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Why do we celebrate Christmas? Is it merely a pointer to Easter or does it have value? At Easter Jesus died on the cross and through his sacrifice reconciled us to God. Clearly this is vital, yet so is Jesus’ life on earth.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
The Word became flesh – Jesus became a man. Through him we see what we are saved to become. In Jesus, we see the life of God. Jesus models for us the love of God, not in some idealised world, but in the harsh reality of growing up as the despised, apparently illegitimate, son of a carpenter living in the social backwater of an occupied land. We are presented with a disadvantaged person on the margins living life to the full.
Christmas exposes our excuses for inappropriate behaviour. Jesus was disadvantaged and lived a holy life. What is more, He came in weakness while we idolise strength. He came with humility and gentleness to a self-righteous society. In the example of Jesus we see how brokenness is overcome through the power of God. We encounter his power through the cross of Christ, yet without Jesus’ example we have little idea of how God wishes to use his power in our lives, the power to model that same life to a hostile world around us! | <urn:uuid:eeb9b60b-44fc-497a-bba0-3d632113527c> | CC-MAIN-2019-13 | https://adaringfaith.com/2017/12/21/why-christmas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-13/segments/1552912202672.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20190322155929-20190322181929-00455.warc.gz | en | 0.97689 | 299 | 2.671875 | 3 |
The Global Goals
At the UN Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Global Goals also known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 169 targets set by the Goals set out new development priorities for all countries to end extreme poverty by 2030. The 2030 Agenda redefines how the global community will work together to address poverty and improve living standards, while ensuring development is sustainable. It represents a renewed global partnership for development. It is made up of four elements:
- A declaration
- The 17 Global Goals (made up of targets and indicators to measure progress)
- Their means of implementation (a multi-stakeholder “mutual accountability” mechanism responsible for ensuring the Global Goals can achieve transformative results)
- A framework for follow up and review
Global Goal 6
Over 663 million people still do not have access to clean water and 2.4 billion1 do not have access to sanitation. Diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation is the biggest killer of under-fives worldwide, claiming the lives of 1,400 children every single day. These are fundamental human rights and without them people are unable to take the first step out of poverty. Global Goal 6 seeks to address this critical gap, by ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Targets within Goal 6:
- 6.1By 2030 achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
- 6.2 By 2030 achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
- 6.3 By 2030 improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimising release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
- 6.4 By 2030 substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors, ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity, and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
- 6.5 By 2030 implement integrated water resource management at all levels, including through trans-boundary cooperation as appropriate.
- 6.6 By 2030 protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
- 6.a By 2030 expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies.
- 6.b Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management.
Bangladesh Context and Sustainable Development Goals
The Joint Monitoring Progress report of 2017 jointly issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF open defecation in Bangladesh to be at 0%, a tremendous achievement for a country where the same rate stood at 34% on 1990. However, Bangladesh failed to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving the proportion of population without access to improved sanitation by the deadline of 2015. Much of the population1, mostly concentrated in hard-to-reach geographical areas or amongst socio-economically vulnerable populations, are still using poor sanitation.
Alongside, across the country, from villages to small towns and big cities are heading towards another sanitation crisis because of huge volumes of untreated faecal sludge being released into the environment. Faecal waste ends up in septic or pits that are usually cleaned up by manual sweepers, who end up dumping the waste in open water bodies, thus reintroducing faeces into the environment.
Furthermore, public sanitation facilities in Bangladesh are terrible. If we consider Dhaka as an example, the capital used to have less than 50 toilets to serve a population of 5.5 million on the streets. Women and girls, as well as people with disabilities, suffer the most and are often forced to completely forego any means of relieving themselves while on the road. Another often neglected issue is that of menstruation, and making sure that women and girls, whether at home, in school or in the workplace, have access to toilets and sanitary materials so they can manage their periods with dignity. These are challenges that threaten to reverse Bangladesh’s progress on many levels.
A global report on health status of 188 countries based on the health related Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) indicators found Bangladesh to be one of the poorest performing countries in South Asia, lagged by only Nepal and Afghanistan . This report clearly shows that no country can make sustainable progress on the global health goals without addressing the critical components of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Bangladesh can create an example to be the next revolution in sanitation in Bangladesh. The state has made a number of commitments on Sanitation in SACOSAN VI and the 7th Five Year Plan. An 11- member High Level Panel on Water (HLPW) was launched by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the President of the World Bank Group Jim Young Kim in April, 2016 to mobilise urgent action towards SDG 6 and related targets, to which Sheikh Hasina, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, was nominated.
The action plan proposed by the Government of Bangladesh considering SDG 6 includes the following outcomes and targets:
- Bangladesh would ensure access to safe, adequate and equitable water supply for all with a target of improving water supply coverage to 100% both (in urban and rural area) by 2020;
- Bangladesh would ensure 90% hygienic sanitation coverage, with special attention to physically challenged and socially excluded population, by 2030.
- Ensuring safe yield from ground water sources of water and their preservation and conservation by 2020 through appropriate actions (The Water Act is already in place) and continuous monitoring up to 2030;
- Percentage of population using a handwashing facility with water and soap, disaggregated by location (home, school, health center).
However, there are a number of challenges to achieving Goal 6 which must be acknowledged and prepared for:
- While the Millennium Development Goals dealt more with straightforward issue of expanding access, the SDGs bring in issues of equity, quality and sustainability which will require more nuanced, integrated and multi-sectoral ways of working.
- The ‘Leave No One Behind’ theme of the SDGs requires going beyond broad-brush interventions that raise beneficiary count, to focusing on hard-to-reach areas and populations, which will require innovative, context-specific technology and programmatic solutions.
- Protecting water sources and introducing sustainable management of groundwater and surface water will be a priority given Bangladesh’s extreme reliance on limited groundwater sources.
- Hygiene is perhaps the most lagging area of WASH, and there is evidence of widespread poor practice. Determining effective ways to improve behaviour will be a key challenge of the SDG era.
- Issue of integration with the national planning process is a big concern. Monitoring progress on Goal 6 will require devising appropriate indicator, coordinating among the stakeholders and establishing a feedback mechanism to review the decision and control measures through coordination with concern ministries, including Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, etc.
Global Goal 6 is an essential component of an integrated approach to tackling poverty, hunger, health and inequality.
Successful realisation of Goal 6 will support progress across many of the other goals, particularly on nutrition, child health, education and gender equality.
WaterAid alongside other organisations and civil society groups, has been calling for a globally agreed goal dedicated to WASH since 2012.
The inclusion of Goal 6 is a major milestone in ending WASH poverty and transforming lives.
Working in some of the most remote areas in the country, and with excluded groups such as tea garden workers and ethnic populations,
WaterAid Bangladesh brought safe water services to almost 300,000 people in the past year, and hygienic sanitation services to nearly 400,000 people.
Adequate and equitable sanitation: The prevalence of unimproved latrines, lack of faecal sludge management and absence of public sanitation facilities threaten people’s health and dignity, particularly in heard to reach areas and for disadvantaged groups and individuals.
WASH in institutions: Lack of inclusive facilities and improved hygiene measures in schools and community clinics affects the educational attainment of students, and can place staff and patients in healthcare facilities at risk of disease outbreaks.
Water safety and quality: These are a concern due to arsenic contamination, microbiological contamination and salinity amongst other reasons. Surface water is contaminated due to chemical and industrial pollutions and sanitation seepage, while groundwater is heavily over-extracted leading to a falling water table.
Hygiene: Lack of improved hygiene behavior compromises the quality of both water and sanitation services, with little initiative yet being taken to monitor and implement the National Hygiene Promotion Strategy
WASH as a human right: Bangladesh recognises the human rights to WASH, this is yet to be ratified nationally, and duty bearers from the national to the local level lack of awareness of the implications of this this for hard to reach areas, groups and individuals.
Capacity building of the local government and civil society: Need more capacity at the local government level for delivering quality services to grassroots communities in many cases.
Currently (as of November 2017), WaterAid is working in 21 sub-districts, four cities (Dhaka, Sylhet, Khulna and Chittagong) and four municipal towns.
For Goal 6, WaterAid will measure its performance based on the SDG indicators proposed by JMP in their SDG baseline report of 2017.
Alongside its programmatic activities, WaterAid Bangladesh is also looking to support sectoral efforts at monitoring Global Goal targets through strengthening and enhancing existing sector meetings and forums, such as the Sanitation and Water for All High (SWA) Level Meeting, and SACOSAN. WaterAid Bangladesh is actively involved with these forums along with in country forums like Bangladesh Water Integrity Network (BAWIN), End Water Poverty (EWP), Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council Bangladesh (WSSCC-B), Bangladesh WASH Alliance (BWA), Fresh Water Action Network South Asia-Bangladesh (FANSA-BD), NGO Forum, etc. Collaborative efforts are taken to through engaging with these networks to influence the government institutes at the national level such as Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and Local Government Institutions (LGIs).
Integration and implementation of the Global Goals at a national level can only be delivered with active participation from government, civil society and private sector stakeholders. WaterAid is playing a key role in supporting and working with governments as leading expert partners in the monitoring and delivery of WASH access. Besides, WaterAid is also working with civil society organisations, sector platforms and networks, different academic institutes and government to ensure participatory discussions on Goal 6 from the earliest stages of the Global Goals national implementation process. Goal 6 cannot be achieved through only effort of the government or single authority. It should be a combined effort of government, civil society and grassroots communities – only then can Bangladesh achieve the critical milestone of Leave No One Behind. | <urn:uuid:8d8b00b9-f9b1-4ecf-9f65-b8cecbed44a4> | CC-MAIN-2019-26 | https://www.wateraidindia.in/de/node/3391 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999814.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625072148-20190625094148-00174.warc.gz | en | 0.932706 | 2,358 | 4.3125 | 4 |
The visual system excels at assembling spatial information, e.g. edges, lines, depth relations, etc., into experience of objects and visual scenes. What happens when this same information is transduced into a novel signal: can our perceptual system map unfamiliar stimuli to known concepts and generate familiar experiences? This installation presents a volume of uniform light without any visible source or shape, varying in brightness and color over time. Place your hand inside and observe how the light changes with its position. What object might this signal represent? What world does your mind begin to construct that might explain it, and how does that develop as your hand explores the scene? Can the result of this, the recognition of something that exists only between the eye and the mind, affect how you perceive the light?
also installed at: Beyond the Cradle 2018, Envisioning a New Space Age | MIT Media Lab | <urn:uuid:1e721276-6786-406e-b5d7-1020e53dee82> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://mit-sensorium.com/signal | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964363520.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20211208175210-20211208205210-00546.warc.gz | en | 0.886192 | 186 | 2.734375 | 3 |
With all this talk about New Year’s Resolutions, Word of the Year, and goal-setting, sometimes we forget to teach our kids how to set goals and keep them! I can easily set goals FOR my kids, but teaching them how to set their OWN goals is so much better for them. It’s like the saying about how you can give a man a fish, but it’s better to teach him to fish!
Why Should Kids Set Goals?
By teaching our kids (even young ones) to set goals, we are teaching them a discipline that will help them throughout their lives. Setting a goal, working towards it, and accomplishing something will become a normal way of living. Don’t you wish that you were taught how to discipline yourself this way as a child?
Plus, children like it! Kids love looking forward to something, so why not use that excitement to help them reach a goal. The ability to feel like they DID IT all by themselves is so important for their development. That sense of personal pride in their achievements will expand into other areas of their lives! Okay, so you get why it’s good for them….
How Do I Teach My Kids About Goals?
Most kids can understand the basic principle of goals, but it’s the time it takes to reach a goal where they get lost. Unlike adults, kids need goals that are VERY short term to keep them engaged, so make sure to help them come up with goals that are achievable and short term enough that they can have success.
At first, you might have to take the lead to help them come up with ideas. Younger kids, especially, will need ideas and examples. Even though we are all homeschool moms, don’t make all their goals about school. Let this be a time of personal development in all areas. Maybe they want to make new friends, learn a new skill (like ride a bike), accomplish a hard task (monkey bars), or finish a certain number of books. Maybe they want to join a sport and get good at it (practice), save money to buy something, or raise money to help someone else. These are all great ideas for most ages.
It Has to Be Their Goal (Not Yours)!
Although you might be helping them to come up with an idea or two, make sure that the goal is something THEY want. If it doesn’t come from their heart, it won’t matter. You’d hate to have to work towards a goal that you weren’t interested in, so don’t make your kids. You can set academic goals and grade-level requirements separately. If they don’t light up about it, don’t use it.
Set the Guidelines
Make sure that each goal is measurable. How will you know if it’s done? They also have to be small enough and short-term enough to keep their attention. Adjust this based on age and maturity levels.
Write down their goals and display them somewhere that they can see them often. If it’s something that is done a certain number of times or grows to a certain number, then make a chart to track the progress so they can stay engaged and excited!
What If They Don’t Reach Their Goal?
Sometimes we worry, as moms, about how our children will feel when they fail. Don’t. It’s okay if they fail at reaching a goal. There are wonderful lessons to be learned. First, they tried! How many adults never even make a goal? Second, ask “why?” Why did they fail? Was it because they didn’t try hard enough? Was the goal too big or take too long for their age and maturity level? Was the goal unattainable?
If it was outside of their control, simply adjust the goal or change it and try again. Maybe the goal needs to be adjusted a bit. If they didn’t try hard enough or long enough, then reassess. Even if you think they were lazy, ask yourself why they were lazy. Did they have a good example of trying hard? (that one can hurt) Were they “lazy” because they were overwhelmed so they just gave up?
I have a kid that will give up or not try at all if he feels he can’t succeed. It’s not a great trait and its something that needs to be worked on…but knowing that about him helps me to guide and train him.
If nothing else, just break up the goal into smaller goals and take baby steps. Sometimes kids just need some small successes to get the confidence to go after bigger ones!
Are you excited? I’m so excited to see what my kids can accomplish this year! These “small” things are big to them and great reminders to look back on! (so make sure to save your goals from year to year!) | <urn:uuid:2891844d-e748-40aa-985d-0d72f337b6ed> | CC-MAIN-2018-17 | http://www.homeschoolstory.com/teach-kids-goals/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-17/segments/1524125945459.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20180421223015-20180422003015-00085.warc.gz | en | 0.971846 | 1,032 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Do you know that the 16th of June has been declared the INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FAMILY REMITTANCES by 176 governments in the world?
The first celebration took place last year at the GLOBAL FORUM ON REMITTANCES AND DEVELOPMENT, June 16-19 , 2015 in Milan, Italy as part of the World Expo. IMTC was part of the celebration where the international community recognized the work of the private sector in facilitating the sending of remittances, in developing cost-effective and accessible financial transfer services, and encouraged the industry to link these flows to a range of financial services and products for migrants and their families.
This day is important in order to capitalize on the potential of remittances to further help meet the economic, social and environmental challenges confronting developing countries.
Proclaiming an International Day of Family Remittances represents an invaluable opportunity not only to recognize the efforts of migrants globally, but also to strengthen current cross-industry partnerships and create new synergies among sectors to promote the development impact of remittances worldwide and join together to help reach the ultimate goal of making migration for future generations more of a choice than a necessity.
The number of international migrants — persons living in a country other than where they were born — reached 244 million in 2015 for the world as a whole, a 41% increase compared to 2000, including almost 20 million refugees. That is almost 3.5% of the world population (up from 2.8% in 2000) according to the United Nations.
In recent years, the remittance services industry, a key part of the financial ecosystem, has come under increasing pressure from “de-risking” and bank discontinuance by the international financial sector and negative connotations associated with migration.
June 16th must be a celebration of the hard work, sacrifice and generosity of international workers and the services that we as an industry provide, making remittances a reality for millions of migrants worldwide
Currently, there are almost 250 million international migrants worldwide living outside the country they call home. Throughout civilization, people have always been on the move, seeking better opportunities for themselves and their families – it is part of the human condition. But the scale of migration from rural to urban areas, and across national borders in the 21st century, is unprecedented. Indeed, it has been accurately characterized as “the human face of globalization”. | <urn:uuid:5adb6079-72ed-4cf8-a16a-8f6017a4b1e7> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://imtconferences.com/es/international-day-family-remittances/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710503.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20221128102824-20221128132824-00327.warc.gz | en | 0.946481 | 493 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Black Boy Topic Tracking: Loneliness
Loneliness 1: He never knows his father, which obliges him to become the father in the Wright family, forgoing neighborhood games to work and falteringly trying to "become a man." This isolates him from people his own age, and makes him wary of his elders.
Loneliness 2: He feels intellectually and spiritually alone in the South, where every one he knows is religious. His family and friends repeatedly try to convince him he needs God. It is only when he comes to Chicago that he meets people as admittedly cynical and atheist as he is.
Loneliness 3: In addition, he cannot understand why Blacks are content to remain uneducated and compliant with the way society is organized. Even when he is a very young child, he is continually questioning life and trying to learn new things.
Loneliness 4: This contributes to his feeling lonely in the church because even when he tries to pray he never feels anything--it just does not seem to relate to his life. For a long time he sees himself the way his family does: as an incorrigible sinner.
Loneliness 5: All throughout his life, he is violently forced away from the white world by fear of abuse. Although he at first tries to talk to white people naturally, he soon realizes that even the kindest of Southern Whites assumes that he is above Richard in some way.
Loneliness 6: Stratified in terms of gender as well, he cannot relate to women (examples: Bess and the woman who wants to go to the circus). Most of his relationships with them are purely sexual, and there is never any mention of a girlfriend.
Loneliness 7: Richard is ignored or silenced even at work. No one is interested in helping him, even to learn a new skill that would benefit the company. In general, his suggestions are met with skepticism or hostility. He longs to go North, where he thinks he can truly make something of himself.
Loneliness 8: Upon arriving in the North, he feels lonely at first because he cannot understand what anyone is saying (because of their accents), and he does not know their motives, because they are friendly to him even though he is black. He keeps trying to discern racism in their actions, but cannot. This frightens him more than any Southern white man, because it is utterly unknown to him.
Loneliness 9: He has no friends in the North until he meets the Irishman at the post office. Up to that point, everyone around him is so different as to be impossible to relate to.
Loneliness 10: He associates himself with Communism, and hopes to befriend black Communists, but he understands them just as little as anyone else he has met. This is a grave disappointment for him, especially because their reaction to him is so insulting: they view him as an intellectual and laugh at the proper way he speaks. | <urn:uuid:9699f9be-4842-4af2-96ff-1d937c22d080> | CC-MAIN-2015-40 | http://www.bookrags.com/notes/boy/top3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-40/segments/1443737913815.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20151001221833-00244-ip-10-137-6-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988578 | 597 | 2.625 | 3 |
The Xbox factor: gaming's role in future assessment
Computer games offer 'authentic' test of creativity, says Gloucestershire v-c. Melanie Newman reports
In a proposal that will be music to many students' ears, a vice-chancellor has suggested that computer games should play a greater role in assessment.
Patricia Broadfoot, vice-chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire, said computer games could be useful in the tricky area of assessing creativity.
In a speech delivered via teleconference to the International Association for Educational Assessment conference in Brisbane last month, Professor Broadfoot said that computer simulations offered a more "authentic" test of creative problem-solving than current approaches.
"Games are excellent learning tools in that they are interactive and provide rapid feedback, opportunities for extensive practice, engagement with intellectual complexity, emotional involvement and, increasingly, open-ended outcomes that challenge the creativity of the player," she said.
They also offer training in metacognition, strategic thinking, concentration and even social skills.
"Perhaps most important of all for many students is the level of engagement that computers can provide," she said.
"Engagement, as we have seen, is the essential starting point for creative thinking, whether this is at school, at university or in the workplace."
Existing tools for assessing creativity include the Creativity Achievement Questionnaire and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, the latter invented by Ellis Paul Torrance, professor of educational psychology at the University of Georgia in the US.
The Torrance Tests measure factors such as "originality" - the statistical rarity of responses - and "fluency" - the number of relevant ideas generated in response to stimulus.
But such tests are limited for assessment needs on a large scale, Professor Broadfoot said, adding that the sector needed to "embrace the full potential of the information age".
In 2004, a literature review by the former Learning and Skills Development Agency and Anglia Ruskin University found that computer games motivated young people to learn.
Research has also suggested that gaming could improve cognitive abilities, but in 2008, a team from the University of Illinois found that non-gamers showed no improvement in memory skills or the ability to multitask after spending 20 hours playing video games.
Professor Broadfoot predicted that educational assessment, which is her main academic interest, will move from mass examinations to a more flexible credit-based system.
"It may be that the familiar 'rites of passage' of school-leaving, university entrance examinations, degree finals and professional qualifications will begin to be replaced by the ability to accumulate credit at different times and levels," she said.
E-assessment-on-demand is already in use in the private sector, in areas such as foreign-language tuition, and in the UK's driving-licence theory test, she added.
"The learner will increasingly be in charge of their own learning journey, the teacher increasingly a facilitator, working in partnership with the student to help them build elements of their personal electronic portfolio - a record of achievement that provides a unique and self-managed narrative on each individual's lifelong learning," Professor Broadfoot said. | <urn:uuid:bd22ebf5-1f3e-44ee-9ea7-9354486bcd4b> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/408492.article | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1406510270313.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20140728011750-00465-ip-10-146-231-18.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94975 | 651 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Types of tiles – Some concise tips to help choosing tiles for your renovationNovember 11, 2019
By George Abou-Haidar
Technically, most tile types are “ceramic”, that is, they are made from natural clay that is mixed with water and moulded, then baked in a kiln. It is the density of the clay, manufacturing process and additives used in manufacturing that define tiles. Hence, ceramic tiles are generally characterised as porcelain (also “Vitrified”) or non porcelain.
Non porcelain ceramic:
- Made from natural clay that is mixed with water and moulded.
- Contain a glazed finish to add protection from water and scratches
- Baked in a kiln until hardened.
- Comes in a wide variety of colours and sizes
- More cost effective than other tile types
- Fairly easy to maintain
- Usually made with bevelled edges
- The glazing is usually not the same colour as the tile, and if chipped, will expose the contrast in colour.
- Final tile size may vary, even if baked in the same batch. This is due to the heating and cooling of the natural materials in the manufacturing process.
- Not as resistant to moister or damage when compared to porcelain.
Porcelain (or vitrified) ceramic
The term “Vitrified” refers to tiles with low porosity, that is, their water absorption is mainly less than 0.5 %, resulting in less moisture absorption. Porcelain ceramic tiles can be also known as vitrified tiles, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably to describe the same type of tile
- Made with dense clay and silica
- Can be glazed or un-glazed, with the glaze being added in the baking process
- Can be manufactured in several ways:
- Soluble salt: The tile is printed with liquid colour screen printing technology and then polished. This type of tile can be described as being halfway between full body and glazed.
- Double charge: Made of two pressed colours resulting in a thick design on top. Good for high traffic areas.
- Full Body: Colour is baked throughout the entire tile, resulting in uniform colour inside and out.
- Glazed: Made with a glazed surface that can be imprinted with any design pattern that does not require any sealing after manufacture.
- Porcelain tiles are denser, harder, more resistant to damage and scratching, making them more durable than non porcelain ceramic
- They are more resistant to moister, particularly the glazed
- The “full body” type does not result in contrasting colours when chipped or damaged. Therefore damage is usually almost unnoticeable
- They are said to be more allergy friendly than non porcelain ceramic
- Glazed versions are less slip resistant
- All types are significantly more expensive than non porcelain ceramic
- They are generally heavier than non porcelain tiles, and therefore a little harder to work with
- Final tile size may vary in the same batch. This is due to the heating and cooling of the natural materials in the manufacturing process.
The term “rectified” simply refers to a tile with mechanical edge finishing. Because of the nature of the baking process (see “disadvantages” above), tiles may not be uniform in size. By mechanically finishing the edges, this problem is eliminated and the tile gains a more precise facial dimension.
- Rectified tiles are guaranteed to be the same intended size and shape
- Have a square edge, making them easier to lay close together and therefore decreasing the size of grout lines
- Some people prefer bevelled edges | <urn:uuid:34ff6319-33ac-40ff-8c84-5c294ac6dbf1> | CC-MAIN-2021-10 | https://adelsons.com.au/types-of-tiles-some-concise-tips-to-help-choosing-tiles-for-your-renovation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-10/segments/1614178374391.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20210306035529-20210306065529-00309.warc.gz | en | 0.934208 | 780 | 3.203125 | 3 |
With the high prices of wheat and barley some cover crops may be kept for grain instead of plowing them under. As long as the stand is sufficient for economical yield the fields can be managed for grain production. There are several pest management issues that could be a problem if you have decided to do this. Loose smut is a systemic fungus disease that is transmitted in infected seed. Infected seed looks healthy and germinates as if it were not infected. When the seed germinates the fungus is activated and systemically grows within the young seedlings. The fungus remains in the plant over the winter and when growth resumes the fungus grows with the plants and eventually to the head where the fungus spores replace the wheat or barley kernel and other flower parts. The only window to control this disease, if the seed is contaminated, is with a seed treatment for loose smut at planting. If the cover crop seed was certified and/or treated with Baytan, Raxil, Vitavax, or Dividend at rates for loose smut control, the crop is protected. Currently there is no labeled foliar fungicide for wheat or barley that will control loose smut if the plants are infected. There is no way to tell if the crop is infected until heading, so if you planted untreated, saved seed or untreated seed from an unknown source there is a risk of loose smut at heading.
Since cover crops are often planted before production fields, Hessian fly could be a potential problem. Fields planted well before the “fly free” dates (New Castle County -Oct 3; Kent County – Oct 8 and Sussex County- Oct 10) could have been exposed for a longer time to egg laying by Hessian fly adults. Any eggs laid in the cover crop wheat hatched into maggots which fed on that wheat and then changed into pupae (called flax seeds) to survive the winter. When the Hessian fly adults emerge from the flaxseed this spring, they will seek a host upon which to lay their eggs. Since wheat is the principal host plant of the Hessian fly and they are not strong flyers, these fields may be susceptible to spring infestations. Please refer to the article “Management of Hessian Fly in the Spring” in WCU Volume 16, Issue 1 for sampling and possible control options. | <urn:uuid:c7519e7e-097f-4a65-9ac1-504663b8def5> | CC-MAIN-2016-18 | http://agdev.anr.udel.edu/weeklycropupdate/?p=52 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-18/segments/1461860127983.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160428161527-00108-ip-10-239-7-51.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954385 | 476 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Blood cancer is a term that refers to cancers affecting the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system. Sadly, blood cancer is one of the highest causes of cancer deaths in Australia, claiming more lives each year than breast cancer and melanoma.
Blood cancers occur when normal blood cell production is interrupted by the uncontrolled growth of an abnormal type of blood cell. This uncontrolled growth can reduce the bone marrow’s ability to produce normal levels of other blood cells, which affects the rest of the body.
There are two common types of blood cancer: leukaemia and lymphoma.
Leukaemia: Leukaemia is caused by the accumulation of excess, abnormal white blood cells. Leukaemias are grouped according to the type of white blood cell that is affected – either lymphoid or myeloid cells. They are then also classified according to the speed with which they can progress. The four main types of leukaemia include:
Lymphoma: Lymphoma occurs when abnormal cells in the body’s lymphatic system grow in an uncontrolled way. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system and is made up of lymphatic vessels, lymph and lymph nodes. The two main types of lymphoma include:
No, Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer. Leukaemias are cancers of the white blood cells, which begin in the bone marrow. Leukaemias are grouped in two ways: the type of white blood cell affected – lymphoid or myeloid; and how quickly the disease develops and gets worse.
The symptoms of blood cancer vary by type but may include symptoms such as:
You can also learn more about blood cancer statistics and prevalence in Australia in this article.
By supporting Australian Cancer Research Foundation, you help back the brilliant ideas needed to find better ways to prevent, detect and treat all types of cancer, including blood cancer. Donate today to help bring us closer to a world without this devastating disease. | <urn:uuid:d12e21d7-0597-4b3f-9d34-bfbf95ea11f6> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://www.acrf.com.au/news/blood-cancer/what-is-blood-cancer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662561747.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220523194013-20220523224013-00261.warc.gz | en | 0.931014 | 408 | 3.515625 | 4 |
At the archaeological investigations ahead of the construction of the future Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, in Denmark archaeologists from Museum Lolland-Falster have found an object that is attracting particular attention. Jammed hard into the marine sediments and mud was the head of a fishing leister consisting of parts from both lateral prongs and a bone point slightly offset between them.
It has long been presumed that there was a link between leister prongs and bone points (as with anthropological examples), but this is probably the first time the connection has been documented in a surviving Liester spear of Neolithic date around 5,500 year-old.
“It is quite amazing that we have made a find that can help prove an old theory. So far, we have found a large number of individual leister prongs and bone points, but when we found them combined, it was quite remarkable. ” says Søren Anker Sørensen archaeologist at Museum Lolland-Falster.
The reason the archaeologists are so excited begins at Næbbet near the island of Ærø some 40 years ago where amateur archaeologist divers found a relatively well preserved leister, with parts of two lateral prongs preserved along with a piece of the shaft to which it was tied.
Previously, only individual leister prongs had been recorded, but this find finally suggested they belonged in pairs – as we know from more modern eel leisters.
However, the find immediately gave rise to a new question: Had the leisters been equipped with a centred point, as in modern leisters? The piece from Ærø did not have a point, and there were no traces of one , so archaeologists have been discussing since then whether a leister could work without a point.
It is a truth in archaeology, that just because it makes sense that the earlier artefact will mirror more recent examples, it is only with proof, that this becomes a certainty. One can almost hear the Neolithic fisherman’s curses as the head broke off their finely crafted fishing spear.
A locality with many interesting finds
During the Late Stone Age, the area now under investigation was located on the coastline of a peaceful lagoon area east of present-day Rødbyhavn. The topography made the area attractive to prehistoric communities as fishing in the coastal zone was a secure and reliable foodsource.
The prehistoric coastal zone stands out clearly in the ecavations, with a c. 20 m wide belt of scattered stones, between which a number of artefacts have been found including flint and bones – with an increasing find density towards the landward side.
A fishing paradise
Immediately south of the scattered stones, a wattle fence has been found, which extends from one of the fixed gillnets. The wattle fence stretches across about 25 metres in an arch, forming a U that opens towards the lagoon. It consists of long, slender sticks that have been intertwined closely among the almost equally slender vertical uprights. These have been placed at a distance of just 25 cm. Whether the gillnet was originally placed on this site, or whether it has washed in from the sea or been brought in for repairs or maintenance is still uncertain. The fine structure might indicate that its function was different from the more crude fishing weirs that are known from other localities in the area, and the same applies to the U-shape, if you presume that this is the original position.
Another lethal point
A broken section of hafted arrow has also been found recently, which is equally as well preserved as the fishing leister. The piece measures about 10 cm and has broken into two bits, but the point is intact with the arrowhead attached and adhesive and binding preserved, which is another thing that is only known from very few other cases.
The excavation has not yet been completed, and many unanswered questions remain about the locality and the finds made there. However, it is possible to get close to the locality and the museum’s archaeologists on 25 April 2015 when the museum opens the excavation for visitors who can learn more about the exciting traces from the past.
Read more about the open excavation here: http://www.aabne-samlinger.dk/femernforbindelsen/femernforbindelsen/nyheder/2015/aaben-udgravning/
See previous finds in Past Horizons: 5,000 year-old footprints in the sand capture a moment in time and Flawless flint dagger discovered on Danish dig and Well preserved 5,500 year-old hafted flint axe found in Denmark | <urn:uuid:0e7ead99-8a96-427b-a905-7330bbfc263f> | CC-MAIN-2021-39 | http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/bajrpress/intact-liester-spear-proves-the-point/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-39/segments/1631780058415.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20210927090448-20210927120448-00110.warc.gz | en | 0.969694 | 958 | 2.78125 | 3 |
This article was produced and financed by The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences - read more
Can Reduce Groin Injuries by Half, if the Players are Willing
One simple strength exercise could almost halve one of the most common injuries in ball sports. But even if the injury puts many out of both match play and training, the players seem reluctant to use it.
- Of all male football players injured, every sixth finds himself on the side-line as the result of a groin injury.
- More than 30 percent of players are troubled by groin problems at some time or other.
- Football, hockey and rugby players are the ones most at risk.
- Many continue to play even with symptoms and pain; the dark numbers are large.
- Absolutely most men are affected.
At the same time, one simple exercise can almost halve the problem – if the players want to make use of it.
Groin problems are most often found (in 2/3 of cases) in a muscle group called the adductors. This group comprises six separate muscles.
Top clubs are included
This is the subject matter of a doctoral thesis presented by Joar Harøy. He is affiliated with the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center (OSTC) at the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences (NIH).
With the help of a group of Masters students, he has mapped the extent of groin problems among players and how to prevent them.
632 players from five 1st division clubs and thirty 2nd division teams have participated. In addition, a group of researchers at the Sports Orthopedic Research Center in Copenhagen have been involved.
“The results are so good that big teams like PSV Eindhoven and Chelsea have already adopted the exercise”, says Harøy. Several league teams, such as Strømsgodset, Molde, Ranheim, Start and Viking, have also been using the exercise.”
The exercise is called the “Copenhagen adduction exercise” and involves strengthening the so-called hip adductors. This is a muscle group consisting of six separate muscles and is used to draw the legs together. They are used especially actively in football.
The exercise can be performed at three levels. Start like this:
Lie on your side, raise yourself on your elbow
If you are on your left side: Bend up your right leg; Keep the left leg (on the floor) stretched out.
Slowly raise your left leg to about 30-40 cm from the floor - and slowly lower it again. The right (upper) leg should also be raised and lowered. The lower leg should be completely down on the floor, while the hip (of the upper leg) should be halfway down to the floor (see the video - in grey area down on new page)
Each repetition should take 3-5 seconds.
Level 2 is undertaken with a helper holding you up gripping the inside of your right knee, and at level 3, the helper raises your right foot.
“But you have to be careful. This is an exercise you need to make use of very gradually over a period of time to avoid overload. At the start, five repetitions are enough”, emphasizes Harøy.
See the video on Skadefri.no (in grey area down on new page)
"Should be mandatory at training"
In addition to hamstring injuries, groin injuries are the most widespread muscle injuries in a number of ball sports, but especially football.
The acute injuries usually occur when changing direction, shooting and passing or when the players stretch out for the ball, and they often mean several weeks on the sideline.
Load injuries, however, are more serious and often more protracted.
“Nonetheless, many continue to play with despite the pain and injury, and prolonged overload can keep you out for months. This means that the dark numbers are probably high.”
Groin injuries are equally widespread regardless of the level of the game, from the premier league and at least down to 3rd division.
“The Copenhagen exercise should become a regular part of training. It only takes five minutes, but could mean a whole lot for both individual players and their teams.
"They’ll have more players available for training and matches”, Harøy believes.
Prevention can lift the team
But it isn’t quite that simple. A survey taken among participants in the program shows that only half of them wanted to continue with the exercise.
“The exercise is not a one-time inoculation. The players have to keep on with it if they want to maintain the result”, says Harøy. Why the players are reluctant to use it, he’s not sure. “Perhaps they can’t be bothered;and see it as just a measure.”
“But isn't it mostly up to the coaches? And the players do as they’re told?”
“The attitude of the coaches is important. They need to understand the problem and that the exercise works. It could have a big impact on how well the team performs.”
Early start – and a riddle
Harøy thinks the exercise would also be of use for younger athletes.
“Young people all the way down to lower secondary school should build up their adductor strength. It’s extremely likely that early use of the exercise would prevent injuries even more effectively.
Only, be particularly careful with young people who are still growing; the load needs to be adjusted so to not overload the growth zones.”
However, several questions still remain unanswered, including why are men so much more vulnerable than women?
“We can only guess. It's a bit of a conundrum. Perhaps different intensity and energy has some significance. For example, acceleration and stopping may exert greater forces in men. Anatomical differences between women and men may also have some significance. Or maybe women are just more robust? Either way, we think the exercise will be effective in preventing injuries in women as well.”
Abuse and great effort
In connection with the exercise, each and every one of the 600 participating players has received reminders and text messages every week.
If they fail to respond, they keep getting reminders until they do. Or they get a telephone call.
“Many of them have given up completely, some sick, they’ve had to put up with a lot. All-in-all, they’ve received over 50,000 text messages”, says Joar.
The Masters students have had the job of making the telephone calls.
“They've received a fair amount of abuse. But the effort put in by both them and the players has been phenomenal.”
Joar Harøy defended his doctoral thesis (In Norwegian) on 27th November 2018 at NIH.
This article is produced and financed by The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences is one of 77 owners of ScienceNorway.no. Its communication staff provide content to forskning.no. We label this content clearly to distinguish institutional outreach from independent editorial content. Read more about this arrangement. | <urn:uuid:8e52b913-69ed-414d-ace2-3942eb25a321> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | https://partner.sciencenorway.no/exercise-forskningno-health/can-reduce-groin-injuries-by-half-if-the-players-are-willing/1567194 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875145859.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20200223215635-20200224005635-00425.warc.gz | en | 0.968735 | 1,500 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Development zones are named according to their different focuses, like ‘economic and technological development zone’, ‘economic development zone’, ‘high-tech industries development zone’ and ‘science and technology park’.
There are also development zones at different levels depending on their supervising institutions, ranging from ‘national’ development zones to ‘provincial’ and ‘municipal’ ones. Development zones are often divided into several sections.
The central government has organized several campaigns to check development zones and the unqualified ones or those with poor performances are cancelled.
* From July 2003 to December 2006, the number of development zones were reduced from 6,866 to 1,568.
* Their total area was cut from 38,600 square kilometers to 9,949 square kilometers.
In the Law on Urban and Rural Planning approved by the lawmakers in October 2007, it was stipulated that no development zone should be set-up outside the established plan for the city layout.
Meanwhile, the urban infrastructure of the Chinese cities has been stepped up in the last three decades. And most of them are now very investor-friendly. Much more on this HERE.
The author, Sun Shiwen, is a professor at College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Tongji University.
Source: China View | <urn:uuid:50230049-4aa7-4a8a-a636-ef5f13f2ab10> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://chinaeconomicreview.com/development-zones-explained/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233506479.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20230923030601-20230923060601-00773.warc.gz | en | 0.965236 | 275 | 3.25 | 3 |
The Audio Expert is a comprehensive reference book covering all aspects of audio, with both practical and theoretical explanations. It’s written for people who want to understand audio at the deepest, most technical level, but without needing an engineering degree. The Audio Expert explains how audio really works in much more depth than usual, using common sense plain-English explanations and mechanical analogies, with minimal math. It uses an easy to read conversational tone, and includes more than 400 figures and photos to augment the printed text.
However, this book goes beyond merely explaining how audio works. It brings together the concepts of audio, aural perception, musical instrument physics, acoustics, and basic electronics, showing how they’re intimately related. It also describes in great detail many practices and techniques used by recording and mixing engineers, including video production and computers. This book is meant for intermediate to advanced recording engineers and audiophiles who want to become experts. There’s plenty for beginners too.
One unique feature is explaining how audio devices such as equalizers, compressors, and A/D converters work internally, and how they’re spec’d and tested, rather than merely describing how to use them. There’s plenty of myth-busting and consumerism too. The book doesn’t tell readers what brand power amplifier to buy, but it explains in great detail what defines a good amplifier so people can choose a first-rate model wisely without over-paying.
Most explanations throughout the book are platform-agnostic, applying equally to Windows and Mac computers, and to most software and hardware. Many audio and video examples are included to enhance the written text.
The new edition offers many updates and improvements throughout. New content expands the Acoustics and Electronics chapters, and includes sections about SPL meters, coding an equalizer, comparing microphone preamps, testing loudspeaker isolation devices, plus incorporated chapters on MIDI Basics, Computers, and Video Production. There’s also new audio myth-busting, and much more!
Any errors since the book’s printing are noted on the author’s own web page: http://ethanwiner.com/book_errata.htmBook Information Complimentary Exam Copy | <urn:uuid:21c6aab9-ad78-43c2-b323-fc3bbac6e800> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | https://routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/9780415788847/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579250620381.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20200124130719-20200124155719-00343.warc.gz | en | 0.923679 | 463 | 2.5625 | 3 |
“In the 21st century, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge-based economy. To succeed in this new information-based and highly technological society, students need to develop their capabilities in STEM to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past.” (National Science Foundation)
- Career Aisle: Middle School: Have you ever wondered what the future might hold? Explore some of the options available to you in science, technology, engineering and math. Lots of videos.
- Kids.gov Jobs: You found it! Grab all the info you’ll need on every cool career under the sun. Wondering what marine biologists do? Want to watch a video on becoming a veterinarian? You’re in the right place.
- iON Future: Like games? If website browsing isn’t your style, you can always play this free STEM career exploration game. It’s geared toward middle school and early high school students.
- NASA Look to the Future: Careers in Space: You know, you don’t have to be an astronaut to work in the space program. NASA has a list of other professions, including robotics engineer, computer scientist and oceanographer, for you to consider.
All of us at, The C.A.R.E. Foundation love to magnify how STEM affects our kids education and career path. STEM is the future of the technological age in which they live; it’s opening lucrative career options, and is a necessary key to steps in wise career decisions in 2015 and beyond.
U.S. Department of Labor Findings
In 2009, a list the ten most wanted employees was compiled by the U. S. Department of Labor. Eight of those employees were ones with degrees in the STEM fields: accounting, computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, information sciences and systems, computer engineering, civil engineering, and economics and finance.
U. S. Department of Commerce Findings
STEM occupations are growing at 17%, while others are growing at 9.8%. Health care workers with associate degrees to doctors of medicine will average 20% more in lifetime earnings than peers with similar degrees in non-health care. A glance at 2010 starting salaries for engineers with $47,145 for civil engineers to $60,054 for chemical engineers is strong evidence that STEM related jobs can be financially rewarding careers for our kids.
And here it is! According to the U. S. Labor Department, The 10 Fastest Growing Occupations from 2008-2018, and their median wages are:
- Biomedical engineers, $77,400
- Network systems and data communications analysts, $71,100
- Home health aides, $20,460
- Personal and home care aides, $19,180
- Financial examiners, $70,930
- Medical scientists, except epidemiologists, $72,590
- Physician assistants, $81,230
- Skin care specialists, $28,730
- Biochemists and biophysicists, $82,840
- Athletic trainers, $39,640
The C.A.R.E. Foundations Recommendation to YOU About STEM
You’re career opportunities are endless! Just remember, whether you’re a student, counselor, educator, or parent, The C.A.R.E. Foundation can get you get involved! In fact, you’re taking the first step by simply visiting this our site. If you’re a student: push your school to teach STEM classes. To all the Counselors: Let’s unite to promote students to pursue a STEM Career. Educators! Please emphasize teaching students the relevance of STEM in everyday life. And to our parents: influence your kids to do well and keep an eye out for any spark of interest in STEM. Contact C.A.R.E. today to see what programs are available to you in your local area or state!
See you soon! | <urn:uuid:6f6f6d86-bda3-471b-98bf-411c25f6d50c> | CC-MAIN-2018-47 | https://iammotivationblog.wordpress.com/tag/c-a-r-e-foundation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039743046.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20181116132301-20181116154301-00362.warc.gz | en | 0.921801 | 836 | 3.078125 | 3 |
James Joyce was known to have a great voice and exceptional talents as a musician;
within these talents he played the guitar. Also his father had considerable and near-professional skills as a singer, allowing
Joyce to have a superior knowledge of musical matters, most of the time spent with his father was strictly directed towards
music. The rich musical environment in which he grew up also magnified all this exposure to music, and helped even more in
his enrolment with music in all aspects of his life. The existence of music in James Joyce’s life caused a profound
influence of music on the creating of his works. James Joyce introduces his music into his work by his close attention to
his diction. The extensive use of puns and clever language along with an immense sensibility in the way he structures his
work makes his work become alive as music to one’s ear.
The number of books that Joyce wrote in his lifetime, as it is known is less than any
other author, but to his defense they were outstanding books. Each work written by him would push the boundaries he had sent
previously by the way of his stylistic approach. In his works Dubliners and Finnegans Wake there is both
range and continuity. The variety in the book is seen from the local as seen in the story “people of Dublin” to
the universal present in the story “Here Comes Everybody” is accompanied by the evolution in his technique.
The permanence is found in his characters, places, and the problems presenting the stories. As an artist James Joyce, never
changes direction from presenting them in a language that is primarily pleasing, delicately precise. This pattern of range
and continuity is proving of the important role that music plays in the majority of his works. The poems of Chamber Music
are not only thought of as song lyrics, which are only missing the music to go along with, simply reading them is enough for
one to realize what they really are. James Joyce manages to use the sensibility of his diction to obtain a type of song out
of his works. Starting with Dubliners, James Joyce discovers the
importance of music in his writing. In each of his works after, Joyce increases demand for music in his works in order for
the music itself to carry the stories forward, ending in Ulysses, where music has become completely essential to
Finally, the most affected of his works is Finnegans Wake. In this story even
the name is taken from the title of a very known ballad. Also the book is filled with thousands of musical allusions that
are woven into the story of the novel. Works like Chamber Music, could be considered as a kind of music more than
a piece of writing. Most of his works seem to be done more to be performed than read.
The words in his works would be more appreciated if they were recited aloud and therefore bring to life the words in
the pages. There is no better way to explain James Joyce’s writing than following his advice. "It is all so simple.
If anyone doesn't understand a passage, all he need do is read it aloud." His words are a perfect example of James Joyce’s
purpose in writing. He wrote to inform, and to amuse, not simply to keep scholars busy. | <urn:uuid:63356eeb-4d40-4988-8e21-c5b2a8650b55> | CC-MAIN-2017-26 | http://dianemoles0.tripod.com/id11.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128319575.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20170622135404-20170622155404-00144.warc.gz | en | 0.990541 | 690 | 3.46875 | 3 |
Children grow and develop at their own pace, and if they’re a little behind their peer group, it is usually nothing to worry about. However, severe, ongoing, or multiple developmental delays can be a sign of underlying issues and potential problems in the future. At Newport Children’s Medical Group, in Newport Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, and Laguna Beach, California, the team of pediatricians diagnose developmental delays and provide treatment and support to help your child thrive. Call Newport Children’s Medical Group today for expert pediatric health care.
Developmental Delay Q & A
What is a developmental delay?
As your child grows up, there are milestones that they’re expected to meet within certain age ranges. The age ranges for developmental milestones in language, thinking, and motor skills represent the average, and there are always children that develop skills more slowly or rapidly than their peers.
A developmental delay occurs when your child doesn’t develop the skills they need, and it impacts their day-to-day functioning.
What are the signs of a developmental delay?
The different types of developmental delays cause a variety of symptoms. For example, if your child has a motor skill developmental delay, they might have symptoms, such as:
- Limbs might be floppy or stiff
- Limited movement in arms and legs
- Inability to sit independently by around nine months
- Involuntary reflexes or movements
- Inability to put weight on legs or stand by approximately 12 months
Children also learn to speak at different rates and can develop speech or language delays. Speech delays occur when a child isn’t using as many words as expected by certain ages — for example, most children start to use words between 12-15 months and use brief sentences around the age of three.
Language delays develop when children don’t understand what other people say to them or can’t express themselves. This could include speaking, gesturing, signing, or writing.
You know your child best, and if you’re concerned about their development, make an appointment to talk to a pediatrician at Newport Children’s Medical Group.
How are developmental delays diagnosed?
The team at Newport Children’s Medical Group provides comprehensive development screening. Your pediatrician looks for specific signs of development at your child’s checkups.
If they’re concerned about your child’s progress or if you raise concerns, they schedule additional testing like the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) to evaluate several aspects of your child’s development.
How are developmental delays treated?
Your pediatrician provides customized treatment plans to help your child thrive, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Depending on your child’s needs, they might recommend:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
Your doctor can also collaborate with your child’s teachers and other educators to create an individualized education program (IEP) to ensure your child has the support they need to achieve their potential at school.
Call Newport Children’s Medical Group today if you’re concerned about your child’s developmental progress. | <urn:uuid:52195149-8476-446b-b628-71eeeb53fc40> | CC-MAIN-2021-17 | https://www.newportchildren.com/conditions/developmental-delay/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-17/segments/1618038064520.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20210411144457-20210411174457-00135.warc.gz | en | 0.939574 | 655 | 3.078125 | 3 |
What if I told you that the phrase “gut feeling” was less of a metaphor and more of a literal experience? What if I told you that what you eat, how well you absorb and synthesize it, and the effect it has on your gut lining could actually alter your moods and behaviors? Would you think twice before you ate that chili cheese dog that gives you heartburn every single time you eat it? Or that milkshake that leaves you bloated and farting for 3 days?
Last week we talked about our gut as “gate keeper,” and how chronic inflammation begets chronic disease. This week, we’re covering gut health and mood. More specifically, how a healthy gut creates a healthy mood. (When I say mood, I mean a mood state, not necessarily a fleeting emotion. Negative mood states present as mood disorders such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Positive mood states present as relaxation, resilience, happiness, and balance.) There’s a pretty remarkable feedback loop between the gut and the brain — the gut-brain axis — and it starts with the enteric nervous system.
Your Other Brain
Have you ever heard the term “gut brain?” More generally, did you know that our nervous system is comprised of multiple systems that reach far beyond the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord)? Indeed, the nervous system is split into two major components: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system then splits into the autonomic and somatic systems, and part of the autonomic system is what we’ll be talking about today: the enteric nervous system.
Embedded in the lining of our gut, the enteric nervous system plays a crucial role in our health and wellbeing, including our emotional health. It has an estimated 100 million neurons — more neurons than our spinal cord — along with its own neurotransmitters and proteins that have the ability to communicate, learn and even remember. It’s entirely autonomous from the central nervous system, governing about 90% of the messages that operate the gut, but the two systems communicate to ensure that our bodies function properly. Because of this unique independence from the brain in our skulls, the enteric nervous system in our bowels is often called our “second brain.”
Now that I’ve given you an Anatomy and Physiology speed round, what does it all mean?
It means your gut does a lot more than extract nutrients from your food and poop out the waste. It has a direct line to the brain, and it’s constantly communicating with it. If your gut is inflamed and leaky, chances are your brain is also inflamed and leaky. You’ve probably heard the term blood-brain barrier; it’s the shield that prevents substances in the blood from flowing freely into the brain, including medications, allergens, antigens, and other inflammatory agents such as excess cortisol or insulin. In short, it’s the brain’s “gate keeper.” Does that sound familiar? We have a blood-gut barrier too, and last week we talked about what happens when that barrier is compromised. Well guess what else is compromised when our gut wall is compromised: our brain wall.
inflamed gut = overactive immune system = inflamed brain = depression
leaky gut = leaky brain
How do I know if I have Leaky Brain??
I mentioned very briefly at the end of last week’s post that mood disorders are a sure-fire sign of a leaky gut/brain. In fact I said, “Find me a person with anxiety and no digestive problems, and I’ll find you a fire-breathing dragon with tiny purple wings at your local pet store.” (That might be the first time in history that I quoted myself.) Here’s a short list of indicators that you could have a leaky gut/brain:
- foggy headed-ness
- poor concentration
- poor short-term memory
- irritability (short fuse)
- hyperactivity (possibly ADHD)
In my first eBook, I shared with you that when I eliminated gluten from my diet, I noticed that I felt more clear-headed and less drowsy and foggy. I noticed not only that redness in my acne-prone skin was reduced, but also that my skin was less sensitive in general. I noticed that I had been waking up every morning with a stuffy nose thinking that was normal.
No, it’s not normal. I had a gluten sensitivity, and it was causing a leaky gut, an overactive immune response, and a leaky brain. When I eliminated gluten and healed my gut with bone broth, all of those symptoms I just mentioned dissipated.
Eating foods that inflame your gut will inflame your brain. A chronic assault on the brain by inflammatory cytokines can eventually cause neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease. If you know that you’re allergic to certain foods, and you continue to eat them, you are guaranteeing a disturbance in your brain, whether it’s as mild as poor performance or as serious as a clinical mood disorder or Parkinson’s.
The Pharmacy in Your Gut
There are equal amounts of dopamine in the brain and in the gut. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that signals reward, motivation, love, and lust, but it’s also responsible for fear, apathy, psychosis, addiction, and ADHD. It’s a powerful chemical that needs to be maintained at proper levels in the body in order to keep that second list of characteristics at bay.
Dopamine also plays a role in our level of satiety and sense of reward when we eat, but we’ll talk about that when we cover weight gain in another part of this series.
95% of the serotonin running through our bodies at any given moment is found and made in the gut, and from there, the brain takes over and converts some of that serotonin into melatonin — the hormone that helps us fall asleep and stay asleep. The food we eat supplies our bodies with the fuel (in the form of tryptophan) to create serotonin. When we eat tryptophan-rich food, the small intestine converts it into 5-HTP, which is then converted to serotonin. Problems arise for our mood if one of those two steps is faulty due to … say it with me! … inflammation. If the small intestine is inflamed and the gut is leaky, we cannot properly convert tryptophan into 5-HTP, which means we don’t make enough serotonin.
Not only is serotonin important for our moods, it’s also important for proper gut motility. If you’ve ever taken an SSRI for anxiety or depression, then you might have experienced some of the digestive disturbances that come along with it.
This one is actually made in the brain, but its synthesis is entirely dependent on serotonin, most of which is found in the gut. If your brain can’t make melatonin, you won’t get good quality sleep. Poor sleep means that our bodies aren’t able to adequately clear inflammation and damaged tissue as we move through the stages of sleep, which means we wake up in the morning just as inflamed as when we went to bed. And the cycle continues.
Low levels of melatonin are also associated with increased risk of cancer — another chronic disease rooted in inflammation.
How to Make Changes Today
Last week we talked about the role of bacteria in keeping the gut lining intact, and this week we covered mood disorders and neurological issues that could result from leaky gut and leaky brain. Addressing gut health will eventually become part of a medical treatment plan for patients with mood disorders, but in the meantime, here are some things you can do:
Lock the gate!
Eliminating processed (inflammatory) foods, drinking bone broth, and feeding the good bacteria is a good place to start. Adding more live cultured foods to your diet, like sauerkraut, kefir, kim chee or the wild pickle recipe I shared on Friday, will help keep those good bugs happy and ensure they stick around and reproduce. Not only are healthy gut bacteria crucial in maintaining the gut lining, they are also crucial in making B-Complex. Deficiencies in B vitamins have been linked to depression, low energy, and decreased cognition.
Get to bed.
Creating a consistent sleep schedule that follows our circadian rhythm (even on weekends!) will help us get back on track. Doing this not only affects our mood but also the type of bacteria living in the gut, which help perpetuate the good work we’re doing to keep our gut linings sealed.
Studies show that using a morning light box treatment (mimicking the sunrise) is as effective as antidepressants on alleviating depression. Talk to your doctor before starting a light box treatment, as there are some potential side effects that need to be discussed professionally.
No, I don’t mean you should spend more time watching your family pass out on the couch in a food coma; it’s all about that turkey and stuffing (or sweet potatoes, as it were)!Eating foods rich in tryptophan is another way to ensure that you have adequate supplies to make serotonin. But the trick is to make sure you follow it up with a small portion of carbohydrates, which help deliver the goods to the right place for conversion. Of course, at Thanksgiving, we don’t eat anything in moderation, so do with that what you will…
Here’s a quick list of foods rich in tryptophan:
- Egg whites (greatest source)
- Soy nuts
- Cottage cheese
- Chicken livers
- Turkey (the most famous source due to our relaxed state after Thanksgiving dinner)
Hit the Pavement
Research is demonstrating a direct connection between exercise and the growth of good bacteria in the gut. By now, I don’t need to repeat why good bacteria help prevent leaky gut/brain and inflammation.
The endorphins released in exercise also act as a pain reliever and can provide a sense of euphoria for the exerciser — you’ve heard the term “runner’s high.” Not to mention, it just feels good to move, which can increase our self-esteem.
Regular exercise has been proven to:
- Reduce stress
- Ward off anxiety and feelings of depression
- Boost self-esteem
- Improve sleep (from WebMD)
On Friday I’ll be sharing a delicious, grain-free breakfast recipe rich in tryptophan. In the meantime, have a look at my 2-part series on sleep to find out how you can get your sleep on track to help keep your gut health in order and heal a leaky brain.
In case you missed the first installment of Why Gut Health Matters, check it out here.
Sources for this segment of this series include a 6-credit continuing education seminar presented by Merrily Kuhn, RN, CCRN (r), PhD, ND, PhD and the Institute of Brain Potential (bibliography and references can be viewed here), and information from the following articles, journals, and experts:
Chris Kresser: http://chriskresser.com/
Dr. Sara Gottfried: http://www.saragottfriedmd.com/ | <urn:uuid:bbea26c9-be62-4d4c-a606-4f69650d5905> | CC-MAIN-2019-26 | http://cultivatedwellbeing.com/gut-health-and-mood/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999814.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625072148-20190625094148-00461.warc.gz | en | 0.942312 | 2,407 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Athens, Ga. - A technology developed on the University of Georgia campus in Tifton that helps farmers improve yields and conserve water just got easier for farmers to use, says a UGA irrigation specialist.
Crops need water from rain or irrigation to grow properly. In Georgia the center pivot is commonly used for irrigation. The system of nozzles and pipes moves over fields in a 360-degree pattern. In southwest Georgia, the hub of irrigation use in the state, more than 6,000 center pivots are used to water crops such as peanuts, cotton and corn.
But farmers don't have much control over how much water the irrigation nozzles spray as they pass over fields. Even small fields can vary widely in topography and soil types, with some places wetter or drier than other places in the same field.
Variable-rate irrigation takes all of this into consideration, says Calvin Perry, an agricultural engineer with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences who helped develop VRI. Researchers with the UGA National Environmentally Sound Production Agriculture Laboratory in Tifton introduced VRI to farmers in 2001. It became commercially available in 2004.
The concept is simple: Apply water when and where crops need it. Don't apply it where they don't. VRI technology uses computer maps, global positioning systems, soil sensors and software to control where and how much water the nozzles on a center pivot spray on crops.
This year, UGA worked with the VRI vendor to make the system easier for farmers to use. Instead of having to create computer maps of fields, the new VRI has a simple push-button feature. A farmer can start the center pivot over a field. When it gets to a location he doesn't want to apply water, such as a wooded or wet area or a pond, the farmer pushes a button to train the system not to water that area. Once the system passes this area, he pushes the button again to resume watering only the crop. This can be done in as many as eight locations in the same field.
"A lot of growers want to irrigate more precisely but don't have the time or comfort level with higher-tech gadgets," Perry said. "We thought it'd be good to back up and simplify it a bit, eliminating some of the more time-consuming technology steps."
UGA scientists have tested the water efficiency of VRI on farms in Georgia. It can reduce the water use in a field by as much as 15 percent annually without sacrificing crop yield.
The VRI equipment is expensive-about $5,000 for a modular, limited system and up to $30,000 for a large, full system, Perry said.
A partnership with The Nature Conservancy, UGA and the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District is working to bring down the cost for Flint River farmers in southwest Georgia by supplementing their contributions with a variety of grants and federal funding sources, including the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The hope is that future economies of scale will put the VRI system within reach of other farmers, Perry said. | <urn:uuid:0385da31-4b42-4c4e-a334-6894bba620f7> | CC-MAIN-2015-27 | http://news.uga.edu/releases/article/uga-streamlines-high-tech-irrigation-system/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-27/segments/1435375096301.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20150627031816-00149-ip-10-179-60-89.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947441 | 638 | 3.234375 | 3 |
The Investigations of Tool Wear and Wear Mechanism with Water Vapor as Coolants and Lubricants in Green Cutting
In machining, coolants and lubricants improve machinability, increase productivity by reducing the tool wear and extend the tool life. However, the use of cutting fluid in metal working may seriously degrade the quality of environment. Green cutting is becoming increasingly more popular due to concern regarding the safety of the environment and operator health. The experimental investigations were carried out with cemented carbide tool in turning ANSI 304 stainless steel and applications of water vapor, CO2, O2 as coolants and lubricants. The application of water vapor as coolants and lubricants allowed extending tool life. The catalysis chemical reaction have been generated between water molecules (H2O), oxygen atoms (O) of water vapor and fresh metal surface of tool-chip contact region, and multi-dimension metal oxidations which has been formed in tool-chip contact zone weakened mutual action between tool bulk material and chip.
Kai Cheng, Yingxue Yao and Liang Zhou
J. Y. Liu et al., "The Investigations of Tool Wear and Wear Mechanism with Water Vapor as Coolants and Lubricants in Green Cutting", Applied Mechanics and Materials, Vols. 10-12, pp. 913-917, 2008 | <urn:uuid:5aa533f9-7451-4b6f-8db6-5b9ea7cb523c> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | https://www.scientific.net/AMM.10-12.913 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583514497.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20181022025852-20181022051352-00127.warc.gz | en | 0.912946 | 269 | 2.65625 | 3 |
The other day I was reading an article in the Financial Times on how a supplier strike resulted in Toyota shutting down one of its production sites.
The article stated that Toyota closed the Tianjin factory after a strike at supplier Toyoda Gosei disrupted production as a result of walkouts by employees discontent about pay.
This article just reminded me that supply chain risks still pose a threat to business operations and ultimately shareholder value.
Because of globalization, retailers and manufacturers now have access to cheaper materials, components, sub-components and other products from low-cost countries.
However, this global sourcing poses risks to the business.
For example, a major disruption in the supply chain can shut down a company, and have dire consequences on profitability.
Natural disasters in one geographical area, fire and theft, poor communication of customer requirements, parts shortages and quality problems can also be costly and affect distribution and production.
In managing their supply chains, managers need to look at the supply chain as a whole and ensure there is close collaboration between the various organizations within the supply chain.
Collaborating with other supply chain partners adds value to the supply chain, improves customer satisfaction and also reduces waste and inefficiency.
As long as organizations continue to outsource their manufacturing to low-cost destinations such as India, China, Japan or the Eastern Europe, supply chain risks will not cease to exist.
In this environment, managers can reduce the impact of supply chain disruptions on their production activities and business profits through:
Installing improved visibility systems that keep track of all the events within the supply chain. Through such systems, managers are able to quickly identify where disruptions are likely to occur thereby allowing them to plan ahead.
Information resources throughout the supply chain need to be linked together, for speed of information exchange and to reduce wasteful paper work. This can be achieved through linking computer networks or sharing information via the internet.
Developing improved strategic relationships with suppliers to eliminate disruptions in the future. One way of fostering such relationships is via codependency, power balancing, personal ties or target costing which involves rewarding suppliers when targets are reached.
Having a contingency plan to reduce impact of supply chain disruptions. Once an area of disruption within the supply chain is identified, there should already be in place disruption recovery measures. For example, if one supplier goes down, “Are you in a position to source the materials or sub-components from another supplier?”
Using more than one supplier. As the old saying goes, “Two are better than one”. By using more than one supplier, you’re cushioning yourself from the dire consequences of depending on one supplier in the event that they go under.
There should be alternative sources of parts. However, in choosing external suppliers, management need to consider the capabilities of the supplier, and the extent to which a close collaboration will be necessary. Also there is need to consider the location of that supplier for cost and tax issues.
Establishing a greater understanding of external factors affecting the supply chain through conducting a detailed analysis of past supply chain disruptions and identifying the causes.
This will help surface weaknesses in current supply chain design, or product sourcing decisions that increase supply chain risk exposure.
Having improved knowledge of where risks lie within the supply chain and how to respond is key to effective and efficient supply chain management. | <urn:uuid:98c0c15d-7217-4df4-bf88-9a729c64da6a> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://erpminsights.com/managing-supply-chain-risks/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662510138.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220516140911-20220516170911-00497.warc.gz | en | 0.941235 | 682 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Science and technology are embedded in virtually every aspect of modern life. As a result, people face an increasing need to integrate information from science with their personal values and other considerations as they make important life decisions about medical care, the safety of foods, what to do about climate change, and many other issues. Communicating science effectively, however, is a complex task and an acquired skill. Moreover, the approaches to communicating science that will be most effective for specific audiences and circumstances are not obvious. Fortunately, there is an expanding science base from diverse disciplines that can support science communicators in making these determinations.
Communicating Science Effectively offers a research agenda for science communicators and researchers seeking to apply this research and fill gaps in knowledge about how to communicate effectively about science, focusing in particular on issues that are contentious in the public sphere. To inform this research agenda, this publication identifies important influences – psychological, economic, political, social, cultural, and media-related – on how science related to such issues is understood, perceived, and used.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. Communicating Science Effectively: A Research Agenda. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/23674.
|1 Using Science to Improve Science Communication||11-22|
|2 The Complexities of Communicating Science||23-50|
|3 The Nature of Science-Related Public Controversies||51-66|
|4 Communicating Science in a Complex, Competitive Communication Environment||67-80|
|5 Building the Knowledge Base for Effective Science Communication||81-100|
|Appendix A: Agendas of Public Meetings||125-130|
|Appendix B: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff||131-138|
The Chapter Skim search tool presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter. You may select key terms to highlight them within pages of each chapter.
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To request permission to translate a book published by the National Academies Press or its imprint, the Joseph Henry Press, pleaseclick here to view more information. | <urn:uuid:bd2cd593-d3cd-4c31-be4a-08702911492d> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/23674/communicating-science-effectively-a-research-agenda | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030337490.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20221004085909-20221004115909-00798.warc.gz | en | 0.855583 | 751 | 3.03125 | 3 |
NZFSA set up a caecal sampling programme under the Campylobacter in Poultry Risk Management Strategy 2006-2009 to provide an initial baseline survey of the prevalence of Campylobacter in all New Zealand broiler flocks at each cut. The programme also was expected to provide information to assist with 1) risk management decisions and 2) the NZ risk model for Campylobacter in broiler chicken. Sampling has been occurring for two years.
Final Report on a Contract Research Project Conducted by Massey University for NZ Food Safety Authority - March 2011
This report is part of a project investigating on-farm risk factors for Campylobacter contamination of poultry flocks in New Zealand. It is intended to contribute to the identification of such factors that offer opportunities for risk management. The preparation of this report will be followed by farm visits during early 2007.
This report describes the results from a survey of broiler farms in New Zealand intended to capture detailed information relevant to biosecurity practices. A total of 60 of the approximately 160 broiler farms in New Zealand were visited.
A survey of finished animal feed to determine the prevalence of several important zoonotic foodborne pathogens.
NZFSA commissioned a science project by ESR to indicate whether overall garments worn by farmers entering sheds housing Campylobacter positive broiler chicken flocks could be
contaminated with the pathogen. A further aspect of the study was to determine if debris shaken loose from overalls could transfer infection to other sheds.
The Science Group of NZFSA commissioned ESR to investigate on-farm factors in New
Zealand that potentially affect the infection of broilers with Campylobacter. The resulting
report contained an international literature review as well as an overview of broiler farming in
Campylobacteriosis is the most frequently reported bacterial foodborne illness in New Zealand and a major route of infection with Campylobacter spp. is contaminated food consumption. A recent attribution study conducted in the Manawatu district of New Zealand has identified poultry meat as a primary exposure pathway of campylobacteriosis (Mullner et al., 2009).
The poultry industry and supermarkets in New Zealand have recently introduced leak-proof packaging for retail sale of whole birds and a proportion of packs of portions. This is intended to eliminate the risk of leaking drip fluid from these products contaminating the retail environment, and provided the products are properly handled by consumers, provides the potential for preventing cross contamination in the home. This study had the aim of providing basic data on the amount of drip retained within this type of packaging, and the numbers of Campylobacter spp. in the liquid.
- Scientific interpretive summary - Chlorine and poultry [DOCX, 14 KB]
Chlorine has a long history of use for the microbial disinfection of potable waters and use in
water for food processing. However, in addition to its biocidal activity, chlorine is known to
form disinfection by-products (DBPs) of public health concern during the chlorination
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has a current regulatory Campylobacter testing programme within the National Microbiological Database (NMD) for poultry (currently defined as broiler chicken) which provides information for MPI and the poultry industry. In particular, the Campylobacter testing programme:
Prepared for New Zealand Food Safety Authority under project mfsc/08/03/06 “Longitudinal mapping of Campylobacter on poultry carcasses” as part of overall contract for scientific services by Dr Susan Paulin Institute of Environmental Science & Research Limited. January 2011
Since April 2007, a testing programme has been in place at New Zealand poultry primary
processing plants to determine the Campylobacter spp. status of birds entering primary
processing, and carcasses at the end of processing. The end of processing testing includes
rinsing of carcasses taken after the immersion chiller, plating of a rinse subsample, and
counting of Campylobacter colonies, if present.
The aim of this work was to determine how the numbers of Campylobacter, quantified by the NMD sampling procedure, related to actual bacterial counts present on the carcass of birds obtained from four New Zealand poultry processors. Birds were collected at positions on the production line that were likely to optimise the chances of obtaining quantifiable numbers of Campylobacter from rinsates and macerated and/or homogenised skin samples.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) now incorporates the New Zealand Food
Safety Authority (NZFSA). MAF invites public comment on this discussion document which
outlines proposals to amend the Animal Products (National Microbiological Database
Specifications) Notice 2011 including parts of Schedule 1.
This study was conducted in order to quantify the distribution of Campylobacter on various sites of the poultry carcass, and to determine whether any differences existed in the relative distribution of Campylobacter on chicken between two New Zealand poultry processors (defined as Processor A and Processor B).
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has a current E.coli and Campylobacter testing
programme for meat chickens which provides information to:
• Verify the effectiveness of the industry’s control measures for these organisms during
slaughter and dressing,
• Enable MPI to explore whether these control measures impact on human food-borne
illness rates, and
• Identify and review risk management options under MPI’s relevant pathogen
Describes the risk of foodborne illness in New Zealand associated with Campylobacter Jejuni/Coli in Poultry (Whole and Pieces)
This risk profile concerns Campylobacter in offal (liver and kidney). In New Zealand, the prevalence of Campylobacter in offal in general is high. External contamination of poultry livers in one study was 100%, while internal contamination was 90%. Sheep liver has a contamination prevalence of approximately 38.9% to 66.9%. Bovine and porcine offals appear to be less commonly contaminated (<10%).
In recent times New Zealand has experienced high human campylobacteriosis notification rates. A Campylobacter Risk Management Strategy was put in place in 2006 to reduce this high disease burden.
Since April 2007, a testing programme has been in place at New Zealand’s poultry primary processing plants to determine the Campylobacter spp. status of carcasses at the end of processing. This testing includes rinsing of carcasses taken after the immersion chiller, plating of a rinse subsample, and counting of Campylobacter colonies, if present.
This survey was undertaken to improve NZFSA’s understanding of the effectiveness of rinsates to remove Campylobacter from poultry carcasses. The rinsate method described in the National Microbiological Database (NMD) was of particular interest.
Literature review of evidence around the aetiology of human campylobacteriosis in New Zealand, including evidence around foodbourne transmission.
The Acute Gastrointestinal Illness (AGI) Study is a set of three linked surveys, with the
• To determine the magnitude and distribution of self reported AGI in the New Zealand
• To estimate the burden of disease associated with AGI;
• To describe and estimate the magnitude of under-ascertainment of AGI at each stage
in the national communicable disease surveillance process; and,
• To identify modifiable factors affecting under-ascertainment that, if altered, could
reduce case loss throughout the AGI component of the surveillance system.
This report describes the work conducted by ESR on the project “Campylobacter in food and the environment: Examining the link with public health”. The project, which began in July 2007, is a collaboration between ESR and scientists at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Ministry for the Environment (MfE), the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Science (NIWA) and Massey University. It is funded through the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST) under the Cross Departmental Research Pool (CDRP) portfolio.
One hundred and seventy-five samples of diced or minced retail chicken meat were tested
for the prevalence and concentration of Campylobacter spp. to measure the impact of
introducing the mandatory Campylobacter performance target (CPT) to primary broiler
chicken processing on Campylobacter spp. levels in retail uncooked chicken meats. Samples were obtained from retail outlets in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin using the protocol of the 2003–2004 survey. Data generated on the prevalence and concentration of Campylobacter spp. in the chicken meat samples were compared with those from the survey conducted in 2003–2004.
There is variability in the methods used by clinical laboratories in New Zealand to isolate and
identify the pathogens (Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp.,
Yersinia enterocolitica or Y. pseudotuberculosis, and verocytotoxigenic E. coli
(VTEC)/shigatoxin-producing E. coli (STEC)) being investigated in this study, but the
methods do not appear to have changed significantly over the last five years.
A significant proportion of foodborne illness is thought to be caused by unsafe food handling practices in the home. Data on the food handling practices of New Zealanders is limited. This project was initiated to provide more, and better targeted information on domestic handling of meat and poultry in New Zealand. The information is needed to support risk assessment by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority, particularly the development of quantitative risk models to assess potential interventions.
Campylobacteriosis is the most frequently reported gastrointestinal illness in New Zealand, with greater than 50% of cases being attributed to consumption of chicken (Eberhart-Phillips et al., 1997). A recent commentary by Baker and colleagues (2006) on the rates of Campylobacter infection in New Zealand has suggested that all fresh poultry should be temporarily withdrawn from the food supply and replaced with frozen or processed alternatives.
The main objective of this work was to identify means that could be employed to minimise
risk and reduce the burden of campylobacteriosis in the New Zealand population by reducing the numbers of Campylobacter on fresh poultry meat. An assessment was to be made of the effectiveness of temperature controls by freezing or chilling in the reduction of
Campylobacter numbers achieved under standard industry practice, and under potential new chilling regimes.
Recent NZFSA-funded studies showed a strong correlation between Campylobacter jejuni
populations isolated from fresh broiler chickens and those isolated from human clinical
cases in New Zealand. This work was conducted between March 2005 and Feb 2008 in the Manawatu, Christchurch and Auckland, and supported previous studies indicating that broiler chickens were the primary food source responsible for human campylobacteriosis in this country. This led to the national control policy targeting broiler poultry in New Zealand.
Source attribution of human campylobacteriosis in a sentinel area (Manawatu).
The NZFSA Science Group contracted ESR to conduct experiments on the effect of freezing,
storage and thawing on survivability of Campylobacter jejuni under simulated domestic and
commercial conditions. The experiments used skin-on product as the scientific literature has
indicated that the impact of freezing, storage and thawing on Campylobacter on skin-off
product is likely to be less.
Report of a microbiological survey of foodborne pathogens in pre-packaged (bagged) fresh-cut ready-to-eat leafy salads.
Report on the microbiological quality of hydroponically grown vegetables from throughout New Zealand.
This project was initiated to quantify the reduction of two Campylobacter jejuni strains,
STu48 and ST474, following commercial freezing (-30°C), commercial frozen storage (-
21°C) for two weeks and domestic storage (-18°C) for a further eight weeks. Significant but
variable reductions in C. jejuni numbers were observed over time for both strains, with
reductions most rapid during the 14 days of commercial frozen storage.
Domestic food practices in New Zealand:
Quantifying the reduction of Campylobacter Jejuni on skin-on chicken breasts frozen and stored for up to 10 weeks at -12°C
A report to determine what scientific evidence was available to support sous vide cooking of meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
An examination of the suitability of various source attribtion models, taking account of temporal variation, of campylobacteriosis.
Results of multilocus sequence typing and source attribution modelling of campylobacterisolates in the Manawatu culture bank 2009–10.
The molecular epidemiology of human campylobacteriosis was studied in the Manawatu (Quantifying the proportion of human campylobacteriosis attributable to consumption of poultry meat in New Zealand: a Manawatu case study).
This report provides an update of the relative contribution of different reservoirs to the burden of human campylobacteriosis in the Manawatu sentinel site. It summarises the results of multilocus sequence typing of isolates stored in the culture bank of Campylobacter jejuni samples from poultry and humans in the Manawatu sentinel site, and the epidemiological data linked to the human cases.
This report proportionally attributes human cases of campylobacteriosis to reservoir sources in the Manawatu over the period January to December 2015. Modelling attributed ~50% (45–70%) of the human cases to poultry and 37% (25–50%) to ruminants, predominantly cattle. Urban cases are more associated with poultry strains and rural with ruminant. These proportions refer only to the animal reservoirs associated with strains and do not examine the pathway of exposure to Campylobacter, e.g. direct animal contact, meat from the reservoir animal, other foods, drinking or recreational, water, etc. While the predominant poultry strain (accounting for 31% of isolates) was the antimicrobial-resistant sequence type ST-6964, it was detected from only four human cases and still does not appear to present additional risks to public health.
This report provides an overview of campylobacteriosis in New Zealand and describes some of the work undertaken to inform decision making.
This organism causes the most commonly reported gastrointestinal disease in New Zealand. The two species Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli are most often associated with disease. It grows best in reduced oxygen atmospheres and only at temperatures
exceeding room temperature.
NZFSA’s Campylobacter risk Management Strategy is progressing well, with only a few areas threatening to affect the timetable. This update covers the work that is being done on possible effective interventions at all steps along the farm-to-fork food chain. NZFSA’s approach is in line with that being taken internationally to address the problem of the presence of Campylobacter in poultry, and aims to produce the greatest reductions in bacteria numbers as early as possible in the food chain (that is, as close to the farm as is practical and effective), as well as make further reductions at as many other points as are also practical and effective.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), is the government organisation responsible for
New Zealand’s Food Safety System. The New Zealand Food Safety System extends from
‘farm to fork’, allowing consumers in New Zealand and around the world to buy and consume our products with confidence that they are safe and suitable.
The Campylobacter Risk Management Strategy 2017-2020 sets out MPI’s goal, approach and objectives.
This report describes the development of a quantitative risk model to investigate Campylobacter spp. contamination in the processing and consumption stages of the New Zealand poultry food chain. It covers work during the period 2003-2006.
Evaluation of viable but not culturable (VNC) state of various foodborne pathogens.
Evidence from disease notifications, case investigations, outbreak investigations and epidemiological studies of human enteric diseases is increasingly used as a source of data for risk assessments and source attribution. However, its application is often restricted by the strength of the evidence presented and its interpretation. Geographical variations in disease incidence have long been described in New Zealand but their aetiologies have not been identified. A range of reports have described variation in the present system of public health investigation and the management of identified cases of human enteric diseases.
For regulators to make the best use of food safety resources, they need to identify, assess and compare the risks posed by various contaminant/food combinations and prioritise opportunities for reducing risks through targeted food control initiatives. Reliable estimates of both the incidence of foodborne illness and its financial impact are essential for informing policy decisions in food safety. The previous (2005) New Zealand estimates of the cost of foodborne disease had a number of uncertainties and data limitations.
A scientific project was commissioned to determine whether New Zealand strains of foodborne pathogens can enter the VNC state.
Report prepared for NZ Food Safety authority, November 2010, concerning the economic cost of campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, norovirus, yersiniosis, STEC, listeriosis
This risk profile was commissioned to address the following risk management questions:
• What are the potential public health and food safety risks associated with the
emergence of Campylobacter ST 6964 in New Zealand?
• What are the significant data gaps which, if filled, would allow a more comprehensive
assessment of public health risks attributable to the emergence of Campylobacter ST
6964 and its associated antimicrobial resistance in New Zealand?
A report summarising transmission routes for campylobacteriosis in New Zealand (food and environmental). | <urn:uuid:22b9c83b-c577-44b8-b21e-4bb4b1823722> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-safety/food-safety-and-suitability-research/managing-the-risk-of-campylobacter/campylobacter-research-reports?start=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579251690095.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20200126165718-20200126195718-00004.warc.gz | en | 0.92086 | 3,766 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Satellites today are launched via booster rocket from a limited number of ground facilities, which can involve a month or longer of preparation for a small payload and significant cost for each mission. Launch costs are driven in part today by fixed site infrastructure, integration, checkout and flight rules. Fixed launch sites can be rendered idle by something as innocuous as rain, and they also limit the direction and timing of orbits satellites can achieve.
The goal of DARPA’s Airborne Launch Assist Space Access (ALASA) program is to develop a significantly less expensive approach for routinely launching small satellites, with a goal of at least threefold reduction in costs compared to current military and U.S. commercial launch costs. Currently, small satellite payloads cost more than $30,000 per pound to launch, and must share a launcher with other satellites. ALASA seeks to propel 100-pound satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) within 24 hours of call-up, all for less than $1 million per launch.
ALASA continues to make progress toward its goals. The program had a successful Phase 1, which resulted in three viable system designs. In March 2014, DARPA selected the Boeing Company as the prime contractor for Phase 2. The ALASA Phase 2 design envisioned launching a low-cost, expendable launch vehicle from conventional aircraft. Serving as a reusable first stage, the plane would fly to high altitude and release the launch vehicle, which would carry the payload to the desired location.
The design of the ALASA Phase 2 launch vehicle technology demonstrator incorporated commercial-grade avionics, advanced composite structures and a novel propulsion system that seeks to develop a new monopropellant that combines nitrous oxide (N2O) and acetylene without the need for a separate oxidizer such as liquid oxygen. If successful, such a system would provide greater performance and reliability in a much smaller and more affordable package than traditional bipropellant rocket systems.
The ALASA program has established and demonstrated procedures to mix, store, transfer and use a significant amount of the monopropellant. The N2O-acetylene mix, called NA7, is extremely energetic, however, and the challenges of working with it as a practical rocket propellant have yet to be surmounted.
As of November 2015, DARPA had conducted four subscale static tests of the propulsion system on test stands. These tests were anomalous and pointed to the need for additional tests as part of refining the engine design and assessing the viability of the mix for use as a safe monopropellant.
DARPA believes that understanding how to use NA7 monopropellant safely could open up groundbreaking capabilities across diverse space- and non-space-related fields. To accelerate progress towards this goal, DARPA in November 2015 ceased development of the ALASA launch vehicle technology demonstrator and is focusing on monopropellant safety testing and certification.
Moreover, recognizing that the commercial sector has made significant strides in low-cost, flexible access to space in the past few years, DARPA is reassessing the emerging capabilities of commercial small-satellite launch providers. The Agency will consider opportunities to partner with providers seeking appropriate payloads for rapid, affordable access to space.
DARPA also intends to:
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After reading this message, click to continue | <urn:uuid:d93064e4-9234-4062-955e-08f2d4d70f27> | CC-MAIN-2017-17 | http://www.darpa.mil/program/airborne-launch-assist-space-access | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-17/segments/1492917121216.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20170423031201-00439-ip-10-145-167-34.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949794 | 795 | 3.21875 | 3 |
A Salk Institute study suggests new approach for treating Type 2 diabetes. A paper published in the publication Cell, reported researchers from the institute showed that a potential new approach for treating diabetes involved protecting beta cells in order to combat the condition. Beta cells are in the pancreas that produce, store and release the hormone insulin. The investigators accomplished their goal by using vitamin D which proved beneficial in treating damaged beta cells and provided new insights about gene regulation that could be applied to developing treatments for other diseases.
News items and features like this appear in the Desang Diabetes Magazine, our free-to-receive digital journal (see below). We cover diabetes news, diabetes management equipment (diabetes ‘kit’ such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring equipment) and news about food suitable for a diabetic diet including a regular Making Carbs Count column. We just need your email address to subscribe you (it’s free, and you can easily unsubscribe should you wish to). | <urn:uuid:4b2d452b-bcba-4372-9a71-6673170c9de9> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://www.desang.net/2018/08/vitamin-d-type-2-diabetes-link/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224645089.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20230530032334-20230530062334-00007.warc.gz | en | 0.928018 | 199 | 2.96875 | 3 |
British tabloid finds life on Mars. NASA disagrees.
A Wednesday article in the the Sun, a British tabloid, carried the headline 'NASA: Evidence of Life on Mars,' leaving scientists from the US space agency wondering if there's intelligent life in the Sun.
A Wednesday article in the U.K.'s "The Sun" newspaper entitled, "NASA: Evidence of Life on Mars," reported that the agency had unveiled "compelling evidence" for Martian organisms. But NASA officials and veteran Mars mission scientists say "no."
"This headline is extremely misleading," said Dwayne Brown, a spokesman for NASA based at the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C. "This makes it sound like we announced that we found life on Mars, and that is absolutely, positively false."
The piece claimed that the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which have been wheeling around the surface of the red planet since January 2004, found pond scum, which the paper calls "the building blocks of life as we know it."
"I think they have taken this stuff out of context," Brown said.
Such a discovery would truly have been groundbreaking, since pond scum, scientifically known as cyanobacteria, are actually a form of life themselves, not just building blocks for it.
"I can only assume that the Sun reporter misunderstood," said Cornell University planetary scientist Steve Squyres, principal investigator of the Mars Exploration Rover project, who was quoted in the story. "What Spirit and Opportunity have found is sulfate minerals... not organic materials, not pond scum, and not the building blocks of life as we know it.
Water = life?
The article, which has been widely quoted across the Web, appeared after NASA scientists spoke to reporters from an astrobiology conference celebrating the 50th anniversary of research aimed toward searching for life beyond Earth.
The piece claims, "The recent missions have gathered evidence of sulphates on Mars, a strong indication there is water on the planet and therefore life."
But just because there might be water does not mean that life follows.
"Evidence of water does NOT mean that there was life," Squyres wrote in an e-mail. "We believe that water is necessary for life, but not that it is sufficient to assure life. The "...and therefore life" part of the statement therefore is simply wrong."
While scientists have not yet discovered proof of living things anywhere in the universe beyond Earth, they are getting closer to knowing where to look and how to recognize the signs of life if they are present.
And Brown said that NASA's various Mars missions, including the rovers and spacecraft such as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the 2001 Mars Odyssey – both currently in orbit around the red planet – are revealing a wealth of clues about the possibility of life there. It's just too soon to know for certain.
Past life controversies
Claims of finding life on Mars are not new.
In August 1996 NASA researchers presented a Martian rock that they said showed clear signs of being affected by life. The rock, which had landed in Antarctica, contained holes and markings that appeared to have been formed by bacterial colonies living on it.
The announcement made a huge splash, but in the decade that followed, most researchers have dismissed the claims of life, and found non-living explanations for the rock's markings.
There has likewise been controversy over pronouncements that Mars could not possibly harbor life. In 1976, NASA's Viking 1 and 2 landers touched down on the Martian surface and performed three separate experiments to search for signs of life. Despite having sensitivities to detect organic molecules of a few parts per billion, no organic compounds were ever detected by either lander. Many scientists declared that Mars therefore must not have microbial organisms on its surface.
Yet a more recent study found that perhaps the Viking experiments were not so sensitive after all, and cast doubt on the conclusion that microbes aren't there.
Besides Mars, some particularly promising spots in the solar system include the Saturnian moons Titan – with its lakes of methane and ethane – and Enceladus, with its plumes of water vapor, and Jupiter's moon Europa, which is thought to harbor an underground ocean. | <urn:uuid:d243ea47-4f14-4a4c-8312-8763087b8447> | CC-MAIN-2017-17 | http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0502/British-tabloid-finds-life-on-Mars.-NASA-disagrees/(page)/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-17/segments/1492917123048.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20170423031203-00456-ip-10-145-167-34.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966619 | 861 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Biotechnology is a branch of science that merges biological concepts with technology for better use and advancements in the field of science, technology, and humanity. Here is biotechnology — the benefits and the risks at a glance.
Biotechnology deploys a range of technologies that use living organisms or a part of them to make all kinds of useful products. These products are as diverse as renewable fuels, drugs, and therapeutics. The products are also as disparate as nutritional compounds, environment-friendly chemicals, and materials, household cleaning products, organs for transplant, and more.
What is Biotechnology?
We can say that biotechnology is the manipulation of living organisms and organic materials in certain different patterns that meet our needs on various platforms. Or simply put, Biotechnology uses living organisms to create useful products.
Biotechnology may have different variations in definitions, but it has a purpose to achieve certain requirements in the field of medicines, agriculture, industries, and more, through manipulations and production.
Let’s check out some of the technical definitions and terminologies of biotechnology as defined by some federations and organizations.
- Defined by the European Federation of Biotechnology – Biotechnology is the application of biochemistry, microbiology and engineering sciences in order to achieve the technological application of the capabilities of microorganisms and cultured tissue cells.
- According to the Biology Industry Organization – Biotechnology is the science of using cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products.
- According to International Unions of Pure and Applied Chemistry (1981) – biotechnology is the application of biochemistry, biology, and microbiology, chemical engineering to industrial processes, products and on the environment.
The term Biotechnology is often misunderstood.
The OECD — the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development — defines biotechnology as “the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents.”
Some people have believed the biotechnology is limited to the application of molecular biology techniques to identify genes responsible for particular traits to clone, study, characterize and manipulate, but it is not the case.
There are many rapid advances taking place in different fields of biotechnology like medical biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology, and industrial biotechnology.
The four major disciplines in biotechnology.
The four major disciplines in biotechnology are medical, industrial, marine and agricultural processes and each process is represented by a specific color. These colors are: red, white, blue, and green respectively.
The four disciplines are known as Red biotechnology, White biotechnology, Blue biotechnology, and Green biotechnology — as per their roles and functions.
- Green biotechnology is used to improve the production quality of crops. Green biotechnology boosts the economy that includes the plant’s tissue culture, engineering culture, and molecular marker-assisted breeding. Green biotechnology is based on providing agricultural solutions without affecting the environment. As it specializes in improving agricultural processes, it has obtained the obtaining of transgenic plants resistant to terrains, and adverse environmental conditions as well as resistant to diseases and pests.
- Red biotechnology is used by biotechnologists to find healthcare solutions. These solutions include vaccines for many dreadful diseases and viruses that currently plague humanity. Also, much research work is done in gene therapy, testing genetics and in the area of “improvement diagnosis.”Red biotechnology is also used for medical processes like obtaining antibiotics, new drugs, vaccines, and newer forms of molecular diagnosis. It has regenerative therapies and the application of genetic engineering to cure diseases.
- White biotechnology is exclusively applied to improve industrial processes. The white biotech will continue producing services and products for industrial and environmental processes. White biotech uses yeast, molds, bacteria, and enzymes for its research. The main aim of white biotechnology is the development of biodegradable products to earn profits and provide better services.
- Blue biotechnology is also known as marine biotechnology. Blue biotechnology is the application of molecular biological methods to marine and freshwater life. It uses marine organisms, and their derivatives, to increase seafood supply. Blue biotechnology increases safety and controls the proliferation of noxious water-borne organisms, and develops new drugs. Blue biotechnology is responsible for the development of aquaculture, care of marine creatures, water treatment and production of food derived from the sea.
Biotechnology and Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is considered the next big thing in biotechnology. Biotechnology is not the only area that artificial intelligence has revolutionized. It’s transformed the research and development activities in many crucial areas.
Almost all the leading biopharmaceutical bigwigs globally are strategically implementing AI-driven technologies in their biotech businesses. AI boost’s up the development processes and gains newer insights in research and development outsourcing.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be described as the ability of a computer or robot-controlled computer to perform tasks that are commonly associated with intelligent creatures. Specifically, a “scientific discipline that involves building computer systems whose behavior can be interpreted intelligently.
The following are a few of the major applications of AI in biotechnology.
- Radiotherapy and Radiology
- Personalized Medicine
- Gene Editing
- Electronic Health Record (EHR)
- Medication Management
- Sales Rep Performance
- Target-based and phenotypic drug discovery
- Polypharmacology discovery
- Biomarkers development
- Analyzing research literature, publications, and patents
Clearly, AI can help identify drug targets, find good molecules from data libraries, suggest chemical modifications, identify candidates for repurposing and so on.
Artificial Intelligence is transforming data into drugs by its amazing technological advances. No wonder all the big pharmacy and biotech are betting big time on AI.
How does Biotechnology impact our lives?
Biotechnology is an innovative, dynamic and ever-evolving cutting-edge sector. It plays a significant role in all major areas of human interests and benefits. Biotech touches all areas including economics, environment, and health. The applications of biotechnology have both positive as well as negative impacts for human civilization.
Biotechnologies are fundamentally oriented for improving the efficiency of production techniques in agricultural, industrial and biomedical fields.
Several advanced surveys and statistics across the globe emphatically explain how biotechnology is poised to change our lives for good.
The “higher purposes” of Biotechnology.
In earlier times, biotechnology’s usage was restricted to fundamental processes like making cheese, wine, bread. Today we have the advantage of superior technologies and the motive of urgent requirements to use biotechnology appropriately for many higher purposes of the society.
Biotechnology is controlling a major part of our lives without us realizing its presence in our surroundings and utilities.
The four disciplines of Biotechnology are in control of our lives.
Controlling many areas, such as the food we eat to medicines we consume, the clothes we wear and how they are washed to the fuel we use, biotechnology is everywhere. The four disciplines of biotechnology are making its invaluable presence felt in meeting our daily needs.
Biotechnology is often being regarded more as an art than a science.
Biotech is sometimes not thought of as a science, but it should be. Because of biotechnology’s ability to touch upon people’s lives by accentuating the quality of life, it’s becoming invaluable.
The solutions Biotechnology provides change results for the grand challenges of society. Solutions are found for food security, climate change, energy shortages, healthcare choices, and affordability. We find solutions for industrial processes and medical needs — even solutions in fighting with epidemics. | <urn:uuid:e3b9d00e-5add-4226-bf06-1e5f5b6aac30> | CC-MAIN-2021-10 | https://readwrite.com/2020/04/14/biotechnology-benefits-and-risks-at-a-glance/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-10/segments/1614178374686.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20210306100836-20210306130836-00603.warc.gz | en | 0.929482 | 1,569 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Table of Contents
Where is Hatshepsut now?
Hatshepsut/Place of burial
What was life like for Hatshepsut?
Hatshepsut was a gifted and cunning leader. She had to be to remain in power for 20 years as a woman pharaoh. Rather than go to war, she established trade relationships with many foreign countries. Through trade she made Egypt a rich nation.
How many years did Hatshepsut live?
As a sphinx, Hatshepsut displays a lion’s mane and a pharaoh’s beard. For many years, Hatshepsut (ca 1508– 1458 B.C.) appeared content with the traditional female role of supporting player among Egypt’s royals. She was the daughter of one pharaoh (Thutmose I) and queen wife of another (her half brother, Thutmose II).
What was Hatshepsut family life?
Hatshepsut was born to Thutmose I and his consort Ahmose. She married her half brother, Thutmose II, and had a daughter, Neferure. When Thutmose II inherited the throne, Hatshepsut became his consort. The throne later passed to his son, Thutmose III, born to a lesser harem queen.
What is a female pharaoh called?
Female pharaohs did not have a different title from male counterparts, but were simply called pharaohs.
How old was Hatshepsut when she had her daughter?
After her father’s death, 12-year-old Hatshepsut became queen of Egypt when she married her half-brother Thutmose II, the son of her father and one of his secondary wives, who inherited his father’s throne around 1492 B.C. They had one daughter, Neferure.
Why did Hatshepsut dress like a man?
Hatshepsut used male attire to style herself like so many great pharaohs before her. Hatshepsut was the longest reigning female pharaoh in Egypt, ruling for 20 years in the 15th century B.C. She is considered one of Egypt’s most successful pharaohs.
What did Hatshepsut suffer from?
Poor Queen Hatshepsut suffered from arthritis, diabetes and bad teeth, and is believed to have died of bone cancer. Ancient Egyptian physicians were renowned for their skill, but those skills only went so far. Cancer or no cancer, the Grim Reaper came often and came early in Ancient Egypt.
When did the female pharaoh Hatshepsut pass away?
It is believed that the female Pharaoh had passed away during the year 1458 BC, and was cremated at a site called ‘KV20’, which was also the same place where her father Thutmose I was buried. The female Pharaoh, who ruled for more than twenty years, was succeeded by her nephew Thutmose III.
When did Hatshepsut start work on the temple?
Hatshepsut began work on the temple complex at Deir El-Bahri in 1483. She was still, technically, regent, but this was the most significant construction project in Egypt in quite some time, and one of the most beautiful temples remaining in Egypt today.
Is it true that Hatshepsut was both male and female?
Hitherto Hatshepsut had been depicted as a typical queen, with a female body and appropriately feminine garments. But now, after a brief period of experimentation that involved combining a female body with kingly (male) regalia, her formal portraits began to show Hatshepsut with a male body,…
What did Hatshepsut bring back from her expedition?
Hatshepsut as Pharaoh. Another great achievement of her reign was a trading expedition she authorized that brought back vast riches–including ivory, ebony, gold, leopard skins and incense–to Egypt from a distant land known as Punt (possibly modern-day Eritrea). | <urn:uuid:41961ff5-b951-4de0-8a52-2ecee37c8aad> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://elegant-question.com/where-is-hatshepsut-now/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100164.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20231130000127-20231130030127-00565.warc.gz | en | 0.983813 | 855 | 3.5 | 4 |
“We have an obligation to read aloud to our children. To read them things they enjoy. To read to them stories we are already tired of. To do the voices, to make it interesting, and not to stop reading to them just because they learn to read to themselves.” — Neil Gaiman on the Future of Reading and Libraries
Like most parents of pre-literate children, we read aloud daily to our 6 and 4 year old kids as a part of our evening routine. The benefits of reading aloud to this set are well known; access to the world of stories being the most obvious, parental connection and shared enjoyment of stories being others. Fun aside, reading aloud is widely recognized as the single most important activity for literacy acquisition (SO SERIOUS, but still, no surprise there!).
But what about older children who can read independently? They are often eager to read alone, and can be impatient with the slower pace of read-alouds, making them reluctant listeners. But it’s increasingly acknowledged that even fluent readers gain a tremendous amount from being read to. As Jim Trelease, the author of the Read Aloud Handbook points out, a child’s reading level doesn’t catch up to his or her comprehension level until around 8th grade. Reading aloud to this literate set can provide access to more sophisticated literature than they’re capable of comfortably tackling themselves, not to mention strengthen their listening skills and patience (which may have amazing real world benefits!).
As the passionate TEDx speaker below and the author of this piece on KQED’s MindShift describe, there are other reasons it’s a good idea to continue reading with children as long as they will let us. For one, the physical closeness that reading aloud usually brings creates an effortless intimacy (already something that I appreciate with our no-longer-snuggly six year old). We can ensure reading is a fun, shared experience that is joyful, rather than stressful (particularly important for beginning or struggling readers). It also offers parents an entry point to help children think through big issues — social, emotional, or geopolitical — which are challenging to address through direct discussion (or the snoring parental lecture!).
Choosing books for the family read-aloud also lets parents introduce books that kids wouldn’t pick themselves (while we get to sneakily broaden their horizons — I’m looking at you, Thomas the Tank Engine and Star Wars!). At our house, we usually let each child choose one picture book (or section of a long chapter book) and choose one ourselves (it takes anywhere from 15–30 minutes total for all three choices). For us, reading aloud is also an easy way to introduce French and Indian stories, places and culture to our children. Just 15 minutes a day can make a difference!
An area where reading aloud to older children can be more directly helpful is when reading the likes of Dickens and Shakespeare. As Jessica Lahey, educator and author notes in the Atlantic, she often reads aloud in her 7th and 8th grade classrooms, because “it’s the best way to ease students into challenging language and rhetoric.” Listening is also no doubt the best way to encounter poetry and verse, and language such as Shakespeare’s, meant for performance.
We’re all on board with why reading aloud to our kids is important; here are five best practice reminders for how, from The Read Aloud Handbook:
- Begin reading aloud to children at birth (American Association of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians promote reading to children from infancy).
- Before beginning, always say the name of the book, the author and illustrator. (I only started this recently, but it’s amazing how excited the kids get when they recognize a familiar author.)
- The first time you read a book, ask “What do you think this is going to be about?” (I rarely do this, or really discuss the stories much, but will try and remind myself to do this and also take a moment for discussion at the end).
- The most common mistake in reading aloud is reading too fast. (Guilty as charged!). Slow down enough so children have enough time to look at pictures (if there are any) and more importantly, to build mental pictures of what they’ve heard.
- It’s ok if very young children (or older ones!) can’t focus for too long. Sometimes, letting them doodle or build with Lego while listening can help.
And most important….Focus on the fun!
As Lucy Calkins notes in her inspiring book “Raising Lifelong Learners”, “We must stop pointing at and calling attention to every word as we read it, stop nudging our kids to read part of the book themselves, stop instructing them on vocabulary words, stop checking that the story means the same to them as it does to us. In short, we must stop grilling them with little questions…when I read aloud, my goal is to snuggle around the warm glow of a story.”
Personally, I just can’t resist the warm glow of a story myself. The opportunity to read all the children’s classics I never had access to and experience them for the first time along with my kids is too good to pass up! Happy Reading everyone (and thanks for reading this)!
What are some favorite read-alouds at your house? Do you think reading to independent readers is important? or a recipe for disaster? Was reading aloud a part of your own childhood?
Love to hear your thoughts, as always!
Great reads about story-telling and the importance of reading aloud:
Storytelling for adults makes a comeback: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jan/06/storytelling-back-in-fashion
More on the benefits of reading aloud to older kids here
Some great read-aloud book lists:
Scholastic is counting down the 100 Best Read-Aloud Bookswww.scholastic.com
Mal Peet is a an author of young adult fiction. His second novel, Tamar, won the Carnegie medal, and his fourth…www.theguardian.com
The Book Doctor picks out ideal stories that can be read aloud in one sitting – perfect for guests that want to join in…www.theguardian.com
Read Aloud America About Us History Sponsors Leadership Community Outreach Guest Presenters National Presentations…www.readaloudamerica.org
Suggestions for exciting read-alouds without character voices here
Two great listens:
How to Get Teens to Read: August 24, 2016 On Point episode with Tom Ashbrook and guest David Denby, New Yorker writer and author of Lit Up: One Reporter. Three Schools. Twenty-four Books That Can Change Lives. Great reminder of how the focus on pleasure is the key to raising a reader!
The Father-Daughter Reading Streak that lasted nearly 9 years — NPR’s story on Alice Ozma and The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared. | <urn:uuid:0253258d-b31a-4664-82df-2860690d02ec> | CC-MAIN-2021-21 | https://theinnovativeparent.io/2016/11/09/on-the-importance-of-reading-aloud-to-kids-even-after-theyre-reading-independently/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-21/segments/1620243992440.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20210517180757-20210517210757-00415.warc.gz | en | 0.946015 | 1,489 | 3.109375 | 3 |
Valentines Day may be over but it does not mean that we should stop spreading some love, so to speak. After all, we are still in the month of February, and it is widely acknowledged that this month is the “Love Month,” right? So what exactly do I mean by spreading some love through driving?
I was actually trying to point out techniques that will contribute to the wellbeing of the environment. You may think that your contribution may be so small and not really have an effect but that’s not true. Every little bit helps! Here are some tips by which you can use less fuel and have less emissions – and thus help the environment.
Drive with the windows UP as much as possible.
Sometimes, you just can’t help but put the windows down so that you can enjoy the feel of the cool air rushing all around you. That’s understandable – especially when you’re on a nice mountain road with an awesome view, right? However, if you really want to help and you can resist the call of the wind, I suggest that you put your windows up – this will minimize drag and make your fuel consumption go down.
Watch your speed.
Here is a little known fact: If you drive below 15 mph, your car creates the highest amount of pollution that it can create. Going up to about 60 mph will lessen your pollution emission to the minimum. And going beyond 60 mph increases the emissions again.
Don’t rev when you don’t need to.
Now this is more common knowledge. Revving and idling will cost you more in fuel and increase pollution as well. Avoid doing so and save yourself some money while you’re at it. | <urn:uuid:fa8cd015-f8af-4c88-9069-a60dd4dce344> | CC-MAIN-2014-52 | http://www.studydriving.com/driving-tips/spread-some-love-with-these-green-driving-techniques/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-52/segments/1418802778068.138/warc/CC-MAIN-20141217075258-00044-ip-10-231-17-201.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964007 | 357 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Are there any oils that will help me quit smoking?
Stop Smoking, Naturally!
Nicotine gets its name from the tobacco plant Nicotiana tabacum
. It is present in many other plants, but Nicotiana tabacum is the main source of commercially cultivated and processed tobacco leaves that are used for making cigarettes. Nicotine is therefore a naturally occurring chemical compound (like morphine and opium which come from poppy seeds). Just like those chemicals, nicotine is very fast acting and it is one of the most addictive substances known to man.
Nicotine gets in the body through the inhalation of cigarette smoke. Once the smoke reaches the lungs, it is absorbed into the blood stream (as is oxygen) and distributed throughout the body. The body will see the nicotine as a toxic substance, and it will immediately begin to metabolized it through the kidneys, and then flush it through the liver to be sent out with the urine. This quick flushing rate often leads to heavy smoking, as smokers keep going for their next hit.
Through years of smoking, nicotine will end up in the fat cells and throughout the rest of the body. Once you quit smoking, the majority of the nicotine in your body should be metabolized and out of your system with in 48 to 72 hours. However, because nicotine sticks to your fat cells and other parts of your body, it can take longer to flush out entirely. Cotinine is a by-product of the burning of nicotine, and it can stay in your body up to 30 days.
The amount of nicotine in each cigarette is approximately 1 to 2 mg.
Symptoms of Nicotine/Smoking
After just one puff of a cigarette, the nicotine begins to act on the central nervous system, brain and other parts of the body, causing:
- False Relaxation– Nicotine actually stimulates your system, even though it makes you feel relaxed. It produces an increased amount of a chemical, called dopamine, in the brain that when stimulated gives the feeling of pleasure, relaxation and reduced anxiety, but only for a moment. Once the dopamine levels drop, the nicotine addict may feel down or even depressed and lights up another cigarette to feel good again.
- Heart Palpitations/Hypertension– A person who smokes puts an extra strain on their heart every time they have a cigarette. Cigarettes also contain carbon monoxide, which makes it more difficult for your body to get the oxygen it needs. To compensate, blood flow to the extremities is reduced.
- Suppressed Immune System- Nicotine affects the production of a type of white blood cell, which is produced in bone marrow and defends against infection and disease. Researchers found that nicotine-tainted cells were less able to seek and destroy bacteria than normal cells, and that nicotine suppresses an important cell function that helps kill invading bacteria. Thus causing a lowered resistance to colds and the flu.
- Reduced body Senses- Smokers have bad breath, stained teeth and fingers. The nicotine addict’s sense of smell and taste are less sensitive than a non-smoker’s are, therefore they don’t notice how they smell to others. The body is constantly trying to detox through the skin, which causes a bitter/pungent smell of a smokers body. Appetite is reduced as well.
- Wrinkles- Nicotine addicts lose their hair and develop wrinkles at a younger age than non-smokers. Healthy skin perpetually regenerates. While old collagen is broken down and removed new collagen is produced. Researchers have found that smoke causes a marked reduction in the production of new collagen. A lack of new collagen results in the development of wrinkles.
- Reproductive problems- Men who smoke may have fertility problems, and women who use tobacco products are at increased risk of miscarriage, having a low birth weight baby, or going into labor early. Painful menstrual periods or an irregular cycle may be caused by smoking.
- Cancer, Disease, and Death– About half of people who smoke will die as the result of their habit. Smoking causes cancer in several parts of the body, including the lungs, mouth, throat, and voice box. It also increases a person’s chances of developing heart disease or having a stroke. Nicotine addiction has been linked to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which is emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Within 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your body starts to change. Your pulse rate and blood pressure drop to normal levels. At the 3-day mark, your body will be nicotine free. At the 3-week mark, nicotine will no longer be controlling you. The following items will help you flush the nicotine through, and curb your cravings
is the best known substance to remove Nicotine from the blood stream. This is because it not only helps increase your metabolism, but also creates White Blood cells, that help carry the poisons out of the body. Nicotine also tends to destroy vitamin C in your body, so replacing it will be important after you quit smoking. Go here to read about and purchase Vitamin C. http://www.theresanoilforthat.com/vitamin-c
– Nicotine is water soluble, so drinking water will help flush out any lingering traces.
Help metabolize the nicotine by increasing your activity level. Any activity that speeds up your metabolism will help get nicotine and cotinine out of your body quicker.
Studies show that certain foods and drinks, such as meat and caffeinated beverages make cigarettes taste good. At the same time, dairy products and fresh vegetables make cigarettes taste worse
Avoid alcohol, sugar and coffee, which can trigger cravings for nicotine.
Drink Milk and Other Dairy Beverages. Milk makes cigarettes taste very bitter and unpleasant. Some people recommend dipping cigarettes in milk, drying them out and then trying to smoke such cigarettes. The taste must be absolutely terrible, and every time such smoker will feel cravings again, he or she will remember that nasty taste of milky cigarettes.
Drink/Eat Vitamin C- For the same reason as above, Vitamin C intake is important. Smokers lose a lot of Vitamin C, and their body gets used to exchanging it with some unnatural elements it receives from nicotine. Eat oranges, lemons, black currants, pomegranates and other powerful natural sources of Vitamin C.
Vegetables- Eat celery, along with such vegetables as zucchinis, egg-plants, beans, and even cucumbers, which affect cigarette taste. Eating a lot of these vegetables can decrease nicotine dependence. Do not eat a lot of sweet vegetable, that are high in sugar, because excessive amounts of glucose activate the areas of the brain responsible for pleasure and satisfaction. Thus, glucose can stimulate cravings.
Broccoli- Broccoli helps to lower the risks of having lung diseases, including lung cancer. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a substance which boosts the activity of NRF2 gene and protects lungs from any toxin-related damage. This will only help AFTER you have stopped smoking, because the nicotine kills the activity of sulforaphane.
Eucalyptus radiata will help stop the cravings. It cleans out the receptor sites. Every 10-15 minutes, apply 1 drop on back of hand and lick it off. (Not tasty, but effective)
To get the lungs regenerated, apply 1 drop of Eucalyptus and 1 drop Peppermint on the chest (male) and on back for (female) . Then place a warm compress over the area until it cools.
Bergamot will also help stop the cravings of nicotine. Apply 1-2 drops on bottoms of feet several times a day.
Until your brain’s dopamine chemicals level out on their own, use Frankincense for depression. Split 2-3 drops and place on the crown, back of neck, and tops of ears. (Always smell it. Frankincense will cross the blood brain barrier) Do this as often as necessary.
Lobelia (lobelia inflata)
The lobeline in Lobelia , commonly known as Indian tobacco, acts much like nicotine although it is less potent. This herb can help fool the body into thinking it has nicotine in the system. Lobelia will help with that OVERWHELMING urge to light up.
Tincture of Lobelia. (Found in most health food stores, though if you cannot find it locally, you can find it online or call 800.HerbDoc for Dr Schulze’s.)
If worse comes to worse and you HAVE to have that cigarette, do this. Place one drop of lobelia tincture on your tongue, swish it around, and swallow. Now breathe through your mouth. You will FEEL like you just smoked a cigarette. Do this ONLY when you REALLY gotta have that smoke.
Another way to take lobelia is in a tea. Drinking a cup of lobelia tea makes you feel like you just had a smoke. At some health foods, this is sold as Smoker’s Tea.
Lobelia can be toxic at relatively low doses and should not be used unless under the administration of a qualified health care practitioner.
Oat Straw (Avina sativa)
The avenine glycosides in Oat Straw are of use in conditions where nervous weakness is a factor, and acts as a mild stimulator to the central nervous system, where avenine works to increase the peripheral blood flow in the body. These actions are helpful for those withdrawing from smoking addiction. Oat straw can be taken as a fluid extract or as a tea.
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Valerian can act as a calmative while undergoing withdrawal. When combined with lemon balm and St.John’s wort, this herb forms one third of a valuable antidepressant, and has shown value in reducing symptoms of anxiety and fear.
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Hyssop helps clean the mucus that has accumulated in the smoker’s lungs. In the first few days after quitting cigarettes, the body starts to reject the mucus that has been accumulating. The quitter might go through coughing bouts that bring up phlegm. Hyssop helps in separating it from the lungs and making it easier to cough it all out. It is recommended not to use any medication to dry up the mucus. Use Hyssop instead to get it out. Drink a a cup of Hyssop Tea once a day, until lungs are clear. Add Honey to sweeten. | <urn:uuid:346f9ba8-552e-42c0-9642-01eaa0fa5207> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | http://vitruviannaturalhealth.com/2012/05/quit-smoking-naturally/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=quit-smoking-naturally | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347435987.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20200603175139-20200603205139-00242.warc.gz | en | 0.934025 | 2,185 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Submitted by Bibliofuture on February 3, 2013 - 2:17am
Susan Eloise Hinton was a teenager when she wrote The Outsiders, the story of rival gangs in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She used the pen name “S.E.” so readers wouldn’t know she was a girl, and bought a Camaro with the earnings. “Some of [the novel’s] faults, like its over-the-top emotions and drama, are what make it so popular because that’s the way kids really feel,” she says. “You’ve got to have the hormones going before you really appreciate that book.”
Librarian Elizabeth Bird says the novel’s unresolved class struggle resonates as powerfully as ever. “There are always going to be the haves and the have-nots — the divide is getting bigger and bigger all the time. And this book talks about that. A lot of books for kids and teens do not.”
Jack Starky read passages from the book.
MP3 and synopsis here: http://www.studio360.org/2013/feb/01/american-icons-outsiders
Player embedded at top of this story is also an option for listening. | <urn:uuid:a065da84-fd72-404b-86f6-2f1e943bd234> | CC-MAIN-2016-22 | http://lisnews.org/american_icons_the_outsiders | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-22/segments/1464049277286.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20160524002117-00071-ip-10-185-217-139.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958155 | 270 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Just over 300 years ago the Georgians were boldly heading out to sea with no way of knowing whether they'd managed to get as far round as Ireland or Iceland. They took to their newfangled coffeehouses to mull the problem over and solved it in 1714 with the creation of the Longitude Act. This exhibition looks at the history of longitude and how it changed our view of the world, telling how John Harrison, Galileo, Isaac Newton, James Cook and the team at Greenwich's Royal Observatory all played their part in the progress. Exhibits include John Harrison's five original timekeepers, a padded silk observing suit from 1760 and the Longitude Act of 1714 itself, which has never previously been displayed to the public.
|Event phone:||020 8312 6565| | <urn:uuid:d22b3ac8-7311-4642-89cd-4573847ce803> | CC-MAIN-2017-22 | https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/ships-clocks-and-stars-the-quest-of-longitude | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-22/segments/1495463608622.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20170526013116-20170526033116-00208.warc.gz | en | 0.954663 | 161 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Testing for absorbency is a way to ensure wood will properly absorb an applied stain. Factors that can inhibit the absorption of a stain include:
This test works best on softwoods, and is especially useful in determining when new wood is ready for staining. It does not work well on exotic hardwoods as they have a limited ability to absorb any stain or water.
Get a glass of water. Stick your fingers into the water. Bring your fingers close to the wood and shake off some droplets. The goal is to shake the droplets off your fingers close to the wood so that they do not drop a far distance and splatter on the surface of the wood. On new smooth cut wood or wood in good condition the water will initially bead up on the surface of the wood. Wood will absorb stain just like it absorbs water and it is ready to accept stain when the droplets start spreading out and soaking into the wood within 2 minutes. If the water beads are still intact with little change after two minutes wait one month and retest. Water is thinner than oil. If the wood will not accept water it is not going to accept oil.
This illustration depicts the difference in absorption between older wood and brand new wood. The older wood absorbed the water almost instantly while after 3 minutes the water beads only slightly grew and size and barely started absorbing into the new wood.
Sample cans can be used for vertical wood absorption testing and for confirming absorbency on wood that has passed a sprinkle test. Sample cans are used to test whether or not Armstrong-Clark can be applied over a prior coating that is not Armstrong-Clark. However, it is important to know that success with absorption over a prior stain does not guarantee long term success. If the underlying stain fails it will take the newly applied stain with it. Armstrong-Clark oil based wood stain cannot go over any water based stains, or any stains with acrylic. It is recommended that prior coatings that are not Armstrong-Clark are removed before applying Armstrong-Clark.
Applying stain to wood with too high a moisture content will ultimately lead to adhesion failure.
The surface of all wood, including newly installed wood, must be dry, clean, and free of dust, dirt, mold, mildew, algae, mill glaze, dew, and pollen. After cleaning sweep off surfaces before applying stain.
Scrub, pressure wash, and sand in the direction of the wood grain. Wear protective gear to protect eyes and skin. Use respirators if sanding. Do not use excessive scrubbing, spray pressure, chemical strength, or chemical dwell time as you can damage the wood resulting in furring or raised grain.
Wear protective gear to protect eyes and skin. NEVER mix oxalic acid/ brightener and bleach as a harmful and toxic gas reaction occurs. Do not mix liquid bleach and oxygenated bleach (sodium percarbonate) as they will accelerate a reaction rendering your chemicals useless.
Be sure to change sand paper in a timely manner as recommended by manufacturers. As the sandpaper is used it wears down and eventually performs as a finer grit. For example, an 80 grit can perform like a 120 grit if it is not changed.
We typically do not recommend sanding hardwoods unless the wood is older or the sanding is otherwise necessary. After sanding professionals will often use acetone to open up the pores for better absorption. However we do not promote the use of strong chemicals like acetone as they can have adverse health effects.
When scrubbing use a mid-stiffness bristle brush (like a truck brush). Do not use a stiff bristle brush. Do not scrub excessively hard. Either a hose or a light pressure wash can be used to rinse cleaning chemicals off the wood.
Pressure washing should never be used as a means to remove prior coatings, dirt, or grime. Excessive pressure can destroy your wood. Think of pressure washing as a more effective means to rinse cleaning chemicals than a hose. Let cleaning chemicals do the work of breaking down contaminants on the surface of wood, not water pressure. Remember, water dug out the Grand Canyon, imagine what it can do to wood. Too much pressure will “raise the grain” and/or create wood fur.
Most advice regarding pressure washing revolves around the psi of the machine, the angle of the stream coming out of the machine (stream or fan width), and the distance to keep the nozzle from the wood. For example, most advice for cleaning wood states using 1000-1200 psi, with a 45 degree tip, 10“-12” from the wood to prevent damage the wood. If you use a 65 degree tip you may be able to get down to 6“-10” from the wood without damaging the wood.
Generally speaking softwoods and hardwoods should be approached with different pressures of water. Some experts advise 500psi for softwoods like pine or cedar, and no more than 1200 psi for hardwoods like mahogany or ipe.
To view YouTube video featuring Michael Hinderliter of PowerWash.com
The black numbers in the chart are orifice sizes for the tip on the end of the pressure washing wand. The blue numbers represent the gallons per minute rating of the machine, and the red numbers represent the PSI rating of the machine.
Always read the container for application and precautionary instructions. Typically, you are instructed to wet down the wood for a wet-on-wet application of stripper. Be very careful when applying stripper with a sprayer not to get the spray anywhere you do not want it, especially on painted surfaces like the side of a house. We would recommend taping off and covering painted surfaces and covering vegetation when stripping. Even if you are careful to contain a spray application, you may not be able to control chemicals that may get sprayed or splashed off the surface during the rinsing process. This can be especially damaging when power washing where spray may rise high enough to take the paint off window screens.
When it is time to rinse you can test scrub a small section to see if you need to let the stripper sit a little longer before you rinse. Sometimes a second application of stripper is required.
When using a stripper, there is no need to use a cleaner. Typically there shouldn't be any mold after a stripper is applied. However, if wood was not properly prepared before the prior application of stain, mold may have grown underneath the stain leaving residual mold even after using a stripper. In this instance, spot treat as needed with a 3:1 (water: bleach) solution until mold is gone. Hose off thoroughly.
It is important to understand that the stripping process takes moisture out of wood. If you apply a caustic stripper, you must always apply a brightener which is slightly acidic to neutralize the pH of the stripper. Apply the brightener while the wood is still wet after rinsing off the stripper. The brightener will also lighten the wood back up from the darkening as a result of stripping. Oil based wood stains like Armstrong-Clark will replace the moisture removed in the stripping process.
Review your wood to see if there are any pre-preparation needs that may need to be addressed before you start cleaning the wood.
Both mold and tannin present themselves as a variety of black stains. Tannin stains are often confused for mold or mildew. This is a common misdiagnosis on certain woods like redwood. Dirt can also look like a coat of black on the surface of wood. If the first cleaning does not remove all spots you can retreat the entire surface or spot treat as needed. Understanding what your black spots are will determine what type of cleaner you will need.
To test whether a black stain on the surface of wood is mildew, tannin, or dirt conduct the following test.
Treating Mold, Mildew & Algae
One of the more important considerations in cleaning wood is the presence of mold, mildew, or algae. Regardless of whether or not these can be seen on new wood, new wood should be treated as if it had these growths. New wood is often stacked and bundled while there is still a lot of moisture in the wood. Sometimes this wood is wrapped in plastic which creates a greenhouse effect for hidden mold and mildew growth. Although the growth may not be visible, there is a very good chance that live spores are present on the surface of the wood.
Treating mildew and molds can be tricky. Mold and mildew will often grow on a film of dirt and pollen that is sitting on the surface of wood. Most treatments may be able to treat surface growth, but they do not necessarily kill the root of mildews and molds that have grown into the wood. To kill the roots you need a specifically formulated product you can purchase at a hardware store like Concrobium or Jomax.
Pitch is a yellowish brown sap often found coming out of knots in wood like southern pine or douglas Fir, especially once it gets warmer. Once dry it is white and crusty. Turpentine or mineral spirits on a rag can be used to remove pitch if it is till gooey. Otherwise a putty knife can be used to remove it once it has hardened.
Wood previously coated with a stain other than Armstrong-Clark must have the previous stain removed. If the previous stain is known we recommend using the stripper provided by the same brand. Talk to your local hardware or paint store rep for guidance if the previous coating is not known.
Mask off painted surfaces to protect them during the application or rinsing of cleaning or stripping chemicals. During rinsing chemicals can get blasted onto surfaces from water pressure. Consider covering bushes and plants. When covering plants and bushes be sure not to do so in the hottest part of the day so that they do not overheated and die. Typically we recommend working in the early hours of the day. If covers are not available at least wet down before application and understand this may not be sufficient protection.
In the event that there is wood fuzz or fur on the surface of the wood before staining it must be removed, especially on smooth cut wood.
To remove fur or fuzz you can use 60# - 80# sandpaper. Going much higher in grit count can risk
sealing the pores. Going below 60# you risk removing too much wood. For exotic hardwoods like Ipe
wood restoration professionals often use defelting pads (depicted below). For exotic woods like Ipe
use80# sandpaper, but be careful not to sand down into the wood. For hardwoods you are only
using the sandpaper to remove fuzz off the surface of the wood. Palm sanders and sanding blocks
work well for spindles and tight areas. For variable speed or orbital hand sanders you want to use at
lower speed. Always speak with a local lumber expert to review the requirements for your
specific wood and circumstances.
You can never look at a photo of a color and assume that a particular stain will look the same on your wood. Testing before cleaning will yield an incorrect color. Always test for color once preparation is completed.
When too much stain is applied the nondrying oils saturate the wood and any remaining nondrying oils sit at the surface. Nondrying oils on the surface then prevent the drying oils from locking in the color and drying.
Pollen is mildew and mold food. Mildewcide in stains will prevent mildew and mold from growing in stains, but they will not prevent mildew from growing beneath a stain.
Their higher pigment concentration better protects against the strong UV rays at these elevations. Semi-transparent Chestnut and Natural Oak have approximately 50% more pigment than our other semi-transparent colors. Semi-Solids will provide the most UV protection.
This provides additional protection to the interior of the wood while adding extra protection to the surface. Use a sample can to confirm if your wood can absorb two coats. If two coats a semi-solid color is preferred on a deck mix the semi-solid 1:1 with Natural Tone. This cuts the pigment load in half resulting in two coats of nondrying oil for the interior of the wood and while still only yielding one coat of semi-solid pigment. Two coats of semi-solid pigment will often lead to pigment rubbing off onto shoes and tracking into the house.
Softwoods and Hardwoods typically are very different in absorbing and accepting stain and therefore must be approached very differently.
Rags and other waste soaked with stain can spontaneously catch fire if improperly discarded.IMMEDIATELY after use place all rags and other waste in a sealed water-filledmetal container away from buildings and other combustible materials. Use anempty stain can filled with water if no other container is available.
Armstrong-Clark oil based wood stain can be applied no matter how hot it is and in direct sunlight without having to worry about the stain become thick, sticky, or leaving shiners.
Most stains become thick and viscous in cold weather, and some stains have issues with freezing temperatures in the evening.
Although it needs to be above 50 degrees for application of Armstrong-Clark oil based wood stain, there are no problems with temperatures falling below freezing into the evening after absorption into the wood. However, cold and freezing temperatures will prolong the drying and curing process.
When outside temperatures drop below 50˚F in the evenings keep stain inside to keep warm and apply in the heat of the day. This allows time for the wood to warm up some and burn off any morning dew that may have settled on the wood overnight. Freezing after full absorption will not harm stain but it will lengthen drying time.
Just about every stain manufacture warns against applying stain when rainy weather is expected. This can be frustrating for many, especially during the summer when rain is possible just about every day. Some provide ambiguous warnings like "Do not apply when rain is imminent". What does that even mean? What is the time frame of imminent? Unfortunately this often leaves the consumer uncomfortable and filed with panic if they later hear thunder or otherwise get rain.
Armstrong-Clark oil based wood stains can be exposed to "normal" rain conditions 60minutes after absorption into wood (not 60 minutes after application). In some cases this can be as little as 80 or 90 minutes after application. If heavy rain is expected, we still recommend letting the storm pass and letting the wood dry for 2 days (or until moisture content has gotten down to at least 20% or less).
Unfortunately for hardwoods you may want up to twenty-four hours for absorption before rain precipitates as hardwoods may appear to have fully absorbed and applied stain when in fact the process is still not complete.
Generally speaking, hardwoods only need a single sparingly thin application of stain because of their dense cell structure limits their ability to absorb stain.
AVOID SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION! Place all rags, sponges, steel wool, and other waste in a water filled metal container after use to prevent spontaneous combustion. Partially fill an empty stain can with water if you do not have a container. Let the rags and other waste sit for at least one week and dispose of according to local regulations. Saturate any large textiles like drop cloths or paper products (used for drop sheets or spray guards) with water. Wash clothes with stain on them - do not leave them lying around. Clean tools with mineral spirits or paint thinner.
An alternative to painter thinner or mineral spirits is using the Dissolve Brush Cleaner & Conditioner. This is non-toxic reusable cleaner. To learn more you can visit dizzolvebruschcleaner.com
Your local paint store or dump can tell you how to dispose of any paint product. Every local has different regulations. There are 10 states, plus Washington D.C., as of 2022 that participate in the Paint Care Program. This is an incredible program for the disposal of paint and stain products paid for via a fee at the time of purchase of any paint or stain product. You can reach their website at https://www.paintcare.org/
Over application simply means that more stain has been applied than wood can absorb.
Test for over application (for horizontal surfaces)
Pour a glass of water into a several random puddles on the surface. Step back and look at the surface of the puddles. You may need to squat up and down and work to get a good angle with the sun to see the surface of the puddle. If the stain is over applied you will see oil floating on the surface of the water (or a rainbow).
What to do if a major cleaning is needed
A cleaning solution can be made with a squirt of hand soap (not dish soap) per one gallon of water. Hand soap is recommended for a cleaning instead of dish soap because dish soap is designed to breakdown oil. DO NOT use bleach. Bleach can remove soft coat stains. DO NOT scrub hard. Use a soft bristle brush or broom and gently sweep the surface of the wood. Use a hose (no nozzle) to rinse the wood. Power washing is not recommended as excessive pressure can remove the stain. NOTE – any scrubbing, no matter how light, can remove some of the stain from the surface of the wood. | <urn:uuid:7a90ca10-e4ae-475d-80d2-78069c66ecf8> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | https://www.armclark.com/help-center/wood-staining-process-starting-your-project | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296949689.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20230331210803-20230401000803-00400.warc.gz | en | 0.931029 | 3,586 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Gall Bladder Cancer
What are the risk factors?
The cause of gall bladder cancer is not known in most cases, but risk factors can include:
- having had gallstones or inflammation of the gall bladder (although the majority of people with gallstones will never develop gall bladder cancer)
- family history of gall bladder cancer can result in a small increase in risk (first-degree relative such as mother, father, sibling or child). The majority of people with gall bladder cancer, however, will not have a family history
- other gall bladder and bile duct conditions and abnormalities, such as gall bladder polyps, choledochal cysts (bile-filled cysts) and calcified gall bladder (also known as porcelain gall bladder).
This information is reviewed by
This information was last reviewed February 2021 by the following expert content reviewers: Kathleen Boys, Consumer; Dr Julian Choi, HPB Surgeon, Western Health and Epworth Hospital, Vic; David Fry, Consumer; Dr Robert Gandy, Hepatobiliary Surgeon, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW; Yvonne King 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council NSW; Elizabeth Lynch, Consumer; Dr Jenny Shannon, Medical Oncologist, Nepean Hospital Cancer Centre, NSW. | <urn:uuid:811f9e0e-80b5-49b0-99bf-e8d2a1325702> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://www.cancersa.org.au/cancer-a-z/gall-bladder-cancer/what-are-the-risk-factors/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710684.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20221128235805-20221129025805-00116.warc.gz | en | 0.941894 | 264 | 2.546875 | 3 |
At the conclusion of the Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis, in his letter Misericordia et misera, emphasized the importance of continuing to live mercy in our daily lives: "The Holy Year, [was} a time rich in mercy, which must continue to be celebrated and lived out in our communities. Mercy cannot become a mere parenthesis in the life of the Church; it constitutes her very existence, through which the profound truths of the Gospel are made manifest and tangible". St. Martha Catholic School has been doing just that through a group of students that have come together to form a Mercy Group which focuses on mercy initiatives for the whole school.
To help St. Martha students better understand the concept of mercy, the group has created a presentation and visited every grade to present.
"What we talked about was, 'what is mercy?' and how you can show it in your school, community and home," said Rebecca, a member of the mercy group.
"We had to change the wording and how we described mercy. For the kindergartens, we used simpler words and we asked a lot of questions so they could answer and we did a lot of different examples," said Katriona, another member of the group. "We had to change some of the words in the slideshow for different grades."
The group provided various examples to every grade of how to show mercy in their home, school and larger community.
"For mercy at home, we would say to help around the house if your mom or dad was having a bad day," said Jenny.
Swaila added, "At school you could ask if someone wanted to play with you."
"In the community, how you can show mercy is helping someone cross the road that is elderly," said Maddie.
Now that each grade is familiarized with the concept of mercy, it is evident throughout St. Martha Catholic School that students are putting mercy into action.
Students have started to create pictures, collages, photographs, posters, videos, stories, essays and other pieces of artwork that depict and describe Mercy in Action. These are projects are part of a mercy challenge that St. Martha Catholic School has created.
For the Kindergarten to Grade 2 classes, students are asked to submit a visual art showing Mercy in Action in their home or school. Winning submissions from this group will be given $50 to donate to a charity of their choice.
For the Grade 3-5 classes, students are asked to create a visual art piece showing Mercy in Action in their school or community. Winning submissions from this group will be given $75 to donate to their charity of choice.
For the Grade 6-8 group, students are asked to research and select a photograph, poster, song, poem or video that depicts Mercy in Action in a large community setting or the world. Winning submissions for this group will be given $100 to donate to their charity of choice.
These submissions are due the week of February 13.
Jeremy, another member of the Mercy Group says that he hopes the group will continue after the competition. The group will meet again soon and he's sure more great ideas to show mercy will come from the group and be shared in the school and larger community. | <urn:uuid:ac8f71a9-51a6-4545-ac5c-2c933713b62d> | CC-MAIN-2018-13 | http://www.alcdsb.on.ca/Pages/schoolnewsitem.aspx?ItemID=98&ListID=f5772cff-8faa-4f60-889f-7628175a639f&TemplateID=School_Announcement_Item | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-13/segments/1521257647475.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20180320130952-20180320150952-00599.warc.gz | en | 0.975854 | 661 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Will drugs that track adherence when ingested be a tough pill for patients to swallow?
The pharmaceutical industry spends billions developing innovative medicines which will only improve the lives of patients if they take the medications as prescribed; using the correct dose, frequency and for the intended duration. The situation is particularly challenging for patients with chronic conditions who may need to take medications for the rest of their lives. The reasons for non-adherence are plentiful and these range from the patients ‘feeling better’ to the stigma of being diagnosed with an unwelcome disease.
To improve adherence, companies spend millions designing programmes ranging from simple tools like patient diary cards to sophisticated ones like smartphone-based apps. So, what are the latest innovations to improve adherence and benefit patients’ lives, decrease the burden to society, and hence reward companies for their significant R&D investments.
What’s the scale of non-adherence?
Non-adherence rates of chronic diseases like hypertension and type 2 diabetes are in the region of 30 percent after one year of patients being started on medications. Psychiatry conditions like schizophrenia fare even worse, coming in around 60 percent.
While the consequences of non-adherence for physical pathologies affect mainly the patients themselves, that is not the same for serious mental health conditions. Patients with schizophrenia are often in denial of their conditions and are often resistant to taking their prescribed medications. However, when they suffer acute episodes, the impact on themselves, their families and society are severe and at times calamitous, including social repercussions like homelessness, violence and suicide.
Is there an answer?
In November 2017, the FDA approved the first drug in the US with a digital ingestion tracking system. Abilify MyCite is indicated for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. It contains the active ingredient aripiprazole and has an ingestible sensor embedded in the tablet. The sensor is the size of a grain of sand and is made up of edible ingredients. The sensor is activated when the tablet contacts stomach fluids and sends a message to a wearable patch, which in turn transmits the information to an app on the patient’s smartphone. The sensor is digested and eliminated from the gut in the usual manner.
The system allows patients to keep track of their medications and they can also upload the information to a database for their physicians and carers to view via a web-based portal. In addition, the system can collect data on certain daily activities, including self-reported frame of mind, although this function is not approved by the FDA. The labelling also notes that the system’s ability to improve compliance has not been established and it takes between half to two hours before ingestion of a tablet is recorded. Aripiprazole is manufactured by Otsuka while the sensor technology is made by Proteus Digital Health.
In the respiratory therapy area, Propeller Health’s technology uses a sensor device clipped onto an inhaler to track a patient’s adherence. It is compatible with the majority of maintenance and reliever inhalers for asthma and COPD, including metered-dose, dry-powder and soft-mist inhalers. The clip-on sensor records the inhaler’s actuation and the information is then transferred onto the patient’s smartphone. The app also gathers local environmental conditions like air quality, humidity and temperature, which helps patients to identify possible exacerbating factors and link this with any use of reliever inhalers, thus providing real-time insights. Their physicians can subsequently study the recorded medication patterns and use these to modify future treatments.
These sensor technologies and apps can enable patients to feel empowered in managing their own conditions. Needless to say, there are numerous other sensor medicines in development besides the two aforementioned examples.
Are there any downsides?
With so much personal and medical information available on the internet via these platforms, what are the privacy and data security issues surrounding the use of digital sensors in medicines?
An obvious risk of these systems is their susceptibility to hackers, resulting in the theft of sensitive medical records. However, one can argue that the level of risk is not dissimilar to the vast amount of data already held by hospitals, GP practices and private health insurers.
A larger risk arises from legitimate organisations like private health insurers and perhaps healthcare providers themselves. Would insurers refuse a claim if they deem that a patient has been non-adherent with their prescribed medications? As it is, many insurers fail to pay out if their customers had omitted to declare all their medical conditions, even if these had nothing to do with the presenting claims. It would be very tempting for insurers to deny a claim should a patient be non-adherent for even a short period of time for one unrelated medication.
Likewise, would healthcare providers insist on patients taking sensor medications and track not just their adherence patterns but record lifestyle activities as well? Would patients have a choice in taking a non-sensor version of medications? This may lead to a new conundrum of patients being monitored for compliance to sensor systems, i.e. not only would physicians be tracking adherence to medications but they would end up tracking compliance to the sensor system itself. However, a sensor system could easily be fooled, e.g. it would still record a positive adherence even if a patient chooses to spray an inhaler into the air.
We would also need to ask who owns the data stored in the adherence systems? The patient, the digital sensor developer or the medicine manufacturer? Proteus and Otsuka have jointly declared that the data generated by their system belongs to the patients, although Otsuka would act as the data ‘custodians’. The patients maintain control over how the data is used, shared and retain the right to withdraw their own data at any time. However, it is uncertain if these principles will be universally accepted.
Are we there yet?
The ultimate challenge is none of the above but the proverbial idiom of preaching to the converted. Such programmes are likely to be utilised by adherent patients rather than non-adherent ones for which they are intended. These systems are also dependent on patients being technologically savvy with the means to afford a smartphone connected 24/7. The patient demographics which will benefit most from these adherence programmes are those who are unlikely to use them, e.g. the poor, elderly, less educated and mentally unwell. Therein lies the challenge, to find ways to enable these people to use digital sensor technologies to improve their quality of life.
Dr Stephen Huang is a pharmaceutical medicine consultant and James Huang is a policy researcher, both at SCP Medical | <urn:uuid:f87bf875-2782-48f6-858f-f098c773661e> | CC-MAIN-2021-25 | https://www.pharmatimes.com/magazine/2018/april_2018/digital_sensor_medicines_the_holy_grail_in_adherence | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623487612154.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20210614105241-20210614135241-00170.warc.gz | en | 0.94884 | 1,346 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Most people brought up in the Catholic religion will have followed the Way of the Cross, a spiritual meditation on the journey of Jesus from death sentence to crucifixion. It is a story told in blood, as Jesus stumbles and falls on the road to his death at Golgotha. The Passion, as it is referred to, is a central tenet of Catholicism. In 1965 the Second Vatican Council abandoned the Latin mass and other older elements of the Catholic tradition. Before that, children were taught that Jesus died because of their sins, thus placing blood, suffering and guilt at the centre of Catholicism. | <urn:uuid:c5ddba9f-1f36-4768-abb4-bbec2e056d72> | CC-MAIN-2019-39 | http://socialistreview.org.uk/author/dave-gilchrist | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-39/segments/1568514574665.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20190921211246-20190921233246-00325.warc.gz | en | 0.975525 | 121 | 3.203125 | 3 |
The definition of a good design by Alice Rawthorne in New York Times,2008 is that good design is generally a combination of different qualities – what it does, what it looks like, and so on. Also Alice said that the design can not be good, if it does not do something useful. Hawthorne wrote in her article that how can we consider something to be well designed unless we feel confident about the way it was designed and made, and will be eventually be disposed of.( Rawthorne,2008)
“What is a good design? A look at the many definitions of quality Good design.”once said Dieter Rams, ” is as little design as possible.” Easy. Problem solved. Also good design makes a product useful.” (Heathcote 2016) . This write also said that a good design passes from something that is exquisitely and tastefully decorated to the more absolute judgement of a product that is legible and its construction and its function. ” Good design is making something intelligible and memorable. Great design is making something memorable and meaningful.”(Heathcote 2016).
“Good design can be reached only if it has users in mind.Good design requires a good process, including a clear brief and adequate budget, along with strong leadership and the right regulation”( Simmons 2009). Richard also described how to get a good design. The best way to get it is to convince people that it adds value and that its in their best interests to produce it. If people will follow the design policies , they can create a culture that will consistently deliver good design. Behavior, resources and processes make an organization fit for purpose to get good design. Simmons wrote that a good design comes from a good client, with a sound brief, working to a realistic programme with a creative design team and an adequate budget. He also said that dialogue is the best way to reach an understanding of what good design looks like. “There are three much more important principles that make it possible to recognise good design when we see it, regardless of style. They are variously described as robustness, or durability; usefulness, or efficiency; and beauty, or the ability to delight people.”( Simmons 2009). | <urn:uuid:fca1d244-0974-47cd-bc24-a37479b1dd27> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | https://sofiiacsvpa.wordpress.com/2017/02/28/ccs-what-is-good-design-referencing-exercise-280217/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549429548.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20170727222533-20170728002533-00602.warc.gz | en | 0.968144 | 462 | 3.046875 | 3 |
DNA polymerase facts for kids
A DNA polymerase is an enzyme which makes DNA molecules from its nucleotide building blocks. DNA polymerases are essential for DNA replication. They usually work in pairs as they copy one double-stranded DNA molecule into two double-stranded DNAs. In DNA replication DNA polymerase "reads" a piece of DNA that's already there and uses it to make a new piece that is exactly the same as the old piece.The primary role of DNA polymerases is to accurately and efficiently replicate the genome in order to ensure the maintenance of the genetic information and its faithful transmission through generations.
DNA polymerases also play key roles in other processes within cells, including DNA repair, genetic recombination, reverse transcription, and antibody production. DNA polymerases are widely used in molecular biology laboratories, notably for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, and molecular cloning.
DNA polymerase Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia. | <urn:uuid:897fa198-df7f-4450-8b51-04322d60112d> | CC-MAIN-2021-04 | https://kids.kiddle.co/DNA_polymerase | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610703506697.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20210116135004-20210116165004-00266.warc.gz | en | 0.945315 | 195 | 4.40625 | 4 |
photo: Todd Woody
In The New York Times on Thursday, I wrote about the continuing legal battle over placing the American pika, a small mountain-dwelling critter, on state and federal endangered species lists due to climate change threats to the animal’s survival:
In an article in Wednesday’s paper, I wrote about an environmental law firm that persuaded thousands of San Francisco commuters to use their smartphones’ Foursquare application to “check in” at its advertisements in subway stations and raise money to save the American pika, a critter that may be threatened by climate change.
The nonprofit law firm, Earthjustice, scored a victory this week when a San Francisco judge ordered the California Fish and Game Commission to reconsider a decision to deny state endangered species protection to the pika.
A relative of the rabbit, the pika lives on the rocky slopes of alpine ranges in California and throughout the West. Even small increases in temperature prove fatal to the pika, which does not hibernate and maintains a high body heat to survive frigid winters. As temperatures rise in mountainous regions, some scientists have found that pika populations either have vanished at lower elevations or moved to higher ground. The pint-sized mammal is also at risk from melting snow packs, which it relies on to insulate its burrows during long winters.
Earthjustice represents the Center for Biological Diversity in its efforts to have the pika listed as a protected species under state and federal law. After initially finding that a listing may be warranted for the pika, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in February concluded that the species could adapt to climate change.
In California, meanwhile, Earthjustice has been enmeshed in a three-year fight with the state Fish and Game Commission. The commission has twice rejected consideration of the Center for Biological Diversity’s petition to list the pika as a threatened species.
“The record in this case unequivocally demonstrates that the petition failed to include sufficient, if any, scientific information about population trend, population abundance, range, distribution, and degree and immediacy of threat to the pika throughout all or a significant portion of its range in California,” Cecilia L. Dennis, a California deputy attorney general, wrote in a motion filed Sept. 1 that opposed the environmentalists’ effort to re-open the listing proceedings.
But Greg Loarie, an attorney with Earthjustice, which is based in Oakland, Calif., argued that the Center for Biological Diversity offered more than ample evidence that a listing might be warranted for the pika, which would lead to a full investigation of the species’ status.
In court filings, Mr. Loarie said that the commission failed to properly consider new scientific evidence that his client presented in 2009 after Judge Peter Busch of the San Francisco Superior Court ordered the commission to reconsider the petition on the ground that it had used the wrong legal standard to reach its decision.
“As the expert agency charged with protecting California’s wildlife, the commission’s role is to evaluate the substance of the scientific evidence that it receives in support of and against a listing petition,” Mr. Loarie wrote in a brief.
You can read the rest of the story here. | <urn:uuid:180bb3c7-82fd-40d1-b69f-51bb5c6a9fa3> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://thegreenwombat.com/tag/earthjustice/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186895.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00530-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944672 | 670 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Contents: Katrin Van Herbruggen
Technical realisation: Centrum voor Teksteditie en Bronnenstudie
- The timeline has three major parts:
- A general time-line at the top, with events listed month by month.
- A detailed time-line in the middle, with events listed day-to-day.
- Time-line for the drafts at the bottom, with a survey of the when Joyce was working on which drafts.
- Events in the detailed time-line contain newspaper articles, followed by the relevant entries in the notebooks and drafts. These can be called up by clicking on the event.
- Every part of the time-line can be scrolled horizontally by clicking the mouse somewhere and then drag the mouse horizontally. By clicking on an event/point of the time-line that event will be centered. The time-lines can also be scrolled vertically, as can be the information in the pop-ups, when necessary. Linking arrows will appear to connect the labels with the relevant events if these are placed too low on the screen.
- The fields at the top
- "Filter" removes all events that do not contain the input.
- "Highlight" marks all the events that do contain the input in a given colour.
- Links with year reference at the top: clicking these moves the time-line immediately to the relevant point in time. | <urn:uuid:79b50993-43a4-4d7a-86e5-561bd1608275> | CC-MAIN-2016-18 | http://www.geneticjoycestudies.org/timeline/webapp/examples/joyce/joyce.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-18/segments/1461860125524.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20160428161525-00117-ip-10-239-7-51.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.898441 | 293 | 2.75 | 3 |
Hockey injuries are preventable! But prevention cannot be guessed.
What follows is a summary of pointers that coaches & captains of teams can share with their membership.
5 Ways To Prevent Hockey Injuries
Develop your own preferred set of repetitions (“reps”), but there are a set of six movements that this author does every day. Each has helped to keep minor and major injuries out of the picture.
The knees, ankles, lower back, hips, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists & fingers are areas of need.
From a standing position, these stretches can be done either on the floor (on one’s back). Or preferably (time allowing) in both positions. A stretching band can be used for added muscle tension or without any equipment if none is available.
It may surprise some to read “fingers” on this list, but hand injuries are indeed common. The hand has the largest number of muscles in the human body, so it does deserve some controlled movement. Wrist flexes with weights can address this preventive need to keep a firm finger & thumb grip. Squeeze balls are often used to keep the hand more nimble.
Exercise the ankles, knees, hips, and back/spine with a stretching band or loop:
A gym pad/mat or other smooth padded surface is desirable.
- Lay flat on your back.
- Place the stretching band under both feet.
- Grip the other side of this circular band with both hands.
- The tension (pounds of pressure) of hand & arm-to-foot & leg resistance is what is needed to generate stronger muscle fiber with its supportive tissues.
- Draw or pull your feet in (knee becomes flexed) toward the center of your body until your feet reach your crotch area. Push feet back outward, using hands to supply resistance during motion.
- The back should remain flat without any arching.
- Start with a count of 10 repetitions (“reps”), then increase a few reps each day, until you build up to a count of about 200–or whatever you can do without feeling stressed.
- With both heels/feet on the floor from a prone position (face up) draw both feet upward, use the stretch band to pull up both feet & legs.
- Move both hands on the stretch band upward as close to feet as possible, to increase hand and arm tension.
- Pull feet over abdomen and head for a backstretch, where legs are hanging over one’s head.
- If the feet can be pulled over the head to the floor, that is an excellent stretch for the spine.
- Lightly pull the feet down toward the floor, with the hands tugging in a slight bouncing motion.
- In the standing position, pull the stretch band outward as far as possible.
- Spread the feet about three feet apart, with knees bent.
- Holding that tension with arms apart, twist the abdomen/torso from left to right in a repeated smooth motion, keeping the head pivoted forward.
2: Warm-ups & Warm-downs
Stretch with cardio-burst before and after-game stretches
Cardio burst beforehand: After the initial stretching routine (above), do some jump rope or jumping jacks, on a realistically set number or a set time interval. The purpose is to get the heart pumping (especially in the morning) to create a more alert game participant.
Start with a small objective, such as 30 jumping jacks or 30 loops of jump rope at a time. Increase the repetitions (“reps”) in reasonable increments. Increase the count by ten, until you can feel a “training effect” of feeling some muscle fatigue or out-of-breath sensations. It is best not to “push it”, but instead keep the increments/rep increases going.
3: Weight Training
Train with strap-on wrist weights and strap-on ankle weights to build muscle, bone, tendon, and ligament capacity strength.
First, decide on the appropriate weight for your body size. weights can be from two pounds to five pounds.
With the added weight, your body works harder to “compensate” whenever there is any movement. It is common for some skaters to add five-pound (or less) ankle weights and also wrist weights in practice times–for that added edge in game situations. Anyone who does this form of adaptation has reported feeling more agile, faster, and stronger because of that weight-added training.
These devices can and should be considered for any age & stage of development above the age of puberty.
4: Wraps and Sleeves
Braces & wraps are commercially available and are not too expensive. These devices are sometimes called “orthotics” and can be considered for any age & stage of development.
Use athletic wraps/sleeves/braces for [in no particular order] knees, ankles, hips, elbows, shoulders, wrists–but not neck braces! Why? If someone needs a neck brace, they should not be playing in either game or practice situations!
The popular “metallic” sounding brand of athletic brace has good product quality (this is not a paid endorsement!). Start to use such supports at the first sign of achiness, not when there is excruciating pain. That ache is your body’s way of telling you to address the pain, perhaps also with over-the-counter topical cremes. These external devices help to compensate for the momentary instances or extended times of excessive pressure on that specific bone joint & associated muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
In the heat of play, that wrap/sleeve/brace can be the difference between a sprain or strain, or being able to “play on” without interruption.
All possible impact points during contact “sessions” need rigid forms of equipment parts. Examples in hockey include hockey pants, shoulder guards, elbow guards, groin protection, and knee guards. In recent years, “shot-blockers” for skates have prevented many bruises and even bone fractures. Hockey helmets and face guards have progressed considerably for risk reduction of brain concussion, broken noses, loss of teeth, jaw fractures, etc. On the controversial issue of full-face guards versus visors, all it takes is one slap shot to quickly convince anyone on the ice! Lost teeth and broken jaws/cheekbones are a consequence of not wearing the available protective equipment.
Under the concept of adequate hydration and increased alertness, it’s arguably not cheating to include, even with its mild diuretic effect: coffee!
Milk (or almond milk/coconut milk)–and no sugar added–for all of the well-known nutritional reasons.
For those early morning workouts, whether it is a darker or light drink, this popular beverage is known to have positive health benefits, at least for those over eighteen years of age.
Like common teas, this drink is safer (even if not “decaf”) than some of the questionable sports energy drinks currently on the market.
If coffee, tea, or milk are not one’s preference, consider 100% fruit juices. If a juicer is owned at home, that’s even better to bring homemade mixes to the game or practice time, to replenish.
Of course, pure water has merits, although it is possible to over-hydrate. Calculate from your body weight (male or female) to figure out how many ounces /milliliters of water/fluid you need to replenish what is being lost in sweat and exhalation. There are hydration apps available for iphones and other cellphone brands. Such calculations account for gender and body weight.
Regardless of the athlete’s chronological age, the present-day trend (based on validated scientific research) is to pay some attention to each of these aspects of injury prevention.
New coaches could even print out this STACK.com article and distribute it to team members and their parents. | <urn:uuid:2f2a01a4-ae4c-4096-8689-91f785a0e623> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://www.stack.com/a/5-ways-to-prevent-hockey-injuries/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030335504.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220930212504-20221001002504-00719.warc.gz | en | 0.930846 | 1,718 | 2.703125 | 3 |
NIH scientists outline steps toward Epstein-Barr virus vaccine:
- Posted: November 2, 2011
Vaccine could prevent mononucleosis and cancers linked to virus
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects nine out of ten people worldwide at some point during their lifetimes. Infections in early childhood often cause no disease symptoms, but people infected during adolescence or young adulthood may develop infectious mononucleosis, a disease characterized by swollen lymph nodes, fever and severe fatigue. EBV also is associated with several kinds of cancer, including Hodgkin lymphoma and stomach and nasal cancers. Organ transplant recipients and people infected with HIV (who become infected with or who already are infected with EBV) also may develop EBV-associated cancers. There is no vaccine to prevent EBV infection and no way for doctors to predict whether an EBV-infected person will develop virus-associated cancer.
In a new article from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and Harold Varmus, M.D., director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), join Gary Nabel, M.D., Ph.D., director of NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center, and Jeffrey Cohen, M.D., chief of NIAID’s Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, in summarizing a recent meeting of experts who gathered to map directions toward an EBV vaccine. Although it may not be possible to create a vaccine that completely prevents EBV infection, the authors note, clinical observations and results from clinical trials of an experimental EBV vaccine suggest that it may be possible to create an EBV vaccine capable of preventing the diseases that sometimes follow EBV infection.
Priorities for future research include determining which immune system responses to vaccination correlate with protection from infection or disease; identifying biological markers that would enable clinicians to predict development of EBV-related cancers; and establishing collaborations among government, academic and industry scientists to further improve an experimental EBV vaccine and to spur development of second-generation EBV vaccines.
JI Cohen et al. Epstein-Barr virus: An important vaccine target for cancer prevention. Science Translational Medicine DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3002878 (2011).
Scientific experts from NIAID and NCI are available to comment.
To schedule interviews with Dr. Fauci or other NIAID authors, contact the NIAID Office of Communications, (301) 402-1663, [email protected].
To schedule interviews with NCI Director Dr. Harold Varmus, contact NCI press officers at (301) 496-6641, [email protected].
NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.
NCI leads the National Cancer Program and the NIH effort to dramatically reduce the burden of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI Web site at www.cancer.gov or call NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). | <urn:uuid:3b2f25d7-7770-49be-9224-ce7c8fcd8507> | CC-MAIN-2015-18 | http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/newsfromnci/2011/EBVvaccineSTM/print | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-18/segments/1429246659483.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20150417045739-00195-ip-10-235-10-82.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.895736 | 776 | 3.34375 | 3 |
The rhombic drive is a specific method of transferring mechanical energy, or work, used when a single cylinder is used for two separately oscillating pistons.
It was originally developed around 1900 for the twin-cylinder Lanchester car engine where it allowed perfect balancing of the inertial forces on both pistons. A current example of its use is on beta type-Stirling engines; the drive's complexity and tight tolerances, causing a high cost of manufacture, is a hurdle for the widespread usage of this drive.
In its simplest form, the drive utilizes a jointed rhomboid to convert linear work from a reciprocating piston to rotational work. The connecting rod of the piston is rigid as opposed to a common reciprocating engine which directly connects the piston to the crankshaft with a flexible joint in the piston. Instead, the rod connects to one corner of a rhombus. When force is applied to the piston, it pushes down; at the same time, the outer corners of the rhomboid push out. They push on two cranks/flywheels which cause them to rotate, each in opposite directions. As the wheels rotate the rhombus progresses its change of shape from being flattened in the direction of the piston axis at top dead centre to being flattened in the perpendicular direction to the piston axis at bottom dead centre.
In the pictured example the left crank/flywheel turns clockwise and the right crank/flywheel anticlockwise. They turn at the same angular velocity and this can be reinforced by intermeshing them as gear wheels. | <urn:uuid:c38d700b-a08a-4b7f-9676-8e8d14ec4d4b> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.mashpedia.com/Rhombic_drive | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282631.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00413-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937002 | 322 | 4.125 | 4 |
Posture: The Straight-Up Story
By Krista Elliott
My husband's grandfather recently passed away at the age of 94. One of the things that was always so noteworthy about him was the fact that even at his advanced age, his 6-foot-3 self was still held upright in perfect military posture. Unlike many elderly people, whose posture degenerates with age, he was ramrod-straight at all times, whether sitting or standing.
It made him an imposing and impressive figure. And it also made me think about posture, and how we have prioritized it (or not) throughout history.
Posture: A Short History
David Yosifon and Peter N. Stearns wrote a fascinating paper titled The Rise and Fall of American Posture, which explores the sociological underpinnings of posture and its rules. In it, they explain how in the early nineteenth century, rigid posture became de rigueur, as a way of differentiating the "moral" and "upright" upper classes from not only the slouched and tired working classes but also from an earlier, languid and morally "loose" upper class. Fashion and furniture reflected this trend, with tight corsets, rigid vests, and hard, upright seating. Good posture indicated good character.
As fashion and furniture eased in the late nineteenth century, the establishment issued dire warnings about the medical and social ramifications of poor posture (kids these days, right?) However, they were on the losing side of history, as modern society welcomed an increase in comfort, with looser clothing, furniture that had actual padding, and more relaxed posture.
Since then, our society has continued to relax its ways, but we still see traces of moral judgment being attached to one's posture, with an upright individual commonly being depicted as more reliable, trustworthy, competent, and successful than his round-shouldered or slumping counterpart. Of course, this depiction and its associated social norm are not only false, but can be problematic when you factor in that some people simply can't stand or sit up straight because of medical reasons.
So Why Do We Need Good Posture?
Good posture may not say anything about your personality, but it does have health benefits. Maintaining good posture helps to reduce strain on our muscles and joints. It also also helps to keep our spine in its healthiest position, helping prevent subluxations and disc injuries.
Professional chiropractic treatment from the experts at The Joint Chiropractic can help you attain your healthiest posture, offsetting the damaging effects of slouching, slumping, holding your head forward, or over-arching your back. When combined with exercises and stretches to balance out the muscular structure of your body and its forces on your joints, chiropractic treatment can help you attain a healthy and ideal posture that still feels comfortable and natural.
With help from The Joint, perhaps you too can have noteworthy posture at the age of 94, standing head and shoulders above the rest. | <urn:uuid:f7ea20f6-0615-4060-bac5-d38891cddc2d> | CC-MAIN-2017-09 | http://www.thejoint.com/georgia/savannah/savannah-twelve-oaks-04013/192121-posture-straight-up-story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501171251.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104611-00448-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972496 | 616 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Sodium- and Potassium-based Batteries Hold Promise for Cheap Energy Storage
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found new evidence suggesting that batteries based on sodium and potassium hold promise as a potential alternative to lithium-based batteries.
From electric cars that travel hundreds of miles on a single charge to chainsaws as mighty as gas-powered versions, new products hit the market each year that take advantage of recent advances in battery technology.
But that growth has led to concerns that the world’s supply of lithium, the metal at the heart of many of the new rechargeable batteries, may eventually be depleted.
Now researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found new evidence suggesting that batteries based on sodium and potassium hold promise as a potential alternative to lithium-based batteries.
“One of the biggest obstacles for sodium- and potassium-ion batteries has been that they tend to decay and degrade faster and hold less energy than alternatives,” said Matthew McDowell, an assistant professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Materials Science and Engineering.
“But we’ve found that’s not always the case,” he added.
For the study, which was published June 19 in the journal Joule and was sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, the research team looked at how three different ions – lithium, sodium, and potassium – reacted with particles of iron sulfide, also called pyrite and fool’s gold.
As batteries charge and discharge, ions are constantly reacting with and penetrating the particles that make up the battery electrode. This reaction process causes large volume changes in the electrode’s particles, often breaking them up into small pieces. Because sodium and potassium ions are larger than lithium, it’s traditionally been thought that they cause more significant degradation when reacting with particles.
In their experiments, the reactions that occur inside a battery were directly observed inside an electron microscope, with the iron sulfide particles playing the role of a battery electrode. The researchers found that iron sulfide was more stable during reaction with sodium and potassium than with lithium, indicating that such a battery based on sodium or potassium could have a much longer life than expected.
The difference between how the different ions reacted was stark visually. When exposed to lithium, iron sulfide particles appeared to almost explode under the electron microscope. On the contrary, the iron sulfide expanded like a balloon when exposed to the sodium and potassium.
“We saw a very robust reaction with no fracture – something that suggests that this material and other materials like it could be used in these novel batteries with greater stability over time,” said Matthew Boebinger, a graduate student at Georgia Tech.
The study also casts doubt on the notion that large volume changes that occur during the electrochemical reaction are always a precursor to particle fracture, which causes electrode failure leading to battery degradation.
The researchers suggested that one possible reason for the difference in how the different ions reacted with the iron sulfide is that the lithium was more likely to concentrate its reaction along the particle’s sharp cube-like edges, whereas the reaction with sodium and potassium was more diffuse along all of the surface of the iron sulfide particle. As a result, the iron sulfide particle when reacting with sodium and potassium developed a more oval shape with rounded edges.
While there’s still more work to be done, the new research findings could help scientists design battery systems that use these types of novel materials.
“Lithium batteries are still the most attractive right now because they have the most energy density – you can pack a lot of energy in that space,” McDowell said. “Sodium and potassium batteries at this point don’t have more density, but they are based on elements a thousand times more abundant in the earth’s crust than lithium. So they could be much cheaper in the future, which is important for large scale energy storage – backup power for homes or the energy grid of the future.”
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. DMR-1652471, DMR-1410936, CMMI-1554393 and ECCS-1542174, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-SC0012704. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.
CITATION: Matthew G. Boebinger, David Yeh, Michael Xu, B. Casey Miles, Baolin Wang, Marc Papakyriakou, John A. Lewis, Neha P. Kondekar, Francisco Javier Quintero Cortes, Sooyeon Hwang, Xiahan Sang, Dong Su, Raymond R. Unocic, Shuman Xia, Ting Zhu, and Matthew T. McDowell, “Avoiding Fracture in a Conversion Battery Material through Reaction with Larger Ions,” (Joule, June 2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2018.05.015 | <urn:uuid:fc5fa18f-0c32-440f-beab-d24653cbdf52> | CC-MAIN-2021-25 | https://www.news.gatech.edu/2018/06/21/sodium-and-potassium-based-batteries-hold-promise-cheap-energy-storage | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623487630518.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20210617162149-20210617192149-00068.warc.gz | en | 0.941448 | 1,075 | 3.578125 | 4 |
The Sea Gull
Category: BIRDS AND BEASTS.
Source: Welsh Folk-lore
It is believed that when sea gulls leave the sea for the mountains it is
a sign of stormy weather.
A few years ago I was walking from Corwen to Gwyddelwern, and I overtook
an aged man, and we entered into conversation. Noticing the sea gulls
hovering about, I said, there is going to be a storm. The answer of my
old companion was, yes, for the sea gull says before starting from the
Awn i'r eithin;
and then when the storm is over, they say one to the other, before they
take their flight back again to the sea:--
Awn i'r morfa.
which first couplet may be translated:--
Foul weather, foul weather,
Let's go to the heather;
and then the two last lines may be rendered:--
The storm is no more,
Let's go to the shore.
This was the only occasion when I heard the above stanza, and I have
spoken to many aged Welshmen, and they had not heard the words, but every
one to whom I spoke believed that the sea gulls seen at a distance from
the sea was a sign of foul weather.
Next: The Swallow
Previous: Robin Redbreast | <urn:uuid:096f657b-bf48-48fc-a083-343c357eafc4> | CC-MAIN-2018-26 | http://www.urbanmyths.ca/Myths/The-Sea-Gull.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-26/segments/1529267868876.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20180625185510-20180625205510-00457.warc.gz | en | 0.935586 | 300 | 2.59375 | 3 |
A world heritage site and an archaeological treasure, the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters is the place of human life’s genesis in the Indian subcontinent. The name Bhimbetka has a mythological connection with one of the characters of Mahabharata, Bhim. It is believed to have been derived from the word Bhimbaithaka which means the sitting place of Bhim. These shelters are situated in the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. In the archaeological records of India, Bhimbetka was first referred as a Buddhist site in the year 1888. It was Dr. Vishnu S. Wakankar who visited the area with his team in 1957 and discovered prehistoric rock shelters.
The caves here, have many rock paintings dating back right from the upper Paleolithic age to the medieval times. These paintings enlighten us about the various facets of everyday life of man who lived thousands of years ago in different ages. From the panoramic details about the prevalent social life to the depiction of the most common practices like honey collection, the rock art in these caves is a wonderful journey to the past. Since there is superimposition of paintings, it is believed that the same walls were coated again and again. Animals such as bison, tiger, boar, antelope and elephant are some of the foremost features in the paintings. Archaeologists opine that the cave dwellers used vegetable dyes and colored earth as paint and used brushes made from plant fibers. The paintings serve as an evidence to trace the development of man from age to age.
These artworks are sorted into five different ages, each depicting diverse scenes. It all commenced in the Upper Paleolithic age with linear illustrations of huge animal figures colored in red and green. In the Mesolithic age, the figures became comparatively small. It was the age when humans started featuring in the paintings. Hunting scenes were drawn, giving us a clear idea of the weapons used at the time. The Chalcolithic age witnessed sketches of group dances, childbirth, burials and drinking. It revealed the cavemen’s association and mutual exchange with nature and agricultural communities. The style of painting completely transformed in the Early Historic period. Religious symbols and tree Gods painted in red, yellow and white appeared. Man’s interaction with the adjacent cultures also became evident. The Medieval times show deterioration of their artistic style. The paintings of Ganesha and other Brahmanical Gods made their first appearance in the caves. The paintings provide us an idea of the yesteryears and present the continuity in the ways man survived and evolved.
Bhimbetka Rock Shelters are a route to the past and its distinctiveness. Along with the art it houses, there are also remains of the walls of the citadel, inscriptions and mini stupas. The unearthing of numerous tools during its excavations also suggests that the rock shelters served as the habitation areas for man since the very beginning.
On the whole, the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters can be depicted as an indispensable part of human history, giving an insight into the lifestyle of prehistoric man and his evolution into the present. | <urn:uuid:c5948e53-a161-4e73-b364-ec4a76443790> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | https://www.viagotrips.com/rock-shelters-bhimbetka/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187828356.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20171024090757-20171024110757-00834.warc.gz | en | 0.961587 | 650 | 3.34375 | 3 |
In this tutorial you will learn how to make a realistic boat in Unity. There are multiple ways to make a boat in Unity, and so far I've identified the following:
Just add a box collider to your boat, and place it so it will look like the bottom of the boat is below the water line.
Use Unity's built-in wheel colliders. You can find a good explanation of the basic idea here: Physics-based Ship Movement.
Create a model that looks realistic, but is fake (as explained here: Floating an object on water)
Create a model using the real physics equations from mother nature. We will focus on this method in this tutorial. It will be slower but look much more realistic.
To create a realistic boat, we have to go through the following steps: | <urn:uuid:695d0e35-1a31-4a3e-aee7-31373a191982> | CC-MAIN-2018-09 | http://www.habrador.com/tutorials/unity-boat-tutorial/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-09/segments/1518891812293.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20180218232618-20180219012618-00379.warc.gz | en | 0.936462 | 165 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Given enough time, tragic events have a way—perhaps once or twice in a lifetime—of turning into something good. Much is learned from the study of great disasters. Because of the Titanic sinking, today’s ships are much safer. Investigations of major air crashes have led to many improvements in air travel safety, and so on. The same is true for wilderness adventuring. But there are some tragedies where it wasn’t clear how much they influenced major events which followed, until many years later.
Such was the case regarding the horrific lightning strike on Bugaboo Spire in August of 1948 that killed two climbers and seriously injured two others. Yet, as sad and unfortunate as the accident was, it was directly responsible for one of the most famous backpacking journeys of the twentieth century.
Bugaboo Spire rises 10,400 feet in British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains. The spire itself—a near-vertical needle standing 2,000 feet above the surrounding area—has long been a climber’s destination. Lightning strikes, common on such pinnacles, have been a bane to those on mountaintops since we first began seeking the heights, but such storms have become an acceptable risk to modern climbers. On August 4, 1948, four climbers—Rudolph Pundt, 41, Robert Becker, 21, Ann “Cricket” Strong, 18, and Ian MacKinlay, 21—were just beginning their descent down the vertical rock face of the spire when an extremely powerful lightning storm blew in, forcing them to take shelter in a shallow cave just below the summit. It struck with an intensity that could not be anticipated as they sat trying to eat lunch while contemplating the truth which lurks in the back of every mountaineer’s mind: there is little one can do on a high mountaintop during a lightning storm. It is a hazard you must accept.
A bolt from the sky hit near the cave’s opening, rendering all of them unconscious. MacKinlay recovered first. Still quite dazed, badly burned, and paralyzed from the neck down, he watched helplessly as Pundt—convulsing in the opening of the cave—plunged over the precipice to his death far below. By now Cricket was regaining consciousness but was suffering from third-degree burns. Ian slowly recovered the partial use of his extremities, but his left arm hung uselessly at his side. After checking on Becker, they decided he was too injured to move and tied him to the rocks, left all their food and water, and prepared to descend.
The faces of Bugaboo Spire are sheer, dropping a couple of thousand feet to an ice field below. The known route, in 1948, was to rappel and climb down a vertical, saw-toothed knife-edge ridge. Below this is a steep ice-slope followed by the ice field crossing. Normally it’s a three hour descent, but badly burned and in shock, it was clear to them that their chances of making it at all were slim.
When they thought the worst of the storm had passed, the two finally began the painful descent, injured and terrified, toward base camp far below. About 50 feet below the cave they found a rope-sling, left by previous climbers, for the long rappel down the cliff face. But when Ian tried to tie the rope into his own harness, he couldn’t lift his left arm high enough to pass the rope over his shoulder. This was when he understood that he was more injured than he’d realized and knew then that it would take both of their climbing skills, combined, to get down alive. At the bottom of this first rappel, they saw the storm bearing down on them again. The acrid scent of ozone filled the air along with something that smelled like a hot iron scorching wet cloth. Electrical charges built from the lower parts of the spire and raced up the needle with an increasing voltage that ended in a lightning strike.
“There was a slow, inevitable rhythm about it,” Cricket said. “After each strike, we moved in silence for a while, with only the tearing wind and slashing rain. Then the rocks began a shrill humming, each on a slightly different note. The humming grew louder and louder. You could feel a charge building up in your body. Our hair stood on end. The charge increased, and the humming swelled until everything reached an unbearable climax. Then the lightning would strike again—with a crack like a gigantic rifle shot… After each strike, we would grope forward in silence. Then the humming would begin again.”
Now the ridge dropped away leaving them on the edge of a terrifying open space at their feet. So, Cricket fixed a rope—Ian’s left arm was still dangling uselessly—and climbed down after Ian’s one-handed descent. She noted that electricity was humming along the wet nylon. As they worked their way down, the route grew a little easier and the storm seemed to diminish somewhat. But they both fell a couple of times and when they finally reached the ice-slope, Cricket slipped and plunged down the steep ice on her back. Just before losing her grip, her ice-ax slowed her fall. But it dislodged snow, ice, and rocks which hurtled down on top of her. Ian watched, horrified and unable to help, as she slid, 40 miles per hour, down onto the dark, crevasse-sliced glacier. He was certain she was dead. Then, miraculously, she came to a halt a few hundred feet down, and directly below a rock avalanche poised to crash into the chute she was in. So, she crawled to the edge of the glacier and waited for Ian who found her sitting against a rock and grinning.
They were both bloody and covered in cuts but walked arm in arm down the glacier to base camp just as darkness began to blanket the area. It had been seven hours since the strike, which was again blasting the spire’s summit. Even so, two climbers left immediately to rescue Bob Becker.
The team’s first-aid expert saw that the left side of Cricket’s long johns was burned away leaving 3rd -degree burns along her charred leg. Coins in Ian’s pockets, and his zippers, were fused. His sweat-soaked T-shirt was torn and tattered. When the medic removed the shirt, the source of the scorching smell was discovered: the back half of his shirt was gone—burned into his flesh. The medic later said, “It was as if somebody had been at Ian’s back with an arc-welder or had pressed in red-hot golf balls and then wrenched them out.”
For two days the storm continued to blast overhead, sending each rescue attempt scurrying for cover. Eventually, two brave men climbed up to the cave and found Becker dead; the food and water untouched. He was still tied in but when they undid the ropes, his body slipped over the precipice at the cave’s mouth and tumbled away. Neither Probst’s nor Becker’s bodies were ever recovered.
Three days passed before MacKinlay and Strong received professional medical attention. With two dead and two badly injured climbers, this trek could only be declared a tragedy.
Until… 1962, when it became the catalyst for something quite good.
By then Colin Fletcher was nearly finished writing The Thousand-Mile Summer, the chronicle of his legendary solo walk through the deserts and mountains that make up California’s eastern spine. He’d finally returned to the US West after his disastrous second marriage had derailed, stranding him at Starve Crow in Devon, England, for a couple of years. It was on this return trip to the west coast when he caught his first glimpse of the Grand Canyon.
He was still an obscure author and made his living penning nature articles for Field and Stream, Readers Digest, and other periodicals. Fletcher, while searching for story ideas, came across an old Saturday Evening Post clipping regarding the accident on Bugaboo Spire, fifteen years earlier. He was then planning what would become his celebrated first Grand Canyon journey and tucked the clipping into a folder he kept for future writing projects.
The fall of 1962 and early winter of 1963 were slow for Fletcher and he became financially stressed. He needed to sell more articles to finance this first thru-canyon solo trip, so he wrote three stories and submitted them to Readers Digest. These were D-Day Twenty Years After, Rattlesnakes – Fact and Fancy, and Lightning Strikes on Bugaboo Spire. The Digest published all three articles. The first one published was the story of Bugaboo Spire and it was the money earned from this piece that funded the famous solo canyon trek.
Without the Bugaboo article, he would not have had the means to undertake the journey. The Man Who Walked Through Time and The Complete Walker might not have been written, Fletcher would have remained an obscure writer, and someone else might have become the Grandfather of Modern Backpacking. Without Fletcher’s enormous fame, most of those people in the 60s who took to the road with their backpacks, or embraced the back to the land movement, would not have learned of these ideas when they did had Fletcher not made his game-changing Grand Canyon trek; which, in turn, would not have been possible without the Bugaboo Spire story.
As for the survivors of the Bugaboo Lighting disaster, Ian and Ann “Cricket” MacKinlay spent the rest of their lives raising five children and downhill skiing in their free time. And that is a happy ending!
Robert Wehrman is a composer, explorer, and the author of six books. His latest, Walking Man – The Secret Life of Colin Fletcher is the biography of the famous walker and was a finalist in the Banff Mountain and Book Festival. | <urn:uuid:149893e4-f199-4baf-b889-3d1025d3dd1c> | CC-MAIN-2021-31 | https://www.adventuresnw.com/the-bugaboo-effect/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-31/segments/1627046150134.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20210724063259-20210724093259-00033.warc.gz | en | 0.979764 | 2,092 | 3 | 3 |
MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, Mass.--Researchers from Tufts University School of Engineering and MIT have reported a new way to biosynthesize important precursors to the potent anti-cancer compound Taxol in an engineered strain of E. coli bacteria.
The findings are significant steps on the way to achieving cost-effective, large-scale production of Taxol and the effort to design new Taxol-like pharmaceuticals.
The work is reported in the October 1, 2010, issue of the journal Science.
Taxol (paclitaxel) and its structural analogs are among the most powerful and commercially successful anticancer drugs, used to treat Kaposi's sarcoma and breast, lung and ovarian tumors.
Taxol was originally derived from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. Its anti-cancer properties were discovered more than 40 years ago.
But Taxol's power comes with an environmental price: Early stage production methods required sacrificing two to four fully grown trees for each patient. Alternative means of production such as using needles rather than bark still rely on slow, laborious plant-based processes. This limits production of Taxol itself and development of new derivatives that might be even more effective.
"This was the basis for our efforts to redirect biosynthesis through a simple, process-friendly bacterium like E. coli," explains Tufts' Blaine Pfeifer, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering and co-corresponding author on the paper. "We faced a tremendous challenge because of the engineering needed first to 'equip' the E. coli cell to support Taxol biosynthesis and the subsequent protein engineering required to allow the first two steps in the Taxol biosynthesis scheme to be active within this new host."
The complex metabolic sequence that produces Taxol involves at least 17 intermediate steps and is not fully understood. The team's goal was to optimize production of the first two Taxol intermediates, taxadiene and taxadien-5alpha-ol.
The researchers partitioned the taxadiene metabolic pathway into two modules: the intracellular supply of substrates, or precursors, that must be present within the E. coli cell before Taxol can be produced (the upstream pathway) and the biosynthetic steps needed to make the first two Taxol intermediates (the downstream pathway).
This modular approach allowed manipulation of the many variables in each pathway to achieve the right balance to optimize production of the two intermediates. It effectively "unlocked" unprecedented production levels of early-stage Taxol intermediates through E. coli.
The team reported producing more than 1 gram of taxadiene per liter of production culture a level that was 1,000 times greater than had previously been reported using E. coli as a host and 15,000 times more than the study's initial production levels prior to balancing the upstream and downstream modular pathways. For the first time, the second Taxol precursor, taxadiene-5alpha-ol, was produced from E. coli.
The researchers caution that significant work is still needed in order to complete the synthesis of a Taxol precursor suitable for commercial production and potentially replace the current plant-based production process with a more efficient operation based upon microbial biosynthesis. Such an approach could also be applied to production of chemicals and fuels microbially derived from renewable resources.
"Though this is only a first step, it is a very promising development and certainly supports this approach and its potential," said Pfeifer.
|Contact: Kim Thurler| | <urn:uuid:d5214a78-8e62-49b2-9768-79d1c29dd741> | CC-MAIN-2016-18 | http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Researchers-advance-biosynthesis-of-potent-anti-cancer-drug-Taxol-76075-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-18/segments/1461860116587.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20160428161516-00002-ip-10-239-7-51.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934747 | 728 | 2.640625 | 3 |
We can’t get to “equal” when we have unaddressed historic deficits.
Much of our work at the Office of Equity and Human Rights focuses on tackling institutional barriers based on race and disability, and addressing those societal patterns that interfere with equitable City service delivery to all communities in Portland.
The school of thought that says we should be “colorblind” and treat everybody equally, ignores the historic exclusion of those not considered white and the need to recognize and value our differences. In the context of race, being colorblind marginalizes negative racial conflicts, cultural heritage, and unique perspectives of people of color. Colorblindness stands in the way of our necessity to address racial differences and difficulties—we cannot be colorblind until we address all the issues that color consciousness has created.
Look at the picture above and think of the field in terms of the services the City provides. What are your observations of the Equality picture compared to the Equity picture? How can you use the principles illustrated in these pictures to better understand the need for Equity in our City?
Note: This image was adapted by OEHR from the original graphic: | <urn:uuid:4e9e5390-de74-466a-8bf8-26b6ed96af2f> | CC-MAIN-2019-13 | https://www.portlandoregon.gov/oehr/article/449547 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-13/segments/1552912202526.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20190321152638-20190321174638-00335.warc.gz | en | 0.931893 | 234 | 3.484375 | 3 |
The Industrial Heritage Trail
The Industrial Heritage Trail (German: Route der Industriekultur) links tourist attractions related to the industrial heritage in the Ruhr area in Germany. It is a part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.
The trail network connects museums and exhibitions that present the industrial revolution during the last 750 years in the Ruhr area. It includes 400 km of road network and about 700 km of bicycle tracks.
There are 52 main attractions on the trail.
In the category Panoramas are lots of spoil tips, e.g. here the Halde Rheinpreußen
The glass elephant in Hamm
Media related to Route der Industriekultur at Wikimedia Commons
- www.route-industriekultur.de (German) (English)
|This German road or road transport-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.|
|This industry-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.|
|This article about a North Rhine-Westphalian building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.| | <urn:uuid:1cb8c66d-25e1-4705-9260-d13fad5c8c27> | CC-MAIN-2015-06 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Industrial_Heritage_Trail | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422122071449.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124175431-00063-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.837923 | 239 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Volunteer liability can be a vague term that is interpreted differently by different people. It generally refers to your organization’s potential risk brought on by the actions, or the lack thereof, of your volunteers; it can also refer to damages suffered by your volunteers.
Generally, there are 3 classifications of liability:
- Direct Liability – An organization, or individual, is held responsible for their actions or lack of action.
- Indirect or Vicarious Liability – When an organization is held responsible for harm caused by persons who are acting as representatives of the organization, such as a volunteer.
- Strict Liability – is when responsibility for harm is automatic and a finding of negligence or misconduct is not required.
Facts about Liability, Negligence and Volunteers
Most lawsuits involving nonprofit organizations and volunteers generally concern one of the following: negligence, strict liability, or intentional misconduct.
- Allegations of negligence, strict liability or intentional misconduct may be made against an individual volunteer, the nonprofit organization, or both.
- The fact that an action taken by a volunteer is expressly forbidden by the nonprofit or contrary to organizational procedures will not necessarily allow the nonprofit to be free of responsibility.
- Nonprofits may be held liable even when a volunteer was clearly acting outside the scope of their duties.
Is it fair that a nonprofit should be held responsible for its volunteers? The answer to that question may be harder to answer than it seems.
Whatever someone’s motivation for volunteering for your organization it should be a win-win situation for both parties. Make sure that all parties are clear on their duties and responsibilities to protect yourself against volunteer liability and to protect your volunteers from damages. This will go a long way to ensuring both parties feel a sense of satisfaction after a job well done.
If you have questions about volunteer liability, or how to protect yourself against other risks pertaining to your nonprofit let us know by calling us at (800) 807-6871 or visiting our web site. | <urn:uuid:4c1089f1-e260-49f2-a687-b9f43a9b7ee0> | CC-MAIN-2020-45 | https://www.nicains.com/blog/what_is_volunteer_liability.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-45/segments/1603107883636.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20201024135444-20201024165444-00201.warc.gz | en | 0.96252 | 409 | 2.578125 | 3 |
In Literacy we aim to develop the pupils’ abilities to speak with confidence, clarity and fluency in a variety of situations for a variety of audiences. Along with these skills we aim to develop the skills of listening in similar situations. It is important that we develop the pupils’ abilities in reading to enable them to read confidently, fluently and with understanding. We aim to foster a love of reading so that children may grow to find enjoyment in a range of books as well as reading for information. In writing we aim to develop pupils’ abilities to write fluently and clearly for a range of audiences and purposes, setting down the work appropriately and using the conventions of the English language correctly. We use the Letters and Sounds phonics scheme to help develop the reading skills in our children.
We provide an environment that will give every opportunity for learning to read, write, speak and listen. We foster a healthy attitude towards this learning with thorough teaching of skills to ensure success. We provide resources to encourage and motivate individuals to achieve the aims. We endeavour to lay good foundations in basic skills at the Foundation stage and at KS1, then build on them in KS2. We think of individual needs and interests to achieve successful progression. We use different strategies and groupings to help to achieve this and we provide equal opportunities for all children.
For full policy please click on the following link. Literacy Policy May 2012 | <urn:uuid:8e115161-7a9a-4d45-9c01-2e3d6d3493c7> | CC-MAIN-2021-25 | https://swallownestprimary.org/curriculum/curriculum-policies/literacy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623487635920.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20210618073932-20210618103932-00287.warc.gz | en | 0.948314 | 286 | 3.828125 | 4 |
Modernity and Enlightenment
EUR1100 European Studies Catherine Wyatt 19453175 Natalie Doyle Modernity and Enlightenment /4/04 The Persian Letters (1721), a fictional piece by Charles Montesquieu, is representative of 'the Enlightenment,' both supporting and showing conflict with its ideas. The initial perception of European people, in particular the French, is of a busy people with goals and ambition whose focus is progress; in this way they are able to gain knowledge - a core foundation to Enlightenment. One particular section of the Persian Letters states that the revolt against the authorities was lead by women, who through reason, saw the inequity of their treatment and formed a voice. In Montesquieu's story, their decision to change tradition was part of a powerful movement towards this new found 'light'. The pressure for people to conform was greatly impressed by the King. With the Enlightenment movement, came recognition of this and a rebellion of what Montesquieu calls, the King's "invisible enemies" formed. These were people trying to break the mold and think for themselves, using reason and searching for answers outside what they had been told to believe. However the ignorant authority described in the letters is opposing to this new movement. The King colluded with the Pope and Gaelic church over ways to retain control and openly practice the way of life that the new ideology
Siddhartha as a Hero's Journey.
Siddhartha as a Hero's Journey Herman Hesse's book, Siddhartha lends itself perfectly to a hero's journey. His journey is long, painful, and dangerous, but Siddhartha comes out better because of it. The book was written by Hesse in 1922 and based on a character set in the 500 BCs. It is odd that the book applies to modern India just as it applied to the India of 2 millennium ago (when Siddhartha supposedly lived). This, coupled with a captivating story line makes this a fun book to read, as well as an interesting point of view into early Indian culture. Siddhartha searches for "why" we are on the Earth, and finally finds his answer after many long years. The book begins with Siddhartha as a young boy living with his Brahmin parents in a moderately wealthy city in India. His father is a rich and powerful Brahmin priest, and Siddhartha is expected to follow in his footsteps as a Brahmin. He learns the ways of his people quickly, and at a tender age, his is participating in conversations with his elders. This is the time when Siddhartha starts to here things preached to him. He may have already decided that he must find his own way of doing things instead of falling under the spell of his teachers and elders. He has a thirst for knowledge-- the author puts it well by saying that he is a "vessel that in not full". He discovers that the elders and teachers have only placed a
The day the Buddha left.
One day, Siddhartha Gautama awoke Minister Channa and ordered him to get his horse Kandaka saddled. Then he went to the son and wife's rooms to see them before he went to the forest. He saw that his wife (Yasodara) and his son by her side were both sleeping. Siddhartha wanted to kiss his son for the last time but he realized that his wife would wake up and his journey to finding truth would be disturbed. He then left the castle and set off with his Horse and his friend Channa. He then got to the river Anoma. Once he crossed the river, Siddhartha took his hair-knot by one hand, and with a sword in the other, cut it off. He then threw up the hair-knot into the sky and it is said that it stayed in the sky. Next Siddhartha took an alms-bowl and yellow robes. And gave Channa his very expensive clothes and ordered him to return to the castle. Channa took the Horse Kandaka and the clothes to the castle. Half way through the journey the Horse Kandaka missed his master Siddhartha and died. So Channa continued the journey all by his own to the Castle. When the Sakya Tribe knew about Siddhartha they all cried out in tears. After leaving Channa, Siddhartha stayed in the mango grove called Anuppiya near the Anoma river for seven days and then he went to Rajagaha (a town). When he went into the town for food, the citizens looked admiringly at the splendid and graceful appearance of
Accounts of the life of the Buddha are just fiction Historically we know very little about the Buddha. Even to this very day, debates still occur as to the dates of his life and death,
Robert Hicks 09/09/05 Homework 3 (AO2) Accounts of the life of the Buddha are just fiction Historically we know very little about the Buddha. Even to this very day, debates still occur as to the dates of his life and death, although most scholars tend to agree that the Buddha lived for around eighty years. There is archaeological evidence such as, monuments, inscriptions and there are the Sanskrits; this leads me to believe that there is a very distinct possibility of his existence. Most of the accounts of his life are very similar and only alter in certain aspects of the tale and not in the main structure of the story. There are many many accounts from many parts of the world; I would have thought that there would have been a lot more discrepancies between the differing versions, considering how far apart they may have originated from. Like all accounts of history, we depend on information being passed down, mainly through written evidence and tales of myth and legend. The problem with this is that legends are altered through time, key aspects and facts are changed slightly or sometimes significantly altered (Chinese whisper syndrome). The myths probably do more damage to the credibility, some of the reports of Siddhattha being born at six months old or his mother becoming pregnant by a six tusked elephant are very hard to stomach. Although there is
Buddhism In China
Shannon Scott Jessica Johnson Ms. Reagan English 2H 29 August 2002 With Peace Comes Life, With Life Comes Peace "Religion is as healthy and normal as life itself" (Dole 34). The world today is overflowing with beliefs and religions. Asia, one of the most influential continents in the world, is a place filled with a society rich in culture and religion. The most prominent religion that shapes Asia is Buddhism, a religion solely based on a necessity for peace, nirvana. In China, Buddhism is much more than trite; it is the thriving, chief religion. Within the faith, there is a deep history and a well-rooted integration into the Chinese culture, great beliefs, a vast geography, and many considerable contributions. The immense history of Buddhism is a profound legacy that enriched China spiritually and relates well to the rest of the Chinese culture. The scripture was first introduced into China around A.D. 64 during the Han Dynasty. Unfortunately, the religion was not very popular among the Chinese community (Buddhism In China). The fact that Buddhism was hard to understand and that it was foreign, led to the teachings' unpopularity. After the fall of the Han Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty brought on more hope to the religion. There were three Chinese Buddhists who started to establish different types of Buddhism. A man named Hui Yuan started the pure Land Buddhists; he
Religion without science is blind
"Religion without science is blind, science without religion is lame" Nowadays, people believe that science and religion don't have anything in common at all. Science permits you to see what is proven day to day. Religion is based upon belief, belief in things that cannot be seen, but experienced. This belief is only accepted by faith and it spreads out because someone says it's true. Throughout many years science and religion were thought to be two rival forms of knowledge. Time has passed and people are starting to realize that, the statement mentioned before may not be true, that science and religion may be more united than we had thought previously. In fact, we can describe them as different ways of looking at the world that complement each other instead of contradicting each other. This idea is recent, since we all know that science and religion have been in "war" during a long time. In the following points I am going to explain briefly two examples of conflict between science and religion: * Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an Italian astronomer. He studied the planets and stars. One of his most important discoveries was that he found out that our earth orbited the sun. This was good news until people swapped the idea that our earth was the center of the universe, something that they were taught until then. The Catholic Church reacted since they taught what the Bible
Buddhism - the Folk traditions
Buddhism The Folk Traditions. The Buddha was brought up in the rich, privileged, ruling class. People who have studied Buddha's life presume that he followed the Classical Vedic or early Hindu education. The Religious background of the Buddha can be divided in to three groups. The Vedic religion of the Aryan culture, the Shramana movement of non-conformist religious teachers. Lastly there is the Ancient folk beliefs, which we will go in to more detail about. The Ancient folk Tradition in the sixth century came before the Vedic age, it was not influenced by the religion of the Brahmins. The ordinary people, Kshatriyas who followed the folk tradition had their own beliefs and practices, many of which were very ancient and pre-Aryan. These included beliefs about spirits, devils, omens, spells and divination. Some of these teachings were noted in the scriptures 'Upanishads'. It is also believed that the Ordinary people focused on the god Brahma, not as one of many gods but as the creator god. Groups of Kshatriyas decided to set out alone into the mountains and turned their backs against the world. In the Mountains they exercised yoga and mediation which lead them to experience different stages of spirituality which then became known as the 'Brahman' which would prove they had experienced the Absolute Reality. The Buddha was critical of many folk ideas, and beliefs. Although
Book report: Siddhartha from Herman Hesse
Book report: Siddhartha from Herman Hesse Resume Siddhartha is the son of a respected Brahmin. Handsome, intelligent, and well educated, everybody thought he was destined to become like his father, a talented priest. Yet Siddhartha was not happy of his fate. Tormented by doubt with regard to the practice of his father's religion, he finally decided to leave everything behind and to become a Samana. Followed by his friend Govinda, Siddhartha learned how to practice self-denial. Voluntarily retired from civilization, Samanas devoted their life to kill the sensuous self through severe bodily restriction. The killing of desire would lead to a state of expurgated self through which the divine soul would be reached. Yet after meditation, Siddhartha inevitably returned to the torment of the human life cycle. Distrustful of the Samanas, he and Govinda left the community for the Buddha whose rumor of saintliness was spreading around. After meeting the Buddha, Govinda decided to become one of his disciples, while Siddhartha realized that no more teaching could bring him the knowledge for salvation but his own experience through which self-enlightenment would occur. Thus Siddhartha left to meet whom he felt to be Siddhartha. Convinced of having lost his time trying to flee from himself, he began to open his sense to the diversity of the world and reflected that meaning and reality were
Compare the Buddhist understandings of life after death with on other view
Compare the Buddhist understandings of life after death with on other view We are all aware that, at least in a physical sense, we will one day inevitably cease to exist, yet this universally known fact has produced many different conclusions about what may happen after and Buddhist thought differs extremely from that of Christianity. The issue is inexorably linked to eastern and western views of causation and what constitutes personal identity as these play a major role in influencing beliefs about the afterlife. Indeed to even talk of 'life after death' seems linguistically problematic; we are trying to approach two contradictory phrases 'life' and 'death' and to reconcile them. The way in which to do this largely depends on whether one's personal view is that of a cyclical universe or a linear one, for example it may seem easier from a Buddhist viewpoint to literally talk of 'life after death' as the belief in rebirth means that to a Buddhist there is literally a life, another living existence, after one's earthly body has died. From a Christian perspective however the phrase has an entirely different meaning, through resurrection and the intervention of God one continues to the afterlife although in a very different way than reincarnation. The most obvious point that should be made in reference to Buddhist understanding of life after death are the doctrines of karma,
Outline the inward journey and the outward journey experienced by Buddha, Nicky Cruz and Lord Fenner Brockway - Explain what spirituality means to you after studying the 3 case studies.
Outline the inward journey and the outward journey experienced by Buddha, Nicky Cruz and Lord Fenner Brockway. Explain what spirituality means to you after studying the 3 case studies. To me, spirituality is being in harmony with yourself and others around you. It's having the feeling that there are other people to care for and that we (as individuals) are small creatures in a big world. I ask myself 'Is that it? What is there more to life?' In this essay I am going cover the various issues that appear in the paths of the Buddha, Nicky Cruz and Lord Fenner Brockway when they experienced their inward and outward journeys. Prince Sidhartha Gautama was kept away from the outside world by his father so he never saw any of the bad things that happen in life. The one time that he ventured out of the grounds he saw death, old age and illness he was confused and puzzled. Having been brought up in the lap of luxury he had never experienced these things before. He asked himself, 'Why are there these things? What causes this?' To help answer his questions he tried many different things. He first tried the Ascetic lifestyle, which was a very simple life, but after seven years of no luck he tried another method. He sat under a tree to meditate. Suddenly it came to him; it was that everything in life changes even if we don't want it to. You have to accept these things and in result of | <urn:uuid:8e57820e-c2a8-4b4a-b5fb-275e4deb64d9> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | https://www.markedbyteachers.com/as-and-a-level/religious-studies-and-philosophy/buddhism | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296948867.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20230328135732-20230328165732-00567.warc.gz | en | 0.982641 | 3,034 | 3.375 | 3 |
There are a lot of ways to lose weight, and one part of it is engaging in cardiovascular exercises or similarly known as cardio. We will breakdown what cardio is, how will it benefit you, and what will happen when you do these types of exercises.
What Is Cardio Exercise?
Cardio exercise simply means that you're doing a rhythmic activity that raises your heart rate into your target heart rate zone, the zone where you'll burn the most fat and calories. We will provide a series of benefits on how cardiovascular exercise can be able to improve your lifestyle.
Benefits of Cardio Exercise
- Burns fat and calories
- Upgrades rest quality
- Grows lung capacity
- Improves sex life
- Increases bone density
- Lowers stress
- Promotes feeling great, and can indeed give brief alleviation from misery and uneasiness
- Gives more certainty in how you see and feel
- Reduces the hazard of heart assault, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some forms of cancer
- Sets a great illustration for your family
- Strengthens the heart so that it doesn't need to work as difficult to pump blood
For a beginner, 10 to 15 minutes walk or run using the treadmill. Once your body adapts, you can know slowly progress to 30 minutes to 1 hour cardio workouts daily. You can also substitute running with skipping a jump rope if there is limited space in the area or the current pandemic forbids you to go outside. As you grow more consistently with cardio exercises, the body adapts to its own needs and increases stamina and endurance.
What is the adaptation in exercise?
The body's reaction is an adjustment, which alludes to your body's physiological reaction to preparing. Once you do modern works out or distinctively stack your body, your body reacts by expanding its capacity to manage with that unused stack. There are distinct stages of adjustment that your body encounters.
Now that you have a broad definition of what cardio exercises can do for you, here's a quick workout for you to do to really start doing heart pumping workouts:
3 sets of 30 high knees, 30 back kicks and 10 burpees | <urn:uuid:814992d9-820b-495a-ad80-e61e639ef168> | CC-MAIN-2022-05 | https://starkfitness.com.ph/blogs/news/learn-how-cardio-will-make-you-lose-weight | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-05/segments/1642320300289.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220117031001-20220117061001-00352.warc.gz | en | 0.938364 | 446 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Purchase Order vs. Invoice- Why Your Business Needs Both
Purchase orders and invoices contain detailed information to guide suppliers and buyers through their transaction processes. Learn how these documents differ and why businesses should utilize both.
Purchase orders and accurate invoicing give any company transparency of data to effectively follow budgets and understand where their money is going.
Tracking expenses without these documents becomes near impossible, especially if there are many stages of receiving, storing, and handling of inventory in the supply chain.
Additionally, having purchase orders and invoicing as part of an inventory replenishment plan allows companies to quickly resolve any disputes or challenges that come during the transaction and order fulfillment process.
A clear and formal purchasing system is essential for inventory-based businesses to have confidence in their supply chain operations, such as stock ordering, budgeting, and fulfilling orders efficiently.
Purchase Order Definition
A purchase order (PO) document is a file that is transferred from a buyer to a seller explaining the specifics of the order of goods requested, such as type, quantity, price, shipping terms, and additional delivery requests.
It's essentially a formal product or service request that acts as a legally binding contract. This is for both the buyer (to place a formal order with set agreements in place) as well as the seller (to fulfill the order as requested and agreed upon).
Generally, there is an external and an internal purchase order sent. The external form is sent to the supplier, and the same document is also sent internally to the accounts department of both companies for future invoice approval processes.
Key details in a PO include-
- Date of issue
- Purchase order number (PO number)
- Buyer name and address
- Supplier name and address
- Goods/services description and details
- Terms and conditions of the transaction.
Who Benefits from Purchase Orders?
Essentially, any type of buyer that is purchasing services or goods from a supplier, vendor, or seller would benefit from creating a purchase order. Specifically, when it comes to businesses that handle inventory as part of their operations and sales, purchase orders are essential to keeping operations running smoothly.
When businesses shift and grow, the preferences and demands for purchases will also change. The purchase order can be made to reflect these order changes for both parties and ensure there is a reliable paper trail to minimize inventory errors.
To avoid confusion, mistakes, and possible disputes, purchase orders are extremely beneficial for any type of business that forms relationships with suppliers as part of their operations.
Contrasted to a purchase order, an invoice is a document that is transferred from the seller to the buyer. This acts as a summary of the services or goods that have been purchased, or have been agreed to be purchased in the future.
Invoices are either sent after the purchase order and payment are received, or it can be sent after the services/goods have been fulfilled as a request for payment. Sometimes the payment can also be partly settled before an invoice is issued, with the remaining amount being paid after it is sent.
Similar to the purchase order, an invoice is a legally binding document that expresses what is owed (or has been paid) to the seller.
Key details in an invoice include-
- Date of issue
- Invoice number
- Seller name and address
- Buyer name and address
- Number of the purchase order (if issued)
- Discounts/taxes (if relevant)
- Total amount due and/or owing
- Terms and conditions of the transaction
- Account payable
- Due date of payment
Who Benefits from Invoices?
Invoices are mandatory for all businesses that provide services or goods and are expecting or have received payments. Having clear records of sales and payments is important for businesses to examine any payment discrepancies, budget for inventory, and observe spending habits.
In this way, all businesses benefit from partaking in invoicing. Additionally, buyers will be able to use the invoice as a way to track their expenses, use it as proof of purchase, and settle any refunds or exchanges for their purchases.
Purchase Order vs Invoice- Similarities and Differences
When assessing when to use each document and how they will fit into a company's unique processes, it's important to understand the similarities and differences between invoices and purchase orders.
Purchase Order vs. Invoice Similarities
- They are both commercial communication documents about purchases.
- They both give the information needed to optimize spending.
- They provide transparency in the purchasing process and are both used by accounting departments as records.
- Details included on both are the order details, vendor information, shipping details, quantity, price, and payment terms.
- Purchase orders and invoices are both legally binding.
Purchase Order vs. Invoice Differences
- Purchase orders are sent from the buyer to the supplier, whereas the invoice is the reverse.
- A purchase order is about the intent for purchase, whereas an invoice indicates a purchase has been made.
- Purchase orders are typically one of the first documents sent in the process, whereas invoices are often the last documents sent in the purchase process to request payment.
- Purchase orders prevent overstocking of inventory. Invoices, on the other hand, prevent overpayments and duplicate payments.
- Purchase orders assist with inventory tracking, while invoices assist with spending and tax data.
The Bottom Line- Companies Need Both
Both purchase orders and invoices should be used to maintain clarity in the process of purchasing inventory and selling goods while creating efficient business operations. Although small businesses may view this process as an added task, it's one that is well worth the time to minimize supplier errors and duplicate spending.
When companies use inventory ordering software to assist with replenishment strategies, they can also draw up these legally binding documents digitally. As these systems can be programmed to automatically restock certain products when they begin depleting, it can also automatically send the appropriate purchase orders to internal and external operations.
Ultimately, focusing on the use of purchase orders and invoicing allows businesses to maintain healthy supply chain relationships and enhance inventory management to lead to greater business success. | <urn:uuid:b77bc2d0-2821-44ea-b5b6-fc549b3c062b> | CC-MAIN-2020-29 | https://zipordering.com/purchase-order/purchase-order-vs-invoice.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-29/segments/1593655889877.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20200705215728-20200706005728-00375.warc.gz | en | 0.956498 | 1,267 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Forget trans goats and female horses with male testicles. The hottest intersexual animal in London’s Natural History Museum is the Great Mormon Butterfly—its left half is male and its right half is female with male and female reproductive organs fused right down the middle.
The Guardian explains:
The insect, which has a 10cm wingspan, is almost black on its male side, but the female side is much paler, with clearly visible flecks of blue, red and tortoiseshell.
“It’s an amazing butterfly. The split is purely bilateral – even the colour of one side of its body is slightly different,” said Luke Brown, manager of [the museum’s Sensational Butterflies exhibit]. “It has half-male, half-female sexual organs welded together. So they don’t work, it is infertile.”
Insects can be born gynandromorphs – with male and female cells – when sex chromosomes fail properly to separate when the fertilised egg divides. Around one in ten thousand butterflies is a gynandromorph. Many dual-sex butterflies probably go unnoticed, because the males and females look alike.
Brown, who has seen only two other gynandromorphs in his career, said the butterfly was feeding and flying well, and was expected to have a normal life expectancy of around one month. The specimen will become part of the museum’s lepidoptera collection.
In 2008, a half-male, half-female moth emerged at the museum. The insect had one bright yellow wing and another that looked brown and dusty. Crabs and lobsters can also be gynandromorphs.
Of course, other intersex animals exist as well (including humans). Drawing attention to these other creatures help us appreciate and understand human intersexuality as well. | <urn:uuid:9472d06e-7007-4845-90e9-afa4881d5875> | CC-MAIN-2015-35 | http://www.queerty.com/meet-the-half-male-half-female-mormon-butterfly-thats-taking-london-by-storm-20110713 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-35/segments/1440645310876.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20150827031510-00306-ip-10-171-96-226.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958387 | 391 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Getting down to the detail…
Yesterdays article was How to take photos – each important step in making a photograph. Today I want to share the detail behind each step. Be warned! You might need to think again about your existing knowledge. Unlearning old ideas will help you to move forward and improve.
How to take photos – The location
Lots of people think you can just turn up and take pictures. Well you can, but often they are not good ones. Getting the best out of your location involves understanding what you’ll find there. Find out about the weather on the day. An idea of light levels and times of sunset and sunrise etc. is useful too. There have probably been lots of visits by others at popular destinations. Check “Google Images” for that site. Google will help with other details too.
When you arrive don’t just fire off loads of shots. Settle down and get into the location. Don’t make photography mistakes that mean you miss great shots. The first time you do this consider a variety of shots. Think about more than one shot, think about the whole shoot.
How to take photos – Examine the scene
Considering the scene is an important part of the work-flow on site. Unless you have been there before you need to get to know it. Use all your knowledge about camera angles, composition, lighting, camera settings and so on. Take the time to examine your location while thinking of these things. Consider your feelings about the scene too. How you feel will help your shot be an impassioned response to the location. What you feel about the scene is the best guide on how to take photos at that location.
How to take photos – Review the light
Most photographers forget this step. They are too wrapped up in the scene and the camera settings or the passion of it all. This step will make or break your shot. Look at the light. If you don’t know what I mean read these:
Ask yourself some simple questions about the light…
- Is it hard or soft?
- Is it coloured or more neutral?
- Is it at the right angle to best capture the location/scene?
- What is the best time for the right light?
- Is it very bright and intense or dull and diffused?
- Do I need any artificial illumination (flash, diffusers etc)?
- Is the shadow hardly defined (sun up high) or strongly defined (sun to the side)?
Lean about the properties and vocabulary of light. It helps give you a greater understanding of photography. These questions, and others, help you make decisions about lighting for your scene. For more on “How to take photos – Light and Lighting” see the resource page in the SUBJECTS/ARTICLES menu at the top of every page.
How to take photos – Create a mental version of the the shot
If you want to make a great image – have a great picture in your head of your intended outcome. Visualisation has helped athletes, artists, thinkers, inventors and others to achieve amazing things. Train your mind to visualise in detail. If you see what you want to achieve it will guide you when setting up your camera. Take the time to create that mental picture – in detail. Consider how you are going to make the best of the light when you consider how to take photos. More about visualisation… 80 year old secret of world class photographers revealed.
How to take photos – Compose the shot
By now you have an intimate photographic knowledge of your scene. Composing the shot is about realising that potential. Long-time followers of this blog already know something about composition. For first-timers you can get lots of information from our Composition resources page in the SUBJECTS/ARTICLES menu at the top of every page. Composition is a skill that evolves as you develop as a photographer. Knowing more about composition helps your awareness and skill develop. Read about it to gain insight. Think about it every shot.
How to take photos – Review and adjust the camera settings
Now you have a picture in mind, composed, and are ready to set up your exposure. The exposure is defined by your camera settings. Camera makers will have you believe that the auto-setting on your camera is the perfect exposure. The fact is they made informed guesses to arrive at that exposure. It is different for every model of image sensor. Modern cameras do make a good representation of the scene. It is not always what you want however. You can change the exposure by under-exposing, over-exposing and by using different apertures, ISO levels and shutter times. That is your interpretation of the shot. When you think about how to take photos, plan how you want the image to come out.
Having a visualisation in your head helps you set the camera up to make that mental image. You do it using ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed. Even using one of the ‘mode’ settings is still a way of regulating your exposure. They all adjust those three basic facets of the exposure.
Here are some other links to pull together ideas about exposure:
How to take photos – Stabilise the camera
You want the photo to be sharp, crisp and clear. The faster the shutter speed the easier it is to get a sharp shot. But often, especially for a good quality shot, longer exposures are better. You need a good stance to hand-hold the camera. You will need a tripod (or other method) to steady it for longer exposures.
Stance is down to basic technique and comfort. The stance you use will be a personal thing for you. I have found many photogs have to relearn their stance after many years of a poor stance. It is best to learn a good one early. Here is my recommendation: Simple tips for a good stance
The use of tripods or other supports is a wide subject. It is also one that many learners tend to ignore- at least at first. When learning how to take photos sharpness is vital. Become acquainted with a tripod (preferably a good one) as early as you can. Your images will improve a huge amount. Here is some advice about tripods:
And, here is some basic advice about improving sharpness overall – The Zen of sharpness – 12 easy ways to improve
How to take photos – 15 second check
OK, that may seem like a long time. However, it is actually the time you need. You can get faster at it, but if you are taking a serious attitude to your shot then give it the time. You can find out all about the the 15 second check by reading these in order:
- An old sailors trick to improve your photography
- The fifteen second landscape appraisal
How to take photos – “Click”
This is where you press the shutter button. How you press that button can make a difference to your sharpness. Earlier, I mentioned this link, Simple tips for a good stance. It also gives advice on pushing the button without affecting sharpness.
An essential element of your shot is about confidence in what you have done. Today we are lucky. We just look at the back of our camera. Your first “click” may be a test shot. If your settings need adjustment then a simple technique called “Chimping” will help. Chimp and adjust. You will only need to do it a few times to get the shot right. You will not need to machine-gun the site with hundreds of “just in case” shots.
How to take photos – Work the scene
Chimping helps you set up for the shot and compose it. To get other possible shots you visualised earlier, you should work the scene. Repeat all the steps you have just done for each of the shots you foresaw. Working the scene is a skill and takes practice.
How to take photos – Time line
What is not obvious from the diagram is that the diagonal arrow is also a time-line of the shot. Of course it is a different length for every shot. You will have different problems to solve and ideas to consider for every shot. That’s fine. You have just learned a more careful, precise method for how to take photos. As you practice will quickly get faster at taking shots. But you will also make better images.
I can guarantee that if you follow the steps on this page you will…
- Take less shots;
- Get a better hit-rate (more usable shots per shoot);
- Spend less time in post-processing;
- Have better composition;
- Improve your photography overall.
What is less obvious is that you will also save a lot of time. | <urn:uuid:907f69e4-c665-4e7d-a06c-a16fd2c3c17b> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://www.photokonnexion.com/tag/settings/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662531762.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20220520061824-20220520091824-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.942978 | 1,824 | 2.53125 | 3 |
I know: you don’t believe me; but you haven’t read Henk Tennekes’s book, The Simple Science of Flight; From Insects to Jumbo Jets. This is a book that should be taught in high school, not to get people into the aerospace industry, but to demonstrate how science works in the real world. It is probably the best example I’ve come across, ever.
I admit, I have an advantage with this book, because I have an engineering background, but the truth is that anyone, with a rudimentary high school education in mathematics, should be able to follow this book. By rudimentary, I mean you don’t need to know calculus, just how to manipulate basic equations. Aerodynamics is one of the most esoteric subjects on the planet – all the more reason that Tennekes’s book should be part of a high school curriculum. It demonstrates the availability of science to the layperson better than any book I’ve read on a single subject.
Firstly, you must appreciate that mathematics is about the relationship between numbers rather than the numbers themselves. This is why an equation can be written without any numbers at all, but with symbols (letters of the alphabet) representing numbers. The numbers can have any value as long as the relationship between them is dictated by the equation. So, for an equation containing 3 symbols, if you know 2 of the values, you can work out the third. Elementary, really. To give an example from Tennekes’s book:
Where W is the weight of the flying object (in Newtons), S is the area of the wing (square metres) and V is cruising speed (metres per second). 0.38 is a factor dependent on the angle of attack of the wing (average 6 degrees) and the density of the medium (0.3125 kg/m3; air at sea level). What Tennekes reveals graphically is that you can apply this equation to everything from a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) to an Airbus A380 on what he calls The Great Flight Diagram. (Mind you, his graph is logarithmic along both axes, but that’s being academic, quite literally.)
I’ve used a small sleight-of-hand here, because the equation for the graph is actually:
W/S = c x W1/3
W/S (weight divided by wing area which gives pressure) is called ‘wing loading’ and is proportional to the cubed root of the Weight, which is a direct consequence of the first equation (that I haven’t explained, though Tennekes does). Tennekes’s ‘Great Flight Diagram’ employs the second equation, but gives V (flight cruise speed) as one of the axes (horizontal) against Weight (vertical axis); both logarithmic as I said. At the risk of confusing you, the second equation graphs better (it gives a straight line on a logarithmic scale) but the relationships of both equations are effectively entailed in the one graph, because W, W/S and V can all be read from it.
I was amazed that one equation could virtually cover the entire range of flight dynamics for winged objects on the planet. The equations also effectively explain the range of flight dynamics that nature allows to take place. The heavier something is, the faster it has to fly to stay in the air, which is why 747s consistently fly 200 times faster than fruit flies. The equation shows that there is a relationship between weight, wing area and air speed at all scales, and while that relationship can be stretched it has limits. Flyers (both natural and artificial) left of the curve are slow for their size and ones to the right are fast for their size – they represent the effective limits. (A line on a graph is called a ‘curve’, even if it’s straight, to distinguish it from a grid-line.) So a side-benefit of the book is that it provides a demonstration of how mathematics is not only a tool of analysis, but how it reveals nature’s limits within a specific medium – in this case, air in earth’s gravitational field. It reminded me of why I fell in love with physics when I was in high school – nature’s secrets revealed through mathematics.
The iconic Supermarine Spitfire is one of the few that is right on the curve, but, as Tennekes points out, it was built to climb fast as an interceptor, not for outright speed.
Now, for those who know more about this subject than I do, they may ask: what about Reynolds numbers? Well, I know Reynolds numbers are used by aeronautical engineers to scale up aerodynamic phenomena from small scale models they use in wind tunnels to full scale aeroplanes. Tennekes conveniently leaves this out, but then he’s not explaining how we use models to provide data for their full scale equivalents – he’s explaining what happens at full scale no matter what the scale is. So speed increases with weight and therefore scale – we are not looking for a conversion factor to take us from one scale to another, which is what Reynolds numbers do. (Actually, there’s a lot more to Reynolds numbers than that, but it’s beyond my intellectual ken.) I’m not an aeronautical engineer, though I did work in a very minor role on the design of a wind tunnel once. By minor role, I took minutes of the meetings held by the real experts.
When I was in high school, I was told that winged flight was all explained by the Bernoulli effect, which Tennekes describes as a ‘polite fiction’. So, that little gem alone, makes Tennekes’s book a worthwhile addition to any school’s science library.
But the real value in this book comes when he starts to talk about migrating birds and the relationship between energy and flight. Not only does he compare aeroplanes with other forms of transport, thus explaining why flight is the most economical means of travel over long distances, as nature has already proven with birds, but he analyses what it takes for the longest flying birds to achieve their goals, and how they live at the limit of what nature allows them to do. Again, he uses mathematics, that the reader can work out for themselves, to convert calories from food into muscle power into flight speed and distance, to verify that the very best traveled migratory birds don’t cheat nature, but live at its limits.
The most extraordinary example being bar-tailed godwits that fly across the entire Pacific Ocean from Alaska to New Zealand and to Australia’s Northern Territory – a total of 11,000 km non-stop (7,000 miles). It’s such a feat that Tennekes claims it requires a rethink on the metabolic efficiency of the muscles of these birds, and he provides the numbers to support his argument. He also explains how birds can convert fat directly into energy for muscles, something we can’t do (we have to convert it into sugar first). He also explains how some migratory birds even start to atrophy their wing muscles and heart muscles to extend their trip – they literally burn up their own muscles for fuel.
So he combines physics with biology with zoology with mathematics, all in one chapter, on one specific subject: bird migration.
He uses another equation, along with a graphic display of vectors, that explains how flapping wings work on exactly the same principle as ice skating in humans. What’s more, he doesn’t even tell the reader that he’s working with vectors, or use trigonometry to explain it, yet anyone would be able to understand the connection. That’s just brilliant exposition.
In a nutshell (without the diagrams) power equals force times speed: P=FV. For the same amount of Power, you can have a large Force and small Velocity or the converse.
In other words, a large force times a small velocity can be transformed into a small force with a large velocity, with very little energy loss if friction is minimalised. This applies to both skaters and birds. The large force, in skating, is your leg pushing sideways against your skate, with a small sideways velocity, resulting in a large velocity forwards, from a small force on the skate backwards. Because the skate is at a slight angle, the force sideways (from your leg) is much greater than the force backwards, but it translates into a high velocity forwards.
The same applies to birds on their downstroke: a large force vertically, at a slight forward angle, gives a higher velocity forward. Tennekes says that the ratio of wing tip velocity to forward velocity for birds is typically 1 to 3, though varies between 2 and 4. If a bird wants to fly faster, they don’t flap quicker, they increase the amplitude, which, at the same frequency, increases wing tip speed, which increases forward flight speed. Simple, isn’t it? The sound you hear when pigeons or doves take off vertically is there wing tips actually touching (on both strokes). Actually, what you hear is the whistle of air escaping the closed gap, as a continuous chirp, which is their flapping frequency. So when they take off, they don’t double their wing flapping frequency, they double their wing flapping amplitude, which doubles their wing tip speed at the same frequency: the wing tip has to travel double the distance in the same time.
One possible point of confusion is a term Tennekes uses called ‘specific energy consumption’, which is a ratio, not an amount of energy as its description implies. It is used to compare energy consumption or energy efficiency between different birds (or planes), irrespective of what units of energy one uses. The inversion of the ratio gives the glide ratio (for both birds and planes) or what the French call ‘Finesse’ – a term that has special appeal to Tennekes. So a lower energy consumption gives a longer guide ratio, or vice versa, as one would expect.
Tennekes finally gets into esoteric territory when he discusses drag and vortices, but he’s clever enough to perform an integral without introducing his readers to calculus. He’s even more clever when he derives an equation based on vortices and links it back to the original equation that I referenced at the beginning of this post. Again, he’s demonstrating how mathematics keeps us honest. To give another, completely unrelated example: if Einstein’s general theory of relativity couldn’t be linked to Newton’s general equation of gravity, then Einstein would have had to abandon it. Tennekes does exactly the same thing for exactly the same reason: to show that his new equation agrees with what has already been demonstrated empirically. Although it’s not his equation, but Ludwig Prandtl’s, whom he calls the ‘German grandfather of aerodynamics’.
Prandtl based his equation on an analogy with electromagnetic induction, which Tennekes explains in some detail. They both deal with an induced phenomenon that occurs in a circular loop perpendicular to the core axis. Vortices create drag, but in aerodynamics it actually goes down with speed, which is highly counterintuitive, but explains why flight is so economical compared to other forms of travel, both for birds and for planes. The drag from vortices is called ‘induced’ drag, not to be confused with ‘frictional’ drag that does increase with air speed, so at some point there is an optimal speed, and, logically, Tennekes provides the equation that gives us that as well. He also explains how it’s the vortices from wing tips that cause many long distance flyers, like geese and swans, to fly in V formation. The vortex supplies an updraft just aft and adjacent to the wingtip that the following bird takes advantage of.
Tennekes uses his equations to explain why human-powered flight is the reserve of professional cyclists, and not a recreational sport like hang-gliding or conventional gliding. Americans apparently use the term, sailplane, instead of glider, and Tennekes uses both without explaining he’s referring to the same thing.
Tennekes reveals that his doctoral thesis (in 1964) critiqued the Concorde (still on the drawing board back then) as ‘a step backward in the history of aviation.’ This was considered heretical at the time, but not now, as history has demonstrated to his credit.
The Concorde is now given as an example, in psychology, of how humans are the only species that don’t know when to give up (called the ‘Concorde effect’). Unlike other species, humans evaluate the effort they’ve put into an endeavour, and sometimes, the more effort they invest, the more determined they become to succeed. Whether this is a good or bad trait is purely subjective, but it can evolve into a combination of pride, egotism and even denial. In the case of the Concorde, Tennekes likens it to a manifestation of ‘megalomania’, comparable to Howard Hughes’ infamous Spruce Goose.
Tennekes’s favourite plane is the Boeing 747, which is the complete antithesis to the Concorde, in evolutionary terms, and developed at the same time; apparently so it could be converted to a freight plane when supersonic flight became the expected norm. So, in some respects, the 747, and its successors, were an ironic by-product of the Concorde-inspired thinking of the time.
My only criticism of Tennekes is that he persistently refers to a budgerigar as a parakeet. This is parochialism on my part: in Australia, where they are native, we call them budgies. | <urn:uuid:abe87894-8249-495d-90ab-fe018d3ec0e7> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://journeymanphilosopher.blogspot.com/2010/05/aerodynamics-demystified.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257826759.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071026-00281-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951807 | 2,936 | 3.734375 | 4 |
Two particularly interesting discoveries made in the outer regions of the solar system have been reported in the press.
The centaur Chariklo - an icy body in a solar orbit between Saturn and Uranus - has been shown to have two thin rings, akin to the rings that surround the giant planets, most notably Saturn, but also Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. It's the first rocky body found to have rings, and by far the smallest. Edit: I've since been informed that the Saturnian moon Rhea might have a ring system, although this is far from certain. It is considerably larger than Chariklo, however.
ESO link to article on Chariklo.
Secondly, a 2012 discovery of a small planetoid in the Scattered Disc region of the solar system, of a type similar to 2003's discovery Sedna. Like Sedna, 2012 VP113 has raised questions about the structure of the solar system and the number of planets. While Sedna was, briefly, in vogue as a potential tenth planet - it is really more like a large, long-period comet - VP113 is thought by some to indicate that a larger, planet-sized body may be lurking in the outer reaches of the solar system, disrupting the comets and other small bodies that form the Oort Cloud.
New York Times article on VP113 | <urn:uuid:a30904eb-50db-4ce7-9da5-73bfa64da0cf> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://danieltessier.blogspot.com/2014/03/minor-planet-discoveries.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662562410.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20220524014636-20220524044636-00522.warc.gz | en | 0.939997 | 275 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Summer 2008 labor force participation of youth
September 03, 2008
The labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-olds—the proportion of that population working or looking for work—was 65.1 percent in July 2008, essentially the same as in July 2007 and about 12 percentage points below its peak for that month in 1989 (77.5 percent).
Over the 1989-2008 period, the proportion of youth enrolled in school in July trended up; youth enrolled in school are much less likely than those not in school to be in the labor force.
For several decades prior to 1989, young men's July labor force participation rate showed no clear trend, ranging from 81 to 86 percent. Since July 1989, however, their participation rate has trended down by about 15 percentage points.
Young women's July labor force participation rate peaked in 1989 after a long-term upward trend; their rate has trended down by about 10 percentage points since then.
These data are a product of the Current Population Survey. The data are not seasonally adjusted. Find out more in "Employment and Unemployment Among Youth—Summer 2008," (PDF) (HTML) news release USDL 08-1212.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Summer 2008 labor force participation of youth on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2008/sept/wk1/art02.htm (visited December 10, 2018).
Recent editions of Spotlight on Statistics
- Workers in Alternative Employment Arrangements
A look at independent contractors, on-call workers, temporary help agency workers, and workers provided by contract firms.
- Labor force characteristics of people with a disability
Examines the labor force characteristics of people with a disability and compares them with the characteristics of people with no disability.
- A Look at Contingent Workers
Examines people who do not expect their jobs to last or who report that their jobs are temporary.
- Race, Economics, and Social Status
Examines Consumer Expenditure Survey data to explore social and economic factors by race and ethnicity. | <urn:uuid:22ccb20e-b084-418e-97be-d9c53439c164> | CC-MAIN-2018-51 | https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2008/sept/wk1/art02.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-51/segments/1544376823442.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20181210191406-20181210212906-00262.warc.gz | en | 0.95151 | 442 | 2.609375 | 3 |
In Advent we sing, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel…” This and the other verses of this song are from the Church’s prayer on the seven days of Advent leading up to Christmas.
But who is Emmanuel? The story begins with two prophecies – and two promises.
In the Old Testament, King Ahaz is surrounded by his enemies. He doesn’t know what to do next. The Prophet Isaiah tries to guide him, but the King doesn’t trust God. Isaiah tells him to ask God for proof. No. He won’t do so.
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; behold a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
The proof that was to be given to King Ahaz was that the young maiden (a Virgin) would bear a son. The promise was a child who would rise to prominence.
In the Gospel narratives that precede Jesus’ birth, Joseph is betrothed to Mary. She is suddenly expecting a child, and Joseph has determined to break off the engagement.
In a dream, Joseph is instructed by the Angel of the Lord, “’Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Behold the Virgin shall be with child and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which translated is “God with us”’” (Matt 1:20-23).
While the Virginal birth is the miraculous proof that God is acting, the promise is that there is to be a child, a Son; a savior is going to be given. He will be “God with us.”
How does Jesus save us? He suffers and dies on the Cross; He rises from the dead. But we can say that He begins to save us before that – even at His coming, His birth.
In early 1979, St. John Paul II published his first encyclical “Redemptor Hominis – The Redeemer of Man.” Speaking about Christ’s work of redemption, the Pope surprised some people. Rather than speaking primarily of the Easter mystery, he spoke about Christmas, about Christ’s birth. He set the saving action of Christ, in the context of the Incarnation. This, of course is not a new theology by any means, but a different emphasis.
So, let’s go back to our question: How does Jesus save us? And the answer is by “Being with us.”
When Jesus became “God with us,” He began to show us what a human person was meant to be in God’s plan. In the Second Vatican Council’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, we read, “The truth is that only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light” (G.S. #22). He reveals the mystery of man to himself, not only by His words, but by His very presence with us, by His faithfulness and obedience to the heavenly Father.
As human beings, we care about being together. A child can endure difficulty when Mom or Dad is there. When you and I die, who would we wish to hold our hand? God has set this in our nature. We find something real, meaningful, and life-giving just to be with each other.
Secondly, God saves us in the Incarnation by “restarting” humanity.
St. Paul says, that in Christ, “we are a New Creation” (2 Cor 5:17). He calls Christ the New Adam, who cancels out the wages of sin. Our Lord gives us new life in Baptism; He gives a fresh start through Confession and the forgiveness of our sins.
In Jesus Christ, God gives creation a new beginning.
God saves us in His Incarnation in a third way.
Again Gaudium et Spes, teaches, “For by His incarnation the Son of God has united Himself in some fashion with every man” (G.S #22). When Jesus Christ came among us, He united Himself to mankind.
We have learned in our catechism that, by His death and Resurrection, by His total obedience to the Will of God the Father, Jesus has opened the gates of Heaven; that had been closed to us by original sin. This is correct. It is true.
But by first inviting us to have our life in Him, He not only makes it possible for us to follow Him to Heaven; in some way He carries us through the gates of death to eternal life. It is He who holds our hand.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel: You are “God with us.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The “O Antiphons”
December 17: O Come, Thou Wisdom, from on high
December 18: O Come, O Come, Thou Lord of might
December 19: O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse's stem
December 20: O Come, Thou Key of David, come
December 21: O Come, Thou Dayspring from on high
December 22: O Come, Desire of the nations
December 23: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! | <urn:uuid:747e62cc-283f-40a4-8cb3-33075b9889be> | CC-MAIN-2021-25 | https://www.catholicaction.org/god_is_with_us | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623487582767.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20210612103920-20210612133920-00568.warc.gz | en | 0.963372 | 1,218 | 3 | 3 |
The Communist Party USA is of and for the U.S. working class. Our U.S. working class is multiracial and multinational. It unites men and women, young and old, gay and straight, native-born and immigrant, urban and rural. We are employed and unemployed, organized and unorganized, and of all occupations – the vast majority of our society. We are a party of the African-American, Mexican-American, Caribbean, Central and South American, Native American, Middle Eastern, Central, South and East Asian and Pacific Islanders, and all racially and nationally oppressed peoples, as well as women, youth, and all other working people.
The roots of the Communist Party extend deep into our nation’s soil, even far beyond our founding in Chicago in 1919. We build on the legacy of those who fought against slavery, for the right to organize unions, for civil rights and for women’s vote and reproductive rights. We apply the scientific outlook developed by Marx, Engels, Lenin and others in the context of U.S. history, culture and traditions.
The need for the Communist Party is as great as ever. Capitalism has cast billions of people around the world into poverty. It afflicts humanity with endless wars. It institutionalizes racism and women’s oppression, denies youth the hope of a future, and fuels discrimination against gay, lesbian and transgender people, religious minorities, immigrants and people with disabilities. Capitalism pits worker against worker in a global race to the bottom. Corporate interests wage a never-ending campaign to roll back people’s hard-won democratic rights. Capitalism’s insatiable drive for profits has poisoned the Earth’s land, sea, and air. Capitalism treats people and nature as disposable commodities in order to transfer the wealth of the planet to a handful of multi-billionaires.
Our basic principles are rooted in today’s struggles, informed by our history and experience, and guided by our scientific outlook and vision of socialism. Our bedrock principles include the leading role of the working class in the struggle for social change; that working class unity is essential, and the fight against racism and for immigrant rights are essential to build that unity.
In solidarity with working people around the world, we stand in opposition to U.S. imperialism – the system by which U.S. corporations use their economic power, along with the political and military power of our government, to exploit workers, pillage the environment and corrupt governments around the world just as they do here at home.
Our vision is one of “Bill-of-Rights socialism” in the USA, where working people – those who produce all the riches of society – will have political power and will collectively decide priorities for investment and distribution of our nation’s wealth – for education, health care, housing, nutrition, recreation, arts, culture and science in a clean, non-polluting economy.
Our organizational practices are based on democracy, equality, unity of action and transparency. We do not set ourselves apart from the rest of the working class movement and organizations; we have no private agenda, no special interests. We welcome all who share our goals to join us or work together in alliance.
With pride in our past, and with confidence in our working class and its future, we hereby establish the Constitution of the Communist Party of the United States.
ARTICLE I – Name
SECTION 1. The name of this organization shall be the Communist Party of the United States of America.
ARTICLE II – Principles of Organization
SECTION 1. In the Communist Party, all decisions are arrived at through democratic procedures, emphasizing the maximum input from members. Unity is the strongest weapon working people have in the struggle to advance their interests. By making a commitment to unite around a program of action, members strengthen the Party and help unify the working class and peoples movements.
Collectivity is the basic style of work of the Party. Through group discussion and action, we seek to develop and apply the best possible plans to advance the interests of working people. The principles outlined in this article are used in practice by many peoples organizations to foster democratic decision-making and unity in action. Historically, these principles have been known as democratic centralism.
SECTION 2. The National Convention is the leading body of the Party. It elects a National Committee to function between conventions. Districts and clubs shall act in accord with the decisions and policies of the National Convention and National Committee.
SECTION 3. Decisions in all Party bodies are arrived at by majority vote or by consensus at club and district meetings unless anyone requests a vote. Decisions of leading committees on major questions shall be reported to all other Party bodies. Clubs and districts shall keep national leadership informed of their activities.
Any member disagreeing with a decision of a Party body may appeal the decision to the next higher body. Appeals may be made to successive leading committees.
Members who disagree with a decision are expected to refrain from organizing against or publicly undermining the decision, including during the appeal process.
SECTION 4. The election of officers and leading committees at all levels shall be carried out with the fullest participation of the members of the Party bodies.
Elections shall be based on a review and evaluation of the work of the elected body and of the individuals proposed for office. In elections to all Party committees, conventions and conferences, steps shall be taken to maximize the representation of workers, youth, people of color and women.
Officers and leading committees are responsible both to the bodies which elected them and to the higher leading committees. All officers and members of leading committees may be released or removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the committees to which they are responsible.
ARTICLE III – Membership
SECTION 1. The Communist Party warmly welcomes all who support our program to apply for membership. We welcome all equally, regardless of race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender or religious belief. All members must be 18 years of age or older and currently living in the United States. Clubs or districts may admit members under 18 in exceptional circumstances.
SECTION 2. An application for membership may be received by any Party member or by state/district or national offices, including via the Communist Party’s website. The application shall be promptly referred to the appropriate club or district committee which will respond to the applicant as soon as possible. All applications shall be accepted unless the club, district or national leadership has information that the application was false or that admitting the applicant would be harmful to the Party organization and its goals. Upon acceptance, applicants shall be promptly notified that they have been admitted to Party membership and they shall be referred to a Party club or collective to work with where possible. For applicants from areas where no organization is in place, the National Committee shall set up appropriate forms for welcoming and incorporating new members. Membership in the Communist Party is completely voluntary.
SECTION 3. Party members shall to the best of their ability support the goals of the organization through implementing its program, paying dues and supporting its associated publications. The National Committee shall set dues requirements and rates and establish a mechanism for their collection.
SECTION 4. Every member of the Party shall have an equal opportunity to participate in the collective analysis of the current political situation and to plan and carry out the work of the Party. Every member shall have an equal vote in the elections of the Party collectives to which that member belongs.
Members shall strive to attend meetings of their Party club or other collective and to improve their understanding of scientific socialism, to work for the aims and policies of the Party, and to seek to win new members to its ranks. They shall also support and circulate online and printed Party materials.
SECTION 5. A Communists prioritize the fight for equality as the cornerstone of the working class unity essential to the advancement of our common interests.
It shall be the obligation of all Party members to struggle against all racist ideologies and practices. Communist Party members fight for the full social, political and economic equality of African-American, Mexican-American, Caribbean, Central and South American, Native American, Middle Eastern, Central, South and East Asian and Pacific Islanders, and anyone subject to discriminatory treatment based on race, religion, nationality or color. Communists oppose all expressions of anti-Semitism.
It shall be the obligation of all Party members to fight for full equality for immigrant workers and their families, including the right to a path to citizenship.
It shall be the obligation of all Party members to fight for the dignity and full social, political and economic equality for women.
It shall be the obligation of all Party members to fight for full social and civil rights for all regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression..
SECTION 6. All Party members who are eligible shall belong to their respective labor unions. Party members will strive to build work place organization and solidarity in whatever manner possible.
SECTION 7. Members of the Communist Party shall work to strengthen the labor unions, civil rights, peace, youth, student, religious and other community organizations and social networks in which they participate. They shall promote the voice and effective participation of the working class. They shall promote unity with the allies of the working class in the course of fighting for common goals.
SECTION 8. All members who are eligible shall register and vote in all public elections, wherever possible.
ARTICLE IV – Club Organization
SECTION 1. The basic unit of the Communist Party shall be the club, based on community/neighborhood, workplace or other standards set by the National Committee. The club shall serve as a collective for members to discuss and analyze local and national political challenges, make plans to activate members and allies in on-going struggles and provide for educational activities.
The club is a place where grassroots conditions help formulate district and national policy, and where district and national programs and policies are adapted to local conditions and implemented. The club should be a center for local organizing. It should also be a warm, supportive and open community for all those fighting for social justice and socialism. Clubs are a primary center for fund raising, including collection of dues, for political education, for organization, and for discussion and promotion of the Party’s online and printed publications.
Section 2. Clubs shall elect a chair and other officers appropriate to the club’s size and needs. Elections shall be at the annual club conference, by secret ballot for any contested position. The purpose of the annual club conference shall be to project the plan of work for the coming year and to examine the club’s work in the previous year.
ARTICLE V – State (District) Organization
SECTION 1. The National Committee has the exclusive authority to establish and recognize state and district organizations, which may cover one state, part of one state, or more than one state. They shall be known as the “—– State Committee, Communist Party USA,” the “—– District, Communist Party USA,” or the “Communist Party of —–, CPUSA.” The National Committee shall establish procedures to administer clubs and members in areas where no district organization exists.
SECTION 2. The state (or district) organization shall be comprised of all members and clubs in one state (or district).
SECTION 3. The highest body of the state (or district) organization is the State (or District) Convention, which shall meet at least once every four years during the convention discussion period prior to the National Convention. Each club in the state (or district) shall elect delegates to the convention in such number as the State (or District) Committee may determine, provided that the number of delegates to which each club is entitled shall be in proportion to its membership. Where there are members not attached to clubs, the State (or District) Committee may make special provisions for their representation at the State (or District) Convention. Class, national, gender, and age composition shall be considered in the election of delegates to the State (or District) Convention.
SECTION 4. Members of the State (or District) Committee shall be elected in such manner and number as the State (or District) Convention may determine. All elections to the State (or District) Committee shall be by democratic process, including secret ballot for any contested position.
The State or District Committee shall elect such officers as it deems necessary. A vacancy among members of the State or District Committee may be filled until the next Convention by majority vote of the members of the State or District Committee, by secret ballot for any contested position.
SECTION 5. Special State or District Conventions shall be called by a majority vote of the State or District Committee or upon the written request of clubs representing one-third of the membership.
The State or District Committee shall make a financial report to all regular State or District Conventions.
The State or District Committee shall meet at least four times a year. In districts covering large geographic areas, this requirement may be met up to three times per year through teleconferencing. A request by one-third of the members of the State or District Committee, or by one-third of the clubs, for a review of a state or district policy or adoption of a new policy requires that such a discussion be held by the State or District Committee.
ARTICLE VI – National Convention
SECTION 1. The highest authority of the Party is the National Convention. It is authorized to make political and organizational decisions binding upon the entire Party. The decisions of the National Convention shall guide all Party organizations and members.
SECTION 2. Regular National Conventions shall be held every four years. In case of extraordinary circumstances, a National Convention may be postponed beyond the four-year limit by a three-fourths vote of the National Committee.
SECTION 3. The National Convention shall be composed of delegates elected by each State and District Convention by democratic process, by secret ballot, in such number, in approximate proportion to the membership it represents, as the National Committee may determine. All delegates so elected shall have been members for at least one year prior to the date of the Convention.
SECTION 4. A special National Convention shall be called when there is an affirmative vote of 40 percent of the members of the National Committee or a majority vote of all State and District Committees. The office of the National Committee shall circulate any official request from any State or District Committee for a special National Convention to all other State and District Committees for their action. The time and place of special conventions shall be fixed by the National Committee. The basis for representation shall be determined in the same way as that for regular conventions.
SECTION 5. Prior to a regular National Convention, at least four months shall be provided for a convention discussion period encompassing all levels of the Party’s organization and membership in which clubs and other collectives can consider policies, problems, reports, resolutions and other documents coming before the convention. The National Committee shall establish the broadest possible forums to facilitate this discussion. During this discussion, all Party members and organizations are encouraged to express their views, review their experiences and propose policies and plans for the organization’s on-going work, including changes to the Party Program and amendments to the Constitution. All questions of policy and tactics and on the work and composition of leading committees are matters for consideration by the Convention. All previously adopted policies and decisions, however, remain in effect during the convention discussion.
SECTION 6. Each National Convention shall determine the number of members of the incoming National Committee. Election of the National Committee by the National Convention shall be by secret ballot.
In the election of the National Committee, in addition to individual merit, such factors as class and social composition and wide geographic representation shall be considered.
Eligibility for election to the National Committee requires membership for at least one year preceding the election.
ARTICLE VII – National Committee
SECTION 1. Between National Conventions, the National Committee is the highest authority of the Party, representing the Party as a whole. As such, it is authorized to make decisions and take action necessary to the good and welfare of the entire Party, and to act upon all problems and developments occurring between conventions.
In the fulfillment of its duties, and in the exercise of its responsibilities, the National Committee shall guide and direct the political, organizational and educational work of the Party and shall organize and supervise its various departments and committees.
The National Committee shall encourage the widest discussion by the membership on questions of both theory and activities. It shall ensure the organization of broad platforms to facilitate such discussions.
The National Committee shall organize and direct all undertakings of importance to the entire Party. It shall administer the national treasury. The National Committee shall submit a financial report to each National Convention.
SECTION 2. Vacancies in the National Committee may be filled by majority vote of the National Committee. Members may be released or removed by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the National Committee.
SECTION 3: The National Committee shall elect from its own membership such officers as it decides upon. The National Committee shall establish such other committees as it deems necessary to carry out its work. It may delegate its powers and responsibilities to those officers and/or committees as appropriate.
All such officers and committees shall be responsible to the National Committee.
SECTION 4. Between National Conventions, the National Committee is responsible for the enforcement of the Constitution and carrying out the policies and plans adopted by the National Convention.
SECTION 5. The National Committee shall not make any major policy change until it has submitted the proposed change in draft form to the Party organization for debate for specified periods and for recommendations thereon. In an emergency, which must be affirmed by a two-thirds vote of the National Committee, the National Committee may adopt another procedure for making a major policy change, including a referendum vote of the entire membership or the calling of special enlarged, delegated conferences on a national or regional basis.
In the discussion of such major policy changes, rules for convention discussion shall apply in regard to the proposed policy change only, except that the period of discussion may be determined by the National Committee.
The officers of the National Committee shall make known to the members of the National Committee any request of any member of the National Committee for either a review of a policy or the introduction of a new major policy question.
A request by one-third of the members of the National Committee for review of a policy or for adoption of a new policy requires that such a discussion be held by the National Committee.
SECTION 6. The National Committee shall meet at least three times per year. The officers or one-third of the members of the National Committee may call additional meetings.
SECTION 7. Summaries and reports of National Committee meetings shall be made available to State and District Committees and shall appear in digest form in printed or electronic form available to the Party membership.
ARTICLE VIII – Organizational Integrity
SECTION 1. The Communist Party is a voluntary organization; all those who meet its membership requirements are free to join and leave the Party at will. Likewise, the Party has a corresponding right to determine its own membership.
SECTION 2. Comrades should assist each other to overcome weaknesses and shortcomings as much as possible and prior to taking any actions.
Subject to the provisions of this Article, any member of the Party may forfeit their membership in the Party for actions detrimental to the interests of the Party and the working class, for violating provisions of this Constitution, for making false statements in an application for membership, for financial irregularities, or for advocacy or practice of racial, national or religious discrimination, on the basis of gender or sexual orientation.
No proceeding seeking the forfeiture of membership shall be undertaken without written notification to the member of the action and the basis for it.
Subject to the provision of this Article, a member who is a strikebreaker, a provocateur, engaged in espionage, or who advocates violence or terrorism, or who participates in the activities of any group that acts to undermine any democratic institution through which the majority of the American people can express their democratic rights forfeits membership in the Communist Party.
SECTION 3. A request to take action against the membership of an individual may be made by any member of the individual’s club or collective or appropriate higher body having jurisdiction.
All such requests shall be handled in an expeditious manner by a hearing committee elected by the club or appropriate higher body. The hearing committee shall hear the evidence, determine the facts, and make its recommendations. The committee shall then disband.
SECTION 4. Any member whose membership is challenged, except publicly self-admitted informers and provocateurs, must be notified of the charges against them, shall have the right to participate in the hearing and to bring supporting witnesses. The burden of proof shall be on those bringing the challenge.
SECTION 5. After receiving the report of the hearing committee, the club or leading committee having jurisdiction shall have the right to decide upon the appropriate response. A vote to require the forfeiture of membership must pass by a two-thirds majority. The action shall be reported to the next higher body, which shall conduct an automatic review. In the case of a leading committee acting on the hearing committee’s report, the action shall be reported to the club of the member in question.
SECTION 6. Any member whose membership has been forfeited has the right to appeal successively to the next higher body up to the National Convention. Such body shall elect a hearing committee that will set a hearing within 60 days of the date of receipt of the appeal and notify the appellant of the hearing date and location. When, however, the appeal is to a State, District or National Convention, the appeal shall be acted upon by the convention following the filing of the appeal, provided that such appeal is made at least 30 days prior to the convention.
ARTICLE IX – Dues, Assessments and Initiation Fees
SECTION 1. Initiation fees and dues shall be paid according to rates and procedures fixed by the National Committee.
SECTION 2. The income from dues and initiation fees shall be apportioned among the various subdivisions of the Party as determined by the National Committee.
SECTION 3. Special assessments may be levied by the National Committee. All local or state (or district) assessments require special permission of the National Committee..
ARTICLE X – Amendment
SECTION 1. This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of any regular or special National Convention, or by membership referendum initiated by the National Committee or one-third of the state and district organizations. It may also be amended by three-fourths vote of the National Committee and a majority vote of the majority of the State and District Committees. This vote must be preceded by a minimum of a two-month discussion period in the Party organization.
ARTICLE XI – Authority
SECTION 1. The Communist Party is not responsible for any political document, policy, book, article, or any other statement of political opinion except such as is issued by authority of the National Convention and the regularly constituted leadership of the Party.
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“When you get into the larger aircraft it becomes like a hotel, with dozens of staff supporting the plane based in a galley area down below. You have very comprehensive cooking facilities, and on larger aircraft we have looked at theatres, with spiral staircases and a Steinway grand piano. The limitations for what you can put inside a plane are pretty much the limits of physics, and even money cannot always overcome that. Even so, people are still always trying to push [the limits]. ”
15 people who shaped business aviation
While plenty of companies used private lift in the first half of the last century, business aviation really took off after World War II, thanks to the availability of inexpensive former military aircraft and out-of-work pilots and the development of purpose-built jets like the Sabreliner and Lockheed Jetstar. And while many business aviation advancements resulted from team efforts, a handful of individuals stand out as having made significant contributions. Here are our picks for 15 of the most important shapers of the field.
William P. Lear (1902-1978)
Well before Gulfstream became the iconic business jet brand, the speedy little jet birthed by Bill Lear was the only way to fly privately. The first Lear Jet, the model 23, was a pioneer in more ways than one as it technically was a very light jet, long before Vern Raburn threatened to darken the sky with thousands of Eclipse 500s.
Though Lear–who made his first fortune with radios and autopilots–ended up selling his aircraft company, his visionary designs continue under Bombardier's ownership of the Learjet brand. Few today know that the Canadair (later Bombardier) Challenger 600 originated from Lear's fertile mind as the LearStar 600.
In his later years, Lear dedicated himself to trying to solve the challenge of steam-powered busses and pushed the aerospace envelope with a composite twin-engine, single-propeller pusher turboprop, the Learfan 2100, which never made it to certification or production. The latest iteration of the Learjet, the model 85, is all-composite, so clearly Lear must have been onto something.
Cliff Garrett (1908-1963)
An early supplier of components to major aircraft manufacturers, Cliff Garrett found fertile ground in the application of engineering to solve thorny problems in heating and cooling of pressurized air. In fact, Dee Howard (see next page) used Garrett components in his pressurized Howard 500 conversions. Garrett's prowess grew until his components were installed on almost every civil and military aircraft and eventually even spacecraft.
His most enduring contribution was development of the turbine auxiliary power unit, a tiny jet engine that drives a generator; APUs are now installed in most midsize and large business jets and all jet airliners. This led to the development of a popular line of turboprop engines, the TPE331, and turbofan engines, the TFE731, which power many of today's business aircraft.
Garrett died the year that the TPE331 was launched. And he never got to see the development of the Garrett (now Honeywell) TFE731, which still powers a huge number of business jets. The TFE731 pioneered the geared turbofan, a green feature that even today is touted as the latest in environmentally friendly engine technology.
Dwane L. Wallace (1911-1989)
Dwane Wallace's tenure as general manager, president and finally chairman of Cessna Aircraft spanned more than 40 years. Wallace, a nephew of Clyde Cessna, first honed his design talents on the strutless and efficient Cessna Airmaster, in which he won several air races, helping the company survive during the Depression.
Wallace presided over creation of almost every significant Cessna model, from the single-engine trainers that eventually outsold every other aircraft to the early personal business aircraft, one of which–a Cessna 310B–was featured as Schuyler King's personal transport in the TV series Sky King. Wallace's long influence extended to his last and most significant project, the Fanjet 500, which launched Cessna into the jet age just before he retired in 1975.
Albert Lee Ueltschi (1917-)
While flying as personal pilot for Pan Am founder Juan Trippe, Al Ueltschi wondered whether the training standards used for airline and military pilots could be applied to business aviation pilots. This led to the 1951 founding of Flight Safety (later FlightSafety International). Insurance companies strongly endorsed professional training for business aviation pilots, thus providing an incentive for the pilots to train regularly, just like their airline counterparts, and this resulted in tremendous improvements in safety.
Berkshire Hathaway founder and chairman Warren Buffett, a keen judge of quality companies, added FlightSafety International to his conglomerate in 1996. Since the early 1980s, Ueltschi has in addition to his FlightSafety duties been heavily involved in Orbis, a program that uses specially equipped large jets to teach sight-saving medical procedures in less-developed countries.
Durrell Unger "Dee" Howard (1920-2009)
An extraordinarily talented mechanic and intuitive engineer, Dee Howard early on recognized the potential of large twin-engine airplanes as corporate transports. During the 1950s and '60s, he turned old Lockheed twins into sleekly aerodynamic and elegantly appointed Venturas and Howards, the state of the art in fast-flying pressurized airplanes at the time. Howard created innovations that sped business aviation development, including the thrust reverser (on which he worked with Etienne Fage). Unfortunately, when visionary and unconventional designer Bill Lear asked him to help build the exciting new Lear Jet, Howard declined because the Howard 500 was nearing FAA certification, and he wanted to finish the job.
James B. Taylor III (1921-2003)
James Taylor was an early business aviation traveler when he worked for Upressit Metal Cap, flying his company's Beech Bonanza on sales calls. Later, as vice president of Pan Am's new business jet division, he played a key role in changing the Dassault Mystère 20's name to Falcon. Taylor next joined Cessna during development of the Fanjet 500 and–as vice president and general manager of the company's commercial jet marketing division–he renamed the aircraft Citation, after horse racing's 1946 Triple Crown winner.
Taylor convinced chairman Dwane Wallace that Citations should be sold factory direct, not through traditional dealerships. Taylor also pioneered the packaging of the sale of a jet to include pilot and mechanic training and a year of computerized maintenance tracking services.
In 1976, he left Cessna and joined Canadair to help launch what began as the LearStar 600 and later was renamed the Challenger, which remains in production today.
Sam B. Williams (1921-2009)
Not one to be caught up in hype, Dr. Sam Williams backed his engineering cred by creating his own brand of marketing mojo, with captivating moves like introducing space-age tiny concept jets to the staid crowd at National Business Aviation Association conventions.
Naturally, these jets were to be powered by his suitcase-sized jet engines, developed from missile work that his company did for the military. And his prototype jet actually flew and accomplished his goal, which was stimulating commercial development of small jets powered by his engines. The V-Jet II was a staple at air shows for a few years and ended up in the hands of Vern Raburn, a starry-eyed former Microsoft employee and pilot who would become famous for his own small jet, the Eclipse 500, which first flew with Williams engines.
Allen E. Paulson (1922-2000)
Aviation history is made by bold movers, and engineer Allen Paulson was a risk-taker who saw a much bigger future for the Grumman jet than was envisioned by the sprawling conglomerate that owned the program. Paulsen put together a buyout of the Grumman jet program and changed the company's name to Gulfstream Aerospace. The Gulfstream series ultimately became the world's most iconic and recognizable business jet line (sorry, Bill Lear).
John H. Winant (1923-2009)
"It would be difficult to overstate the importance of John Winant in the development of business aviation in the U.S. and around the world," said Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association.
Winant was elected to the association's board of directors in 1957, when he was vice president of Sprague Electric. He became the NBAA's first full-time staff president in 1971 and grew the association to nearly 3,000 members from 824. Anyone who has attended the NBAA's annual meeting and convention has benefited from Winant's leadership in helping make the event one of the biggest in aviation.
In 1981, Winant helped bring together business aviation associations from around the world to form the International Business Aviation Council, which is now a key player in promoting the safety management system concept.
Edward J. Swearingen (1925-)
Ed Swearingen was Dee Howard's first employee at Howard Aero and shared Howard's
talent for cobbling together parts of several airplanes to make a much better-performing aircraft. Swearingen left Howard for a few years to work for Bill Lear, then returned to help Howard with his conversions, including the Super Ventura and the Howard 500. After launching his own company, Swearingen Aviation, in 1958, Swearingen helped aircraft and engine manufacturers solve challenging problems.
Swearingen's growing design prowess led to creation of a series of fast, efficient turboprops, including the Merlin and Metro series, many of which still fly. He was also instrumental in Garrett's development of the TFE731 turbofan engine and a TFE731 engine upgrade for Lockheed's Jetstar.
Swearingen's latest effort epitomizes his talent for squeezing performance out of an efficient package. This is the SJ30, a small but fast and far-flying jet that took many more years than planned to bring to market and has seen only a handful produced. The previous owner of the SJ30-2 program allowed the business to go bankrupt, but a new owner, SyberJet, has recently taken over manufacturing.
Serge Dassault (1925-)
Adopting a more puissant name, the Dassault (formerly Bloch) family was a key developer of French military aviation and in the 1960s launched a purpose-built business jet, the Mystère 20, which eventually became the Falcon 20. The jet was launched with an order for 40 (plus options for 120 more) from Pan Am president Juan Trippe, at the recommendation of Charles Lindbergh, who was on hand for the jet's first flight on May 4, 1963, in Mérignac, France. Another early success was an order for 33 Falcon 20s to haul freight for visionary Federal Express founder Fred Smith.
It wasn't long before Falcons–20s, 10s, 200s, 100s, 50s, 900s, 2000s–graced the world's skies. The latest, the fly-by-wire 7X, adapted flight-control technology from Dassault's supersonic Mirage and Rafale fighters. And there likely isn't a major aircraft manufacturer today that doesn't use Dassault Systèmes's Catia 3-D design software.
Serge Dassault, an engineer, ran the flight test department for Dassault and is now chairman and CEO of Dassault Group. Winner of the NBAA Meritorious Service to Aviation award in 2009, he "is without question one of the most innovative leaders in business aviation," said NBAA president Ed Bolen.
Russell Meyer Jr. (1932-)
Russell Meyer joined Cessna Aircraft shortly after certification of the company's first jet, the relatively small and not exactly speedy Fanjet 500, which withstood years of derisive putdowns. Yet under Meyer's leadership as chairman and CEO, Cessna delivered 5,000 Citation jets and developed the fastest civil airplane in the world, the Citation X. (More than 6,100 Citations have now been delivered.)
Meyer launched the Citation Special Olympics Airlift in 1986. He is credited with leading the team that helped persuade Congress to pass the General Aviation Revitalization Act in 1994, which limited product liability for newly manufactured aircraft and parts to 18 years. Following the Act's passage, Cessna, as promised, resumed production of piston-powered airplanes. Meyer also helped engineer the sale of Cessna to General Dynamics, which later sold the company to its present owner Textron, while General Dynamics went on to buy Gulfstream Aerospace.
Laurent Beaudoin (1938-)
The dreams of many an aircraft manufacturer may have finally been realized thanks to Laurent Beaudoin, now chairman of Bombardier, builder of airliners, business jets, trains and snowmobiles. When Beaudoin pulled together Canadair, Learjet, de Havilland and Shorts in the 1980s, few could have predicted the future success of the Bombardier Aerospace division. The Learjet line continues, with the latest and first-ever all-composite large business jet, the Learjet 85, on track for certification in 2013.
Bill Lear's LearStar 600 found a home at Bombardier and remains popular, morphing from the original 600 to the current 605 and also elongating into an enormously popular line of regional jets. The de Havilland turboprops still fly, now as the Q400, and Shorts is a key manufacturing ally, although it no longer makes whole aircraft. Beaudoin's bold moves have kept Bombardier relevant amid ever-stiffening competition, and the company has doubled down on business aviation with its new ultra-long-range Global 7000 and 8000 program.
Mauricio Botelho (1942-)
Under Mauricio Botelho, Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer grew into a highly competitive company that has steadily and rapidly gained market share from all of the traditional business jet manufacturers. Botelho took on leadership of Embraer in 1995, just after the company was privatized and while it was suffering huge losses. By 1998, it was solidly profitable.
In 2005, Botelho made a far-reaching pronouncement: "We plan to become a major player in executive aviation within the next 10 years," he declared. This was at a time when the company had built a solid base in the regional jet market, and since then, Embraer has not only transformed some of the those airliners into business jets but has launched two families of executive jets, the Phenom 100 and 300, both well into production, and the upcoming Legacy 450 and 500 midsize jets.
Botelho has since turned the Embraer reins over to new leaders, but his legacy led the company to huge gains, at the expense of competitors who might not have seen what was once a small Brazilian outfit flying fast over the horizon.
Richard Santulli (1944-)
NetJets employees shed many tears on Aug. 4, 2009, when Richard Santulli stepped down as chairman of the company he'd founded to offer shares of business aircraft to buyers who couldn't afford an entire jet. By lowering the barriers to business jet ownership and also creating the fiendishly complex operational infrastructure that would make share-flying possible, Santulli changed business aviation forever.
Berkshire Hathaway purchased NetJets for $725 million in 1998, and the fractional-share provider was responsible for huge bumps in business jet manufacturer backlogs–until massive losses caused equally large cancellations and Santulli's eventual departure. Santulli has returned to his roots in the leasing business with his new company, Milestone Aviation Group, which specializes in helicopter and business jet leasing. | <urn:uuid:135da069-4a05-4d04-9f01-e060e75d50be> | CC-MAIN-2015-06 | http://www.bjtonline.com/business-jet-news/15-people-who-shaped-business-aviation?qt-most_popular=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422115862207.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124161102-00165-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966725 | 3,287 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Only Need 1 – 2 Paragraphs.
Read the HBR case study (located below) Time Value of Money: The Buy Versus Rent Decision and calculate the best route for the graduateâ€s housing situation, developing your understanding of time value of money (TVM) concepts and calculations. Describe your assumptions, methodology, and results in your discussion narrative, and attach a simple spreadsheet supporting your analysis. This case study can be located in your custom textbook/case study bundle.
TIME VALUE OF MONEY: The Buy Versus Rent Decision (Case Study Reading)
In May 2013, Rebecca Young completed her MBA and moved to Toronto for a new job in investment banking. There, she rented a spacious, two-bedroom condominium for $3,000 per month, which included parking but not utilities or cable television. In July 2014, the virtually identical unit next door became available for sale with an asking price of $620,000, and Young believed she could purchase it for $600,000. She realized she was facing the classic buy-versus-rent decision. It was time for her to apply some of the analytical tools she had acquired in business school — including “time value of money†concepts — to her personal life.
While Young really liked the condominium unit she was renting, as well as the condominium building itself, she felt that it would be inadequate for her long-term needs, as she planned to move to a house or even to a larger penthouse condominium within five to 10 years — even sooner if her job continued to work out well.
Friends and family had given Young a variety of mixed opinions concerning the buy-versus-rent debate, ranging from “youâ€re throwing your money away on rent†to “itâ€s better to keep things as cheap and flexible as possible until you are ready to settle in for good.†She realized that both sides presented good arguments, but she wanted to analyze the buy-versus-rent decision from a quantitative point of view in order to provide some context for the qualitative considerations that would ultimately be a major part of her decision.
If Young purchased the new condominium, she would pay monthly condo fees of $1,055 per month, plus property taxes of $300 per month on the unit. Unlike when renting, she would also be responsible for repairs and general maintenance, which she estimated would average $600 per year.
If she decided to purchase the new unit, Young intended to provide a cash down payment of 20 per cent of the purchase price. There was also a local deed-transfer tax of approximately 1.5 per cent of the purchase price, and a provincial deed-transfer tax of 1.5 per cent, both due on the purchase date. (For simplicity, Young planned to initially ignore any other tax considerations throughout her analysis.) Other closing fees were estimated to be around $2,000.
In order to finance the remaining 80 per cent of the purchase price, Young contacted several lenders and found that she would be able to obtain a mortgage at a 4 per cent “quoted†annual rate1 that would be locked in for a 10-year term and that she would amortize the mortgage over 25 years, with monthly payments. The money that Young was planning to use for her down payment and closing costs was presently invested and was earning the same effective monthly rate of return as she would be paying on
her mortgage. Young assumed that if she were to sell the condominium — say, in the next two to 10 years — she would pay 5 per cent of the selling price to realtor fees plus $2,000 in other closing fees.
In order to complete a financial analysis of the buy-versus-rent decision, Young realized that her first task would be to determine the required monthly mortgage payments. Next, she wanted to determine the opportunity cost (on a monthly basis) of using the lump-sum required funds for the condominium purchase rather than leaving those funds invested and earning the effective monthly rate, assumed to be equivalent to the mortgage rate. She would then be able to determine additional monthly payments required to buy the condominium compared to renting, including the opportunity cost.
Young wanted to consider what might happen if she chose to sell the condominium at a future date. She was confident that any re-sell would not happen for at least two years, but it could certainly happen in five or 10 years†time. She needed to model the amount of the outstanding principal at various points in the future — two, five or 10 years from now. She then wanted to determine the net future gain or loss after two, five and 10 years under the following scenarios, which she had determined were possible after some due diligence regarding future real-estate prices in the Toronto condo market: (a) The condo price remains unchanged; (b) The condo price drops 10 per cent over the next two years, then increases back to its purchase price by the end of five years, then increases by a total of 10 per cent from the original purchase price by the end of 10 years; (c) The condo price increases annually by the annual rate of inflation of 2 per cent per year over the next 10 years; and (d) The condo price increases annually by an annual rate of 5 per cent per year over the next 10 years.
Young realized she had a tough decision ahead of her, but she was well trained to make these types of decisions. She also recognized that her decision would not be based on quantitative factors alone; it would need to be based on any qualitative considerations as well. She knew she needed to act soon because condominiums were selling fairly quickly, and she would need to arrange financing and contact a lawyer to assist in any paperwork if she decided to buy.
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The post discussion question tmv appeared first on The Nursing Hub. | <urn:uuid:fc021cad-0a3f-431f-85c8-1b368d1a996c> | CC-MAIN-2020-45 | https://buycustomessays.org/discussion-question-tmv/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-45/segments/1603107911027.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20201030153002-20201030183002-00448.warc.gz | en | 0.972037 | 1,322 | 2.65625 | 3 |
The immune system is our body's natural defense mechanism against illnesses and their germs. Generally, our body’s defense successfully fights colds and other infections that we develop in everyday life. Therefore, most viruses, bacteria, fungi and other germs cannot trigger an illness and are largely repelled unnoticed. If the immune system has been weakened due to stress, unbalanced lifestyle, other illnesses that have just been overcome and/or an insufficient supply with certain biofactors – we are more prone to have infections. The longer the immune system needs to eliminate germs, the more defense reactions occur, for example coughing, cold symptoms, and even fever are such defense reactions that the body uses to banish viruses and bacteria. To prevent all this – especially during the flu season: Actively support your immune system and health! | <urn:uuid:8b9930f1-749b-4d42-b1e1-f295d194821e> | CC-MAIN-2021-39 | https://www.woerwagpharma.si/sl/zdravstvene-teme/zdrav-imunski-sistem/strengthening-the-immune-system-with-biofactors | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-39/segments/1631780060538.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20210928062408-20210928092408-00279.warc.gz | en | 0.963482 | 166 | 3.21875 | 3 |
UCI Health supports colorectal cancer awareness
Second-leading cause of cancer deaths in U.S. is preventable
March 01, 2019
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and UCI Health is at the forefront of prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
“The fact that one in every 20 Americans will get colorectal cancer is a national tragedy,” said Dr. Kenneth Chang, executive director of the UCI Health H.H. Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center. “The vast majority of these cases could be prevented with proper screening and removal of pre-cancerous polyps.”
Colorectal cancer claims 50,000 lives annually and the American Cancer Society estimates that 97,000 new cases of colon cancer and 43,000 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed this year. An estimated 16,450 of these cancers will be diagnosed in Americans under age 50.
In 2018, the American Cancer Society ACS lowered the recommended age to begin screening from 50 to 45 years. Guidelines include the following tests:
- Colonoscopy every 10 years.
- High-sensitivity fecal occult blood test, also known as a stool test, yearly.
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that as many as 60 percent of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented if all men and women aged 50 years or older were routinely screened. In most cases, colorectal cancer develops from precancerous polyps, or abnormal growths, in the colon or rectum.
“UCI Health is committed to a colon cancer-free Orange County,” said Chang. “This includes creating an awareness throughout our community, as well as developing the very best technologies to improve detection of cancer and polyps, and making the colonoscopy experience more comfortable for patients through the use of a low-residue prep and minimal sedation.”
Colonoscopy remains the gold standard for detecting and preventing potential cases. UCI Health efforts to improve colonoscopies include using artificial intelligence applications to improve polyp detection and pioneering low-residue diets to reduce the “ick” factor many people feel when preparing for the procedure.
Chang said colon cancer often has no symptoms. However, the following signs should be checked with your doctor:
- Abdominal pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen
- Blood in the stool
- Diarrhea, constipation, or other change in bowel habits
- Intestinal obstruction
- Narrow stools
- Unexplained anemia
- Weight loss with no known reason
Throughout March, UCI Health will post tips about prevention, detection and treatment on Facebook (facebook.com/UCIrvineHealth), Twitter (@UCIrvineHealth), Instagram (@ucihealth) and at www.ucihealth.org/news.
Go to http://www.ucihealth.org/medical-services/colorectal-disease for more information about screening, services and appointments.
UCI Health comprises the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at primary and specialty care offices across Orange County and at its main campus, UCI Medical Center in Orange, California. The 417-bed acute care hospital provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, and behavioral health and rehabilitation services. UCI Medical Center features Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and regional burn center. It is the primary teaching hospital for the UCI School of Medicine. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 222 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu. | <urn:uuid:01860fcf-d96f-4111-b4c2-9c1ec3a585d8> | CC-MAIN-2019-39 | http://www.ucihealth.org/news/2019/03/colon-cancer-awareness-month | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-39/segments/1568514573309.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20190918151927-20190918173927-00158.warc.gz | en | 0.93157 | 962 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |
Biological: Behavioural genetics · Evolutionary psychology · Neuroanatomy · Neurochemistry · Neuroendocrinology · Neuroscience · Psychoneuroimmunology · Physiological Psychology · Psychopharmacology (Index, Outline)
In biochemistry, ligase (from the Latin verb ligāre — "to bind" or "to glue together") is an enzyme that can catalyze the joining of two large molecules by forming a new chemical bond, usually with accompanying hydrolysis of a small chemical group dependent to one of the larger molecules or the enzyme catalyzing the linking together of two compounds, e.g., enzymes that catalyze joining of C-O, C-S, C-N, etc. In general, a ligase catalyzes the following reaction:
- Ab + C → A–C + b
- Ab + cD → A–D + b + c
where the lowercase letters signify the small, dependent groups.
The common names of ligase enzymes often include the word "ligase," such as DNA ligase, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology laboratories to join together DNA fragments. Other common names for ligases include synthetases, because they are used to synthesize new molecules.
Note that, originally, biochemical nomenclature distinguished synthetases and synthases. Under the original definition, synthases do not use energy from nucleoside triphosphates (such as ATP, GTP, CTP, TTP, and UTP), whereas synthetases do use nucleoside triphosphates. It is also said that a synthase is a lyase (a lyase is an enzyme that catalyzes the breaking of various chemical bonds by means other than hydrolysis and oxidation, often forming a new double bond or a new ring structure) and does not require any energy, whereas a synthetase is a ligase (a ligase is an enzyme that binds two chemicals or compounds) and thus requires energy. However, the Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature (JCBN) dictates that 'synthase' can be used with any enzyme that catalyses synthesis (whether or not it uses nucleoside triphosphates), whereas 'synthetase' is to be used synonymously.
Ligases are classified as EC 6 in the EC number classification of enzymes. Ligases can be further classified into six subclasses:
- EC 6.1 includes ligases used to form carbon-oxygen bonds
- EC 6.2 includes ligases used to form carbon-sulfur bonds
- EC 6.3 includes ligases used to form carbon-nitrogen bonds (including argininosuccinate synthetase)
- EC 6.4 includes ligases used to form carbon-carbon bonds
- EC 6.5 includes ligases used to form phosphoric ester bonds
- EC 6.6 includes ligases used to form nitrogen-metal bonds
Enzymes: CO CS and CN ligases (EC 6.1-6.3)
Ligases: carbon-carbon ligases (EC 6.4)
|Biotin dependent carboxylase|
Enzymes: Phosphoric ester and nitrogen-metal ligases (EC 6.5-6.6)
|6.5: Phosphoric Ester|
|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).| | <urn:uuid:89bf8e24-544b-4b02-a2ba-cd6196aef567> | CC-MAIN-2014-35 | http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Ligases | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-35/segments/1409535917663.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20140901014517-00110-ip-10-180-136-8.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.832802 | 733 | 3.8125 | 4 |
Crawl spaces typically collect high levels of moisture and humidity and thus are prone to mould growth. The most common causes of humidity in the crawl space are water leaks, damaged insulation, and inadequate ventilation. Are you worried your crawl space could turn into a mould infestation haven? Below are essential tips on how to prevent mould in the crawl space.
How to prevent mould in the crawl space
- The foundation walls and crawl space ceiling should be checked for cracks — these allow water to leak inside the crawl space. While checking for cracks, the HVAC ducts and plumbing components should also be checked for leaks.
- The gutters and downspouts should direct water away from the home’s foundation. Water that flows toward the house could enter the crawl space and basement.
- The crawl space must be properly ventilated — for every 15 square metres of crawl space area, there should be 0.10 square metres of ventilation. A professional can determine if the crawl space vents should be kept closed and, if so, find other ways to ventilate the crawl space.
- Vapour barriers should be used to insulate/encapsulate the crawl space floor and foundation walls. Vapour barriers, such as plastic sheeting, covers trap the moisture that is evaporating from the soil and walls.
- If the crawl space is already insulated, the insulation should be inspected once or twice a year. The insulation must cover the whole area and must not be sagging — this indicates that there could be a water problem.
- Dryer vents should always discharge to the outside and not into the crawl space, attic or other areas of the house. If they don’t, this can lead to a major increase in humidity.
By following these guidelines, the relative humidity in a crawl space should reach the desired level of 30 to 50 percent. Keep in mind that mould will easily grow if the humidity is above 70 percent. Here are more tips to control the humidity in homes and tips to ventilate a house properly.
For mould remediation, contact the PuroClean pros!
Mould can easily grow in crawl spaces even when property owners have taken measures to prevent it. When that happens, know who to call. Our restoration technicians are licensed and trained in mould remediation using the latest equipment and techniques. The PuroClean team stands ready to provide professional restoration services to any property affected by fire, water or mould damage. | <urn:uuid:42e0b9d8-cd7c-4f3d-a3f7-32babf687940> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://puroclean.ca/blog/crawl-space-mould-prevention-guidelines/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030333541.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20220924213650-20220925003650-00561.warc.gz | en | 0.916518 | 504 | 2.59375 | 3 |
The functionalization of surfaces with different physical or chemical properties is a key challenge for many applications. For example, the defined structuring of a surface with hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas can be used for the separation of emulsions, like water and oil. It can also be used for guiding liquid flow in microfluidic applications, which are of importance for analyzing small amounts of liquids. However, the creation of user-defined surface properties is a challenge. Researches from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz (MPI-P), the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei and the University of Electronic Science and Technology in Chengdu (China) have now developed surfaces that can easily be patterned with different functionalities using visible light.
The international team of researchers created surfaces which are coated with a molecule which has a Ruthenium-atom in its center. This molecule-complex, which is permanently attached to the surface, acts as a molecular screwdriver: “You can think of this molecule as a screwdriver, and we can attach different bits – that means molecules allowing different functionalities like wettability – to this screwdriver”, says Prof. Dr. Si Wu, group leader at the MPI-P (department of Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Butt).
The attachment of such bits – here, so called thioether groups, organic molecules containing a sulfur atom – has so far been performed by chemical bonds which could not be released easily. In the past, the surface functionalities could only be removed using complicated chemical removal methods, which often destroyed not only the thioether, but also the Ruthenium complexes. In their work, the researchers showed that their molecules allow the removal of the “bits” – that means the thioether groups – by using visible light. “This is of great importance if we think of using biomolecules at the surface, which can easily be destroyed by using UV light. So in our experiment, we use visible light, which has less energy and thus doesn’t destroy biomolecules”, says Wu.
With their method, it is possible to structure surfaces in an easy way. In the dark, the whole surface area is functionalized with a desired molecule, giving for example the possibility to create hydrophobic areas. The surface is then illuminated through a shadow mask with light – this cleaves the bond between the Ruthenium complex attached to the surface and the functional thioether group. After washing the surface, the functional groups are removed at the illuminated surface areas, leaving only the non-illuminated parts.
As the Ruthenium complex is not washed away, it stays on the surface and can then – after washing – be used again to attach another bit. Thus, the surface is reconfigurable multiple times.
The results of the researchers have now been published in the well renowned journal “Nature communications”. | <urn:uuid:b97145f8-4efc-4702-b0a7-74c419792ffc> | CC-MAIN-2019-26 | http://www.scienceandtechnologyresearchnews.com/molecular-multitools/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999291.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20190620230326-20190621012326-00553.warc.gz | en | 0.947615 | 614 | 3.65625 | 4 |
As T.J. Stiles points out in his authoritative title, "The First Tycoon: The Epic Life Of Cornelius Vanderbilt," the railroad fundamentally changed the United States in far more ways than simply improved transportation. It ushered in the modern, corporate America we know today where huge conglomerates preside over nearly every facet of our lives. The railroad was the first business of its kind to employ thousands, serve millions, and capitalized in the hundreds of millions. They directly impacted numerous, intercity municipalities although, ironically, were privately owned ventures. As the 19th century dawned no one could have imagined such incredible machines would soon exist to whisk freight and passengers at previously unheard-of speeds. But as with all technologies the railroad was slow to develop. After the steam-powered Stockton & Darlington Railway debuted in England during 1825 the first rudimentary, non-steam powered systems appeared in the United States the following year. However, more than a decade would pass before railroading truly took hold in America. By 1840 railroads were here to stay although many technological developments remained before efficient, safe operations became commonplace.
As Mr. Stiles' book notes, early U.S. railroads were not conceived to provide interstate, or even intrastate, travel. Instead, they were constructed entirely for specific needs. Take, for instance, America's first, the Granite Railway of Massachusetts. It opened on October 7, 1826 carrying a wide gauge of 5 feet. The line was only 3 miles in length and entirely horse or mule-powered. Its entire purpose was to transport granite slabs between Quincy and the Neponset River (Milton) for construction of the Bunker Hill Monument project. In an era long predating the modern, all-steel "T" rail, the Granite Railway utilized massive stone rails. This was unique and rare even for that time period when many engineers were employing the cheaper, and lighter, strap-iron technique. During the late 1820's several projects were underway up and down the eastern seaboard. One of the first was the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad, incorporated on April 17, 1826 to connect the Hudson River at Albany with the Mohawk River at Schenectady. It was designed as a shortcut to compete against the heralded Erie Canal for transporting people and goods between Schenectady and Albany (state capital).
Due to funding issues it took more than four years until construction began and was not completed until August 9, 1831. On that day a little 0-4-0, named DeWitt Clinton, pulled the first load of paying customers, earning it recognition as the first steam locomotive to operate in New York. The long delay in M&H's completion meant other operations were credited with various "firsts." Most notable was the Baltimore & Ohio. The B&O was created largely out of a great need by the city of Baltimore to compete with the Erie Canal, which connected New York City with the Port of Albany at Buffalo. In addition, Philadelphia was organizing a plan to build a similar transportation system across the state linking Pittsburgh. Fearing its city would be left at an economic disadvantage Baltimore leaders formed the B&O, originally chartered on February 28, 1827. In January, 1830 the B&O launched service over its first 1.5 miles from a small station in Baltimore at Pratt Street. That same summer (August 28th) the railroad successfully tested Peter Cooper's 2-2-0 "Tom Thumb." It lost its famous race with a horse that day but nevertheless proved the steam locomotive's viability. Cooper's contraption is also credited as the first American-built design ever placed into use although, as a test-bed unit, was never actually operated in regular service.
Another important railroading pioneer was the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company. According to Jim Shaughnessy's book, "Delaware & Hudson: Bridge Line To New England And Canada," it was conceived by brothers Maurice and William Wurts to transport clean-burning anthracite coal from mines near Carbondale, Pennsylvania to New York City for home and commercial heating purposes. Their original plans called for a duel, canal/gravity railroad. The latter was designed by John B. Jervis and the company ordered four steam locomotives from England to handle the necessary tonnage. Only one would ever be used, the Stourbridge Lion, manufactured by Foster, Rastrick & Company of Stourbridge, England. Jervis tested the little 0-4-0 on August 8, 1829 but sadly it proved too heavy for the track. Despite this setback the little locomotive earned distinction as the first standard design ever operated in the United States. The next significant development occurred on the South Carolina Canal & Rail Road Company, a system based in Charleston, South Carolina.
The SCC&RR was the longest railroad of its day when it opened 136 miles between Charleston and Hamburg (near Augusta, Georgia) during October, 1833. The project's purpose was, once again, to serve a specific need. In this case, the port of Charleston wanted to haul agricultural products from inland farms, notably cotton, to the city for shipment. It was formed on December 19, 1827 and began construction thereafter. Aside from its length and importance the SCC&RR also carries the honor as the first to operate an American-built steam locomotive in revenue service when the Best Friend Of Charleston (built by the West Point Foundry of Cold Spring, New York) carried a trainload of paying customers on December 25, 1830. Another noteworthy railroad was New Jersey's Camden & Amboy, formed on February 4, 1830 as the Camden & Amboy Rail Road Transportation Company. A project of Robert Stevens it was envisioned to link the Delaware River at Philadelphia with the Raritan River, which ran into New York City. Many railroads of this era were built specifically to complement either preexisting canals or highly trafficked waterways.
This was the case for the C&A which began construction in December, 1830 at Bordentown, New Jersey. The first 13 miles to Hightstown opened to the public on October 1, 1832. Its first steam locomotive, the 0-4-0 John Bull (built by the Robert Stephenson & Company of England) entered service in 1833. The locomotive is significant due not only to its early design but also modifications which later became standard on future models; C&A personnel added a lead bogie (truck) to decrease derailments (giving it a 2-4-0 wheel arrangement), a pilot (cow-catcher) to move animals off the right-of-way, a covered cab for the crew's protection against the weather, headlight, bell, and even a covered tender. By then it had become part of the much larger United Canal & Railroad Companies. (The C&A would later join the growing Pennsylvania Railroad [PRR[ in 1871.) Also of note was Philadelphia's Main Line, a combination canal and rail artery built during the 1830s to connect western Pennsylvania with the Ohio River. Unfortunately it was much too cumbersome; the canal operation was eventually scrapped and the rail corridor turned over to the PRR. The early railroads dealt with much more than just engineering and logistical issues. Not everyone was sold on the newfangled technology and canal owners lobbied heavily to suppress or outright deny their construction. The public had justifiable safety concerns although in some cases the dangers were completely exaggerated. As John Stover points out in his book, "The Routledge Historical Atlas Of The American Railroads," some of the more ridiculous assertions claimed they were a "device of the devil" and could cause a "concussion of the brain."
While England could proclaim itself as railroading's birthplace, by 1840 its total mileage (1,500) had been far surpassed by the United States. Interestingly, the financial Panic of 1837 did not seriously inhibit railroad construction, unlike later on when these economic recessions seriously stunted additional mileage. As previously discussed, the B&O was a pioneer in nearly every facet. Its value in advancing new techniques, which later became standard practice, can also not be understated. As by Kirk Reynolds and David Oroszi note in their book, "Baltimore & Ohio Railroad," nearly everything decision it made was an educated guess based on what little was known about railroads and engineering practices at the time. Perhaps most challenging was constructing a proper right-of-way and figuring out the curvature limits and gradient a typical train could handle. To aid in this endeavor its engineers sailed to England for ideas concerning these topics. Among their most notable takeaways was track gauge; English lines were utilizing a width of 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches which was ultimately adopted by the B&O.
Its next task was in designing a track guideway for the trains' wheels to follow. Once again, engineers found themselves in unknown territory as they experimented with various techniques from stone guideways with wooden beams to iron straps using the same principle. They eventually learned the best, most economical design was a wooden beam reinforced with a iron strap supported by wooden crossties. Iron strap rails did work although proved incredibly dangerous as worn straps could let go causing the deadly phenomenon of "snake heads," which easily ripped through the floors of early wooden cars and maimed or killed passengers. Finally, engineers had to conceive a right-of-way capable of handling this new form of technology. Once more, with no books or prior research to guide them, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen H. Long of the U.S. Army who was overseeing survey work, and Johnathan Knight, a civil engineer simply made educated guesses. The B&O would initially use horses to power their trains with the intentions of one day switching to steam propulsion. As a result, Knight and Long used very conservative figures, limiting the ruling grade to a very respectable 0.6% (or a mere 6 inches of elevation for every 100 feet traveled). Interestingly, they allowed curves to be relatively sharp at 14-18 degrees, unaware the length trains would one day reach. Future practice would allow for stiffer grades with less severe curves.
Gaining a true understanding of early railroad car development can be difficult due to anecdotal stories or just outright misinformation. It is further complicated by the lack of historical documents available. If you are interested in this subject three books on the topic are a must, all written by John H. White, Jr.: "The American Railroad Passenger Car" (Parts I and II) and "The American Railroad Freight Car." As he notes, the story of America's first passenger cars built from stagecoaches remains widely told to this day. In reality, while these were influenced from stagecoaches and manufactured by stagecoach builders, they were actually designed from the chassis up. The first known passenger car contract was awarded to Richard Imlay of Baltimore in 1828 when the Baltimore & Ohio approached him about supplying the company with equipment. The first, based from the standard mail coach of the day, was named the Pioneer and placed into service during May, 1830. It was followed by five more nearly identical designs that same August. Information on freight cars from this period is even more scarce since the public paid little attention to such things and there were no agencies in place to monitor railroads.
The previously mentioned Granite Railway employed a basic, reinforced wooden flatcar designed by Gridley Bryant which utilized horse power to transport the marble over huge stone rails. Again, during an era without reliable references ideas and concepts were abundant. According to Mr. White's book, "The first series of cars were carried by four wagon wheels. The stones were carried below the axles on a platform raised or lowered by a hand-powered winch fastened to a wooden truss frame that stood above the wheels." For such an early period these cars were well crafted, finely built contraptions. Bryant's concept proved so successful that it remained unchanged until the original Granite Railway system was abandoned in 1866. In 1830, and throughout that decade, most freight was transported in either a flatcar, a simple gondola (A simple flatcar with short sides to hold ladding [freight], it is more commonly known as the gondola. The first is credited to the Baltimore & Ohio of 1832 which referred to it as a "flour car" since it handled barrels of flour.), or an early type of hopper known as a "jimmie." The latter predominantly handled anthracite coal, such as the small, 1,600-pound cars found on the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company at Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania. These small cars could handle about 3,000 pounds each and transported anthracite coal from open-pit mines near Mauch Chunk over a 9-mile, 42-inch gauge railroad to the Lehigh River where the product was carried on to eastern points such as Philadelphia. As the 1840's dawned, railroads were becoming a unified network but much work remained at established a system capable of efficient, interstate service.Home › Railroad History › The Beginning | <urn:uuid:3c1436f2-1fdd-4190-a69c-4f34eeec6bcc> | CC-MAIN-2019-04 | https://www.american-rails.com/beginning.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-04/segments/1547583660175.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20190118151716-20190118173716-00509.warc.gz | en | 0.97944 | 2,694 | 3.625 | 4 |
It’s not just that many U.S. students don’t know civics or U.S. history, writes Stanford Education Professor William Damon. Increasingly, they don’t care about citizenship.
“Being American is not really special,” said one high school student in a survey. Another replied that citizenship is “stupid to me,” saying, “I don’t want to belong to any country. It just feels like you are obligated to this country.”
Many influential educators believe “global citizenship” is the proper aim of civics instruction, not allegiance to the U.S., Damon writes.
As global citizens, it is argued, our primary identification should be with the humanity of the world, and our primary obligation should be to the universal ideals of human rights and justice.
Devotion to one’s own nation state, commonly referred to as patriotism, is suspect because it may turn into a militant chauvinism or a dangerous “my country right or wrong” perspective.
Schools with large immigrant populations neglect teaching students about “American identity and the American tradition,” he writes.
Educational critic Diane Ravitch observed this phenomenon when visiting a New York City school whose principal proudly spoke of the school’s efforts to celebrate the cultures of all the immigrant students. Ravitch writes, “I asked him whether the school did anything to encourage students to appreciate American culture, and he admitted with embarrassment that it did not.”
These and other American students are being urged to identify with, on the one hand, customs from the native lands they have departed and, on the other hand, with the abstract ideals of an amorphous global culture. Lost in between these romantic affiliations is an identification with the nation where these students actually will practice citizenship.
Adding to the dysfunction of this educational choice, as Ravitch writes, is the absurdity of teaching “a student whose family fled to this country from a tyrannical regime or from dire poverty to identify with that nation rather than with the one that gave the family refuge.”
Damon suggests civics instructors teach students to take pride in their country’s best traditions. In our recent history, students could learn about “the civil rights movement that extended rights to millions of citizens,” the victories over totalitarianism that “extended new freedoms to millions of subjugated people in Europe and Asia” and “the building of a middle class that offered economic freedom” to citizens and immigrants alike.
Damon is the author of Failing Liberty 101. | <urn:uuid:e742b4ef-81db-467f-ad33-a8643b4ab88b> | CC-MAIN-2015-48 | http://www.joannejacobs.com/2011/07/many-students-see-citizenship-as-stupid-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-48/segments/1448398447266.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20151124205407-00332-ip-10-71-132-137.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948699 | 545 | 2.65625 | 3 |
There is often an assumption in the online safety world that teachers and school staff understand all the terms we use and the difference between them. This can be especially true when talking about technical solutions.
This lack of understanding can mean that children can be left with inadequate safeguarding measures to support them. Of additional concern is that in a bid to meet new requirements, schools can end up purchasing expensive software that doesn’t necessarily provide them with the solutions they need.
In 2016 the Government updated Keeping Children Safe in Education to state that all schools need to have an “appropriate” level of monitoring and filtering in place. But what does this mean in practice?
Filtering and Monitoring
Monitoring and filtering are often talked about together as a package, but they do two very different, but complementary things.
Filtering stops packets of data before they even reach the network, blocking predetermined words, phrases and URLs.
Some filtering providers may notify you if users on your network try to access filtered sites, which can be helpful, but you may get that information weeks later, and there is often little context included in these notifications.
Rather than blocking data, monitoring solutions sit on top of the whole network (in a school for example) and looks out for pre-set words and phrases. Unlike filtering, monitoring solutions look at the whole network, so whether someone is using Google or working on a word document, it will monitor what is going on and report back if anything unusual appears.
If you're still confused, hopefully the illustration below might help:
Most Monitoring software is cloud based, for the purposes of this article we'll call that the “Parent”. But for it to work effectively every machine or device on the network will also need to have the software loaded onto it, we'll call that the “Kid”.
The Parent monitors all the devices through the Kid, with the Kid feeding information back up to the Parent. Loaded into the Parent are the libraries of key words and phrases to look out for. These are broken down into categories such as: grooming, radicalisation or profanities. If one of these words or phrases is spotted on a device (a violation), the Kid will document (capture) this, usually with a screen-shot, and feed this back to the Parent along with the user name and machine reference.
The Parent part of the software has an online consul that the school/designated staff member logs into. This is where the monitoring begins. Because no matter how amazing the technology, nothing can understand context quite like a person.
If a child has been searching terms relating to mental health or suicide, the technology may well classify this as a serious violation, but a teacher would know that they may have been researching for a project about wellbeing.
It’s not uncommon in schools that one individual staff member is responsible for reviewing the data that comes in, but in some settings this in itself can become a full-time job. It’s worth considering how much time that person is spending reviewing the data and how cost effective a solution that really is.
A common problem for schools and other establishments is the sheer volume of data these types of software generate. Most software will very cleverly pick words out even if they have been disguised within other words. This is amazing, but it can also be a little irritating.
For example, “Pearsons” is the name of a learning platform used in colleges and 6th forms, however within it is the word “ARSON”, which is understandably a word of interest. If one class of 30 pupils was using this platform for one 60 minute lesson, the average monitoring software might capture the same violation once or twice every minute. At the end of the lesson you could potentially have 3,600 irrelevant captures to sort through. There are clearly many examples of this type of issue.
With time, the software will improve, (maybe many years down the line) but for now the reality is that once the technology has done its job, a human needs to check it.
With this amount of data, it's very possible that schools could be spending thousands of pounds on the software but not actually utilising it to get the full benefit. To help tackle this problem, some solutions will offer a managed or partially-managed service.
This means that organisations will be offering to not only install the software, but also to monitor the captures for you as well. However, in exchange a lot of these organisations will then hold all of the rights to the data, leaving the school unable to access it.
This essentially reduces the role of monitoring to a trigger for incident response, when it has the potential to be so much more.
Think of the completely managed service as a chauffeur. The car sits in your drive and the chauffer can take you where you want, but you cannot drive the car. You do not own it and if you want to go somewhere you have to go the way the chauffeur wants.
The chauffeur may not even know the place you want to go, so won’t take you. If you really want to go there, you will have to pay for another service, like a taxi. So while it can seem convenient, it can be very expensive and doesn’t necessarily allow you the freedom you might expect for the price.
Partially Managed / Assisted services
A partially managed service involves having a third party that can look at your data within specific parameters. It could notify a school of any serious captures, so that even if no staff were able to look at the consul one day, the school would still be covered by a monitoring service, but with the freedom to use and learn from the data.
The partially managed service is more like a hired driver. You own the car, it is in your drive and you can drive it whenever and wherever you like. You can decide if you don’t want to drive it one day and want the driver to take you. If you want to go somewhere he doesn’t know, you can work it out together to find the best route.
If you think this sounds like the right type of service for you, SWGfL can provide Assisted Monitoring for your setting. Find out more here.
What Ofsted Want
Ofsted don’t just want you to tick a box and say “we have monitoring”. They want schools to be able to demonstrate that they understand monitoring and can explain its impact.
An Ofsted inspector recently gave me a great example of a primary school that was utilising monitoring effectively. The school is based in an area with a lot of different nationalities and languages, and has a student population reflecting that.
Staff reviewing their monitoring data noticed that on Monday mornings there was a very high number of captures in foreign languages. With a bit of human consideration it’s easy to understand why. After being at home with their family all weekend speaking another language, when some pupils come into school on Monday mornings it was taking them a little longer to get back into the swing of communicating in English.
In response to this the school adjusted their time table so that every Monday morning now starts with an English lesson, helping the students integrate back into school quicker, improving their confidence and overall communication.
If the school had chosen a completely managed service, they would have lost out on this intricate insight that has led to the improvement to their school community.
What’s right for you?
Before you make that important and potentially expensive decision, as to what monitoring system is right for you there are a few things to consider:
- What’s your budget?
- How many users need monitoring in your setting?
- How often are you dealing with safeguarding incidents?
- Are there cultural sensitivities that need to be taken into account
- How much resource can you allocate to it?
- Do you want to be able to access your data?
Once you've thought about these, you'll be better placed to make an informed choice.
Effective monitoring doesn’t necessarily mean spending thousands of pounds on software and technology. For smaller settings, it can simply mean that a member of staff physically keeps an eye on what students are doing while they’re connected to the network. For larger settings, where this isn’t feasible a technical solution may be the answer. What works for one school may not work for another.
The most important aspect of monitoring is working out what your setting needs and making sure you choose one that works well for you.
To help schools manage this issue we have recently launched out own Assisted Monitoring Service: | <urn:uuid:ff41a7be-edf2-43ef-99c5-d317fe17683d> | CC-MAIN-2020-34 | https://swgfl.org.uk/magazine/wanna-drive-a-guide-monitoring/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439735906.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20200805010001-20200805040001-00008.warc.gz | en | 0.964802 | 1,788 | 2.953125 | 3 |
A new study presented at UEG Week 2019 reports that 18 commonly used drug categories extensively affect the taxonomic structure and metabolic potential of the gut microbiome. Eight categories of drugs were also found to increase antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in the study participants.
Researchers at the University Medical Center Groningen and the Maastricht University Medical Center looked at 41 commonly used drug categories and assessed 1,883 fecal samples from a population-based cohort, patients with IBD and patients with IBS intermixed with healthy controls. The researchers compared the taxonomic and metabolic functions profiles of drug users to non-drug users, looking at the effect of single medication use and then combined medication use. The changes observed could increase the risk of intestinal infections, obesity and other serious conditions and disorders linked to the gut microbiome.
Gut microbiota is the microbe population living in the intestine. It contains tens of trillions of microorganisms, including at least 1000 different species of known bacteria. The human gut's microbiota population is influenced by a number of different factors, including medication. The microbiome has received increasing attention over the last 15 years with numerous studies reporting changes in the gut microbiota during not only obesity, diabetes, and liver diseases but also cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
The drug categories found to have the biggest impact on the microbiome include:
The gut microbiota of PPI users showed increased abundance of upper gastrointestinal tract bacteria and increased fatty acid production, while metformin users had higher levels of the potentially harmful bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli).
The researchers also found that an additional seven drug categories were associated with significant changes in bacterial populations in the gut. The use of certain antidepressants (called SSRIs) by those with IBS was associated with an abundance of the potentially harmful bacteria species Eubacterium ramulus. The use of oral steroids was associated with high levels of methanogenic bacteria which has been associated with obesity and an increase in BMI.
Commenting, lead researcher Arnau Vich Vila said: "We already know that the efficiency and the toxicity of certain drugs are influenced by the bacterial composition of the gastrointestinal tract and that the gut microbiota has been related to multiple health conditions; therefore, it is crucial to understand which are the consequences of medication use in the gut microbiome. Our work highlights the importance of considering the role of the gut microbiota when designing treatments and also points to new hypotheses that could explain certain side-effects associated with medication use." | <urn:uuid:1e8e4d29-45f3-4c9a-a4ef-1e393b594862> | CC-MAIN-2021-21 | https://reachmd.com/news/half-all-commonly-used-drugs-profoundly-affecting-gut-microbiome-warn-experts/1629583/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-21/segments/1620243989749.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20210510204511-20210510234511-00120.warc.gz | en | 0.93056 | 499 | 2.625 | 3 |
Slip-ups and mistakes caused by drug-use are inexcusable in the Healthcare Industry and could be fatal. Healthcare professionals are the hands in which we put our health and future in, and those hands need to be steady.
Substance abuse by nurses, physicians and any hospital employee directly compromises the safety of patients. Additional to potential recreational drug use, dangerous drugs used for sedation and pain management in the healthcare industry are readily available to these employees.
The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists reported that the addiction rate among anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists exceeded 15 percent. An anonymous survey of drug abuse among Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) found that 10 percent of CRNAs reported abuse of the controlled drugs used in their practice.
Other studies estimate that nurses generally misuse drugs and alcohol at nearly the same rate (10 to 15 percent) as the rest of the population.
Approximately 12-15% of all physicians and nurses will experience substance abuse issues at some point during their career, and these statistics are very much in line with the levels of addiction that have been found among the public as a whole.
A study conducted by the University of Washington found about 15 percent of surgeons have alcohol abuse or dependency problems. Also, approximately 14 percent of male surgeons and 25 percent of female surgeons showed signs of alcohol dependencies.
The substances which are generally abused by those in the healthcare industry are as follows:
Sedatives– Diprivan© (Propofol)
Benzodiazepines– Xanax© (alprazolam), Librium© (chlordiazepoxide), Valium© (diazepam), Klonopin© (Clonazepam), Halcion© (triazolam), and Ativan© (lorazepam)
Barbiturates- Amytal© (amobarbital sodium) , Nembutal© (pentobarbital sodium), Seconal© (secobarbital sodium), and Phenobarbital
Opiates/Narcotics- i.e., painkillers: Vicodin© (hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen), Percocet© (oxycodone and acetaminophen) , OxyContin©(oxycodone hydrochloride), Dilaudid© (hydromorphone), Morphine (Roxanol, Dura morphine, morphine sulfate, morphine hydrochloride), Methadone (synthetic narcotic) Demerol© (meperidine hydrochloride), Fentanyl (Sublimaze©, Actiq©, Duragesic©), Ultram© (tramadol hydrochloride), and Codeine
Stimulants- Cocaine, Amphetamines, Methamphetamines, Methylphenidate, MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine)
Cannabinoids- Hashish, Marijuana
Click to learn more about the statistics of drug use and abuse in the Healthcare industry today.
Testing healthcare employees with basic 5 and 10 panel tests will not cover the commonly used and readily available substances. A Healthcare Professional Profile (HPP) is the most comprehensive type of test available, and the most relevant in this type of drug screening.
The HPP has the capability of detecting the following substance categories:
Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Cocaine Metabolite, Marijuana Metabolite, Methadone, PCP, Propoxyphene, Opiates, Benzodiazepines, Fentanyl, Meperidine, Tramadol, Adulterants, Alcohol, Narcotics, Antidepressants and Stimulants.
For answers to any questions, contact Occupational Drug Testing today. We are here to help. | <urn:uuid:e674ab49-1deb-4686-9ef7-7b3d8da81826> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | http://occupationaldrugtesting.com/who-we-serve/non-dot-industries/healthcare/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187821189.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20171017125144-20171017145144-00212.warc.gz | en | 0.89948 | 781 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Human Rights Investigations has been following the situation of the Tawergha closely and here we draw the information together and find, based on the reports of witnesses, journalists and human rights workers, the situation of the Tawergha is not just one of ethnic cleansing but, according to the legal definition, genocide.
HRI has grave concerns, not only for dark-skinned people in Libya generally, but also for pro-Gaddafi tribes including the Gaddafa and al-Meshashyas. We also have particular concern for the Tuareg of southern Libya who are being accused of being ‘mercenaries’ and under attack from NATO and rebel forces. But the greatest concern is perhaps for the Tawergha.
The Genocide Convention
Article 2 of the United Nations issued Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide states:
“any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group as such:
1. Killing members of the group;
2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
3. Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
4. Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
5. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.”
Article 4 states:
Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in Article 3 shall be punished, whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals.
The Tawargha have been ethnically cleansed
The main town of the Tawergha region, Tawergha itself (aka Tawargha, Tawurgha. Arabic: تاورغاء), was a town of an estimated 31,250 people (United Nations Environment Program, 2005). It has been emptied of its entire population: its people having either been killed or fled, amidst reports the remaining population in the area are being picked off as they try to find water and food. The town of Tawergha lies about 30-40 miles south of Misrata/Misurata, along the western coast of the Gulf of Sirte. Areas of Misrata occupied by the Tawargha have also been ethnically cleansed, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Amnesty has reported on the allegations ‘that members of the Tawargha tribe’ have fled their homes and:
Tens of thousands are now living in different parts of Libya – unable to return home as relations between the people of Misratah and Tawargha remain particularly tense. Residents of makeshift camps near Tripoli, where displaced people from Tawargha are sheltering, told Amnesty they would not go outside for fear of arrest. They told how relatives and others from the Tawargha tribe had been arrested from checkpoints and even hospitals in Tripoli.
On 29 August, Amnesty delegates saw a Tawargha patient at the Tripoli Central Hospital being taken by three men, one of them armed, for “questioning in Misratah”. The men had no arrest warrant. Amnesty was also told that at least two other Tawargha men had vanished after being taken for questioning from Tripoli hospitals…
Even in the camps, the Tawarghas are not safe. Towards the end of last month, a group of armed men drove into the camp and arrested about 14 men. Amnesty spoke to some of their relatives; none knew of their fate or whereabouts. Another woman at the camp said her husband has been missing since he left the camp to run an errand in central Tripoli, about a week ago. She fears he might be have been detained.
Tawergha who fled to refugee camps have been chased down by rebel groups, taken away and disappeared. There are credible reports of Tawerghans being raped, disappearing and being killed. Tawerghans have even been witnessed being dragged out of hospitals in Tripoli to unknown fates.
The early genocidal threats to Tawergha
In a June 21 article in the Wall Street Journal, Sam Dagher described Tawergha as a town inhabited mostly by black Libyans, a legacy of its 19th-century origins as a transit town in the slave trade. He quoted one of the rebel commanders from the rebel Misrata brigade:
Ibrahim al-Halbous, a rebel commander leading the fight near Tawergha, says all remaining residents should leave once if his fighters capture the town. “They should pack up,” Mr. Halbous said. “Tawergha no longer exists, only Misrata.”
Other rebel leaders are reported as:
“calling for drastic measures like banning Tawergha natives from ever working, living or sending their children to schools in Misrata.”
In addition, according to the article, as a result of the battle for Misrata:
nearly four-fifths of residents of Misrata’s Ghoushi neighborhood were Tawergha natives. Now they are gone or in hiding, fearing revenge attacks by Misratans, amid reports of bounties for their capture.
The demonization of the Tawergha
An important part of any genocide is the demonisation and dehumanisation of the victims and this continues to be the case for the Tawergha. As part of the information war NATO and the rebels have described all loyalist black fighters, guest workers from sub-Saharan Africa and even black skinned inhabitants of Libya as ‘mercenaries’ [Arabic: مرتزقة Romanisation:mertezqh or ‘murtazaka‘].
The Tawerghans have been accused of mass rape, of being collectively responsible for the battle of Misrata and are invariably described in racist terms. As Sam Dagher reported:
Some of the hatred of Tawergha has racist overtones that were mostly latent before the current conflict. On the road between Misrata and Tawergha, rebel slogans like “the brigade for purging slaves, black skin” have supplanted pro-Gadhafi scrawl.
It is worth noting that this demonisation of black people has led to widespread atrocities including lynchings and beheadings in which the highest echelons of the National Transitional Council have been complicit.
Tawergha is captured by the rebels
As we reported at the time, the town of Tawergha was taken by the rebels on 13 August in an assault which was closely coordinated with NATO and featured the use of aerial bombing and of heavy weaponry against the town.
Here is video of the battle from the rebel side:
A report of the fall by Andrew Simmons for Al Jazeera, unfortunately lacking context, shows at least one of the large residential blocks in Tawergha alight, prisoners packed inside a freight container (who the rebels didn’t want filmed), an injured man in civilian clothes and the rebel fighters evicting an Egyptian woman who has lost her 9 children under 12 who ran away during the attack from her home.
At this stage the last remaining civilians and defenders of the town were reportedly surrounded.
The attack on Tawergha was also reported by Orla Guerin of the BBC who also, disgracefully, failed to give the ethnic cleansing context despite actually interviewing Ibrahim al-Halbous, the very commander who had earlier threatened to wipe the town off the map.
NATO air support for the assault on Tawergha
The NATO bombing in support of the attack is recorded in the NATO press releases from the time:
10 August: In the vicinity of Tawurgha: 3 Command and Control Nodes, 2 Military Storage Facilities.
12 August: In the vicinity of Misratha: 1 Military Facility, 1 Ammo Storage Facility.
13 August: In the vicinity of Misratah: 4 Anti-Aircraft Guns.
13 August: In the vicinity of Tawurgah: 2 Military Vehicles, 1 Anti-Aircraft Guns.
The actual assault was from 10-13 August so we can see NATO played an important role in the ethnic cleansing of this town, an ethnic cleansing of which they had been forewarned and in which they decided, nonetheless, to participate.
Reports indicate the rebels were ordered by NATO to paint their vehicles red and yellow just prior to the assault.
The ethnic cleansing of Tawargha
It is highly likely many black refugees from Misrata fled to the town of Tawergha. Many of them and the original residents may have moved on prior to the actual assault, especially as the Misrata brigades were firing Grad rockets at the town. It also seems likely some of the fighters may have escaped to Sabha, Sirte or Bani Walid, where they are currently making a last stand, sure in the knowledge that they are unlikely to survive capture.
However, a report by David Enders, reporting from an empty Tawergha, indicates ethnic cleansing occurred after the rebels took full control:
According to Tawergha residents, rebel soldiers from Misrata forced them from their homes on Aug. 15 when they took control of the town. (Our emphasis)
This would have been 2 days after the fall of the town and after Orla Guerin and Andrew Simmons had left. The fate of the prisoners loaded into the shipping containers, as well as the population as a whole remains unknown.
Following the trail of the last of the Tawerghans
To his great credit David Enders follows up on the story of the Tawerghans, (17th September) trying to trace their current location:
The residents were then apparently driven out of a pair of refugee camps in Tripoli over this past weekend.
“The Misrata people are still looking for black people,” said Hassan, a Tawergha resident who’s now sheltering in a third camp in Janzour, six miles east of Tripoli. “One of the men who came to this camp told me my brother was killed yesterday by the revolutionaries.”
The evidence that the rebels’ pursuit of the Tawerghis did not end with the collapse of the Gadhafi regime is visible, both in the emptiness of this village and that of the camps to which the residents fled.
At one, in a Turkish-owned industrial complex in the Salah al Deen neighborhood of southern Tripoli, a man looting metal from the complex simply said that the Tawerghis had “gone to Niger,” the country that borders Libya on the south where some Gadhafi supporters, including the deposed dictator’s son Saadi, have fled.
It is worth noting that to get to Niger, any refugees would hav ehad to make an extremely hazardous journey to Sabha first. From there it would have been a further weeks journey by bus into Niger, across the Sahara: another very dangerous journey which it is highly unlikely any of the refugees would have even attempted let alone survived.
David Enders report continues:
Lafy Mohammed, whose house is across the road from the complex, said that on Saturday a group of revolutionary militiamen from Misrata, 120 miles east of Tripoli, had come to the camp and evicted its tenants.
“They arrested about 25 of the men,” Mohammed said. “They were shooting in the air and hitting them with their rifle butts.”
“They took the women, old men and children out in trucks,” he said.
Mohammed said that it was not the first time the revolutionaries from Misrata had come after the people in the camp.
“A week ago they were here, but (the people in the neighborhood) begged them to leave them alone,” Mohammed said.
Mohammed said some of the Tawerghis may have been taken to another nearby camp, in a Brazilian-owned industrial complex. On Tuesday, that camp was empty as well, with the gate locked.
Reached by phone at the camp in Janzour, Hassan, who did not want his last name used, said he had escaped from the Brazilian company camp on Saturday, when it, too, was raided. He said about 1,000 Tawerghis were now at the Janzour camp.
“They arrested 35 men, but they let me go because I was with my family,” Hassan said. He blamed a brigade of fighters from Misrata.
In Tawergha, the rebel commander said his men had orders not to allow any of the residents back in. He also said that unexploded ordnance remained in the area, though none was readily apparent.
Most homes and buildings in the area appeared to have been damaged in the fighting, and a half-dozen appeared to have been ransacked. The main road into the village was blocked with earthen berms. Signs marking the way to the village appeared to have been destroyed.
On the only sign remaining “Tawergha” had been painted over with the words “New Misrata.”
On one wall in Tawergha, graffiti referred to the town’s residents as “abeed,” a slur for blacks.
Mass graves abound
Since the collapse of the Gaddafi government in western Libya in late August 2011, mass graves containing the bodies of people killed during the conflict have been reported on a weekly basis in Tripoli and other areas, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
A communications intercept between a rebel commander from Misrata and Colonel Ahmed Bani suggests the mass graves of “pro-Gaddafi soldiers” which “are not to be talked about.” Relatives have testified to the murder and dissappearances of their menfolk and in one instance the suicide of a young woman who wished to avoid being raped.
Human Rights Watch have expressed their concern about the rebels interfering with mass graves which will make forensic work to discover the perpetrators of massacres difficult.
According to Amnesty International the Libyan soldiers “executed for refusing to kill protesters” in Al-Baida were in fact murdered and filmed for the world’s media by the rebels, which only came to light because amateur video of the victims whilst in rebel custody surfaced.
So we can have no faith in the rebel authorities investigating their own crimes.
Mahmoud Jibril’s complicity in the crime of genocide
Sam Dagher of the Wall Street Journal reported September 18th that Mahmoud Jibril, the National Transtional Council Prime Minister, rubber-stamped the wiping of the town off the map in a public meeting at the Misrata town hall:
“Regarding Tawergha, my own viewpoint is that nobody has the right to interfere in this matter except the people of Misrata.”
“This matter can’t be tackled through theories and textbook examples of national reconciliation like those in South Africa, Ireland and Eastern Europe,” he added as the crowd cheered with chants of “Allahu Akbar,” or “God is greatest.”
The WSJ goes on to report:
Now, rebels have been torching homes in the abandoned city 25 miles to the south. Since Thursday, The Wall Street Journal has witnessed the burning of more than a dozen homes in the city Col. Gadhafi once lavished with money and investment. On the gates of many vandalized homes in the country’s only coastal city dominated by dark-skinned people, light-skinned rebels scrawled the words “slaves” and “negroes.”
“We are setting it on fire to prevent anyone from living here again,” said one rebel fighter as flames engulfed several loyalist homes.
People to contact
This is of course a highly politically inconvenient genocide, and it is therefore of great importance that our readers attempt to bring the attention of the world to this issue.
Here are some suggestions and we welcome others:
Tweet this article using the button below!
UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide
The International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
Office of the Prosecutor
Post Office Box 19519
2500 CM The Hague
Email to: [email protected],
Facsimile to: +31 70 515 8555
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 917 9220
The US Department of State
Other organisations: The ICRC, Amnesty International, members of the UN (see the stop bombing email campaign for emails)
We would also ask our readers to keep us informed
1) Of responses to the genocide as we are tracking those who are attempting to deny, justify and minimise these crimes and those in positions of authority who remain silent or give moral and political support to the guilty parties.
2) Further developments in the position of the Tawerghans.
3) The movements of;
a) Mahmoud Jibril,
b) rebel commanders Ali Ahmed al Sheh, Ibrahim al-Halbous, Abdul Hassan of the Al Horia Brigade and
c) NATO commander Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard.
4) the stipulations of the relevant national laws implementing the Genocide Convention.
There should be no impunity for war criminals.
(PS – It is worth noting that Ibrahim al-Halbous, one of the rebel commanders involved, was paralyzed after being injured during fighting on Sunday 18 September according to a spokesman for the Misurata media committee.) | <urn:uuid:18f1a83e-3e43-4798-9269-0b691b528d1e> | CC-MAIN-2018-22 | https://humanrightsinvestigations.org/2011/09/26/libya-ethnic-cleansing-tawargha-genocide/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-22/segments/1526794864622.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20180522014949-20180522034949-00594.warc.gz | en | 0.962787 | 3,737 | 2.578125 | 3 |
|Name: _________________________||Period: ___________________|
This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who was facing the firing squad "many years later"?
(a) Jose Arcadio Buendia
(b) Santa Sofia de la Pietra
(c) Jose Acadio
(d) Colonel Aureliano Buendia
2. What is painted on the chest of Colonel Aureliano Buendia?
(a) An iodine circle over the exact position of his heart
(b) A peace symbol
(c) A war symbol
(d) His initials
3. Who is the town's magistrate?
(a) Jose Arcadio
4. Who are identical twins?
(a) Aureliano and Jose Arcadio
(b) Aracadio and Aureliano
(c) Jose Arcadio and Arcadio
(d) Aureliano Segundo and Jose Arcadio Segundo
5. Who was a humane and considerate ruler of Macondo?
(a) General Aureliano
(b) General Jose Arcadio
(c) General Arcadio
(d) General Jose Raquel Moncada
Short Answer Questions
1. Who does Arcadio transfer land grants to?
2. Who is Arcadio's mother?
3. When Moncada's widow doesn't let Colonel Aureliano Buendia in the door, what does he do?
4. What has the answer in #42 left behind?
5. Who is mysteriously murdered?
Short Essay Questions
1. When Jose Arcadio Buendia becomes obsessed with mechanical animals, what do Aureliano and some townspeople do?
2. What horrible thing happens when Colonel Aureliano Buendia takes up a brief residence in Macondo again?
3. What happens to the murderer of Aureliano Jose?
4. The plague of Rebeca spreads across the town - who helps to save the people?
5. What does Don Apolinar Moscote, a magistrate from the distant government, require that Ursula do for her home, but she then ignores the ruling?
6. Who vies for the attention of Pietro Crespi?
7. How does the reader know that Colonel Aureliano Buendia has become distant?
8. How does Ursula help to prevent the marriage of Rebeca and Pietro?
9. What was Jose Arcadio Buendia's original profession?
10. Describe Melqunades.
This section contains 453 words
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Hard Coral Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a hard coral?
Hard corals are a type of coral, a marine reef builder.
What class of animal does a hard coral belong to?
Hard corals are biologically classified as Anthozoa, which is a class of marine invertebrates.
How many hard corals are there in the world?
While the exact number of stony corals in the world is practically impossible to know, the fact that coral reefs are so widespread in our waters means that their population is relatively stable. However, it is also well-known that recent increases in water pollution and global temperatures have put the well-being of all coral reefs in the world in grave danger.
Where does a hard coral live?
Stony corals can be found on the ocean or seafloor.
What is a hard coral's habitat?
Stony corals can inhabit virtually any type of water and form coral reefs there.
Who do hard corals live with?
Stony corals live alongside a variety of different marine species from fish (like the angelfish), algae, aquatic plants, anemones, and jellyfish. The settlements around a reef are called coral colonies. Sea anemones like the giant green anemone are also found in the vicinity of reefs.
How long does a hard coral live?
The exact number of years that stony corals can live up to is not known, most coral reefs in the world are around 7,000 years old! However, the same coral polyps that originally made the reef do not live to this day. Instead, new coral polyps take over the engineering process and live for around 400 years.
How do they reproduce?
The reproduction process varies depends on the species of stony corals in question. Some stony corals, including fire corals, and elkhorn corals (a type of Acropora) are hermaphrodites, meaning they can produce both male and female reproductive material and thus reproduce asexually. This is due to the lack of both sexes of a given coral species in a colony. However, another way of getting around this used by corals is the completely male or female colony. While coral polyps in one colony continually inject male reproductive material into the water, the female coral polyp colony does the same with their reproductive material. When the two combine, fertilization occurs and a new coral reef is ready to grow!
What is their conservation status?
Hard coral and soft coral are umbrella terms for a large number of coral species, and many of these are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species as Vulnerable, due to the immense pressure their habitat is under as a result of sea pollution and global warming. The coral reef is the backbone of several marine ecosystems that could disappear immediately after the potential extinction of the beautiful coral reef.
Hard Coral Fun Facts
What do hard corals look like?
The major commonality between every single species of stony coral is that they are able to secrete calcium carbonate and thus have a rocky appearance. As far as physical appearances go, this order of corals includes an unimaginable variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. They usually have a very bright hue of orange, purple, red, or blue. Their striking colors look absolutely magical in the deep blue ocean water. They also usually have tentacles protruding from their reefs, and these are often used to catch small fish and plankton.
How cute are they?
Considering all types of hard coral don't have too many features and look largely like a rock, not a lot of people find them cute. However, that is not to say that they are not visually pleasing, they are extremely beautiful and serene creatures, that perhaps do not meet the criteria for being called cute.
How do they communicate?
Corals can not only secrete calcium carbonate, but also different chemicals into the eater to attract fish so they can be caught and consumed, and also send chemical distress signals when their well-being is threatened.
How big is a hard coral?
Corals grow to only about 5 in (13 cm) as an individual coral polyp. However, the largest coral reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef, covers an area of around 133,000 square miles (344,000 sq km)! An individual polyp is almost 13 times smaller than the Blacktip Reef Shark, and around 10 times smaller than the average sea anemone!
How fast can a hard coral move?
Neither coral polyps nor the corals' reef can move, and the sight of the humongous Great Barrier Reef moving around as it pleases is definitely the stuff of nightmares.
How much does a hard coral weigh?
While a single coral polyp may not weigh more than 10 oz (300 g), an entire reef can weigh several tons! The calcium carbonate deposits harden quickly and increase the weight of the reef dramatically.
What are the male and female names of the species?
Both male and female stony corals are referred to by the same name.
What would you call a baby hard coral?
Baby stony corals are larvae called planulae and can be found near the surface, basking in the sunlight. Later, they find a flat surface to stick to and form reefs, and eventually entire colonies of algae, aquatic plants, and eventually fish on!
What do they eat?
Corals can catch fish and zooplankton using their tentacles, but their tentacles are not very good at it, and thus not the main food winner for coral. Instead, the main source of their food is the Zooxanthellae that live inside their cells. Zooxanthellae can perform photosynthesis to capture the energy of the Sun and pass it into the body of corals.
Are they poisonous?
While most are not, there are a few types of corals such as the Zoanthus corals that can produce lethal poisons from their tentacles. If you're snorkeling in deep waters, it is best to maintain a decent distance from corals due to this.
Would they make a good pet?
Corals are often kept in aquariums due to the splash of color that they add to any tank. Corals are more of an aquarium decoration than a pet in themselves since they do not really do much.
Did you know...
Around 50 different species of corals can be found in the Florida Keys alone, the only active reef system in the United States.
Hard coral vs. soft coral
Soft corals do not have the ability to produce calcium carbonate, and as a result, are unable to create hard limestone skeletons to protect themselves. This is the reason behind the soft texture as well as the name that soft corals have.
Why is coral so hard?
Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) or limestone is secreted by hard corals and eventually hardens to rock. It discourages predators from feeding on corals and is pretty much the only defense that the soft coral polyps have against them.
You can even occupy yourself at home by colouring in one of our free printable Hard coral coloring pages. | <urn:uuid:4443cefd-e872-4977-961f-b0c0ad423bc3> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://kidadl.com/animal-facts/hard-coral-facts | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964358953.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20211130050047-20211130080047-00185.warc.gz | en | 0.95182 | 1,506 | 3.484375 | 3 |
By Sumaiya Malik
Each year Americans set aside February also called Black History Month to focus on historical hindsight on the contributions that people of African descent have made to this country.
Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United States observe the month annually as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora.
Americans have officially celebrated Black History Month since February 10, 1976, when President Gerald R. Ford established it as a national observance in an address that lauded its founder, African-American historian Dr. Carter G.
Dr. Carter Woodson, known as the father of black history, was the son of former slaves.
He worked his way out of the Kentucky coalmines to become a Harvard-educated historian and journalist.
Disheartened to discover that history books excluded the black experience in American life, he took on the challenge of writing a proud and true African-American history into America’s national consciousness.
Why everyone should celebrate the Black History Month:
1. Celebrating Black History Month allows us to pause and remember the stories of African Americans so we can commemorate their achievements.
2. Celebrating Helps Us to Be Better understand the privileges the American society has gained.
3. It helps break unfair stereotypes and assumptions and provides the chance to focus on different aspects of the African American narrative.
4. It helps provide other groups the opportunity to learn about a past and of a people of which they may have little awareness.
This year’s theme - Right to Vote
The year 2020 marks the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment and the culmination of the women’s suffrage movement.
The year 2020 also marks the sesquicentennial of the Fifteenth Amendment (1870) and the right of black men to the ballot after the Civil War.
The theme speaks, therefore, to the ongoing struggle on the part of both black men and black women for the right to vote.
Things to do in Austin to honor the month:
1. Kris Graves: Testament Project – Jan 14 to Feb 29. Free. Central Library Main Gallery.
The Testament Project is an exploration and re-conception of the contemporary black experience in America.
Opening Reception & Artist Talk Sunday, February 2, 2020, 2 – 4 PM.
2. Let Freedom Ring! Black History Month Community Sing Along — Saturday Feb 8 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. George Washington Carver Genealogy Center.
This community sing along features musical selections inspired by the Black History Month theme, “African Americans and the Vote.”
The sing-along will feature vocalist and Song Leader Kristen Trotty and the Texas Preparatory School Choir.
3. Black Fashion Extra — Saturday, Feb 22 at 7:00 p.m. George Washington Genealogy Center.
Black Fashion Extra seeks to promote inclusiveness by breaking through boundaries between consumers and the forces of the fashion industry. | <urn:uuid:87704727-8a73-4d2b-aaad-1bb8dfe2a2d0> | CC-MAIN-2021-04 | https://www.austinsouthasian.com/post/february-is-black-history-month-this-year-s-theme-right-to-vote | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610703514423.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20210118061434-20210118091434-00661.warc.gz | en | 0.926489 | 619 | 3.734375 | 4 |
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
Eye crusting: discharge which causes stickiness of the eyelids. See detailed information below for a list of 11 causes of Eye crusting, Symptom Checker, including diseases and drug side effect causes.
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Allergies, Blepharitis (15 causes), Common cold (712 causes), Congenital herpes simplex, Conjunctivitis (244 causes), Conjunctivitis with Pseudomembrane, Ectropion (23 causes), Eyelid disorders, Gonococcal conjunctivitis, Herpetic keratitis
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Search Specialists by State and City | <urn:uuid:bf6be444-31e0-44e2-baa2-eca4e69e46fa> | CC-MAIN-2016-07 | http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/sym/eye_crusting.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-07/segments/1454701159031.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20160205193919-00331-ip-10-236-182-209.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910621 | 511 | 2.5625 | 3 |
by Ellen Isaacs
Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram Kendi is indeed, as it claims to be, a very complete history of the origin and practice of anti-black racism in the United States. The story begins with the development of racist ideas of African inferiority as the rationale for the capture and brutalization of Africans for enslavement by the Portugese in the 1400s. The author then traces the history of the importation of these racist ideas to the Americas to justify slavery and the continuation of discrimination to this day.
What is particularly thought provoking is the author’s characterization of seemingly non-racist ideas as being all too often actually racist in content, ideas which he characterizes as “assimilationist.” Assimilationists hold the idea that black behavior is inferior and attribute this inferiority to environmental factors, such as climate, culture, poverty or discrimination. In other words, the standards and culture of the predominant white society are assumed to be superior and the failure of blacks adopt that standard must be explained and overcome. Until twenty years ago, when DNA mapping proved we are all one species with more individual than group variation, most subscribed to the view of black and white being biologically distinct groups. Assimilationists, however, even now see blacks as a whole having less desirable traits than whites. Anti-racists, on the other hand, recognize disparities that result from ever-present discrimination, but do not see black people as having been rendered inferior. They see blacks as individuals, who each harbor strengths and weaknesses, but deny that there is any such thing as group traits that can be attributed to all or even many blacks.
Kendi also wishes to make clear the causes of racist ideas. He disputes the oft-repeated concept that racism arises out of ignorance or inborn human proclivities, which then cause discrimination. Conversely, racial discrimination leads to racist ideas, and then to ignorance and hate. Racial discrimination springs from “economic, political, and cultural self-interest…Capitalists seeking to increase profit margins have primarily created and defended discriminatory policies out of economic self-interest.”(pp 7-8). In his conclusion, he reiterates that “If racism is eliminated, many white people in the top economic and political brackets fear that it would eliminate one of the most effective tools they have at their disposal to conquer and control and exploit not only non-whites, but also both low-income and middle-income white people.” (p508) Thus it is a matter of power, not the lack of education or moral betterment, that maintains the sway of racist ideas. “Power cannot be educated away from its self-interest.”
In between these broad statements about racism are 500 pages of details of American history, many of which will be familiar to our readers, but some not. It is interesting to recall that William Lloyd Garrison, a leading abolitionist of the early 1800s, fought for an immediate end to slavery but only gradual equality, reflecting the common belief that blacks had been rendered so incapable of thought and judgment by their bondage as to be unable to function independently. Others proposed removal of ex-slaves to Africa or other distant lands – colonization – feeling that they could never be equal citizens in the U.S. As to the path to liberation, Garrison opposed violence, such as Nat Turner’s slave rebellion, and hoped that moral persuasion would end the heinous practice of slavery.
Frederick Douglass, a runaway slave and the leading 19th century black abolitionist, saw the need for black organizing, but thought that the environment of Africa and the experience of slavery had made the black man into a socially and morally inferior being. After completing his education at Harvard, he believed that some blacks could equal whites through education, what Kendi calls “upward suasion,” and that most white Americans could be rid of racist ideas through their own education. Thus he simultaneously harbored anti-racist, assimilationist, and upward suasion ideas.
Abraham Lincoln, the politician credited with the actual end of slavery, did not see the Civil War as a struggle to end that practice, nor had he a belief in black equality. In 1862, Lincoln said, “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union.”(p219) The actual Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 freed about 50,000 slaves in Union occupied Confederate states, but continued slavery for nearly half a million in border states, in order to woo their owners to Union loyalty.(p221) Lincoln also favored colonization of freed slaves to either Haiti or Liberia, feeling that the black race could never be equal to the white. Only with the end of the Civil War and the 13th Amendment were all slaves finally liberated. Thus the circumstance of Lincoln’s presidency during this tumultuous struggle for national unity has endowed his legacy with anti-racist content, when he was actually a racist opponent of slavery.
Many other anti-racists, such as W.E.B. Dubois, Malcolm X and Angela Davis are profiled in depth in these pages, more than we can delve into here. But a portrait very relevant to the present is Barack Obama, the embodiment of racial reconciliation, the usher of the post-racial society. Although the Democratic Party had expected Hillary Clinton to be its nominee, Obama’s skilldul oratory and optimistic call for change captured the electorate. He first had to confront anti-racist ideas when his friend, the pastor Jeremiah Wright, was quoted as saying, “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America’. No, no, no…God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human.”(p490) Obama described Wright as having a “profoundly distorted view,” and explained that because of discrimination blacks had disrupted families and defeatist attitudes. He blamed the poor attitudes of young black people for leading them to unproductive lives as opposed to fewer opportunities and little wealth resulting from discrimination. Although Obama often called for an end to discriminatory practices, he just as often called for an end to poor black behavior. The millions who had been thrilled by the advent of the first black president were immersed in the illusion of the end of racism, a wish far-removed from reality, as that president promoted assimilationist and not anti-racist views.
Kendi is clear that a “society of equal opportunity,without a top 1 per cent hoarding the wealth and power, would actually benefit the vast majority of white people much more than racism does”. (p504) He disparages the concept of white privilege and declares it in the interest of whites to be free of racism – “altruism is not required.” However, it is a weakness of the book that does not make the point that the anti-racist movement must be multiracial, both in membership and leadership. He does not critique the rising tendency for organizations founded by black anti-racists, such as Black Lives Matter, to become nationalist and exclusionary of anti-racist whites, perhaps a reason they are funded by the ruling class (Soros and the Ford Foundation in this case). No movement can be large enough or strong enough to threaten the power of the 1% unless it is multiracial. Nor can we overcome the trenches of separation dug deep between us unless we organize and fight together. Kendi does say that protests are not enough and must be part of a larger strategy to alter the structure of power. But for simply learning what happened on the journey of racism and thinking about what racism really means, this is a highly worthwhile volume. | <urn:uuid:a34f0269-a609-40ce-96b3-cde9462e66aa> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | https://multiracialunity.org/2018/10/04/book-review-stamped-from-the-beginning/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583515088.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20181022134402-20181022155902-00349.warc.gz | en | 0.967143 | 1,630 | 3.4375 | 3 |
Babies born premature have poorer language abilities when
compared to their peers at seven years of age, a Murdoch Childrens
Research Institute study has found.
Researchers investigated language abilities in 198 children born
very preterm (less than 32 weeks) and very low birth weight (less
than 1500 grams) at seven years of age and compared their
performance with 70 children who were born at term.
Researchers also looked for white matter abnormalities as they
hypothesised those children born preterm would demonstrate impaired
language function because of the presence of diffuse white matter
The study, which is published in Journal of Pediatrics,
found the group of children born very premature performed
significantly worse than the children born at term on all language
areas assessed including spoken word awareness, semantics, grammar,
discourse and pragmatics.
The study showed that white matter abnormality occurring during
the neonatal period was a key predictive factor for four out of
five language areas seven years later. White matter
abnormalities were associated with performance in phonological
awareness, semantics, grammar, and discourse.
However, the results indicated that other factors associated
with prematurity are also likely to influence language ability.
Researchers said it's possible that environmental factors provide
additional influence on language abilities; however, say further
research is needed to understand the most significant determinants
of cognitive skills.
Lead researcher, A/Professor Peter Anderson said the study
highlights that families should closely monitor their child's
"Language development is a clinically important area of
development concern in these children. Paying close attention to a
premature babies' language development is essential for parents so
that discrepancies from normal development can be discovered and
addressed during early childhood."
Researchers from the Institute are now developing a new
preventive intervention for premature babies, which they hope will
enhance language development, along with other functional | <urn:uuid:ac20e490-ae37-4eb9-8e3d-e6f48b9d67da> | CC-MAIN-2015-06 | http://www.mcri.edu.au/news/2012/november/language-problems-persist-for-premature-babies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422122039674.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124175359-00215-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953667 | 396 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Whole Grains Guide
Written by Gloria Tsang, RD
Published in Dec 2005; Updated in Aug 2007
(HealthCastle.com) You've probably heard a lot about how good for you whole grains can be. But do you really know what whole grains are or why they're so beneficial?
A grain is considered whole when all three parts bran, germ and endosperm are present. Most people know that fruits and vegetables contain beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidants, but many do not realize that whole grains are often an even better source of these key nutrients. In fact, whole grains are a good source of B vitamins, Vitamin E, magnesium, iron and fiber, as well as other valuable antioxidants not found in some fruits and vegetables. Most of the antioxidants and vitaminsare found in the germ and the bran of a grain.
Recommendations on Whole Grains
Whole grains have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood coagulation. Whole grains have also been found to reduce the risks of many types of cancer. They may also help regulate blood glucose in people living with diabetes. Other studies have also shown that people who consume more whole grains consistently weigh less than those who consumed less whole grain products.
In January 2005, the US government published the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. One of the new guidelines recommends that all adults eat half their grains as whole grains that's at least 3 servings of whole grains a day.
Increase whole grain intake: An easy way to increase whole grain intake is to replace some of your refined-grain products with whole grain products.
- have a slice of whole grain bread to replace your white bread
- have a serving of whole grain breakfast cereal in the morning
- substitute half the white flour with whole wheat flour in your regular recipes for cookies, muffins, quick breads and pancakes
- add brown rice, wild rice or barley in your vegetable soup
- snack on popcorn instead of chips on movie nights
Check labels carefully! Foods labelled with the words "multi-grain," "stone-ground," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "seven-grain," or "bran" are usually not whole-grain products. Color is also not an indication of a whole grain. Brown does not necessary mean whole wheat or whole grain! Some brown bread has brown coloring added to achieve the brown color!
When determining if a packaged food product contains whole grain or not, look for the word "whole" in the ingredient list. Also look for the Whole Grain Stamp (see above examples). A "good source" stamp contains at least 1/2 serving of whole grains while an "excellent source" contains at least 1 serving of whole grains. | <urn:uuid:81035dc6-815e-4bfc-aff9-278945f22103> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | http://www.healthcastle.com/whole-grains.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549424060.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20170722122816-20170722142816-00014.warc.gz | en | 0.942048 | 568 | 3.234375 | 3 |
localities possessing natural curative agents (mineral waters, therapeutic muds, beneficial climate, sea bathing) and the necessary conditions for using these agents for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. The principal type of treatment establishment on the territory of a health resort is the sanatorium.
The healing powers of nature—water, muds, air, and light— have been known since the most ancient times. Their use was especially widespread in ancient Greece and Rome. Many thermal springs and balneological structures founded by the Romans on the Black Sea coast were preserved until the 20th century.
In Russia, health resorts appeared at the beginning of the 18th century. The first was created at the ferriferous Martsia’nye Mineral’nye Vody, near Petrozavodsk, by order of Peter I. Health resorts were founded in the Northern Caucasus during the 19th century. Of the numerous treatment districts, six were state administered: the mineral waters of the Caucasus, Staraia Russa, Lipetsk, Sergievskie, Kommern (Latvia), and Busko (Poland). Others were supervised by cities, zemstvos, and private persons. The Gagra Health Resort, for example, was rented to the Prince of Oldenburg; the health resorts of the Crimea and the Caucasus—Livadiia, Miskhor, Alupka, Suuk-Su, Gurzuf, Bor-zhomi, and Abastumani—belonged to members of the tsar’s family and to the aristocracy. In Russia before the Great October Revolution there were several dozen health resorts, with 60 sanatoriums (holding 3,000 places; 1914). Health resorts were not accessible to the working masses.
In 1919, V. I. Lenin signed a decree transferring all health resorts and therapeutic localities to the republics to be used for therapeutic purposes. The means and prospects for their subsequent development were defined. More than 4,000 mineral springs, 700 beds of therapeutic muds, and 450 climatic regions were investigated by expeditions of scientific research institutes of health resort science. As of Jan. 1, 1973, there were about 400 health resorts, 2,200 sanatoriums (with 440,000 beds), and 1,158 rest homes and boarding homes (with 308,000 beds), providing rest and treatment for more than 19 million persons.
The construction and development of health resorts in the USSR, the principles of their organization, and the treatment and prevention of illnesses are conducted according to scientific principles, using the achievements of health resort science. The most effective use of the resorts is ensured by sanatorium and health resort selection and by accordance with the Fundamentals of Public Health Legislation of the USSR and the Soviet Republics, ratified Dec. 19, 1969 (Section IV: Sanatorium and Health Resort Treatment, arts. 44, 45, 46, 47).
The chief natural therapeutic factor of a health resort determines the resort’s basic classification: balneological, peloid, or climatic. If a resort offers several therapeutic factors, it is classified as climatobalneological, balneopeloid, climatopeloid, or climatobalneopeloid.
Health resorts, health resort settlements, and therapeutic districts located near one another are united under the designation of health resort regions or health resort groups. Examples of these include the Apsheron group, the Batumi region, the Bor-zhomi-Bakuriani group, the Caucasian Mineral Waters, the Crimean resorts, the Leningrad region, the Odessa region, the Riga seacoast (Jurmala), Sochi, the Tbilisi group, and the Black Sea-Caucasus coast.
The principal therapeutic factor of the balneological health resorts is the water of their mineral springs. These waters are carbonated (for example, at Kislovodsk, Arzni, Arshan, Bor-zhomi, and Darasun), sulfide-containing (hydrogen sulfide; for example, at Archman, Goriachii Kliuch, Eisk, Kemeri, Kliuchi, Liuben-Velikii, Mendzhi, Nemirov, Piatigorsk, Sochi, Sergievskie Mineral’nye Vody, Sernovodsk, Siniak, Surakhany, Talgi, Ust’-Kachka, and Chimion), or radon-containing (for example, at Belokurikha, Molokovka, Piatigorsk, Khmel’nik, and Tskhaltubo). There are also weakly mineralized nitrogenous and siliceous hot springs, with both hot and warm waters (at Alma-Arasan, Annenskie Vody, Kapal-Arasan, Goriachinsk, Dzhalal-Abad, Issyk-Ata, Kul’dur, Nal’chik, Obigarm, and Tkvarcheli). In addition, there are well-known sources of mineral drinking water in the USSR of various chemical compositon and mineralized to 10–12 g per 1 (at Borzhomi, Essentuki, Dzhava, Dzher-muk, Druskininkai, Zheleznovodsk, Kashin, Krainka, Morshin, Piatigorsk, Sairme, and Truskavets).
The most famous balneological health resorts abroad are Bad Elster, Brambach, and Wiesenbad in the German Democratic Republic (GDR); Ciechocinek in Poland; Borsec and Băile Herkulane in Rumania; Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně, Piešt’any, Poděbrady, and Františkovy Lázně in Czechoslovakia; Vrnjačka Banja in Yugoslavia; Bad Ischl, Baden-bei-Wien in Austria; Spa in Belgium; Bath and Buxton in Great Britain; Abano Terme and Salsomaggiore in Italy; Saratoga Springs, White Sulphur Springs, and Hot Springs in the USA; Baden-Baden, Wiesbaden, Bad Kissingen, Bad Nauheim, and Bad Ems in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG); Vitel, Vichy, Dax, and Aix-les-Bains in France; and Atami in Japan.
Among the pelotherapy resorts in the USSR are Berdiansk, Evpatoriia, the Odessa coastal salt lakes, Saki, Slaviansk, Staraia Russa, Druskininkai, Kashin, and Krainka, where various special muds are used for therapeutic purposes.
The principal therapeutic agents at the climatic health resorts are the special features of the climate and landscape. Characteristic of seaside climatic health resorts are elevated barometric pressure in the summer and decreased barometric pressure in the winter; an even temperature; the purity and freshness of sea air; and the high levels of ozone and sea salts in the air. However, seaside climate may vary sharply, even along the coast of a single body of water (for example, the climate of the southern coast of the Crimea is Mediterranean, whereas that of Sochi is subtropical).
The seaside climatic health resorts of the USSR include the resorts of Odessa, the Crimean coast (Evpatoriia and those of the southern coast), the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus (Anapa, Gelendzhik, Sochi, Gagra, Novyi Afon, Batumi), and the resorts of the Baltic coast (the Riga seacoast, the Leningrad health resort region, the Vyborg region). Some health resorts (Anapa, Evpatoriia) offer their services predominantly to children.
The climate of the mountainous areas is distinguished by lower atmospheric pressure; intense ultraviolet radiation; lower temperature; and pure and highly ionized air. The best known climatic health resorts in the mountains are Abastumani, Dili-zhan, Teberda, and Tsei.
The climate of the health resorts in the forested plains and steppes depends largely on location. Thus, the climate of the steppes of the southern European part of the USSR, northern Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Buriatia, and Chita Oblast is distinguished by very warm and relatively dry summers, moderately mild winters in the west and very cold winters in the east, and low relative humidity with low precipitation (200 to 450 mm per year). These resorts (for example, Shafranovo) feature climatic and koumiss therapy. The climate of the deserts of Middle Asia and the Caspian and Ural plains is characterized by warm summers in the north and hot, cloudless summers in the south, with a large number of sunny, very hot, and very dry days. Precipitation in these areas averages 200 mm or less per year. Bairam-Ali is popular among the Middle Asian health resorts.
The climatic health resorts abroad include Borovets, Varna, and Zolotye Peski in Bulgaria; Balatonfüred in Hungary; Zakopane in Poland; Eforie in Rumania; Bled, Vrnjačka Banja, Dubrovnik, Opatija, and Split in Yugoslavia; Zeebrugge and Ostend in Belgium; Bognor Regis, Bournemouth, Torquay, Brighton, and Eastbourne in Great Britain; Lido, Merano, and San Remo in Italy; Atlantic City, Newport, and Palm Beach in the USA; Biarritz, Cannes, Menton, Nice, and the Riviera in France; Davos and Leysin in Switzerland; and Kamakura, Nikko, and Oiso in Japan. Climatic health resorts (especially those on the sea and in the mountains) are also used for rest and tourism.
Multiple-approach therapy is practiced at health resorts. In addition to the natural therapeutic factors, this includes physical therapy, dietotherapy, therapeutic exercise, medication, and other forms of treatment. Outpatient course therapy is administered at many of the resorts.
There are a number of requirements set forth for modern health resorts. These are (1) the presence of well-studied resources—climatic, balneological peloid, and others—to ensure the normal functioning and development of the resort; (2) special hydrogeological, balneotechnical, and other devices, structures, and establishments for the effective use of the resort’s facilities (water catchment, wells, refreshment bars, drinking fountains, bathhouses, mud-treatment buildings, beaches, solariums, aerariums, swimming pools, physical therapy rooms); (3) treatment and prevention facilities (sanatoriums, boarding houses, polyclinics) to provide medical services to patients; in addition, at climatic health resorts, health-improvement facilities for rest and tourism (rest homes, boarding houses, summer rest communities, youth camps, resort hotels, tourist centers, motels, camping sites); (4) physical education and sports facilities and cultural, educational, and entertainment establishments (resort lodges, movie theaters, exhibition halls, libraries); (5) public eating facilities, shopping, and services (dining rooms, restaurants, cafés, stores, barbershops, repair shops); and (6) communal equipment and amenities that meet the requirements of proper hygiene (water supply, sewerage, energy supply, heating, clean air, and an abundance of greenery, parks, and flower beds).
A resolution of the Soviet of Ministers of the USSR of Aug. 28, 1970, established the division of health resorts into ail-Union, republic, and local resorts. The all-Union resorts in the RSFSR include those on the Black Sea coast of Krasnodar Krai, Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Piatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk, Nal’chik, Sergievskie Mineral’nye Vody, Belokurikha, the Leningrad health resort zone (on the coast of the Gulf of Finland), and Shmakovka (in Primor’e Krai). The all-Union resorts in the Ukrainian SSR include those on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea, Saki, Trus-kavets, the Odessa group, and Berdiansk.
The all-Union resorts in the Georgian SSR are Kobuleti, Ga-gra, Pitsunda, and Novyi Afon; in the Azerbaijan SSR, Naftalan, Istisu, and those of the Apsheron Peninsula; in the Latvian SSR, Kemeri; in the Kirghiz SSR, those of the Issyk-Kul health resort region; in the Armenian SSR, Dzhermuk; and in the Turkmen SSR, Bairam-Ali.
The councils of ministers of the Union republics approve the lists of republic and local health resorts. Sanatorium and health resort establishments are under the supervision of the republic and oblast departments of public health (56.2 percent of the beds), the Central Soviet of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions for the administration of trade union health resorts (32.3 percent), and various other offices (11.5 percent).
The practical management of sanatorium and health resort affairs and the organization of rest for the working people in the trade union system of the USSR is handled by the Central Council for the Administration of Trade Union Health Resorts, the republic soviets (except in the RSFSR), and the territorial, krai, and oblast soviets.
Patients are selected and sent for sanatorium and health resort treatment following the order established by the Ministry of Public Health, in collaboration with the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions. Patients are sent to sanatorium and health resort establishments without charge, at reduced prices, or at full cost.
REFERENCES“Osnovy zakonodatel’stva Soiuza SSR i soiuznykh respublik o zdra-vookhranenii.” In Osnovy zakonodatel’stva Soiuza SSR i soiuznykh respublik. Moscow, 1971.
Kurorty SSR. Moscow, 1962.
Zdravnitsy profsoiuzov SSSR. Moscow, 1967.
Borisov, A. D. Vazhneishie kurorty sotsialisticheskikh stran Evropy. Moscow, 1967.
L. G. GOL’DFAIL’ | <urn:uuid:980539ad-495f-44e3-8836-5a2e57233348> | CC-MAIN-2021-10 | https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Health+Resorts | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-10/segments/1614178359082.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20210227174711-20210227204711-00360.warc.gz | en | 0.893485 | 3,152 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Curiosity watches as Mars' two moons eclipse the Sun
A solar eclipse is an amazing sight to behold, and it's an astronomical event that's not limited to Earth. NASA's Curiosity rover has captured images of Mars' two moons, Phobos and Deimos, as they passed between the Red Planet and the Sun.
In the same way we need to use special glasses to look at the Sun during a solar eclipse, so too does Curiosity. The rover's Mastcam is kitted out with special solar filters, allowing it to take some pretty fascinating shots of the Sun as the two small moons passed in front of it.
The first series of shots was snapped on March 17 this year, as Deimos transited the Sun. Because this moon is so tiny – a mere 1.5 mi (2.3 km) wide – it appears as just a black spot against the bright face of our parent star. Phobos is bigger, measuring about 7 mi (11.5 km) wide, but even it doesn't fully cover the Sun. That's known as an annular eclipse, which Curiosity captured on March 26.
The rover also saw the shadow of Phobos briefly darken the sky, in images taken by one of Curiosity's Navigation Cameras on March 25.
This isn't the first time Curiosity has encountered an eclipse, but the more times it does, the more data NASA scientists get to more accurately understand the eclectic orbits of Phobos and Deimos.
"More observations over time help pin down the details of each orbit," says Mark Lemmon, co-investigator on Curiosity's Mastcam. "Those orbits change all the time in response to the gravitational pull of Mars, Jupiter or even each Martian moon pulling on the other.
"Eclipses, sunrises and sunsets and weather phenomena all make Mars real to people, as a world both like and unlike what they see outside, not just a subject in a book."
Source: JPL NASA | <urn:uuid:7901883f-c0c2-429f-9d09-2fb418187a37> | CC-MAIN-2022-27 | https://newatlas.com/curiosity-mars-moons-eclipse/59164/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-27/segments/1656103334753.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20220627134424-20220627164424-00050.warc.gz | en | 0.955012 | 407 | 3.5 | 4 |
Kukulkan Temple, at the Chichen Itza archaelogical site in Mexico, isn't just an impressive architectural achievement. It also uses physics to make bird calls. That's right, a stone temple has the ability to mimic the sounds a local bird. Let's see the pyramids at Giza do that!
The calls are all good imitations of the quetzal bird, a spiritually important animal to the 12th century Mayans. The staccato sound of two hands clapping together gets transformed, in echoes, to the drawn-out falling tone of the bird. How the hell does that happen? David Lubman, an acoustical consultant, took a look. It seems that the steps of the temple form a Bragg diffraction grating. Diffraction is what happens when a wave hits an object and spreads out.
For the most part, Bragg diffraction, and Bragg diffraction gratings, are studied by crystallographers. They send a wave of light into crystals, where the atoms cause diffraction, and because the atoms are arranged in an orderly pattern, they form a grating. The crystallographers then study the pattern of the returning light to get a sense of the structure of the molecules. Lubman is doing the reverse. Everyone knows the pattern of steps on the side of the pyramid, and he's studying the sound wave that comes off of them.
Bragg scattering refers to a particular pattern of wave scattering, which shows up acoustically in the sound coming from the pyramid. The two major features of the scattered sound from the pyramid are the extension of the sound, and the fact that the sound is tonal. The echo lasts longer than the sound, bounced off many steps, each at different distances from the original clapping sound. The scattering also lets lower frequencies lag behind higher frequencies, meaning that each of the "bird calls" starts out high and ends slightly lower. | <urn:uuid:9bbb323b-8640-49bf-adf6-ed85227f106d> | CC-MAIN-2019-13 | https://io9.gizmodo.com/heres-how-this-ancient-mayan-pyramid-makes-bird-calls-1692327818 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-13/segments/1552912202589.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20190322014319-20190322040319-00374.warc.gz | en | 0.938438 | 393 | 3.75 | 4 |
Others, such as amino acid racimization and cation-ratio dating, are based on chemical changes in the organic or inorganic composition of a sample.
Automobile manufacturers frequently introduce new styles about every year, so archaeologists thousands of years from now will have no difficulty identifying the precise date of a layer if the layer contains automobile parts.
However, local eruptions of volcanoes or other events that give off large amounts of carbon dioxide can reduce local concentrations of carbon and give inaccurate dates.
Computer simulation proves the validity of the proposed method.
Description: Techniques include tree rings in timbers, radiocarbon dating of wood or bones, and trapped charge dating methods such as thermoluminescence dating of glazed ceramics. Optically stimulated luminescence OSL dating was applied to fluvial and colluvial deposits which were taken from a roman time harbour basin in Cologne. | <urn:uuid:32f4776e-29d7-41e3-b347-fb723c83de15> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | http://nwrweek-radio.info/oral-contraceptive/what-is-absolute-dating-method.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585370497042.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20200330120036-20200330150036-00161.warc.gz | en | 0.930299 | 185 | 3.234375 | 3 |
When we think of the Old West, we remember how wild and dangerous it was and the opportunities it provided. The internet really isn’t much different. Let’s analyze the similarities and consider how we can tame the wild, wild web.
Growth and Development
(Image Credit: Map of the Internet, XKCD)
The Wild West in America represented the attempt by people to move out and find opportunity, to tame the wild areas of the frontier, and to find and utilize natural resources. The internet was once a frontier unknown to most computer users, let alone your average person. Now, even with the web being so prominent in our hearts and minds, it’s still largely untamed territory. There’s still so much growth and development as yet unseen, so many internet “resources” untapped, so much potential unrealized. Over time, just as the American West developed into what it is today, the internet will become a much more mature and advanced hub. To do that, it’ll need to get even more tame than it is now.
The earliest denizens of the West were the “Native Americans,” indigenous peoples who’d been living there for quite some time. Spanish settlements came in very early on, so by the time Americans pushed out to develop essentially free land granted to them by the government, they had to learn and interact with people who were already there. Just like the big dot com boom in the 90s, the people who really started taking advantage of the internet and endeavored to strike it rich had to learn the ways of the geeks who already ran and influenced change. Over time, as more and more people pushed West in ever-increasing numbers, the original populace took a dive in numbers and gave way to a broader mix of people. Sound familiar? How many of you geeks remember the earlier days of the internet? I started relatively late in the game, with the majority of my learning taking place on the web of 1996-97. It was a much different place back then, with very different people. Once, you had to know how to really work with a computer to dial up and connect, and now everyone and their grandmother is connected without even being conscious of it. It no longer takes the hardy to risk their lives in pursuit of opportunity; now, the web is accessible to normal, everyday people. With larger and wider populations comes more urgent problems.
Both in the Wild West and on the internet, law is localized. If you’ve ever spent anytime commenting or posting a one specific forum or blog, then you’ll immediately recognize what I’m talking about. Each hub is structured, being run by those who spend the money to front the site. Users who are trusted and have a good standing status are promoted to mods, the equivalent of a sheriff or “lawman.” Rules and regulations vary widely between these internet towns, but many are common. You’re expected to read, agree to, and uphold the rules of each forum. You’re expected to be helpful and not troll others. You’re expected to be respectful of others, support your opinions with facts, and otherwise engage in socially acceptable ways.
Step outside of that sphere, and there’s no longer any consistent law. Sometimes this even happens between categories on the same forum. There’s a certain “toughness” that’s required in these frontier territories, and if you don’t have it, you’re better off not coming back instead of getting burned (we’ll get to some of the dangers in a short bit). And, ultimately, that’s favors the individuals who rule in these areas, not the vast majority of people.
(Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Mob Rule Elsewhere
Where mods are few and far between, you’ll find tales of mobs taking over. Individuals acting together can help mods do their jobs, but they can also help take matters into their own hands. Reddit users often works together to help each other with advice and info. And, love them or hate them, 4chan users acting together anonymously have often gotten what they consider retribution against insults and the like. There’s no real internet-wide police to force peaceful protests, so the web-equivalent of riots can sometimes occur. Once again, this usually serves the individual group, not the majority of people. There are notable exceptions to this, however; posses that strike out again the outlaws to honorably protect the innocents. Either way, you can really blame it all on a lack of consistent and wide-spread regulation, partially fostered by the idea of anonymity (whether or not it actually exists). If things were regulated, then you wouldn’t see people misbehaving, and you wouldn’t see people needing to band together and perform questionable acts to protect themselves.
Lawless and Unregulated for Most People
(Image Credit: The Magnificent Seven (1960))
In the Wild West, people worried about two main things: property rights and survival. The internet’s not really different. Property rights are what allow people to work productively for their livelihood. Intellectual property is notoriously hard to protect. You also worry about people stealing your credit card and bank account information, and whether or not something you ordered online will ever actually get to you. Some of these problems have been mitigated by things like the App Store and Marketplace, and by the protective clauses in Paypal and eBay terms, and of course by common sense. Overall, however, there’s still a lot of danger.
There’s worse out there, too. Aside from malware, viruses, and phishing attempts, you have to worry about more serious “real life” problems. Child molesters in chat rooms are a constant terror for parents. The Craigslist Killer made a lot of waves in that community as well. The internet allows people of like minds to meet and interact, whether they’re good people or bad. This makes the danger more real.
Just like many broke out into the western frontier of the United States in search of new lives and opportunities, many people bored with their real lives strike out on the internet. The danger is there, and it’s real, but the optimism and hope of opportunity really can make the experience worthwhile. That is, as long as you stay smart.
Changing Policies and Legislation
(Image Credit: Online Communities, XKCD)
Things are slowly changing. The U.S. government has been cracking down on piracy websites via Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, the investigative branch of the Department of Homeland Security. Not everyone knows this, but the National Intellectual Property Right Coordination Center is run by the DHS. In the past, they’ve shut down websites who stream sports illegally, as well as number torrent hubs and other websites that they determine to have no other purpose except piracy. There’s no real formal appeals process, and as of right now, they have a lot of power to do what they want, but it can be argued that they haven’t done much yet that isn’t directly related to piracy or illegal streaming.
The trade-off for security is freedom, and that seems somewhat reasonable. The issue is much more complicated than that, however. Why does a U.S. agency have the right to shut down a website? Well, the old and technically legal answer is that it’s because the server is based in the U.S. But what about those that aren’t? It’s not hard to take piracy and malicious websites elsewhere, where local laws don’t interfere in such disputes. And let’s consider the topic of net neutrality. Tiered internet makes sense for companies, sure. They want to mitigate complaints of rising costs by their customers and since a good deal of bandwidth goes towards piracy, why not filter? The answer most people give is that it’s infringing on privacy; unless they KNOW you’re using your bandwidth illegitimately, they can’t treat your transfers as second-class or filter them out. To preemptively filter out bandwidth can interfere with customers’ legitimate uses of their product.
(Image Credit: Online Communities 2, XKCD)
It’s a problem, and there seems to be little room for compromise. Legally speaking, the laws are based on technology that is essentially obsolete for our purposes: telephone communications. There isn’t such a thing as absolutely limited bandwidth, and since networks are connected world-wide in very intrinsic way now, the older laws don’t apply. Economics is also in new territory in this area; it is fundamentally the study of how scarce goods and services are produced, distributed, and consumed. Bandwidth isn’t a scarce good, at least not in the conventional way. Like water, it requires a system to divert and lead it, but there’s little worry of the bandwidth river drying up. Software isn’t really, either. If you give someone a book, you no longer have it, but it’s simple to make copies of files. This lack of scarcity makes piracy more widespread, especially when you think of how intangible it is for most people.
It wasn’t until the population rose sufficiently in the western frontiers and networks grew and spread more substantially that security was maintained without extensive curbing of rights. But, while the Wild West had the benefit of state divisions and laws to help keep things organized, the internet is considered to be a fundamentally world-wide thing, making the decisions involved more far-reaching and controversial. At the same time, criminals could be safe across state lines due to jurisdiction disputes by authorities, and this wouldn’t be a problem on the internet if the authority does, indeed, have a jurisdiction. This results in a more widespread security, benefitting a much wider base. If regulation is a must, then there needs to be a world-wide agency or committee that sets rules, similar to the World Trade Organization, to prevent the loopholes from working to the advantage of policy violators and to prevent the big companies from gaining a strangle-hold on legitimate users.
Ultimately, the legislation needs to become modernized and needs to be enforced with a world-wide representation, all while preserving everyone’s individual rights. That’s the only way to protect everyone. Easy right? Maybe we can take some lessons from the American West and mix them with some global wisdoms to build a solution. Together. The way it should be.
Know how to solve this easily? Have some examples that prove me wrong? Share your insights in the comments, but please, no trolling. ;-) | <urn:uuid:119897bc-bf19-49fb-8e3c-6f5d5e8b1a65> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://www.howtogeek.com/62135/geek-rants-why-the-internet-is-like-the-wild-west/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964362992.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20211204124328-20211204154328-00011.warc.gz | en | 0.958312 | 2,242 | 2.609375 | 3 |
In the great gatsby, this side of paradise the themes that f scott fitzgerald incorporates into his novels are often similar to events in his life. Wwwtescouk/greatgatsby forms part of the new tes english collection on the great gatsby by f scott fitzgerald activities and worksheets on the themes of. The great gatsby by f scott fitzgerald theme of society and class saw through the shallow materialism of the era but (like gatsby. The great gatsby & f scott fitzgerald - proud of his son + thinks he did great is destroyed by its involvement in materialism compare this theme to the. The great gatsby is an american novel written by f scott fitzgerald the novel describes the story of gatsby, in pursuit for his love-lady, daisy. Basic understanding of the novel the great gatsby is a tale f scott fitzgerald’s the great gatsby what does this say about the materialism of gatsby’s.
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The overall theme of “the great gatsby” is there was a major rise in materialism and greed nick and gatsby both fought in the war f scott fitzgerald. The shallowness and materialism and hedonism of this period how does f scott fitzgerald portray the american the great gatsby themes the great gatsby. | <urn:uuid:8b6386af-7c68-451e-b6ce-4a7f65c82d18> | CC-MAIN-2018-34 | http://csessayanwo.paycheckadvance.us/the-theme-of-materialism-in-f-scott-fitzgeralds-the-great-gatsby.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-34/segments/1534221211146.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20180816171947-20180816191947-00103.warc.gz | en | 0.916109 | 1,064 | 3.015625 | 3 |
Calcium and Hormones
One of the most important Calcium containing hormone is Insulin. Insulin is always secreted to control sugar quantity in the blood stream by adequately dissolving sugars.
When insulin secretion is abnormal, diabetes results. Insulin is secreted from B (beta) cells in the islet of Langerhans in the pancreas. Ionic or plasma Calcium plays an important role in insulin secretion in these cells. If Calcium in the exterior fluid surrounding these cells is removed or if the calcium channels are blocked, insulin secretion is also blocked. Insulin secretion cannot occur without Calcium.
Calcium balance in and out of these cells is directly related to the function of insulin control. Active Vitamin D, a hormone, is also critical in insulin secretion. And while dissolving blood sugar to lower its level by insulin injection is an effective and life saving remedy, one must also be aware of this critical plasma Calcium and Vitamin D connection as a potential for long term rehabilitation.
Proper intake of Calcium and Vitamin D will improve insulin secretion and in the long-term assist in lowering blood sugar levels. This could be critical in light of recent studies on memory loss and Blood sugar levels
Relationship between female hormones and Calcium control hormones (PTH)
There are hormones that relate to increasing, dividing and activating cell groups within the components of bone structure.
The following are the three main hormones as they relate to each other. Marked deficiencies or imbalances are now found to be the root cause of Osteoporosis.
Parathyroid hormones control plasma or ionic calcium
Parathyroid hormone or parathormone: A hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands that regulates the metabolism of calcium and phosphate in the body. It has been purified extensively and appears to be a protein containing 84 amino acid residues, a sequence of which about 33 to 35 are necessary for biological activity.
Parathyroid hormone acts to raise the ionic calcium concentration, that is, the concentration of calcium ions in the spaces between the cells of the body and in the blood plasma. PTH promotes the absorption of calcium by the intestine, mobilizes calcium salts from the bones, and increases the tendency of the kidney to recover calcium from the urine.
This hormone also enhances both the excretion of phosphate by the kidneys and its uptake by the cells. This removes phosphate, which tends to form a relatively insoluble salt with calcium, from the extracellular spaces, allowing more calcium to remain in solution.
Calcium is intimately involved not only in the formation of bone, but also in the functioning of the nervous system; thus hypoparathyroidism, the disease associated with a deficiency in parathyroid hormone secretion, is characterized by muscle spasms leading eventually to generalized convulsions and various psychiatric symptoms. This condition is sometimes successfully treated by the administration of the hormone.
Hyperparathyroidism: the result of over secretion of the hormone, often leads to the resorption of bone and can only be treated up to now by the surgical removal of all of the parathyroid glands, which can be found in unusual locations (usually near the Thyroid, hence the name). It is possible that Nano-Cal can remedy this over secretion by flooding the system with ionic Calcium.
Active Vitamin D: A hormone which promotes bone formation and calcium absorption
Vitamin D is a name given to two fat-soluble compounds; calciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). They are now known to be hormones, but continue to be grouped with vitamins because of historical misclassification.
Vitamin D3 plays an essential role in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in the body and prevents rickets in children. A plentiful supply of 7dehydrocholesterol, the precursor of vitamin D3, exists in human skin and needs only to be activated by a moderate amount of ultraviolet light (less than a half hour of sunlight) to become fully potent.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in children include bowlegs, knock knees, and more severe (often-crippling) deformations of the bones. In adults deficiency results in osteomalacia, characterized by a softening of the bones.
Rickets is usually caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight rather than a dietary deficiency, although dietary deficiencies can result from malabsorption in the small intestine caused by conditions such as sprue or colitis. Rickets can be prevented and its course halted by the intake of vitamin D2 (found in irradiated yeast and used in some commercial preparations of the vitamin) or vitamin D3 (found in fish liver oils and in fortified milk).
Excessive vitamin D consumption can result in toxicity. Symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, kidney damage, and deposits of insoluble calcium salts in certain tissues.
The recommended daily dietary allowance for cholecalciferol is 5 to 10 micrograms (200 to 400 IU) depending upon age and the availability of sunlight. Fortified cow's milk supplies 400 IU per quart (422 IU per liter).
Calcitonin: A polypeptide hormone that participates in the regulation of calcium levels by inhibiting loss of calcium from bone to the blood. Female hormone secretion suppresses parathyroid hormone secretion and promotes Vitamin D and Calcitonin secretions.
One of the reasons why an overwhelming number of women, during menopause, have Osteoporosis is due to the synergistic effect between Parathyroid Hormones and female hormones. The most basic factor in osteoporosis is an insufficient supply of ionic or plasma calcium.
Copyright © 2005 Nano-Cal TM 78501799 | <urn:uuid:459665e8-3cae-4189-96a9-b37a26085c12> | CC-MAIN-2017-22 | http://nanocal.com/calcium_and_hormones.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-22/segments/1495463607593.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20170523083809-20170523103809-00101.warc.gz | en | 0.909661 | 1,182 | 3.453125 | 3 |
A Geopark is an area with an outstanding geological heritage and a strategy to promote that heritage for the benefit of the local community.
So what makes a geopark? A geopark must contain several geological or geomorphological sites of national and international importance. These may be significant because of their scientific quality, rarity, aesthetic appeal or educational value. But geoparks are not just about rocks - they are also about people, and helping communities to understand their Earth heritage, and to benefit from it.
A geopark can include not only sites of geological importance, but also sites of archaeological, ecological, historical or cultural interest. A geopark territory must be large enough to allow for true economic development. Geoparks are driven by local communities that want to celebrate their Earth heritage and thereby achieve sustainable development of their area through 'geotourism'.
A geopark must play an active role in the business of the European Geoparks Network. This involves collaborating with other geoparks on joint projects as well as exchanging ideas on how best to promote geopark activities.
About Lochaber Geopark - mu pairc-geòdha Loch Abair
The Lochaber area is famous for its spectacular scenery. Lochaber Geopark Association aims to raise awareness of the extraordinary story behind the local landscape. Many geological features of national and international importance can be seen right across Lochaber - ranging from a deeply eroded volcano on Rum in the west, to the amazing Parallel Roads of Glen Roy in the east.
The outstanding quality of Lochaber's Earth Heritage was officially recognised in April 2007 when Lochaber was awarded European and Global Geopark status.
For more information about the Small Isles and Lochaber Geopark, visit www.lochabergeopark.org.uk/index.asp
The mountainous, wild landscape of the Isle of Rum has long been a mecca for geologists. For such a small island, the range of scenery is truly remarkable – from the jagged peaks of Askival and Hallival in the east, to the rounded hills of Orval and Ard Nev in the west, and the low "stepped" topography north of Kinloch Glen. As we will see, these features can be attributed to a geological history that stretches back nearly 3000 million years and includes deserts and ocean floors, volcanoes and glaciers.
The history of Rum began nearly 3000 million years ago, when some of the oldest rocks in the world were formed - the Lewisian gneisses. These are metamorphic rocks, which were formed when even older granitic rocks were buried and heated deep beneath the Earth's surface. They can be seen in a few scattered outcrops on Rum.
By about 11000 million years ago, the Lewisian gneisses had been uplifted by immense movements within the Earth. Erosion on the surface had worn away these rocks to a bare, hummocky land surface looking rather like that of much of the Outer Hebrides today. The area which today makes up Scotland then lay much closer to the equator and had a warm, arid climate. Torrential rivers flowing across this landscape deposited sand and pebbles that accumulated into a pile of sediment many kilometres in thickness. As the sand and pebbles were compressed under the weight of the overlying sediment they formed a sequence of rocks, known as the Torridonian.
At that time, the land that now makes up the Isle of Rum was part of a huge supercontinent. After deposition of the Torridonian sandstones, this area remained fairly stable for many millions of years, during which time the rocks that make up much of the Highlands today were laid down near the margin of the supercontinent. Scotland was separated from the rest of modern Europe by an ocean that gradually narrowed through the process of continental drift - until England and Scandinavia collided with Scotland around 430 million years ago.
This continental collision led to the formulation of a mountain range that may have been as high as the modern-day Alps. The eroded remnants of this mountain chain form much of the Highlands today.
The next chapter in Rum's story began some 250 million years ago, in the Triassic Period, the mountains had been largely eroded away, and the western side of Scotland was a low-lying, arid area with a tropical climate. Sand and pebbles were eroded from higher land to the east and carried westwards by rivers, to be deposited on lower ground where they eventually formed sedimentary rocks. These rocks look similar to the Torridonian sandstones, but the presence of plant fossils indicates that they are much younger.
For over 100 million years, during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, the Hebridean area remained close to sea level, with periodic incursions of the sea. During this time sediments, which later formed rocks such as limestones, sandstones and mudstones, were deposited. These rocks can be seen on the neighbouring island of Eigg, but on Rum they were removed by erosion that occurred when the area was raised up above sea level at the beginning of the Palaeogene Period some 65 million years ago.
The beginning of the Palaeogene Period was a key time in the geological history of Rum. Forces operating deep within the Earth began to pull apart the huge continent that included Scotland. As the continental mass was stretched, the Earth's crust began to crack. Magma, formed by the melting of rock many kilometres below the Earth's surface, welled up through these cracks in the crust and erupted from volcanoes. This magma spread out over much of the area in lava flows similar to those seen on Iceland today. Meanwhile, beneath the volcanoes, huge bodies of magma accumulated in magma chambers deep within the Earth's crust. This magma slowly cooled and crystallised to form igneous rocks such as granite and gabbro. Much of the Isle of Rum represents the eroded remains of one of these volcanoes that formed 60 million years ago. Modern techniques used to date rocks accurately have showed us that the active lifetime of the Rum volcano was very short in geological terms - probably only a few hundred thousand years. The volcanic rocks of Rum have been intensely studied by geologists over the last 100 years, allowing us to understand in detail how the Rum volcano evolved. The volcanic features are described in more detail in the following pages.
By 55 million years ago, the volcanoes of northwest Scotland had ceased to erupt, and volcanic activity had shifted to the west as the North Atlantic began to open. The youngest volcanic rock still preserved in Scotland is the lava flow that now forms the distinctive Sgùrr of Eigg.
During the next 50 million years, the area around Rum underwent periodic erosion in a mostly warm, sub-tropical climate. This continued until about 2.4 million years ago, when the climate cooled dramatically and glaciers formed in Scotland. The landscape of Rum owes its appearance largely to the action of these glaciers; the corries, sharp peaks and deep U-shaped valleys on the island are all products of glacial erosion. During the last 2 million years glaciers have repeatedly scoured away soils and younger sediments, leaving the underlying rocks spectacularly exposed. Since about 750,000 years ago, intensely cold glacial episodes have been interspersed with brief warm interglacial periods. At the peak of one of these glacial episodes the whole island would have been almost completely covered by an ice sheet flowing from the mainland westwards. The most recent of these major glaciations was at its peak on 20,000 years ago. Around 11,500 years ago the climate warmed rapidly to give the temperate, maritime, conditions experienced today. Following the melting of the ice, much of the west of Scotland rose up as it adjusted to the removal of the weight of the glaciers, and hence the relative sea level fell rapidly. The sea level around Rum has continued to fall gradually over the last 6000 years or so as the island steadily rises
The Small Isles, Lochaber's volcanic islands
The dramatic ‘Small Isles’ of Canna, Eigg, Muck and Rum in the far west of Lochaber have a fiery past that tells us of a time when active volcanoes dominated the north-west coast of Scotland, This intense volcanic activity occured as continental drift split Scotland from North America with the opening of the North Atlantic.
The Small Isles are home to a fascinating variety of rocks, ranging from the 3-billion years old Lewisian Gneiss, to the remains of volcanoes which erupted around 60 million years ago. Canna, Eigg and Muck are made up of almost exclusively of volcanic rocks. These were erupted 60-65 million years ago when things started to get volcanically violent!
The stopping points on the Lochaber geotrail help to explain the forces that have created the distinct features of the Small Isles: one of the stops is situated in thecapark in the Small Isles ferry port of Mallaig, another is on Eigg, right at the end of the Pier causeway.
The Rum Cuillin; an ancient volcano
From the ferry you’ll enjoy excellent views of the Small Isles. Look out for the sight of the high Rum Cuillin towering over the other Small Isles. These mountains are the eroded roots of an ancient volcano that started life as a huge dome around 2,000 metres high. The dome was created as molten rock, or magma, rising up through cracks in the Earth's crust, collected in a magma chamber, a few kilometres below the surface of the Earth, and the rocks above were pushed upwards.
Evidence for the existence of this dome can still be seen on the slopes of the Rum Cuillin, where the layers in the Torridonian rocks are inclined steeply away from the adjacent igneous rocks.
Eventually, the pressure on the domed rocks became too great and they cracked, producing a series of fractures around the dome. The rocks of the dome collapsed downwards, forming a massive roughly circular crater known as a caldera. The walls of this caldera were unstable, and so the floor of the caldera gradually became covered with the debris of rockfalls and landslides. This debris, which consisted largely of blocks and pebbles of Torridonian sandstone and Lewisian gneiss, was gradually compressed to form rocks known as breccias that can be seen in Coire Dubh.
Magma continued to rise up into the magma chamber beneath the caldera, and was eventually erupted onto the Earth's surface. The erupting magma was silica-rich, thick and sticky, and so it did not flow out easily from the volcano; instead it was ejected in explosive eruptions, throwing out hot ash and fragments of volcanic rock that spread out across the caldera floor in searing-hot gas clouds known as pyroclastic flows.
Several episodes of explosive volcanic activity occurred, each separated by further collapse of the caldera. The rocks that formed from these pyroclastic flows are called rhyodacites. They can be seen in various places around the margins of the Rum Cuillin, and they are particularly well exposed on the ridge between the summits of Ainshval and Sgurr nan Gillean.
Walk along the road from the landing stage towards Kinloch Castle and have a closer look at the rocks on the shoreline. These are the 1,000 million year old Torridonian sandstones, dark pink in colour, that have been pushed aside by pressure from molten lava.
Follow the path uphill from Kinloch Castle towards Coire Dubh. This is the main path up the mountain of Hallival and is signposted ‘Rum Cuillin’. After about 1km the rock you’re walking on will change from Torridonian sandstone to breccia – a rock made of angular fragments of Torridonian sandstone and gneiss. This rock was formed inside a volcano, when the dome created above a magma chamber began to fracture and collapse.
Rum’s Giant’s Causeway
In the south of the island, the jagged peaks of the Rum Cuillin are formed from Gabbro, a hard rock that are quite different from those that underlie the rounded hills to the west. There, lavas that were erupted from later volcanoes - possibly those on Skye and Mull - form the top parts of the hills of Fionchra, Orval and Bloodstone Hill. On the west side of Fionchra, the lavas have cooled into a columnar structure like that at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. These lavas lie on top of sedimentary rocks called conglomerates, which contain many rounded pebbles, laid down in rivers flowing across the land surface before the lavas were formed.
At Bloodstone Hill, holes and cracks in the rock are filled with green agate which contains many tiny red flecks, and this is thus known as bloodstone. This agate is composed mostly of silica, and was formed from heated water flowing through the rocks. This water dissolved minerals from the surrounding rocks, then precipitated them again into cracks when it cooled. The red flecks are tiny crystals of iron minerals, which have been oxidised on exposure to air, turning red.
As you journey towards Canna, you’ll notice that there is a flat platform of rock about 30 or 40 metres above sea level around the coast of Rum. This goes round most of the island and was cut about 100,000 years ago before the last glacial ice cover, when the sea level was much higher than it is today. When the last glaciers melted and the weight of the ice was removed, the Earth’s crust ‘bounced back’ – making it higher than it was before. This effect created what are known as ‘raised shorelines’. You’ll see similar raised shorelines around the other Small Isles.
Canna and Sanday
Canna and Sanday are composed largely of lavas, part of the major lava field that is exposed in northwestern Rum and extends to northern Skye. These basalt lavas were probably erupted from a major volcano on what is now the Isle of Skye. Canna is special for three main features. First is the lava pile, where individual lava flows can be traced for several kilometres on the island. Second is the agglomerate, featuring angular blocks of basalt and dolerite mixed with Torridonian sandstone, a unique evidence of explosive volcanic activity. Third is the conglomerate which is inter-bedded with the lavas of Canna and Sanda and helps to establish the sequence of volcanic events on the island.
Where rivers and volcano meet
This conglomerate is what makes Canna of particular interest. It shows how the area was traversed by fast-flowing rivers at the same time that the volcano was erupting. Great thicknesses of boulder conglomerate were deposited by this river. The boulders were rounded as they were carried along in the fast flowing river currents. Some are over a metre in diameter, indicating the strengths of the currents involved. Pebbles in these deposits have been matched with bedrock from Skye, suggesting that the river flowed from the north.
On the north-east tip of the island sits Compass Hill. It’s called this because iron in the hill’s basalt rocks affects compasses up to 3 miles away!
Like Canna, Eigg is largely made up of basalt lava flows. These are most easily seen in the cliffs that dominate the northern part of the island in Cleadale, which were eroded by the ice out of the Beinn Bhuidhe plateau. A closer look reveals how the cliffs are far from being static, as weathering from the rain are still causing landslides, and the Beinn Bhuidhe plateau is slowly collapsing on its edges.
The Sgurr of Eigg
Rivers flowing across the basalt lava plateau eroded deep channels over time. The prominent peak of An Sgurr actually marks the location of one of these river valleys. During one of the last eruptions from the volcano on Rum, thick lava flowed along a river valley and cooled to form a rock called pitchstone. This lava is much harder than the surrounding basalt and while the rock of the valley sides has worn away, the lava that once filled it now stands out as a great prow. Quick cooling also means that the lava formed giant hexagonal columns, much like the Giant's Causeway.
Eigg’s Jurassic Park
Eigg is also a place of famous discoveries. The Victorian geologist Hugh Miller unearthed the fossilised remains of Jurassic sea turtles, a crocodile and a plesiosaur in rocks at the northen part of the island. These date back to the ‘age of the dinosaurs’, particularly the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, when Eigg was submerged beneath shallow tropical seas. Walking to Laig beach, you come across ancient oysters beds, dating back to the time where shellfish thrived in brackish sea and prehistoric sea-creatures such as the plesiosaur fed ancient squids called belemnites.
The Singing Sands
The famous ‘singing sands of Eigg consist of pure quartz grains from the Jurassic sandstone outcrops around the north end of the island. If you walk on the sand in dry weather, the texture creates a shrill ‘singing’ squeak. An impressive feature of the sandstone itself is the amount of huge concretionary boulders, some 2 metres across, which either protrude from the cliff face, or litter the rock platform below like giant pocked marbles. These have formed by migration of calcite within the sands, a process calculated on one model as taking about 5 Millions years to reach the size now seen.
Muck, the smallest and flattest of the Small Isles, is also made up of lava, although it is the island furthest away from volcanic centres. As in Canna and Eigg, it is easy to see the lava flows, dark basalt and reddish dolerite lavas, which probably came from a volcano on Mull.
A unique feature
What is remarkable on Muck is the extraordinary number of dykes interesecting the lava flows: about 40 between Camas Mòr and Port Mòr alone, and 134 on the southerna and eastern coast! The dykes stand out prominently, making walls often 20 or 30 ft high, 5 to 6 metres. Parallel to each other, they all follow the same regional direction and occured when magma rose in the deep fissures most probably created by volcanic action on Rum.
Camas Mòr, the Big Bay, is Muck's answer to Eigg Jurassic park. There, a most impressive succession of rocks spanning the whole period can be found, with oyster beds, algal limestones, laminated mudstones and thin sandstones recording the gradual withdrawal from the sea.
The Great Gabbro dyke
Muck's great gabbro dyke, over 50 m wide, forms a cliff along the east side of Camas Mòr. Cutting the Jurassic limestones, this dyke has generated a large number of exotic minerals along the contact where the nature of the limestone is changed and it is assimilated into the gabbro. It is a Mecca for keen mineralogists. | <urn:uuid:6b5600d6-6ee1-46b7-a2c0-af0794e24ce0> | CC-MAIN-2018-39 | http://www.visitsmallisles.com/si/about/geopark | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-39/segments/1537267157216.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20180921151328-20180921171728-00016.warc.gz | en | 0.958846 | 4,023 | 3.484375 | 3 |
Identification and Biology of Southern Pine Bark Beetles
R.C. Thatcher – Program Manager, USDA Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station, Integrated Pest Management Program, and
M.D. Connor – Entomologist, USDA Forest Service, Southern Region, Forest Pest Management.
Integrated Pest Management Handbook, USDA, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 634, March 1985.
In 1980, the Forest Service and the Cooperative State Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture initiated the Integrated Pest Management Research, Development, and Applications Program for Bark Beetles of Southern Pines. This research/applications effort concentrates on pine bark beetles and associated tree disease in the South. This is one in a series of Integrated Pest Management handbooks.
Connor, M.D.; Wilkinson, R.C. Ips bark beetles in the South. For. Insect & Disease Leafl. 129. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; 1982. 7 p.
Merkel, E.P. Control of the black turpentine beetle. Ga. For. Res. Pap. 15. Macon, GA: Georgia Forestry Commission; 1981. 8 p.
Thatcher, R.C.; Barry, P.J. Southern pine beetle. For. Insect & Disease Leafl. 49. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; 1982. 7 p.
Thatcher, R.C.; Searcy, J.L.; Coster, J.E.; Hertel, G.D., eds. The southern pine beetle. Tech. Bull. 1631. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and Science and Education Administration; 1980. 266 p.
Wilkinson, R.C.; Foltz, J.L. Ips engraver beetles: identification, biology, and control. GA. For. Res. Pap. 35. Macon, GA: Georgia Forestry Commission; 1982. 10 p.
Developed by the University of Georgia Bugwood Network in cooperation with USDA Forest Service - Forest Health Protection, USDA APHIS PPQ, Georgia Forestry Commission, Texas Forest Service
and the Pests and Diseases Image Library - Australia
Last updated on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 at 10:30 AM
www.barkbeetles.org version 2.0 | <urn:uuid:13bac2cf-3ccf-4038-a803-cbca7695109f> | CC-MAIN-2017-47 | https://www.barkbeetles.org/spb/idbspbb/IDBRef.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934808935.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20171124195442-20171124215442-00616.warc.gz | en | 0.747359 | 498 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Unknown big C ATof East Africa.
Etymology: From the Swahili (Bantu) mu-ngwa ("strange one").
Variant name: Nunda ("fierce animal," "cruel man," or "something heavy").
Physical description: Size of a donkey. Gray stripes like a tabby cat. Small ears. Thick tail.
Behavior: Nocturnal. Has been heard to purr. Known to have raided villages in order to kill adults and carry off children.
Tracks: Leopardlike prints as big as a large lion's.
Distribution: The Tanzania coast near Lindi and Mchinga.
Significant sightings: In 1922, William Hichens was magistrate of Lindi, Tanzania, when several constables were killed or mangled by a huge cat with gray fur. Another outbreak of maulings took place at Mchinga in the 1930s. Possible explanations:
(1) A surviving species of one of several large African fossil cats from the Pleistocene.
(2) An unknown, giant subspecies of the African golden cat (Felis aurata), which has a wide variety of coloration, from golden to dark gray, and is reputed to be highly aggressive when cornered. It occasionally raids villages for poultry. It is not known from Tanzania, though its range extends into Kenya and Uganda. Sources: Edward Steere, Swahili Tales, as Told by Natives of Zanzibar (London: Bell and Daldy, 1870); Fulahn [William Hichens], "On the Trail of the Brontosaurus: Encounters with Africa's Mystery Animals," Chambers's Journal, ser. 7, 17 (1927): 692-695; Charles R. S. Pitman, A Game Warden among His Charges (London: Nisbet, 1931), p. 309; William Hichens, "African Mystery Beasts," Discovery 18 (1937): 369-373; Frank W. Lane, Nature Parade (London: Jarrolds, 1955), pp. 253-256, 266-268; Bernard Heuvelmans, On the Track of Unknown Animals (New York: Hill and Wang, 1958), pp. 415-420; Karl Shuker, Mystery Cats of the World (London: Robert Hale, 1989), pp. 137-141.
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Flight, June 1923
THE MIGNET LIGHT 'PLANE
An Unorthodox French Machine
AN experimental light 'plane of unorthodox design has just been completed in France by an amateur designer and constructor, M. Henri Mignet, and is now at the Orly aerodrome awaiting
its first flying tests. M. Mignet, who has built the machine himself, is a great admirer and student of bird flight, and he has come to the conclusion that the apparently very complicated movements of which birds are capable can be reduced to a few relatively simple principles, capable of being translated into structures of more or less usual form, and presenting no great engineering problems. His first light 'plane, which we are able to illustrate and describe this week by the courtesy of our excellent French contemporary Les Ailes, was designed and built with a view of imitating the bird in so far as the designer has been able to follow the problem. This applies to the manoeuvres of a bird in gliding flight only, and no attempt has been made to imitate the flapping wings.
Briefly, the main feature which M. Mignet has sought to incorporate in his design is the avoidance of what he considers to be the greatest danger of the ordinary aeroplane, i.e., the perte de vitesse, or stalling. He considers that the safety of a bird is due to its capacity for flying in the stalled attitude, made possible by very effective controls. The keynote of the Mignet light 'plane is, therefore, controllability. While we agree with the designer in his estimate of the problem, we cannot say we feel convinced that he has attacked the solution in the right way.
From the accompanying illustrations it will be seen that the Mignet light 'plane is a parasol monoplane without vertical fin or rudder, but with very large ailerons and a tail showing a very pronounced dihedral. The most remarkable feature of the machine, apart from the absence of vertical tail surfaces, is that the entire tail, which is of lifting section, is not adjustable for incidence, although it can be rocked around a longitudinal axis. M. Mignet has come to the conclusion that a bird does not use its tail as an elevator, but merely as a rudder for steering in a horizontal plane. As the difficulties of imitating the warping tail of a bird were considerable, M. Mignet has attempted to obtain the same results by giving the tail a pronounced dihedral and hinging it around a longitudinal axis. The action of this type of tail (which, as already stated, is of lifting section) appears to be that for turning to the left the left-hand side of the tail is raised and the right-hand side depressed. The designer is of the opinion that this disposition of tail will prevent a machine from spinning, as, when tilted, the lifting tail is more effective than a rudder and fin. Practical experience alone can show whether or not M. Mignet is right. Personally we think that there is considerable doubt as to the value of such a tail, nor are we quite sure that, with the large ailerons working together as elevators, a tail elevator will not be required. At any rate, the experiment is certainly interesting, and we trust the first test flights may be carried out without accident. If the test pilot goes to work steadily and step by step, there should be no great danger, and certainly this particular use of a light 'plane, i.e., for research purposes on a man-carrying scale and in free flight, is one of the most important to which it can be put, offering a method of convincing demonstration at relatively low cost.
The wing of the Mignet is of a modified Gottingen No. 426 section, and the ailerons form close on one-half of the entire wing surface. They are so interconnected that when the control stick is held central and moved fore and aft, the two ailerons are raised and lowered together, while lateral movement of the stick gives them a differential movement, exactly as in the Fairey patented system. Mr. Fairey has found, however, that it is necessary to use a tail plane of unusual section, and linked up to the controls in such a way as to alter its incidence in conjunction with the wing flaps. That is why we rather doubt the effectiveness of the rocking tail of the Mignet.
Constructionally the wing is of usual type, the centre supported on a cabane from the fuselage, and the wing braced by a single strut on each side. Hinges on the rear spar permit of folding the wings, and the large chord of the ailerons, coupled with the fact that these can move up or down together, enables the overall width when folded to be kept down to a very low figure. In large and heavy machines like the Fairey types, the flaps are, of course, connected up to a special gear for variation of camber. In the Mignet light 'plane this has not been considered necessary, and the flaps are connected to the joystick direct, the pilot working them with the stick both for lateral control and for variation in camber. In this manner it is thought that he will be better able to "feel" the machine.
The fuselage is of normal construction and rectangular section. The pilot's cockpit appears to be too far aft, even allowing for a lifting tail, and one would expect the machine to be tail heavy, especially in view of the small weight of the engine. The latter is a 10 h.p. Anzani cycle-car engine, with two horizontally opposed air-cooled cylinders. A two-bladed propeller is driven direct, and the petrol is contained in a tank in the centre of the wing, giving direct gravity feed.
The undercarriage consists of two wheels, placed, it would appear, rather too far forward, mounted on axles from the bottom of the fuselage and sprung by telescopic struts and springs to the top of the fuselage. A third wheel, partly housed in the fuselage, takes the place of the more usual tail skid.
The Mignet is purely an experiment to try out the designer's theories, and its trials will be watched with interest. Following are the main characteristics of the machine: Length, o.a., 5 ms. (16 ft. 5 ins.); span, 6-5 ms. (21 ft. 4 ins.); area, 13-3 sq. ms. (143 sq. ft.); width with wings folded, 2 ms. (6 ft. 6 ins.); weight empty, 125 kgs. (275 lbs.; weight of pilot, 70 kgs. (154 lbs.); weight of fuel, 18 kgs. (40 lbs.); total loaded weight, 213 kgs. (469 lbs.); wing loading, 3-3 lbs./sq. ft.; Power loading, 47 lbs./h.p. | <urn:uuid:e085e72e-38c5-429c-9581-49e3a886a7aa> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | http://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft33394.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710534.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20221128171516-20221128201516-00328.warc.gz | en | 0.959262 | 1,449 | 3.421875 | 3 |
AMHERST, Mass. - University of Massachusetts scientist Terry Tattar, the head of the Shade Tree Lab, warns farmers, gardeners, and nature lovers that they can expect to see "all kinds" of mold growing on plants in the region, as a result of the unusual amount of rain that has fallen in recent weeks.
"We might see more and more instances of mold - both aquatic and terrestrial - on strawberries, tobacco, apples, home gardens, and local trees," says Tattar. "A few weeks of rain and cool temperatures have left us with perfect conditions for mold on everything, even trees."
Aquatic molds are close cousins of algae, and actually swim through water to attach to plant material. They thrive in damp places, especially on wet leaves and in waterlogged soils. Terrestrial molds, known as fungi, are spread by airborne spores, and can be a major source of allergies. The two types of mold may appear similar but microbiologists have long known that they are not closely related. Tattar says, "Aquatic molds and fungi are as different as fish and whales."
Tattar says blue mold is an aquatic mold that can be devastating to tobacco plants. "It can simply destroy a big field of shade-grown tobacco. The best way to prevent mold from developing is to build good drainage into fields and to try to keep the crop roots from growing in standing water or waterlogged soils. Of course, when it rains every day, what can you do?"
Terry Tattar can be reached at 413/545-2402, or [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:9c48ba96-85c0-4c0c-b4c2-052be74e3cad> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/umass-microbiologist-expect-mold-damage-plants-trees-crops-recent-storms | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257825358.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071025-00134-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951054 | 339 | 3.296875 | 3 |
During the Middle English period, scribes developed a variety of spelling innovations to distinguish the sound of the various vowels. Some of those innovations were borrowed from French, and some were native to English. In this episode, we explore those spelling techniques, many of which still survive in Modern English.
The Middle English document called the Ormulum is a goldmine for historical linguists because the text explicitly indicated how the vowel sounds in the text were to be pronounced. The text was written at a time when the vowels in many words were changing. Some long vowels were being pronounced as short vowels, and vice versa. The Ormulum captured many of these changes for posterity. In this episode, we explore the concept of long vowels and short vowels, and we see how Modern English uses many of the same spelling innovations first documented in the Ormulum. | <urn:uuid:19e203ca-2663-4d41-9f9b-14a02baf39cc> | CC-MAIN-2019-47 | https://historyofenglishpodcast.com/2017/01/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-47/segments/1573496668682.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20191115144109-20191115172109-00256.warc.gz | en | 0.978037 | 178 | 4.0625 | 4 |
Returns a reference to an object provided by an ActiveX component.
GetObject([ pathname ], [ class ])
The GetObject function syntax has these named arguments:
|pathname||Optional; Variant (String). The full path and name of the file containing the object to retrieve. If pathname is omitted, class is required.|
|class||Optional; Variant (String). A string representing the class of the object.|
The class argument uses the syntax appname.objecttype and has these parts:
|appname||Required; Variant (String). The name of the application providing the object.|
|objecttype||Required; Variant (String). The type or class of object to create.|
Use the GetObject function to access an ActiveX object from a file and assign the object to an object variable. Use the Set statement to assign the object returned by GetObject to the object variable. For example:
Dim CADObject As Object Set CADObject = GetObject("C:\CAD\SCHEMA.CAD")
When this code is executed, the application associated with the specified pathname is started, and the object in the specified file is activated.
If pathname is a zero-length string (""), GetObject returns a new object instance of the specified type. If the pathname argument is omitted, GetObject returns a currently active object of the specified type. If no object of the specified type exists, an error occurs.
Some applications allow you to activate part of a file. Add an exclamation point (!) to the end of the file name and follow it with a string that identifies the part of the file that you want to activate. For information about how to create this string, see the documentation for the application that created the object.
For example, in a drawing application you might have multiple layers to a drawing stored in a file. You could use the following code to activate a layer within a drawing called
Set LayerObject = GetObject("C:\CAD\SCHEMA.CAD!Layer3")
If you don't specify the object's class, automation determines the application to start and the object to activate, based on the file name you provide. Some files, however, may support more than one class of object. For example, a drawing might support three different types of objects: an Application object, a Drawing object, and a Toolbar object, all of which are part of the same file. To specify which object in a file you want to activate, use the optional class argument. For example:
Dim MyObject As Object Set MyObject = GetObject("C:\DRAWINGS\SAMPLE.DRW", "FIGMENT.DRAWING")
In the example,
FIGMENT is the name of a drawing application and
DRAWING is one of the object types it supports.
After an object is activated, you reference it in code by using the object variable you defined. In the preceding example, you access properties and methods of the new object by using the object variable MyObject. For example:
MyObject.Line 9, 90 MyObject.InsertText 9, 100, "Hello, world." MyObject.SaveAs "C:\DRAWINGS\SAMPLE.DRW"
Use the GetObject function when there is a current instance of the object or if you want to create the object with a file already loaded. If there is no current instance, and you don't want the object started with a file loaded, use the CreateObject function.
If an object has registered itself as a single-instance object, only one instance of the object is created, no matter how many times CreateObject is executed. With a single-instance object, GetObject always returns the same instance when called with the zero-length string ("") syntax, and it causes an error if the pathname argument is omitted. You can't use GetObject to obtain a reference to a class created with Visual Basic.
This example uses the GetObject function to get a reference to a specific Microsoft Excel worksheet (
MyXL). It uses the worksheet's Application property to make Microsoft Excel visible, to close it, and so on.
Using two API calls, the
DetectExcel Sub procedure looks for Microsoft Excel, and if it is running, enters it in the Running Object Table.
The first call to GetObject causes an error if Microsoft Excel isn't already running. In the example, the error causes the
ExcelWasNotRunning flag to be set to True.
The second call to GetObject specifies a file to open. If Microsoft Excel isn't already running, the second call starts it and returns a reference to the worksheet represented by the specified file, mytest.xls. The file must exist in the specified location; otherwise, the Visual Basic error
Automation error is generated.
Next, the example code makes both Microsoft Excel and the window containing the specified worksheet visible. Finally, if there was no previous version of Microsoft Excel running, the code uses the Application object's Quit method to close Microsoft Excel. If the application was already running, no attempt is made to close it. The reference itself is released by setting it to Nothing.
' Declare necessary API routines: Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias _ "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName as String, _ ByVal lpWindowName As Long) As Long Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias _ "SendMessageA" (ByVal hWnd as Long,ByVal wMsg as Long, _ ByVal wParam as Long, _ ByVal lParam As Long) As Long Sub GetExcel() Dim MyXL As Object ' Variable to hold reference ' to Microsoft Excel. Dim ExcelWasNotRunning As Boolean ' Flag for final release. ' Test to see if there is a copy of Microsoft Excel already running. On Error Resume Next ' Defer error trapping. ' Getobject function called without the first argument returns a ' reference to an instance of the application. If the application isn't ' running, an error occurs. Set MyXL = Getobject(, "Excel.Application") If Err.Number <> 0 Then ExcelWasNotRunning = True Err.Clear ' Clear Err object in case error occurred. ' Check for Microsoft Excel. If Microsoft Excel is running, ' enter it into the Running Object table. DetectExcel ' Set the object variable to reference the file you want to see. Set MyXL = Getobject("c:\vb4\MYTEST.XLS") ' Show Microsoft Excel through its Application property. Then ' show the actual window containing the file using the Windows ' collection of the MyXL object reference. MyXL.Application.Visible = True MyXL.Parent.Windows(1).Visible = True Do manipulations of your file here. ' ... ' If this copy of Microsoft Excel was not running when you ' started, close it using the Application property's Quit method. ' Note that when you try to quit Microsoft Excel, the ' title bar blinks and a message is displayed asking if you ' want to save any loaded files. If ExcelWasNotRunning = True Then MyXL.Application.Quit End IF Set MyXL = Nothing ' Release reference to the ' application and spreadsheet. End Sub Sub DetectExcel() ' Procedure dectects a running Excel and registers it. Const WM_USER = 1024 Dim hWnd As Long ' If Excel is running this API call returns its handle. hWnd = FindWindow("XLMAIN", 0) If hWnd = 0 Then ' 0 means Excel not running. Exit Sub Else ' Excel is running so use the SendMessage API ' function to enter it in the Running Object Table. SendMessage hWnd, WM_USER + 18, 0, 0 End If End Sub
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Have questions or feedback about Office VBA or this documentation? Please see Office VBA support and feedback for guidance about the ways you can receive support and provide feedback. | <urn:uuid:52b327a2-e121-4c1b-86ad-316fa6ec7fcc> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/Language/Reference/User-Interface-Help/getobject-function | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224656963.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20230610030340-20230610060340-00491.warc.gz | en | 0.771735 | 1,709 | 3.40625 | 3 |
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