and her colleagues did this the obvious way—by showing chick flicks to women and collecting the weepy output in small tubes. (This technique clearly wouldn’t work with guys; you’d have to show them the grenade scene from The Dirty Dozen.) Gelstein’s team created control “tears” by dribbling saline solution down the cheeks of each sob sister, thus giving the fake tears whatever odors might come from contact with the skin.
Despite the presumed difference in chemical makeup between cried tears and pseudo-tears, a couple of dozen young men who sniffed them could not tell them apart. Nor did another group of men find any difference in the intensity, familiarity, or pleasantness of the odor of cried tears versus saline. But then each men rated emotionally ambiguous pictures of women’s faces for sadness and sexual attraction, while wearing a tear- or saline-soaked blotter on his upper lip.
The upshot? When a guy was smelling emotional tears, the women’s faces didn’t look sadder—they looked less sexually attractive.
You’re gonna cry, cry, cry, cryGelstein et al. reasoned that a tears-causing-sadness link might emerge in a sad context. So they had another group of guys watch a sad movie while wired for physiological responses (heart rate, skin temperature, etc.) and while providing saliva samples to be assayed for testosterone. In one session they watched a film after sniffing cried tears; in another they watched after sniffing fake saline tears.
By itself, watching the sad film put the guys into a significantly more negative mood; it was an effective downer. Real tears had no effect on self-rated mood, but did reduce self-reported sexual arousal and the amount of testosterone found in the men’s saliva.
Finally, Gelstein’s team put guys in an MRI magnate and showed them dirty movies, in order to localize the arousal-related areas of each fellow’s brain. The men then watched sad, happy and neutral movies after sniffing tears or saline. Activity in the sexual arousal brain areas was significantly lower for the sad movie watched after smelling real tears.
Subjective ratings of attributed sexual appeal, together with objective measures of psychophysiological arousal, testosterone expression, and brain activity, jointly suggest that women’s emotional tears contain a chemosignal that reduces sexual arousal in men.Hmm . . . that rings a bell.
Everytime we say good nightHuman tears contain a chemosignal, by S. Gelstein, Y. Yeshurun, L. Rozenkrantz, S. Shushan, I. Frumin, Y. Roth, and N. Sobel, was published January 14, 2011 in Science. 331:226-230.
As I go to hold her tight
Never get to kiss her ‘cause she cries
Oh baby don’t (baby don’t cry)
Oh baby don’t (baby don’t cry)
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Ron Guth: The 1860 $5 gold denomination was the last of the gold coins produced by the Mormons, then in the Utah Territory. The obverse shows the lion of Judah surrounded by a legend in the Mormon alphabet that reads: HOLINESS TO THE LORD." The reverse shows an eagle with wings spread behind a beehive, the legend "DESERET ASSAY OFFICE PURE GOLD." The reverse legend was a trfile misleading, as the gold for these coins came from Colorado, and it was less than 24 karat (100% pure).
The 1860 Mormon $5 had a reported mintage of only 472 pieces. Naturally, survivors are quite scarce, and it is difficult to locate examples in high grade, especially in Uncirculated condition. The lowest grades in the PCGS CoinFacts Condition Census are a reasonably high AU55, but the best grade is only a single PCGS MS62.
Heritage 2/2012:5104, $155,250 - Heritage 4/2015:5526, $129,250
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Education for Kidney Failure Patients May Improve Chances of Receiving Living Donor Transplants
Embargo expired: 21-Mar-2013 5:00 PM EDT
Source Newsroom: American Society of Nephrology (ASN)
More transplant knowledge and motivation linked with greater success in obtaining a living donor transplant
• In an analysis of 695 patients with kidney failure, Blacks had received less transplant education, were less knowledgeable about transplantation, and were less willing to pursue deceased or living donor transplantation than Whites.
• Patients who began a transplant evaluation process with a greater knowledge of transplantation and greater motivation to receive living donor transplants were ultimately more successful at receiving a living donor transplant.
In 2010, a total of 28,662 kidney transplants took place in the U.S. Of those, only 6,809 were from living donors.
Newswise — Washington, DC (March 21, 2013) —Patients with kidney failure who have greater transplant knowledge and motivation are ultimately more likely to receive a kidney transplant from a living donor, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings suggest that improving patient education may help reduce disparities in transplantation.
A kidney transplant is the best treatment for patients with kidney failure, offering patients a longer and healthier life than dialysis. Also, a kidney from a living donor offers patients a longer and healthier life than a kidney from a deceased donor. Add to this the fact that there is an enormous shortage of available kidneys from deceased donors and it becomes clear that patients should be encouraged to find living relatives or other individuals willing to donate kidneys to them.
“When we think about how to help more kidney patients receive transplants, we know that there are characteristics that can be modified—like how much information patients have about transplantation or their transplant knowledge—and characteristics that are more difficult to change or that cannot be changed at all, such as their race and socio-economic status,” said Amy Waterman, PhD (Washington University School of Medicine).
To see which modifiable characteristics might be changed to increase transplantations from living kidney donors, Dr. Waterman and her colleagues studied 695 White and Black kidney failure patients who underwent a transplant evaluation process at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Transplant Center. At the beginning of the process, patients were asked how knowledgeable they were about transplantation and how willing they were to receive a living donor transplant. Patients were followed for six years.
The researchers found that, compared with Whites, Black patients were less prepared when they started the evaluation process. Blacks were less likely to have received transplant education, were less knowledgeable about transplantation, and were less willing to pursue deceased or living donor transplantation. Six years later, the patients who ultimately received living donor transplants were those who started the process with greater transplant knowledge and greater motivation to receive living donor transplants.
“These findings suggest that we can do something to help. Preparing patients well for transplantation, especially patients of color, is a promising way to help more patients successfully get living donor transplants,” said Dr. Waterman. “Educational interventions for kidney patients focused on helping improve patients’ transplant knowledge and motivation to pursue transplant may reduce or overcome racial disparities in transplantation,” she added.
Study co-authors include John Peipert, Shelley Hyland, Melanie McCabe, PhD, Emily Schenk, and Jingxia Liu, PhD.
Disclosures: The authors reported no financial disclosures.
The article, entitled “Modifiable Patient Characteristics and Racial Disparities in Evaluation Completion and Living Donor Transplant,” will appear online at http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/ on March 21, 2013, doi: 10.2215/CJN.08880812.
The content of this article does not reflect the views or opinions of The American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author(s). ASN does not offer medical advice. All content in ASN publications is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions, or adverse effects. This content should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health care provider if you have any questions about a medical condition, or before taking any drug, changing your diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Do not ignore or delay obtaining professional medical advice because of information accessed through ASN. Call 911 or your doctor for all medical emergencies.
Founded in 1966, and with more than 13,500 members, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) leads the fight against kidney disease by educating health professionals, sharing new knowledge, advancing research, and advocating the highest quality care for patients.
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Below you will find information on some health topics of interest. Click on each topic for more information.
Cold and Flu
Catching a cold or the flu is a common occurrence during the winter months. The most common symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches, tiredness, possible vomiting or diarrhea. The best thing to do if you get a cold is to stay home and rest especially if you have a fever, drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, and treat the symptoms with a over the counter medication such as Tylenol. Be sure to visit the Health Center if you are experiencing any symptoms or discomfort.
Having diabetes can add to the stress of attending college. Whether you have Type I or Type II diabetes, it is essential to take care of your health. Make sure that your roommate knows that you have diabetes so that you will have help in an emergency. If you have any problems, be sure to visit the Health Center. Here are some helpful tools to help with ease the stress of having diabetes.
Drug & Alcohol Abuse
Drug and alcohol abuse is a common problem on college campuses. Abusing drugs and alcohol can have a major negative impact on your life. The Health and Wellness Center provides outreach to students with an abuse problem through the HEART, CHOICES, OPTIONS, and BASICS programs. For more information on these programs please call 724-938-5507 or visit the Health and Wellness Center.
It is important to eat well to have a good overall health. Following healthy behaviors such as eating fruits and vegetables and drinking less soda will lead to a better overall well-being. Every month, a nutritionist visits our center to provide students with nutritional tips and essentials on subjects such as carbohydrates, low calorie diets, and “super foods.” Check out our calendar to see when she will be visiting next!
Office of Dietary Supplements
Over the Counter Meds
It is very important to read the label on your medications to learn about the contents of the medication, any possible side effects, and how it will interact with other medications. The main parts of the label that you should read are:
- Active Ingredients – what is in the medication
- Uses – what the medication is used to treat
- Warnings- when you should speak to a doctor, not use the drug, or stop taking the medication
- Directions – how to take the medication
- Other information
- Inactive ingredients
Sleep is an essential part of everyday life. It gives our bodies a chance to recoup from today and prepare for tomorrow. Most adults need about 7-8 hours of rest every night. However, according to the Center for Disease Control, about a third of the population does not get enough sleep every night. Whether it’s from working late, stress, or pulling an all-nighter for a test, many people are getting too little sleep.
Lack of sleep can have serious health consequences. It makes us cranky, clumsy, and unable to focus. We find ourselves nodding off in class, at work, or even behind the wheel. Sleeplessness also affects the body’s immune system, so it has a harder time fighting off illness. Not getting enough sleep has been linked to obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. It is extremely important to make sure that we hit the sack at a reasonable hour every night in order to have a healthier mental and physical state.
Almost everyone will have an occasional sleepless night. However if you find yourself frequently having a hard time sleeping, there could be another underlying problem such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome. Be sure to visit the Health Center to identify and treat the cause of your sleep disturbance.
About 25% of college students will become infected with some sort of sexually transmitted disease. Sexually transmitted diseases can be transmitted during any type of direct sexual contact. Some of the most common STDs are:
There are several ways to ensure that you do not become infected with an STD. The first thing to do is ALWAYS use a condom. Make sure you carry one, and never have sex without one. Another way to reduce the chances of infection is to limit your number of partners. Finally, make sure that you and your partner are tested for STDs. Some STDs never show symptoms so you may not even know that you have been infected.
The Health Center provides FREE STD testing to students several times throughout the semester. The test is completely confidential and tests for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. Be sure to check out our calendar to see when the next STD clinic will be.
We all have stress sometimes. For some people, it happens before having to speak in public. For other people, it might be before a first date. What causes stress for you may not be stressful for someone else. Sometimes stress is helpful – it can encourage you to meet a deadline or get things done. But long-term stress can increase the risk of diseases like depression, heart disease and a variety of other problems. A stress-related illness called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after an event like war, physical or sexual assault, or a natural disaster. If you have chronic stress, the best way to deal with it is to take care of the underlying problem. Counseling can help you find ways to relax and calm down. Medicines may also help.
Emergency Stress Stoppers – These help you deal with stress on the spot. Some common stoppers are:
- Count to 10 before you speak,
- Take three to five deep breaths,
- Walk away from the stressful situation, and say you'll handle it later.
- Set your watch five to 10 minutes ahead to avoid the stress of being late.
- Break down big problems into smaller parts. For example, answer one letter or phone call per day, instead of dealing with everything at once
Tobacco is bad for your health whether it is from cigarettes or snuff. It causes cancer and a variety of other illnesses. Second-hand smoke will also affect the people around you, as well. The Wellness Center provides educational information and help for those who would like to quit using tobacco. You can also call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (332-8669) for more information.
Smokeless tobacco and cigarettes cause a nicotine addiction. This addiction can make it very hard for people to stop. However, it is not impossible. Here is a guide that can help you go through the process of quitting. You won’t regret it!
- Decide to stop – the first step is to make the choice to stop using tobacco.
- Pick a quit date – decide when you want to quit
- Slowly cut back – try to cut back to half your usual amount. If you always carry a pack or can, try leaving it at home. Use a substitute such as sugar free gum.
- Build a support team – let friends, family and coworkers know that you are quitting so that they can support you. Warn them that you may not be yourself and ask them to be patient with you. Also suggest ways that they can help ease the rough transition
New Health Issues
Some health issues are ongoing and eternal, but others are new, vogue, contemporary, or are experiencing recent breakthroughs and discoveries. To stay abreast of current trends in health news and science, take a look at some of these sites:
The Health and Wellness Education Center is always looking for students' perspectives and opinions about current health trends and issues affecting college students. If you have any thoughts or information on such issues that are not covered on this website, please feel free to contact Katie Johnson at [email protected] and provide your input!
This article from the Harvard Health Publications gives the top 5 reasons why people exercise: which are your reasons?
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Television transmissions take place by electromagnetic waves travelling at the speed of light reaching our homes. Television waves are so fast that live transmissions from many kilometers away can be made almost instantaneously. Surat an-Naml of the Qur’an describes how the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) had the throne of a queen in a far-distant country brought to him instantaneously in a miraculous manner, in a manner reminiscent of the above technology:
He who possessed knowledge of the Book said, ‘I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.’ And when he saw it standing firmly in his presence, he said, ‘This is part of my Lord's favor to test me to see if I will give thanks or show ingratitude... (Surat an-Naml, 40)
This verse immediately puts one in mind of teleportation or image transmission (television). Some letters in Surat an-Naml in which this phenomenon is described come together in a mysterious manner to comprise the word “television.”
The letters that constitute the word television appear side by side, from left to right, in verse 17 of Surat an-Naml, which refers to the Prophet Solomon (pbuh). The word television is written and pronounced in more or less the same way in Turkish, English, Arabic and other languages.
Looking at the sequence of letters here and the passages cited, we see a miracle that cannot possibly be explained in terms of chance. At the same time, each one of these instances is a sign for those who study the Qur’an that still grater mysteries may lie concealed within it.
In one verse, our Almighty Lord says this of the Holy Qur’an:
If all the trees on earth were pens and all the sea, with seven more seas besides, was ink Allah’s words still would not run dry. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surah Luqman, 27)
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Talk With Your Health Care Provider About High Blood Pressure
Why is High Blood Pressure Dangerous?
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against your blood vessels. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it is called hypertension ("Hi-pur-TEN-shun"). If it is not controlled, high blood pressure can cause:
- Heart attack.
- Kidney problems.
- Heart failure.
- Eye problems.
Most people with high blood pressure feel healthy and don't have symptoms. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked.
How Do You Get Checked for High Blood Pressure?
Checking your blood pressure is simple. Your provider places a fabric cuff around your upper arm and pumps it full of air. Your provider then listens to your heartbeat while the air lets out of the cuff.
Follow these steps to help your provider correctly measure your blood pressure:
- Wear a short-sleeved shirt or blouse.
- Empty your bladder.
- For at least 30 minutes before your appointment, don't:
- Do any vigorous activity.
- Drink caffeine (in coffee, tea, or cola).
- Sit down and relax with your feet on the floor and your back supported for at least 5 minutes before your blood pressure is checked.
- Don't talk while your blood pressure is being checked.
What Do Your Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?
Blood pressure is measured by two numbers.
The first (or top) number—"systolic"—is the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats. The second (or bottom) number—"diastolic"—is the pressure in your blood vessels between heartbeats.
If your blood pressure is normal, that's great! You should have it rechecked every year or so to be sure it stays within the normal range.
If your blood pressure is pre-high or high, it should be rechecked to determine whether you have hypertension. Ask your provider the following questions:
- When should I have my blood pressure checked again?
- Do I need treatment for high blood pressure?
What Can You Do to Prevent or Control High Blood Pressure?
- Quit smoking and/or chewing tobacco.
Ask your provider for help with quitting.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
If you are overweight, ask your provider for help with an eating and physical activity plan to lose weight.
- Be physically active.
- "Physical activity' includes any activity that raises your heart rate, such as brisk walking, working in the house or yard, or playing sports.
- Do activity for 10 minutes or more at a time. Aim for at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of activity each week.
- Reduce salt (sodium) in your diet.
- Read food labels. Choose and prepare foods that are low in sodium or are sodium-free.
- Ask to see a registered dietitian if you need help with a plan.
- Limit alcohol.
- Men should have no more than 2 drinks per day.
- Women should have no more than 1 drink per day.
What Else Can You Do?
Always ask your provider what your blood pressure is and write it down. Discuss these numbers with your provider.
Your provider may prescribe medicine to help lower your blood pressure.
- Take your medicine every day, or as directed by your provider.
- If your blood pressure numbers get lower, it's because your medicine is working. Don't stop it or take a lower dose unless your provider says you should.
Here are some questions to ask your provider:
___ Is my blood pressure under good control?
Do you have other questions for your provider? Write them down here.
For more information, please speak with your doctor or nurse.
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Bibliographic record and links to related information available from the Library of Congress catalog.
Note: Contents data are machine generated based on pre-publication provided by the publisher. Contents may have variations from the printed book or be incomplete or contain other coding.
Contents Preface List of Abbreviations List of Illustrations Introduction 1. Nativity: Egyptian origins (356 BC) 2. Golden Vines, Golden Bowls and temples of Fire: the Persian Versions 3. Cities of Alexander: Jews and Arabs adopt the hero 4. The Marvels of India (329-326 BC) 5. 'How Much Land Does A Man Need?' Alexander's encounter with the Brahmans (326 BC) 6. Alexander as Inventor and Sage 7. Alexander among Women 8. The Search for Immortality 9. The Unclean Nations and the End of Time 10. Death in Babylon (323 BC) 11. Afterlife I: The Medieval Alexander 12. Afterlife II: Alexander the Greek Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication:
Alexander, the Great, 356-323 B.C. -- Romances -- History and criticism.
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The question we try to answer in the Self-Assessment Stage is, Who am I? One of the many assessment tools we have to help us is the Enneagram, a study of the nine basic types of people. My writing this week is taken from the book The Enneagram Made Easy by Renee Baron and Elizabeth Wagele. Enneagram is derived from Greek and means “a drawing with 9 points.” It helps explain why we behave the way we do, and it points to specific directions for personal and professional growth. Its exact origin is not known, but it is believed to have been taught orally in secret by the Sufi brotherhoods in the Middle East many centuries ago. The Russian mystical teacher G.I. Gurdjieff introduced it to Europe in the 1920s, and it arrived in the United States in the 1960s.
Enneagram theory states that in the early life stages individuals learn to feel safe and to cope with personal circumstances by developing a strategy based on one’s natural talents and abilities. The purpose of the Enneagram is to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of other styles and learn our own behavior patterns. You must decide your own primary type based on your own internal perception. Your personality may blend or be influenced by the types on either side of yours. For example, a Nine may have some of the characteristics of a One or an Eight. These neighboring types are called your “wings”. Many of the variations of the nine types can be explained by relating the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to the Enneagram. What type best describes you most of the time.
1. The Perfectionist: realistic, conscientious and principled. They strive to live up to their high ideals. They see anger as a character flaw and try to hold it back. They follow standards of behavior closely and or try to better the world. Positive Tendencies: ethical, reliable, productive, wise, idealistic, fair, honest, orderly and self-disciplined. Frequent Jobs: management, science, criminal justice, health care, education, religious work, automotive, dentistry, banking and financial services.
2. The Helper: warm, concerned, nurturing and sensitive to other people’s needs. They are interested in people and want to present a loving image. Positive Tendencies: loving, caring, adaptable, insightful, generous, enthusiastic and tuned into how people feel. Frequent Jobs: counseling, teaching, health care, acting, professional speaking, sales, administrative fields, interior decorating and fashion.
3. The Achiever: energetic, optimistic, self-assured and goal oriented. They like to be seen in a good light, according to socially agreed upon norms. Positive Tendencies: optimistic, confident, industrious, efficient, self-propelled, energetic and practical. Frequent Jobs: management, leadership, business, law, banking, government, technology, broadcasting, teaching, social services and health care.
4. The Romantic: sensitive feelings and are warm and perceptive. They have a strong need to express themselves and to be seen as original. Positive Tendencies: warm, compassionate, introspective, expressive, creative, intuitive, supportive and refined. Frequent Jobs: music, visual/performing arts, writing, journalism, teaching, counseling and entrepreneurship.
5. The Observer: need for knowledge, introverted, curious, analytical and insightful. They rely on their own resources and find safety in knowledge. Positive Tendencies: analytical, persevering, sensitive, wise, objective, perceptive and self-contained. Frequent Jobs: science, technical, counseling, music, writing or the arts.
6. The Questioner: responsible, trustworthy and value loyalty to family, friends, groups and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontational. They seek relief from fear through the permission and approval of authority figures or through rebelling against authority. Positive Tendencies: loyal, likable, caring, warm, compassionate, witty, practical, helpful and responsible. Frequent Jobs: criminal justice, military, academia, health care, education and business.
7. The Adventurer: energetic, lively and optimistic. They want to contribute to the world. They are active and optimistic. They shun unpleasant emotions including fear. Positive Tendencies: fun-loving, spontaneous, imaginative, productive, enthusiastic, quick, confident, charming and curious. Frequent Jobs: airline industry, photography, mechanical trades, outdoor fields, entrepreneurship, teaching, nursing and counseling.
8. The Asserter: direct, self-reliant, self-confident and protective. They present a strong image and are not afraid to express their anger. Positive Tendencies: direct, authoritative, loyal, energetic, earthy, protective and self-confident. Frequent Jobs: entrepreneurship, business, law, military, athletics, teaching and health care.
9. The Peacemaker: receptive good natured and supportive. They seek union with others and the world around them. They are agreeable, accommodating and can often be out of touch with their anger. Positive Tendencies: pleasant, peaceful, generous, patient, receptive, diplomatic, open-minded and empathic. Frequent Jobs: mediation, diplomacy, the helping professions, military and government.
Dr. Tom’s Career Tip: “Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are.” – J.C. Hare
Need Help or Need a Speaker? (518) 366-8451
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A very few days demonstrated the effect of the governor’s address to these ignorant people. He received information, that considerable numbers of them were assembling for the purpose of proceeding in quest of the new settlement. He, therefore, directed a party of armed constables, to waylay and secure as many as they were able; which was effected, and sixteen were taken and put into confinement. On speaking to them the following day, they appeared to be totally ignorant whither they were going; but, observing in them as much obstinacy as ignorance, the governor justly conceived that he could not use an argument more likely to convince them of their misconduct, than by ordering a severe corporal punishment to be inflicted at Sydney on those who appeared to be the principals in this business; which was accordingly put in execution; seven of them receiving each two hundred lashes; the remainder, after being punished at Parramatta, were sent to hard labour and strictly looked after.
On enquiry it appeared, that this party was composed of several who were present when the magistrate addressed them by order of the governor; and that others had assembled from different farms, which were situated at a considerable distance from each other. The trouble taken to collect and mislead these people proved to him that it was the work of some wicked incendiary, who designed by this means to embarrass the public concerns of the colony, and thereby throw obstacles in the way of his government.
Being, on further consideration of the necessity of checking this spirit of emigration, determined to convince them, by their own experience, of the danger and difficulties which attended it, the governor caused four of the strongest and hardiest among them to be chosen by themselves, and properly prepared for a journey of discovery. They were to be accompanied by three men, upon whom the governor knew he could depend, and who were to lead them back, when fatigued and exhausted with their journey, over the very worst and most dangerous part of the country. This plan was no sooner settled, than the governor received information on which he could rely, that a party of these miscreants had concerted with the four deputies to meet them at a certain place, where they were to murder the persons intended to be their guides, possess themselves of their arms and provisions, and then pursue their own route. This diabolical scheme was counter-acted by the addition of four soldiers to the guides; and on the 14th they set off from Parramatta.
On the 24th the soldiers returned with three of the deputies, who, having gained the foot of the first mountains, were so completely sick of their journey, and of the prospect before them, that they requested to return with the soldiers, whose mission here terminated, being ordered to leave them at this place in the direction of the guides; one man only expressed a resolution to persevere, and penetrate further into the country, and was left with them for that purpose.
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- 2016 Elections
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A beluga whale in Fall River, Mass., and a pod of killer whales off the coast of Nantucket, Mass., have piqued the interest of researchers from Mystic Aquarium studying the impact of weather and climate change on marine mammals.
A group of researchers from the aquarium traveled to the Taunton River in Fall River on Thursday in an attempt to get a first-hand look at the beluga whale. The lone whale was first spotted in the river on June 15 and confirmed by aerial survey on June 18 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
The Mystic Aquarium is home to three such whales, whose normal habitat is the arctic or subarctic regions, according to Dr. Tracy Romano, Mystic Aquarium’s executive vice president of research and zoological operations.
Romano, who is leading the team searching for the whale, said not only is it usual to see a beluga this far south, but being social animals, they don’t typically travel alone. The group had yet to spot the whale as of Thursday afternoon.
“The bigger picture here is that in addition to this beluga coming this far south, for perhaps the first time ever we’re seeing orcas this far south,” she said. “This relates to the bigger picture of climate change, melting ice in the arctic and how that is impacting animals.”
Romano said a beluga this far south is rare, but not unheard of. She recalls beluga whale sightings over the past decade in Boston Harbor and the Philadelphia River.
Observing the beluga whale will help in the aquarium’s current research into how weather patterns and climate change affect the animals’ health and behavior, Romano said. The hands-on work with belugas typically takes place in places like Alaska, she said.
“I just think it’s exciting and interesting. The observation speaks to what we’re seeing up in the arctic,” Romano said.
The killer whales were spotted and photographed Wednesday by personnel aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Campbell about 150 miles off the coast of Nantucket, Romano said.
Romano said it’s unclear what brought the beluga so far south, but said during the summer months it is not uncommon for the whales to swim up rivers in search of food in warmer waters.
“We really don’t know what brought it here,” she said.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare is asking the public to report any further sightings to the IFAW Marine Mammal Rescue Hotline at (508) 743-9548, and to provide the location and description of the whale’s behavior. The public is also asked to resist the urge to interact with the whale and keep a safe distance from the whale of at least 150 feet.
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PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS
|The Desert Years||Historical Review (1:1-3:29) 1:46-2:8a||The Years in the Desert
|From Kadesh to the Arnon|
|King Sihon Defeated||Israel Defeats King Sihon||Conquest of the Kingdom of Sihon|
READING CYCLE THREE (see introductory section)
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3, p. viii). Compare your subject divisions with the four modern translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.
1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Third paragraph
Brief Outline of Chapter 2
A. Israel's relations with Edom, v. 4-7
B. Israel's relations with Moab, v. 8-15
C. Israel's relations with Ammon, v. 16-19
D. Verses 20-23 is a parenthesis related to the Rephaim (See Special Topic at 1:28)
E. Israel's relations with Amorites on the eastern bank of Jordan, v. 24-37
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:1-7
1"Then we turned and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as the Lord spoke to me, and circled Mount Seir for many days. 2And the Lord spoke to me, saying, 3'You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north, 4and command the people, saying, "You will pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful; 5do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, even as little as a footstep because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. 6You shall buy food from them with money so that you may eat, and you shall also purchase water from them with money so that you may drink. 7For the Lord your God has blessed you in all that you have done; He has known your wanderings through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have not lacked a thing."'
2:1 "the wilderness" There are several "wildernesses" connected to the exodus.
1. Wilderness of Shur - in northeast Egypt (e.g., Exod. 15:22)
2. Wilderness of Paran - central Sinai Peninsula (e.g., Gen. 21:21; Num. 10:12; 12:16; 13:3,26)
3. Wilderness of Sin - southern Sinai Peninsula (e.g., Exod. 16:1; 17:1; Num. 33:11,12, also called "wilderness of Sinai," e.g., Exod. 19:1,2; Num. 1:1,19; 3:4; 9:1,5)
4. Wilderness of Zin - southern Canaan (e.g., Num. 13:21; 20:1; 27:14; 33:36; 34:3; Deut. 32:51)
▣ "by the way of the Red Sea" This refers to the Arabah Road (cf. TEV "on the road to the Gulf of Aqaba"), in the Jordan Rift Valley, which runs north and south on both sides of the Dead Sea (cf. v. 8). It is a wide valley which begins near the cities of Elath or Ezion-geber on the Gulf of Aqaba and goes through the heart of Edom and Moab and the kingdom of the Amorites to Damascus, Syria. In the OT it is called "the King's Highway" (e.g., Num. 20:17 and 21:22).
The term "Red Sea" (BDB 410 construct with 693) is literally "sea of reeds/weeds." This term is used for "the unknown and mysterious waters to the south." It can refer to the body of water that the Israelites crossed in the exodus and, as here and 1:40, to the body of water called the Gulf of Aqaba on the eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula. In one OT passage the term refers to the Indian Ocean. See Special Topic at 1:40.
▣ "as the Lord spoke to me" Deuteronomy depicts itself as a revelation from YHWH to Moses (cf. vv. 1,2,9,17,31). YHWH directed His people by:
1. direct revelation to Moses (cf. v. 2)
2. the movement of the Shekinah cloud of glory
3. the use of the Urim and Thummim (i.e., High Priest)
▣ "Mount Seir" This refers to the land of Edom (cf. vv. 5; 1:2; Exod. 3:1; 17:6).
NJB"gone far enough"
This verb (BDB 685, KB 738, Qal infinitive construct in v. 3 and a Qal imperfect in v. 1) means "turn about," "go around," "surround." The Israelites had no clear direction because of the evil unbelieving generation. They wandered around Kadesh-barnea for thirty-eight years, but YHWH is about to give specific, clear directions to Moses. "Go around" or "skirt" fits this text best.
▣ "Now turn north" This may refer to Numbers 20, where Israel asked if they could pass through the land of Edom, but the Edomites would not let them. They asked to pass through the land of the Moabites, and they also said no. This is recording an early event (cf. ICC p. 34). Here they are asking if they could go up the King's Highway, which ran through the center of these countries. They were willing to buy food and water, but the Edomites and the Moabites (the Israelites' relatives through Lot and Esau) said, "No." Rather than go through Edom, they went around their border.
Like so many Hebrew terms, this one (BDB 815, KB 937) has a concrete, literal meaning (e.g., here) and a developed, metaphorical meaning. "Turn" is the Hebrew term often translated "repent" (e.g., II Kgs. 17:13; II Chr. 30:6; Isa. 44:22; Jer. 3:11-4:2; Hosea 14:1).
2:4 "command" This term (BDB 845, KB 1010, Piel imperative), like "turn" (BDB 815, KB 937, Qal imperative) in v. 3, shows that Moses is recording the very commands of YHWH (as does the Hithpael imperfect used as a jussive in v. 5, "do not provoke them"). He personally directed their journey.
TEV"your distant relatives"
The English translation shows the implications of the Hebrew word "brother" (BDB 26). It is used several times of Edom (descendants of Esau, cf. Num. 20:14; Deut. 2:4,8; Obadiah v. 10).
▣ "they will be afraid of you" This is a prophetic statement which goes back to the Song of Deliverance in which Miriam praises God for the miraculous Reed Sea crossing. God predicted that "Edom and Moab would be terrified of the Israelites" (cf. Exod. 15:15).
2:4, 9, 19 Throughout this chapter there are several noteworthy phrases connected to God's sovereignty:
"I will not give" (v.5, 9, 19)
"I have given" (v.5, 9)
"the Lord gave" (v.12)
"the Lord our God is giving to us" (v.29)
"God delivered him over to us" (v.33)
This chapter shows the sovereignty of YHWH in international boundaries (cf. 32:8; Neh. 9:22), because each of these phrases stresses that YHWH is the one who gave the land to certain people groups to inherit. This chapter shows that YHWH did not exclusively give land to Israel, but He gave some to every nation. Some lost their land because of their sins (e.g., Gen. 15:16) and Israel also lost her land for a period (i.e., Assyrian and Babylonian exiles) because of her sin. This is asserting that YHWH is the universal God. In a day of polytheism, this is a wonderful statement of monotheism. There is one and only one God, Deut. 6:4-6. He is the One who gives the land even to the Edomites, Moabites, Amorites, etc. (esp. Deut. 32:8 in the Septuagint [LXX]).
REB"So be very careful"
NKJV"Therefore watch yourselves carefully"
TEV(combines this phrase with the next one in v. 5, "but you must not start a war")
NJB"and you will be well protected"
The literal phrase is "so take good heed" (a conjunction, verb [BDB 1036, KB 1581, Niphal perfect], and adverb [BDB 547]). The Septuagint is similar to TEV.
This phrase, in various forms, is used several times in Deuteronomy (cf. 2:4; 4:9,15,23; 6:12; 8:11; 11:16; 12:13,19,30; 15:9; 24:8). It implies, "keep your mind alert," "watch what you are doing," "think clearly about the implications of your actions."
NASB"even as little as a footstep"
NKJV"not so much as one footstep"
NRSV, NJB"even so much as a foot's length"
TEV"as much as a square foot"
This is a rare Hebrew term (BDB 204). It refers to a stepping place. The same root is used in 11:24 and Josh. 1:3. In a sense this was an encouraging word from YHWH. He had given land to both Edom and Moab. It was theirs, every inch of it! He was in the process of giving land to Israel. His land grant gifts were secure.
Now it must be added that eventually, because of sin, these nations (i.e., Edom and Moab) lost their land and perished as a people. All land gifts were conditional. This is also true of Israel (i.e., the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles). All of God's covenants (except Genesis 6 and 15) are conditional.
His promises of redemption are sure (unconditional), but each person/nation must respond and continue to respond appropriately! A continuing, obedient faith relationship is crucial. YHWH requires faith, repentance, obedience, and perseverance, in both the OT and the NT.
2:6 Israel was to purchase both food and water as a gesture of their recognition of Edom's sovereignty over their land, which was given by YHWH.
1. "Buy food" (BDB 991, KB 1404, Qal imperfect)
2. "Purchase water" (BDB 500, KB 497, Qal imperfect)
2:7 "These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have not lacked a thing" This passage describes the love of God even in the midst of Israel's rebellion against Him (i.e., lack of faith in His promise to give them the land of Canaan).
The Wilderness Wandering Period was a judgment to a generation of Israelites with little faith, but it turned into a time of YHWH's personal presence and provision. The rabbis call it the honeymoon period between YHWH and Israel. YHWH provided:
2. personal guidance
5. clothes that did not wear out
6. victory in battle
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:8-15
8"So we passed beyond our brothers the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road, away from Elath and from Ezion-geber. And we turned and passed through by the way of the wilderness of Moab. 9Then the Lord said to me, 'Do not harass Moab, nor provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the sons of Lot as a possession. 10(The Emim lived there formerly, a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim. 11Like the Anakim, they are also regarded as Rephaim, but the Moabites call them Emim. 12The Horites formerly lived in Seir, but the sons of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the Lord gave to them.) 13Now arise and cross over the brook Zered yourselves.' So we crossed over the brook Zered. 14Now the time that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war perished from within the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them. 15Moreover the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from within the camp until they all perished."
2:8 "So we passed beyond our brothers, the sons of Esau who live in Seir" This use of "brothers" is somewhat ironic. They were kin. They did come from the same ancestors, Isaac and Rebekah, but they were acting like anything except relatives.
"Seir" refers to the mountain range in the country of Edom. So "Seir" and "Edom" are synonymous.
2:8, 27 "Arabah road" This refers to "the Kings Highway," from the Gulf of Aqaba to Damascus (cf. v. 1 and Num. 20:17,19; 21:22).
2:8 "Elath" This is literally "palm trees" (BDB 19). This is probably close to Ezion-geber (cf. I Kgs. 9:26), which is at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba.
▣ "the way of the wilderness of Moab" The Macmillan Bible Atlas, map 10, shows this desert road as parallel to "the King's Highway," but to the east. The southern end passes through Edom and is known as "the way of the wilderness of Edom" (cf. II Kgs. 3:8). The King's Highway and this smaller desert road meet at Rabbath-bene-ammon, which is to the east of Jericho.
2:9 "Do not harass Moab, nor provoke them to war" This is parallel to 2:5 about Edom. The terms are different, but the thought is the same.
Both of the verbs are jussives:
1. "harass" (BDB 849 III, KB 1015, Qal jussive, cf. Exod. 23:22; Esther 8:11)
2. "provoke" (BDB 173, KB 202, Hithpael jussive, vv. 19,24; Pro. 28:4; Dan. 11:10)
▣ "Ar" This is either a reference to Moab in general or its capital city (cf. Num. 21:15,28; Deut. 2:9,18,29; Isa. 15:1). It was located on the left bank of the Arnon River.
▣ "sons of Lot as a possession" See Gen. 19:37-38.
2:10-12 These verses are an editorial comment, as are vv. 20-23; 3:9,11,13-14. The following are all terms for giants: (1) Emim (v. 10,11); (2) Anakim (v.10,11,21); and (3) Rephaim (vv. 11,20). These terms can mean either (a) large or tall in size; (b) of a particular ethnic origin; or (c) later in Isaiah and ,Jeremiah, it is used for the realm of the dead. Here it probably refers to size. See Special Topic at 1:28.
2:12 "Horites" There is some debate concerning the relation between the Horites (BDB 360) and the Hurrians (ABD, vol. 3, pp. 335-338). I do not think that they are the same (ABD, vol. 3, p. 288). I believe there were two different peoples, although there is no way to be dogmatic (NET Bible, p. 348 #5). The Horites were a tribal group that lived in the region of Edom/Seir before Edom was a nation (cf. Gen. 14:6; 36:20-30).
2:13 "Now arise and cross over" These two verbs (BDB 877, KB 1086 and BDB 716, KB 778) are both Qal imperatives. YHWH is still telling Moses exactly what to do.
▣ "brook Zered" This is the name of a wadi between Moab and Edom (cf. Num. 21:12). A wadi is a silt-filled ravine where water runs during the rainy season, a seasonal brook, not a river. The silt often forms a "road." It formed the border between Edom and Moab.
The meaning of the term "Zered" (BDB 279) is unknown.
2:14 "Now the time that it took for us. . .was thirty-eight years" This is a summary verse of the wilderness wandering period (cf. v. 7).
2:14, 16 "all the generation of the men of war" The "men of war" included every male between 20 and 50 years of age (cf. Exod. 30:14; 38:26; Num. 1:3; 14:29). All of this evil unbelieving generation (i.e., lack of faith in YHWH's promises) had to die (cf. v. 15) before the younger Israelis could possess the Promised Land.
▣ "as the Lord had sworn" See Num. 14:28-29; Deut. 1:34-35.
2:15 "the hand of the Lord" See Special Topic below.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:16-25
16"So it came about when all the men of war had finally perished from among the people, 17that the Lord spoke to me, saying, 18'Today you shall cross over Ar, the border of Moab. 19When you come opposite the sons of Ammon, do not harass them nor provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the sons of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the sons of Lot as a possession.' 20(It is also regarded as the land of the Rephaim, for Rephaim formerly lived in it, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummin, 21a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim, but the Lord destroyed them before them. And they dispossessed them and settled in their place, 22just as He did for the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them; they dispossessed them and settled in their place even to this day. 23And the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.) 24Arise, set out, and pass through the valley of Arnon. Look! I have given Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land into your hand; begin to take possession and contend with him in battle. 25This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples everywhere under the heavens, who, when they hear the report of you, will tremble and be in anguish because of you.'
2:16 "all the men of war had finally perished" This shows a balance between the love of God and the justice of God. God's purpose is not just to punish, but to help His people learn from their mistakes. Therefore, He made these people, under His death sentence, wander around for 38 years, but He fed them, He loved them and He provided for them. It wasn't sudden death, but it was an untimely death. Everyone of the men who came up to Kadesh-barnea, 20 years of age and up, were now dead, except Joshua and Caleb.
2:19 This is parallel to 2:5 and 2:9. These are the same verbs as v. 9. Here the first (BDB 849, KB 1015) is jussive in meaning, but not form. The second (BDB 173, KB 202) is a Hithpael jussive. The Ammonites were also relatives of the Israelites through Lot.
2:20 "(It is also regarded as the land of the Rephaim)" This was an ethnic group who lived in this place. They were also called Zamzummin. Verse 21 shows us they were part of the giants (cf. v. 9.) See Special Topic at 1:28.
▣ "Zamzummin" See Genesis 14:5.
2:21 YHWH had been faithful to the descendants of Esau (vv. 5,22) and Lot (vv. 9-10, 21-22). The same "holy war" vocabulary used to describe Israel's victories of conquest are used to describe Edom and Ammon's conquest of their tribal lands.
This term (BDB 732) has two meanings:
1. A people group which inhabited the land south of Palestine. They were conquered by Aegean people (i.e., Philistines). Albright even associates them with Hyksos settlements (cf. ABD, vol. 1, p. 531). This chapter has listed original inhabitants of places who were defeated and dispossessed.
2. Later in Joshua this term becomes the name of a city in the tribal allocation of Benjamin (cf. Josh. 18:23). Some scholars have surmised that they were people from Ai.
▣ "the Caphtorim who came from Caphtor" This term (BDB 499) could possibly be the island of Crete, Cyprus, Cappadocia, or northern Egypt (cf. Gen. 10:13-14). We do not know exactly. The Caphtorim (plural of Caphtor) were possibly neighbors or relatives of the Philistines (cf. Gen. 10:14; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7).
2:24 This verse has several commands:
1. "Arise" - BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal imperative, cf. Gen. 13:17
2. "Set out" - BDB 652, KB 704, Qal imperative, cf. Deut. 1:19; 2:1
3. "Pass through" - BDB 716, KB 778, Qal imperative, cf. Isa. 23:12
4. "Look" - BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal imperative
5. "Begin" - BDB 320 III, KB 319, Hiphil imperative, cf. Deut. 2:31
6. "To take possession" - BDB 439, KB 441, Qal imperative, cf. Det. 1:8,21; 2:31; 9:23
7. "Contend" - BDB 173, KB 202, Hithpael imperative, cf. Deut. 2:5,9,19; Dan. 11:10
YHWH is commanding, encouraging, and challenging His people to trust Him and obey His word as their parents did not. The land was theirs if they exercised faith!
▣ "Amorite" See note at 1:4. The capital of this kingdom was Heshbon. It became the allotted tribal territory of Reuben.
2:25 "I will begin to put" These two terms are imperatives in v. 24. God was ready to act as warrior on their behalf if they would trust Him and enter into battle with the local inhabitants!
▣ "dread and fear" The first term (BDB 808) means "to be in awe" or "dread":
1. Israel's enemies will dread them - Deut. 2:25; 11:25; Ps. 105:38
2. the Israelis will be afraid of YHWH if they sin - Deut. 28:66,67
3. YHWH is to be awed - Ps. 119:120
The second term (BDB 432) means "to fear":
1. the fear of God - Exod. 20:20
2. reverence of God - Ps. 2:11; 5:; 90:11; 119:38
3. fear of death - Ps. 55:4-5
4. fear of Israel - Deut. 2:25
▣ "everywhere under the heavens" This is an obvious hyperbole (i.e., whole earth, 4:19; Dan. 9:12). This is referring to the inhabitants of Canaan.
▣ "tremble and be in anguish" This is parallel to "dread and fear." The first verb (BDB 919, KB 1182, Qal perfect) means "quake" or "quiver" (cf. Pro. 29:9; Isa. 14:9). The second verb (BDB 296, KB 297, Qal perfect) means "dance," "whirl" (cf. Lam. 4:6) or "writhe" (cf. Isa. 23:4; 26:18 [giving birth]).
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:26-31
26"So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, 27'Let me pass through your land, I will travel only on the highway; I will not turn aside to the right or to the left. 28You will sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink, only let me pass through on foot, 29just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I cross over the Jordan into the land which the Lord our God is giving to us.' 30But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today. 31The Lord said to me, 'See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to occupy, that you may possess his land.'"
2:26 "Kedemoth" This refers to an area (or settlement) north of the Arnon River, but exactly where is uncertain. This later became a Levitical city (cf. Josh. 21:37).
2:27 "Let me pass through your land, I will travel only on the highway" The first verb (BDB 716, KB 778, Qal cohortative) is used often in this historical summary (cf. 2:4,8,13,14,18,24,27,28,29,30; 3:18,21,25,27,28; 4:14,21,22,26). Another textual feature is that the Hebrew word 'way" or "road," with the preposition is doubled. This is a way of emphasizing that they would not deviate off the main highway. This refers to the King's Highway, which goes through Edom, Moab, and the Kingdom of Sihon. Moses asserts that they had passed through these kingdoms without causing trouble even when their king would not let Israel pass through. This was the very same offer (cf. v. 29) that Moses made to Edom (cf. v. 6).
▣ "I will not turn aside to the right or to the left" Notice Moses is speaking in a corporate sense. Much of the misunderstanding of the Bible can be attributed to the loss of the corporate nature of biblical revelation versus the individual focus of modern, western societies. The rights and privileges of the individual have eclipsed the social collectiveness of the OT.
The phrase is based on the OT idiom of biblical faith as a path or way (e.g., Ps. 119:105). God's will is clearly marked. This concept is literal here (i.e., a highway). So the phrase, "turn to the right or left" is literal. Usually this is used metaphorically for the spiritual life (e.g., Num. 20:17; 22:26; Deut. 5:32; 17:11,20; 28:14; Josh. 1:7; 23:6; I Kgs. 22:2).
2:30 "the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate" The first verb (BDB 904, KB 1151, Hiphil perfect) means "to be hard" in the sense of stubbornness or stiffneckedness:
1. the Qal imperfect is used in 1:17; 15:18
2. the Hiphil is used in Exod. 7:3; 13:15 in relation to God hardening Pharaoh's heart just before the exodus
3. the Hiphil is used in Deut. 10:16 of YHWH warning the Israelites not to harden their hearts or not to be stiffnecked
Number 2 is a parallel to this context's divine hardening of Sihon's heart (i.e., will).
The second verb (BDB 54, KB 69, Piel perfect) means "to be strong." It is usually used in a positive sense (cf. Deut. 3:28; 31:6,7,23), but here it is used parallel to "stiffnecked" (cf. Deut. 15:7; II Chr. 36:13).
This is similar to what happened to Pharaoh: (1) God hardened his heart (cf. Exod. 7:3; 9:12; 10:1,20,27; 11:10; 14:4,8,17) or (2) Pharaoh hardened his own heart (cf. Exod. 8:15,32; 9:34). These verses show both God's sovereignty and mankind's God-given free will. The context implies that Pharaoh (in Exodus) and Sihon (in Deuteronomy) had a free will or why would Moses take the time to offer a peace initiative to them? The implication is that God is in control of all things. God set up the circumstances, but they refused (see Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 142-143). Romans 9 and 10 show this same paradox. Chapter 9 focuses on the sovereignty of God while chapter 10 has several universal offers (cf. v. 4, "everyone"; vv. 11,13, "whosoever"; v. 12, "all"[twice]). See Special Topics below.
2:31 Three of the imperatives of v. 24 are repeated:
1. "See" - BDB 906, KB 115, Qal imperative
2. "Begin" - BDB 320, KB 319, Hiphil imperative
3. "Occupy" - BDB 439, KB 441, Qal imperative
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:32-37
32"Then Sihon with all his people came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz. 33The Lord our God delivered him over to us, and we defeated him with his sons and all his people. 34So we captured all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed the men, women and children of every city. We left no survivor. 35We took only the animals as our booty and the spoil of the cities which we had captured. 36From Aroer which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon and from the city which is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was no city that was too high for us; the Lord our God delivered all over to us. 37Only you did not go near to the land of the sons of Ammon, all along the river Jabbok and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the Lord our God had commanded us."
2:32 "came out to meet us" Sihon lost because he left his fortified cities and was defeated on the plains. This is a good example of where God used human pride to accomplish His purpose.
▣ "Jahaz" The exact site is uncertain, but it is on the eastern side of Jordan in the kingdom of Sihon and probably south of the capital, Heshbon, because the Israelites were coming from the south.
2:33 "God delivered him over to us" As in v. 31, God's sovereignty (v. 32a, "God delivered" BDB 678, KB 733, Qal imperfect) and human freedom (v. 32b, "we defeated" BDB 645, KB 697, Hiphil imperfect) are both plainly asserted.
2:34 "We left no survivor" This was a tenet of holy war (herem, BDB 355 I, cf. 3:6). All were killed because these people had been sinful for a long time (cf. Deut. 7:16; 20:14). Genesis 15:16 says that "the sin of the Amorite is not yet full" and, therefore, God had waited a long time for them to respond to Him. They did not repent and judgment finally came. If they had not been destroyed, they would have corrupted the worship and theology given on Mt. Sinai. "Holy War' was a judgment and a protective hedge!
2:35 "We took only the animals as our booty and the spoil of the cities" Here is an example of a limited ban (e.g., 3:6-7; Josh. 8:2,27; 11:14). They could take some spoils after they destroyed the people. This was a part of the OT concept of holy war. The battle belonged to YHWH and so, too, the spoils (e.g., Jericho, Joshua 7).
NASB "the city which is in the valley"
NKJV "the city that is in the ravine"
NRSV "the town that is in the wadi itself"
TEV "the city in the middle of that Valley"
NJB "the town down in the valley"
The variety in the English translations shows the possibilities. For me, a city would never have been built in a wadi because of the danger of flash floods, so valley seems best.
▣ "no city that was too high for us" God's people had balked because the cities were too well fortified, the inhabitants were too tall. Now the Jews are saying, "Those people are big, but we will do it with God's help" (cf. Deut. 1:28).
2:37 The area of conquest was very precise (by divine command, cf. vv. 5,9,19).
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. Follow the route of the conquest on a map.
2. Who were the giants?
3. How does one deal with v. 34?
Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International
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(Recommended background listening as you read this post: “Black Mud” by the Black Keys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APSrvU7KdPM&feature=related)
Floods destroy. Floods also create. In 1927, an epic flood on the Mississippi River killed hundreds and wreaked massive property damage. But in its wake of destruction, that flood created rock and roll.
To be fair, rock and roll, like the Mississippi, is a seriously big river, one with many tributaries that converged to form its still-shifting channel. But one of its tributaries — and perhaps the essential one, with a gritty, longing, shuffling beat still pulsing unmistakably within the bigger river — sprang forth from the black mud that covered the whole Mississippi Delta when the swollen river finally slunk back to its banks in the late summer of 1927.
The black mud was one more sheet thrown messily across a thick bed of soil that had piled up over centuries of floods. Floods destroy, but floods also create — and that thick, black flood soil was phenomenally productive. People had created a thriving economy and society on top of it. They built massive levees to keep the river at bay, and first slaves and then sharecroppers turned that black soil to the white gold of cotton. But in 1927, those levees failed, and the society that rose up on the largesse of floods now felt their wrath.
Although floods are what made the soil so rich, in the short term the 1927 flood threw the Mississippi Delta into disarray. The flood re-exposed the deep racial fissures that the Delta society had worked hard to either smooth over or wish away. In the wake of the ugliness and economic upheaval, a river of rural blacks began moving north from the Delta.
“I works on the levee, mama both night and day, I works so hard, to keep the water away.” With the final line, he alludes to the great migration of blacks moving northward, “I’s a mean old levee, cause me to weep and moan, gonna leave my baby, and my happy home.”
Chicago was the destination for many of the Delta migrants and, in Chicago, the Delta Blues got plugged into amps and electrified. There, Chess Records’ artists like Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker provided the first DNA strands that mutated and gloriously evolved the Delta Blues into “Chicago Blues.”
With the vigor of a new species, the Chicago Blues dispersed globally and, where it touched down, continued to evolve. In London, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger bonded over their mail-order records from Chess.
As I said before, rock and roll sprang from many sources. But stripped to its essence, its true heart may be the primal beat and yearning soul of the electrified Delta Blues. The northward migration of blacks from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago set this electro-evolution in motion, and that migration was sparked and hastened by the great flood of 1927. And although rock has continued to evolve, you can still hear the black Delta mud in its DNA.
—Text by Jeff Opperman, Cool Green Science Blog
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| 0.951239 | 687 | 3.109375 | 3 |
NVIDIA format stores floating point numbers in following 16 bit format:-
Sign -1 bit
Exponent – 5 bits
Fraction 10 bits
To calculate sum of A and B where they are stored in NVIDIA binary format and one bit each is reserved for guard, round and sticky bit.
The steps to add two numbers involve:-
1. Compare the exponents of two numbers. Match the two exponents by shifting the smaller number to right.
2. Add the fraction bits.
3. Normalize the above sum. This can be done by either
i. Shifting the fraction right and incrementing the exponent or
ii. Shifting the fraction left and decrementing the exponent.
4. Check for overflow or underflow. In case of either the two cannot be conclusively added.
5. Round off the fraction to the appropriate number of bits.
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1. I heard the bells on Christmas dayTheir old familiar carols play,And wild and sweet the words repeatOf peace on earth, good will to men.
2. I thought how, as the day had come,The belfries of all ChristendomHad rolled along th'unbroken songOf peace on earth, good will to men.
3. And in despair I bowed my head:"There is no peace on earth," I said,"For hate is strong and mocks the songOf peace on earth, good will to men."
4. Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,With peace on earth, good will to men."
5. Till, ringing, singing, on its way,The world revolved from night to day,A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,Of peace on earth, good will to men!
Text: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882Music: John Baptiste Calkin, 1827-1905
- Hymn Number
- John Baptiste Calkin, 1827-1905
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882
- Luke 2:14, Doctrine and Covenants 3:1-3
- LM (Long Meter)
- 8 8 8 8
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Author Theodor Seuss Geisel, who is most notably known as Dr. Seuss, would have celebrated his 109th birthday on March 2. The Vietnamese Initiative in Economic Training's ExpandED Learning Time Program celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday by reading his books to students at Einstein Charter and Fannie C. Williams Charter schools in eastern New Orleans.
The VIET’s ExpandED Learning Time Program's goal is to stress the importance of childhood literacy. Each year, VIET and its partners celebrate Dr. Seuss’ in an effort to motivate children to read and create an awareness of what wonders reading can offer. Dr. Seuss published 46 children’s books, with the most popular being "The Cat in the Hat” and “Green Eggs and Ham.”
VIET was created in 2001 to help mainstream the Vietnamese community into American society and help bridge the gap as it relates to cultural and language barriers. VIET works to develop educational and economic training programs and acts as a resource center. In addition to the ExpandED Learning Time Afterschool Program, VIET offers free tax preparation and provides information on services such as LaChip, LaMom, food stamps and filing naturalization applications.
Activities include guitar and piano instruction, break dancing, pottery classes, photography, line dancing, karate, swimming, fishing, gardening and sports.
The program's Summer Adventure Program operates eight weeks through June and July. Registration opened March 1. Parents are required to attend a mandatory parent orientation prior to a child being accepted in the program.
VIET also works to develop educational and economic training programs and act as a resource center for minority residents in Louisiana. VIET is located at 13435 Granville St. For more information, call Cyndi Nguyen, executive director, or Lan Hoang, manager, at 504.255.0400.
The East New Regional Library, 5641 Read Blvd., continues to be a hub of entertainment for families in eastern New Orleans.
The library offers weekly story time sessions on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. in the Children's Area Reading Room. Books chosen are geared toward children ages 2 through 8, and topics reflect seasonal themes.
On March 23, from 2 to 4 p.m., the library will host its “Read the Book, See the Movie” program.
“Malcolm X” was shown in February in honor of Black History Month.
Library hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, call 504.596.0200.
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One key part of the web that hasn't received any attention since it's founding is the plain old hyperlink, you know, the URL that lets you point at and talk about anything on the web. We still have exactly the same hypertext we had when the web booted up in the early 90s. We've got the same old 8-bit hypertext while the rest of the web's foundations have rapidly zoomed beyond. Just to keep this in perspective, the hyperlink we know predates Windows 95. Yikes.
Why should we care about hyperlinks and evolving them? Well, first, hyperlinks are at the heart of Google's search engine algorithm, Page Rank. Literally the way that we actually find almost everything on the web depends on the hyperlink; if we make the hyperlink just a little bit better we should therefore also help make search better.
Second, the hyperlink is how we talk about things. Douglas Engelbart has a term that he calls granular addressability. This refers to the ability to talk about everything that's out there using hypertext. As a side note, it's thanks to Doug (and Ted Nelson too) that we have hypertext at all, as they are the original inventors of it.
So, how can we make hypertext better? I think two very simple things would make hypertext much more powerful on the web; one of them is a small little technical piece and the other is a small user facing feature:
Basically, both of these would bring granular addressability to the web.
Let's start with the user facing feature first. On a desktop machine, a user could right-click on a paragraph or any part of the page and they would see a new menu option that might say something like "Copy Link to". If they select this then it will be copied to the clipboard as a URL that would directly go to this block on the page. They could then copy this into an email, a tweet, or a Google Doc document that they're working on in order to directly point someone else to this other part of the page.
Since multitouch devices like the iPad don't have a right-click menu, we would need to have an equivalent way to copy a link on those devices. Perhaps you could hold your finger down on an object in the web browser and that would allow you to get a menu to copy it to your clipboard.
So that's the user facing side what does one of these links look like?
The link would have a normal HTTP link on the left side going to the page itself followed by an anchor hash. After this, if the object that the user had right-clicked on had an ID attribute, then the hash would just have the ID attribute afterwards like a normal standard named anchor link today:
If there is no ID attribute, after the hash would be a very simple numerical offset going through the structure of the document until it hits the element in question. Very simply, basically this would have the DOM order of this element in relation to what's above it. It would be a kind of slash offset telling you how to count over to the element. It would start from one rather than zero as most users understand going from one. Also note that it would only be counting real elements in the DOM (i.e. markup) rather than whitespace or other nodes like comment nodes. Here's an example of what one might look like:
Also, we are not trying to boil the ocean and have these paths be resistant to changes in the remote page; we are just giving you the ability to point to the remote page and the offset will take you to it as a best effort, just like the original web hyperlinks didn't try to protect you from 404s. If the remote page has changed or if an element is not visible the browser would do nothing if it can't resolve the path and the browser would stay at the top of the page. If the path resolved to a visible element then it would scroll to the element just like a normal named anchor does today.
Those are the only two things, short and sweet. They probably would be very straightforward to implement and could be built with basically features that are already in the browser. Just having these two things would really help give hypertext more addressability in a way that's accessible to end users and could really help in a deep way.
We need to implement these natively into the browser. I'm focusing on Chrome because I really think Chrome is the browser actually moving the web forward today in my opinion. They really are the vanguard of pushing all of the pieces of the web stack forward into new directions, except for hypertext so far. Chrome is the place this would happen first.
Let's see web hypertext finally get a little bit of cleanup and the ability to do granular addressability. I would love to see Chrome be the first browser to make this possible. Tell me what you think.
Subscribe to my RSS feed and follow me on Twitter to stay up to date on new posts.
Please note that this is my personal blog — the views expressed on these pages are mine alone and not those of my employer.
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| 0.96629 | 1,060 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Japan Will Have a Space Elevator by 2050
The company plans to use carbon nanontubes, which are 20 times stronger than steel, to produce the cables required for the elevator. Those cables will be stretched to a counterweight 96,000 kilometers above our planet, about one-fourth of the distance between the Earth and the moon.
The terminal station, 36,000 kilometers above Earth, will be reached by cars that can carry 30 people and travel at 200 kilometers per hour. An Obayashi official said:
"At this moment, we cannot estimate the cost for the project. However, we'll try to make steady progress so that it won't end just up as simply a dream."
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| 0.926205 | 142 | 2.703125 | 3 |
What is International Business? Meaning
International Business conducts business transactions all over the world. These transactions include the transfer of goods, services, technology, managerial knowledge, and capital to other countries. International business involves exports and imports.
International Business is also known, called or referred as a Global Business or an International Marketing.
Image Credits © Eliway Education.
An international business has many options for doing business, it includes,
- Exporting goods and services.
- Giving license to produce goods in the host country.
- Starting a joint venture with a company.
- Opening a branch for producing & distributing goods in the host country.
- Providing managerial services to companies in the host country.
Features of International Business
The nature and characteristics or features of international business are:-
- Large scale operations : In international business, all the operations are conducted on a very huge scale. Production and marketing activities are conducted on a large scale. It first sells its goods in the local market. Then the surplus goods are exported.
- Intergration of economies : International business integrates (combines) the economies of many countries. This is because it uses finance from one country, labour from another country, and infrastructure from another country. It designs the product in one country, produces its parts in many different countries and assembles the product in another country. It sells the product in many countries, i.e. in the international market.
- Dominated by developed countries and MNCs : International business is dominated by developed countries and their multinational corporations (MNCs). At present, MNCs from USA, Europe and Japan dominate (fully control) foreign trade. This is because they have large financial and other resources. They also have the best technology and research and development (R & D). They have highly skilled employees and managers because they give very high salaries and other benefits. Therefore, they produce good quality goods and services at low prices. This helps them to capture and dominate the world market.
- Benefits to participating countries : International business gives benefits to all participating countries. However, the developed (rich) countries get the maximum benefits. The developing (poor) countries also get benefits. They get foreign capital and technology. They get rapid industrial development. They get more employment opportunities. All this results in economic development of the developing countries. Therefore, developing countries open up their economies through liberal economic policies.
- Keen competition : International business has to face keen (too much) competition in the world market. The competition is between unequal partners i.e. developed and developing countries. In this keen competition, developed countries and their MNCs are in a favourable position because they produce superior quality goods and services at very low prices. Developed countries also have many contacts in the world market. So, developing countries find it very difficult to face competition from developed countries.
- Special role of science and technology : International business gives a lot of importance to science and technology. Science and Technology (S & T) help the business to have large-scale production. Developed countries use high technologies. Therefore, they dominate global business. International business helps them to transfer such top high-end technologies to the developing countries.
- International restrictions : International business faces many restrictions on the inflow and outflow of capital, technology and goods. Many governments do not allow international businesses to enter their countries. They have many trade blocks, tariff barriers, foreign exchange restrictions, etc. All this is harmful to international business.
- Sensitive nature : The international business is very sensitive in nature. Any changes in the economic policies, technology, political environment, etc. has a huge impact on it. Therefore, international business must conduct marketing research to find out and study these changes. They must adjust their business activities and adapt accordingly to survive changes.
Article on International Business
Read following article on international business:-
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| 0.937233 | 790 | 3.4375 | 3 |
The throwing sector for all levels of competition has now been standardized to 34.92 degrees for the shot put, discus, and hammer throws. The easiest way to lay out the sector is to get a 90 meter tape measure and have at least 3 people to help.
A 34.92 degree sector is an isoceles triangle in which the unequal side is 0.6 times the length of the other two sides. It can be expressed mathematically as 2arcsin(0.30). The easiest way to lay this out is to remember the ratio 5:3, in which the triangle is 3 meters across for every 5 meters you go out.
Person A should hold the 0 point of the tape measure and the 13 meter mark, on the center of the throwing circle. Person B holds the 5 meter mark, and Person C holds the 8 meter mark. Stretch the tape measure until there is no slack between point each point and place a mark down at each point.
Repeat this procedure again now using points 0 and 26 meters in the center of the circle, 10 meters for person B and 16 meters for person C, marking the points once again.
You can continue marking points using the ratio of 5 meters out 3 meters across, until you have enough points that you feel comfortable to pull a straight line the length of the sector to mark with paint, chalk, or tape.
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en
| 0.931391 | 280 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Does Maternal Smoking Affect Infant Language?
By Claire D. Coles, Ph.D.
Although most women who abuse alcohol and other drugs also smoke cigarettes, the effect of prenatal exposure to tobacco is not well explored. The negative effects of smoking on birth weight were known and women in the 1960's were warned not to smoke when pregnant to avoid having a low birth weight baby. However, we were also told that the baby's weight would quickly "catch up" following birth and that there were no other negative consequences. Over time, some other problems were identified particularly in children who lived with smokers and were exposed to what is called ETS (environmental tobacco smoke).
These problems including increased respiratory infections and asthma and a higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Children who were exposed to this "secondary smoke" also seemed to have more ear infections (called "otitis media"). Little attention was paid to cognitive or behavior effects until a Canadian-based study (Fried, et al. 1997) published information suggesting that middle class children exposed prenatally to tobacco had more problems with language and reading than did similar children whose mothers did not smoke.
Following up on Fried's work, the Maternal Substance Abuse and Child Development Project in Georgia, found that 6-month olds who were exposed to nicotine had more problems than other children in processing sounds (Kable, 1995). When these children were 4 ½ years old, they showed problems with "auditory processing" of words that they heard. That is, they were not able to make fine discriminations between different syllables like "bat" and "pat" and would sometimes confuse words that sounded the same. This problem is of particular concern because children with reading disabilities show the same difficulties.
To investigate this problem in greater depth, the Emory Language Development Study was funded by the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). At the present time, mothers who deliver at Northside and Crawford Long Hospitals in Atlanta are eligible to participate in the study and their infants are followed at the Emory MSACD laboratory until they are 24 months old. During three follow-up visits, data are collected on the baby's ability to discriminate sounds (for instance, "ba" and "da") as well as on language development. Speech and language will be analyzed by scientists at Emory and at Georgia State University. When the study is completed, we will better understand how exposure to nicotine during pregnancy and in the home affect this important part of children's development. Having this information will help health care professionals advise mothers about smoking in pregnancy and will let women make a more informed choice about continuing to smoke.
Fried, P.A., Watkinson, B., & Siegel, L.S. (1997). Reading and language in 9-to 12-year olds prenatally exposed to cigarettes and marijuana. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 19(3), 171-183.
Kable, J.A. (1995). Auditory vs. general information processing deficits in infants of mothers who smoke during pregnancy. Available from the MSACD Project.
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| 0.974768 | 641 | 3.296875 | 3 |
6 Things You Need to Know About Estimated Taxes
Estimated tax is the method used to pay tax on income that is not subject to withholding. This includes income from self-employment, interest, dividends, alimony, rent, gains from the sale of assets, prizes and awards. You also may have to pay estimated tax if the amount of income tax being withheld from your salary, pension, or other income is not enough.
Estimated tax is used to pay income tax and self-employment tax, as well as other taxes and amounts reported on your tax return. If you do not pay enough through withholding or estimated tax payments, you may be charged a penalty. If you do not pay enough by the due date of each payment period you may be charged a penalty even if you are due a refund when you file your tax return.
1. How to Pay Estimated Tax
If you are filing as a sole proprietor, partner, S corporation shareholder and/or a self-employed individual, you should use Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals (PDF), to figure and pay your estimated tax. For additional information on filing for a sole proprietor, partners, and/or S corporation shareholder, refer to Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.
If you are filing as a corporation you should use Form 1120-W, Estimated Tax for Corporations (PDF), to figure the estimated tax. You must deposit the payments. For additional information on filing for a corporation, refer to Publication 542, Corporations.
2. Who Must Pay Estimated Tax
If you are filing as a sole proprietor, partner, S corporation shareholder, and/or a self-employed individual, you generally have to make estimated tax payments if you expect to owe tax of $1,000 or more when you file your return.
If you are filing as a corporation you generally have to make estimated tax payments for your corporation if you expect it to owe tax of $500 or more when you file its return.
If you had a tax liability for the prior year, you may have to pay estimated tax for the current year. See the worksheet in Form 1040-ES (PDF) for more details on who must pay estimated tax.
3. Who Does Not Have To Pay Estimated Tax
If you receive salaries and wages, you can avoid having to pay estimated tax by asking your employer to withhold more tax from your earnings. To do this, file a new Form W-4 (PDF) with your employer. There is a special line on Form W-4 for you to enter the additional amount you want your employer to withhold.
You do not have to pay estimated tax for the current year if you meet all three of the following conditions.
You had no tax liability for the prior year
You were a U.S. citizen or resident for the whole year
Your prior tax year covered a 12 month period
You had no tax liability for the prior year if your total tax was zero or you did not have to file an income tax return. For additional information on how to figure your estimated tax, refer to Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.
Estimated tax requirements are different for farmers and fishermen. Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, provides more information about these special estimated tax rules.
4. How To Figure Estimated Tax
To figure your estimated tax, you must figure your expected adjusted gross income, taxable income, taxes, deductions, and credits for the year.
When figuring your estimated tax for the current year, it may be helpful to use your income, deductions, and credits for prior year as a starting point. Use your prior year's federal tax return as a guide. You can use the worksheet in Form 1040-ES (PDF) to figure your estimated tax. You will need to estimate the amount of income you expect to earn for the year. If you estimated your earnings too high, simply complete another Form 1040-ES worksheet to refigure your estimated tax for the next quarter. If you estimated your earnings too low, again complete another Form 1040-ES worksheet to recalculate your estimated tax for the next quarter. You want to estimate your income as accurately as you can to avoid penalties.
You must make adjustments both for changes in your own situation and for recent changes in the tax law.
5. When To Pay Estimated Taxes
For estimated tax purposes, the year is divided into four payment periods. Each period has a specific payment due date. If you do not pay enough tax by the due date of each of the payment periods, you may be charged a penalty even if you are due a refund when you file your income tax return, see underpayment of tax below for more information.
Using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) is the easiest way to pay your federal taxes for individuals as well as businesses. Make ALL of your federal tax payments including federal tax deposits (FTDs), installment agreement and estimated tax payments using EFTPS. If it is easier to pay your estimated taxes weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc. you can, as long as you have paid enough in by the end of the quarter. Using EFTPS, you can access a history of your payments, so you know how much and when you made your estimated tax payments.
6. Underpayment of Estimated Tax
If you did not pay enough tax throughout the year, either through withholding or by making estimated tax payments, you may have to pay a penalty for underpayment of estimated tax. Generally, most taxpayers will avoid this penalty if they owe less than $1,000 in tax after subtracting their withholdings and credits, or if they paid at least 90% of the tax for the current year, or 100% of the tax shown on the return for the prior year, whichever is smaller. There are special rules for farmers and fishermen. Please refer to Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, for additional information.
However, if your income is received unevenly during the year, you may be able to avoid or lower the penalty by annualizing your income and making unequal payments. Use Form 2210 (PDF), Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individuals, Estates, and Trusts, to see if you owe a penalty for underpaying your estimated tax. Please refer to the Form 1040 Instructions (PDF) or the Form 1040A Instructions for where to report the estimated tax penalty on your return.
The penalty may also be waived if:
The failure to make estimated payments was caused by a casualty, disaster, or other unusual circumstance and it would be inequitable to impose the penalty, or
You retired (after reaching age 62) or became disabled during the tax year for which estimated payments were required to be made or in the preceding tax year, and the underpayment was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect.
You should also use Form 2210 (PDF) to request a waiver of the penalty for the reasons shown above.
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Welcome to the Cooking area for children aged 3-5 years.
In this area you will find four activity sessions.
Activity 5 - What does it taste like?
Activity 6 - How do you get ready to cook?
Activity 7 - What does this piece of kitchen equipment do?
Activity 8 - What skills do I need to make this recipe?
Each activity comprises notes to help you run the session, and supporting resources.
6 computer activities for pre-school children:
For more information on the sources used in this text, please contact [email protected]
Last reviewed: 09/10/2009
Next review date: 01/10/2012
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CC-MAIN-2016-26
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http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=75&siteId=17§ionId=94
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en
| 0.894357 | 140 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Detailed Project History
Our research has focused on the fate of toxic metals in aquatic food webs as conduits to human exposure. Our study systems have ranged from lakes, ponds, and reservoirs to coastal estuaries. In all of our research, we are interested in how metals are taken up by organisms at the base of the food web from water and sediments and then transferred to higher trophic levels including fish that humans consume. We have focused on mercury, a global contaminant and potent neurotoxin, as well as other metals such as arsenic, lead, and cadmium, and are interested in understanding the relationship between environmental levels of toxic metals to their bioaccumulation in aquatic food webs. In order to understand the factors that influence metal exposure, bioavailability, and uptake, we have studied patterns of metal bioaccumulation in biota across broad gradients of sites from contaminated to pristine. We also use experimental approaches to determine the processes that underlie these patterns of metal bioaccumulation.
Our studies of mercury in the environment are significant, as consumption of contaminated fish is a serious public health concern, and fish are the most important agents of exposure for humans to the neurotoxin, methylmercury (MeHg). Mercury in the environment is present in several forms: elemental Hg (Hg0) and Hg2+, the two inorganic forms, and MeHg, the organic and most toxic form of mercury. Although elevated inputs of inorganic mercury to ecosystems are generally thought to result in high concentrations in fish, there are many factors that mediate the ultimate fate and trophic transfer of mercury in the environment. Elevated MeHg bioaccumulation in fish and piscivorous birds and mammals results from a complex sequence of biotic and abiotic mechanisms that control the transport and availability of Hg2+, MeHg production, bioaccumulation, or biomagnification. Through our studies in lakes, streams, rivers, and estuaries, we seek to understand these mechanisms that result in elevated MeHg in the fish that humans consume.
The current goal of our research project is to investigate the effects of multiple environmental factors associated with climate change on MeHg production and bioaccumulation in coastal ecosystems. Current climate change models predict increases in temperature, stream flows, and sea level in coastal waters that will impact the thermal conditions, nutrient and carbon loading, and salinity of these marine ecosystems. We are using experimental approaches, field studies, and modeling to examine the combined and interactive effects of temperature, salinity and organic carbon on MeHg production and fate.
In the early years of our project we studied 20 lakes in the northeastern US that ranged widely in size and depth and differed in their chemical characteristics. Our results, like those of others, showed increasing concentrations of MeHg with increasing trophic level (biomagnification). However, we also found that lakes with greater human disturbance (adjacent human land use, higher nutrient inputs, and higher concentrations of other chemicals) had lower concentrations of mercury in fish. This was a surprising and counter-intuitive result. We also found that lakes with higher plankton densities also had lower concentrations of mercury in fish tissue. These field patterns suggested that lake productivity and nutrient inputs might be a driver in reducing mercury transfer in aquatic food webs. These results were corroborated by field mesocosm experiments where we found strong evidence for a mechanism called algal biomass dilution of MeHg at the base of the food web where high algal biomass induced by nutrient enrichment resulted in lower concentrations of MeHg in algae and in zooplankton. In a meta-analysis of 150 lakes, we also discovered that lakes with higher zooplankton densities across more than 150 lakes in the northeast regions, had lower mercury concentrations in fish. Therefore, in lakes containing fewer individual plankton, each plankton has more MeHg, but in lakes with higher plankton numbers, each plankton has less MeHg. These findings suggest that the indicators of human disturbance relating to lower mercury in fish were likely linked to increased nutrients and productivity, resulting in biomass dilution of mercury as it progressed up the food web. There is evidence to suggest that this is true of marine ecosystems as well.
Recently, we investigated the fate of MeHg in coastal food webs, particularly coastal marshes in northeastern estuaries. We have again taken a gradient approach in studying estuarine sites that range from contaminated to relatively undisturbed. We measured inorganic mercury and MeHg in sediments, water, and a variety of estuarine organisms including species that feed in different compartments: in the mud (worms, amphipods), on the mud surface (crabs, snails), and in the water column (fish, mussels). Here, we have asked the question Do sites that have high levels of MeHg in their sediments have higher MeHg in the organisms that live there, and does the organism's feeding strategy make a difference in their level of bioaccumulation?
By studying 10 coastal sites from central Maine to New Jersey, we found that while concentrations of MeHg in sediments varied by more than 200X, the concentrations in the animals associated with those sediments varied by less than 10X. Something was reducing the bioavailability of the MeHg in the more contaminated sites. It became clear that the more impacted sites had higher organic carbon in their sediments as well; therefore, the organic carbon in those sites reduced the bioaccumulation of MeHg by the organisms living there either by creating conditions that reduce Hg methylation or by reducing the bioavailability of the MeHg to the organisms. Moreover, we found that even though there were much higher concentrations of MeHg in sediments than in the water above, the organisms that were pelagic feeding (feeding from algae in the water column) had higher concentrations of MeHg than organisms feeding directly on detritus in the mud. We have not found this to be true of other toxic metals such as arsenic, lead, and cadmium. In addition, fish concentrations in these coastal sites were related to water column particulate concentrations of MeHg, likely made up of live algal cells and detritus, not sediment concentrations. Our results to date indicate that organic carbon, likely the result of nutrient enrichment, plays an important role in decreasing the bioavailability of MeHg in contaminated sites, and that the flux of MeHg from the sediments to the water column may be more important than sediment concentrations in determining the concentrations of MeHg contamination in the fish that humans consume.
By studying a range of ecosystems, from freshwater to marine, we see that some parallel mechanisms are at work in determining the bioaccumulation of MeHg into aquatic food webs and that these factors ultimately impact human exposure to MeHg in the environment.
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<urn:uuid:ee437523-d5cb-48b8-9b5d-2da46f218fe1>
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CC-MAIN-2016-26
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http://www.dartmouth.edu/~toxmetal/research-projects/p-2detail.html
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en
| 0.952166 | 1,423 | 3.109375 | 3 |
You were tasked to create a database for a company to track their employees and projects. Here�s what your analysts came up with after talking to the customer.
The company is organized into departments. Each department has a unique name, a unique number, and a particular employee who manages the department.
We keep track of the start date when that employee began managing the department. A department may have several locations.
A department controls a number of projects, each of which has a unique name, a unique number, and a single location We store each employee�s name, social security number, address, salary, sex, and birth date.
An employee is assigned to one department but may work on several projects, which are not necessarily controlled by the same department.
We keep track of the number of hours per week than an employee works on each project. We also keep track of the direct supervisor of each employee.
We want to keep track of the dependents of each employee for insurance purposes. We keep each dependent�s first name, sex, birth date, and relationship to the employee.
1) Create a VISIO diagram for the database described above. You should have entities for employee, department, project, and dependent at a minimum. Make sure you a) define your entities b) show all your attributes, including any keys c) Show all your relations and name them accordingly d) Define the correct cardinality for your relations.
2) Import your VISIO diagram into Microsoft Access and create the appropriate tables and relationships. Your design should include a specification of tables, attributes, primary and foreign keys, referential integrity constraints, and referential integrity actions.
3) Analyze your database to ensure that all the tables are in at least 3NF. For each table, explain why it�s in at least 3NF.
4) Populate your database with at least 3 rows of data in each table.
5) Create the following queries in Access: � List all the employees (Name, SSN) and their dependents (Name, Birthdate). (Make sure you list Employees who don�t have dependents). � List the employees and the projects that they work on. Allow the users to search for a particular employee. � List the employees (Name, SSN) and their Manager (Names, SSN) � List the employees who make the most by department. � List the project which has the most hours logged.
Here�s what I want turned in:
� A VISIO diagram.
� A Microsoft Access Database with your tables, relationships, and queries.
� A document that explains or shows that all your tables are in at least 3NF
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<urn:uuid:7a1aac54-dece-42d8-b918-c247d1684ea1>
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CC-MAIN-2016-26
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http://www.chegg.com/homework-help/questions-and-answers/tasked-create-database-company-track-employees-projects-s-analysts-came-talking-customer-c-q3137110
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00018-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
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en
| 0.9432 | 553 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Cheese allergies symptoms
As with most food allergies, the severity of cheese allergy symptoms varies greatly from person to person. Cheese allergies can cause a variety of symptoms from minor to severe and even life-threatening, with onset usually occurring within an hour of cheese consumption. Those who are allergic to cheese often experience more severe reactions with certain cheeses, and minor symptoms with other kinds of cheese.
If you are allergic to cheese, that probably indicates an underlying allergy to lactose, casein, or whey, proteins found both in cheese and in other dairy products, such as milk. People with this allergy should be cautioned that certain cheeses are more likely to cause symptoms than others. This is because some cheeses, particularly softer cheese, contain more of these proteins. The signs of a cheese allergy caused by lactose intolerance are mainly digestive, including nausea, bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Other symptoms include skin rashes, congestion, wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.
Other cheese allergies are caused by sensitivities to molds. Those with this type of food sensitivity are more likely to experience reactions after eating aged cheeses containing mold, such as asiago and gorgonzola. These allergies usually lead to symptoms affecting the mouth, such as itching or burning on the tongue and throat, facial skin irritation or swelling, sinus congestion, wheezing and asthmatic symptoms.
Cheese allergies can also be caused by a sensitivity to tyramine, an amino acid contained in foods that are fermented. Found in aged cheese, processed cheese, and soy-based cheese, those with tyramine sensitivities usually experience reactions after eating Parmesan, Romano, Brie, American, Gouda, Colby and several other types of cheese. This reaction results in excess histamine, leading to congestion, increased heart rate, and difficulty breathing.
Sign up for our newsletter and receive a free peanut-free snack guide.
Stay on top of your allergy with the latest news, lifestyle tips and recipes.
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<urn:uuid:abcd7e20-6e63-460d-a9bf-0cb8fb9fec2e>
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CC-MAIN-2016-26
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http://www.peanutallergy.com/articles/other-food-allergies/cheese-allergies-symptoms
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en
| 0.957242 | 415 | 2.671875 | 3 |
|Event Date:||Event Title:||Event Description:|
Feb 9th, 1500
|inventions for the 1500's||1500
Wheel-lock musket invented.
The first flush toilets appeared.
1510 Leonardo DaVinci designs a horizontal water wheel.
Pocket watch invented by Peter Henlein.
1513 Urs Graf invents etching.
1565 A graphite pencil invented by Conrad Gesner.
1568 Bottled beer invented in London.
1569 Gerard Mercator invents Mercator map projection.
1589 Englishmen, William Lee invents a knitting machine called the stocking frame.
1590 Dutchmen, Zacharias Janssen invents the compound microscope.
Feb 6th, 1543
|nicholas copernicus||presents a new view of the universe stateing that the sun is the center of the universe.|
Feb 9th, 1556
|newspaper||the newspaper were a bog deal because they had the ability to spread the news to everyone everyday.|
Feb 15th, 1564
|galileo||he played a major roll in the scientific resolution and is known for the major improvement to the telescope.|
Oct 15th, 1564
|Andreas Vesalius||author of one of the most influential books on human anatomy, De humani corporis fabrica (On the Structure of the Human Body) often referred to as the founder of modern human anatomy|
Dec 30th, 1571
|johannes kepler||was famous for his law of the planetary motion theory|
|inventions for the 1600's||1656
Christian Huygens invents a pendulum clock.
1660 Cuckoo clocks made in Furtwangen, Germany, in the Black Forest region.
1663 James Gregory invents the first reflecting telescope.
1668 Isaac Newton invents a reflecting telescope.
1670 The first reference to a candy cane is made.
Dom Pérignon invents Champagne.
1671 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz invents a calculating machine.
1674 Anton Van Leeuwenhoek was the first to see and describe bacteria with a microscope.
|inventions for the 1600's||1608
Hans Lippershey invents the first refracting telescope.
1620 The earliest human-powered submarine invented by Cornelis Drebbel.
1624 William Oughtred invents a slide rule.
1625 Frenchmen, Jean-Baptiste Denys invents a method for blood transfusion.
1629 Giovanni Branca invents a steam turbine.
1636 W. Gascoigne invents the micrometer.
1642 Frenchmen, Blaise Pascal invents an adding machine.
1643 Evangelista Torricelli invents the barometer.
1650 Otto von Guericke invents a air pump.
|Newton||is known for his law of gravity and he wrote the famous book principia.|
|inventions for the 1700's||1784
Andrew Meikle invents the threshing machine.
Joseph Bramah invents the safety lock.
1785 Edmund Cartwright invents the power loom.
Claude Berthollet invents chemical bleaching.
Charles Augustus Coulomb invents the torsion balance.
Jean Pierre Blanchard invents a working parachute.
1786 John Fitch invents a steamboat.
1789 The guillotine is invented.
1790 The United States issued its first patent to William Pollard of Philadelphia for a machine that roves and spins cotton.
|inventions for the 1700's||1752
Benjamin Franklin invents the lightening rod.
1755 Samuel Johnson publishes the first English language dictionary on April 15th after nine years of writing. In the preface Samuel Johnson wrote, "I am not so lost in lexicography as to forget that words are the daughters of earth, and that things are the sons of heaven."
1757 John Campbell invents the sextant.
1758 Dolland invents a chromatic lens.
1761 Englishmen, John Harrison invents the navigational clock or marine chronometer
|inventions for the 1700's||1701
Jethro Tull invents the seed drill.
1709 Bartolomeo Cristofori invents the piano.
1711 Englishmen, John Shore invents the tuning fork.
1712 Thomas Newcomen patents the atmospheric steam engine.
1717 Edmond Halley invents the diving bell.
1722 French C. Hopffer patents the fire extinguisher.
1724 Gabriel Fahrenheit invents the first mercury thermometer.
1733 John Kay invents the flying shuttle.
1745 E.G. von Kleist invents the leyden jar, the first electrical capacitor.
|john locke||known as the Father of Liberalism, was an English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. Considered one of the first of the British empiricists, following the tradition of Francis Bacon, he is equally important to social contract theory|
|montesquieu||is most famously known for the theory of the seperation of powers and we still use this today|
|becarria||was an Italian jurist, philosopher and politician best known for his treatise On Crimes and Punishments , which condemned torture and the death penalty, and was a founding work in the field of penology.|
|voltaire||for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, freedom of expression, free trade and separation of church and state.|
|rousseau||was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism of French expression. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.|
|diderot||is best known for serving as co-founder and chief editor of and contributor to the Encyclopédie.|
|adam smith||was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.|
|inventions for the 1800's||1800
Frenchmen, J.M. Jacquard invents the Jacquard Loom.
Count Alessandro Volta invents the battery.
1804 Freidrich Winzer (Winsor) was the first person to patent gas lighting.
Richard Trevithick, an English mining engineer, developed the first steam-powered locomotive. Unfortunately, the machine was too heavy and broke the very rails it was traveling on.
1809 Humphry Davy invents the first electric light - the first arc lamp. German, Frederick Koenig invents an improved printing press.
|inventions fo the 1800's||1834
Henry Blair patents a corn planter, he is the second black person to receive a U.S. patent.
Jacob Perkins invents an early refrigerator type device - an ether ice machine.
1835 Englishmen, Henry Talbot invents calotype photography.
Solymon Merrick patents the wrench.
Englishmen, Francis Pettit Smith invents the propeller.
Charles Babbage invents a mechanical calculator.
1836 Francis Pettit Smith and John Ericcson co-invent the propellor.
Samuel Colt invented the first revolver.
|inventions for the 1800's||1838
Samual Morse invents Morse Code.
I839 American, Thaddeus Fairbanks invents platform scales.
American, Charles Goodyear invents rubber vulcanization.
Frenchmen, Louis Daguerre and J.N. Niepce co-invent Daguerreotype photography.
Kirkpatrick Macmillan invents a bicycle.
Welshmen, Sir William Robert Grove conceives of the first hydrogen fuel cell.
1840 Englishmen, John Herschel invents the blueprint.
1841 Samuel Slocum patents the stapler.
1842 Joseph Dart builds the first grain elevator.
Joshua Pusey invents the matchbook.
Sir James Dewar and Sir Frederick Abel co-invent Cordite - a type of smokeless gunpowder.
1891 Jesse W. Reno invents the escalator.
1892 Rudolf Diesel invents the diesel-fueled internal combustion engine.
Sir James Dewar invents the Dewar flask or vacuum flask.
1893 American, W.L. Judson invents the zipper.
Edward Goodrich Acheson invents carborundum.
1895 Lumiere Brothers invent a portable motion-picture camera, film processing unit and projector
Sir Joseph Wilson Swan was the first person to invent a practical and longer-lasting electic lightbulb.
1880 The British Perforated Paper Company invents a form of toilet paper.
Englishmen, John Milne invents the modern seismograph.
1881 Alexander Graham Bell invents the first crude metal detector.
David Houston patents the roll film for cameras.
Edward Leveaux patents the automatic player piano.
1884 Frenchmen, H. de Chardonnet inve
Harim Maxim invents the machine gun.
Karl Benz invents the first practical automobile to be powered by an internal-combustion engine.
Gottlieb Daimler invents the first gas-engined motorcycle.
1886 Josephine Cochrane invents the dishwasher.
Gottlieb Daimler builds the world's first four-wheeled motor vehicle.
John Pemberton invents Coca Cola.
1887 German, Heinrich Hertz invents radar.
Rowell Hodge patents barbed wire.
Emile Berliner invents the gramophone.
|inventions for the 1800's||1867
Christopher Scholes invents the first practical and modern typewriter.
1868 George Westinghouse invents air brakes.
Robert Mushet invents tungsten steel.
J P Knight invents traffic lights.
1872 J.S. Risdon patents the metal windmill.
A.M. Ward issues the first mail-order catalog.
1873 Joseph Glidden invents barbed wire.
1874 American, C. Goodyear, Jr. invents the shoe welt stitcher.
1876 Alexander Graham Bell patents the telephone.
Nicolaus August Otto invents the first practical four
|Economy||the economy was at an all time high because new inventions were making everything faster and transportation was momving product faster so it boosted everyones money|
|Timespan Dates:||Timespan Title:||Timespan Description:|
Feb 6th, 1500
|
<urn:uuid:428b9c96-c512-49ce-a207-f042f876cbe2>
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CC-MAIN-2016-26
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http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/major-inventions-and-event-timelines
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396147.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00020-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.848391 | 2,299 | 3.1875 | 3 |
by Sandra Yin
(October 2006) At 300 million, a milestone reached in October, Americans are consuming natural resources at an unprecedented pace. Between 1950 and 2005, America's population nearly doubled. But in many cases, our consumption of resources more than doubled:
- Overall energy consumption nearly tripled (see Figure 1). Petroleum consumption within the transportation sector rose more than 300 percent between 1950 and 2005.1
- Wood consumption was up 171 percent between 1950 and 2002.2
- Coal consumption increased by 128 percent from 1950 to 2005.3
- Water use was up 127 percent between 1950 and 2000.4
Energy consumption per year rose from 35 quadrillion Btu to 100 quadrillion Btu between 1950 and 2005.
Source: Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Review 2005.
The United States' reaching 300 million people might not seem relevant at a global level. After all, the United States represents just 5 percent of the world population. But it consumes disproportionately larger amounts than any other nation in the world—at least one-quarter of practically every natural resource. And because it is the only industrialized country in the world still experiencing significant population growth, this high rate of resource consumption is expected to continue.5 "Each person in the U.S. contributes more to the global phenomenon [of natural resource consumption] than other people," says Victoria Markham, director of the Center for Environment and Population, and author of the U.S. National Report on Population and Environment.
What's behind Americans' voracious appetite for resources?
Sometimes it's a lifestyle choice.
In 2001, Michael Frisby moved his family of four from a 3,700 sq. ft. house in Mitchellville, Md., to an 11,000-square-foot house in Fulton, Md. Amenities in the five-bedroom/five-bath house which sits on a 3.5-acre lot include a music room, steam room, and media room.
"I always wanted a house big enough that my kids could be in their room screaming, and my wife could be in a room screaming, and I could be somewhere else and not hear any of them," he says. "And I think I have accomplished this with this house, because this house is so big that everyone has their own space."6
Frisby is on the leading edge of a national trend toward larger houses. In 1950, the average new single-family home was 983 square feet. By 2004, it was more than twice that: 2,349 square feet. Although new houses may be more energy efficient than the houses of the past, they require more resources to build and use.7
With more Americans reaching their highest-earnings years, it’s not surprising that they’re spending more freely, says Peter Francese, founder of American Demographics magazine. But he also notes that high consumption tends to occur in households in the highest income quintiles. For example, households in the top-income bracket average 2.8 vehicles, but the number of vehicles progressively drops in lower household-income groups, according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey.
How Sprawl Means Longer Drives
How we live spatially affects other consumption patterns. In recent decades, "sprawl" has become the most common land-use pattern. Sprawl refers to developments with low-density residential subdivisions, commercial strips, large retail complexes surrounded by acres of parking and office parks far from home and shops, and a growing network of roads to link them.8
"Sprawl culture," says John Talberth, director of the sustainability indicators program at Redefining Progress, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainability, "is probably the most consumptive housing pattern you could come up with." Compared with more compact, more urban built spaces, sprawl maximizes consumption of virtually everything. In suburban sprawl patterns, the throughput—or daily flow of energy and water used, packaging, and waste generated to support the lifestyle of people in the house—is much greater than in more compact urban areas, Talberth says.
Although the average number of people per U.S. household fell between 1969 and 2001, the number of vehicles per household rose.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation, "Distribution of Vehicles and Persons per Household," (www.fhwa.dot.gov, accessed Oct. 5, 2006).
Sprawl translates into longer drives to connect home with work, school, and recreation. Not surprisingly, Americans’ annual number of vehicle-miles traveled in 2004 was nearly 6.5 times the number in 1950.9 We drive more miles, using more fossil fuel, which adds to greenhouse gases blamed for global climate change. As our dependency on cars grows, fuel consumption rises exponentially, due in part to growing congestion on the roads. More stop-and-go driving results in less fuel efficiency and more pollution.10
Americans have more cars and other vehicles than before. While the number of people per household declined, the number of vehicles per household grew between 1969 and 2001 (see Figure 2).
And Americans are more likely than ever to drive alone to work than carpool, take public transit, or walk to work. The share of workers who drove to work alone rose from 64 percent to 76 percent between 1980 and 2000. During that same period, the share that carpooled fell from 20 percent to 12 percent.11
But population size alone does not determine a country's environmental impact. For instance, China and India are home to far larger populations than the United States. Yet America’s love affair with the car translates into a larger estimated number of motor vehicles on the roads (see table).
Countries with much larger populations contribute less to air pollution such as greenhouse gas emissions due to motor vehicles including buses and trucks. The latest data available shows that China had 12 motor vehicles per 1,000 people compared with the United States with 779 motor vehicles per 1,000 people.
Demand for Water Rises as Supply Dries Up
Even as America passes the 300-million mark, Americans use 75 percent more water per capita than the average person in the world’s developed nations (see Figure 3).
U.S. residents used more than three times the amount of water per capita used by people in developing countries in 2000.
Source: World Resources Institute, UN FAO, Water Resources and Fisheries (http://earthtrends.wri.org, accessed Oct. 10, 2006).
Sometimes demand for water has grown in the fastest-growing, most populous areas least able to meet it. The shift in the share of population in the South and West from 48 percent to 58 percent of the national total between 1970 and 2000 pushed demand for water in areas that already had the highest per capita water consumption, despite arid regions in the West.
In high-growth areas, soaring population and high-maintenance lifestyles are sapping limited water supplies like never before. Among the top five metro areas for single-family housing construction permits issued in 2005, four in five have experienced water shortages over the past two years. These include Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga.; Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas; and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.12
The cultural preference for lush landscapes or lawns in naturally arid habitats are among factors that drive our increased water demand. Between 1970 and 2006, the number of golf courses across the nation grew from 10,000 to 16,000. An average 18-hole golf course is at least 150 acres, according to the National Golf Foundation. Between 100,000 and 200,000 gallons of water a day may be needed to keep the fairways plush and green.13
Water Conservation Efforts
In response to concerns about the water supply, communities are attempting to scale back on water consumption. In Southern California, some local governments give residents free ultra-low flush toilets and are building water-recycling plants on the grounds of new developments. In Arizona, golf courses are being redesigned with less natural turf. In Las Vegas, water inspectors scour the neighborhoods for "water conservation violators," or anyone wasting water. In San Marcos, Texas, restaurants are prohibited from serving water except upon customer request. In Clark County, Nev., turf regulations in areas under drought alert prohibit new turf in front yards. Groups in Georgia, Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico are promoting "xeriscape," or landscaping especially for dry or desert-like conditions to conserve water and protect the environment.14
Generating More Trash Than We Can Recycle
Americans' trash grew faster than its population over the past few decades. Although the population grew by 65 percent between 1960 and 2005, the amount of trash thrown out doubled from 83 million tons to 167 million tons (see Figure 4).
The amount of trash still exceeds the amount recycled and composted.
Source: U.S. EPA, Municipal Solid Waste: 2005 Facts and Figures (2006).
These amounts are for municipal solid waste or household trash including packaging, food scraps, old sofas, and refrigerators after material was pulled out for composting or recycling. Americans generate about 4.5 pounds of household trash per capita per day. We recycle a little over 1 pound per person each day.15
Several Factors Affect Population Growth’s Impact on the Environment
While Americans' high-consumption way of life produces a disproportionately large amount of waste and uses inordinate amounts of natural resources, there is no one easy way to reduce America's impact on the environment.
"A multifaceted response is needed," says Roger-Mark De Souza, technical director for the Population Reference Bureau's Population, Health, and Environment Program. "We can't address the impact of population growth on the environment in isolation. We need to consider policies, technology, and choices that individuals make regarding the amount of materials they use."
The effects of population growth on the natural environment depend on which policies, technology, and cultural trends are in place. Policies could encourage recycling or denser housing development and increase access to public transit. Technology might squeeze more power out of energy sources or reduce the amount of packaging we throw out each day. To persuade Americans to consume less, cultural perceptions about consumption must be adjusted through behavioral change, says De Souza.
Efforts to Recycle or Use Renewable Energy Sources Are Limited
Even when behaviors have changed, progress has been slow. Efforts to recycle or make more environmentally sensitive consumption decisions have made only a small dent in some consumption patterns. In 2005, less than one-third of municipal trash was recovered for recycling and composting. And while energy consumption is up 185 percent, renewable energy consumption rose by only 104 percent between 1950 and 2005. Renewable energy sources, including solar, wind power, and hydroelectric power, accounted for about 6 percent of total energy consumption in 2005.16
While it's hard to predict where the United States is headed if it continues on this path, Markham notes that the country has already bumped up against some ecological thresholds. About 40 percent of the nation's rivers are too polluted for fishing and swimming. One-third of all lakes were under a fish consumption advisory from pollutants in 2004, many from possible mercury contamination. More than 6,500 plant and animal species are at risk of extinction in the United States.17
Although the United States has reached 300 million, its impact on the environment need not be so big. "Choice is critical," says Markham. "It's not all about population numbers—because the same number of people in one place can have a very different environmental impact than that same number in another place. It's more about how much and what type of natural resources each American consumes."
Sandra Yin is an associate editor at the Population Reference Bureau
- Energy Information Administration (EIA), Annual Energy Review 2005 (Washington, DC: EIA, 2006): table 513c.
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States, accessed online at www.minerals.usgs.gov, on Oct. 4, 2006.
- EIA, Annual Energy Review 2005: table 7.3.
- USGS, Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2000, accessed online at www.pubs.usgs.gov, on Oct. 4, 2006.
- Victoria D. Markham with Nadia Steinzor, U.S. National Report on Population and the Environment (New Canaan, CT: Center for Environment and Population, 2006): 4.
- Personal communication with Michael Frisby, Oct. 10, 2006; and Margot Adler, "Behind the Ever-Expanding American Dream House," National Public Radio, accessed online at www.npr.org, on Sept. 29, 2006.
- National Association of Home Builders, Housing Facts, Figures and Trends (Washington, DC: National Association of Home Builders, 2006); and Brad Knickerbocker, "The Environmental Load of 300 Million: How Heavy?" The Christian Science Monitor, Sept. 26, 2006.
- Markham, U.S. National Report: 20.
- Federal Highway Administration, Annual Vehicle Distance Traveled, accessed online at www.fhwa.dot.gov, on Oct. 4, 2006.
- Roger-Mark De Souza, Household Transportation Use and Urban Air Pollution: A Comparative Analysis of Thailand, Mexico, and the United States (Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, 1999): 8.
- Alan Pisarski, Commuting in America III: The National Report on Commuting Patterns and Trends (Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board, 2006): table 3-12.
- National Association of Home Builders, Housing Facts, Figures and Trends; and U.S. Water News Online, "New Jersey Seeks Ways to Keep Golf Courses From Draining Water Reserves" (December 2001), accessed online at www.uswaternews.com, on Oct. 10, 2006.
- Kim Hosen, "Your Piece of the Planet: Golf Course Water Use Must Be Considered," The Gainesville Times, Dec. 5, 2003, accessed online at www.timescommunity.com, on Oct. 10, 2006.
- Rene Sanchez, "West Wages a New Sort of Turf Battle; Water Conservation Pushed as Desert Communities Struggle With Growth," The Washington Post, May 16, 1999; Jacqueline Davis, "Texas State U.-San Marcos Area Adopts Stricter Water Restrictions," University Wire, Sept. 14, 2006; Las Vegas Valley Water District, "Turf Limitations for the City of Las Vegas and Clark County," accessed online at www.lvvwd.com, on Sept. 25, 2006; and Land Water Conservation Xeriscape, accessed online at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu, on Oct. 11, 2006.
- Environmental Protection Agency, Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 2005 Facts and Figures, accessed online at www.epa.gov, on Oct. 27, 2006.
- EIA, Annual Energy Review 2005: tables 1.3 and 10.1.
- Markham, U.S. National Report: 7-8.
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The word "saptak" has two meanings. The first is the English word "register". The second meaning translates to the English word "gamut" or "the series of seven notes". We will discuss the second meaning here.
The word "saptak" in Sanskrit means "containing seven" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "sapta" which means "seven". (Incidentally, the English month "September" was original the seventh month in the old Roman calendar). To understand the nature of the saptak we must return to our concept of the swar. Remember that Sa and Pa are immovable. This forms our perfect fifth. Every other note has various forms. However Hindusthani sangeet (North Indian system) and Carnatic sangeet (south Indian system) take different views as to how many, and what these positions shall be.
In Hindusthani sangeet (North Indian system) the movable notes have two forms. Therefore, the notes; rishabh (Re), gandhara (Ga), dhaivat (Dha), and nishad (Ni) may be either natural (shuddha) or flattened (komal). Madhyam (Ma) is unique in that its alternate form is augmented or sharp. This note is called tivra ma. Therefore, we find that we are actually dealing with 12 swar. This extended concept is shown in the table below. These are roughly comparable to the keys on a harmonium, or piano (chromatic scale).
|Indian Swara (Hindustani)|
The situation in Carnatic sangeet (the south Indian system) is a bit more complex. In the South the movable notes Re (Ri), Ga, Dha, and Ni may occupy one of three positions. Ma however still only occupies two positions, ether natural or augmented position (sharp). This is shown in the table below.
|Indian Swara (Carnatic)|
|2nd Rishabh / 1st Gandhara|
|3nd Rishabh / 2nd Gandhara|
|2nd Dhaivat / 1st Nishad|
|3nd Dhaivat / 2nd Nishad|
In the previous tables we evoked a model which is somewhat similar to the Western chromatic scale. This is not exactly correct. We must not forget that the Western scale is based upon the equal tempered scale while the Indian scale is based upon pure tones. Therefore the exact level of intonations will vary.
This page last updated
© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 David and Chandrakantha Courtney
For comments, corrections, and suggestions, kindly contact David Courtney at [email protected]
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The rib pattern on each plate is intended to solve the same problem. Each design was optimized with Dakota to reduce mass while meeting several structural response criteria.
Sandia National Laboratory has released an engineering software tool kit that can be downloaded for free from its Web site. Dakota (Design Analysis Kit for Optimization and Terascale Applications) V3.0, available athttp://endo.sandia.gov/DAKOTA, lets users develop virtual prototypes that can be optimized for criteria such as minimum weight, cost, or defects. The software can also limit responses such as critical temperatures, stresses, or vibrations.
The program is written in C++ and reportedly provides a flexible interface between simulation software and the latest algorithms for optimization, parameter estimation, design of experiments, and sensitivity analysis. So far, over 20 simulator programs have been interfaced with the software. However, almost any simulator program that runs on a Unix or Linux-based system can be interfaced to Dakota.
"A few commercial products let users optimize designs, but Dakota's features make it unusual, such as being able to use thousands of processors on a massively parallel computer," says Mike Eldred, principal investigator with the lab. Other features include support for surrogate-based optimization, optimization under uncertainty, mixed-integer nonlinear programming, and simultaneous analysis and design. Surrogate-based optimization uses a surface-fit model or a simplified physics model as a low-cost alternative to a computationally expensive or high-fidelity model. Optimization is performed on the low-fidelity or surrogate model using periodic corrections provided by evaluating the high-fidelity model.
Optimization under uncertainty combines numerical optimization with uncertainty quantification techniques. Its goal is to incorporate probabilistic (uncertain) information into the design process. Examples include the variation in material properties between different batches of an aluminum alloy, or the maximum wind load on a structure over some period of time. Simultaneous analysis and design (SAND) closely couples the linear algebra of a numericaloptimization technique with that of a simulation code. As the simulation code converges (solves the underlying physics equations) the numerical optimization code alters design variables to find a best design.
For example, drag and lift on an aircraft wing usually increase together. Traditional optimization techniques might change a wing-shape variable and run a complex and usually expensive fluid-dynamic code to compute lift and drag. The cycle repeats for each of many design adjustments. SAND, however, lets the optimizer change design variables in the CFD software. As a result, the CFD code runs only once to produce an optimal wing. The single CFD and optimization run is typically only two to three times the cost of the CFD run alone. The downside is that it can take weeks or months to closely couple the physics and optimization codes. SAND methods are a current research area for the Dakota development team.
The DOE recently granted Dakota an open-source release under a General Public License. This means any company, engineer, or university researcher can download the program and use it to improve their product design or research. Sandia says it is making the program available to encourage collaborations between itself, universities, and other research organizations, which will help infuse the latest optimization research back into Dakota. "Expanded use could extend to commercial software companies as well," says Eldred. "The only restriction is that people cannot change Dakota and sell it." Contact the development team at [email protected].
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A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption
By Laura Hillenbrand. 473 pp.
Random House, 2010. $27.
Laura Hillenbrand’s gifts for tempo, atmosphere, and empathy shaped Seabiscuit: An American Legend into a best-selling phenomenon. She made that Depression-era tale so vivid to contemporary readers that the horse and his handlers felt once again like tabloid heroes.
Since Hillenbrand has a remarkable affinity for never-say-die underdogs overcoming stiff odds and achieving miracles, Unbroken seems an almost inevitable follow-up. Its doughty protagonist is Louis Zamperini, who emerged from a delinquency-prone adolescence in Torrance, California to become a world-class runner with a penchant for strong finishes. He placed eighth in the 5,000-meter race at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, but ran his last lap in an eye-popping 56 seconds. Zamperini was ready to do even better four years later at Tokyo’s Olympics. But then came World War II—which is where Unbroken’s story truly begins.
On May 27, 1943, Zamperini was serving as a turret gunner in his B-24, dubbed “the Green Hornet,” when it went down in the South Pacific while searching for a missing plane. Of the 11-member crew, only Zamperini and two others survived the crash; one of them, however, died after they had spent more than a month drifting in a rubber raft, living on storm water and whatever fish, even sharks, they could catch.
After 46 days at sea, Zamperini and his fellow survivor were picked up by Japanese sailors. As was the case with other American POWs in the Pacific Theater, their captivity was filled with torment and atrocity. Hillenbrand spares little detail in recounting two years of starvation, medical experiments, slave labor, and unrelenting torture. (One guard, Mutsuhiro “the Bird” Watanabe, is singled out for taking a kind of connoisseur’s pleasure in his sadistic treatment of Zamperini and his fellow captives.) Perhaps not surprisingly, the war’s aftermath offered little immediate relief to Zamperini, who went through a troubled stateside adjustment riddled with nightmares and alcoholism, before finally finding solace in religion.
This is the kind of page-turning saga that, as with Seabiscuit, practically writes itself. Unbroken, like its predecessor, will likely appear someday onscreen at a theater near you. Yet even with so many galvanic twists and turns tugging the reader along, this book feels as if it’s trying to sell, more than tell, its story—which, as it happens, has been told many times before in newspaper, magazine, and television accounts, not to mention a 2004 reprint of the protagonist’s own 1956 autobiography Devil at My Heels. The ground, though fertile, has been thoroughly plowed. Still, since Zamperini is still alive and apparently well at age 93, it’s reasonable to expect probing from a reporter with Hillenbrand’s obvious gifts to yield greater, deeper insights into his ordeal. This, after all, is what lifted Seabiscuit to well-deserved heights. Unfortunately, she’s content here to pile on the facts and let them do the work. Unbroken tells a good yarn, but it could have been more.
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Although many treatment plants have switched to ultraviolet or other disinfection methods, the majority of plants use some form of chlorine for disinfection—chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, or chlorine dioxide.
The use of chlorine has saved millions of lives by preventing the spread of waterborne diseases. But it’s critical to understand the dangers when working with chlorine at your plant.
This section will focus on gas chlorine.
Chlorine gas is still a commonly used disinfectant. It’s highly effective and comparatively low-cost.
Depending on the amounts stored and used, a Risk Management Program (2500 pounds or more on site) and/or Process Safety Management Program (1500 pounds or more on site) may need to be in place. The reportable quantity for a spill is 10 pounds.
The Chlorine Institute is a great educational resource for safety and security information as well as technical data. The website has a bookstore with pamphlets and manuals, including the Water and Wastewater Operators Chlorine Handbook. This is a must-have manual for anyone working with gas chlorine. You can download a pdf version for free or order a hardcopy for $70.
Here are some key items to know about chlorine gas safety. Much of this information is right out of the Chlorine Institute’s handbook mentioned above:
Color – greenish yellow
Odor – pungent, similar to laundry bleach. Detectable by smell at concentrations of 0.2 to 0.4 ppm.
Specific gravity – Approximately 2.5. This means gas chlorine is 2.5 times heavier than air, and will sink to the lowest level in a building or area.
Boiling point is -29.15 degrees F. Liquid chlorine that escapes from a cylinder or ton container will immediately convert to gas.
One volume of liquid chlorine converts to 460 volumes of gas.
Liquid chlorine that vaporizes on skin can reduce the temperature enough to cause frostbite.
Chlorine is not explosive or flammable, but can react violently with many substances.
Chlorine reacts with water to form hypochlorous and hydrochloric acids, with hypochlorous acid being the main disinfectant.
How Chlorine Exposure Affects Humans
Chlorine is a severe irritant. As noted above, when mixed with water (including moisture in mucous membranes, eyes and skin), it forms an acid. The primary route of exposure is through the eyes and respiratory system.
Exposure to chlorine has effects ranging from irritation to death, depending on the concentration and time of exposure.
The OSHA ceiling level (the maximum limit of any worker exposure) is 1.0 ppm.
A level of 10 ppm is considered Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health under the National Institute for Public Safety and Health (NIOSH).
At low levels for a short time, chlorine can cause eye irritation, coughing, sneezing and throat irritation. At higher levels, labored breathing and vomiting may occur. Death can result from suffocation.
Dangerous Chlorine Reactions
Chlorine has the potential for violent or explosive reactions with certain substances. It is very important to separate chlorine from the following:
Ammonia and ammonia compounds
Hydrocarbons – oils, greases, solvents, even in small amounts.
Most plant operators store 150 pound cylinders or ton containers.
Large plants sometimes use rail cars. The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has published a Safety Bulletin on the dangers of a major chlorine release during unloading. This was instigated after the CSB investigated two accidents, including a 2002 accident that resulted in the release of 48,000 pounds of chlorine.
Check out the CSB's investigation and Safety Bulletin.
Always secure cylinders and ton containers to protect them from falling, rolling or being dropped.
Both cylinders and ton containers have fusible metal plugs that will melt when the temperature gets between 158 and 165 degrees F to relieve pressure. These pressure relief valves keep the containers from rupturing during a fire.
Chlorine may be stored indoors or outdoors, though shading from sunlight is recommended for outdoor storage. Storage areas should be away from HVAC intakes, as chlorine gas could be distributed throughout a building in case of a leak.
Separate the chlorine storage area from incompatible materials, especially ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons like fuels and oils.
The chlorine storage area should have a well-maintained chlorine gas detector installed, complete with alarm and call-out capability if a leak occurs when the plant is unmanned.
Unloading Chlorine Cylinders and Ton Containers
All employees receiving chlorine cylinders and containers must be properly trained.
Always use proper equipment to unload cylinders and ton containers. Chain cylinders to a hand truck, or move with a forklift if already secured in a storage rack.
Make sure the protective valve housing is on securely
Never lift a chlorine cylinder by its protective valve housing!
Use a properly rated hoist or forklift to relocate ton containers. When using a hoist, remember that the total weight of the ton container is nearly 2 tons. A one-ton hoist is not sufficient for lifting a ton container.
The hoist and cables must be in good operating condition. Have a professional inspect the hoist each year and repair or replace it when necessary.
Never stand under a hoisted container. Stand to either side.
Once the containers or cylinders are unloaded, secure them properly at the site. Always store cylinders in an upright position. Store ton containers with the two valves lined up vertically.
Chlorine Leak Detection
Check for chlorine leaks by using a plastic squeeze bottle with a solution of ammonium hydroxide in the bottom. Squeeze to allow only the ammonia vapor (NEVER the liquid) to detect the presence of chlorine. If a leak exists, it will form a white cloud.
In addition, chlorine leak detection instrumentation is recommended, and required in some states. Leak detectors are typically connected to an alarm system with call-out capability for unmanned plants. Leak detectors must be properly maintained, calibrated and tested.
Chlorine Leak Response
NEVER respond to a chlorine leak unless you have been properly trained and have the necessary safety equipment—including a self-contained breathing apparatus and protective suit.
If your plant has its own HAZMAT Team, or provides the operators with the proper training and certification, follow your standard operating procedures.
Otherwise, call 9-1-1 or whatever agency is listed in your plant’s Emergency Response Plan.
To speed response and recovery, each treatment plant should have the appropriate Chlorine Institute Emergency Kit at the site:
Kit A: for 100 or 150-pound cylinders
Kit B: for ton containers
Kit C: for tank cars and tank trucks
Cylinder containment vessels: for 100 or 150-pound cylinders
Whether a chlorine leak is handled in-house or not, your Emergency Response Plan should detail the exact procedure. Most importantly, practice, practice and practice the procedure. Finding the Emergency Response Plan and reading it is not a good option in the middle of a chlorine gas leak.
Connecting and Disconnecting Chlorine Cylinders and Containers
Changing cylinders or containers is one of the most likely opportunities for exposure to chlorine. It is extremely important to make sure all operators are thoroughly trained before attempting the task.
100 and 150-Pound Cylinders:
Make sure the cylinder is upright and properly secured. The yoke and adapter connects the cylinder valve outlet to the feed system. A gasket must be used on the valve face and MUST be replaced with every new connection. Failure to replace the gasket will often lead to a chlorine leak. Do NOT reuse the old gasket.
Ton containers should be secured in a horizontal position in a cradle, with the two valves aligned vertically. The top valve will feed gas, the bottom will feed liquid. A yoke and adapter connects the cylinder valve to the outlet feed system. As with the cylinders, a gasket must be used on the valve face and MUST be replaced with every new connection.
If the vacuum regulator connects directly to the cylinder or container, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for connection. Otherwise, follow the directions in Section 6 of the Chlorine Institute’s Water and Wastewater Operators Chlorine Handbook.
Make sure the appropriate personal protective equipment is available and worn during the procedure.
Self contained breathing apparatus with full face mask
Long sleeved shirts
Clothing and gloves should be free of oil or grease.
The events of 9/11 made treatment plant security all the more important.
Control access to chlorine cylinders and containers with gates, locked buildings and other barriers. Provide bullet-proof shields for containers that are not indoors.
If funding allows, use electronic gates and doors with access badges that record the comings and goings at the plant. If not, ensure all visitors sign in and show a photo identification.
Include security requirements in your specifications when taking bids for chlorine or other hazardous chemicals. These requirements may include training for the company’s staff, a written security plan, a list of delivery drivers with record checks completed, and more.
Most chlorine vendors provide training for operators and other plant staff. Study the literature from the Chlorine Institute. Keep your Emergency Response Plan updated. And practice what to do in an emergency.
Chlorine Gas Incidents:
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Vonnegut's Letter to His Family About His Imprisonment in Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s most famous novel is Slaughterhouse-Five. You may have read it -- it's taught in many high school English classes in the U.S., though in others it has been banned. So it goes. Anyway, Slaughterhouse-Five is partially autobiographical; it's based partly on Vonnegut's experiences as a Prisoner of War in World War II, when he and other POWs were imprisoned in an underground slaughterhouse meat locker in Dresden in 1944, Germany. By day, they worked in labor camps; at night they slept in the slaughterhouse. During his imprisonment in the slaughterhouse (which was indeed slaughterhouse number five, or Schlachthof Fünf in German), the Allies fire-bombed Dresden, largely destroying it and inflicting mass casualties (estimated at 250,000 by Vonnegut). But Vonnegut survived.
Twenty-five years later, Vonnegut would publish the novel Slaughterhouse-Five, and the rest is history. But what was his frame of mind during the imprisonment? What happened before he ended up in the slaughterhouse? How did he get out of it? The awesome blog Letters of Note publishes a letter Vonnegut wrote to his family from a repatriation camp in France, shortly after his POW experience. Below are some excerpts (emphasis added); read the rest here.
... Well, the supermen marched us, without food, water or sleep to Limberg, a distance of about sixty miles, I think, where we were loaded and locked up, sixty men to each small, unventilated, unheated box car. There were no sanitary accommodations -- the floors were covered with fresh cow dung. There wasn't room for all of us to lie down. Half slept while the other half stood. ...
... Under the Geneva Convention, Officers and Non-commissioned Officers are not obliged to work when taken prisoner. I am, as you know, a Private. One-hundred-and-fifty such minor beings were shipped to a Dresden work camp on January 10th. I was their leader by virtue of the little German I spoke. It was our misfortune to have sadistic and fanatical guards. We were refused medical attention and clothing: We were given long hours at extremely hard labor. Our food ration was two-hundred-and-fifty grams of black bread and one pint of unseasoned potato soup each day. After desperately trying to improve our situation for two months and having been met with bland smiles I told the guards just what I was going to do to them when the Russians came. They beat me up a little. I was fired as group leader. Beatings were very small time: -- one boy starved to death and the SS Troops shot two for stealing food.
... On about February 14th the Americans came over, followed by the R.A.F. their combined labors killed 250,000 people in twenty-four hours and destroyed all of Dresden -- possibly the world's most beautiful city. But not me.
... I've too damned much to say, the rest will have to wait, I can't receive mail here so don't write.
May 29, 1945
Kurt - Jr.
I urge you to read the whole letter. It's a riveting first-person account of being a POW in WWII, and the wry voice of Vonnegut the novelist was already apparent in his letter. In the same way he repeats "So it goes" in Slaughterhouse-Five, he repeats "But not me" in this letter.
(Via Daring Fireball.)
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BETHESDA, Md. (AP) -- A federal advisory committee recommended tighter restrictions on blood donors Thursday in an effort to protect America's blood supply from Europe's mad cow disease.
The recommendations came despite warnings from health officials that tougher restrictions would cause blood shortages.
If the recommendations are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, they could reduce the available blood donors in the United States by up to 5.3 percent, according to agency estimates. They would reduce the risk of mad cow disease entering the blood supply by up to 91 percent, according to the same estimates.
There have been no identified cases of mad cow disease in the United States, either in cattle or in humans. There is no evidence that the human variety can be spread through blood transfusions, but the panel made its recommendations to cut any risk of such an occurrence.
The panel's vote came after the American Red Cross had announced it intended to institute even tighter restrictions in September. The Red Cross collects about half of the 14 million units of blood donated in the United States annually.
''The steps taken by FDA are too drastic, but I think the agency felt it had to respond to the Red Cross' plan,'' said Jim MacPherson, chief executive officer of America's Blood Centers, a network of community blood centers.
Dr. Jeffrey Doughlin, a surgeon at Jamaica Hospital in New York, told the FDA advisory panel that ''countless lives will be lost'' if blood supplies are cut further. ''We already are dealing with a dwindling supply.''
The committee, by a vote of 10-7, recommended the exclusion of donors who have spent a cumulative three months or more in Britain from 1980 through the end of 1996. The plan also would exclude donors who have had a cumulative time of travel or residence of five years or more in any other European country.
Additionally, the proposal recommends that American military personnel or dependents who have spent six months or more on a base in Europe from the years 1980 through the end of 1996 be excluded from blood donation.
Also excluded would be people who have received blood transfusions in Britain any time from 1980 to the present.
Acknowledging concerns about the impact on the blood supply, the committee called for a national donor recruitment campaign.
The FDA, which submitted the proposal, said it would take about a year for the new donor restrictions to take effect. Although the agency is not bound by advisory committee recommendations, it usually follows them.
FDA officials are concerned that people who have traveled or lived in Europe, particularly Britain, may have eaten beef contaminated by bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. Studies have shown that the disease can be transmitted to humans in meat and, years later, cause a brain disease called new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or vCJD.
Some health experts fear that people who have eaten contaminated beef might transmit the disease through donated blood. However, there is no evidence to support this. The theoretical possibility has prompted the FDA to re-examine the blood safety question frequently.
Current regulations forbid collecting blood from donors who have lived in Britain for six months or in some European countries for 10 years. Britain was the center of an outbreak of mad cow disease and at least 91 people there developed vCJD.
FDA officials said the Red Cross' tighter restrictions could reduce the number of blood donors in the United States by up to 9 percent. East Coast areas would be hardest hit, with the blood supply cut by up to 35 percent in New York City, officials said.
Part of the New York impact would come from a plan to reject some 145,000 blood units that the state now receives from Europe.
The Red Cross will reject donors who have a cumulative time in Europe of six months from 1980 to the present, or three months in Britain.
Jacquelyn Fredrick of the Red Cross said the organization will implement its plan at its nationwide blood centers this fall.
''We believe our donor deferral plan is cautious and prudent,'' she said. Fredrick said the Red Cross planned to spend $2 million on a national drive to recruit new donors.
Mad cow disease is caused by an abnormal protein, called a prion, which can cause changes in normal proteins and result in deep lesions in the brain. Mad cow disease has not been confirmed in U.S. cattle, nor has any patient been identified as having vCJD. There are American cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, but these cases have not been of a type linked to food.
On the Net:
FDA and mad cow disease: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bse.html
American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org
America's Blood Centers: http://www.americasblood.org
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Satellite data suggest there are fewer than 88,000 acres with farm and field cover across 27 towns in Northwest Connecticut. Some of these are undoubtedly neither farms nor land in agricultural production. The Litchfield Hills Greenprint has shown that no more than 11,400 of these acres occur on permanently protected land, or 13% of the total. Some of this protected land is not protected for farming.
The same 27 town area has 150,000 of state designated prime or additional important farmland soils, and 20,000 of these are on permanently conserved land, though not always available for farming. Again, that is hardly better than the percentage of farm and field cover in protected status (13.3%).
There is a statewide goal of 80,000 acres of farmland, permanently protected, and we are 50,000 acres short. we lose 1-2 of our dairy farms across Connecticut every month and at this rate will have none left that are not protected in less than 35 years. Litchfield County and Sherman in Fairfield County together have the highest amount of farmland acres in the state and should provide a large percentage of the protected farmland needed to meet this goal.
There are 357 parcels of land in this region greater than 50 acres with at least 25% farm and field cover and 25% or greater prime or additional important farmland soils. This adds up to 32,000 acres, averaging about 100 acres in size and with an average of 50% farm and field and farmland soils. These farms are clustered in six or eight areas that might have a shot at retaining their character as farm communities and provide the nucleus of a farmland viability effort to keep agriculture part of this landscape. How many of them can we afford to lose before farming becomes not merely imperiled but extirpated in Northwest Connecticut? What will it take to maintain farming as a vital part of our communities and forestall reaping the final farm product: subdivisions?
I believe we need to retain at least 70-75% of the largest, high quality farmland parcels (say 12,000 acres) and another 4,000 acres of farmland that these farmers rent or that are smaller parcels but part of farmland clusters. I believe we have a dozen years in which to achieve this rate of conservation and increased farmland viability. That's 1,250 farmland acres, every year, kept from the auction block and real estate pages, until 2020. Some of these farms will only be permanently protected if a portion of them gets developed. Some will only survive if the lands they lease are conserved. We need large animal vets and meat processing capacity and new markets for new farm products and affordable land for those who want to farm and beside that it means doubling or tripling the rate at which we conserve farmland. That will take new and expanded resources and partnerships to achieve and the will by those who support farmland preservation to make this a priority.
I believe we need to give the same degree of thought and analysis and develop the same regional conservation metrics for forest land and fresh water resources. We need to figure out how we are going to reach minimum viability for conserving these significant assets while also sustaining healthy rural communities, addressing the economic challenges that contribute to the outmigration of young people and working families, and managing the change that is affecting each and every one of the communities of this special region.
That's my day job. Tonight, I'll be talking along these lines at an open space and development forum in Sharon, CT. If we make any headway, I'll let you know.
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Genetic study sheds light on chronic painPublished On: Fri, May 7th, 2010 | Bioinformatics | By BioNews
Chronic pain, which often occurs without an apparent cause, may be caused by the inadvertent reprogramming of more than 2,000 genes in the peripheral nervous system, suggests new research.
Mayo Clinic researchers think that the finding could ultimately lead to ‘transcription therapy’, which would employ drugs that kill pain by correcting the activity of specific genes.
The researchers focused on nerve cells suspected to be involved in pain: dorsal root ganglion neurons of the peripheral nervous system in rodent models. They performed high-throughput sequencing of hundreds of millions of mRNA molecules, the messengers of gene activity.
Powerful computer science was required to sort through the many pieces of information (50 base-pair long mRNA sequence “reads”) assembling the complicated genomic puzzle.
The resulting picture revealed a number of surprises, among them 10,464 novel exons (sections of the genome involved in creating proteins) and some 400 gene candidates described for the first time in the study.
Furthermore, detailed building plans for thousands of spliced mRNA were mapped.
“Using this new approach offers greater sensitivity, dynamic range and more efficient unbiased genetic mapping compared to the previous microarray-based methods and may be an efficient new approach to a wide array of problems in neuroscience research,” says Andreas Beutler, Mayo Clinic oncologist and co-author on the study.
The findings appear in the current issue of the journal Genome Research. (ANI)
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Affiliation: University of Tampere
- A method for reporting and classifying acute infectious diseases in a prospective study of young children: TEDDYMaria Lönnrot
University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
BMC Pediatr 15:24. 2015..The numbers and frequencies of acute infections and infectious episodes are shown...
- Diagnosis of enterovirus and rhinovirus infections by RT-PCR and time-resolved fluorometry with lanthanide chelate labeled probesM Lonnrot
Department of Virology, Medical School and University Hospital of Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
J Med Virol 59:378-84. 1999..High sensitivity, rapidity, and easy performance make the assay suitable for the routine diagnosis of enterovirus and rhinovirus infections...
- Enterovirus RNA in serum is a risk factor for beta-cell autoimmunity and clinical type 1 diabetes: a prospective study. Childhood Diabetes in Finland (DiMe) Study GroupM Lonnrot
JDFI Center for Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes in Finland, Tampere, Finland
J Med Virol 61:214-20. 2000....
- Enterovirus infection as a risk factor for beta-cell autoimmunity in a prospectively observed birth cohort: the Finnish Diabetes Prediction and Prevention StudyM Lonnrot
JDFI Center for Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes in Finland and the Department of Virology, University of Tampere Medical School and Tampere University Hospital
Diabetes 49:1314-8. 2000..Our data imply that enterovirus infections are associated with the development of beta-cell autoimmunity and provide evidence for the role of enteroviruses in the initiation of beta-cell destruction...
- Enterovirus infections as a risk factor for type I diabetes: virus analyses in a dietary intervention trialK Sadeharju
JDRF Center for Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes in Finland, Department of Virology, University of Tampere Medical School and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
Clin Exp Immunol 132:271-7. 2003..These results suggest that enterovirus infections are associated with the induction of beta-cell autoimmunity in young children with increased genetic susceptibility to type I diabetes...
- Enterovirus infections in early childhood and the risk of atopic disease--a nested case-control studyL Korhonen
Department of Virology, School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
Clin Exp Allergy 43:625-32. 2013..Enterovirus infections in childhood have been associated with a reduced risk of atopy in cross-sectional studies...
- Comparison of enterovirus-specific cellular immunity in two populations of young children vaccinated with inactivated or live poliovirus vaccinesS Juhela
Turku Immunology Centre, Department of Virology, University of Turku, Finland
Clin Exp Immunol 117:100-5. 1999..This may explain the lower incidence of IDDM in Estonia by providing effective protection against diabetogenic enterovirus strains in Estonian children...
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Food Safety for Pregnant Women & Their Babies
Revised by Pamela Schmutz, HGIC Food Safety Specialist and Angela Fraser, Extension Food Safety Specialist, Clemson University. Originally prepared by Pamela Schmutz, HGIC Food Safety Specialist and Elizabeth Hoyle, Extension Food Safety Specialist, Clemson University. (New 5/99. Revised 6/11.)
Printer Friendly Version (PDF)
Expectant mothers and those preparing food for them should be especially careful when handling food because a pregnant woman’s weaker immune system makes it easier for her to get a foodborne illness. Any illness a pregnant woman gets can affect her unborn child, whose immune system is too immature to fight back.
General Food Safety Tips
- Never eat raw meat — such as steak tartare (a raw hamburger dish) — poultry or seafood, especially raw oysters and clams.
- Do not eat undercooked meat or poultry. Always check internal temperatures with a food thermometer.
- Do not eat raw or undercooked eggs and foods that have raw eggs such as Caesar salad, mousse, some custards, homemade ice cream and homemade mayonnaise.
- Do not drink raw or unpasteurized milk or foods made from raw milk.
- Do not eat raw sprouts.
These foodborne bacteria can cause a woman to miscarry her unborn child. Listeria has been found in unpasteurized milk, imported soft cheese, hot dogs, lunchmeats and meat spreads. To prevent illness from Listeria, follow these recommendations:
- Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator to make sure the temperature is at 41 °F or below. Keep the freezer at 0 °F or below.
- Clean your refrigerator regularly with hot water and a mild liquid dishwashing detergent, and then rinse. Wipe up spills immediately.
- Refrigerate any food marked “refrigerate”.
- Check expiration and “use-by-dates” regularly, and throw out foods if the date has passed.
- Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats or deli meats unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
- Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, and Mexican-style soft white types such as queso blanco and queso fresco unless the label says, “Made with Pasteurized Milk.” You can eat hard cheeses, semi-soft chesses such as mozzarella, pasteurized processed cheese slices and spreads, cream cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt.
- Do not eat salads made in the store such as ham salad, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad or seafood salad.
- Do not eat refrigerated pâté, meat spreads from a meat counter, or smoked seafood found in the refrigerated section of the store. Foods that don’t need refrigeration, like canned tuna and canned salmon, are okay to eat, but must be refrigerated after opening.
For more information on Listeria, see HGIC 3639, Listeriosis & Pregnancy: A Food Safety Concern.
Methylmercury in Fish
Seafood can be an important part of a balanced diet for pregnant women. It is a good source of high quality protein and other nutrients and is low in fat. However, methylmercury in fish, if eaten regularly, can harm an unborn child’s or a young child’s developing nervous system. Always follow the advice of your doctor or health care provider.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended the following guidelines for pregnant women and small children.
- Do not eat large fish known to possibly contain high levels of methylmercury (shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish).
- Eat up to 12 ounces (two average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish.
- Albacore (“white”) tuna and tuna steaks have more mercury than canned light tuna. Limit albacore tuna and tuna steaks to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week.
- Limit freshwater fish caught by family and friends to one meal (6 ounces for an adult, 2 ounces for a young child) a week of cooked fish, and do not eat any other fish that week.
For more information about the levels of mercury in specific types of fish, see the FDA food safety website at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html. Special advisories on fish caught from local waters can be obtained from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) at (803) 898-4300 or (888) 849-7241, or on the web at http://www.scdhec.net/environment/water/fish/.
This parasite can be found in raw and undercooked meat, unwashed fruits and vegetables, soil, dirty cat-litter boxes and outdoor places where cat feces can be found. Follow these safe food handling, hygiene and sanitation steps to reduce your risk for becoming infected with Toxoplasma:
- Do not eat raw or partly cooked meat. Cook all whole cuts of meat to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F; allow meat to rest for 4 minutes before carving or eating. Cook ground meats, mechanically tenderized meats or injected meats to at least 155 °F. Cook all poultry and wild game to at least 165 °F. Freeze meat for several days before cooking to greatly reduce the chance of infection.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after handling raw meat and do not touch your mouth with your hands until you have washed them. (See Safely Wash Hands below.)
- All surfaces that come in contact with raw meat must be sanitized. First wash with soapy water, rinse thoroughly and then put in a solution of 1 tablespoon unscented chlorine bleach in a gallon of warm (not hot) water for at least 30 seconds.
- Rinse all fresh fruits and vegetables under lukewarm, running water before eating them, even those that will be peeled.
- Wear gloves when you garden or do anything outdoors that involves handling soil. Cats, which are a common source of Toxoplasma gondii, often use gardens and sandboxes as litter boxes. Wash your hands well with soap and water after outdoor activities, especially before you eat or handle any food.
For more information see the CDC brochure Toxoplasmosis: An Important Message for Women http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/resources/ToxoWomen_2.2003.pdf.
Bisphenol A (BPA) in Baby Bottles
The effects of BPA on the pre-born, infants and young children are still being studied. The Department of Health & Human Services has made these recommendations to reduce the exposure of babies to BPA:
- Purchase BPA-free baby bottles and cups. These are now widely available and marked as BPA-free.
- Do not use old, scratched, BPA-containing bottles for feeding babies.
- Do not put boiling or very hot liquids into BPA-containing bottles or other plastic food containers. Boil water to be mixed with powdered formula in BPA-free containers and cool to lukewarm before filling bottles.
- Allow bottles to cool down, after being sterilized and cleaned, and before adding infant formula.
- Do not heat cans of infant formula on the stove or in boiling water. Ready-to-feed liquid formula can be served at room temperature or gently warmed in a nursing bottle by running warm water over the outside of the bottle.
Infants & Toddlers
In addition to the restrictions above, never feed the following foods to infants and toddlers:
- Honey or corn syrup to infants less than one year old, because of possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism.
- Raw or unpasteurized milk.
- Unpasteurized juices found in the refrigerated sections of grocery stores, health-food stores, cider mills or farm markets.
- Juices that are fresh-squeezed and sold by the glass, such as at farmer’s markets, roadside stands, or in some juice bars.
- Tea brewed from star anise. Brewed “teas” containing star anise have been associated with illnesses in infants including seizures, vomiting, jitteriness and rapid eye movement.
- Foods that may cause a small child to choke. For a list of these foods see HGIC 4102, Introducing Solid Foods to Infants.
Safely Wash Hands
Your hands can pick up and spread bacteria to your baby whose immune system may not be developed enough to fight off infections. Your hands can pick up bacteria from:
- Diapers containing feces and urine
- Raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs
- Pets such as dogs, cats, turtles, snakes, birds and lizards
Wash your hands often to remove harmful bacteria, and teach your children how and when to wash their hands. Follow these steps to wash hands properly:
- Wet your hands thoroughly with warm water and then add soap.
- Thoroughly scrub your hands, wrists, fingernails and in between fingers for at least 20 seconds.
- Rinse, then dry hands with a clean cloth towel or use a paper towel so the germs are thrown away.
Safely Handle Baby Bottles
Clean: Wash and rinse bottles, bottle caps and nipples then sterilize by boiling for five minutes or more just before refilling. To sanitize in the dishwasher, the dishwasher must reach 165 °F or hotter. (Check the equipment manual to be sure of the temperature.)
Refrigerate: Keep filled bottles of formula or breast milk in the refrigerator until just before feeding. Refrigerate open containers of ready-to-feed or concentrated formula.
Warming: Place bottles in hot (not boiling) water for 5 minutes. Shake well to even out the temperature and test to make sure it is not too hot before feeding. The milk should barely feel warm when tested on top of your hand (not on the wrist which is one of the areas least sensitive to heat).
Microwave: Never microwave baby bottles. Microwaves heat unevenly resulting in “hot spots” that can scald the baby’s mouth and throat.
Safely Store Breast Milk
- Always wash hands before expressing milk.
- Store in sterilized bottles at 41 °F or below in the refrigerator, or in the freezer at 0 °F or below.
- Breast milk is best refrigerated or chilled promptly, but may be safely kept at room temperature (up to 79 °F) for 4 to 6 hours.
- Label each container with the name of the child, date and time milk was pumped.
- Refrigerate promptly and store in the back of the main part of the refrigerator; use within 8 days. Or freeze and use within 2 weeks if stored in the small freezer compartment inside a refrigerator, or within 3–4 months in a separate freezer located on top of, or on the side of, the refrigerator, or in a stand-alone freezer.
Safely Store Baby’s Bottles
- Discard used milk from bottles immediately. Bacteria from the baby’s mouth contaminate the milk where it can grow and multiply.
- Discard unused prepared formula after 24 hours.
- Discard open containers of ready-to-feed or concentrated formula after 48 hours.
Safely Handle Jars of Baby Food
- Throw out baby food jars if the “use-by” date has passed.
- Wash the outside of the baby food jar and lid before opening the jar.
- Check to see that the safety button in the lid is down. If the jar lid doesn’t “pop” when opened, or is not sealed completely, don’t use it.
- Do not tap the jar lid with a utensil or other object or bang it against a hard surface—this could break glass chips into the food. Always look at the food for any abnormal pieces when removing it from the jar.
- Do not keep food leftover in the serving dish because bacteria on the spoon from the baby’s mouth will contaminate any remaining food.
- Do not heat baby food jars in the microwave oven. Baby food microwaved in a jar often heats unevenly, with the food in the center being the hottest. To warm food in the microwave oven, spoon a portion into a microwave-safe dish and heat on HIGH for about 8 seconds. Stir, let stand 30 seconds and stir again. Test for lukewarm temperature before feeding. Or, heat the jars following instructions for warming bottles in the section above on Safely Handle Baby Bottles.
Safely Store Opened Jars of Baby Food
- Store strained fruits and vegetables for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator or for 6 to 8 months in the freezer.
- Store strained meats and eggs, and meat and vegetable combinations for a day in the refrigerator or for 1 to 2 months in the freezer.
- Store homemade baby foods for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator or for 3 to 4 months in the freezer. For information on homemade baby foods, see HGIC 4259, Making Your Own Baby Food.
- For individual servings, freeze strained foods in ice cube trays then place cubes in freezer bags.
- Reheat refrigerated foods to steaming hot, then cool to lukewarm temperature before serving.
- CDC (June 2011). Toxoplasmosis. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/gen_info/pregnant.html
- FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (September 2005). Food Safety for Moms-to-Be. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pregnant/once.html
- FDA/CFSAN (March 2004). What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html
- FDA (January 2010). Bisphenol A (BPA). http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm064437.htm
- Mississippi State University Extension Service. Food Safety & Quality Frequently Asked Questions. http://msucares.com/health/food_safety/index.html
- La Leche League International (2008). What are the LLLI Guidelines for Storing my Pumped Milk? http://www.llli.org/FAQ/milkstorage.html
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. (April 2006). Protect Your Baby and Yourself From Listeriosis. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Protect_Your_Baby/index.asp
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service (2002). Feeding Infants: A Guide for Use in the Child Nutrition Programs. http://www.fns.usda.gov/TN/Resources/feedinginfants-ch11.pdf
Page maintained by: Home & Garden Information Center
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When a breast tumor is detected, many women opt to have a lumpectomy, which is surgery designed to remove the diseased tissue while preserving the breast. But during this procedure, doctors cannot learn right away whether all of the cancerous tissue has been removed, with no microscopic signs that cancer cells were left behind. Because of this delay, one in five of these women—up to 66,000 patients annually in the U.S. alone—must return for a second surgery to remove remaining cancer. These follow-up operations boost healthcare costs and can lead to delays in receiving other treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy. To reduce the need for these second surgeries, four Johns Hopkins graduate students have designed a device to allow pathologists to quickly inspect excised breast tissue within 20 minutes, while the patient is still in the operating room.
Recent news from The Johns Hopkins University
This section contains regularly updated highlights of the news from around The Johns Hopkins University. Links to the complete news reports from the nine schools, the Applied Physics Laboratory and other centers and institutes are to the left, as are links to help news media contact the Johns Hopkins communications offices.
Storing music and photos on distant computers via “cloud” technology is nothing new. But Johns Hopkins researchers are now using this tactic to collect detailed information from thousands of cancer cell samples. The goal is to help doctors make better predictions about how a patient’s illness will progress and what type of treatment will be most effective.
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Our New View of Pluto from NASA’s New Horizons Mission
After traveling for more than 9 years, NASA’s New Horizons mission accomplished its prime objective – the initial reconnaissance of the Pluto system. On July 14, New Horizons passed about 12,500 km from Pluto’s surface, flying between Pluto and the orbit of Pluto’s large moon Charon. The seven instruments on board the spacecraft include a high-resolution imager, a color imager and short-wave IR imaging spectrometer, a UV spectrometer, two in-situ plasma instruments, a dust detector and a radio science experiment. Data from these instruments have provided a wealth of new information on the Pluto system and have transformed our understanding of this world. Highlights of scientific results from the flyby of Pluto will be presented including the discovery of mountains on Pluto, smooth plains of ice that show evidence of flow, high altitude haze in Pluto’s atmosphere, large chasms on Charon, and an enigmatic red spot on the north pole of Charon.
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Some good chess programs do run in parallel (see [Finkel:82a], [Marsland:84a], [Newborn:85a], [Schaeffer:84a;86a]), but before our work nobody had tried more than about 15 processors. We were interested in using hundreds or thousands of processors. This forced us to squarely face all the issues of parallel chess-algorithms which work for a few processors do not necessarily scale up to hundreds of processors. An example of this is the occurrence of sequential bottlenecks in the control structure of the program. We have been very careful to keep control of the program decentralized so as to avoid these bottlenecks.
The parallelism comes from searching different parts of the chess tree at the same time. Processors are organized in a hierarchy with one master processor controlling several teams, each submaster controlling several subteams, and so on. The basic parallel operation consists of one master coming to a node in the chess tree, and assigning subtrees to his slaves in a self-scheduled way. Figure 14.5 shows a timeline of how this might happen with three subteams. Self-scheduling by the slaves helps to load-balance the computation, as can be seen in the figure.
So far, we have defined what happens when a master processor reaches a node of the chess tree. Clearly, this process can be repeated recursively. That is, each subteam can split into sub-subteams at some lower level in the tree. This recursive splitting process, illustrated in Figure 14.6, allows large numbers of processors to come into play.
In conflict with this is the inherent sequential model of the standard alpha-beta algorithm. Pruning depends on fully searching one subtree in order to establish bounds (on the score) for the search of the next subtree. If one adheres to the standard algorithm in an overly strict manner, there may be little opportunity for parallelism. On the other hand, if one is too naive in the design of a parallel algorithm, the situation is easily reached where the parallel program searches an impressive number of board positions per second, but still does not search much more deeply than a single processor running the alpha-beta algorithm. The point is that one should not simply split or ``go parallel'' at every opportunity-as we will see below, it is sometimes better to leave processors idle for short periods of time and then do work at more effective points in the chess tree.
Figure: The Splitting Process of Figure 14.5 is Now Repeated, in a Recursive Fashion, Down the Chess Tree to Allow Large Numbers of Processors to Come into Play. The topmost master has four slaves, which are each in turn an entire team of processors, and so on. This figure is only approximate, however. As explained in the text, the splitting into parallel threads of computation is not done at every opportunity but is tightly controlled by the global hash table.
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Photo: From John M. Woodworth, The Cholera Epidemic of 1873 in the United States, 1875 Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Libraries
In 1849, almost twenty-five years after its founding, the town of Lafayette, Indiana, was a county seat with more than six thousand residents, and could boast of being the state’s fourth largest town. Politicians and business leaders, doctors, lawyers, and clergymen were all proud to promote their city and its advantages. The last thing they wanted to face was an epidemic that threatened the lives of citizens and the growth and reputation of the community.
Nevertheless, by the summer of 1849, Lafayette, like other Midwestern cities and towns, was facing a major outbreak of cholera.
During the winter and early spring of 1848, cholera spread from Europe to the east coast of the United States and then into the interior via rivers and roads. Towns did what they could to prevent the disease from striking citizens. No one knew what caused cholera—one explanation blamed a miasma in the air that emanated from any kind of filth that lay in streets and alleys and inside homes; other experts put the blame on individuals—drinking alcohol, consuming unhealthy foods (particularly fruits and vegetables), living a life that was dissolute or intemperate in any way could invite the disease.
Town leaders appointed local doctors to a board of health; streets and sidewalks and alleys were cleaned and swept; a local ordinance made it a crime for grocers to sell fruits and vegetables; doctors and local pharmacists began to stock up on their own anti-cholera tonics.
By June 1849, it was clear that cholera had arrived in Lafayette. The local newspapers reported the first cases; the board of health issued an initial report. As the disease spread through the town, the newspapers and the board fell silent, not wanting to broadcast the town’s plight. Many residents took matters into their own hands and simply fled. Accounts from the period suggest that at least one-third of Lafayette citizens left for the countryside or for the homes of friends and relatives living elsewhere—some estimates claim that three-quarters of the town’s population disappeared for several weeks.
Doctors, one druggist, a few shopkeepers, two of the town’s eight clergymen, and many other citizens remained in Lafayette. Cholera moved quickly through inhabited areas—deaths often occurred within a day or two of the afflicted falling ill—and by early August the local newspapers could report hotels re-opening, businesses returning to their usual hours, and sermons being preached at local churches.
By mid-September, things were almost back to normal and the city once again allowed grocers to sell fruits and vegetables. Best estimates are that at least 300 people in Lafayette died from the 1849 cholera outbreak—higher estimates suggest as many as 800 dead.
Cholera broke out again in Indiana, including Lafayette, in 1854 and 1867. By the 1880s, as the microbial origin of the disease was finally accepted and U.S. towns and cities began investing in clean water and proper sewage disposal, cholera epidemics became a thing of the past in Indiana.
Source: Joan Marshall, “Cholera in an Indiana Market Town: Boosters and Public Health Policy in Lafayette, 1849,” IMH September 2002.
A Moment of Indiana History is a production of WFIU Public Radio in partnership with the Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations. Research support comes from Indiana Magazine of History published by the Indiana University Department of History.
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What is a sonic boom and how is it produced?
Asked by: Lockyear
Sonic boom is a common name for the loud noise that is created by the 'shock wave' produced by the air-plane that is traveling at speeds greater than that of sound ( speed of sound is approximately 332 m/s or 1195 km/hr or 717 miles/hour). These speeds are called supersonic speeds, hence this phenomena is sometimes called the supersonic boom.
Normally, for a plane that is going at subsonic speeds (lower than that of sound), the sound of the plane is radiated in all directions. However, the individual sound wavelets are compressed at the front of the plane and further spread at the back of the plane because of the forward speed of the plane. This effect is known as the Doppler effect and accounts for the change of the 'pitch' of the plane's sound as it passes us. When the plane is approaching us it's sound has a higher pitch than if it is going away from us.
Now, if the plane is traveling at the supersonic speeds, it is going faster than the speed of its sound. As a result, a pressure (sound is variation in pressure) wave is produced in the shape of the cone whose vertex is at the nose of the plane, and whose base is behind the plane. The angle opening of the cone depends on the actual speed the plane is traveling at. All of the sound pressure is contained in this cone.
So imagine now this plane in a level flight. Before the plane passes you, you can only see it but you can not hear anything. The pressure cone is trailing behind the plane. Once your ears intersect the edge of this cone, your will hear a very loud sound - the sonic boom. Therefore you will hear the sonic boom once your ears intersect this cone, and not when the plane breaks the sound barrier (as it is commonly misunderstood)
The sonic booms can be sometimes quite loud. For a commercial supersonic transport plane (SST), it can be as loud as 136 decibels, or 120 Pa (in units of pressure).
Answered by: Anton Skorucak, M.S. Physics, PhysLink.com Creator
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From its founding in 1926 through the early 1970s, all Oliver Goldsmith frames were made by hand in the company’s Poland Street workshop. The company started with the design, in the form of a hand-drawn sketch.
The frame makers would then cut a slab of plastic into the desired shape for the frame and its sides; file down the edges; attach the sides; sand down the finished design; and fit the lenses. Depending on the complexity of the design, the process of making a frame by hand would take from six hours up to several days.
Many of the workshop staff stayed with the company for decades. Retired glazer Harry Swain worked for Oliver Goldsmith from 1946 until 1983. He recalls, ‘I left school at the age of 14 years in 1932 so I had to decide which trade to go into. I decided to go into the optical industry. When I was demobbed in 1946 I went to work for Oliver Goldsmith, where I remained until I retired in 1983.
1. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Pattern maker Ron Saich selecting the material
2. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Using a sharp/pointed metal scribe, pattern maker Ron Saich scribes the frame shape onto the plastic
3. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Using a fret saw, Ron Saich drills two holes and then cuts out the eye shapes; he will then cut around the outside of the frame shape
4. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Ron checks the measurements
5. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Another frame maker shapes the front of the frame with a scraping knife
6. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Warming the front on a hot air heater allows the frame maker to 'bump the bridge' into shape; which means creating the space to accommodate the nose, thus making it more comfortable to wear
7. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Filing the front into shape
8. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Sanding the frame to get rid of the filing marks
9. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Checking that the eye size is correct
10. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Fitting the front half joints by heating the tool and using it to push the metal hinge into the front
11. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Frame maker and workshop manager, Tom Eley, fits the half joints into the sides. The photograph shows a work bench full of orders waiting to be processed. Each order had its own cardboard tay with a works docket containing the order details.
12. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Frame maker at the hard polishing mop machine removing filing scratch marks
13. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Polishing at the soft polishing mop machine to remove all final scratches
14. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Checking that the sides are parallel. In this process the frame maker would heat the frame over the Bunsen burner to warm the frame and make it more pliable to allow for small adjustments. After making these adjustments, the frame maker would pluge the frame into cold water after adjusting it to the correct fit. The photograph shows a bucket of cold water on the left. On the workbench you can see many tools such as pliers, files and joint screws (in the small box).
15. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
A view of the top floor workshop at 60 Poland Street, showing the frame makers at work. To the left is racking stacked with the plastics used for frames. Fans helped cool the workshop when the Bunsen burners and hot air heaters were in used. At this time, Oliver Goldsmith employed around ten frame makers in the workshop. Oliver Goldsmith's frame makers were usually employed for decades; many of them worked for the company for between 20 and 30 years.
16. Inside the Oliver Goldsmith workshop in 1966
Oliver Goldsmith's workshop with orders waiting to be processed
In 1972 Oliver Goldsmith moved its offices from Poland Street to Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. At this time, the company was transitioning from making all its frames by hand to making semi-handmade frames. This process still started with the frame styles designed in-house. Pre-ordered plastic was then delivered to factories in London, Essex and Brighton to be cut into the desired shapes by machine. The frames were then assembled and finished by hand. By the early 1980s, though their prototypes were still designed in-house, all Oliver Goldsmith glasses were completely mass-produced in a Brighton factory. A surviving order form shows how manufacturing information was communicated to the factory.
From the 1960s through the 1980s, the company produced new styles on a regular basis. Once these new frames were produced, the company salesmen would take a set of samples of these new styles to show to opticians across Britain. For the foreign market, A Oliver Goldsmith travelled regularly to the United States, Canada and Europe to present the collection and take orders. The company would ship frames to the distributor who would then sell them on to the foreign opticians. The United States, Europe, Scandinavia and South Africa were the company’s main overseas markets.
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- The U.S. Supreme Court has long since held that the Fourteenth Amendment protects free speech, assembly, trial by jury, and most other Bill of Rights guarantees from state and local violations, but not until 2010 did the Court decide, in McDonald v. Chicago, that keeping and bearing arms is a fundamental right that state and local governments must honor. Securing Civil Rights demonstrates the original understanding that it is a fundamental right.
- In its landmark 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that individuals have a right to have firearms for self-defense and that D.C. may not ban handguns, but it left open whether state and local governments may do so. The Court stated: In the aftermath of the Civil War, there was an outpouring of discussion of the Second Amendment in Congress and in public discourse, as people debated whether and how to secure constitutional rights for newly free slaves. To defend that proposition, the Court cited the 1998 edition of this book.
- Historically, the right to keep and bear arms has been a key Bill of Rights guarantee related to the defense of African-Americans from racist violence. The Southern slave codes were the only significant prohibitions on firearms ownership in antebellum America, and the abolitionists sought to extend the right of the peopleall peopleto slaves, whom they sought to set free.
- During Reconstruction, from 1866 to 1876, Congress passed civil rights acts and the states adopted the Fourteenth Amendment to protect the newly won rights of freedmen, including their right to keep and bear arms. Because this entailed trusting former slaves with firearms, application of the arms guarantee was the vanguard of what it meant to take civil rights seriously. The arms that the Amendments framers believed to be constitutionally protected included the latest firearms of all kinds, including military muskets and repeating rifles, shotguns, pistols, and revolvers.
- To a man, the same two-thirds-plus members of Congress who voted for the proposed Fourteenth Amendment also voted for the proposition, contained in both Freedmens Bureau Bills, that the constitutional right to bear arms is included in the rights of personal liberty and personal security. No other guarantee in the Bill of Rights was the subject of this official approval by the same Congress that passed the Fourteenth Amendment.
- Federal prosecutors brought criminal charges against Klansmen for violation of the First and Second Amendment rights of freedmen. But the Supreme Court held that the Fourteenth Amendment prevented the states, not private individuals, from infringing on these rights.
Does the U.S. Constitutions Fourteenth Amendment, which protects the rights to personal security and personal liberty from violation by state governments, incorporate the Second Amendment, which declares that the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed? The framers of the Fourteenth Amendment believed soas did their opponents. The Fourteenth Amendment was intended and understood to protect basic rightsabove all, the right to have arms for self-defensefrom infringement by state and local governments, which had passed statutes that restricted the civil liberties of former slaves in the postCivil War South.
In Securing Civil Rights: Freedmen, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Right to Bear Arms, noted attorney and legal scholar Stephen P. Halbrook illustrates the importance of the right to bear arms in the context of the African-American experience during Reconstruction, when the freedmen sought to exercise their Second Amendment rights to protect their newly won civil liberties from violation first by the Southern States and then by the Ku Klux Klan.
Trusting ex-slaves to own firearms was, by any definition, the cutting edge in true belief in civil rights, Halbrook writes. It remains to be seen whether contemporary society will accommodate the same rights of the freedman sought to be guaranteed by the Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Although Halbrook concentrates on the right to keep and bear arms, he also includes a comprehensive analysis pertinent to the general topic of incorporation of the Bill of Rights into the Fourteenth Amendment.
The Civil Rights and Freedmens Bureau Acts
Securing Civil Rights begins with a day-by-day account of congressional proceedings that led to the passage of measures meant to protect the rights of freedmen from oppressive statutes designed to reinstate slavery through the back door. Those so-called black codes had made it a crime for freedmen to testify in court, purchase real estate, travel without a work permitand keep and bear firearms.
The weapon bans rendered freedmen incapable of protecting their personal property and security from opportunistic criminals and violent reprisals by embittered whites. Two weeks after passage of Mississippis statute, for example, a black private assigned to the Freedmens Bureau in that state reported that ex-Confederates were now disarming blacks, taking their money and possessions, and in many places killing.
When the report reached the halls of Congress, Republican leaders hurried to enact legislation to protect the freedmen from rights violations by the states. On December 6, 1865, Representative John Bingham introduced a joint resolution that would become the Fourteenth Amendment. A month later, Senator Lyman Thrumbull introduced a bill to enlarge the powers of the Freedmens Bureau and the Civil Rights Billtwo bills seen as temporary measures to affirm the right to keep and bear arms.
The Freedmens Bureau Act declared that the constitutional right to bear arms is included among the laws and proceedings concerning personal liberty, personal security, and property, and that the free enjoyment of such immunities and rights is to be protected. Every senator who voted for the Fourteenth Amendment also voted for the Freedmens Bureau Bills and thus for the recognition of the constitutional right to bear arms.
The right to have arms implied the right to use them for protection of ones life, family, and home against criminals and terrorist groups of all kinds, whether attacking Klansmen or lawless law enforcement. To the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment, human emancipation meant the protection of this great human right from all sources of infringement, whether federal or state.
Congress Reacts to Southern Rejection of the Fourteenth Amendment
As Congress debated the Fourteenth Amendment and the second Freedmens Bureau Bill, Southern courts nullified the Civil Rights Act, and the Southern state militias continued to disarm the freedmen and commit other abuses. Congress reacted by disbanding the militias and requiring those statesunder threat of military ruleto adopt constitutions consistent with the Fourteenth Amendment.
The records of the states make clear that contemporaries believed the amendment incorporated the Bill of Rights, especially the right to keep and bear arms, against the state governments. Opponents of the amendment argued that it was unnecessary because blacks were already protected in all rights of citizenship (which the Dred Scott decision said included keeping and bear arms) other than suffrage.
After examining Congresss reaction to the Southern rejection of the Fourteenth Amendment, Halbrook looks at the extent to which the amendment was perceived as incorporating the Second Amendment at the constitutional conventions of twelve states: Maryland, Alabama, Louisiana, Virginia, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Tennessee.
The Freedmens Bureau Act Reenacted and the Fourteenth Amendment Ratified
The 1866 Freedmens Bureau Act, which had a two-year life, was renewed in 1868 for an additional year. Enacted on July 6, 1868, the second Freedmens Bureau Act also required the Secretary of War to reestablish the Bureau in areas where it had been discontinued and where the personal safety of freedmen shall require it. In addition, it provided that Bureau operations would be discontinued in states that reentered the Union, unless the Secretary of War found that the Bureaus continuation was necessary.
By passing the 1868 Act, Congress reaffirmed that the rights of personal security and personal liberty included the constitutional right to bear arms. On July 28, 1868, just days after enactment of the Freedmens Bureau legislation, it was officially proclaimed that the Fourteenth Amendment had been ratified by three-fourths of the states and was now a part of the U.S. Constitution. Congress then passed statutes repealing the prohibition of the Southern state militias.
Toward Adoption of the Civil Rights Act of 1871
To enforce the rights declared in the Fourteenth Amendment, Congress enacted the Enforcement Act of 1870 and the Civil Rights Act of 1871. The legislative histories of these Acts are saturated with expressions of the intent to protect the rights of freedmen to keep and bear arms. The Enforcement Act criminalized private-party violations of rights granted or secured by the Constitution, such as attacks by the Ku Klux Klan in the Southern States.
The Civil Right Act 1871, in addition to suppressing Klan violence, was designed to remedy infringement of rights under color of state law. Aside from the Fourteenth Amendment, this Act was the most important and lasting accomplishment of the Reconstruction Congress in support of civil rights and the liberation of the freedmen.
The rest of Reconstruction was consumed with the outer limits of the state action requirement of the Fourteenth Amendment, and in particular with whether the amendment made it a federal crime for private individuals to conspire to deprive freedmen of the rights to assemble and to bear arms. The drama would now shift from the halls of Congress to the federal courts.
From Klan Trials to the Cruikshank Case
After passage of the 1870 Enforcement Act, federal prosecutors began to bring indictments alleging violations of Bill of Rights freedoms and interference with the right to vote on account of race (a violation of the recently ratified Fifteenth Amendment). After federal courts in Alabama and Mississippi upheld such indictments, similar indictments were brought against members of the Ku Klux Klan in South Carolina.
Klan activity became the focus of Congressional hearings. In a typical incident, a black Georgia man testified how Klansmen broke into his house and shot him three times. In other incidents, Klansmen were indicted and convicted for having robbed blacks of their guns.
One indictment in Grant Parish, Louisiana, culminated in an 1876 Supreme Court decision that was the climax of the debate over whether private action can constitute a violation of rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. The Court decided in United States v. Cruikshank that Congress had no authority to protect persons against the private infringement of the right to bear arms, which, like other local crimes, was a liberty or property interest for the states to protect.
Securing Civil Rights concludes with an analysis of the pre-Heller jurisprudence of the Supreme Court concerning the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. After dissecting post-Cruikshank cases, Halbrook outlines twentieth century developments by tracing the incorporation of substantive Bill of Rights guarantees into the Fourteenth Amendment, the Courts pronouncements on the Second Amendment, and the role of the Freedmens Bureau Act as an interpretative source of the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and the Fourteenth Amendment.
About the Author
Dr. Stephen P. Halbrook is Research Fellow at the Independent Institute. Dr. Halbrook received his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and Ph.D. in social philosophy from Florida State University, and he has taught legal and political philosophy at George Mason University, Howard University, and Tuskegee Institute. He is the author of the bestselling The Founders Second Amendment among many other books.
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Greece is home to some of the earliest and most advanced human civilizations. The Bronze Age Minoan civilization flourished in the island of Crete. Although Crete is known to have been home to human settlement even as early as 800,000 BC, the Minoan Civilization became well-established in about 5000 BC. The Mycenaean Civilization flourished in Mycenae, and in the Peloponnesian peninsular region, from 1900 BC through 1100 BC. The civilization left a highly advanced cultural legacy and much of the Greek mythology and ancient Greek religion is derived from the civilization.
Ancient Greece was the greatest cultural influence of the western world. The city-states, the polis of Greece demonstrated a high level of administrative and thought culture. Democracy, oligarchy, and monarchy were defined in ancient Greece. The architecture and engineering of the times were highly advanced. Alexander the Great was the Greek prince of Macedon who went on to build the greatest empire of the times.
Later as part of the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire and the Venetian regime, Greek assimilated a range of influences that enriched the indigenous culture. After a protracted war, Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830. Through World War I Greece played an important role due to its proximity to the Turkish Straits. Greece fell to Germany in the course of World War II. The period of growth and stability following liberation by the Allies gave Greece a much required boost. The services industry developed and maritime trade, Greek's traditional strength flourished.
Location and Political Boundaries
Greece shares its political boundaries with Albania, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. The country is located at the southern end of the Balkans and peninsular Greece is surrounded by the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Ionian Sea. To the center of mainland Greece, the Pindus Mountains form a rugged spine that extends into the islands of the country. Greece has over 2,000 islands of which about 170 are inhabited. Crete is the biggest island in Greece. Coastal Greece is dotted with many sandy beaches. The beaches and the beautiful islands of the country make it a very popular travel destination.
State and Polity
Greece is a parliamentary republic with the President of Greece as the head of the state. The president is elected by a unicameral parliament and typically serves a five-year term. The current constitution of Greece was adopted in 1975 and was later revised in 1986, 2001, and again in 2008. There are two prominent major parties in Greece but in 2011 Lucas Papademos formed a coalition government including members of both parties in an attempt to pull Greece through the debt crisis. The country is divided into thirteen administrative regions and one autonomous administrative unit. Athens is the capital city of Greece.
The economy of Greece has traditionally been a strong one with the services sector being the most developed. The tourism and merchant shipping industries of the country have been the greatest foreign exchange earners for the country. Over the past few years, however, the economy of Greece has been undergoing turbulent times. Caught in the grip of a sovereign debt crisis, the economy of Greece has been rated Subjective Default by Standard & Poor, the credit rating agency in January 2012. The economy currently registers negative growth rates with a public debt to GDP ratio at 159.1%.
Travel and Tourism
Greece remains one of the best-loved tourist destinations of the world. Over 14.9 million international tourists visited Greece in 2009. Athens, the capital city houses two UNESO World Heritage Sites - the Acropolis and the Daphni Monastery. History, art, and culture lovers are attracted to Sparta, Olympia, Sounion, and Crete - the sites of the ancient Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations of ancient Greece. The most popular tourist destinations of Greece are the islands - Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Samos are best known for their buttery beaches and balmy long summers. Tourism, being a dominant industry has led to great infrastructural development in Greece.
Greece is considered the birthplace of western philosophy with Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle setting the stage for political thought and idealistic philosophy. Greece has been home to pioneering mathematicians, astronomers, and historians such as Ptolemy and Polyaenus. Greek music, literature, and drama have set the standards for cultural endeavors of times to come. Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey are considered the earliest classics of the world. The ancient religion of Greece gave way to the Orthodoxy of current times. The Olympic Games shall still remain the greatest contribution of Greece to the world. The games, once held as part of the religious festival in honor of Zeus, are now a symbol of international cooperation, peace and harmony.
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Definition of Traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury: Brain damage from trauma. The three leading causes of death from traumatic brain injury relate to firearms, motor vehicles and falls. The leading causes of death differ by age group. Motor vehicles are the leading cause among youth from birth to 19 years of age. Firearms are the leading cause of death among persons aged 20 to 74 years. Falls are the leading cause of death among persons aged 75 and older.Source: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionary
Last Editorial Review: 6/9/2016
Get breaking medical news.
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Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
Alternative energy is the name given to any type of energy used to replace a different source of energy, often because of the negative consequences of its use. Types of alternative sources of energy throughout history have included coal, petroleum and alcohol. In the 21st century, these alternative sources have included bioenergy and biofuels such as palm oil, ethanol, and other low carbon alternatives.
In the Middle Ages and Renaissance period from the 1200s to the 1500s, coal was used as the first source of alternative energy. When forests began to disappear due to the significant need for wood in any ever-modernizing world, coal was introduced as an alternative. Three hundred years later, in the early 1800s, petroleum was used to replace the depleted source of whale oil for fuel lamps.
In the early 1900s, the concern over the quickening use of coal and oil around the world led some to seek alternative energy sources for these precious fuels. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell first proposed using corn-based ethanol oil in 1917. These reusable energy sources came into use in the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in the United States and Brazil. In 2008, these were the top two ethanol oil users in the world. Brazil, in 2008, had over 35,000 stations that offered ethanol fuel in addition to gasoline.
In the 2000s, different biomass sources were introduced as another alternative to harmful fossil fuels, composed of recently deceased organic matter. Other recent sources have included zero carbon alternatives with low methane emissions, such as hydrogen and nuclear power.
Alternatives for transportation energy have been one of the most studied venues for alternative energy in the United States and around the world. With rising gas prices, many options are emerging as substitutes for gasoline, including previously mentioned ethanol fuels. Other sources have included electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as fuel cells and fly wheels.
In recent history, the use of the term alternative energy has spurred controversy among some energy suppliers and manufacturers. A term that allows for government incentives, some have fought to include fossil fuels and nuclear energy as alternative sources of energy. Others have argued, however, that the negative consequences of theses sources – their high carbon dioxide emissions – exclude them from the category. In the eyes of many, alternative energy sources are meant to combat negative energy problems, and these create more by contributing to global warming.
@ Amphibious54- Although ethanol is considered a renewable resource, it is only marginally so. In addition, the use of ethanol as an alternative renewable energy source is hardly sustainable.
There are a few major areas of concern with ethanol production in its current state:
1) Ethanol crops are also food crops, causing the price of food to skyrocket.
2) Ethanol does not decrease demand for liquid fuels.
3) Ethanol production is a main cause of the deforestation of the Amazon and Borneo rainforests.
4) Ethanol production only creates marginal gains in reducing carbon emissions.
There are other issues with current biofuel technology, but these are the big ones. The amount of food crops needed to fill a tankful of ethanol in an E85 Suburban is enough to feed an African village for over a year and a half (approx. half ton of corn per 39-gallon fuel tank). Facts like these make food-based biofuels not worth the trouble.
@ Succulents- As a matter of fact, every car in America that runs on gasoline also runs on ethanol. At a minimum, ten percent of all gasoline sold at the pump is plant based ethanol. This is why the United States is one of the biggest consumers of ethanol.
If you pull up to any gas station, it will say this right on the pump. Part of the reason that the federal government mandates ethanol use in gasoline is because it supposedly contributes to national security by reducing the amount of fuel this country has to buy from foreign countries. In essence, ethanol is a domestically produced alternative energy resource.
It says that the US was one of the top 2 users of ethanol, but I have never seen a gas station that has ethanol.
Doesn't say much for how well ethanol cars are doing sales wise.
How much does a gallon of ethanol cost compared to regular gas anyway?
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!
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Help desk technicians — also known as computer support specialists or system administrators — are a vital part to any office that utilizes computers on a day-to-day basis. Whether they are teaching users how to work with a new program or troubleshooting problems with hardware or software, help desk technicians ensure that things run smoothly in an office.
Duties of a help desk technician
Help desk technicians provide technical and troubleshooting support to users in need of assistance with their computer hardware or software. These computer technicians are trained to deal with various types of computer issues, from dealing with minor glitches in a new program to major problems with computer viruses and system crashes.
Where to find help desk technician jobs
Help desk technicians work in a variety of industries — basically, wherever there are people using computers and need technical support. However, there are more opportunities in certain industries, such as finance, health care, education, insurance, and telecommunications.
Help desk technicians usually work the same hours as the majority of the employees work, but there will be times — such as in the case of system crashes or the uploading or downloading of new information and software — that system administrators will be required to work above and beyond the normal work week.
Help desk technician programs
There are many programs available, both online and offline, for people who want to become help desk technicians or systems administrators. A college degree is not always required, but extensive training in computer programs and systems is necessary. For those wanting to get a degree, there are numerous associate and Bachelor’s degrees programs in computer science. Many schools, including technical institutes, offer certification programs in various areas of computer programming and computer science.
Besides maintaining the most current computer skills possible, help desk technicians must also command excellent skills in problem solving, analysis, and interpersonal communication in order to succeed at their jobs.
Demand for help desk technicians
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for help desk technicians and system administrators is projected to increase by 18 percent by the year 2016. While this is much higher than the average employment increase for most industries, it is not surprising; more companies and organizations are becoming increasingly dependent on computer technology. Computer technology changes rapidly, and therefore there will always be a need for qualified individuals who command excellent computer skills.
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In the early 1980s, when the coolest, most innovative device in your house was the remote control for your television, John Kelly imagined a future of networked home computers and he was almost exactly right.
And though the NABU Network, the revolutionary brainchild of the Ottawa entrepreneur, ultimately failed, it is still recognized as a landmark event in Canadian technology. On Friday, it was celebrated enthusiastically by the York University Computer Museum at an event where Kelly was the guest speaker. Two York professors have spent several years rebuilding a version of NABU and demonstrated it to the public for the first time at the gathering.
Almost 30 years ago, at a time when the personal computer was only just being introduced, when the World Wide Web was still 15 years away, Kelly pictured computers in the home, receiving data through a high-speed modem connected to cable television wiring, and giving users access to a network providing the latest information, games and even online banking. Sound familiar?
"NABU was a revolutionary idea," says Zbigniew Stachniak, one of the York professors who rebuilt the network. "It was the first to conceive of the computer not only in the home, but connecting to something outside the home."
The future arrived early in Ottawa when NABU launched in partnership with local cable providers and for a short time, this city was the epicentre of networked personal computing.
"It really was ahead of its time," says Kelly. "People used to say it was five years ahead, but it was probably 10 or 20."
In time, that became more of a liability than an asset. Pioneering is expensive work and in the advent of the PC, there weren't a lot of other players making hardware and software, so NABU had to develop everything on its own, from the computers themselves to all of the programs that would operate on them. Millions of dollars were invested in the development work of hundreds of North America's best engineers.
"The product was extremely expensive to manufacture," says Kelly. "Each piece of software would cost tens of thousands of dollars."
Ultimately, Kelly says, most consumers weren't yet ready to have computers in their homes. Many people in the technology industry weren't even sure if the home computer would take off. And investors in NABU weren't prepared to wait to find out.
"I still believe that it would have worked had our investors maintained their patience," he says. "But it was going to take a while to make it financially viable."
Kelly's vision was ultimately confirmed when cable providers (who in the 1980s were reluctant to embrace the concept) became Internet service providers. He doesn't claim to have invented the Internet (that was Al Gore, wasn't it?), but others credit NABU as one of the most innovative developments in Canadian history. In a synopsis of Friday's event at York, organizers described NABU as "the most innovative, daring and least appreciated venture" in Canadian computing and "an important forerunner of the Internet."
And even today, NABU has a following. When York decided to recreate the network, an article on PC World's website generated enthusiastic responses from former NABU users.
"We tried it free for a month," one person wrote. "But man, what a month! I still remember Dad setting it up and my brother and I playing the games!"
Stachniak says when he began to recreate the network, he was overwhelmed by the reaction of the people who worked on and used NABU during its short lifespan.
"At first, there was a total lack of access to technical literature and software," says Stachniak. "So the only sources of information were former engineers and former users. They were sending little things that they collected such as screen shots.
"The majority were kids and teenagers of the 1980s who would say, 'That was my introduction to computing. This is how I did my homework. This is how we connected to entertainment.' "
Kelly says he is proudest of the incredible work done by the team of engineers at NABU, many of whom went on to senior roles with other local technology companies.
"What a great engineering accomplishment it was, given the state of technology at the time," he says.
"The amount of engineering talent that NABU assembled was amazing," says Stachniak. "These are the people who went on to build Silicon Valley North.
"Some of them said this was one of the most exciting companies that they were working for. The atmosphere there must have been incredible."
For Kelly, who has been a pillar of Ottawa's technology community for 30 years, memories of NABU always provoke mixed feelings.
"You're not happy with the outcome, but you're still happy you did it," he says.
But for Friday's event, Kelly is very gratified.
"It's exciting to have an opportunity to revisit part of your life," Kelly says, "even if it's in a museum."
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UC Merced Professor Rose Scott studies how young children begin to understand the social world and all its complexities.
It happens sooner than most would think.
Babies who are three months old can begin to show they understand that people have preferences, and 18-month-olds can understand that adults can be wrong, Scott explained.
Since children at this age can't talk, Scott studies their reaction to different situations. For example, babies look at something longer when they're surprised by it. In one situation, a child watches a young girl repeatedly reach for a green toy instead of a red toy, an act that shows her preference.
When the girl reaches for the red toy, the baby's reaction is studied to see if they are surprised by the change.
As researchers better understand the cognitive and linguistic development in children, they can understand what functions are impaired by conditions such as autism, and what sort of treatments can be used to lessen the effects. Autism is characterized by a difficulty with communication and social interaction.
Scott's research is an example of UC Merced faculty members addressing real world problems with innovative research.
While studying at Boston University, Scott met someone who has autism. “It's so hard to imagine what it must be like,” she explained. “I was captivated by that.”
In reading up on autism, she learned there were many unanswered questions about the development of normal children, which would form the basis for better understanding autism.
Scott, who came to UC Merced last year, was drawn by the opportunity to help grow the school and its programs.
“(Establishing a new UC campus) had never been done in my lifetime and may never happen again,” Scott said. “You just can't skip out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
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Yule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn plural (Old Norse jólnar; 'the Yule ones') may refer to the Norse gods in ....
while others observe the holiday with rituals culled from numerous other
unrelated ... Yule log - Yule Goat - Yule Lads - Yule (disambiguation)
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experience I have ever had with group ritual . The power and ...
An Asatru Viewpoint of Yule Customs and Traditions ⋆ Pagan PoetIn this sense our Yule is somewhat similar to the Irish Celtic Celebration of
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is the tradition from which we have our Yule log, today. ... gentile, was quickly set
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Viking Answer Lady Webpage - Viking MasksA look at the scanty evidence for Viking Age use of masks. ... The most important
of the three celebrations was Yule (Jól) or Hökunótt, "mid-winter night," which ...
Yule - Winter Solstice - The Wheel Of The Year - The White GoddessThe origin of the word Yule , has several suggested origins from the Old English
word, geõla, the Old Norse word jõl, a pagan festival celebrated at the winter
solstice, or the Anglo-Saxon word for the festival of the Winter .... Ritual for Yule .
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The etymology of the name of the feast of Yule (Old Norse jól, ...
SACRED CALENDER of ASATRU - Odin's VolkThus every ritual represents a transformation of the Earth which is reflected in our
... The name Yule is derived from the Old Norse HJOL, meaning 'wheel,' to ...
How to Decorate a Yule Altar Ritual Celtic Norse Sun Dagda Brigit In this article I'll show you how to decorate your altar for Yule . I'll go through the
do's and some of the don'ts of it, as well as some possible.
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(and still is) a Norse holiday, and ADF has a whole page of ...
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only performed at these times. We will delve into the nisse, the Yule Goat and ...
Stone Creed Grove - ADF - Rituals - YuleNext Yule Rite: Dec 21, 2014 2-9 PM at River Grove Ritual Script ... For Stone
Creed Grove, this is the most important rite celebrated in the Norse style,
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The Oskoreia and the Other Norse Pagan Winter Phenomena- part 1 Yule wasn't all fun and games in the old days. There was, of course, feasting.
Yule ritual drama, greenery, and bright lights. There was also the ...
The Shocking Pagan Origin of CHRISTMAS!What about the "Christmas tree" and the " Yule log" and the mistletoe and Holly
..... The Mithraic ritual so closely resembled the eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass
.... This fat and jolly elf can be traced back to another ancient pagan Norse
Update: Yule Ritual » Charter Oak Grove, ADF - Neopagan Druids in Join us for our Yule ritual honoring the Norse Goddess Sunna. Afterwards, stay
for our post ritual pot-luck and non-alcoholic sumbel.
Modern Eclectic Pagan Yule Celebrations - Religion.Answers.comThey can also represent Odin's tree or the World Tree from Norse tradition - the ...
However, there are still ways to honor the fire rituals and Yule log burning ...
Using Personal Ritual in Our Daily Lives - The Pachamama AllianceRitual is a universal expression of awe, transition, and gratitude that we ... making
rituals, Norse yule rituals , or Christian bedtime prayer rituals.
Ritual Outlines · Sassafras GroveNo comments · Posted by Scribe in Archives, R Yule , Ritual Outlines. Sassafras
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Announcement: Yule Ritual - Google GroupsAnnouncement: Yule Ritual , Treasa, 11/14/11 9:50 AM ... Join us for our Yule
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liberal, modernist ... Ett midvinterblot för vår tid (full-length solitary Yule ritual ).
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Yule Rituals - Paganism & Wicca - About.comLooking for rites and rituals to celebrate Yule, the winter solstice? Here's our
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Danu's Daughter: Make This Yule Your Own Sacred SabbatHere are some great Yule rituals that you can do to celebrate this winter Sabbat,
..... The Norse peoples viewed it as a time for much feasting, ...
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Winter Solstice is Yule , so keep your Christian dogma off my holiday Once the Northern peoples had their own gods and their own rituals , ... The
Norse , however, never forgot their emotional and spiritual roots in a ...
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U.S. Labor Goes To War
"Production for war is based on men and women-- the human hands and brains which we collectively call Labor. Our workers stand ready to work long hours; to turn out more in a day's work; to keep the wheels turning and the fires burning twenty-four hours a day and seven day's a week. They realize well that on the speed and efficiency of their work depends the lives of their sons and their brothers on the fighting fronts."
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
January 6, 1942
The National War Labor Board was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in early 1942. Its purpose was to prevent strikes and work stoppages that might cripple the war production effort in America. The National War Labor Board would act as an arbitrator or mediator in any labor-management dispute cases that arose.
Read "A War Message", "Labor Enlists" and "No Stoppage of War Production." Answer the following questions based upon the readings.
If you have not done so already, download this file now U.S. Labor Goes To War
To view this page ensure that Adobe Flash Player version 10.0.0 or greater is installed.
Labor Assessment 1:
U.S. Labor Goes To War: A War Message
U.S. Labor Goes To War: Labor Enlists
- According to Sidney Nillman, Special Assistant to the President on Labor Matters, what role must labor play in order for the Allies to win the war?
U.S. Labor Goes To War: No Stoppage of War Production
- What was labor's response to Pearl Harbor?
- List the three parts of the labor-management agreement developed on December 23, 1942.
- Hypothesize why these parts were necessary during World War II to support the war effort.
- Provide three examples of labor cooperating with the war production effort.
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As of Wednesday there were 13 days until the United States begins to default on its debt, barring a deal in Congress. Such a deal, sadly, continues to be elusive, as it has been for many weeks and months. Our politicians can't seem to muster the courage of their convictions to compromise for the sake of the country.
To help us put all this in perspective and to talk about much more, I invited the former President of Harvard, the former Treasury Secretary, and the former Director of the National Economic Council, Larry Summers, onto the show. Below is an edited transcript of our discussion. To listen to our complete conversation, be sure to check out this week’s podcast.
The meaning of a default
Fareed Zakaria: You were Treasury Secretary. Walk us through what happens if there is an actual default.
Larry Summers: With an actual default, that the United States does not pay back money, principal and interest on its debt. At that point, the country is declared to be in default. Financial instruments that people hold that have been regarded as safe cease to be regarded as safe. A panic begins on money market funds and many other parts of the financial system, and a cascade that makes Lehman Brothers look like a very small event unfolds.
It seems to me that it is an unthinkable financial risk to take. And it seems to me also important to remember that once that threshold has been crossed, there is an uncertainty premium that will continue for a very long time to come.
Fareed Zakaria: In other words, it would take people a long time to get comfortable again.
Larry Summers: A long, long, long – a long, long, long time, and that means that the question cannot be how we will have a default, how we will manage a default, how we will prioritize payments. The question has to be what's the formula going to be for avoiding such a catastrophe.
Fareed Zakaria: If there were a default, some people have said, you can imagine the borrowing costs for the United States would go up by one percentage point, 100 basis points, which would add $150 billion to the deficit every year. Does that strike you as in the range?
Larry Summers: That's a number you could imagine. I am less worried about the borrowing costs and more worried about the disruption, as there were runs on banks, runs on money market funds, exchanges face the prospect of collapse. Institutions that have been built over decades were swept away, and, as they were swept away, the ability to carry on routine financial business, to clear checks, to pay bills, to meet obligations would be – would be lost. It would be a cataclysm, and it would be a totally self-inflicted cataclysm.
There are countries in the world where there's an issue of whether they can meet their obligations. There's no question the United States can meet its obligations. The question is whether we will.
You know, Fareed, the way I liked to say it is, my daughters are in college. We can argue about how much they should spend, we can argue about how much I should pay, we should argue about how much they can pay. The only thing that you can't really argue about is that we do have to pay the Visa bill. Our family does.
And this idea that somehow that we can not pay because we're having a political fight over how to handle the spending and taxing really is an example of democracy functioning in the worst possible way.
The politics behind the budget deal
Fareed Zakaria: So take me through what you think the calculation is, because you were there in the White House. Many of the same characters in the Republican Party you know, let's talk about what they think.
Eric Cantor, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell say, here's the problem. We always get these deals, and the spending cuts never materialize and the tax raises do, and so we don't want a deal that sort of promises cuts in the future. We want something that is rock solid now.
Larry Summers: Well, let's begin with the fact that when a Democrat left the White House, Bill Clinton in 2001, and the Treasury Secretary, me, left the White House, the country was in surplus and was paying back its debt. And then, a set of proposals put forward by a Republican president, enthusiastically supported by a Republican majority in both the Senate and the House were passed, and, as a result –
Fareed Zakaria: These are the tax cuts?
Larry Summers: The tax cuts, the Iraq War, the prescription drug benefits, huge increases in discretionary spending, much larger than anything that took place during the Clinton years. And, as a consequence, the economy was in substantial deficit. And then, the economy was, because of other problems, poised with a bubble for a crash, and it then crashed.
So they're in no position, I would argue, to lecture others about fiscal responsibility.
Where are we in this debate? The president's health care bill contained very substantial cuts in Medicare. The president has even raised the prospect of pushing upwards on the Medicare age, something that was unthinkable to many Democrats. The president has indicated a willingness to consider changes in social security.
A Republican like Alan Simpson, who is of the Budget Commission, has said that it is not the president who is to be faulted for an unwillingness to compromise. There is plenty of movement to entertain spending cuts. The question is whether it's going to be 100 percent spending cuts of one type or whether there's going to be any balance.
It's not that the president and his colleagues have talked about the prospect of raising taxes on middle class families. It's not that they've even talked about raising income tax rates. They've talked about eliminating a special tax break for the owners of corporate jets.
Fareed Zakaria: But those are trivial numbers. You'd have to do a lot more than that.
Larry Summers: Even though you would ultimately have to do more, but even corporate jets and hedge fund special treatment is too much revenue increase for the congressional majority.
So I don't think there should be any confusion here about who's willing to walk a mile to compromise so far. The president has shown that in any of a variety of ways, and the president has never said that it's my way or default. The president would be happy to see an agreement to move us past the prospect of default on almost any terms.
It is the House majority, the Republican House majority, that has indicated that they want to use the credit worthiness of the country as a hostage to pursue a particular agenda and to pursue it without compromise. I don't think that's the right way to advance the interests of the country.
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Labor that lasts more than 24 hours is by definition called prolonged labor. The exact time of the onset of labor is often hard to diagnose. The best definition of the onset of labor is the time at which the woman has contractions that lead toward the birth of her baby.
Friedman made a graph to measure the progression of labor. Most midwives realize that each woman's labor will be unique and that because of the many variables of each woman's labor and delivery, this graph must be used with common sense. There are too many differences among women to hold fast to this graph in every situation.
According to Friedman's Graph:
The latent phase of labor begins with the onset of labor and lasts until the beginning of the active phase of labor. Cervical dilation averages 0.35 cm per hour. At the end of the latent phase the cervix is dilated to about 3 cm. The average length of the latent phase in primigravidas is 8.6 hours with an upper limit of 20 hours. The average length for multigravidas is 5.3 hours with an upper limit of 14 hours. A prolonged latent phase does not mean that the active phase will also be prolonged.
The active phase begins at the end of the latent phase and lasts until full dilation of the cervix. The average length of the of the active phase in primigravidas is 5.8 hours with an upper limit of 12 hours. The rate of cervical dilation is 1.2 to 6.8 cm per hour. The average length for mulitgravidas is 2.5 hours with an upper limit of 6 hours. The rate of cervical dilation is at least 1.5 cm per hour.
The maximum duration of the first stage of labor in primigravidas is 28.5 hours, with a maximum second stage of 2.5 hours. In multigravidas the maximum duration of first stage is 20 hours with a maximum second stage of 50 minutes.
There are many different reasons that a labor may be prolonged.
* Fetopelvic disproportion. This prevents the baby from moving down into the birth canal.
Face or Brow Presentation
* Inefficient uterine action and the inability of the cervix to dilate smoothly and rapidly. Weakness of uterine action is called hypotonic uterine dysfunction.
* Excessive analgesia
* Primigravidity. First time mothers have longer labors.
* PROM. If a woman's membranes rupture before labor has begun it may take longer to establish an active labor pattern.
* Unripe cervix at the beginning of labor.
* Maternal risks include: uterine atony, hemorrhage, infection, exhaustion, and shock.
* Fetal risks include: distress, asphyxia, injury, and infection. Fetal well-being needs to be monitored.
Prevention of Prolonged Labor
* Good prenatal care reduces the incidence of prolonged labor. The baby's position is checked for vertex presentation with good head flexion.
* False labor is treated by rest.
* Labor is not induced or forced when the cervix is not ripe. This includes natural labor i inductions, rupture of membranes, or drugs.
* The woman should try to be well rested at the beginning of her labor. If she knows she is in early labor, she should not wear herself out. A tired uterus will not contract as efficiently.
Assessment of Labor
* The woman's progress is monitored and assessed regularly.
* The woman's general condition is observed for signs of fatigue:
hydration, energy, nourishment, temperature, pulse.
* The position of the baby and the presenting part must be accurately diagnosed. Engagement and station should be noted.
* If there is failure of descent, the cause needs to be determined. Is it the cervix, the pelvis, the fetus, the size of the head, weak uterine contractions, etc.?
* The uterine contractions are assessed for strength, efficiency, frequency, length, interval, and changes.
* Pelvic adequacy and signs of CPD are assessed.
Management of Prolonged Labor
* Encouragement is provided for the laboring woman. She will need extra support to get through a long labor.
* Hydration is maintained.
* The woman may eat and drink as desired during early labor.
* The bladder is emptied every hour. The urine is checked for ketones every 4 hours to make sure she is not showing signs of exhaustion.
* Vaginal exams are performed conservatively under sterile conditions.
* The condition of the baby is monitored by checking FHT's and watching for meconium. The baby is closely monitored for signs of stress.
Many problems can be resolved by creating an atmosphere for the mother in which she feels comfortable and safe. Studies have shown that animals who are scared or otherwise feel unsafe have dysfunctional labors.
* A quiet, nonstressful environment will help the woman to move into a natural labor.
* Bright lights can cause stress. Dim lights or candles are very soothing.
* Positive, comforting words will help her to relax.
* A warm bath or shower can help her to relax. Putting women in water works very well.
* Going for a walk may help. This will often help the baby's head to be better applied to the cervix and increase the strength and efficiency of contractions.
* Try different positions to see which position works best for helping labor to progress.
* Nipple stimulation releases natural oxytocin. This works best if both nipples are stimulated at the same time. The nipples should be massaged and pulled on in imitation of how a baby nurses. The nipples are massaged until a contraction starts and then massage is stopped.
When the contraction is over massage begins again.
* Castor Oil can be used if the woman is having a hard time moving into active labor. The woman should eat a high carbohydrate meal. Two hours later she should drink 2 - 3 oz. of castor oil mixed with 6 oz. of orange juice and 1/2 tsp. of baking soda. This concoction has a very high rate of success if the cervix is at least 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced.
Oil of Primrose - rubbed directly on the cervix encourages opening and softening of the cervix.
It is not uncommon to find an emotional reason that is stalling a woman's labor. If these emotional aspects can be addressed it will often resolve the dysfunctional labor.
Davis, Elizabeth, Heart and Hands, Celestial Arts, Berkeley, CA, 1987, pp,93-97
Oxorn, Harry, Human Labor and Birth, Appleton and Lange, Norwalk, CT, 1986 pp757-770
Weed, Susun S., Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, Ash Tree Publishing, Woodstock, NY, 1986
Varney, Helen, Nurse-Midwifery, 2nd Edition, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA, 1987 pp333-338
Bobak & Jensen, Maternity and Gynecological Care, 5th Edition, Mosby Year Book, Inc., St. Louis MI, 1993 pp. 1052-1057
Buckley, Kathleen, and Nancy W. Kulb, Handbook of Maternal-Newborn Nursing, Delmar Publishers, Inc., Albany, NY, 1983, pp. 221-295
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#include <rpc/des_crypt.h> int ecb_crypt(char *key, char *data, unsigned datalen, unsigned mode);
int cbc_crypt(char *key, char *data, unsigned datalen, unsigned mode, char *ivec);
void des_setparity(char *key);
int DES_FAILED(int stat);
ecb_crypt() and cbc_crypt() implement the NBS DES (Data Encryption Standard). These routines are faster and more general purpose than crypt (3C). They also are able to utilize DES hardware if it is available. ecb_crypt() encrypts in ECB (Electronic Code Book) mode, which encrypts blocks of data independently. cbc_crypt() encrypts in CBC (Cipher Block Chaining) mode, which chains together successive blocks. CBC mode protects against insertions, deletions, and substitutions of blocks. Also, regularities in the clear text will not appear in the cipher text.
The first parameter, key, is the 8-byte encryption key with parity. To set the key's parity, which for DES is in the low bit of each byte, use des_setparity(). The second parameter, data, contains the data to be encrypted or decrypted. The third parameter, datalen, is the length in bytes of data, which must be a multiple of 8. The fourth parameter, mode, is formed by OR'ing together the DES_ENCRYPT or DES_DECRYPT to specify the encryption direction and DES_HW or DES_SW to specify software or hardware encryption. If DES_HW is specified, and there is no hardware, then the encryption is performed in software and the routine returns DESERR_NOHWDEVICE.
For cbc_crypt(), the parameter ivec is the 8-byte initialization vector for the chaining. It is updated to the next initialization vector upon successful return.
Given a result status stat, the macro DES_FAILED is false only for the first two statuses.
Encryption succeeded, but done in software instead of the requested hardware.
An error occurred in the hardware or driver.
Bad parameter to routine.
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:
When compiling multi-thread applications, the _REENTRANT flag must be defined on the compile line. This flag should only be used in multi-thread applications.
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Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment 3D
Questions? Please contact Stewart Bruce by e-mail or at 443-282-0012.
The Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment, located in Bedminster Township, New Jersey, is the site of America’s first military training academy. While there are no extant buildings surviving, significant archeological work and other historical records permitted the creation of a preliminary 3D reconstruction of the buildings that were physically located on the site. This preliminary 3D visualization can be used as an interpretive guide for visitors at the Jacobus Vanderveer House Museum so they may understand the importance of the Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment to American Revolution history. In addition, the preliminary 3D visualization can serve as a guide for more detailed 3D visualization.
Here are the links, and for full effect, watch them in order:
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Predominantly White wards continue to vote at two-to-three times the rate of predominantly minority wards, reflecting severe and chronic voter participation disparities in Springfield, Massachusetts, according to a new analysis from The Springfield Institute. Overall, a dismal 18% of voting age residents in Springfield voted in the general election on November 8, 2011 where, for the first time in the city’s history, a Latino candidate for mayor was on the ballot. Several city council seats were also being contested. The overall participation rate of 18% would have been even lower without Ward 7, which has the lowest percentage of minority residents (31%), bringing up the average with a 28% participation rate. In Wards 1, 3, and 4–which are 88%, 83%, and 84% minority respectively–turnout was 15%, 9%, and 12% respectively.
WHY IT MATTERS
Severe and chronic voter participation disparities directly correspond to other severely disparate outcomes in the city in the areas of leadership, school performance, student achievement, health and the environment, employment, and incarceration. Reducing voter participation disparities, and in effect making democracy a reality in Springfield, may be a prerequisite for reducing disparities and inequality in these other areas.
What causes low turnout and voter participation disparities? Some point out that voter participation in Puerto Rico can be as high as 90%. The media and others frequently attribute low turnout to apathy, implying that blame lies with residents who are neglecting their civic duty and simply don’t care. (Occasionally it is also mentioned that politicians don’t inspire residents, which is certainly part of the explanation.) But the situation is much more complex, and many of the barriers to voting that go unmentioned effect some groups more than others. The day after the election, the Springfield Elections Commissioner was quoted in The Republican saying she was disappointed, but unsure how to explain the low voter turnout. Here is a list of important and overlooked explanations:
Poor media coverage. At least partially due to resource limitations that all media outlets are struggling with, coverage of the election, the candidates, the issues, the importance of voting, how to vote, and voters rights was very limited. After all, that’s a fundamental reason the Springfield Institute was created!
No incentive at city hall. The mayor declined all debate invitations from media outlets during the two weeks leading up to the election, citing his focus on the recent snow storm. The October 29th snowstorm, and the June 1st tornado gave the incumbent more than enough positive exposure, making campaigning per se unnecessary. And since increasing voter turnout and reducing participation disparities would necessarily favor his opponent, there was no incentive to work on these problems. As a result, the election did not get much attention.
Weather. The October 29th snowstorm also left thousands of residents without power for up to a week, and school was cancelled for more than a week. When power was eventually restored and school resumed, voting became an even lower priority for many residents trying to return to their normal routines.
Voting rights violations. The US Department of Justice sued the City of Springfield in 2006 for voting rights violations against minority voters. The DOJ returned to Springfield on November 8th at the request of City Councilor Zaida Luna, the NAACP, the ACLU, and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights. The DOJ sent a small team to monitor the general election, investigate allegations of violations during the preliminary election (September 20th), and investigate allegations of widespread noncompliance with the settlement order that resulted from their intervention in 2006. Their findings will not be issued until at least January 2012. Violations observed include: polling places not opening on time, no bilingual poll workers at some polling places, city hall providing inaccurate poll hours, voters being systematically denied provisional ballots when problems arise, ID being required when it should not be, and in at least one case, a voter being handed a ballot with the incumbent’s name already checked off (click right to see actual pre-marked ballot). More background here.
Administrative errors at city hall. In addition to the violations referenced above, there is at least one critical error in the official election results provided by city hall (4MB PDF). The number of registered voters listed at each precinct does not add up the total number of registered voters given on the cover/summary page. What appears to be the correct number (94,802) is larger than the official total (93,539). The mathematical result is that voter turnout is slightly less than what was reported by city hall.
Incarceration trends. According to a Pew study, “Between 1987 and 2007, the national prison population has nearly tripled.” Nationally, one in every nine Black men between the ages of 20 and 34 are behind bars. One result is a decreased population of eligible voters, and in some cases, participation rates that are “grossly overstated” because they are based on an artificially reduced base number (Source: University of Washington, download study here).
Overall turnout declines. While voter participation rates remain extremely low in predominantly non-White wards, disparities may have declined slightly in recent years in Springfield simply because voter participation in predominantly White wards is also declining.
The high profile race between Scott Brown and Martha Coakley in 2010 seemed to have led to an uptick in voter participation in predominantly White wards, but not elsewhere. (This may be part of why Brown won.)
Not a cross section of Puerto Ricans. One theory about why Puerto Ricans don’t vote in Springfield but they do in Puerto Rico is that the Puerto Ricans in Springfield are not a representative sample. According to this theory, Springfield Puerto Ricans would be less likely to vote in Puerto Rico as well.
Many of these factors effect non-White populations more because these populations are more likely to be financially unstable; more likely to have citizenship concerns; more likely to have recently changed their address; less likely to speak English; less likely to have transportation to go to additional polling places when poll workers refer them; less likely to be well-educated and informed about the candidates, how to vote, and voter rights; and less likely to have completed the 2010 Census (which bumps a voter to an “inactive list” and triggers additional barriers).
% minority and voting age numbers for each ward and the city overall are based on the 2010 Census. Now that this data is available, analyses that have already been completed for 2007, 2009, and 2010 have been revised for this analysis.
The City of Springfield and several media outlets define voter participation as the percentage of registered voters that cast ballots. We tend to report this percentage as well as the percentage of voting age residents who cast ballots. The rationale is that we want to know how many eligible voters vote. For the same reasons that many people do not vote, many people also do not register to vote. Particularly in minority communities. For practical reasons, the longitudinal analysis chart (2007-2011) above only includes percentages based on voting age, but you can get the percentages based on registered voters here.
One of the most difficult parts of this kind of analysis is matching up ward boundaries (detailed map) with census tract boundaries (census map #1, census map #2) in order to cross reference election results data and demographic data. Now that that work is done, it is our privilege to be able to make that data easily available here (Excel file). Increasing the analytic capacity of grassroots change makers (and others) is another fundamental purpose of SI. Hopefully this data will enable new and provocative analysis.
By the same token, we’d also like to provide our full data sets on which our analysis was based in order to verify our work, expand it, or create a model for future work.
According to the 2010 Census, Springfield is now a majority minority city (63% non-White). This is a big deal, but I have not seen the numbers until now. We are happy to provide them here.
FURTHER RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
Ideas for further research include comparing this data to Holyoke to see if the data supports the popular notion that Holyoke is going in the opposite direction according to some indicators (e.g., participation, disparities).
Inequality in Springfield sometimes makes it seem as though the civil rights movement never happened. But of course it did. And the explicit institutional discrimination is largely gone. But therein lies our challenge. The only way to reduce severe inequality is to take a deeper look at the laws, procedures, and structural features of the city in order to understand the inadvertent ways in which they have led to circumstances that are antithetical to our aspirations as a society. Rather than blame voter participation disparities on already marginalized populations (by calling them apathetic, for example), we must use a deeper understanding of the barriers that some groups face to develop creative and proactive solutions. Once you make the conceptual leap, opportunities to make a difference are everywhere.
The author of this report, Aron Goldman, was a volunteer for José Tosado’s mayoral campaign with the title, Chief Strategist.
Media clip: “Where Were They on Election Day?: Apathy is too simple a way of explaining why 78 percent of Springfield voters didn’t make it to the polls in November,” Maureen Turner, The Valley Advocate, 12/8/11
Related clip: “DOJ Begins ‘Thorough’ Review of New Voting Laws,” Wall Street Journal Law Blog, 12/14/11
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Menorah In The Courtyard
"Your children entered the shrine of Your House, cleansed Your Temple,
purified Your Sanctuary, kindled lights in Your holy courtyards."
(Siddur, Al Hanisim)
The kindling of the Menorah took place in the Beit Hamikdash
itself. Why did the Hasmoneans kindle it in the courtyard?
When the Hasmoneans entered the Beit Hamikdash, they found it
defiled and in ruins. Thus, they were unable to kindle the
Menorah while it stood in its regular place. In the interim,
while they were cleaning the mess and renovating, the Menorah
was kindled in the courtyard. This is permissible according
to halacha (see Rambam, Hilchot Biat Hamikdash 9:7).
The Lubavitcher Rebbe questions:
Through kindling the Menorah in the courtyard, everyone was
able to witness the 8-day miracle (which would not have been
the case had it been lit inside, then only the Kohanim would
have seen it).
With this explanation, we can answer the popular question of
why Chanukah is celebrated for 8 days instead of 7, though
sufficient oil was found for the first night. The oil found
would have lasted through the night, if the Menorah would
have been kindled inside. However, Chanukah takes place during
the winter, and due to weather conditions, the oil would
normally not have been sufficient to last through the night,
when the Menorah was kindled outside, in the courtyard.
Accordingly, grammatically it should be in singular:
"bechatzer kadshecha" "in your holy courtyard" in lieu of
the plural, "bechatzrot kadshecha" "in your holy
Thus, he asserts that the Menorah was indeed kindled in the
Beit Hamikdash. However, as an additional expression of
joy and happiness, all the courtyards in the outskirts of
the Beit Hamikdash were also illuminated with an
abundance of light (as it was customary during Simchat Beit
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| 0.965563 | 464 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Launching the International Standard
The Common Criteria (CC) for
Information Technology (IT) Security Evaluation is the new standard for
specifying and evaluating the security features of computer products and
systems. The CC is intended to replace previous security criteria used
in North America and Europe with a standard that can be used everywhere
in the world. The CC will become International Standard (IS) 15408 in
Developing the CC has been
a five-year international project involving NIST and the National Security
Agency (NSA), on behalf of the United States, and security organizations
in Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. They
have worked in close cooperation with the International Organization for
In the United States, the
new international standard CC has formed the basis for the National Information
Assurance Partnership (NIAP), a joint activity of NIST and NSA to establish
an IT product security evaluation program supported by a number of accredited,
independent testing laboratories. The main goals of NIAP are to establish
cost-effective evaluation of security-capable IT products and to promote
the wide availability of tested products to federal agencies and others,
thus playing a crucial role in helping to protect the U.S. information
infrastructure. (Note: A glossary at the end of the bulletin defines key
terms used throughout the document.)
Purpose of CC
The CC will be used as the basis for evaluation of the security properties
of IT products and systems. By using such a common criteria base, a wider
audience may find the results of an IT security evaluation meaningful.
The CC permits comparability among the results of independent security
evaluations. It does so by providing a common set of requirements for
the security functions of IT products and systems and the assurance measures
applied to them during a security evaluation.
The evaluation process establishes
a level of confidence that the security functions of such products and
systems and the assurance measures applied to them must meet. The evaluation
results may help consumers to determine whether the IT product or system
is secure enough for their intended application and whether the security
risks implicit in its use are tolerable.
The CC supports the development
of standardized sets of well understood IT product security requirements
by user communities in the form of Protection Profiles (PPs) for use in
procurements and advice to manufacturers. Manufacturers can use similar
sets of CC-based requirements to describe the security capabilities of
their products. These are called Security Targets (STs), which can then
be used as the basis for security evaluations of those products. Security
evaluations are formalized testing and analytic processes that use the
CC to determine whether IT products have been correctly developed to specification
and whether they are effective in countering the security problems as
claimed. Users can integrate evaluated IT products into their systems
with increased confidence that their claimed security features will operate
Earlier Security Criteria
The CC represents the outcome of a long series of efforts to develop criteria
for the security evaluation of IT products and systems that can be broadly
useful within the international community. In the early 1980s, NSA developed
the Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC or "Orange Book").
NSA has used the TCSEC extensively since then in its IT security product
In the succeeding decade,
various countries initiated the development of evaluation criteria that
built upon the concepts of the TCSEC but were more flexible and adaptable
to the evolving nature of IT.
- In Europe, the European
Commission published the Information Technology Security Evaluation
Criteria (ITSEC) in 1991 after joint development by France, Germany,
the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
- In Canada, the Canadian
Trusted Computer Product Evaluation Criteria (CTCPEC) were published
in early 1993 as a combination of the ITSEC and TCSEC approaches.
- In the United States, NIST
and NSA jointly developed the draft Federal Criteria for Information
Technology Security (FC) version 1.0, which was also published in early
1993 as a second approach to combining North American and European concepts
for evaluation criteria.
Work began in 1990 in ISO
to develop an international standard evaluation criteria for general use.
The new criteria were to be responsive to the need for mutual recognition
of standardized security evaluation results in a global IT market. This
task was assigned to the Joint Technical Committee 1 - Information Technology
(JTC1), subcommittee 27 - Security Techniques (SC27), Working Group 3
- Security Criteria (WG3).
Development of the Common
In June 1993, the seven organizations responsible for all the North American
and European security criteria (listed at end of bulletin) pooled their
efforts to align their separate criteria into a single set of widely useful
international IT security criteria. This joint multi-national activity,
named the CC Project, sought to resolve the conceptual and technical differences
among the source criteria.
The results were to be delivered
to WG3 as a contribution to the international standard criteria under
The CC Project sponsoring
organizations formed the CC Editorial Board (CCEB) to develop the CC.
They established a formal cooperative liaison with WG3 and contributed
several early versions of the CC to WG3's work, which were in turn influenced
by WG3 experts' interaction. Beginning in 1994, WG3 adopted these versions
as successive working drafts of the ISO criteria.
Version 1.0 of the CC was
completed in January 1996 and distributed by ISO in April 1996 as a Committee
Draft (CD). The CC Project used this version to perform a number of trial
evaluations. A widespread public review of the document was also conducted.
The CC Implementation Board
(CCIB) extensively revised the CC based on the results of trial use, public
review, and interaction with ISO. Working closely with WG3, the CCIB completed
CC version 2.0 in April 1998 and it was sent out by ISO for balloting
as a Final Committee Draft. In October 1998, WG3 slightly revised the
document and approved it as Final Draft International Standard 15408,
for final balloting in the winter of 1998. The document is expected to
become IS 15408 in early 1999 without further change.
For historical and continuity
purposes, ISO has accepted the continued use of the term "Common Criteria"
(CC) within the document, while recognizing that the official ISO name
for the new IS 15408 is "Evaluation Criteria for Information Technology
CC Project Sponsoring Organizations
The seven European and North American governmental organizations provided
nearly all of the effort that went into developing the CC from its inception
to its completion. These organizations are also "evaluation authorities,"
managing product security evaluation programs for their respective national
governments. They have committed themselves to replacing their respective
evaluation criteria with the new IS 15408. Their goal is mutual recognition
of each other's security product evaluation results, permitting a wider
global market for good IT security products.
Interim Mutual Recognition
In April 1996, NIST in cooperation with NSA published a bulletin called
"Guidance on the Selection of Low Level Assurance Evaluated Products."
The bulletin recommended TCSEC Class C2 - "Controlled Access Protection"
as an acceptable minimum set of security criteria for general use in low-threat
environments. The bulletin also publicly acknowledged that the Canadian
CTCPEC and the European ITSEC contained similar requirements.
The NIST bulletin recognized
that, while full equivalency among these three criteria was not easy to
establish, enough similarities existed to recommend the use of low-level
assurance products evaluated under any of them. The bulletin also noted
that equivalency should cease to be an issue once the CC is adopted and
implemented by the participating countries.
With the advent of CC version
2.0 and its ISO counterpart, IS 15408, supported by the CC-based Mutual
Recognition Arrangement signed by these countries in October 1998 (see
end of bulletin), equivalency is no longer an issue.
Three Parts of the CC
Part 1 - Introduction and General Model Part 1 introduces the CC. It defines
general concepts and principles of IT security evaluation and presents
a general model of evaluation. Part 1 also defines constructs for expressing
IT security objectives, for selecting and defining IT security requirements,
and for writing high-level specifications for products and systems. These
constructs are called Protection Profiles (PPs), Security Targets (STs)
and packages, and are described in a later section. In addition, Part
1 describes the usefulness of each part of the CC in terms of each of
the target audiences.
Part 2 - Security Functional
Requirements Part 2 contains a catalog of well-defined and understood
security functional requirements that are intended to be used as a standard
way of expressing the security requirements for IT products and systems.
The catalog is organized into classes, families, and components.
- Classes are high-level
groupings of families of requirements, all sharing a common security
focus (e.g., identification and authentication).
- Families are lower-level
groupings of requirement components, all sharing specific security objectives
but differing in rigor or emphasis (e.g., user authentication).
- Components are the lowest
selectable requirements that may be included in PPs, STs, or packages
(e.g., unforgeable user authentication).
Part 2 also includes an extensive
annex of application notes for applying the material that it contains.
While it is possible to explicitly state functional requirements not included
in the Part 2 catalog in building CC-based constructs (PPs, STs, and packages),
that course is not advised unless it is clearly not practical to use Part
2 components. Using functional requirements not part of the catalog could
jeopardize widespread acceptance of the result.
Part 3 - Security Assurance
Requirements Part 3 contains a catalog that establishes a set of assurance
components that can be used as a standard way of expressing the assurance
requirements for IT products and systems. The Part 3 catalog is organized
into the same class - family - component structure as Part 2. Part 3 also
defines evaluation criteria for PPs and STs. Part 3 presents the seven
Evaluation Assurance Levels (EALs), which are predefined packages of assurance
components that make up the CC scale for rating confidence in the security
of IT products and systems.
The EALs have been developed
with the goal of preserving the concepts of assurance drawn from the source
criteria (TCSEC, ITSEC, and CTCPEC) so that results of previous evaluations
remain relevant. For example, EALs levels 2-7 are generally equivalent
to the assurance portions of the TCSEC C2-A1 scale. Note, however, that
this equivalency should be used with caution as the levels do not derive
assurance in the same manner, and exact mappings do not exist.
As with Part 2, it is possible
but not necessarily advisable to explicitly state assurance requirements
not from Part 3 or to augment EAL packages with additional Part 3 components.
Mutual recognition of product evaluation results is based largely on the
EAL, so use of unique combinations of assurance requirements could jeopardize
international acceptance of products evaluated against them.
The CC defines three useful constructs for putting IT security requirements
from Parts 2 and 3 together: the PP, the ST, and the package. The CC has
been developed around the central notion of using in these constructs,
wherever possible, the security requirements in Parts 2 and 3 of the CC,
which represent a well-known and understood domain.
The PP is an implementation-independent statement of security needs for
a set of IT security products that could be built. The PP contains a set
of security requirements, preferably taken from the catalogs in Parts
2 and 3, which should include an EAL. A PP is intended to be a reusable
definition of product security requirements that are known to be useful
A PP could be developed by
user communities, IT product developers, or other parties interested in
defining such a common set of requirements. A PP gives consumers a means
of referring to a specific set of security needs and communicating them
to manufacturers. The PP also helps future product evaluation against
The PP contains the following
- PP introduction - identification
and overview information, which allows users to identify PPs useful
- Target of evaluation (TOE)
description - description of the IT product and its purpose, not necessarily
from a security perspective.
- TOE security environment
- description of the security aspects of the environment in which the
product is intended to be used and the manner in which it is expected
to be employed. This statement includes the following:
- Assumptions about the
security aspects of the product's expected usage and operating environment,
such as value of assets and limitations of use. Assumptions also
describe the environment's physical, personnel, and connectivity
- Threats against which
the product or its supporting environment must specifically provide
- Organizational security
policies or rules with which the product must comply. These can
be any explicit statements of IT security needs that the product
- Security objectives - a
high-level statement of what the product and its environment are intended
to accomplish in covering the threats, policies, and assumptions.
- IT security requirements
- the detailed statement of IT security functional and assurance requirements
that the product and its operating environment must satisfy to meet
- Application notes - additional
supporting information that may be useful for the construction, evaluation,
or use of the product.
- Rationale - the evidence
describing how the PP is complete and cohesive and how a product built
against it would be effective in meeting the objectives.
An ST is a statement of security claims for a particular IT security product
or system. The ST parallels the structure of the PP, though it has additional
elements that include product-specific detailed information. The ST contains
a set of security requirements for the product or system, which may be
made by reference to a PP, directly by reference to CC functional or assurance
components, or stated explicitly. An ST is the basis for agreement among
all parties as to what security the product or system offers, and therefore
the basis for its security evaluation. The ST contains a summary specification,
which defines the specific measures taken in the product or system to
meet the security requirements.
An intermediate combination of security requirement components is termed
a package. The package permits the expression of a set of either functional
or assurance requirements that meet some particular need, expressed as
a set of security objectives. A package is intended to be reusable and
to define requirements that are known to be useful and effective in meeting
the identified objectives. A package may be used in the construction of
more complex packages or PPs and STs. The seven evaluation assurance levels
(EALs) contained in Part 3 are predefined assurance packages.
Target of Evaluation
The TOE is an IT product or system to be evaluated, the security characteristics
of which are described in specific terms by a corresponding ST, or in
more general terms by a PP. In CC philosophy, it is important that a product
or system be evaluated against the specific set of criteria expressed
in the ST. This evaluation consists of rigorous analysis and testing performed
by an accredited, independent laboratory. The scope of a TOE evaluation
is set by the EAL and other requirements specified in the ST. Part of
this process is an evaluation of the ST itself, to ensure that it is correct,
complete, and internally consistent and can be used as the baseline for
the TOE evaluation.
Uses of the CC
The CC is used in two general ways:
- As a standardized way to
describe security requirements, e.g., PPs and STs for IT products and
- As a sound technical basis
for evaluating the security features of these products and systems.
The following hypothetical
scenarios describe these two uses.
Describing security requirements
In a typical PP development scenario, a community of users (e.g., a
banking consortium) will determine that a standardized set of security
capabilities should be used in software or hardware on their systems.
They will begin to construct a PP to express those common requirements.
They will first identify the type of product or products envisioned
and the general IT features needed. They will then consider the environment
in which it will operate, in particular identifying the security problems
and challenges that must be addressed. That activity is, in essence,
a risk analysis and leads to a statement of general needs or security
objectives to be met both by the product and by its environment.
Security objectives are
transformed by use of the CC Part 2 catalog into a set of coherent and
mutually supportive IT security functional requirements statements.
Based on the desired level of confidence in the security of products
to be built, an EAL from Part 3 is assigned. (Note that the higher the
EAL, the greater the burden on the product developer, and consequently
the more time and money needed to bring the product to complete availability.)
The outcome of the process
just described is a PP. It is desirable that the PP be submitted to
an independent testing laboratory for evaluation, to ensure that it
is correct, complete, and internally consistent. The PP may then be
entered into a central registry for use by the community to communicate
the product security needs to manufacturers, either informally or by
incorporation into procurement documents.
The preceding scenario involving
a user community is only one possible approach to developing a PP, although
it is the most commonly expected approach. It is also possible for one
or several manufacturers to develop a PP that incorporates the features
of their products, as a means of communication with potential users,
ensuring interoperability via standardization or for other purposes.
Evaluating product security
In a typical product evaluation scenario, a manufacturer identifies
a market niche for an IT product with security capability. This niche
may be represented by a PP incorporating the product desires of a group
of users and potential customers. The manufacturer builds the product,
following the PP-specified functional requirements from CC Part 2 and
the developer assurance requirements in the EAL from Part 3. Once the
product is built, the manufacturer prepares an ST, which in the simplest
case makes a claim of compliance with a particular PP, thereby covering
the functional and assurance requirements for the product. The manufacturer
also develops as part of the ST a summary specification of the ways
that the product's features meet these requirements. The manufacturer
then submits the ST, the product, and accompanying documentation to
an accredited, independent testing laboratory for evaluation.
The laboratory evaluates
the ST, to determine that it is a sound baseline for evaluation of the
product and that any claims of PP compliance are supportable. The laboratory
then proceeds to evaluate the product and its documentation against
the ST. If the product passes evaluation, it can be submitted to an
evaluation authority for validation of the evaluation results.
While definitely preferable,
it is not necessary for a product to claim compliance with a PP. In
the absence of PP claims, the ST is prepared in a process similar to
that described for the PP. The evaluation of the ST and then the corresponding
product can proceed as before, but no PP compliance claims will be examined.
Validating the results
An integral part of the CC-based process, as described in its Part 1,
is the independent validation of evaluation results in order to ensure
that a product's evaluation was conducted properly. An evaluation authority
is a body that implements the CC for a specific community, responsible
for setting the standards and monitoring the quality of evaluations
conducted by testing laboratories within that community. Each of the
CC partners is an evaluation authority for the government of its respective
NIST and NSA work together
as a single U.S. authority, as described below. The evaluation authority
is responsible for overseeing all evaluations in its jurisdiction, qualitatively
reviewing the results, and certifying or validating the findings. The
term "validation" is used in the U.S. for this process, while the other
CC partners use "certification," but the process is the same. Upon validation
of a successful product evaluation, the product is awarded a CC certificate
and is added to an official validated products list available to the
Another way that the CC process can be used is to evaluate installed
systems for such purposes as system certification and accreditation
programs used in several federal agencies. The organization responsible
for certifying a system's secure operation could develop an ST describing
the system architecture, its functions and operational environment,
and the security features it embodies. An independent entity, such as
an accredited testing laboratory, could then perform an on-site evaluation
of the system against the ST, providing a report to support a request
CC Evaluation Programs
Numerous organizations throughout the world are now implementing the CC,
including all of the CC project partners (listed below), as well as other
European Union nations, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, and parts
of the former Soviet Union. It is expected that this number will grow
significantly as soon as the CC is formally published as International
Standard 15408 in early 1999.
In the U.S., NIST and NSA
jointly operate the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP).
NIAP is a broadly based program that operates principally as the CC-based
evaluation authority for the federal government. NIAP is dedicated to
demonstrating the value of independent testing and validation as a measure
of security and trust in IT products. Through its efforts, NIAP fosters
the establishment and accreditation of commercial IT product security
testing laboratories in the U.S.
The Goal of Mutual Recognition
On October 5, 1998, six of the seven CC project partners officially signed
a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). The purpose of the MRA is to bring
about an international situation in which IT products and PPs that earn
a CC certificate can be procured and used in different jurisdictions without
the need for them to be evaluated and certified/validated more than once.
By recognizing the results of each other's evaluations, products evaluated
in one MRA member nation can be accepted in the other member nations.
It is anticipated that, as other nations develop high quality IT product
security evaluation programs, they too may seek to join the MRA. This
path is open to other evaluation authorities upon demonstration that they
can fulfill the stringent technical and procedural conditions for mutual
recognition laid down in the MRA.
As product evaluations can
be costly and time-consuming, both manufacturers and users have welcomed
the MRA breakthrough. The anticipated outcome is a "level playing field"
for multi-national IT product manufacturers, leading to a much wider availability
of useful IT security products to secure the global information infrastructure.
These two factors have been
the major goal of the CC project from its inception and have been the
driving force and vision that empowered the ISO criteria activity as well.
The joint development of the CC has created an environment of mutual respect
among the partners, and the CC itself has formed the technical basis for
mutual recognition, both of which were necessary for the inception of
The following key terms used in this bulletin are adapted from CC definitions.
Assurance - grounds
for confidence that an IT product or system meets its security objectives.
Evaluation - assessment
of an IT product or system against defined security functional and assurance
criteria, performed by a combination of testing and analytic techniques.
Evaluation Assurance Level
(EAL) - one of seven increasingly rigorous packages of assurance requirements
from CC Part 3. Each numbered package represents a point on the CCs predefined
assurance scale. An EAL can be considered a level of confidence in the
security functions of an IT product or system.
Package - a reusable
set of either functional or assurance components (e.g., an EAL), combined
together to satisfy a set of identified security objectives.
Product - IT software,
firmware and/or hardware, providing functions designed for use or incorporation
within a multiplicity of systems.
Protection Profile (PP)
- an implementation-independent set of security functional and assurance
requirements for a category of IT products that meet specific consumer
Security Functional Requirements
- requirements, preferably from CC Part 2, that when taken together specify
the security behavior of an IT product or system.
- A statement of intent to counter specified threats and/or satisfy specified
organizational security policies and assumptions.
Security Target (ST)
- a set of security functional and assurance requirements and specifications
to be used as the basis for evaluation of an identified product or system.
System - a specific
IT installation, with a particular purpose and operational environment.
Target of Evaluation (TOE)
- another name for an IT product or system described in a PP or ST. The
TOE is the entity that is subject to security evaluation.
For More Information
- NIST CSL Bulletin, April
- Common Criteria for IT
Security v.2.0 * ISO FDIS 15408, Parts 1-2-3
- Common Criteria Mutual
Recognition Arrangement, October 1998
CC Project Organizations:
Service Central de la Sécurité des Systèmes d'Information (SCSSI)
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I've spent a jolly morning looking at the Murder Map, which is a map of London marking the spot of every homicide, fratricide, patricide, uxoricide &c in London. You can even filter the results by murder weapon. The reason it was such a jolly sight to me was that I appear to live in a small, murderless island. In fact, the only murder round my way was committed with a ligature.
Now that surprised me because, as a linguistic sort of chap, a ligature is just something that connects two letters, and I am afraid of no man who tries to kill me with joined up writing.
A ligature is... well, it's hard to explain, given that blogspot doesn't allow me medieval script but take, for example, double U. You don't see that written down much do you? Looks a bit odd. Double U is the full spelling of the letter W, because the letter double U is made of two ligatured ues (that's something else you don't see much).
Anyway, the reason for my murderous confusion is that ligature comes from the Latin ligare meaning bind. That's why you have ligaments, and medical ligatures which are pieces of thread used roughly like a tourniquet. And if you take some binding string, wrap it round somebody's neck and pull then you have murder by ligature. And if you do that ten minutes walk from me, then I think you're beastly.
It's terrifying to think that this is going on only ten minutes walk from my flat.
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Assessing the Effectiveness of the Early Assessment Program (EAP) in Increasing the Academic Readiness of Graduating
High School Seniors
RATIONALE: The Early Assessment Program (EAP) provides students with an early indicator of their level of college preparation. However, the percentage of students that utilize this information to make more informed decisions to increase their knowledge and skills while still in high school and thereby avoid the need for remediation in their entry level college experience, is low. Both the importance and the expectations associated with the EAP are significant. Jack O’Connell, the Superintendent of Public Instruction in a presentation to the Board of Trustees on “Closing the Achievement Gap in California” made reference to EAP as an important component in attempts to close this “Gap”. In addition, the California American Diploma Project, established by Achieve, the non-partisan, non-profit education reform organization, has identified EAP as an important tool in ensuring that high school graduates are fully prepared to undertake college-level work.
The ASCSU continues to believe that EAP is one of the most important outreach activities that the CSU has undertaken. Its acceptance as an assessment tool by the California Community Colleges now means that the majority of college constituents in California will benefit from utilizing EAP-based feedback during their senior year in high school.
The EAP has received the favorable interest and comment at the national level, as states struggle to align their K-12 and higher education interests. By utilizing a shared assessment instrument, high school learning expectations in English and mathematics can be directly related to the CSU's expectations for incoming freshman. The professional development opportunities in English and mathematics, and curriculum modules in English have addressed a long-standing disjunction between high school and college writing and have allowed the CSU to emphasize the role that critical analysis plays in English and mathematics at the university level.
Furthermore, work to be done to ensure that EAP includes (1) the appropriate incentives to greatly increase student participation and (2) the appropriate counseling that will lead to students taking the courses necessary for them to achieve proficiency prior to graduation. This resolution recognizes and supports the initiatives being implemented by Executive Vice Chancellor Echeverria.
It is important to note that California public schools do not have the resources necessary to refocus efforts on graduating college ready students. CSU will call upon the California Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the variety of K-12 support organizations to direct their efforts towards graduating students better able to fulfill their higher education goals.
Approved Unanimously – January 21-22, 2010
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Lessons from Past Climate Predictions: IPCC AR4 (update)
Posted on 23 September 2011 by dana1981
Note: this is an update on the previous version of this post. Thanks to readers Lucia and Zeke for providing links to the IPCC AR4 model projection data in the comments, and Charlie A for raising the concern about the quality of the original graph digitization.
In 2007, the IPCC published its Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). In the Working Group I (the physical basis) report, Chapter 8 was devoted to climate models and their evaluation. Section 8.2 discusses the advances in modeling between the Third Assessment Report (TAR) and AR4.
"Model improvements can...be grouped into three categories. First, the dynamical cores (advection, etc.) have been improved, and the horizontal and vertical resolutions of many models have been increased. Second, more processes have been incorporated into the models, in particular in the modelling of aerosols, and of land surface and sea ice processes. Third, the parametrizations of physical processes have been improved. For example, as discussed further in Section 8.2.7, most of the models no longer use flux adjustments (Manabe and Stouffer, 1988; Sausen et al., 1988) to reduce climate drift."
In the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ 8.1), the AR4 discusses the reliability of models in projecting future climate changes. Among the reasons it cites that we can be confident in model projections is their ability to model past climate changes in a process known as "hindcasting".
"Models have been used to simulate ancient climates, such as the warm mid-Holocene of 6,000 years ago or the last glacial maximum of 21,000 years ago (see Chapter 6). They can reproduce many features (allowing for uncertainties in reconstructing past climates) such as the magnitude and broad-scale pattern of oceanic cooling during the last ice age. Models can also simulate many observed aspects of climate change over the instrumental record. One example is that the global temperature trend over the past century (shown in Figure 1) can be modelled with high skill when both human and natural factors that influence climate are included. Models also reproduce other observed changes, such as the faster increase in nighttime than in daytime temperatures, the larger degree of warming in the Arctic and the small, short-term global cooling (and subsequent recovery) which has followed major volcanic eruptions, such as that of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 (see FAQ 8.1, Figure 1). Model global temperature projections made over the last two decades have also been in overall agreement with subsequent observations over that period (Chapter 1)."
Figure 1: Global mean near-surface temperatures over the 20th century from observations (black) and as obtained from 58 simulations produced by 14 different climate models driven by both natural and human-caused factors that influence climate (yellow). The mean of all these runs is also shown (thick red line). Temperature anomalies are shown relative to the 1901 to 1950 mean. Vertical grey lines indicate the timing of major volcanic eruptions.
Projections and their Accuracy
The IPCC AR4 used the IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES), which we examined in our previous discussion of the TAR. As we noted in that post, thus far we are on track with the SRES A2 emissions path. Chapter 10.3 of the AR4 discusses future model projected climate changes, as does a portion of the Summary for Policymakers. Figure 2 shows the projected change in global average surface temperature for the various SRES.
Figure 2: Solid lines are multi-model global averages of surface warming (relative to 1980–1999) for the scenarios A2, A1B, and B1, shown as continuations of the 20th century simulations. Shading denotes the ±1 standard deviation range of individual model annual averages. The orange line is for the experiment where concentrations were held constant at year 2000 values. The grey bars at right indicate the best estimate (solid line within each bar) and the likely range assessed for the six SRES marker scenarios.
Figure 3 compares the multi-model average for Scenario A2 (the red line in Figure 2) to the observed average global surface temperature from NASA GISS. In the previous version of this post, we digitized Figure 2 in order to create the model projection in Figure 3. However, given the small scale of Figure 2, this was not a very accurate approach. Thanks again to Zeke and lucia for pointing us to the model mean data file.
Figure 3: IPCC AR4 Scenario A2 model projections (blue) vs. GISTEMP (red) since 2000
The linear global warming trend since 2000 is 0.18°C per decade for the IPCC model mean, vs. 0.15°C per decade according to GISTEMP (through mid-2011). This data falls well within the model uncertainty range (shown in Figure 2, but not Figure 3), but the observed trend over the past decade is a bit lower than projected. This is likely mainly due to the increase in human aerosol emissions, which was not expected in the IPCC SRES, as well as other short-term cooling effects over the past decade (see our relevant discussion of Kaufmann 2011 in Why Wasn't The Hottest Decade Hotter?).
What Does This Tell Us?
The IPCC AR4 was only published a few years ago, and thus it's difficult to evaluate the accuracy of its projections at this point. We will have to wait another decade or so to determine whether the models in the AR4 projected the ensuing global warming as accurately as those in the FAR, SAR, and TAR.
Section 10.5.2 of the report discusses the sensitivity of climate models to increasing atmospheric CO2.
"Fitting normal distributions to the results, the 5 to 95% uncertainty range for equilibrium climate sensitivity from the AOGCMs is approximately 2.1°C to 4.4°C and that for TCR [transient climate response] is 1.2°C to 2.4°C (using the method of Räisänen, 2005b). The mean for climate sensitivity is 3.26°C and that for TCR is 1.76°C."
Thus the reasonable accuracy of the IPCC AR4 projections thus far suggests that it will add another piece to the long list of evidence that equilibrium climate sensitivity (including only fast feedbacks) is approximately 3°C for doubled CO2. However, it will similarly take at least another decade of data to accurately determine what these model projections tell us about real-world climate sensitivity.
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Learning disorders can make it hard for a child to read, write or do simple math. Understand the signs and what you can do.By Mayo Clinic Staff
Many children who have learning disorders, also known as learning disabilities, struggle for a long time before being diagnosed. This can affect a child's self-esteem and motivation. Understand how to recognize signs that might signal learning disorders and what you can do to help your child.
A learning disorder is a disorder that affects a person's ability to acquire and use academic skills, such as reading and calculating. Learning disorders aren't the same as mental or physical disabilities, and don't reflect a child's intelligence. Instead, learning disorders affect a child's ability to complete a task or use certain skills, particularly in school.
The most common learning disorders include:
- Dyslexia. Dyslexia is a learning disorder characterized by difficulty reading, spelling and recalling known words.
- Dyscalculia. Dyscalculia is a learning disorder related to math concepts. Signs include difficulty solving even simple math problems or sequencing information or events.
- Nonverbal learning disability. This learning disorder is characterized by difficulty with nonverbal cues, such as coordination and body language.
- Dysgraphia. Dysgraphia is a learning disorder characterized by difficulty with handwriting, spelling, and thinking and writing at the same time.
Some children might have more than one learning disorder.
Factors that might influence the development of learning disorders include:
- Genetics. Some learning disorders, such as reading and math disorders, are hereditary.
- Medical conditions. Poor growth in the uterus (severe intrauterine growth restriction), exposure to alcohol or drugs before being born, and very-low birthweight are risk factors that have been linked with learning disorders. Head injuries might also play a role in the development of learning disorders.
- Environmental exposure. Exposure to high levels of lead has been linked to an increased risk of learning disorders.
Identifying a learning disorder can be difficult. Your child might have a learning disorder if he or she:
- Has difficulty understanding and following instructions
- Has trouble remembering what someone just told him or her
- Lacks coordination in walking, sports or skills such as holding a pencil
- Easily loses or misplaces homework, school books or other items
- Has difficulty understanding the concept of time
- Resists doing homework or activities that involve reading, writing or math, or consistently can't complete homework assignments without significant help
- Acts out or shows defiance, hostility or excessive emotional reactions at school or while doing academic activities, such as homework or reading
Early intervention is essential because learning disorders can snowball. For example, a child who doesn't learn to add in elementary school won't be able to tackle algebra in high school. Children who have learning disorders can experience performance anxiety, depression and low self-esteem — and lose motivation. Some children also might act out in an effort to distract attention from the real issue.
If you or your child's teacher thinks your child might have a learning disorder, consider having him or her evaluated by a child psychologist or neuropsychologist. Many schools offer tests to identify learning disorders.
First, your child will likely undergo tests to rule out vision or hearing problems or other medical conditions. A psychologist or learning specialist will then use tests, as well as talk with you and your child and look at your child's school history, to determine if your child has a learning disorder. In many cases, further assessment is needed to make a diagnosis.
Keep in mind that some children are naturally slower learners and might need time to develop reading, writing and math skills. Others, however, have disorders that affect their ability to learn.
If your child has a learning disorder, your child's doctor or school might recommend:
- Extra help. A reading specialist, math tutor or other trained professional can teach your child techniques to improve his or her academic skills. Tutors can also teach children organizational and study skills.
- Individualized education program (IEP). Your child's school might develop an IEP for your child to create a plan for how he or she can best learn in school. Find out if your state has legislation regarding IEPs.
- Therapy. Depending on the learning disorder, some children might benefit from therapy. For example, speech therapy can help children who have language disabilities. Occupational therapy might help improve the motor skills of a child who has writing problems.
- Medication. Your child's doctor might recommend medication to lessen the toll of a learning disorder. If your child has depression or severe anxiety, certain medications might help. Talk to your child's doctor about the risks and benefits.
- Complementary and alternative medicine. Some research shows that complementary and alternative treatments, such as music therapy, can benefit children who have learning disorders. Further research is needed, however.
Before your child's treatment begins, you and your child's doctor, teachers or therapists will set goals for your child. If, over time, little progress is made, your child's diagnosis or treatment plans might need to be reconsidered.
While learning disorders can cause long-term problems, there's hope. Early intervention and treatment can fully remediate some learning disorders. Family and teachers can also help children who have persistent difficulties achieve success in school, as well as in other areas of life.
Feb. 10, 2016
- Dyscalculia. Learning Disabilities Association of America. http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/dyscalculia/. Accessed Dec. 23, 2015.
- Kliegman RM, et al. Neurodevelopmental function and dysfunction in the school-age child. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2016. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 23, 2015.
- Stein DS, et al. Developmental and behavioral disorders through the life span. Pediatrics. 2011;128:364.
- Joint technical report — Learning disabilities, dyslexia, and vision. Pediatrics. 2011;127:e818.
- Lagae L. Learning disabilities: Definitions, epidemiology, diagnosis, and intervention strategies. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2008;55:1259.
- Galicia-Connolly EZ, et al. Complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine: Therapies for learning disabilities. Pediatrics In Review. 2011;32:e18.
- Non-verbal learning disorders. Learning Disabilities Association of America. http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/non-verbal-learning-disabilities/. Accessed Dec. 23, 2015.
- Children with learning disorders. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-With-Learning-Disorders-016.aspx. Accessed Dec. 23, 2015.
- New to LD. Learning Disabilities Association of America. http://ldaamerica.org/support/new-to-ld/#seeingsigns. Accessed Dec. 23, 2015.
- Dyslexia. Learning Disabilities Association of America. http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/. Accessed Dec. 23, 2015.
- A guide to the individualized education program. U.S. Department of Education. http://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html. Accessed Jan. 27, 2016.
- Dysgraphia. Learning Disabilities Association of America. http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/dysgraphia/. Accessed Jan. 27, 2016.
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Genesis 37 closes with an account of Jacob's sons selling their brother Joseph unto the Midianites, and they, in turn selling him into Egypt. This speaks, in type, of Christ being rejected by Israel, and delivered unto the Gentiles. From the time that the Jewish leaders delivered their Messiah into the hands of Pilate they have, as a nation, had no further dealings with Him; and God, too, has turned from them to the Gentiles. Hence it is that there is an important turn in our type at this stage. Joseph is now seen in the hands of the Gentiles. But before we are told what happened to Joseph in Egypt, the Holy Spirit traces for us, in typical outline, the history of the Jews, while the antitypical Joseph is absent from the land. This is found in Genesis 38.
It is remarkable that Genesis 38 records the history of Judah, for long before the Messiah was rejected by the Jews, Israel (the ten tribes) had ceased to have a separate history. Here, then, Judah foreshadows the history of the Jews since their rejection of Christ. "And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in to her"(Gen. 38:2). How striking this is! "Canaanite" signifies "the merchantman," and "Shuah" means "riches." How plainly the meaning of these names give us the leading characteristics of the Jews during the centuries from the Cross! No longer are they the settled husbandmen and quiet shepherds as of old; but, instead, travelling merchants. And "riches" has been their great pursuit. Three sons were born to Judah by Shuah, and the "Numerical Bible" suggests as the meaning of their names: "Er"—enmity; "Onan"—iniquity; "Shelah"—sprout. Deeply significant, too, are these names. "Enmity" against Christ is what has marked the Jews all through the centuries of this Christian era. "Iniquity" surely fits this avaricious people, the average merchant of whom is noted for dishonesty, lying and cheating. While "sprout" well describes the feeble life of this nation, so marvellously preserved by God through innumerable trials and persecutions. The chapter terminates with the sordid story of Tamar, the closing portions of which obviously foreshadowing the end-time conditions of the Jews. In the time of her travail "twins were in her womb" (Gen. 38:27). So in the tribulation period there shall be two companies in Israel. The first, appropriately named "Pharez," which means "breach," speaking of the majority of the nation who will break completely with God and receive and worship the Antichrist. The second, "Zerah," that had the "scarlet thread" upon his hand (Gen. 38:30), pointing to the godly remnant who will be saved, as was Rahab of old by the "scarlet cord." But we must turn now to Genesis 39.
Genesis 39 is more than a continuation of what has been before us in Genesis 37, being separated, as it is, from that chapter by what is recorded in 38. Genesis in 39 is really a new beginning in the type, taking us back to the Incarnation, and tracing the experiences of the Lord Jesus from another angle. Continuing our enumeration (see previous article), we may observe:
26. Joseph becomes a Servant. "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, brought him out of the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither (Gen. 39:1). What a contrast from being the beloved son in his father's house to the degradation of slavery in Egypt! But this was as nothing compared with the voluntary self-humiliation of the Lord Jesus. He who was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God, made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant (Phil. 2:6, 7). "Bond-slave" expresses the force of the original better than "servant." It is to this the prophetic language of Psalm 40 refers. There we hear the Lord Jesus saying, "Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; Mine ears hast Thou digged; burnt offering and sin offering hast Thou not required. Then said I, lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of Me. I delight to do Thy will, O My God." These words carry us back to Exodus 21:5, 6. "And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever." The Lord Jesus was the Speaker of that prophecy in Psalm 40, and the fulfiller of this type in Exodus 21. He was the One who took the Servant place, and voluntarily entered into the degradation of slavery. And it is this which Joseph here so strikingly typified.
27. Joseph was a Prosperous Servant. "And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand" (Gen. 39:2, 3). Observe, particularly, it is here said, the Lord made all that Joseph did "to prosper in his hand." How these words remind us of two prophetic scriptures which speak of the perfect Servant of Jehovah. The first is the opening Psalm, which brings before us the "Blessed Man," the Man who walked not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful; the Man whose delight was in the Law of the Lord, and in whose Law He did meditate day and night; the Man of whom God said, "And He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth His fruit in His Season; His leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever He doeth shall prosper" (Ps. 1:3). Manifestly, this spoke, specifically, of the Lord Jesus, in whom, alone, the terms of the opening verses of this Psalm were fully realized. The second scripture is found in that matchless fifty-third of Isaiah (every sentence of which referred to the Son of God incarnate, and to Him, expressly, as Jehovah's "Servant," see Genesis 52:13), we read, "The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand." How marvelously accurate the type! Of Joseph it is recorded, "The Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand" (Gen. 39:3). Of Christ it is said, "The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand" (Isa. 53:10).
28. Joseph's master was well pleased with him. "And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand" (Gen. 39:4). How could it be otherwise? Joseph was entirely different from any other servant that Potiphar ever had. The fear of God was upon him; the Lord was with him, prospering him; and he served his master faithfully. So it was with the One whom Joseph foreshadowed. The Lord Jesus was entirely different from any other servant God ever had. The fear of the Lord was upon Him (see Isaiah 11:2). And so faithfully did He serve God, He could say, "I do always those things that please Him" (John 8:29).
29. Joseph, the servant, was made a blessing to others. "And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field" (Gen. 34:5). So, too, the Father entrusted to the Son all the interests of the Godhead the manifestation of the Divine character, the glorifying of God's name, and the vindication of His throne. And what has been the outcome of the Beloved of the Father taking the Servant place, and assuming and discharging these onerous responsibilities? Has not the Lord "blessed" the antitypical "Egyptian's house," for the sake of that One whom Joseph foreshadowed? Clearly, the "Egyptian's house" symbolized the world, and how bountifully has the world been blessed for Christ's sake!
30. Joseph was a goodly person. "And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored" (Gen. 39:6). How carefully has the Holy Spirit here guarded the type! We must always distinguish between the person and the place which he occupies. Joseph had entered into the degradation of slavery. He was no longer at his own disposal, but subject to the will of another. He was no longer dwelling in his father's house in Canaan, but instead, was a bond slave in an Egyptian's house. Such was his position. But concerning his person we are told, "Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored." So, too, the Son of God took a lowly place, the place of humiliation and shame, the place of submission and servitude. Yet, how zealously did the Father see to it that the glory of His person was guarded! No sooner was He laid in the manger (the place He took), than God sent the angels to announce to the Bethlehem shepherds that the One born (the person) was none other than "Christ, the Lord." A little later, the wise men from the East prostrate themselves before the young child in worship. As soon as He comes forth to enter (the place of) His public ministry—serving others, instead of being served—God causes one to go before Him and testify that he was not worthy to stoop down and unloose the shoe-latchet of the (person) of the Lamb of God. So, too, on the Cross, where, supremely, God's Servant was seen in the place of shame, God caused Him to be owned as "the Son of God" (Matthew 27:54)! Truly, was He a "goodly person, and well favored."
31. Joseph was sorely tempted, yet sinned not. "And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" (Gen. 39:7-12).
It is surely not without design that the Holy Spirit has placed in juxtaposition the account of the unchastity of Judah in Genesis 38 with the chastity of Joseph here in Genesis 39. And how significant that the unfaithfulness of the one is placed before the faithfulness of the other! Joseph's temptation foreshadowed the temptation of the Lord Jesus, the last Adam, and His faithfulness in refusing the evil solicitations of Satan, which was in marked contrast from the failure of the first Adam, before Him. The marvelous accuracy of our type may be further seen by observing that Joseph's temptation is here divided into three distinct parts (as was that of our Lord), see Genesis 39:7, 10, 12. So, again, it should be remarked, that Joseph was tempted not in Canaan, by his brethren, but in Egypt (symbol of the world), by the wife of a captain of Pharaoh's guard. And the temptation suffered by the Lord Jesus emanated, not from His brethren according to the flesh, but from Satan, "the prince of this world."
Beautiful is it to mark how Joseph resisted the repeated temptation—"How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" This is the more striking if we link up this utterance of Joseph's with Psalm 105:19, "The Word of the Lord tried him." So it was by the same Word that the Savior repulsed the Enemy. But notice here one point in contrast: "And he (Joseph) left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" (Gen. 39:12). So, the Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, enjoined him to "Flee youthful lusts" (2 Tim. 2:22). How different with the Perfect One! He said, "Get thee hence, Satan" (Matthew 4:10), and we read, "Then the Devil leaveth Him." In all things He has the pre-eminence.
32. Joseph was falsely accused. "And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me. And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out" (Gen. 39:16-18). There was no ground whatever for a true charge to be brought against Joseph, so an unjust one was preferred. So it was, too, with Him who was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." His enemies "the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put Him to death. But found none." Yet, at the last, "came two false witnesses" (Matthew 16:59, 60), who bore untruthful testimony against Him.
33. Joseph attempted no defense. "And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me: that his wrath was kindled" (Gen. 39:19), though notice, it does not add, "against Joseph." In Genesis 37, we beheld Joseph's passive submission to the wrong done him by his heartless brethren. So here, when falsely and foully accused by this Egyptian woman, he attempts no self-vindication; not a word of appeal is made; nor is there any murmuring against the cruel injustice done him, as he is cast into prison. There was no recrimination; nothing but a quiet enduring of the wrong. When Joseph was reviled, like the Savior, he reviled not again. And how all this reminds us of what we read in Isaiah 53:7, with its recorded fulfillment in the Gospels, "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth!"
34. Joseph was cast into prison. "And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound; and he was there in the prison" (Gen. 39:20). "Taking the garment that Joseph had left behind him in his flight, she used it as a proof of his guilt, and first to the servants, and then to her husband. She made out a case against the Hebrew slave. The way she spoke of her husband to the servants (verse 14) shows the true character of the woman, and perhaps also the terms of her married life; while the fact that Potiphar only placed Joseph in prison instead of commanding him to be put to death is another indication of the state of affairs. For appearance' sake Potiphar must take some action, but the precise action taken tells its own tale. He evidently did not credit her story" (Dr. G. Thomas).
Just as Joseph, though completely innocent, was unrighteously cast into prison, so our Lord was unjustly sentenced to death by one who owned repeatedly, "I find no fault in Him." And how striking is the parallel between the acts of Potiphar and Pilate. It is evident that Potiphar did not believe the accusation which his wife brought against Joseph—had he really done so, as has been pointed out, he would have ordered his Hebrew slave put to death. But to save appearances he had Joseph cast into prison. Now mark the close parallel in Pilate. He, too, it is evident, did not believe in the guilt of our Lord or why have been so reluctant to give his consent for Him to be crucified? He, too, knew the character of those who accused the Savior. But, for the sake of appearances—as an officer of the Roman Empire, against the One who was charged with being a rebel against Caesar, for political expediency—he passed sentence.
35. Joseph thus suffered at the hands of the Gentiles. Not only was Joseph envied and hated by his own brethren, and sold by them into the hands of the Gentiles, but he was also treated unfairly by the Gentiles too, and unjustly cast into prison. So it was with his Antitype, "The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate. with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together" (Acts 4:26, 27).
36. Joseph, the innocent one, suffered severely. In Stephen's speech we find a statement which bears this out. Said he, "And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt," and then, referring to his experiences after he had become a slave, he adds, "but God was with him, and delivered him out of all his afflictions" (Acts 7:9, 10). How much, we wonder, is covered by these words! What indignities, trials and pains, was he called on to suffer? In Psalm 105 there is another word more specific," He (God) sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: whose feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in iron" (verses 17, 18). How these references remind us of that Blessed One, who was mocked and spat upon, scourged and crowned with thorns, and nailed to the cruel tree!
37. Joseph won the respect of his jailor. "But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison" (Gen. 39:21). Is not the antitype of this found in the fact that the Roman centurion, the one who had charge of the Crucifixion of the Savior, cried," Certainly this was a Righteous Man" (Luke 23:47). Thus did God give His Son favor in the sight of this Roman who corresponded with Joseph's jailor.
38. Joseph was numbered with transgressors. "And it came to pass that after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt, and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound" (Gen. 40:1-3). What a marvelous line is this in our typical picture. Joseph was not alone in the place of shame and suffering. Nor was the Lord Jesus as He hung on the heights of Calvary. And just as there were two malefactors crucified with Him, so two offenders were in the prison with Joseph! But the analogy extends ever further than this.
39. Joseph was the means of blessing to one, but the pronouncer of judgment on the other. His fellow prisoners had each of them a dream, and in interpreting them, Joseph declared that the butler should be delivered from prison, but to the baker he said, "Within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree, and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee" (Gen. 40:19). It is not without good reason that the Holy Spirit has seen fit to record the details of these dreams. Connected with the spared one, the butler, we read of "the cup" into which the grapes were pressed (Gen. 49:10-12), suggesting to us the precious Blood of the Lamb, by which all who believe are delivered. Connected with the one who was not delivered, the baker, were baskets full of bakemeats (Gen. 40:16, 17), suggesting human labors, the works of man's hands, which are powerless to deliver the sinner, or justify him before God: for all such there is only the "Curse," referred to here by the baker being "hanged on a tree" (cf. Galatians 3:13). So it was at the Cross: the one thief went to Paradise; the other to Perdition.
40. Joseph evidenced his knowledge of the future. In interpreting their dreams, Joseph foretold the future destiny of the butler and the baker. But observe that in doing this he was careful to ascribe the glory to Another, saying, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" (Gen. 40:8). So the One whom Joseph foreshadowed, again and again, made known what should come to pass in the future, yet did he say, "For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak" (John 12:49).
41. Joseph's predictions came true. "And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them" (Gen. 40:20-22). Just as Joseph had interpreted so it came to pass. So shall it be with every word of the Son of God, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His words shall not pass away. And O, unsaved reader, just as the solemn announcement of Joseph concerning the baker was actually fulfilled, so shall these words of the Lord Jesus be found true—"he that believeth not shall be damned!"
42. Joseph desired to be Remembered. Said Joseph to the butler, "But think on me when it shall be well with thee" (Gen. 40:14). So, in connection with the Supper, the Savior has said, "This do in remembrance of Me."
As we admire these lovely typical pictures, like the queen of Sheba, there is no more strength left in us, and we can only bow our heads and say, "How precious are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!"
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