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Ricotta Latkes (with Persimmon Compote)
We served these Ricotta Latkes (adapted from Gil Marks’ The World of Jewish cooking) at our Killer Cheese & Girl Power Chanukah Party. These pancakes most likely originated in Italy. We suggest serving them with a Persimmon Compote (Recipe below).
The lesser-known custom of eating dairy foods for Hanukkah dates back to the Middle Ages, when the Book of Judith played an important role in the Hanukkah narrative. This story involves the celebrated Jewish heroine saveing her village from the Assyrians. A beautiful widow, she fed the Assyrian army’s general salty cheese. To quench his subsequent thirst, she gave him wine. When the general passed out drunk, Judith cut off his head with his own sword. The Israelites launched a victorious attach on the leaderless Assyrian army, and so in Judith’s honour, we eat dairy for Chanukah. The more widely-known Potato latke is a more recent Ashkenazi invention that gained popularity in Eastern Europe during the mid 1800s, when a series of crop failures led to the mass planting of potatoes, which were easy and cheap to grow.
Gil Marks wrote:
Latke – derived from elaion – is an Ashkenazic term for pancakes, particularly those served on Hanukkah. Cheese, the original form of latke, combines the two primary Hannukah foods–dairy and fried. Ashkenazim and Sephardim enjoy these delicate pancakes for dairy meals on Hanukkah and Passover”…Rabbi Kalonymus ben Kalonymus (c. 1286-1328) “included pancakes in a list of dishes to serve at an idealized Purim feast, as well as a poem about Hanukkah. After the Spanish expelled the Jews from Sicily in 1492, the exiles introduced their ricotta cheese pancakes, which were called cassola in Rome, to the Jews of northern Italy. Consequently, cheese pancakes became a Hanukkah dish.”
(Read more about the party and the latkes in this article from the Montreal Gazette.)
1 pound or 1 3/4 cups ricotta cheese
4 large eggs, beaten
About 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted, or sour cream
1 – 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon rind
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil or butter for frying
Puree all ingreidents in a food processor. Or, mix very well by hand, making sure to break up and evenly distribute the cheese.
Lightly grease a large skillet with oil or butter and heat over medium heat. Drop the batter by heaping a tablespoon of it into the skillet and fry until bubbles form on the tops of the pancakes and the bottoms are lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
Turn the pancakes and fry until golden-brown, 1-2 minutes. (The pancakes can be kept warm by placing them in a 200˚ F oven in a single layer on a baking sheet).
Serve with Persimmon Compote (below) or any syrup, jam or fruit of your choice.
3/4 cup persimmon pulp from about 3 fuyu persimmons
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Zest of one lemon
Zest of one clementine
3 teaspoons lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until jell point is reached (around 220˚F). Cool slightly and pour into a clean jar. Compote can be stored in the refrigerator up to a week. |
**This article was originally published on April 9, 2012. You can access the original article here.**
"It is true that storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it, that it brings about consent and reconciliation with things as they really are, and that we may even trust it to contain eventually by implication that last word which we expect from the Day of Judgment”.
--Hannah Arendt, “Isak Dinesen: 1885 – 1963” in Men in Dark Times
“Between Sovereign states there can be no last resort except war; if war no longer serves that purpose, that fact alone proves that we must have a new concept of the state.”
—Hannah Arendt, in an interview with Adelbert Reif, 1970.
Anthony Grafton calls David Nirenberg’s Anti-Judaism “one of the saddest stories, and one of the most learned, I have ever read.” Grafton knows that Anti-Judaism “is certainly not the first effort to survey the long grim history of the charges that have been brought against the Jews by their long gray line of self-appointed prosecutors.” What makes this account of the long history of Jewish hatred so compelling is that Nirenberg asks the big question: Why the Jews?
[Nirenberg] wants to know why: why have so many cultures and so many intellectuals had so much to say about the Jews? More particularly, he wants to know why so many of them generated their descriptions and explanations of Jewishness not out of personal knowledge or scholarly research, but out of thin air—and from assumptions, some inherited and others newly minted, that the Jews could be wholly known even to those who knew no Jews.
The question recalls the famous joke told during the Holocaust, especially amongst Jews in concentration camps. Here is one formulation of the joke from Antisemitism, the first book in the trilogy that comprises Hannah Arendt’s magnum opus, The Origins of Totalitarianism: “An antisemite claimed that the Jews had caused the war; the reply was: Yes, the Jews and the bicyclists. Why the bicyclists? Asks the one? Why the Jews? asks the other.”
The point of the joke is clear: Anti-Judaism is as senseless and irrational as anti-bicyclists would be. “The theory that the Jews are always the scapegoat,” Arendt writes, “implies that the scapegoat might have been anyone else as well”—even bicyclists. The question, then, is why the Jews? Grafton gives a clue to Nirenberg’s subtle answer:
Nirenberg’s answer—and to summarize it, as to summarize so much of this impassioned book, is to flatten it—is that ideas about the Jews can do, and have done, many different and important jobs. True, they are anything but stable: this is not a paper chase after some original idea of the Jew that crops up everywhere from early Christianity to early Nazism. Visions of the Jews change emphasis and content as the larger societies that entertain them change shape and texture. Ideas have multiple contexts, and Nirenberg shows dazzling skill and a daunting command of the sources as he observes the changes and draws connections between them and his authors’ larger worlds.
Nirenberg’s point is that anti-Judaism has nothing to do with Jews themselves. The negative ideas about Jews are held throughout history by a motley group of Christians, philosophers, tyrants, and martyrs. Shakespeare’s account of Shylock is only one of many examples in which an intellectual employs anti-Jewish stereotypes—the Jew as greedy moneylender—to make a wider social critique, this time of the dangers of capitalism. London is becoming a city of commerce. There are no Jews in London. Yet Shakespeare turns to Jews in order to find a way to criticize the emergent commercial culture.
The use of negative sentiments about Jews to bash capitalism was common, Nirenberg writes, and carries through history from Jerome to Marx. Marx couches his critique of capitalism through the lens of a critique of Jews. Shakespeare does the same with commercial society. Jews stand in for the oppressed in the world, so that oppressing Christians could be seen as making them Jewish. Jews at the same time were seen as powerful bankers and powerful agents of world domination, so that any group of conspirators from Bolsheviks in Russia to media moguls in Hollywood were tarred with the pungent scent of Judaism.
Jews have been characterized by non-Jews for their obstinacy—their refusal, for example, to recognize the known truth that the Messiah had come, which enabled them to become the villains of both early Christian and early Muslim narratives. They have been characterized by non-Jews for their viciousness—their desire to desecrate the sacrament and murder Christian children, which allowed them to be used both by rebels against royal authority, and by kings, in the Middle Ages, as each side could claim, when the wind blew from the right quarter, that Jews were polluting society through their materialism and greed. . . . Nirenberg’s parade of imagined and imaginary Jews—the most hideous procession since that of the flagellants in The Seventh Seal—stretches from the Arabian peninsula to London, and from the seventh century BCE to the twentieth CE. Working always from the original sources in their original languages, he observes the multiple ways in which imaginary Jews served the purposes of real writers and thinkers—everyone from Muhammad, founding a new religion, to Shakespeare, observing a new commercial society. God, here, is partly in the details: in the careful, tenderly observant way in which Nirenberg dissects everything from fierce political rhetoric to resonant Shakespearean drama. In works of the imagination, profound treatises, and acts of political radicalism, as he analyses them, imaginary Jews are wielded to powerful effect. He shows us the philosophes of the Enlightenment, those friends of humanity and enemies of tyrannical “infamy,” as they develop a viciously negative vision of Jewish sterility and error to attack Christianity at its origins or to characterize the authorities whom they defied.
The only reservation Grafton voices concerns the univocality of Nirenberg’s account. As exceptional as the account of anti-Jewish opinion is, Nirenberg largely ignores other perspectives and examples where real and imaginary Jews were accepted, embraced, and even praised.
As a social historian of conflict and an intellectual historian of the uncanny imagination, Nirenberg is unbeatable. But Jews and non-Jews lived other histories together as well. As Josephus recalled, when the thousands of diaspora Jews settled in the cities of the Roman world, across Asia Minor and Italy as well as Egypt, many of their pagan neighbors found their ways attractive. Pagans admired the Jews’ pursuit of a coherent code for living and their worship of a single, unseen god. Some became “god-fearers,” who accepted the Jewish god but did not hold full membership in the Jewish community. Some converted. Jews, meanwhile, pursued their own visions of high culture—whether these involved learning to write Greek tragedies about the Jewish past or rebuilding one’s foreskin to make possible appearances at the gymnasium.
Grafton largely stops there and minimizes his “very small complaints….Anti-Judaism is that rare thing, a great book, as much in its ability to provoke disagreement as in its power to shape future writing on the vast territory that its author has so brilliantly mapped.” But Grafton’s small complaints deserve a wider hearing, especially as concerns the leading question he and Nirenberg pose, “Why the Jews?”
The overarching argument of Anti-Judaism is one of eternal antisemitism: Anti-Judaism had nothing to do with the Jews themselves. It is an attitude that sees the Jews to be to blame and is concerned with imaginary Jews as opposed to real Jews. Anti-Judaism is powerful and impactful, but it has no rational connection to reality. Here is how Michael Walzer aptly sums up Nirenberg’s argument:
His argument is that a certain view of Judaism lies deep in the structure of Western civilization and has helped its intellectuals and polemicists explain Christian heresies, political tyrannies, medieval plagues, capitalist crises, and revolutionary movements. Anti-Judaism is and has long been one of the most powerful theoretical systems “for making sense of the world.” No doubt, Jews sometimes act out the roles that anti-Judaism assigns them—but so do the members of all the other national and religious groups, and in much greater numbers. The theory does not depend on the behavior of “real” Jews.
As Walzer notes in his own review of Anti-Judaism in the most recent issue of the New York Review of Books, Nirenberg includes an epilogue that takes on the most famous opponent of his view of eternal antisemitism, Hannah Arendt. As Arendt understands Nirenberg’s view, “Jew-hatred is a normal and natural reaction to which history gives only more or less opportunity. Outbursts need no special explanation because they are natural consequences of an eternal problem.” Since anti-Judaism is eternal and unending, it has been normalized. If thousand years, then Jew-killing is a normal, and even human, occupation and Jew-hatred is justified beyond the need of argument.”
The point is that Grafton’s minor complaint—that Nirenberg offers a magisterial account of Jew-hatred and ignores philo-semitism—is not so minor after all. By claiming that anti-Judaism is omnipresent and omnipotent—by focusing only on anti-Judaism and leaving aside those who embrace or praise Jews—Nirenberg risks normalizing antisemitism. Everyone traffics in Jew-hatred, even Jews. Such a move means, however, that we lose the ability to distinguish those who are antisemites from those who are not. Which is why Arendt argues that the eternal antisemitism thesis is one way to “escape the seriousness of antisemitism and the significance of the fact that the Jews were driven into the storm center of events.”
Walzer and Nirenberg condemn Arendt for seriously asking the question “Why the Jews?” She insists that there are reasons for antisemitism, reasons that the Nazis sought to exterminate the Jews and not the bicyclists. There are such reasons, and anti-Judaism is not simply mysterious and irrational accident. She does not think those are good reasons. She of course never says that the Jews are to blame or that the Jews were responsible for the holocaust as Nirenberg and Walzer wrongly argue. But she does insist we confront the fact that Jews have proven such convenient targets for anti-Judaism, that we seek to understand why it is that over and over it is the Jews who are targeted. There is not one simple answer to that question, Why the Jews? But Arendt asks it seriously and courageously and seeks to come up with a series of potential answers, none of which have to do with her claiming that the Jews are to blame.
If you have The Origins of Totalitarianism on your shelf, take it out and read Chapter One on “Antisemitism as an Outrage to Common Sense.” Then read Grafton and Walzer on Nirenberg’s Anti-Judaism. It will be a sad but thrilling weekend.
Is there such a thing as too much free speech? The Editors at N+1 think so. They posted an editorial this week lamenting the overabundance of speaking that has swept over our nation like a plague:
A strange mania governs the people of our great nation, a mania that these days results in many individual and collective miseries. This is the love of opinion, of free speech—a furious mania for free, spoken opinion. It exhausts us.
The N+1 Editors feel besieged. And we can all sympathize with their predicament. Too many people are writing blogs; too many voices are tweeting; too many friends are pontificating about something on Facebook. And then there are the trolls. It’s hard not to sympathize with our friends at N+1. Why do we have to listen to all of these folks? Shouldn’t all these folks just stop and read N+1 instead?
Of course it is richly hypocritical for the Editors of an opinion journal to complain of an overabundance of opinions. And N+1 acknowledges and even trumpets its hypocrisy.
We are aware that to say [that others should stop expressing their opinions] (freely! our opinion!) makes us hypocrites. We are also aware that America’s hatred of hypocrisy is one of few passions to rival its love of free speech—as if the ideal citizen must see something, say something, and it must be the same thing, all the time. But we’ll be hypocrites because we’re tired, and we want eventually to stop talking.
Beyond the hypocrisy N +1 has a point: The internet has unleashed packs upon packs of angry often rabid dogs. These haters attack anything and everything, including each other. Hate and rage are everywhere:
The ragers in our feeds, our otherwise reasonable friends and comrades: how do they have this energy, this time, for these unsolicited opinions? They keep finding things to be mad about. Here, they’ve dug up some dickhead writer-professor in Canada who claims not to teach women writers in his classes. He must be denounced, and many times! OK. Yes. We agree. But then it’s some protest (which we support), and then some pop song (which we like, or is this the one we don’t like?), and then some egregiously false study about austerity in Greece (full of lies!). Before we know it, we’ve found ourselves in a state of rage, a semi-permanent state of rage in fact, of perma-rage, our blood boiled by the things that make us mad and then the unworthy things that make other people mad.
Wouldn’t it be nice of public discourse were civil and loving? I too would prefer a rational discussion about the Boycott, Diversity, and Sanction movement. I would be thrilled if the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street could join forces to fight political corruption and the over-bureaucratization of government that disempowers individuals. And of course I would love it if those who religiously attack Hannah Arendt for her opinion that Adolf Eichmann was a superficial and banal man responsible for unspeakable evils could find common cause with those who find her provocative, moving and meaningful.
Of course it is exhausting dealing with those with whom we don’t see eye to eye. And there is always the impulse to say simply, “enough! I just don’t want to hear your opinions anymore.” This is precisely what N+1 is saying: “We don’t care!”
We assert our right to not care about stuff, to not say anything, to opt out of debate over things that are silly and also things that are serious—because why pretend to have a strong opinion when we do not? Why are we being asked to participate in some imaginary game of Risk where we have to take a side? We welcome the re-emergence of politics in the wake of the financial crash, the restoration of sincerity as a legitimate adult posture. But already we see this new political sincerity morphing into a set of consumer values, up for easy exploitation.
Underlying N+1’s ironic distance from the arena of opinions and discord is a basic anti-political fantasy that opinion is a waste of time, if it is not destructive. Wouldn’t it be better to skip the opinions and the battles and the disagreements and just cut straight to the truth? Just listen to the truth.
Truth is not an imperative, but something that must be discovered. Unlike liquid opinion, truth does not always circulate. It is that which you experience, deeply, and cannot forget. The right to not care is the right to sit still, to not talk, to be subject to unclarity and allow knowledge to come unbidden to you. To be in a constant state of rage, by contrast, is only the other side of piety and pseudoscience, the kind of belief that forms a quick chorus and cannot be disproved. Scroll down your Facebook feed and see if you don’t find one ditto after another. So many people with “good” or “bad politics,” delivered with conviction to rage or applause; so little doubt, error, falsifiability—surely the criteria by which anything true, or democratic, could ever be found.
What N+1 embraces is truth over opinion and escapism against engagement with others. What they forget, however, is that there are two fundamentally opposed routes to truth.
In one, the truthseeker turns away from the world of opinion. The world in which we live is a world of shadows and deceptions. Truth won’t be found in the marketplace of ideas, but on the mountaintop in the blinding light of the sun. Like Plato’s philosopher king, we must climb out of the cave and ascend to the heights. Alone, turned toward the heavens and the eternal truths that surf upon the sunrays, we open ourselves to the experience of truth.
A second view of truth is more mundane. The truthseeker stays firmly planted in the world of opinion and deception. Truth is a battle and it is fought with the weapons of words. Persuasion and rhetoric replace the light of the sun. The winner gains not insight but power. Truth doesn’t emerge from an experience; truth is the settled sentiment of the most persuasive opinion.
Both the mountain path and the road through the marketplace are paths to truth, but of different kinds. Philosophers and theologians may very well need to separate themselves from the world of opinion if they are to free themselves to experience truth. Philosophical truths, as Hannah Arendt argues, address “man in his singularity” and are thus “unpolitical by nature.” For her, philosophy and also philosophical truths are anti-political.
Politicians cannot concern themselves with absolute truths; they must embrace the life of the citizen and the currency of opinion rather than the truths of the philosopher. In politics, “no opinion is self-evident,” as Arendt understood. “In matters of opinion, but not in matters of [philosophical] truth, our thinking is discursive, running as it were, from place to place, from one part of the world to another, through all kinds of conflicting views, until it finally ascends from these particularities to some impartial generality.” In politics, truth may emerge, but it must go through the shadows that darken the marketplace.
What Arendt understands about political truths is that truths do indeed “circulate” in messy and often uncomfortable ways that the n+1 editorial board wishes to avoid. Political thought, Arendt argues, “is representative.” By that she means that it must sample as many different viewpoints and opinions as is possible. “I form an opinion by considering a given issue from different viewpoints, by making present to my mind the standpoints of those who are absent; that is, I represent them.” It is in hearing, imagining, and representing opposing and discordant views that one comes to test out his or her own views. It is not a matter of empathy, of feeling like someone else. It is rather an imaginative experiment in which I test my views against all comers. In this way, the enlarged mentality of imaginative thinking is the prerequisite for judgment.
When Arendt said of Adolf Eichmann that he was possessed of the “fearsome word-and-thought-defying banality of evil” because he did not think, what she meant was that he was simply incapable or unwilling to think from the perspective of others. His use of clichés was not thoughtlessness itself, but was evidence that he had barricaded himself inside an ideological cage. Above all, his desire to make others including Jews understand his point of view—his hope that they could see that he was a basically good man caught up on the wrong side of history—was for Arendt evidence of his superficiality and his lack of imagination. He simply could not and did not ever allow himself to challenge his own rationalizations and justifications by thinking from the perspective of Jews and his other victims. What allowed Eichmann to so efficiently dispatch millions to their deaths was his inability to think and encounter opinions that were different from his own.
In the internet age we are bombarded with such a diversity of angry and insulting and stupid and offensive viewpoints that it is only naturally to alternate between the urge to respond violently and the urge to withdraw.
It is easy to deride political opinion and idolize truth. But that is to forget that “seen from the viewpoint of politics, truth has a despotic character.”
Political thinking requires that we resist both the desire to fight opinions with violence and the desire to flee from opinions altogether. Instead, we need to learn to think in and with others whose opinions we often hate. We must find in the melee of divergent and offending opinions the joy that exists in the experience of human plurality. We don’t need to love or agree with those we find offensive; but so long as they are talking instead of fighting, we should respect them and listen to them. Indeed, we should care about them and their beliefs. That is why the N+1 manifesto for not caring is your weekend read.
“There exists in our society widespread fear of judging…[B]ehind the unwillingness to judge lurks the suspicion that no one is a free agent, and hence doubt that anyone is responsible or could be expected to answer for what he has done…Who has ever maintained that by judging a wrong I presuppose that I myself would be incapable of committing it?”
-Hannah Arendt, "Personal Responsibility Under Dictatorship"
It’s difficult to know where to begin to counter the errors, misreadings, and plain obfuscations of Arendt’s point of view in this essay by Richard Brody that appeared a few days ago in The New Yorker online. But perhaps the most glaring mistake Brody makes is to confuse what Arendt wrote about “thinking” with some form of “intellectualism.” To begin with, when, in her interview with Gunther Gaus, she makes the point that it was the betrayal by “friends” that she found most shocking this is not because she thought only intellectuals could think or were the only ones to have “ideas” but that they “believed”—without thinking!—the very “ideas” they had fabricated, without considering where these “ideas” might take them. They were “trapped” in their ideas, which is why Arendt, in the same interview, refused to call herself a philosopher, cut off from the world, and insisted she was a political theorist.
Thinking depends on letting the imagination go visiting, and Arendt argued it was Eichmann’s inability to think from the standpoint of anyone else that made him “thoughtless” and hence become unable to distinguish right from wrong. But the same could be said, for different reasons, of the “intellectuals” Arendt referred to and said she’d found so grotesque in the interview with Gaus. And, whether you like where it took her or not, thinking from the standpoint of others was exactly what she practiced in the case of her judgment of the leaders of the Jewish Councils. She imagined they might not have cooperated. Yes, they faced “fear and despair,” as Brody notes, but Arendt imagined it was still possible not to comply even in the face of significant threats and consequences. And the historical evidence indicates this to be the case: not everyone complied.
Yet nowhere does Arendt claim the ability to judge a situation means I myself (or she) necessarily would have done anything differently. The most chilling conclusion she reached from her reflections on the trial is that there are no guarantees “when the chips are down” that I will know the right thing to do, and just do it. And it was her confrontation with Eichmann’s banality—not what he did, but who he showed he was, and “how many were like him” during this time—that led Arendt to warn near the end of the book that once such crimes had entered the human experience it is entirely possible that “similar crimes may be committed in the future.”
In an interview with Roger Errera, from which Brody also quotes, Arendt remarked that her intention was in writing about Eichmann as she did was to “destroy the legend of the greatness of evil. As she was thinking about this issue she said she’d “found in Brecht the following remark: ‘The great political criminals must be exposed and exposed especially to laughter.’ " And her “tone” in Eichmann in Jerusalem was an attempt to do just that: expose the criminals to derision.
It was the banality of the criminals—not the crimes they committed—that gave Arendt such a shock she responded with laughter. And it’s a shame Brody doesn’t understand what this signifies: the humanization of perpetrators actually serves to humanize victims as well. She did not equate the responsibility of “persecutors and persecuted” for crimes committed by the Nazi state, as Brody claims. But not to allow victims and perpetrators to occupy the same moral universe is to traffic in the dangerous idea that guilt and innocence are not the result of human behavior but exist somehow independent of what people do.
Let me close with an excerpt from my new book, Diving for Pearls: A Thinking Journey with Hannah Arendt:
Many people still find abhorrent Arendt’s claim that Eichmann, the man, was no monster. Everyone knows murder is wrong; certainly, then, murdering millions without a guilty conscience must be the classic example of monstrous behavior. Or madness. Surely only a monster or a madman could commit such heinous deeds. And that’s an understandable reaction. Most of us hold fast to a well-guarded belief that rules and standards used to tell right from wrong, rules we assume to be universal, cannot be easily discarded. Not I, we believers in our own inherent goodness insist; I would never comply with such an order. But Arendt wouldn’t let anyone rest on such a convenient way to avoid having to think for herself.
“The trouble with Eichmann,” she wrote, “was precisely so many were like him, and that the many were neither perverted nor sadistic, they were, and still are, terribly and terrifyingly normal. From the viewpoint of our legal institutions and our moral standards of judgment, this normality was much more terrifying than all the atrocities put together, for it implied...that this new type of criminal...commits his crimes under circumstances that make it well-nigh impossible for him to know or to feel that he is doing wrong.
The idea that “an average, ‘normal’ person, neither feeble-minded nor indoctrinated nor cynical, could be perfectly incapable of telling right from wrong” defies any ordinary understanding of good and evil. And yet, Arendt observed, “without much notice, all [these rules governing right and wrong] collapsed almost overnight...What happened? Did we finally awake from a dream?” How had it become so easy for so many to behave like Eichmann and participate in carrying out these atrocities?
Arendt explained it this way: the Nazi state had generated a “totality of...moral collapse...in respectable European society—not only in Germany but in almost all countries, not only among the persecutors but also among the victims.” And at that sentence, many people throw her book across the room in disgust, perhaps missing the other point she made: not everyone complied with the system.
But Arendt’s writing has made me wonder why we need to believe a solid wall separates the performers of horrible acts from the rest of us? And what holds that wall in place?
“When I think back to the last two decades since the end of the last war,” she wrote in the mid-1960s, “I have the feeling that this moral issue has lain dormant because it was concealed by something about which it is indeed much more difficult to speak and with which it is almost impossible to come to terms—the horror itself in its naked monstrosity.” Trying to think the unthinkable—the horror of state-ordered, socially coordinated manufacturing of corpses in the twentieth century, or of other genocides in previous centuries and in this one—can take one’s breath away. Not even time’s healing power seems to bring relief.
[T]his past has grown worse as the years have gone by so that we are sometimes tempted to think, this will never be over as long as we are not all dead...This past has turned out to be ‘unmastered’ by everybody, not only the German nation.
Yet Arendt insisted on confronting those concealed moral issues even though they looked like “side issues...compared with the horror.” She pushed past the speechless horror to grapple with the moral implications of the “ubiquitous complicity” surrounding the Holocaust. Because not grappling with those implications would allow Eichmann to gain what the monk Thomas Merton, deeply influenced by reading Eichmann in Jerusalem, would have considered a “posthumous long life,” making us all, like it or not, as Karl Plank observed in his essay about Merton, “vulnerable to complicity in deeds of destruction.”
-Kathleen B. Jones
When Gershom Scholem once wrote to Arendt that her phrase the “banality of evil” was a cliché, her response was swift: As far as she had known, nobody had ever used it before. The banality of evil was no common formulation worn meaningless by overuse. When she coined the phrase, it was a searing and dangerous provocation to thought, a warning to all those who in the face of horrific crimes carried out by bureaucrats would seek to transform those bureaucrats into monsters. To make people like Eichmann into radically evil monsters is, Arendt argued, to mistake an even greater and more insidious fact about evil: that in the modern context of bureaucratic governance, evil depends upon banal people who allow themselves to participate in evil because they are thoughtless and lack the clarity of mind or the courage of conviction to stand up to the mechanized and bureaucratized doing of evil.
One can disagree with Arendt’s thesis, but it was hardly a cliché. Unfortunately, too often today it is used as the cliché Scholem feared it had already become. A case in point is an opinion piece in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal by James Taranto.
Taranto is discussing a current case in which Dr. Kermit Gosnell is on trial for murdering seven viable fetuses.
Three associates have pled guilty to third-degree murder and five others have pled guilty to other crimes. Gosnell faces the death penalty. According to the New York Times, whose account Taranto refers to,
Reporters heard testimony from the Philadelphia medical examiner about unsanitary, even filthy conditions at Dr. Gosnell’s clinic, from which the remains of 47 fetuses were removed, some in a water jug, a juice carton and a pet-food container.
In earlier testimony, according to several news reports, an unlicensed doctor said that Dr. Gosnell, 72, showed him how to cut the necks of babies born alive to make sure they died, and a young woman who worked at the clinic as a teenager said she assisted in abortions in which she saw at least five babies moving and breathing.
The details are grisly. The main thrust of Taranto’s article is that the liberal media is ignoring the case because it upsets their narrative that abortions are clean and easy. According to experts cited in the Times article, it seems that conservative media outlets have ignored the case as well, and that the Times actually had given it more coverage than more conservative papers, but I will leave that argument to others.
What interests me more is Taranto’s sudden invocation of Hannah Arendt and her thesis of the banality of evil. The context is the guilty pleas of the eight employees of Gosnell’s clinic. They included an unlicensed doctor and untrained aids who worked under difficult and unsanitary conditions where they were trained how to break the neck of living fetuses. An Associated Press wire story described the fate of these workers and concluded: “But for most, it was the best job they could find.” This is what leads Taranto (through the route of a reader’s comment and a 1999 essay in the New York Observer) to compare the AP’s account of eight medical technicians with Hannah Arendt’s account of Adolf Eichmann.
It is not at all clear whether Taranto has ever set eyes upon Arendt’s book, for he cites only an essay on the book. It is, of course, the height of cliché to speak about books and ideas from second or third hand sources. But that is what Taranto does. He repeats the following claims from the 1999 article, all false: first, that Arendt believed that Eichmann wasn’t anti-Semitic (she reports his claim, but dismisses it as unbelievable, a fact all-too-often forgotten); that she offered the banality of evil as an “overarching theory”; that she “took him at his word” that he was just following orders; that she was a philosopher; and that she was the “world’s worst court reporter”—as if that is what she were.
But what is truly mind-boggling is that after dismissing Arendt’s thesis based on second-hand accounts, Taranto then comes to agree with her. He writes:
And while Rosenbaum [the author of the 1999 article] seems correct in rejecting "the banality of evil" as an overarching theory, surely it has some explanatory or descriptive power. "Faceless little men following evil orders" surely is a fitting characterization of the Pennsylvania bureaucrats who, because of a mix of indifference, incompetence and politics, failed in their oversight of Gosnell's clinic and allowed it to keep operating for decades.
It's also true that banality is a tactic of evil, a method it employs to make orders easier to follow. One of Gosnell's employees might have blown the whistle on him had he expressly commanded them to slash babies to death after they were born, rather than to "snip" them after they "precipitated" to "ensure fetal demise."
All too often we see this approach to Arendt’s book and thesis. She is excoriated for getting Eichmann wrong and for having the temerity to suggest he wasn’t a monster. And then we are told that actually, she was largely right, and that there is something fundamentally true about the idea that evil is done and made possible as much by thoughtlessness as by fanaticism. In other words, she was right in general but not about Eichmann.
Such an argument has become popular in the wake of David Cesarani’s book on Eichmann, which simultaneously says that Arendt under emphasized Eichmann's anti-Semitism and then accepted her argument about the banality of evil. There is a legitimate debate about how Arendt perceived Eichmann. It is wrong to say that she accepted his claims of being a friend of Jews and it is simply inaccurate to think she thought he was not an anti-Semite. That said, there is evidence of his later anti-Semitism expressed in Argentina that Arendt had not seen. Does that evidence impact her thesis? I don't believe so, but if she had had access to it and included it, such remarks would have given a fuller appraisal of Eichmann. In any case, few who repeat Cesarani's argument have read him or for that matter Arendt herself.
To reject and embrace the banality of evil in the same essay is too simple. It is easy to repeat Arendt’s insight but then protect oneself from the unsettling implications the weight of her thought must bear. To do so, sadly, is to treat the banality of evil as a cliché. She and her work deserve better.
In an essay in the Wall Street Journal, Frans de Waal—C. H. Candler Professor of Primate Behavior at Emory University—offers a fascinating review of recent scientific studies that upend long-held expectations about the intelligence of animals. De Waal rehearses a catalogue of fantastic studies in which animals do things that scientists have long thought they could not do. Here are a few examples:
Ayumu, a male chimpanzee, excels at memory; just as the IBM computer Watson can beat human champions at Jeopardy, Ayumu can easily best the human memory champion in games of memory.
Similarly, Kandula, a young elephant bull, was able to reach some fragrant fruit hung out of reach by moving a stool over to the tree, standing on it, and reaching for the fruit with his trunk. I’ll admit this doesn’t seem like much of a feat to me, but for the researchers de Waal talks with, it is surprising proof that elephants can use tools.
Scientists may be surprised that animals can remember things or use tools to accomplish tasks, but any one raised on children’s tales of Lassie or Black Beauty knows this well, as does anyone whose pet dog opened a door knob, brought them a newspaper, or barked at intruders. The problem these studies address is less our societal view of animals than the overly reductive view of animals that de Waal attributes to his fellow scientists. It’s hard to take these studies seriously as evidence that animals think in the way that humans do.
Seemingly more interesting are experiments with self-recognition and also facial recognition. De Waal describes one Asian Elephant who stood in front of a mirror and “repeatedly rubbed a white cross on her forehead.” Apparently the elephant recognized the image in the mirror as herself. In another experiment, chimpanzees were able to recognize which pictures of chimpanzees were from their own species. Like my childhood Labrador who used to stare knowingly into the mirror, these studies confirm that animals are able to recognize themselves. This means that animals do, likely, understand that they are selves.
For de Waal, these studies have started to upend a view of humankind's unique place in the universe that dates back at least to ancient Greece. “Science,” he writes, “keeps chipping away at the wall that separates us from the other animals. We have moved from viewing animals as instinct-driven stimulus-response machines to seeing them as sophisticated decision makers.”
The flattening of the distinction between animals and humans is to be celebrated, De Waal argues, and not feared. He writes:
Aristotle's ladder of nature is not just being flattened; it is being transformed into a bush with many branches. This is no insult to human superiority. It is long-overdue recognition that intelligent life is not something for us to seek in the outer reaches of space but is abundant right here on earth, under our noses.
DeWaal has long championed the intelligence of animals, and now his vision is gaining momentum. This week, in a long essay called “One of Us” in the new Lapham’s Quarterly on animals, the glorious essayist John Jeremiah Sullivan begins with this description of similar studies to the ones DeWaal writes about:
These are stimulating times for anyone interested in questions of animal consciousness. On what seems like a monthly basis, scientific teams announce the results of new experiments, adding to a preponderance of evidence that we’ve been underestimating animal minds, even those of us who have rated them fairly highly. New animal behaviors and capacities are observed in the wild, often involving tool use—or at least object manipulation—the very kinds of activity that led the distinguished zoologist Donald R. Griffin to found the field of cognitive ethology (animal thinking) in 1978: octopuses piling stones in front of their hideyholes, to name one recent example; or dolphins fitting marine sponges to their beaks in order to dig for food on the seabed; or wasps using small stones to smooth the sand around their egg chambers, concealing them from predators. At the same time neurobiologists have been finding that the physical structures in our own brains most commonly held responsible for consciousness are not as rare in the animal kingdom as had been assumed. Indeed they are common. All of this work and discovery appeared to reach a kind of crescendo last summer, when an international group of prominent neuroscientists meeting at the University of Cambridge issued “The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness in Non-Human Animals,” a document stating that “humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness.” It goes further to conclude that numerous documented animal behaviors must be considered “consistent with experienced feeling states.”
With nuance and subtlety, Sullivan understands that our tradition has not drawn the boundary between human and animal nearly as securely as de Waal portrays it. Throughout human existence, humans and animals have been conjoined in the human imagination. Sullivan writes that the most consistent “motif in the artwork made between four thousand and forty thousand years ago,” is the focus on “animal-human hybrids, drawings and carvings and statuettes showing part man or woman and part something else—lion or bird or bear.” In these paintings and sculptures, our ancestors gave form to a basic intuition: “Animals knew things, possessed their forms of wisdom.”
Religious history too is replete with evidence of the human recognition of the dignity of animals. God says in Isaiah that the beasts will honor him and St. Francis, the namesake of the new Pope, is famous for preaching to birds. What is more, we are told that God cares about the deaths of animals.
“In the Gospel According to Matthew we’re told, “Not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” Think about that. If the bird dies on the branch, and the bird has no immortal soul, and is from that moment only inanimate matter, already basically dust, how can it be “with” God as it’s falling? And not in some abstract all-of-creation sense but in the very way that we are with Him, the explicit point of the verse: the line right before it is “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul.” If sparrows lack souls, if the logos liveth not in them, Jesus isn’t making any sense in Matthew 10:28-29.
What changed and interrupted the ancient and deeply human appreciation of our kinship with besouled animals? Sullivan’s answer is René Descartes. The modern depreciation of animals, Sullivan writes,
proceeds, with the rest of the Enlightenment, from the mind of René Descartes, whose take on animals was vividly (and approvingly) paraphrased by the French philosopher Nicolas Malebranche: they “eat without pleasure, cry without pain, grow without knowing it; they desire nothing, fear nothing, know nothing.” Descartes’ term for them was automata—windup toys, like the Renaissance protorobots he’d seen as a boy in the gardens at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, “hydraulic statues” that moved and made music and even appeared to speak as they sprinkled the plants.
Too easy, however, is the move to say that the modern comprehension of the difference between animal and human proceeds from a mechanistic view of animals. We live at a time of the animal rights movement. Around the world, societies exist and thrive whose mission is to prevent cruelty toward and to protect animals. Yes, factory farms treat chickens and pigs as organic mechanisms for the production of meat, but these farms co-exist with active and quite successful movements calling for humane standards in food production. Whatever the power of Cartesian mechanics, its success is at odds with the persistence of the religious, ancient solidarity, and also deeply modern sympathy between human and animal.
A more meaningful account of the modern attitude towards animals might be found in Spinoza. Spinoza, as Sullivan quotes him, recognizes that animals feel in ways that Descartes did not. As do animal rights activists, Spinoza admits what is obvious: that animals feel pain, show emotion, and have desires. And yet, Spinoza maintains a distinction between human and animal—one grounded not in emotion or feeling, but in human nature. In his Ethics, he writes:
Hence it follows that the emotions of the animals which are called irrational…only differ from man’s emotions to the extent that brute nature differs from human nature. Horse and man are alike carried away by the desire of procreation, but the desire of the former is equine, the desire of the latter is human…Thus, although each individual lives content and rejoices in that nature belonging to him wherein he has his being, yet the life, wherein each is content and rejoices, is nothing else but the idea, or soul, of the said individual…It follows from the foregoing proposition that there is no small difference between the joy which actuates, say, a drunkard, and the joy possessed by a philosopher.
Spinoza argues against the law prohibiting slaughter of animals—it is “founded rather on vain superstition and womanish pity than on sound reason”—because humans are more powerful than animals. Here is how he defends the slaughter of animals:
The rational quest of what is useful to us further teaches us the necessity of associating ourselves with our fellow men, but not with beasts, or things, whose nature is different from our own; we have the same rights in respect to them as they have in respect to us. Nay, as everyone’s right is defined by his virtue, or power, men have far greater rights over beasts than beasts have over men. Still I do not deny that beasts feel: what I deny is that we may not consult our own advantage and use them as we please, treating them in the way which best suits us; for their nature is not like ours.
Spinoza’s point is quite simple: Of course animals feel and of course they are intelligent. Who could doubt such a thing? But they are not human. That is clear too. While we humans may care for and even love our pets, we recognize the difference between a dog and a human. And we will, in the end, associate more with our fellow humans than with dogs and porpoises. Finally, we humans will use animals when they serve our purposes. And this is ok, because have the power to do so.
Is Spinoza arguing that might makes right? Surely not in the realm of law amongst fellow humans. But he is insisting that we recognize that for us humans, there is something about being human that is different and, even, higher and more important. Spinoza couches his argument in the language of natural right, but what he is saying is that we must recognize that there are important differences between animals and humans.
At a time that values equality over what Friedrich Nietzsche called the “pathos of difference,” the valuation of human beings over animals is ever more in doubt. This comes home clearly in a story told recently by General Stanley McChrystal, about a soldier who expressed sympathy for some dogs killed in a raid in Iraq. McChrystal responded, severely: “"Seven enemy were killed on that target last night. Seven humans. Are you telling me you're more concerned about the dog than the people that died? The car fell silent again. "Hey listen," I said. "Don't lose your humanity in this thing."” Many, no doubt, are more concerned, or at least are equally concerned, about the deaths of animals as they are about the deaths of humans. There is ever-increasing discomfort about McChrystal’s common sense affirmation of Spinoza’s claim that human beings simply are of more worth than animals.
The distinctions upon which the moral sense of human distinction is based are foundering. For DeWaal and Sullivan, the danger today is that we continue to insist on differences between animals and humans—differences that we don’t fully understand. The consequences of their openness to the humanization of animals, however, is undoubtedly the animalization of humans. The danger that we humans lose sight of what distinguishes us from animals is much more significant than the possibility that we underestimate animal intelligence.
I fully agree with DeWaal and Sullivan that there is a symphony of intelligence in the world, much of it not human. And yes, we should have proper respect for our ignorance. But all the experiments in the world do little to alter the basic facts, that no matter how intelligent and feeling and even conscious animals may be, humans and animals are different.
What is the quality of that difference? It is difficult to say and may never be fully articulated in propositional form. On one level it is this: Simply to live, as do plants or animals, does not constitute a human life. In other words, human life is not simply about living. Nor is it about doing tasks or even being conscious of ourselves as humans. It is about living meaningfully. There may, of course, be some animals that can create worlds of meaning—worlds that we have not yet discovered. But their worlds are not the worlds to which we humans aspire.
Over two millennia ago, Sophocles, in his “Ode to Man,” named man Deinon, a Greek word that connotes both greatness and horror, that which is so extraordinary as to be at once terrifying and beautiful. Man, Sophocles tells us, can travel over water and tame animals, using them to plough fields. He can invent speech, and institute governments that bring humans together to form lasting institutions. As an inventor and maker of his world, this wonder that is man terrifyingly carries the seeds of his destruction. As he invents and comes to control his world, he threatens to extinguish the mystery of his existence, that part of man that man himself does not control. As the chorus sings: “Always overcoming all ways, man loses his way and comes to nothing.” If man so tames the earth as to free himself from uncertainty, what then is left of human being?
Sophocles knew that man could be a terror; but he also glorified the wonder that man is. He knew that what separates us humans from animals is our capacity to alter the earth and our natural environment. “The human artifice of the world,” Arendt writes, “separates human existence from all mere animal environment…” Not only by building houses and erecting dams—animals can do those things and more—but also by telling stories and building political communities that give to man a humanly created world in which he lives. If all we did as humans was live or build things on earth, we would not be human.
To be human means that we can destroy all living matter on the Earth. We can even today destroy the earth itself. Whether we do so or not, it now means that to live on Earth today is a “Choice” that we make, not a matter of fate or chance. Our Earth, although we did not create it, is now something we humans can decide to sustain or destroy. In this sense, it is a human creation. No other animal has such a potential or such a responsibility.
There is a deep desire today to flee from that awesome and increasingly unbearable human responsibility. We flee, therefore, our humanity and take solace in the view that we are just one amongst the many animals in the world. We see this reductionism above all in human rights discourse. One core demand of human rights—that men and women have a right to live and not be killed—brought about a shift in the idea of humanity from logos to life. The rise of a politics of life—the political demand that governments limit freedoms and regulate populations in order to protect and facilitate their citizens’ ability to live in comfort—has pushed the animality, the “life,” of human beings to the center of political and ethical activity. In embracing a politics of life over a politics of the meaningful life, human rights rejects the distinctive dignity of human rationality and works to reduce humanity to its animality.
Hannah Arendt saw human rights as dangerous precisely because they risked confusing the meaning of human worldliness with the existence of mere animal life. For Arendt, human beings are the beings who build and live in a political world, by which she means the stories, institutions, and achievements that mark the glory and agony of humanity. To be human, she insists, is more than simply living, laboring, working, acting, and thinking. It is to do all of these activities in such a way as to create, together, a common life amongst a plurality of persons.
I fear that the interest in animal consciousness today is less a result of scientific proof that animals are human than it is an increasing discomfort with the world we humans have built. A first step in responding to such discomfort, however, is a reaffirmation of our humanity and our human responsibility. There is no better way to begin that process than in engaging with a very human response to the question of our animality. Towards that end, I commend to you “One of Us,” by John Jeremiah Sullivan.
One of my favorite images in Arendt's writings comes not from Arendt herself, but her citation of the poem "Magic" by Rainer Maria Rilke. Rilke's poem reads (in an approximate translation):
From indescribable transformation originate
Amazing shapes. Feel! Trust!
We suffer often: To ashes turn our flames;
Yet art can set on fire the dust.
Magic is here. In the realm of enchantment
The ordinary word appears elevated
But sounds as real as if the dove called
To seek its invisible mate.
Arendt cites Rilke's poem in the final section of the chapter of the Human Condition on Work. It is part of her discussion of art and her claim that "the immediate source of the art work is the human capacity for thought."
Art, Arendt writes, has its foundation in thinking. Works of art, she writes, are "thought things." They are thingifications of thoughts, or to use a word that is so often abused, they are reifications of thoughts—The making of thoughts into things. It is this process of transformation and transfiguration that Rilke captures in "Magic": To "set fire to the dust" and bring beauty and truth to the real world. That is what art does.
My mind turned to Rilke's poem as I watched the great South African artist William Kentridge deliver the first of his 2012 Norton Lectures at Harvard University.
Kentridge spoke in praise of shadows, and situated his talk within a reading of Plato's allegory of the Cave in Book VII of the Republic. The story of the cave begins with prisoners shackled and unmovable who see shadows along a wall projected by a fire. First one sets himself free and climbs out into the light of the sun and, slowly, painfully, comes to recognize in the light of the sun that the shadows were indeed shadows, untrue. The parable illustrates the error of sensible things and is one part of Plato's illustration of his theory of ideas. The ideas, supersensible truths of reason and logic, do not deceive and change like the shadowy things of the world. Only what lasts eternally is true; all that is sensible and fleeting is false.
Kentridge tells the story of Plato's cave to explain why he sees art, and especially his art, in opposition to the Platonic idea of truth. If Plato celebrates the primacy of the eternally true over the shadows, Kentridge argues that art elevates the image above the truth. For this reason, at least in part, Kentridge's art works with shadows. Shadow figures and shadow puppets.
Kentridge lauds shadows. In the very limitations of the shadows, in the gaps, in the gaps that inspire in us leaps to complete an image, that is where we think and learn. The leanness of the illusion pushes us to complete the recognition. It is in shadows that we find our agency in apprehending the world.
Shadow art is, for Kentridge, political. Plato's politics depends on a truth known and understood by the few and then imposed on the many. In this sense philosophy is, in Arendt's words, opposed to politics, and the philosopher either must seek merely to be left alone by the people (which is difficult because philosophers are dangerous), or they will always seek to dominate and tyrannize the polity with their reason. Arendt's lifelong battle is to free politics from the certainty of rational and philosophical truth, to open us to a politics of opinion and openness.
Knowledge is power and there is, in Kentridge's words, a relation between knowledge and violence. Kentridge embraces shadows and silhouettes to oppose the philosophical and Platonic tyranny of reason. He writes elsewhere:
I am interested in a political art, that is to say an art of ambiguity, contradiction, uncompleted gestures and uncertain ending - an art (and a politics) in which optimism is kept in check, and nihilism at bay.
Optimism must be kept in check since any certainty about the destination can underwrite the need for violence to bring others to that end. For Kentridge, "There is no destination. all destinations, all bright lights, arouse our mistrust."
Kentridge offers us an image of the artist. He speaks from the studio and from his notebook to emphasize the source of artistic truth in the thought image rather than the logical word. An artist thinks. He sees. He makes art. He makes things that reflect not truth and certainty but gaps, misgivings, and questions. Kentridge gives reality to the questionability of the world in his shadow art. In this way his art reminds us of the magic of Rilke's fire that transfigures dust into flame.
Few modern artists work magic like William Kentridge. His Norton Lectures are a great introduction to his art and the thinking behind his art. If you are not graduating this weekend, take the time to hear and look at what Kentridge says and makes.
You can view Kentridge's First Norton Lecture here. Consider it your visual weekend read.
"It is true that storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it, that it brings about consent and reconciliation with things as they really are, and that we may even trust it to contain eventually by implication that last word which we expect from the Day of Judgment”.
- Hannah Arendt, “Isak Dinesen: 1885 – 1963” in Men in Dark Times
According to Arendt, it is through action – and all action is but acts of speech – that human beings disclose themselves in their whoness rather than merely on the basis of their whatness. Her indebtedness for storytelling comes from a two-fold source: The Greek world on the one hand - the poets and the historians, and on the other the writings of Isak Dinesen.
Arendt devoted no theoretical effort to pass Dinesen under the lens of theory, other than some occasional mention and a literary profile in the book that Auden called her most German book – because of the form of epic legends in which the stories of the anti-heroes, under the shadow of dark times, are told.
Herself a talented storyteller, her books can be read better against this background of storytelling than on theoretical impetus; this is not because Arendt wasn’t a vehement defender of the life of the mind but because of her insight about the inability of intellectual traditions and history to understand and comprehend the events of her century.
Her reading of Dinesen conforms to the difficulties of understanding Totalitarianism. Spanish philosopher Fina Birulés puts in the following words: “While storytelling does not solve any problem and does not master anything forever, it adds yet another element in the repertory of the world, it is a way for human beings to leave a lasting presence in the world, not as species, but as a plurality of who’s”.
The relationship between storytelling and reconciliation is laid out by Arendt through Dinesen: “The reward of storytelling is to be able to let go: “When the storyteller is loyal to the story, there, in the end, silence will speak. Where the story has been betrayed, silence is but emptiness. But we, the faithful, when we have spoken our last word, will hear the voice of silence”. To let go is an act of reconciliation.
Arendt writes the story of this anxiety and melancholy of her own through Dinesen: “That grief of having lost her life and lover in Africa should have made her a writer and given her a sort of second life was best understood as a joke, and “God loves a joke” became her maxim in the latter part of her life”.
Agnes Heller writes that Arendt knows in advance what it is that she wants to find in her storytelling, in spite of – often – finding something unexpected.
Dinesen becomes a reflection of mirrors for Arendt who in writing about Dinesen’s own storytelling that seems artificial and blurs the distinction between truth and fiction, finds the detachment necessary to comprehend the world, temporarily: “To become an artist also needs time and a certain detachment from the heavy, intoxicating business of sheer living that, perhaps, only the born artist can manage in the midst of living.”
The flight into imaginary worlds at the hand of Dinesen’s pen isn’t simply a performance and re-enactment of the Gothic – as is for example William Beckford’s “Vathek” – but rather a coming to terms with the present by telling a story about its burdens.
It is nothing but an anchoring on the present at a time when the foundation of the present itself – the past – seems irrevocably lost. A similar example of storytelling through mirrors would be, for example, Susan Sontag’s review of Anna Banti’s “Artemisia” for The London Review of Books in 2003.
“Artemisia” is a novel written late in the Second World War about the life of Artemisia Gentilenschi, a 17th century Italian painter: Banti, trained as an art historian, is meticulously careful about her treatment of sources on Gentilenschi’s life and writes in what Sontag calls “a double destiny”; according to her, Anna Banti does not find herself in Artemisia and is careful enough to write in the detachment of the third person, only available to the truly committed storyteller in a game of hide and seek: “We are playing a chasing game, Artemisia and I”.
More than a biography or a historical novel, Artemisia is a deeply emotional but sober and detached portrait of a woman in the early 17th century, tainted by the scandal of a rape that disgraced her family and haunted no more by her total commitment to art, than by the immense loneliness of living as an artist in a male-dominated world – but told with more grace than resentment.
The story about Banti and Artemisia that Sontag is telling is one of permanent displacement and loss; not only because of the female story being told but because the original novel was lost under the ruins of Banti’s house in Borgo San Jacopo when the mines detonated by the Germans wrecked the houses near the river, including hers.
Without knowing as much, Susan Sontag is writing about Banti in the same way that Arendt is writing about Dinesen: Behind a story of loss and womanhood, there is an affirmative and rather reckless anchoring in the present – in Sontag’s case, the world after Totalitarianism: The Cold War, Iraq, Afghanistan, 9/11 and Abu Ghraib. It is against this background that she is writing about a “phoenix of a novel”, which is in itself a testimony to Sontag’s own work.
What both writers learnt from their own writers is a bitter lesson in contemporary history, as eloquently put by Arendt about Dinesen:
Thus, the earlier part of her life had taught her that, while you can tell stories or write poems about life, you cannot make life poetic, live it as though it were a work of art (as Goethe had done) or use it for the realization of an “idea”. Life might contain the “essence” (what else could?); recollection, the repetition in imagination, may decipher the essence and deliver to you the “elixir”; and eventually you may even be privileged to “make” something out of it, “to compound the story”. But life itself is neither essence nor elixir, and if you treat it as such it will only play its tricks on you.
When Lebanese writer Mira Baz left Yemen in 2011, in the course of the revolution and just before the deadly “Friday of Dignity” massacre, after nearly a decade teaching and writing in the mysterious land – similar to Dinesen’s Africa seen through Arendt and Banti’s Florence seen through Sontag, a sort of paradise lost and not without heavy taxes levied by the status of paradise, she was to become displaced and would turn her poetic travelogue of Yemen into a vast vault of memory.
In March 2012 she wrote – exactly a year after the massacre – about the experience of the displacement, invoking the following lines from Dinesen:
“If I know a song of Africa,
Of the giraffe and the African new moon lying on her back,
Of the plows in the field and the sweaty faces of the coffee pickers,
Does Africa know a song of me?”
After which she writes:
The house and the garden had quickly become my home, where in the mornings I fed my regular guests Bulbuls and Serins, and found serenity when, through watching them, I meditated on existence, on cycles, on life, on everything and nothingness. Out there was Yemen. Within the garden walls, and all the walls, was me, inside my head.
Through reading and writing, life cannot be changed, but it can be made understandable and livable, after the same fashion of John Updike when he described the prose of Bruno Schulz: “The harrowing effect of Schulz’ prose is to construct the world anew, as from fragments that exist after some unnamable disaster”. The disaster is always the turbulence of history and the unnamable is the loss, but here storytelling becomes a privilege, a sign of truth, and the burden of a presence – entering the world once again, even if it had been lost once.
Fina Birulés concludes her timely meditation on Arendt and Dinesen: “The political function of the narrator – historian or novelist – is to teach the acceptance of things as they are. From this acceptance, that might be called as well veracity, is born the faculty of judgment, by means of which, in words of Isak Dinesen, in the end we will have the privilege to see and to see again, and that is what is called Day of Judgment.” |
The Rules of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club provide in relation to the 'House', which is defined as 'the area within the outside circle at each end of the sheet', that 'with the tees as centres, circles having radii of 1.22m (4 feet) and 1.83m (6 feet) shall be drawn. Additional inner circles may also be drawn.'
There is no provision for painting the ice or any part of it in order to create the coloured, target-like houses which are such a characteristic feature of present-day indoor curling. There is no doubt that coloured circles add a great deal to the visual appeal of the game. In fact, the coloured circles are what strikes the casual television viewer as the characteristic image of the game
The purpose of the colour is, however, to assist the curler to assess where each stone is lying in relation to the house, and, perhaps more importantly, the tee, when it is his turn to deliver the stone.
Painting the circles is a comparatively recent custom. For a large part of the history of curling the curler played to a house which was only scored in the ice. It was difficult to see from the hack how the stones lay in relation to the tee.
The original way of reducing this difficulty was to mark the tee with a moveable object, known as the 'tee-marker'. This was usually made of wood so that if a stone perchanced to come into contact with it, it did nothing to affect the running of the stone. The marker had to be small in cross-section so that it took up as little room as possible, and high so that it could be seen above any stones that were lying near it. What better shape for this device than a bottle? Hence in many a place the 'tee-marker' was known as 'the bottle'. In other places the shape was like a skittle.
J. Gordon Grant in The Complete Curler, (1914), writes, “In addition to the bottle which is occasionally to be found in the ‘press’ of the club-house, another ‘bottle’ can sometimes be observed on the pond – a solid wooden ‘bottle’, totally unconnected with aqua vitae. It is usually about the size of an ordinary quart bottle, and stands on and indicates the position of the tee to the man on the crampit. It is not an indispensable adjunct of the game (as many consider the other bottle to be), and, accordingly, some clubs never make use of it…if the ‘bottle’ is in the way of a moving stone, it ought to be removed temporarily out of the way of the stone, but often the skip is too late in trying to reach it, and accordingly the ‘bottle’ is knocked down or sent skimming along the ice. But this is not really of any consequence, as the collision with the ‘bottle’ has no appreciable effect on the motion of the stone; the ‘bottle’ gets the worst of the encounter.”
Robin Welsh in his International Guide to Curling, (1985) classed the tee-marker as one of the pieces of curling equipment which was extinct in Scotland, just like the 'duster'. I have never seen a 'bottle' used in indoor play but when I began to curl at Haymarket in the early 1960s some of the older skips still used the 'duster' to indicate either a stone to be struck out or the place a draw had to end up. At the risk of sounding a bit like Chic Murray I should explain that the duster was called the duster because it was a duster – one of the bright yellow variety with which we’re still familiar, and the skip used to wave it to the player and then throw it down on the ice in the place where he wished the stone to finish.
For some reason, which I have been unable to discover, the 'bottle' came to be called the 'dolly' in Switzerland. (In fact, one of Switzerland’s most famous competitions is for the Dolly Cup of Geneva Curling Club, which will be played for the 53rd time on November 26-28, 2010.) Neither the Oxford English Dictionary or the Dictionary of the Scots Language has an entry for 'dolly', in the curling sense.
Curiously, A Noel Mobbs in his book, Curling in Switzerland, (1929), which deals with all aspects of the game in that country and in which one might reasonably have expected the author to elaborate on the use of the dolly, only mentions the 'Dolly' to define it as 'A wooden skittle placed on the ice to make the position of the tee visible from the other end of the rink'.
David B. Smith
Top photo: This splendid 'bottle' was specially made for a rink of Aboyne Curlers, under their president, the Rev. T.S. Gray, at the Grand Match of December 24, 1934, the last to be held at Carsebreck. Curiously the Annual for 1937 which records this Match does not include this rink!
Above: Two tee-markers beside a stone of standard size. The red one on the left featured in the curling scene in the film My Life So Far. The film crew repainted it. The other one is from Dunblane. |
So you think you know your universe? We’ve got our own top 10 list on the most interesting facts about the Universe.
1. It was hot when it was young
The most widely accepted cosmological model is that of the Big Bang. This was proven since the discovery of the cosmic microwave background radiation or CMBR. Although, strictly speaking, no one knows exactly what ‘banged’, we know from extrapolation that the Universe was infinitely hot at birth, cooling down as it expanded.
In fact, even only within minutes of expansion, scientists predict its temperature to have been about a billion Kelvin. Moving backward to 1 second, it is said to have been at 10 billion Kelvin. For comparison, today’s universe is found to have an average temperature of only 2.725 Kelvin.
2. It will be cold when it grows old
Observations made especially on galaxies farthest from us show that the Universe is expanding at an accelerated rate. This, and data that show that the Universe is cooling allows us to believe that the most probable ending for our universe is that of a Big Freeze.
That is, it will be devoid of any usable heat (energy). It is due to this prediction that the Big Freeze is also known as the Heat Death.Accurate measurements made by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) on the current geometry and density of the Universe favor such an ending.
3. The Universe spans a diameter of over 150 billion light years
Current estimates as with regards to the size of the Universe pegs it at a width of 150 billion light years. Although it may seem peculiarly inconsistent with the age of the Universe, which you’ll read about next, this value is easily understood once you consider the fact that the Universe is expanding at an accelerated rate.
4. The Universe is 13.7 billion years old
If you think that is amazing, perhaps equally remarkable is the fact that we know this to better than 1% precision. Credit goes to the WMAP team for gathering all the information needed to come up with this number. The information is based on measurements made on the CMBR.
Older methods which have contributed to confirming this value include measurements of the abundances of certain radioactive nuclei. Observations made on globular clusters, which contain the oldest stars, have also pointed to values close to this.
5. The Earth is not flat – but the Universe is
Based on Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, there are three possible shapes that the Universe may take: open, closed, and flat. Once again, measurements by WMAP on the CMBR have revealed a monumental confirmation – the Universe is flat.
Combining this geometry and the idea of an invisible entity known as dark energy coincides with the widely accepted ultimate fate of our universe, which as stated earlier, is a Big Freeze.
6. Large Scale Structures of the Universe
Considering only the largest structures, the Universe is made up of filaments, voids, superclusters, and galaxy groups and clusters. By combining galaxy groups and clusters, we come up with superclusters. Some superclusters in turn form part of walls, which are also parts of filaments.
The vast empty spaces are known as voids. That the Universe is clumped together in certain parts and empty in others is consistent with measurements of the CMBR that show slight variations in temperature during its earliest stages of development.
7. A huge chunk of it is made up of things we can’t see
Different wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum such as those of radio waves, infrared, x-rays, and visible light have allowed us to peer into the cosmos and ‘see’ huge portions of it. Unfortunately, an even larger portion cannot be seen by any of these frequencies.
And yet, certain phenomena such as gravitational lensing, temperature distributions, orbital velocities and rotational speeds of galaxies, and all others that are evidence of a missing mass justify their probable existence. Specifically, these observations show that dark matter exists. Another invisible entity known as dark energy, is believed to be the reason why galaxies are speeding away at an accelerated rate.
8. There is no such thing as the Universe’s center
Nope. The earth is not the center of the Universe. It’s not even the center of the galaxy. And no again, our galaxy is not the entire universe, neither is it the center. Don’t hold your breath but the Universe has no center. Every galaxy is expanding away from one another.
9. Its members are in a hurry to be as far away from each other as possible
The members that we are talking about are the galaxies. As mentioned earlier, they are rushing away from each other at increasing rates. In fact, prior to the findings of most recently gathered data, it was believed that the Universe might end in a Big Rip. That is, everything, down to the atoms, would be ripped apart.
This idea stemmed from this observed accelerated rate of expansion. Scientists who supported this radically catastrophic ending believed that this kind of expansion would go on forever, and thus would force everything to be ripped apart.
10. To gain a deeper understanding of it, we need to study structures smaller than the atom
Ever since cosmologists started to trace events backward in time based on the Big Bang model, their views, which focused only on the very large, got smaller and smaller. They knew, that by extrapolating backward, they would be led into a universe that was very hot, very dense, very tiny, and governed by extremely high energies.
These conditions were definitely within the realm of particle physics, or the study of the very small. Hence, the most recent studies of both cosmology and particle physics saw an inevitable marriage between the two.
There you have it. Feel free to come up with a longer list of your own. |
Tango, the Garden Cat ~ part 1: Tango Arrives
Cats (Felis catus) are a domesticated species, dependent on humans and genetically different from "wild" cat species such as lions and tigers. Contrary to popular belief, free-roaming, feral cats can live about as long as house cats and contract diseases at about the same rate.
Like rabbits, cats multiply very quickly. Gordon Stull, V.M.D. and director of Burlington County Feral Cat Initiative (BCCI) in NJ, notes that there are many extraneous factors such as season of the year, location, food supply, presence of predators and other dangers that affect population dynamics in felines. "Sexual activity can begin as early as 5 months of age. The median average litter size is 5," says Dr. Stull.
Despite the fact that there are no-kill shelters in the nation, more than 70% of the cats and kittens that get taken to animal control pounds and shelters get killed. Neutering or spaying house cats that are allowed to go outside, never abandoning a pet, and Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) programs for feral cats, are humane methods available to help fight cat over population. TNR programs are done by caring volunteers and organizations throughout the United States.
Feral cat issues are very controversial and stir up stong emotions in the gardening community, especially between cat lovers and bird lovers. Some feel strongly that feeding feral cats is wrong and that all feral cats, when caught, should be euthanized; others claim that it is more humane to set up managed feeding stations, and that TNR programs have been shown to work and are therefore the best option.
Cape May, NJ, a Victorian, cat loving coastal community and one of the top bird-watching areas in North America, has been successfully using a TNR program since 1995. However, although Cape May's cat populations have been declining, shorebird populations, such as the endangered piping plover species, have also continued to decline.
In an effort to restore populations of threatened shorebirds in Cape May, officials approved a plan to relocate feral cat colonies to outside a buffer zone around the piping plovers' nesting areas on the beach. This effort, in turn has created new challenges and concerns. Since the removal of the cats, animal control officer John Queenan has received increased calls and concerns about skunks. "Cape May's Trap-Neuter-Return program still serves as a model for communities around the world," says Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies, a Maryland based national cat advocacy group.
Effective collaboration needs to continue among all parties involved with feral cat issues, to improve the accessibility of affordable spay and neuter services in every community. Improving humane public policies to reduce feral cat populations will eliminate their needless suffering and help save the 100 million songbirds that are killed by feral cats each year.
Tango, the Garden Cat ~ Part 1
Becky and her brother, Bill, have 3 indoor pet cats and a dog named Holly. Holly is a friendly German Shepherd who is a very curious and alert dog.
Holly loves living with them. They have a yard with native trees and berry bushes that provide shelter and food for wildlife. Holly loves to chase little animals, especially squirrels.
Becky and Bill enjoy exploring and playing in their backyard. They also like to help their mom and dad plant and pick fresh vegetables from their garden. Beautiful, colorful flower gardens are planted all around, which attract a lot of bees and interesting insects, like spiders, praying mantises and butterflies.
The wildlife at Becky and Bill's house includes rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, groundhogs, raccoons, and a lot of birds, including gold finches, ruby-throated hummingbirds, American robins, hawks and owls. One time they even saw 3 large deer! Lately, there has been a new visitor.
Early one cool, autumn morning, when yellowing leaves from the large walnut tree were dropping to the ground like snowflakes, Holly followed Becky and Bill outside to play. As they began throwing an old, faded yellow tennis ball to Holly, they heard something rustling in the leaves beneath a nearby yew bush.
Holly rushed over first and started to investigate. What could be in that bush? There were bird feeders hanging nearby...could it be a bird? Then, suddenly, Becky and Bill saw something small and black run halfway up a pine tree. They looked up and saw a small black animal with big, light green eyes, the color of celery, that were opened wide and staring right at them! The fur around its head was short and messy looking.
Holly was curious; she looked over and started to bark. "Put Holly in the house!" Bill shouted.
Becky ran towards the house with Holly, "Come, Holly, come."
As she put Holly inside, she could hear Bill calling, "Hurry! Hurry, Becky!"
She raced back out. "Bill is it still there?"
Ssshhh...there it is," whispered Bill, as he pointed to the small form clinging to the leaning trunk of the pine tree. Becky looked up and saw a very scared, little cat.
"Who are you?" Becky asked the terrified creature. "I've never seen you before."
But before she could say any more, the cat sprang off and quickly disappeared under the pine trees. Hiding in the neighbor's bushes, the cat was out of breath, his heart pumping from all the excitement.
Later that night Becky and Bill told their parents about the little cat that arrived. Becky decided to name the cat 'Tango'.
Where did Tango go?
Several days went by. There was no sign of Tango.
"Where did Tango go?" Becky asked. The family wondered too.
Later that week, as Becky got off the school bus, she spotted a skinny, small, black cat in the neighbor's yard. She watched as it jumped into the neighbor's shed through a broken window.
"That's it!" she thought out loud, "I'll bet the cat is living in there." This made sense, because the weather was getting cold at night and the shed would be a little warmer.
Later that day her parents asked the neighbor, "Do you know anyone in the neighborhood who has a black cat? We think we saw one go into your shed."
The neighbor replied, "Yes, the house on the other side has a black cat. It was probably him."
"Was he large or small?"
"Oh, he's a large cat all right. We don't mind having him around. He keeps the mouse population in check," the neighbor chuckled.
Hmmmm... Becky and Bill remembered the cat they saw was small and thin. They began thinking that Tango might have been abandoned or lost, living out on his own, without anyone caring for him.
Time went by; the fall season changed into winter.
One evening, as it was just getting dark, Becky looked through the glass kitchen window at the snow covering their backyard. Suddenly, she saw a black flash, legs out stretched as it lunged towards the bushes by the bird feeders.
"I see Tango!" she shouted to her family. "He looks skinny and his shoulders look sort of pointy."
Becky wanted to run outside to greet Tango, but decided not to because she might scare him away. Tango's head was low to the ground as he sniffed around.
"Mom, it looks like he is eating the bread we put out for the birds!"
Her mom looked out the window and replied, "He must be hungry and cold."
They all decided to help Tango and put out some food.
Becky's mom set the rules. "Just remember, once we start feeding him, he will always come around, and we can't stop. It would not be fair to the cat."
Becky put out cat food that night, near the garage, but Tango never came. "Why isn't he going to his food?" Becky muttered in despair.
Bill wondered too.
Tango's a Survivor
The family gave up on Tango and never saw him again for the rest of the winter. The weather was now warming, and spring was in the air as little Tango snuck into the yard, hungry but alert.
He had had a tough winter but had managed to survive. Luckily for him it was a mild winter; even so, it was still so cold. A few of his friends died, but Tiger, Zipper and Cali survived and were there to snuggle with as they all tried to keep warm in their winter home behind the neighbor's woodpile.
The night before, he had killed a chipmunk and had found some scraps of bread that the birds had left. Maybe he would be lucky again.
As he darted past the vegetable garden, he heard something. In a flash he ducked behind a raised bed of emerging asparagus to hide. As soon as it looked safe, he jumped out and went to wait beneath the pine trees along the fence.
"Look, Tango's back!" Becky hollered, as she peered out the window, her nose and hands pressed against the glass.
Bill was standing nearby. "Quick, get a bowl of food for him!"
Everyone in the house became aware of the excitement. Becky quickly ran across the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of cat food.
"Here, Tango. Here, Tango... here, kitty..." she repeatedly called, while dashing out and putting the food by the garage before running back into the house.
Tango looked over from beneath the pines, while his friends stayed still and completely hidden. Spying the bowl full of fresh cat food, his head bobbing up and down, he sniffed the air, his mouth watering. He could see and smell the food but thought it much too risky to run across the yard to get to it.
"But he is not going to his food." Becky complained, as they peered through the window at Tango, who was openly sitting next to a concrete garden bench, staring in the direction of the food bowl. His dark fur stood out against the white bench.
"He is not going to his food. Should we move the bowl closer to the back?" she asked her family.
Everyone agreed that Tango might feel safer if they moved the food back to where they had spotted him.
Tango heard the door open and quickly ran off to hide. Peeking from behind the bird bath, he secretly watched as Becky moved the food and then went back inside.
The family was having dinner when Bill looked out the window. Pointing his finger as he leaned toward his sister, he said, "It's Tango, he found the food!"
The family celebrated as they watched little Tango finally eating a good meal.
Be sure to check with your local officials before feeding or attempting to TNR feral cats. Regulations vary from state-to-state.
Artwork Copyright © 2008 Carol Moore. All rights reserved. Tango, the Garden CatTM is a trademark of Feral Gardens.
Special Thanks to artist Carol Moore for creating the artwork for this garden story.
Carol provides care to her many grateful barn cats. She is a professional artist from Oregon with a passion for the outdoors, animals and art and creates art for custom commissions and her online galleries. She uses color pencil, water color pencil and/or acrylic-gouache on Stonehenge, Bristol, Canson MiTientes or Arches Watercolor paper. The Original Small Works of Art (OSWOA) of "Tango" and "Tango around the Bird Bath" were created with color pencil on Stonehenge (acid free paper).
Click here to read more about the artist, Carol Moore, and to visit her gallery.
Alley Cat Allies, Do you believe she deserves to live even though she lives outdoors? Don't buy into the cruel myths about feral cats and kittens; Bethesda, MD 9/12/08.
Alley Cat Allies, Cat Fatalities. Accessed Aug. 25, 2008.
Degener R., The Press of Atlantic City. Feral cats gone, Cape May now has a problem of a different stripe; Sept. 2008. Accessed Oct. 22, 2008.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Feral cat effects on wildlife. Accessed Aug. 25, 2008.
Tango the Garden Cat ~ part 2: Tango's Garden Adventure by Diana Wind
Tango the Garden Cat ~ part 3: Home for Christmas by Diana Wind
Cat Grass for Cats- good or bad? by Geoff Stein
Feral Cats Frequently Asked Questions, The Humane Society of the US
Discussion about this article: |
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HBSE 9th Question Paper Design 2019 Computer Science: Haryana Board has released the Question Paper Design for class 9th Computer Science. The “HBSE Question Paper Design for class 9th Computer Science” has designed in a way that it covers all units of the subject equally. By HBSE Computer Sciencee Question Paper Design students of class 9th can easily know about the Proportion of question asked from each unit and students would also be aware of the percentage of objective, and Theory based questions asked in the examination. The direct link of Question Paper Design of Computer Science class 9th under HBSE has been provided below.
HBSE 9th Question Paper Design 2019 – Computer Science
Haryana Board Question Paper Design for class 9th has designed by taking consideration of Books and syllabus under Haryana Board so teachers are required to teach the students of class 9th by the books which are under the Haryana Board of School Education. Students of class 9th are also required to follow the books under HBSE while preparing for the examinations. Question Paper Design for Computer Science class 9th has been provided below.
Name of Board: Haryana Board of School Education
Subject: Computer Science
- Click Here to Download Question Paper Design for Class 9th Computer Science if the above pdf is not loading.
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A new study finds electronic cigarettes to be less toxic as compared to traditional, combustible cigarettes.
Funded by Cancer Research UK, the cross-sectional study examined the levels of exposure to nicotine, tobacco-related carcinogens, and toxins among various users of nicotine including:
- Traditional tobacco cigarette smokers
- Former cigarette smokers with long term usage of electronic cigarettes only
- Former cigarette smokers with long term usage of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) only
- Long term users of both tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes
- Long term users of both cigarettes and NRT products
According to Cancer Research UK, the study is the first of its kind to analyze “saliva and urine of long-term e-cigarette and NRT users, as well as smokers.” Previous research has examined the toxicity of e-cigarettes by assessing the “potentially harmful chemicals within the products themselves, or the vapor they produce.” The study examined tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) and volatile organic compound (VOCs) metabolites, compounds known for their “smoking-related toxicological and carcinogenic risks.” The authors conclude “long-term NRT-only and e-cigarette–only use, but not dual use of NRTs or e-cigarettes with combustible cigarettes, is associated with substantially reduced levels of measured carcinogens and toxins relative to smoking only combustible cigarettes.”
The findings affirm the 2015 Public Health England study finding electronic cigarette use as “around 95% safer than smoking.” A 2016 study found that electronic cigarettes could provide tobacco harm reduction to smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The authors concluded that smokers who used e-cigarettes to reduce cigarette smoking resulted “marked improvements in annual exacerbation rate as well as subjective and objective COPD outcomes.”
This study is merely one of many that continue to provide data proving the efficacy of electronic cigarettes and their role in tobacco harm reduction efforts. Despite the growing body of evidence that finds e-cigarettes to be significantly less toxic than tobacco cigarettes, departments of the federal government are claiming the opposite. In December the Surgeon General erroneously reported that e-cigarette use by young people was “now a major public health concern,” despite numerous studies that find the opposite.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco cigarettes are accountable for “more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States,” and an estimated 16 million Americans are living with smoking-related diseases. Tobacco cigarettes carry a total economic cost of over $300 billion a year, making it one of the most expensive, preventable costs associated with health care in the United States. Electronic cigarettes could mitigate these costs, as one study estimated Medicaid savings due to e-cigarette “adoption, and the resulting tobacco smoking cessation and harm reduction” totaled $40 billion in 2012.
Going forward, policy makers should pay attention to the growing body of literature that provides evidence to the safety and harm reduction properties electronic cigarettes have provided to millions of smokers, worldwide. Lawmakers should understand the effects that the Food & Drug Administration’s deeming regulations will have on the entire e-cigarette industry, and the possibility that tobacco harm reduction could be eradicated by one governmental department if the regulations are not altered significantly. |
The power of technology is no longer can be denied as it holds the most important role that plays around human needs. From banking, shopping, entertainment or even when you want to read comics, the application of technology is what people are looking for. Due to its advanced features, social media has been a perfect tool for certain people, companies, industries and even institutions to use it to connect and deliver any intended information to their target users. Therefore, this recent study is going to identify themes of writing and frequency of its occurences in social media, to identify online writing features and lastly, to propose the effective online writing strategies in the social media in the context of a public university. Four official and unofficial university’s Facebook pages are used in order to achieve the purposes of conducting this study through content analysis. The results show that there are five main strategies of the effective online writing identified which are simple and readable content, semi-formal and suitable word choice, eye-catching pictures and video, and lastly non-linguistic effective features offered in social media. Almost 80% of the effective strategies in marketing social media involves linguistic strategies and the rest is the non-linguistic strategies. The model of effective online writing has been proposed based on the findings found in terms of university’s context.
Abayi, M. & Khoshtinat, B. (2016). Study of the impact of advertising on online shopping tendency for airline tickets by considering motivational factors emotional factors. Procedia Economics and Finance 36(2016). Abayi, M. & Khoshtinat, B. (2016). Study of the impact of advertising on online shopping tendency for airline tickets by considering motivational factors emotional factors. Procedia Economics and Finance 36(2016).
Anon. (2014). Advertisers will spend nearly $600 billion worldwide. http://www.emarketer.com/Article/AdvertisersWill-Spend-Nearly-600-Billion-Worldwide2015/1011691
Anon. (2014). Malaysians rank among the world’s most avid online shoppers. http://www.nielsen.com/my/en/press-room/2014/ecommerce.html
Cook, G. 1992. The Discourse of Advertising. London: Routledge.
Cook, G. (Ed). (2008). The language of advertising. Abingdon: Routledge.
Dwoskin, E. (2013). Study: digital marketing industry worth $62 billion. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/10/14/studydigital-marketing-industry-worth-62-billion/
Goddard, A. (1998). The language of advertising. London: Routledge.
Hong, T. & Kim, E. (2011). Segmenting customers in online stores based on factors that affect the customer’s intention to purchase. Expert Systems with Applications 39(2012).
Jafari, S.M. & Tengku Sepora, T.M. (2014). The language of advertisement and its features and characteristics: investigating the issue from a deeper view. International Journal of English and Literature 4(6).
Kannan, R. & Tyagi, S. (2013). Use of language in advertisements. English for Specific Purposes World 37(13).
Karlsson, L. (2007). Advertising theories and models – how well can these be transferred from text to reality? http://www.divaportal.org/smash/get/diva2:306359/ FULLTEX T01.pdf
Labrador, B., Ramon, N., Alaiz-Moreton, H. & Sanjurjo-Gonzalez,H. (2014). Rhetorical structure and persuasive language in the subgenre of online advertisements. English for Specific Purposes 34(2014).
Muda, M., Musa. R., Mohamed. R.N. & Borhan, H. Celebrity entrepreneur endorsement and advertising effectiveness. (2014). Procedia Social and behavioural Sciences 130(2014).
Muhammad Helmi, A.B., Mohd Asyiek, M.D. & Mahizam, M. (2015). Attributes for image content that attract consumers’ attention to advertisements: Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 195(2015).
Olubunmi, A. & Aliede, J.E. (2013). Advertising copy and layout. www.nou.edu.ng.
Othman, A., Mohd Fazli, M.S. & Izaazati, H. (2010). E-business: obstacles and marketing strategy in selling fishing tools in Akapiman Enterprise.http://www.arpapress.com/Volumes/ Vol2Issue3/IJRRAS_2_3_13.pdf
Puntoni, S., De Langhe, B. & Van Ossealaer, S.M.J. (2006). Bilingualism and the emotional intensity of advertising language. Journal of Consumer Research. 35(2009).
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Wu, K., Vassileva, J., Zhao, Y., Noorian. Z.W. & Adaji, I. (2016). Complexity r simplicity? Designing products pictures for advertising in online marketplaces. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 28(2016).
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UNITED WAY GHANA IMPACTS STUDENTS ON INT'L LITERACY DAY THROUGH LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND SKILLS TRAINING
Literacy and skills are key powers for sustainable growth and development. Without them, an individual’s growth and opportunities are limited. On a national scale, low levels of literacy prolongs poverty, inequality and even constrains the growth of economies. In a world of rapidly emerging technology, individuals, especially students, must nurture their skills in order to take advantage of the evolving world of work.
To mark International Literacy Day on Saturday, September 8, on the theme ‘Literacy & Skills Development,’ United Way Ghana organized the Back to School & Literacy Fair to engage students in literacy activities and digital training to develop their capabilities and nurture their skills.
Hundreds of pupils convened at the Kawukudi Park in Nima to participate in various activities including reading clinics, digital skills workshop, arts and crafts skills training as well as a seminar on quality, inclusive education for parents.
Over the last 15 years, our social impact programmes and community driven initiatives have improved the livelihoods of thousands of people through education, health and financial stability - building blocks for good quality of life. With the support, expertise and resources of partner organizations and volunteers that share a similar passion with United Way Ghana, we are transforming communities to become healthier, better informed and more productive.
Under IBE, United Way Ghana has implemented sustainable solutions including the Nyansapo Scholarship Scheme, provision of quality textbooks and reading materials, capacity building initiatives for teachers, sensitizing parents and community leaders to support quality education and engaging school management on good institutional governance. IBE has positively impacted over 13,000 people since it was established in 2012.
“Bridging literacy and arts skills gaps is a major challenge. At United Way Ghana, we believe digital literacy and skills training are essential in preparing students for the world of work to build and harness their skills for future career success,” said Janet L. Butler, vice president, Africa Region & the Caribbean for United Way Worldwide.
Monitor Childrens phone usage
Ghana Education Service’s Circuit Supervisor for Kotobabi, Theophilus Agyei, in his speech enumerated the advantages of literacy and education for the child, family, community and nation as a whole. “Education paves the way for a better future for us all. Let’s fully support students to get the best of education.
As part of activities, students were taught basic coding skills in the digital literacy workshop by volunteers of United Ghana Education Service’s Circuit Supervisor for Kotobabi, Theophilus Agyei, in his speech advised parents to monitor the use of tech devices by their children to protect them from accessing pornography and cyber bullying. “Always check how your children use their phones to ensure it’s for learning and study purposes. As parents, we should be interested in how our wards use technology and the internet appropriately.”
Eneza Education, main partner for the Back To School & Literacy Fair, educated parents and teachers on ways to use their mobile phones to access learning materials. Eneza Education’s content lead, Josephine Arthur said the organization’s interaction with stakeholders showed that many are not aware of the enormous benefits of technology with regards to education. “This fair helped us to create more awareness on mobile technology and education as well as address the inaccurate perceptions parents had about technology.”
Making reading a habit
Habiba Mohammed, 11, participant of the Back to School and Literacy Fair confessed her newfound love for reading. She indicated that her interest in reading has always been affected by her parents challenge to buy reading materials.With a grin, she shares how excited she is to have participated in the Back to School and Literacy Fair. She said, “Through this fair, I know that I can frequently borrow books from my community library. The challenge of my parents are no longer going to stand in my way.”
With support from the Ghana Library Authority, a mobile library was on hand to give children the opportunity to read books of all kinds. Speaking to parents at the seminar on education, Lily Narh of the Ghana Library Authority advised parents to give their full support to the literacy development of their wards. “Encourage your children to visit the community library regularly to spend most of their time reading because in order to become a responsible adult, you must read,” she said.
Helping Children With Learning Difficulties
Special Attention Project (SAP), a partner for the event, sensitized parents about the existing support for children with special needs or learning difficulties. Richard Opoku, Programmes Manager of SAP said many parents opened up about the learning difficulties their children were experiencing and sought for help. “This was a relevant platform for us to interact with parents, in order to expose them to the resources available to help children with special learning difficulties to also access quality basic education to reach their full potential.”
As part of activities, students were taught basic coding skills in the digital literacy workshop by volunteers of United Way Ghana. Also, skills were provided in bead making and other arts and crafts activities. Children were engaged in play during recreational time with a bouncy castle and trampoline.
The Back to School & Literacy Fair was organized by United Way Ghana in partnership with Eneza Education and with support from the Ghana Library Authority, Special Attention Project, Achievers Ghana, EPP Books & Services, IBM Ghana, Worldreader, Muslim Family Counselling Services, Top Dog Africa & Crust Media.
September 8 was proclaimed International Literacy Day by UNESCO on November 17, 1965 to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies.
Each year, United Way Ghana marks International Literacy Day as part of its Improving Basic Education (IBE) programme with the objective of improving the accessibility and delivery of quality education at the basic level.
Under IBE, United Way Ghana has implemented sustainable solutions including the Nyansapo Scholarship Scheme, provision of quality textbooks and reading materials, capacity building initiatives for teachers and engaging school management on good institutional governance. IBE has positively impacted over 13,000 people since it was rolled out in 2012. |
If you are a new gardener or have recently moved to a new home, one of the best things you can do for the long-term health of your garden is to test its drainage. Soil drainage is absolutely critical to the health of your plants!
Ideally, the soil should hold moisture but also drain quickly — soaking wet soil will lead to rotten roots, while too-loose soil will not remain moist long enough for the roots to drink up the water they need.<p>
Here’s how to test your soil:
Dig a small hole, just a few inches deep.
Fill it with water.
Check the time.
If your soil drains less than 1/2 in. per hour, your drainage is pretty bad.
If it drains more than 2 in. per hour it may be a little too fast.
Once you know what the issue with your soil drainage is, fixing it is much easier. High-quality compost is the solution for both compacted (poorly draining) and sandy (too loose) soils. Begin composting as soon as you can, and continue throughout the season, applying fresh compost to areas that do NOT have plants in them yet. When winter arrives and your plants go dormant, you can heavily compost the entire garden.
If you check out Park’s tools and supplies, you’ll see that we offer good options for amending soil quickly, such as Espoma products for specific types of plants as well as a complete line of composters and starters. However, bear in mind that if you need to save money and have a little time, you really don’t have to spend a dime on improving soil drainage. Just set up a compost pile (or several — the more the merrier!) and begin “growing” your own great soil!
Happy gardening from your friends here at Park! |
Elephants & Polar Bears
Welcome to our Epson Elephants and Polar Bears section on iChild!
Many of the activities below have been produced in conjunction with teachers and educational specialists, and are linked to the National Curriculum requirements in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so can be used both at school, and within a childcare setting or at home. These resources are listed below in the following order: Primary Lesson Plans with additional supporting activities, and Welsh Language supporting activity translations. There are also additional craft activities and diary writing templates too. |
By Steven Reinberg
TUESDAY, Jan. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Are bleary-eyed Americans getting a break at last?
New research suggests that people are sleeping a few more minutes each night than they used to.
"Over 14 years [2003 to 2016], Americans were getting 17 minutes more sleep every night, or a full four days more sleep per year," said study lead researcher Dr. Mathias Basner. He's associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania's division of sleep and chronobiology.
Basner's team credit the trend to more awareness of the importance of sleep. Better awareness has led to better sleep habits -- going to bed earlier and not reading or watching TV or using smartphones or other devices in bed.
However, despite these modest gains, a third of Americans are still sleep-deprived, which can have serious consequences for their health, Basner said.
Studies have shown that people who are sleep-deprived are more likely to be obese and have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and declines in mental function. In addition, Basner said, daytime sleepiness can lead to serious accidents.
To be in their best health, adults should sleep seven or more hours a night on a regular basis, Basner said.
For a good night's sleep, he suggested going to bed and getting up at regular times. In addition, keep the bedroom dark, quiet, cool and free of distractions, such as TV, books, smartphones and computers.
"Basically, when you enter the bedroom it should be a signal to your body that it's time to sleep," Basner said. "Your bedroom is for sleeping and sex, nothing else."
The report stems from a survey of more than 181,000 Americans, 15 and older, who took part in the American Time Use Survey between 2003 and 2016. It found that most people increased their sleep by nearly eight hours each year over the 14 years of the study.
Specifically, Basner and his colleague David Dinges, a professor and chief of Penn's division of sleep and chronobiology, found that daily sleep increased by 1.4 minutes on weekdays and 0.8 minutes on weekends each year.
Though this might not seem like a lot of progress, Basner said that over the 14 years, it works out to more than 17 minutes more sleep each night -- more than four full days more sleep each year.
The increase in sleep was mostly due to people turning in earlier at night and, to a lesser degree, getting up later in the morning, Basner said.
The exception to those getting more sleep are the unemployed, whose stress may be eating into their sleep time, he said.
However, Basner said that people also are more aware of the importance of sleep. To prove the point, he said that Google searches for sleep have more than doubled, and scientific papers about the consequences of getting too little sleep have increased more than 10 times from 2003 to 2016.
Still, that doesn't prove that awareness has translated into more sleep, Basner said. It does, however, give hope that campaigns like the 2013 National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project that encourage healthy sleep may be working, he said.
Sleep is different for every person, however, said Dr. Rajkumar Dasgupta, a spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine.
But if you're having trouble getting and staying asleep, treatment is available, said Dasgupta, who wasn't involved with the study. Cognitive behavioral therapy, for instance, can help you build good sleep habits, he said. In addition, you could have undiagnosed but treatable medical conditions, such as sleep apnea, that eat into your nightly rest, he said.
"Sleep is individualized and complex -- not everyone needs seven or eight hours of sleep every night," Dasgupta said. "The key is how you function during the day."
The report was published online recently in the journal Sleep. |
Health Behavior a move made by a man to keep up, accomplish, or recapture great well-being and to forestall ailment. Well-being conduct mirrors man well-being convictions. Some basic well-being practices are practicing frequently, eating an adjusted eating regimen, and acquiring important vaccinations.
Behavior Research defines them as behavior patterns, actions and habits that relate to health maintenance, to health restoration and to health improvement. Health behaviors it is common to distinguish health enhancing from health impairing behaviors. Health impairing behaviors have harmful effects on health or otherwise predispose individuals to disease. Such behaviors include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and high dietary fat consumption. Health behaviors also impact upon individuals quality of life, by delaying the onset of chronic disease and extending active lifespan. Smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, gaps in primary care services and low screening uptake are all significant determinants of poor health, and changing such behaviors should lead to improved health.
Related Journals of Health Behavior
Journal of Primary Healthcare, Journal of Addiction Research and Therapy, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, International Journal of Preventive Medicine, Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health. |
The Kyoto Protocol was the first serious effort to not only acknowledging a role of humans in global warming, but to also implement measures to reducing this impact. Since then, carbon emissions have been rising constantly, largely fuelled by considerable economic growth. When looking at where most changes took place between 1990 and 2015, mostly the emerging economies have contributed much to the recent increases in carbon emissions. Other parts of the world, first and foremost much of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Russia, have seen considerable declines. This is attributed to the fall of the iron curtain and a process of deindustrialisation of the most polluting industries there, that were less so down to political commitments to reducing carbon emissions than results of an economic transition. Looking at the changes rather than the total emissions – which put the industrialised world much more prominently on the map – highlights the difficulties in coming to international agreements to tackling climate change. |
From Scientific American :
By Mike Orcutt October 29, 2010
A new analysis using a standard drought index augurs that by the end of the century devastating drought conditions will take hold over much of the populated areas of the world
Lake Mead, the massive reservoir created in the late 1930s by Hoover Dam on the Arizona–Nevada border, has dropped to its lowest level ever, it was reported earlier this month. The lake has been steadily growing shallower since drought began reducing the flow of its source, the Colorado River, starting in 2000 due to below-average snowfall in the Rockies.
It is still too early to know whether the situation at Lake Mead and recent droughts throughout the U.S. Southwest are due to anthropogenic global warming, says Aiguo Dai, an atmospheric scientist in the Climate and Global Dynamics Division of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. There is not enough data to rule out natural variability as the fundamental cause. But the decade long dry spell is consistent with the predictions of models used in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) in 2007, which projected that warming of the planet would lead to long-term drying over the subtropics—the climatic regions adjacent to the tropics, ranging between about 20 and 40 degrees north and south latitude, which includes the Southwest.
It's also consistent with a new analysis, authored by Dai, which forecasts that increasing dryness over the next several decades will eventually become devastatingly severe, with long-lasting drought predicted for most of Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East, most of the Americas, Australia, and Southeast Asia.
The Entire Article
And so it goes - one more disaster after another...
Welcome to By 2100!
This Blog is designed to be a Diary of Events illustrating Global Climate Change, and where it will lead.
Commentary is encouraged, but this Blog is not intended for discussion on the Validity of Climate Change. |
Risk factors when driving.
Speeding and Driving under the influence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances.
A new study out from the National Transportation Safety Board states there is a singular and unequivocal reason for increased traffic deaths: Speed is what’s killing Americans. Remember: SPEED KILLS, so slow down and live! Speeding kills just about as many as drunk driving. Therefore by slowing down decreases your death rate dramatically.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol and any psychoactive substance or drug increases the risk of a crash that results in death or serious injuries.
- In the case of drink-driving, the risk of a road traffic crash starts at low levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and increases significantly when the driver's BAC is ≥ 0.04 g/dl.
- In the case of drug-driving, the risk of incurring a road traffic crash is increased to differing degrees depending on the psychoactive drug used. For example, the risk of a fatal crash occurring among those who have used amphetamines is about 5 times the risk of someone who hasn't.
Nonuse of motorcycle helmets, seat-belts, and child restraints
- Wearing a motorcycle helmet correctly can reduce the risk of death by almost 40% and the risk of severe injury by over 70%.
- Wearing a seat-belt reduces the risk of a fatality among front-seat passengers by 40–50% and of rear-seat passengers by between 25–75%.
- If correctly installed and used, child restraints reduce deaths among infants by approximately 70% and deaths among small children by between 54% and 80%.
Distracted driving. There are many types of distractions that can lead to impaired driving. The distraction caused by mobile phones is a growing concern for road safety.
- Drivers using mobile phones are approximately 4 times more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers not using a mobile phone. Never text and drive! Using a phone while driving slows reaction times (notably braking reaction time, but also reaction to traffic signals), and makes it difficult to keep in the correct lane, and to keep the correct following distances.
- Hands-free phones are not much safer than hand-held phone sets, and texting considerably increases the risk of a crash. If you text and drive you will have a crash and most likely major.
- Remember: FOCUS, keep 3-4 car lengths behind others while driving. Do not follow semi-trucks, road debris and truck re-treads can easily be run over by large trucks, but you will not have time to react and they could tear the front end of your car off causing you to wreck.
- Watch for cars sitting on sides streets or stores who are waiting to pull out, let off the gas and be prepared to stop suddenly.
- Keep your eyes scanning side to side and several cars in front of you, if you can see them breaking first and if there is an accident going on then you will be prepared to react and stop much quicker.
- Each day, more than 9 people are killed due to distracted driving.
- More than 1060 people are injured in crashes that involve a distracted driver.1 out of 3 people text while driving.
- You are 23 times more likely to crash while texting while driving.
- Distraction was reported as a factor in nearly 1 in 5 crashes in which someone was injured.
- 40% of all American teens say that they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger.
- Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%.
Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field blind.
Other uncontrolled variables that relate to accident and injury.
- Psychological: Upset from work,and family issues, loud music road rage, being in a hurry, not using turn signals, tailgating
- A person's age, weight, height, and general health
- Type of vehicles involved in the collision
- Weight of the passengers(babies verses obese)
- Weight of vehicles
- Condition of road(snow, Ice, beginning to rain hydroplaning)
- Difference in vehicle speeds
- Impact direction
- Impact location on the car
- Use of head restraint or not properly fitted
- Failure of seat
- Angle of seat back
- Height of seat back
- Seat belt not worn correctly, loose or not fitted right
**All these variables can contribute more injury leading to serious spinal or extremity injury that can become permanent.
Call Injury Care Chiropractic as soon as you have been in an accident no matter how minor you think it was. No one wants to be permanently disabled. The longer you wait the more likely it will become permanent.
What factors put teen drivers at risk?
- Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations. Teens are also more likely than adults to make critical decision errors that lead to serious crashes.
- Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next). The presence of male teenage passengers increases the likelihood of this risky driving behavior.
- In 2015, 48% of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight and 52% occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
- Compared with other age groups, teens have among the lowest rates of seat belt use. In 2015, only 61% of high school students reported they always wear seat belts when riding with someone else.
- At all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers.
- Among male drivers between 15 and 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2015, 32% were speeding at the time of the crash12 and 22% had been drinking.
- In 2016, 15% of drivers aged 15 to 20 involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes had a BAC of .08% or higher.
- In a national survey conducted in 2015, 20% of high school students reported that, within the previous month, they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. Among students who drove, 8% reported having driven after drinking alcohol within the same one-month period.
- In 2015, 60% of drivers aged 15 to 20 who were killed in motor vehicle crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt. |
In WW1, there have been many attempts at breakthroughs in order to evade the trench system. The battle of Somme was one of the less successful attempts at a German breakthrough. Yet, before USA managed to get to the scene of the war Germany also made a breakthrough, yet there not able to optimize this breakthrough. When the triple entente and the USA finally broke through, they managed to optimize it very well and countered Germany right back to Mons. I was wondering why was the triple entente able to take back so much more land than the Germans once they counter-attacked?
The tide turned pyschologoically at the (Second) Battle of the Marne, where the Germans reached their "high water mark" before being turned back by soldiers of the U.S. Third Division (a later "version" of this same division distinguished itself in the Iraq War). The psychological impact was comparable to the arrival of the Prussians at Waterloo. Basically, the Allied troops knew that they were "backstopped" and could fight with confidence, and the Germans knew that they were "alone."
The newly-arrived American troops represented less than a 20% addition in manpower to the Allies, but a far greater addition in overall Allied fighting strength because they were "fresh." This more than made up for their "inexperience" in trench warfare. Besides, Pershing didn't want his troops fighting in the trenches. It was the Germans who had invented ways to "cirncumvent" the trenches (e.g. with storm groups), but the German-American Pershing took that to a new level by having Americans fight "wilderness" style, on their hands and knees.
In this case "Breakthrough" is less accurate than "Breakdown". Even before the Americans arrived the Germans had far fewer men covering each mile of front than the French + British. In fact, at that point in the war the Germans only wanted a victory that would push the war into peace talks and give them a strong bargaining position. With the failure of the German's "Last gasp" offensive that hope disappeared.
The reason the Allies were able to effect such a large breakthrough is manifold, but the main reasons are lack of men and lack of food on the part of the Germans. Even before the war Germany wasn't able to produce enough food to feed all its people. When the war started and the British blockade began hunger and starvation became commonplace in Germany as well as the army. An estimated 700,000+ German civilians died as a result of the blockade. In this sense the German's final offensive actually worked against them. When the Germans began overrunning French and British trenches they found copious amounts of food and supplies, exactly the opposite of what German propaganda had been telling them. For the first time in years it became obvious to the average soldier that Germany was losing the war. Thus, when the Americans allowed the Entente to continue their offensives, German resistance crumbled.
It's also worth nothing that the Germans themselves largely blame the tank. One German officer wrote that his men, whose training and sense of duty was enough to keep them fighting against infantry, had no problems surrendering to tanks. While this is true, the larger reality of it was that Germany was simply spent at that point. They didn't have the men, they didn't have the money, and they didn't have the food to continue the war any longer. So rather than a "breakthrough" what you are seeing is the final breakdown of the German military machine across all fronts. |
Danish research shows that people with COVID-19 who are hospitalized rarely have bacterial infections. Antibiotics are therefore not needed at admission, says a researcher.
About 95% of the people hospitalized with COVID-19 are treated immediately with antibiotics. The reasons include sky-high infection biomarkers, blood test parameters that are completely skewed and X-rays seemingly indicating typical pneumonia.
However, a new Danish study shows that treating everyone with antibiotics is not necessary.
The vast majority of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Denmark only have a viral infection. Treatment with antibiotics therefore does not help them get well – and in fact can do more harm than good.
“There are many reasons to avoid using antibiotics. It is not healthy, and we want to use antibiotics as sparingly as possible globally to avoid developing antimicrobial resistance,” says a researcher behind the study, Thomas Benfield, Professor and Chief Physician, Department of Clinical Medicine, Amager and Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen.
The research results have been published in Infectious Diseases.
No one hospitalized at Hvidovre Hospital had bacterial infection
The researchers examined data from 215 people hospitalized at Hvidovre Hospital with COVID-19 pneumonia.
On admission, everyone underwent blood culture to determine whether they had bacteria in their bloodstream. The blood culture was performed in parallel with radiological examinations of the lungs and other tests.
At the same time, doctors routinely administered antibiotics to quickly eliminate any bacterial infection.
However, the results show that the doctors could have avoided using antibiotics, because none of the 215 people hospitalized had any bacterial infection when admitted.
“We conclude that all these people only had COVID-19, so we can confirm people hospitalized with COVID-19 do not need antibiotics,” says Thomas Benfield.
The discovery has meant that Hvidovre Hospital is much more aware about only administering antibiotics until the doctors confirm solely viral infection. Then antibiotics are immediately stopped.
“We accept giving these people antibiotics because they are critically ill, but as soon as the microbiology report come back negative, we stop the antibiotics instead of continuing for several weeks, which can sometimes happen,” says Thomas Benfield.
Hospital-acquired bacterial infections
Does this finding mean that people with COVID-19 never acquire bacterial infection when hospitalized? Certainly not.
Twelve of the 215 people hospitalized (5%) acquired 17 bloodstream infections.
They did not initially have bacterial infection but acquired it in the hospital.
Thomas Benfield says that inserting an intravascular catheter or a catheter elsewhere during intensive care increases the risk of hospital-acquired bacterial infection.
“Hospital-acquired infection typically occurs in intensive care units. Further, the bacteria that cause a bloodstream infection are most often known from other hospital-acquired infections, such as staphylococci and other pathogens present in people’s own gastrointestinal system,” explains Thomas Benfield.
Although 5% of the people hospitalized with COVID-19 acquired bacterial infection in the hospital, Thomas Benfield says this is not an alarmingly high number since it roughly matches what is expected for intensive care.
Antibiotics can harm people
Thomas Benfield emphasizes that doctors should not be so eager to use antibiotics for people with COVID-19 until they are sure that these people either already have bacterial infection when admitted or acquire it while hospitalized.
The whole world is trying to limit the use of antibiotics to minimize the development of antimicrobial resistance.
Overuse of antibiotics may not harm the individual person being treated, but the next person in line may be infected with, for example, antimicrobial-resistant staphylococci, which can be life-threatening if doctors cannot figure out how to destroy it.
Further, treatment with antibiotics is not healthy for the body if it can be avoided.
Antibiotics kill not only harmful bacteria but also the body’s own bacteria on the skin or in the intestines.
Destroying these beneficial bacteria means that they can no longer protect the person against infections from other bacteria and viruses.
“Antibiotics can also have side-effects, and we therefore need to reduce their use. They promote certain types of bacteria by suppressing a person’s normal bacteria. Antibiotics must be used sensibly, and this includes not giving them to people with viral infections, who do not benefit from their use,” says Thomas Benfield.
Thomas Benfield hopes he can conduct an even larger study with more patients from across Denmark. If the results confirm the findings of this small study, they will support the recommendation that people with COVID-19 should not receive antibiotics as standard practice.
“Predominance of hospital-acquired bloodstream infection in patients with Covid-19 pneumonia” has been published in Infectious Diseases. In 2018, the Novo Nordisk Foundation awarded a grant to Thomas Benfield for the project Shortened Antibiotic Treatment in Community-acquired Pneumonia: A Nationwide Danish Randomized Clinical Trial. |
The dry season in Mexico occurs from November to May and the wet season is between June and October.
The Spoken Word
Although Mexico's official language is Spanish, many indigenous languages are also spoken in the country - like Nahuatl, Yucatec Maya and Mixtec.
Mexico is home to over 112 million inhabitants.
Mexico's official national sport is charreria, which involves equestrian activities including horseback riding, roping and cattle handling. However, the most popular sport in Mexico remains football.
Although each region moves to its own style of music, the Mariachi is the most popular form of musical training in Mexico.
Every year on the 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo), Mexicans celebrate their army's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War.
en00wep.travelAdd at least one program to use the comparatorThe program has been added to the comparatorCompare up to three programs. Remove one program to add another.You already added this program to the comparatorRead more Read less |
126.96.36.199 poetry how to cite a poem in a paper and drama. like essay writing, for example. present a quotation of two or more lines essay example college from poetry as statement of purpose essay format a block quotation apr 13, 2020 · to mention a poem in the body of the paper: you can provide relevant details about the poem being quoted in your prose or in a note. home blog how to critiquing research papers cite a essay about ethnicity poem mla and apa formatting how to cite a poem in a paper quotations. in social sciences, they use apa format for citing. present a quotation persuasive essay topic of two or more lines from poetry as a block quotation work cited page mla sample 2 weeks of how to cite poem line in essay free revisions. instead, cite the poem in the context in which you write a essay about my school found it. perfect paper formatting from cover page to bibliography – free! money back guarantee. enjoy unlimited free revisions for 2 weeks after you’ve received your paper. …. if you are discussing multiple poems by the same author, make sure to also mention the title of the poem (shortened if necessary) jun 03, 2020 · this ideas for college essays libguide reflects the changes to cms paper format mla style how to cite a poem in a paper as directed whats up essay by the mla handbook, eighth how to cite a poem in a paper edition how to cite a poem: writing, and all of its connected skills, are essential to succeed in studying — especially humanities. |
Gloxinia is a genus of three species of tropical rhizomatous herbs in the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. The species are primarily found in the Andes of South America but Gloxinia perennis is also found in Central America and the West Indies, where it has probably escaped from cultivation.
Gloxinia perennis is the original (type) species of the genus and for much of its history the genus consisted of only G. perennis and a very small number of other species. However, most recent references on Gloxinia reflect the 1976 classification of Hans Wiehler, who took a broad view of the genus. A recent analysis of Gloxinia and related genera based on molecular and morphological work has determined that Wiehler's circumscription of the genus was unnatural, both phylogenetically and morphologically. The analyses demonstrated that the genera Anodiscus and Koellikeria, each with a single species, were more closely related to Gloxinia perennis than were any of the other species included in Gloxinia by Wiehler, several of which proved to be more closely related to other genera (particularly Diastema, Monopyle, and Phinaea). As a result of this work, most of the species have been transferred to other genera while Koellikeria erinoides and Anodiscus xanthophyllus have been transferred into a much more narrowly defined Gloxinia consisting of only three species, all of them characterized by having a raceme-like flowering stem. The other species have been transferred to the existing genus Monopyle, the resurrected genera Mandirola and Seemannia, and the new genera Gloxinella, Gloxiniopsis, Nomopyle, and Sphaerorrhiza. Gloxinia perennis forms fertile hybrids with species of Seemannia, which was the primary reason for uniting the two genera.
Sinningia speciosa, a popular houseplant, was originally described and introduced to cultivation as Gloxinia speciosa and is still commonly known as "gloxinia".
- Gloxinia perennis has a wide range in Central and South America. The plant is an herb with large nodding, purple, mint-scented flowers. It is sometimes known as "Canterbury Bells" (not to be confused with members of the genus Campanula, which go by the same name). It is cultivated in tropical regions and its original range is unknown.
- Gloxinia erinoides (syn. Koellikeria erinoides) occurs from Costa Rica to Bolivia. The plant is a small herb with tiny white and maroon flowers. This diminutive plant is notable for having tiny but distinctly coconut-scented flowers and is occasionally cultivated as a houseplant.
- Gloxinia xanthophylla (syn. Anodiscus xanthophyllus) occurs in Ecuador and Peru. The plant is a shrubby herb with small white flowers and is rarely encountered in cultivation. Unlike the other two species it lacks scaly rhizomes.
- Excluded species
- Gloxinia burchellii = Sphaerorrhiza burchellii
- Gloxinia dodsonii = Nomopyle dodsonii
- Gloxinia gymnostoma = Seemannia gymnostoma
- Gloxinia ichthyostoma = Mandirola ichthyostoma
- Gloxinia lindeniana = Gloxinella lindeniana
- Gloxinia nematanthodes = Seemannia nematanthodes
- Gloxinia planalta = Mandirola multiflora
- Gloxinia purpurascens = Seemannia purpurascens
- Gloxinia racemosa = Gloxiniopsis racemosa
- Gloxinia reflexa = Monopyle reflexa
- Gloxinia rupestris = Mandirola rupestris
- Gloxinia sarmentiana = Sphaerorrhiza sarmentiana
- Gloxinia speciosa = Sinningia speciosa
- Gloxinia sylvatica = Seemannia sylvatica
- Roalson, E.H., J.K. Boggan, L.E., Skog, & E.A. Zimmer. 2005. Untangling the Gloxinieae (Gesneriaceae). I. Phylogenetic patterns and generic boundaries inferred from nuclear, chloroplast, and morphological cladistic data sets. Taxon 54 (2): 389-410.
- Roalson, E.H., J.K. Boggan & L.E. Skog. 2005. Reorganization of tribal and generic boundaries in the Gloxinieae (Gesneriaceae: Gesnerioideae) and the description of a new tribe in the Gesnerioideae, Sphaerorrhizeae. Selbyana 25 (2): 225-238.
- Wiehler, H. 1976. A report on the classification of Achimenes, Eucodonia, Gloxinia, and Anetanthus (Gesneriaceae). Selbyana 1 (4): 374-404. |
Originally published 02/27/2013
More than half a century after she refused to give up her seat on an Alabama city bus, Rosa Parks has an immovable place in the U.S. Capitol — the first black woman to be honored with a statue there.President Barack Obama and congressional leaders from both parties said at an unveiling Wednesday that the depiction was fitting: Parks is shown seated, hands clasped in front of her, eyes fixed forward.“Rosa Parks’ singular act of disobedience launched a movement,” Obama said. “The tired feet of those who walked the dusty roads of Montgomery helped a nation see that to which it had once been blind.”...
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Protein haze formation in wines
Hazy wines, especially whites, are perceived as faulty by most consumers, so that securing wine stability prior to bottling is an essential step of the winemaking process. Protein instability leading to haze in wines is one of the most important instabilities that winemakers face, particularly for white, rosé and sparkling wine production.1 If not removed during winemaking, grape proteins will be found in the bottled wines in a soluble state, in which case the wine is seen as limpid. During storage and transportation these proteins can slowly denature thus becoming insoluble and aggregate with each other. As these aggregates become larger they scatter more light and we see these particles as haze (Figure 1).
||Figure 1. Clear wine at bottling (on the left) and hazy wine caused by protein aggregation (on the right)
Not all proteins found in wine are responsible for wine hazing. The unstable proteins are only those that the plant produces during ripening as a way to defend itself against pathogens. Because of these characteristics they are named pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, among which the two major sub-classes in wine are thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) and chitinases. PR proteins are globular proteins are resistant to proteases and to low pHs, and therefore they ‘survive’ the winemaking process better than other proteins. This robustness is the issue, because if they were more fragile they would precipitate during winemaking and not after bottling to cause hazes.
In recent years our knowledge about the haze forming proteins improved significantly.2 We can now understand and explain accurately the role of many wine constituents including single proteins, polysaccharides, phenolics, ionic strength, sulphur dioxide, organic acids and sulfate on grape protein aggregation.2 Another recent key finding was that the temperature plays a key role in the onset of protein aggregation, and differences in the unfolding temperature of chitinases (55 °C) and TLPs (62 °C) were detected.3 Moreover, once heated chitinases stay unfolded upon cooling (irreversible unfolding), while TLPs refold (reversible unfolding). Chitinases were also more reactive with other wine macromolecules than TLPs, formed bigger aggregates and were more prone to precipitate.4 Therefore chitinases is considered as the major player in heat-induced haze in wines, even if other experiments proved that some TLPs isoform can form haze as well.5
A general scheme showing the ‘life cycle’ of proteins in wine is summarised in Figure 2. Proteins in soluble state are found in their folded structure (Figure 2, on the left). However, this folded structure can be lost (unfolding), a step that is commonly mediated by inappropriate storage temperatures. Once the protein is in the wine in an unfolded structure, it exposes its hydrophobic binding sites and thus protein self-aggregation is induced via hydrophobic attractions with other unfolded proteins. With time, the aggregates can grow and cross-link with other aggregates until they reach a size that makes them visible to the naked eye (1 µm).
Schematic showing the unfolding and aggregation process of heat-unstable proteins in wine
[Click here to enlarge]
Nowadays the chances of finding a hazy wine in a bottle shop are quite limited. This is the result of the prevention strategy used in commercial winemaking, which for several decades has been using bentonite, a clay cation exchanger able to bind the grape proteins. Bentonite is used worldwide as it is a treatment very effective in removing the grape proteins responsible for haze formation. However, its application has several drawbacks as its use tends to tie up tank time, causes volume and quality loss and presents waste disposal challenges.1 Quality degradation and loss of wine through bentonite usage has been estimated to cost the global wine industry around US$ 1 billion per year.6 Consequently, winemakers aim to use the minimum amount of bentonite required for protein stability and would welcome the introduction of alternatives with fewer drawbacks than the current practice. This need has driven research in the field, and an overview of the main findings to date will be given in the next section.
Alternative techniques for wine protein stabilization
Given that the mechanisms of wine protein haze formation is now well defined, we are well equipped to explore targeted strategies alternative to bentonite for preventing wine haze. Two in particular have been/are being investigated with different levels of success. These are relying on: i) the use of proteolytic enzymes to degrade the grape and wine proteins; ii) and the use of novel fining agents alternative to bentonite to remove proteins.
Protein degradation using enzymes
Degrading haze-forming proteins in wine with enzymes is the most attractive option as it would minimize wine volume loss and aroma stripping. Ideally, effective enzymes would be added to grape juice or ferment without the need for later removal, similarly to common practices as pectinases and glucanases additions.7 The degradation products of grape proteins may also be utilized by yeast as nitrogen sources, potentially reducing the frequent need for nitrogen additions (as diammonium phosphate) and improving wine aroma quality.8
To date, the search for enzymes able to degrade haze-forming proteins has focused on proteases that could degrade proteins under winemaking conditions. This proved to be a particularly challenging task as the selected enzymes would need to work at low temperatures typical of winemaking, to be active at wine pH and to break down proteins (chitinases and TLPs) very resistant to proteases.
A promising new strategy was recently developed.9 It consisted of adding an enzyme tolerant to acidic pH and putting it to work on the proteins after they have unfolded, which is a time when they are much more susceptible to enzyme attack. The selected protease (named AGP), when added to clarified grape juice and combined with short-term heating (75 °C for 1 min), has shown excellent results in removing haze-causing proteins (80-90% total protein reduction) and resulted in wines that were heat stable and almost completely free from haze-forming proteins. Chemical and sensory results indicated that there were no significant changes to the main physicochemical parameters and or wine preference.9 This combination treatment of protease addition with flash pasteurization has been shown to be effective at industrial scale, and its use has recently been approved for Australian and New Zealand winemaking. Given that the cost of this approach compared favorably to bentonite treatment,9 this solution is the only potentially cost-effective and commercially-viable bentonite alternative.
Other proteases are also currently being investigated that are active at winemaking temperatures and are specific against grape haze-forming proteins. Recent investigations have focused proteases from Botrytis cinerea, as grapes infected by Botrytis were found to have significantly lower concentrations of PR-proteins than juice from healthy grapes.10,11 One particular protease from Botrytis cinerea, BcAP8, has proven to be effective against grape chitinases during juice fermentation without the need for heating.12 When BcAP8 was added to juice prior to fermentation, the resulting wines produced significantly less heat-induced protein haze than wines made without BcAP8.
|«Another enzyme that has been recently researched is stem bromelain, a proteases from pineapple that has shown some potential to reduce white wine protein haze when used both in free or immobilised form on a chitosan support.»
Another enzyme that has been recently researched is stem bromelain, a proteases from pineapple that has shown some potential to reduce white wine protein haze when used both in free or immobilised form on a chitosan support,13 even if several steps will be needed to make it a commercially viable option including the reduction of the amount of enzyme required and tests on pilot scale rather than laboratory scales.
Other potential sources of proteases that are active at wine pH include endogenous winemaking sources such as grapes, yeasts, and bacteria.14-16 Acid-tolerant yeasts and spoilage microbes are known to secrete proteases at wine pH, although the secreted protease activity is generally not sufficient to stabilize the wines.17,18 An extracellular pepsin-like aspartic acid protease of 72 kDa was characterized from a Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolate,19 one of the few isolates that secrete protease activity. The secreted yeast protease activity discovered by Younes et al.19,20 was active at wine pH during grape juice fermentation, although it did not affect grape PR-proteins until after fermentation when the wine was incubated at 38 °C for prolonged periods. The yeast strain that secretes protease activity is not currently used commercially in winemaking, although it could be used as a tool to develop new industrial wine yeast strains that secrete protease.
Very recently, the activity of an aspartic protease (MpAPr1) secreted by the wine yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima was characterised and described.21 Similarly to the proteases from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it is of interest that another wine yeast has shown the ability to secrete a proteases that was shown to have some activity against haze-forming grape proteins, however further research is being carried out to attempt to make this a viable option in the future.
Protein removal using novel fining agents
Many novel fining agents and other protein removal techniques with the potential to replace bentonite have been explored in recent years. These include carrageenan, chitin, zirconium dioxide, packed-bed cation exchangers, as well as magnetic nanoparticles.2 Obviously, being the mechanism of action of novel fining agents similar to that of bentonite, they must meet several criteria to effectively compete with bentonite. In particular, they must be cost effective, non-toxic, minimize wine losses and must not degrade wine quality, at least not more than bentonite does.
Carrageenan, a negatively-charged polysaccharides extracted from seaweeds, showed the potential to become a bentonite alternative.22 Carrageenan is a food grade polysaccharide already used for protein stabilization in the beer industry. It has been shown to be effective in stabilizing white wines at low addition rates (125-250 mg/L), using only one third or less than the bentonite concentration required.23 Carrageenan has been found to produce no deleterious sensory impacts compared to bentonite treated wines.24 While those results are promising, residual amounts of carrageenan in treated wines can potentially induce haze formation,22,23 and this is likely to restrict commercial viability. Further studies are currently being undertaken to solve the issues highlighted by previous studies and this will likely result in a product that could become commercially viable in the near future.
Another protein adsorbing polysaccharide studied is chitin. Chitin is a component of crustacean exoskeletons and, alongside its derivatives, such as chitosan, is widely used in industrial processes, including as a thickening agent for processed foods and in pharmaceuticals.25 The structure of chitin also makes it selective for binding to chitinases and in-line systems containing chitin can be effective in removing these particular PR-proteins from wine.26 Chitin could potentially have serious sensory impacts, however, by removing favourable wine components such as positive aroma compounds.27
|«The ultimate objective of novel fining agents and protein-adsorbing materials for the wine industry is to achieve wine stabilization using in-line applications with minimum wine loss and no extra processing steps.»
The ultimate objective of novel fining agents and protein-adsorbing materials for the wine industry is to achieve wine stabilization using in-line applications with minimum wine loss and no extra processing steps. Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) is a readily available protein-adsorbing material that can be regenerated and thus reused.28 ZrO2 has shown the potential to remove haze-forming proteins when tested in continuous and batch-wise application both during or post fermentation.29,30 However, despite ZrO2 showing promise and the ability to be regenerated with a simple washing procedure,31 issues with the flow rates and high dosages required currently limit its commercial viability.
A very recent study proposes the use of acrylic acid plasma-coated magnetic nanoparticles as a tool for the selective removal of haze-forming pathogenesis-related proteins from wine.32 This study looked at nine white wines and showed that this new separation method was very effective in removing both pathogenesis-related protein classes, TLPs and chitinases from white wines even when the wine contains high amount of proteins. Additionally, the treatment did not alter the phenolic composition of the wines and therefore has the potential to become a viable alternative to bentonite in the future.
The improved understanding of the mechanisms of haze formation that we now have has allowed and hopefully will continue allowing for the faster development of more targeted techniques to prevent protein hazes forming in bottled white wines.
Several solutions have been investigated, with one currently being viable commercially in some countries (flash pasteurization combined with proteases),9 and several being very promising and likely to become commercially viable in the future such as carrageenan,23 magnetic nanoparticles,32 and possible some proteases secreted from wine yeasts.21 The ideal and preferred solution would certainly be the finding of a proteolytic enzyme active at normal winemaking conditions, as this will ultimately benefit wine makers worldwide, but despite the continuous effort made by research groups is several countries, it seems very likely that it will take still some time for this solution to become reality.
1. Waters EJ. Alexander G. Muhlack R, Pocock KF, Colby C, O’Neill BK, Høj, PB, Jones P: Preventing protein haze in bottled white wine. Aust J Grape Wine Res 2005; 11 (2): 215-25.
2. Van Sluyter SC, McRae JM, Falconer RJ, Smith PA, Bacic A, Waters EJ, Marangon M: Wine protein haze: mechanisms of formation and advances in prevention. J Agric Food Chem 2015; 63 (16): 4020-30.
3. Falconer RJ, Marangon M, Van Sluyter SC, Neilson KA, Chan C, Waters EJ: Thermal stability of thaumatin-like protein, chitinase, and invertase isolated from Sauvignon blanc and Semillon juice and their role in haze formation in wine. J Agric Food Chem 2010; 58 (2): 975-80.
4. Marangon M, Van Sluyter SC, Neilson KA, Chan C, Haynes PA, Waters EJ, Falconer RJ: Roles of grape thaumatin-like protein and chitinase in white wine haze formation. J Agric Food Chem 2011; 59 (2): 733-40.
5. Marangon M, Van Sluyter SC, Waters EJ, Menz RI: Structure of Haze Forming Proteins in White Wines: Vitis vinifera Thaumatin-Like Proteins. PLoS One 2014; 9 (12): e113757.
6. Majewski P, Barbalet A, Waters EJ: $1 billion hidden cost of bentonite fining. Aust New Zeal Grapegrow Winemak 2011; No. 569: 58-62.
7. Moreno-Arribas MV, Polo MC: Winemaking Biochemistry and Microbiology: Current Knowledge and Future Trends. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2005; 45 (4): 265-86.
8. Pretorius IS: Tailoring wine yeast for the new millennium: novel approaches to the ancient art of winemaking. Yeast 2000; 16 (8): 675-729.
9. Marangon M, Van Sluyter SC, Robinson EMC, Muhlack RA, Holt HE, Haynes PA, Godden PW, Smith PA, Waters EJ: Degradation of white wine haze proteins by Aspergillopepsin I and II during juice flash pasteurization. Food Chem 2012; 135 (3): 1157-65.
10. Girbau T, Stummer BE, Pocock KF, Baldock GA, Scott ES, Waters EJ: The effect of Uncinula necator (powdery mildew) and Botrytis cinerea infection of grapes on the levels of haze-forming pathogenesis-related proteins in grape juice and wine. Aust J Grape Wine Res 2004; 10 (2): 125-33.
11. Marchal R, Warchol M, Cilindre C, Jeandet P.:Evidence for protein degradation by Botrytis cinerea and relationships with alteration of synthetic wine foaming properties. J Agric Food Chem 2006; 54 (14): 5157-65.
12. Van Sluyter SC, Warnock NI, Schmidt S, Anderson P, van Kan JAL, Bacic A, Waters EJ: Aspartic acid protease from Botrytis cinerea removes haze-forming proteins during white winemaking. J Agric Food Chem 2013; 61 (40): 9705-11.
13. Benucci I, Esti M, Liburdi K: Effect of free and immobilised stem bromelain on protein haze in white wine. Aust J Grape Wine Res 2014; 20 (3): 347-52.
14. Monteiro S, Piçarra-Pereira M, Mesquita PR, Loureiro VB, Teixeira A, Ferreira RB: The wide diversity of structurally similar wine proteins. J Agric Food Chem 2001; 49 (8): 3999-4010.
15. Manteau S, Lambert B, Jeandet P, Legendre L: Changes in Chitinase and Thaumatin-like Pathogenesis-Related Proteins of Grape Berries during the Champagne Winemaking Process. Am J Enol Vitic 2003, 4 (April): 267-72.
16. Waters EJ, Hayasaka Y, Tattersall DB, Adams KS, Williams PJ: Sequence Analysis of Grape (Vitis vinifera) Berry Chitinases That Cause Haze Formation in Wines. J Agric Food Chem 1998; 46 (12): 4950-7.
17. Dizy M, Bisson LF, Endowed MAA, Avenue OS: Proteolytic activity of yeast strains during grape juice fermentation. Am J Enol Vitic 2000; 51 (2): 155-67.
18. Strauss MLA, Jolly NP, Lambrechts MG, van Rensburg P: Screening for the production of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes by non-Saccharomyces wine yeasts. J Appl Microbiol 2001; 91 (1): 182-90.
19. Younes B, Cilindre C, Villaume S, Parmentier M, Jeandet P, Vasserot Y: Evidence for an extracellular acid proteolytic activity secreted by living cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae PlR1: impact on grape proteins. J Agric Food Chem 2011; 59 (11): 6239-46.
20. Younes B, Cilindre C, Jeandet P, Vasserot Y: Enzymatic hydrolysis of thermo-sensitive grape proteins by a yeast protease as revealed by a proteomic approach. Food Res Int 2013; 54 (1): 1298-301.
21. Theron LW, Bely M, Divol B: Characterisation of the enzymatic properties of MpAPr1, an aspartic protease secreted by the wine yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima. J Sci Food Agric 2017; 97 (11): 3584-93.
22. Cabello-Pasini A, Victoria-Cota N, Macias-Carranza V, Hernandez-Garibay E, Muñiz-Salazar R: Clarification of wines using polysaccharides extracted from seaweeds. Am J Enol Vitic 2005; 56 (1): 52-9.
23. Marangon M, Stockdale VJ, Munro P, Trethewey T, Schulkin A, Holt HE, Smith PA: Addition of carrageenan at different stages of winemaking for white wine protein stabilization. J Agric Food Chem 2013; 61 (26): 6516-24.
24. Marangon M, Lucchetta M, Duan D, Stockdale VJ, Hart A, Rogers PJ, Waters EJ: Protein removal from a Chardonnay juice by addition of carrageenan and pectin. Aust J Grape Wine Res 2012; 18 (2): 194-202.
25. Shahidi F, Arachchi JKV, Jeon Y-J: Food applications of chitin and chitosans. Trends Food Sci Technol 1999; 10 (2): 37-51.
26. Vincenzi S, Polesani M, Curioni A: Removal of specific protein components by chitin enhances protein stability in a white wine. Am J Enol Vitic 2005; 56: 246-54.
27. Spagna G, Pifferi PG, Rangoni C, Mattivi F, Nicolini G, Palmonari R: The stabilization of white wines by adsorption of phenolic compounds on chitin and chitosan. Food Res. Int 1996; 29 (3-4): 241-8.
28. Pashova V, Güell C, López F: White wine continuous protein stabilization by packed column. J Agric Food Chem 2004; 52 (6): 1558-63.
29. Marangon M, Lucchetta M, Waters EJ: Protein stabilisation of white wines using zirconium dioxide enclosed in a metallic cage. Aust J Grape Wine Res 2011; 17 (1): 28-35.
30. Lucchetta M, Pocock KF, Waters EJ, Marangon M: Use of zirconium dioxide during fermentation as an alternative to protein fining with bentonite for white wines. Am J Enol Vitic 2013; 64 (3): 400-4.
31. Marangon M, Lucchetta M, Waters EJ: Protein stabilisation of white wines using zirconium dioxide enclosed in a metallic cage. Aust J Grape Wine Res 2011; 17 (1): 28-35.
32. Mierczynska-Vasilev A, Boyer P, Vasilev K, Smith PA: A novel technology for the rapid, selective, magnetic removal of pathogenesis-related proteins from wines. Food Chem 2017; 232: 508-14. |
Approximation Algorithms Part II
- Linear Programming Duality
- This module does not study any specific combinatorial optimization problem. Instead, it introduces a central feature of linear programming, duality.
- Steiner Forest and Primal-Dual Approximation Algorithms
- This module uses linear programming duality to design an algorithm for another basic problem, the Steiner forest problem.
- Facility Location and Primal-Dual Approximation Algorithms
- This module continues teaching algorithmic applications of linear programming duality by applying it to another basic problem, the facility location problem.
- Maximum Cut and Semi-Definite Programming
- We introduce a generalization of linear programming, semi-definite programming.This module uses semi-definite programming to design an approximation algorithm for another basic problem, the maximum cut problem. |
Investigation on the Experimental Determination of Crude Oil in the Faeces from the Marine Copepod Calanus finmarchicus.
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- Institutt for kjemi
Oil spilled into the ocean is subjected to weathering processes which alter the spilled or discharged oil. Natural dispersion is a weathering process which removes oil from the sea surface by breaking the oil into droplets. The copepod Calanus finmarchicus is shown to actively filter and ingest oil droplets from water, and it is believed that active grazing by zooplankton may result in significant transport of oil to the bentic environment in faecal pellets. It is hypothesised that these ingested oil droplets could be biodegraded more rapidly than oil droplets which remain in the seawater column. The main aim of this study was to establish a suitable method to determine the amount of crude oil in C. finmarchicus faeces. Several experiments were performed in order to achieve this. Uncontaminated C. finmarchisus faeces were spiked with a known amount of Troll oil to evaluate if ‘Alkaline saponification in reaction vials’ is a suitable extraction method for crude oil in faeces. Following this extraction, two different clean-up methods were tested: 1) silica and alumina clean-up in pasteur pipettes, and 2) SPE clean-up (silica). Alkaline saponification with SPE clean-up was deemed the better of the two clean-up methods, and was therefore used in the main experiments. This method reclaimed approximately 40-50% of the crude oil (70% for the ‘low oil’ sample) analysed on GC-FID, and had a higher and more stable recovery of the internal standards used (67-85%). However, this clean-up procedure was characterized by a high ‘blank’ sample, indicating that contamination was introduced to the samples. After the extraction and clean-up method was established, an experimental set-up for the main experiments was determined. This set-up consisted of a flow through system made up of 6 x 20 L glass tanks, each contained 400 stage five C. finmarchicus. The copepods were given a diet of the micro algae Rhonomodas baltica. The oil dispersion was generated by a dispersion generator developed at NTNU and SINTEF Sealab which generate oil dispersions with defined droplet size distribution. The estimated amount of crude oil in C. finmarchicus faeces exposed to 1ppm Troll crude oil was also determined. It was decided, based on the low amount of oil estimated, to collect faeces from the individual exposure tanks once every day, and to combine the collected faeces from three days into composite samples. Two experiments (experiment 1 and 2) were performed using this set-up. During experiment 1, the C. finmarchicus started egg production. Observations made during the development of the extraction and clean-up method indicate that C. finmarchicus in the egg laying phase has reduced faeces production. This may strongly affect the amount of oil detected from the faeces. The experiment was therefore repeated (experiment 2), with care being taken to avoid egg laying animals. The samples in this experiment were analysed on GC-FID to determine the total hydrocarbon concentration (THC). Oil was not detected in any of the samples at concentrations above the blank levels (6.5±0.7 µg/mg dry weight). The samples were also analysed on GC-MS SIM for selected aromatic compounds, however, no compound was detected above the blank levels. The high concentrations detected in the ‘blank’ samples are believed to have been introduced by the use of the commercial SPE columns during the clean-up step. Other possible sources of contamination are the filter papers used, or cross-contamination from the other samples and from the laboratory in general. This high ‘blank’ sample makes it clear that more work is needed in order to develop a suitable clean-up method for the determination of crude oil in C. finmarchicus faeces. |
Definition - What does Living Benefits mean?
Living benefits refer to the cash benefits available to the insured after they have paid premiums over a specific period. The cash values and the endowment proceeds of a permanent life insurance policy are considered living benefits since they are made available to the insured while they are alive.
Insuranceopedia explains Living Benefits
With the introduction of variable policies, which are basically investment packages with term insurance, the use of the phrase "living benefits" became popular due to the uncertainty of the gains in the investment market. Thus, living benefits riders were added to the variable package to provide guaranteed cash after a certain period that the policy is being paid. The cash available from a living benefit rider is aimed to cushion the impact of old age and the accompanying long-term care.
How Well Do You Know Your Life Insurance?
The more you know about life insurance, the better prepared you are to find the best coverage for you.
Whether you're just starting to look into life insurance coverage or you've carried a policy for years, there's always something to learn. |
The Ku Klux Klan is a white supremacist organization that was started in 1866 in Pulaski, Tennessee (Bessette & Pitney 212). The organization was started by five Confederate Civil War soldiers. According to the organizations manifesto, the KKK objectives were; to protect the weak and the defenseless from the wrongs of lawlessness, to protect and defend the constitution of the United States and to assist in the execution of all the constitutional laws (Bessette & Pitney 212). However, the organization was created to address the fears of the southern whites after the civil war. These were fears emanating from the rapid social and economic changes that occurred after the civil war in the southern states.
Contrary to the stated objectives, the KKK was renowned for terror directed at the freed colored people, the whites who supported them and Republican state government. The clan was most active in rural areas where it operated with little or no central command. It drew its membership from local land holders and professional elites. In 1867, the KKK held its first convention at Nashville where it elected Bedford Forrest, a former Confederate General, as the Imperial Wizard. In 1870, Congress passed four laws against KKK (Finkelman 687). It opened investigations into the activities of the movement and called Bedford and others to testify. Bedford distanced himself from the organization. Soon the organization fizzled out in the early 1870s
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The second KKK was started in 1915 by Joseph Simmons. It grew to become the largest in history with membership of between four and five million by 1925. This clan was opposed to minority groups such as Jews, Catholics and African-Americans. They were also opposed to unionization. Its membership decreased in the late twenties and it died out. The third clan started soon after the Second World War. It was opposed to civil rights for the colored people and other minorities. The Klan activities decreased significantly in the 1950s after the passage of antimask laws and gathering up of members in North Carolina in 1952. In the1960s, the Klan experienced renewed activity in response to the passage of civil laws in response to civil rights movement.
Afterwards the Klan’s became increasingly fragmented. One of the most controversial Klansmen is David Duke, the leader of the Knights of the KKK who won a Louisiana congressional seat in 1989 (Chapman 614). The Klan has remained divided into smaller organizations which practice the original Klan rituals dating back to the 1860s. Other more confrontational groups adopt neo-Nazi symbols and ideology. Currently, Ku Klux is just one organization among many that are fighting for white supremacy.
Free Essay Sample «Ku Klux Klan Dragons» |
This Demonstration plots the contour lines of the dimensionless velocity of a fully developed laminar flow between two eccentric tubes. The dimensionless radius of the outer tube is 1. Using the sliders, you can specify the inner tube radius, eccentricity, the number of collocation points on the other radius, and the number of terms in the series solution.
Annular tubes are frequently used in double-pipe heat exchangers. The position of the internal tube has a big influence on the friction coefficient and heat transfer. White (1974) reported results about the annular channel developed by Piercy, Hooper and Winny (1933) on the basis of harmonic functions and conformal transformations. Sparrow, Loeffler, and Hubbard (1961) explored a hybrid method based on separation of variables and numerical collocation of one of the boundary conditions. This Demonstration explores similar methods to plot the velocity field of a fully developed laminar flow between two eccentric tubes.
N. A. V. Piercy, M. S. Hooper, and H. F. Winny, "Viscous Flow through Pipes with Cores," Phil. Mag., Series 7, 15, 1933 pp. 647-676.
E. M. Sparrow, A. L. Loeffler, and H. A. Hubbard, "Heat Transfer to Longitudinal Laminar Flow between Cylinders," J. Heat Transfer, 83, 1961 pp. 415-422.
F. M. White, Viscous Fluid Flow, New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1974. |
Authors: Hackett, RA; Karbowski, HM; Peters, S; Monfils, AK;
Citation: Hackett RA, Monfils MJ, Monfils AK (2016) Evaluating a sampling protocol for assessing plant diversity in prairie fens. Wetland Ecology and Management 24:609–622. doi: 10.1007/s11273-016-9491-1
Locality: Park Lyndon Fen (42.385050, -84.064020)
Prairie fen complex on state and county land. Several small lakes and a man-made channel runs through it. The main complex is mostly sedge meadow and peat mounded seep. There is some encroachment by shrubs, trees, and a few invasives (Phragmites, Phalaris arundinacea, Rosa multiflora, Typha angustifolia, T. x glauca). There are also large colonies of Typha latifolia intermittant. Prairie fen dominated by Carex, Poaceae, and Asteraceae such as C. sterilis, C. bumbauxii, C. stricta, Solidago ohioensis, S. rugosa, S. uliginosa, S. altissima, Sorghastrum nutans, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Bromus ciliatus. Other prominent species include Dasiphora fruticosa, Toxicodendron vernix, Valeriana uliginosa, Apocynum cannabinum, and Thelypteris palustris. Some past management of woody cutting, invasive spraying, and burns. Evidense of recent burn in western patches. Owned by State, Washtenaw County, and a private owner.For more information about the Prairie Fen Research Collaborative, visit https://www.researchgate.net/project/Prairie-Fen-Research-Collaborative
Notes: Direct questions about data and data usage to Anna K Monfils ([email protected]).
Total Taxa (details): 144 |
As we wind down the school year my students and I have been talking a lot about the past and what we have learned during grade one. Their answers are varied and day to day they come up with something new. There are a few who hold steadfast to the most important thing they’ve learned in grade one. One student is committed to his dream of becoming a builder and keeps telling me “math is the most important thing I’ve learned. I need to know how to measure.” A second student, quiet yet very reflective shared with me that she really learned that she needed to focus on her work. “That way you always know what is going on.” The most common comment is what they appreciate or are thankful for in grade one.
One thing that has really struck me is observing the impact of acknowledging and showing our appreciation for the help and support we get from others whether from home or at school. Since the beginning of the year students have been “filling each others buckets” and recently shared with the class how much they appreciate them or what they are thankful for in their day. It touches me to witness them sharing what matters most: positive relationships showing connection, appreciation and respect. Their demonstration of citizenship in their various ways warms my heart and fills my bucket every day.
Tamara (@TDKoach) is an elementary teacher and lifelong learner passionate about creativity and inquiry. Also a nature lover and coach inspired to help others. |
Matter-Antimatter asymmetry of the universe
Observations tell us that there is no antimatter in our universe. However, if we believe the Standard Model, we expect that there should have been equal amounts of matter and antimatter at the beginning. What happened to the antimatter? How did it disappear? When did it disappear? In order to answer these questions we need to go beyond the Standard Model.
In order to produce a matter–antimatter asymmetry in the early universe, a particle physics model has to satisfy the following Sakharov Conditions: 1- Baryon number cannot be a conserved quantity. 2- Charge and Charge-Parity symmetries must be violated. 3- There must be processes that fall out of thermal equilibrium. (The Standard Model does not satisfy conditions 2&3.)
In a 2016 paper I proposed a new mechanism that could generate this asymmetry. This was a supersymmetric model in which the supersymmetric partner of the photon, bino, is a pseudo-Dirac fermion. This particle can turn into its antiparticle and vice versa. (These processes are called particle-antiparticle oscillations.) However, these oscillations are not symmetric. It is easier for a particle to turn into an antiparticle than the opposite. This asymmetry in the oscillations can create a matter-antimatter asymmetry after the binos decay into Standard Model particles.
My 2019 paper, published in PRL, proposes another novel way to address this question. Here we explore the possibility of changing the strong interactions in the early universe. New particles that interact with the gluon field can change the strength of the strong interactions in the early universe. We propose a scenario where the quarks and gluons confine into protons and neutrons (hadronic phase) at a temperature of ~TeV, much higher than what is expected in the Standard Model (~GeV). In such a universe, this confinement transition is a 1st order phase transition and proceeds via ‘bubble nucleation’. Bubbles of the hadronic phase start forming within the quark-gluon plasma phase. These bubble grow and merge with each other and eventually fill out the whole universe. Bubble nucleation can happen out of thermal equilibrium, satisfying one of the Sakharov conditions. There can also be large CP violation in the strong sector, via the axion. Finally, baryon number is violated via weak interactions at these high temperatures. Hence the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry is produced during the phase transition.
About 25% of our universe is made up of ‘dark matter’. It is called ‘matter’ because it interacts gravitationally with other massive particles and ‘dark’ because it does not emit any radiation we can detect. There are numerous ways we know dark matter exists. The first hints of dark matter came from galactic rotation curves, observed by Vera Rubin. Most of the visible matter in a galaxy is concentrated at the center. From Newtonian mechanics, we expect that as one gets away from the center, the rotational velocity of stars to get smaller. However this is not what is observed! Stars have the same (sometimes higher) velocity regardless of their distance from a galactic center. This means there is some extra gravitation force helping the stars go faster. This extra force can be explained with the existence of dark matter, distributed around a galaxy. Other experimental hints of dark matter include the Cosmic Microwave Background and the bullet cluster.
Although we know dark matter exists, we don’t know what it is or if it interacts with the Standard Model particles in any way other than gravitationally. There are many types of experiments searching for dark matter scattering off of atoms, or dark matter particles annihilating to produce radiation. (LHC is also searching for dark matter production at particle colliders.) One hint of such annihilations come from Fermi LAT, a telescope that sees gamma rays. There is some extra gamma rays coming from our galactic center, more than what is expected in astrophysics. It has been claimed that these photons are produced by dark matter annihilation to Standard Model particles. In 2014, my collaborators and I published a paper describing the minimal ingredients of a model that would produce this signal. We showed that there are many other signals we expect to besides the gamma rays and showed the constraints from non-observation of these signals.
In another 2014 paper we explored the possibility of dark matter interactions with neutrinos. We showed how these interactions can change the structure formation in the universe. There are small density perturbations in our universe, resulting in points of overdensities that can attract other masses due to gravity. However it is hard to compress Standard Model particles too much due to photon pressure. Hence, the Standard Model particles in the early universe go under a pull-push motion, producing “baryon acoustic oscillations”. If dark matter does not have any interactions with the Standard Model, it does not feel the photon pressure, only the gravitational pull. However, if the dark matter interacts with neutrinos, it also goes under these oscillations. This results in washing out small structure in the universe. Meaning, we expect a scale below which there are no galaxies. Our work assumed a cutoff scale of billion solar masses for the smallest galaxies. These interactions with the dark matter are also expected to change the spectrum of neutrinos coming from supernovae as they travel to Earth. A great opportunity to test this model would be when Eta Carinae goes supernova, which is expected to happen in a decade (or 10 million years)!
Neutrinos are very interesting particles. They are expected to be massless in the Standard Model because they do not interact directly with the Higgs field in contrast to, for example, electrons. It was quite a shock in the particle physics community when they were shown to have small but non-zero mass. (2015 Nobel Physics Prize was awarded for this discovery.) Explaining why neutrinos are massive requires beyond the Standard Model physics. Often physicists introduce new particles called right-handed neutrinos in order to couple the neutrinos to the Higgs field. However, we haven’t detected these new particles yet.
In a 2016 PRL paper my collaborator Pilar Coloma and I showed that in certain supersymmetric models, the supersymmetric particle bino can be responsible for generating neutrino masses. This model also requires a gravitino particle (supersymmetric partner of graviton) which has a mass about 10 keV and it could be the dark matter! In a recent paper we looked at the constraints coming from the LHC on our model. In minimal supersymmetric models the lightest supersymmetric particle is stable. However, in our model it decays to neutrinos and other Standard Model particles. This predicts very interesting signatures at the LHC. We recast current searches for final states with 4-6 jets and missing energy as well as final states with leptons and jets in order to constrain the parameters of our model. We show that, unlike in minimal supersymmetric models, squarks can be as light as 350 GeV in this model. |
A Solid Etalon Filter (SEF) is used to select a periodically spaced frequency grid from a broad spectral range. The key specifications of these filters are Free Spectral Range (FSR), and Finesse. The FSR of a SEF is equal to the spacing between the transmittance peak frequencies. The finesse is said to describe the sharpness of the transmittance peaks and is equal to the FSR divided by the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the transmittance peak frequencies.
The SEF is a version of a simple etalon, Mirror|Spacer|Mirror, in which thin film dielectrics are used as the mirrors and a solid glass substrate is used as the spacer. Iridian’s SEFs are made up of two plane parallel reflecting surfaces, side A & B, separated by a quartz substrate with thickness “d”.
The SEF is specified/quantified primarily by two parameters: Free Spectral Range (FSR) & Finesse.
The Free Spectral Range (FSR) is the separation between two adjacent peak frequencies fi and fi+1:
FSR = fi – fi+1
Neglecting the effect of dispersion in the quartz spacer, the FSR can be predicted by the following equation:
FSR = c/( 2·n·d·cos(Ø) )
where c is the speed of light, n is the refractive index of the spacer, d is the quartz substrate thickness, and Ø is the angle of incidence. For Ø=0 and constant refractive index, the FSR of a SEF is inversely proportional to the spacer thickness:
FSR ~ d-1
Then small changes in FSR can be related to small changes in spacer thickness:
D(FSR)/FSR = -D(d)/d
The finesse (F) characterizes the sharpness of the peak frequencies of a SEF:
F=FSR/(-3 dB BW)
where -3 dB BW is the bandwidth at –3.0 dB (or the full width at half maximum) of the peak frequencies.
The finesse is also a function of the reflectance, R, of the reflecting surfaces A & B:
F = pR1/2/(1-R) |
Clean energy technologies, such as wind power, could be the "pillars of a sustainable energy system," but only if they can "perform at a level and at a cost that society deems acceptable," suggests a recent report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). But although the private sector is expected to drive forward development, "market forces alone will not guarantee success," it warns. "Deployment policy and programs are critical for the rapid development of cleaner, more sustainable energy technologies and markets. Government has a key role to play in sending clear signals to the market about the public good outcome it wishes to achieve." The report, Creating Markets for Energy Technologies, highlights 22 government support programs (representing a total investment of more than EUR 20 billion) which have been successful in creating and encouraging growth in clean energy technology markets. These include Germany's 250 MW wind program, which kicked off in 1989 and which the report describes as a "highly successful" example for others to follow. Governments that have yet to establish support programs are encouraged to do so, but investment should be directed to niche markets in a bid to improve technology cost and performance, the report says. Moreover, barriers to market development that are based on instances of market failure should be removed. "In the end, it is the combined effect of technology potential and customer acceptance that makes an impact on the market and, hence, on energy systems. Developing a deeper understanding of both, including how they are influenced by the actions of government, is an essential ingredient of effective deployment policy," the report adds.
Windpower Monthly Events
Senior Renewable Energy Analyst (WindGEMINI Product Lead) DNV GL Bristol (City Centre), City of Bristol |
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Books: Broadway & How It Explains The Rise Of NYC
Broadway: A History of New York City in Thirteen Miles
By Fran Leadon
W.W. Norton and Company, hardcover, $35.00
Broadway is possibly the most iconic street in the world. Nineteenth-century journalist Junius Henri Browne spoke for many when he wrote, "Broadway represents the national life."
Its thirteen miles tell the history of New York, as it evolved from a seventeenth-century cow path into its twentieth-century incarnation, the "Great White Way."
Architect and author Fran Leadon gives a mile-by-mile grand tour of New York's most storied street in the book Broadway: A History of New York City in Thirteen Miles. Leadon reveals the street's deep connections to the history of the city and the nation, and brings back to vivid life a colorful cast of Broadway heroes and villains who helped invent American popular culture.
Dutch colonists established the Brede Wegh, Dutch for Broad Way, some time between 1625 and 1640. Originally around a half a mile in length, Broadway gradually expanded to the north to become the city's primary artery and engine of its economy.
Leadon looks at the massive fires, dramatic booms and busts, immigration, class and race conflicts, architecture, and street culture that combines to shape the Broadway we know today.
There are also stories about many legendary New York landmarks, such as Union Square, the Flatiron Building, Lincoln Center, Columbia University, Trinity Church, and classic department stores Lord & Taylor, Stewart's, and Constable's.
Leadon introduces readers to the creators of Broadway who also altered American culture, starting with Alexander Hamilton, whose retreat, the Grange, was located in the then-rural north of the city and whose final resting place can be seen from Broadway in the graveyard of Trinity Church. There's also P.T. Barnum, whose American Museum was on Broadway; Edgar Allen Poe, who edited the ill-fated Broadway Journal and wrote his immortal "The Raven" at a farmhouse off Broadway; George M. Cohan, a song-and-dance man turned producer who added countless classics to the American songbook, including "Over There," "You're a Grand Old Flag," and Give My Regards to Broadway," but he also helped cement the legend and mystique of the "Great White Way" in the American imagination; and John James Audubon, who hated cities but lived in isolated splendor in what is today Washington Heights.
Leadon also looks at lesser-known, but no less important or colorful characters, including William Poole, a brutal nativist and prizefighter; Henry Brevoort, a farmer who supposedly caused Broadway to "bend" at Tenth Street; and Charles Francis Brush, who beat Thomas Edison in the competition to light up Broadway with electricity for the first time.
Walt Whitman, whose Leaves of Grass was influenced by Broadway's raucous noise and traffic, wrote, "Broadway will never fail in riches, arts, men, women, histories, stately shows, morals, warnings, wrecks, triumphs - the profoundest indices of mortality and immortality."
In Broadway, Leadon creates a multilayered narrative of how modern cities develop and evolve, making this an insightful new resource for the expert and a treat for any reader curious about the true stories behind the legend of Broadway.
A chat with Fran Leadon:
1. You previously co-wrote the fifth edition of the AIA Guide to New York City. How did your love of architecture influence the way you approached writing about the history of Broadway?
Leadon: Actually, it started as a book about architecture but evolved into so much more, because I got interested in the stories of all the remarkable people who lived and worked there.
2. Why did you decide to focus your book on this one remarkable street?
The AIA Guide was about every street in the city, so I thought it'd be interesting to focus on just one. Broadway was the obvious choice.
3. Who were some of the key figures, and what are some of the early events and landmarks, that helped shape Broadway and make it what it is today?
Broadway figures prominently in the careers of so many people, and in so many key events in American history, it's hard to pick, but let's start with P.T. Barnum, Alexander Hamilton, Edgar Allan Poe, Emma Goldman, Edith Wharton, John Jacob Astor, John James Audubon, Babe Ruth, and Walt Whitman; the Revolutionary War and Civil War, the invention of the ticker-tape parade, and growth of popular culture in theater, music, dance, art, and architecture, and the first home of the New York Yankees. And there are more important landmarks along Broadway than any other street in America: The Flatiron Building, the Ansonia Hotel, Trinity Church, St. Paul's Chapel, Columbia University, the Woolworth Buildingn, Times Square, Herald Square, and Union Square, to name just a few.
4. Union Square interrupts Broadway's path for three blocks, and has a rich, often forgotten history as a place of protests and rallies. What is it about this park that made it a stage for protest?
In the mid-nineteenth century Union Square was still in the center of town, and so it was a convenient place to hold large-scale rallies, including the epic 1861 "Great Union Meeting" that cemented the North's unity against secession at the beginning of the Civil War. It was redesigned in the 1870s the accommodate larger crowds, and by the 1880s was used on a daily basis as a gathering place for labor organizers. Then came rallies and protests involving Socialists, anarchists, suffragettes, and, by the 1930s, Communists. Only occasionally is Union Square used for that purpose today.
5. Why doesn't Broadway follow the straight paths of other New York City avenues?
Broadway predates the avenues, which were all laid out in the nineteenth century as part of the 1811 Commissioners Plan. Broadway is much older, and the section that cuts at an angle across the avenues was originally part of the Bloomingdale Road, first laid out in 1703, which was a rural highway and didn't follow a straight line.
6. Why has Broadway become synonymous with theater?
The first true theater district in the city grew up around City Hall Park. Gradually, it expanded north along Broadway as the city grew to the north, ultimately reaching Columbus Circle. But Times Square had the most theaters, most of them the product of an unprecedented building boom precipitated by the opening of the subway in 1904.
7. But why did Broadway attract so many theaters? Why not Fifth Avenue or another thoroughfare?
For years the Bowery vied with Broadway as the city's main street for theater. But Broadway attracted the big hotels and restaurants necessary to support more and more theaters, while the shorter Bowery gradually faded from the scene.
8. You write about how the west side of the street was once the fashionable "dollar side" and the east the cheaper, less desirable "shilling side." Is this cultural divide still present today?
That distinction disappeared as the street gradually expanded to the north, although a version reappeared fifty or so years ago in Washington Heights, when Broadway became a dividing line between the predominantly Dominican neighborhood east of the street and the neighborhood to the west, which was wealthier and had a higher concentration of Jewish residents. |
Christmas often brings with it the temptation to over-indulge. Last year’s New Year resolutions were abandoned some time around the beginning of February and the urge to splurge – on food, presents and decorations – takes over as the run-up to Christmas intensifies.
This is probably particularly true when there are children around – nobody wants to be a Grinch, and no one wants the kids to be disappointed on Christmas morning. So we spend more money on more things – and since nobody has an unlimited budget, there is often the temptation to economise by buying cheaper products that may not come from particularly reputable sources.
This is perhaps most likely to be the case with Christmas lights and other decorations – it makes sense that items which are seen as temporary and ephemeral, to be packed back into their boxes and shoved back into the attic or garage for another 12 months and forgotten about, should be the ones we are most likely to cut corners with.
But the unfortunate fact is that these are precisely the kinds of product that can cause significant consumer harm.
According to the National Accident Helpline, more than one in 40 people have received an electric shock from badly wired Christmas lights, while according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), people are 50% more likely to die in a house fire than at any other time of year and around 350 people per year are injured by Christmas tree decorations.
Christmas lights and decorations can also pose particular dangers to children. Despite the fact that they can often look like toys, Christmas decorations are not classified as such and therefore do not adhere to the same safety standards. This means they can have small detachable parts that pose a choking hazard to young children, who are unlikely to see any difference between a Santa toy and a Santa tree decoration.
Similarly, some novelty decorations are powered by button batteries – small coin-sized cells that pose a particular hazard to small children.
The intention of highlighting the potential dangers of Christmas isn’t to spread fear or doom and gloom; rather, it is to bring to attention the simple, straightforward tips that we can all follow to make sure this Christmas is memorable for all the right reasons.
- Ensure you children’s gifts are categorised as toys rather than novelty decorations, and therefore adhere to the relevant safety standards.
- Make sure that items which are classified as decorations are kept out of reach of young children
- Be aware of small items that could pose a choking hazard to young children, particularly button batteries
- Keep decorations away from fires and other heat sources, and never leave burning candles unattended
- Always check Christmas lights that have been stored away from the previous year are not damaged or broken
- If you need any replacement bulbs, make sure they are of the same type and rating as those originally supplied with the lights
- Never put lights outdoors unless they have been specifically designed for such use
- Make sure that smoke alarms in your home have been tested and the batteries are working
Check out our 2019 Advent Calendar for more tips on how to have a safe Christmas and for more information on how trading standards continues to keep an eye out for consumer safety over the festive period. |
Yogurt for Fresh BreathFebruary 7, 2009 Written by JP [Font too small?]
Let’s be honest. Having bad breath stinks. It’s makes everyone uncomfortable. The person with bad breath suffers. The people who are exposed to the bad breath suffer. It’s just an annoying problem that leads to feelings of self consciousness for everyone involved.
We all know that taking good care of our teeth and gums can help control halitosis (chronic bad breath). Some of us even try additional means of beating this nuisance, such as brushing our tongues or using special mouthwashes, mints and chewing gum. All of those techniques can be helpful. But there’s also a common food that we can include in our diets that just may help solve our bad breath blues and improve overall oral health as well. That food is yogurt.
Good Bacteria vs. Bad Bacteria
A study was presented at the International Association of Dental Research that examined the role that “live yogurt” could play on the presence of halitosis. Live yogurt refers to yogurt that contains live cultures. These are the healthy bacteria that provide many of the health benefits associated with yogurt consumption.
In this particular study, a group of 24 healthy individuals were asked to avoid eating any cultured foods for two weeks prior to the study. Foods such as natural cheese, kefir, pickled vegetables, sour cream and, of course, yogurt were to be avoided.
After the two weeks, researchers took samples of the volunteers’ saliva and from their “tongue coating”. They measured the bacterial quantities and the levels of volatile substances like hydrogen sulfide (which is a major player in the game of bad breath).
For a period of 6 weeks, the 24 participants ate about 3 ounces of unsweetened yogurt, two times a day. At the end of the 6 week trial, the researchers again tested for bacterial counts and took samples of the tongue coating. Here’s what they discovered:
- There was approximately an 80% decrease in hydrogen sulfide and other odor promoting compounds in the mouths of the yogurt eaters.
- There was also an improvement in symptoms of gum disease and a reduction in the amount of plaque.
This research is supported by another study that was published in February of 2009. But, there may be another reason for the breath-improving effect of live yogurt. In the past, it’s been noted that yogurt may improve our breath by supporting healthier digestion. Poor digestion is a lesser known factor in halitosis. So it could very well be that yogurt impacts halitosis in a multi-faceted way.
But Wait, There’s More!
In the above information, it appears that the probiotic (healthy bacteria) content of yogurt is largely responsible for the benefits. But there’s more to yogurt than just probiotics. For instance, yogurt also contains a group of proteins called Casein Phosphopeptides (CPPs). According to a group of Italian researchers, “CPPs contained in yogurt have an inhibitory effect on demineralization and promote remineralization of dental enamel.” In other words, yogurt may help to make teeth stronger! How cool is that?!
In the breath study, the live yogurt used contained two specific strains of healthy bacteria: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilis. I have a container of organic, whole milk yogurt in my refrigerator. It contains both of these strains and others as well. If you are interested in trying to use yogurt to improve your breath, make sure the brand you choose contains these two helpers, is sugar-free and clearly states that it contains “live cultures” (living, healthy bacteria).
Tags: Dental Health, Yogurt
Posted in Dental Health |
- Subject index
Beyond Individual and Group Differences: Human Individuality, Scientific Psychology, and William Stern's Critical Personalism examines the history of psychology’s effort to come to terms with human individuality, from the time of Wundt to present day. With a primary emphasis on the contributions of German psychologist William Stern, this book generates a wider appreciation for Stern’s perspective on human individuality and for the proper place of personalitic thinking within scientific psychology. The author presents an alternative approach to the logical positivism that permeates traditional psychological thought and methodology making this an innovative, ground-breaking work. Beyond Individual and Group Differences is a dynamic book for academics and scholars in the areas of personality psychology, individual differences, and the history of psychology.
Chapter Five: The Emergence of a “Neo-Galtonian” Framework for Psychological Research: A Historical Sketch
The Emergence of a “Neo-Galtonian” Framework for Psychological Research: A Historical Sketch
The role that statistical thinking came to play throughout scientific psychology was of surpassing importance as an undercurrent of the historical developments traced thus far. Stern himself originally welcomed the introduction of statistical methods into the discipline, seeing in them a viable means of broadening psychology's investigative horizons as they appeared early in the 20th century. He also insisted throughout his career, however, that the value of statistical methods vis-à-vis the “problem of individuality” was limited, and he repeatedly warned against overreliance on those methods to the exclusion of other approaches. Of course, Allport was in full agreement with Stern on this ... |
Chrissi Kelly, 56, lost her sense of smell in 2012, a condition called anosmia. She is a charity worker who has two grown-up children and lives with her husband Thomas, near Winchester in Hampshire
‘Losing my sense of smell was shocking. I woke up one mid-summer morning and it had gone: I could not smell a single thing. I rushed around my bathroom opening every bottle – from shampoo to loo cleaner – trying to detect something.
My GP blamed it on a head cold I had. He told me it was common, there was no cure and advised, ‘Learn to live with it’, adding, ‘Isn’t it lucky you didn’t lose your sight?’
I’ve since learnt that this sums up the approach of most doctors – little is understood about anosmia. We do know, however, that losing your sense of smell can be a precursor to neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease; but these were not considered in my case as I was young and had that stinking head cold, which my GP still believes accounted for my sensory loss.
Not having any sense of smell was just awful. I couldn’t make sense of the world without smells in it. That may sound odd or dramatic but others tell of similar feelings. We don’t realise how essential our sense of smell is until it is gone.
For me, it felt like living in a world without gravity – I was floating above it, and isolated from others who were able to use all their senses to experience life. I was denied the joy of smelling freshly cooked food, and stopped wanting to go out. Worse still, I couldn’t make out my children’s unique natural scents.
Taste and smell are linked: together, they create the sensation of flavour. So I could still taste if something was sweet, salty or bitter, for example, but couldn’t experience a combined flavour.
Initially I thought it might return at any point, but after six months, I became depressed. When your brain doesn’t get any olfactory stimulus, it seems to have a numbing effect – similar to the low moods caused by Seasonal Affective Disorder (when the brain doesn’t get enough stimulation from light).
I saw an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist who warned I was probably suffering nerve damage in my nose. He gave me steroids to reduce inflammation but they made no difference.
The following year I was fortunately referred to an ENT consultant called Carl Philpott, an expert in anosmia, and after six months following his programme of sinus rinses and medication for rhinitis, I was able at last to detect a few faint smells. He suggested I try something new called smell training.
Every day, I had to sniff four tiny bottles that contained strong essential oils, as often as I could. It is not known exactly how or why, but scientists believe doing this may help to build new neural pathways, using the brain’s natural plasticity. You have to be mindful to make the practice work; I learned to concentrate on the smell and think what it is called, and how I would describe it.
Then, from Fifth Sense, a charity dedicated to anosmia, I learned about a perfumer’s course in London, called Design with Scents, which I went on last summer (subs 2014) . Spending all day every day sniffing seemed to stimulate my brain, and by the end of the week, I was able to recognise different constituent parts in fragrances. At a wine tasting on the last day, the white wine smelled and tasted real to me. It was a lightbulb moment.
But identifying perfume ingredients wasn’t enough. I wanted to regain the smell of earth, dogs coming in the house, even gas escaping from the stove; I wanted to be reacquainted with all the smells in the world.
I realised I needed to build a scent library. Research online led to me finding a set of scents used by the drinks industry to help wine “noses” detect specific flavours, so I sent off for it. Gradually, through repeated exposure, I began to detect a couple of the fouler sulphur-based smells, like rotten egg, cauliflower and garlic.
My sense of taste seems to be gradually improving, too, but I have found my preferences have changed. I like white fish now more than I did, and I think that is partly due to its texture, which I appreciate more.
I now work on eight smells at a time, stored on cotton pads in small 30mg jars. I use essential oils from the pharmacy, and spices from the kitchen cabinet. After 18 months’ training, my world is starting to have a familiar smell again.
One fear was whether I could recover that jolt of recognition some smells bring. Happily, I was wrong; late last year, I smelled a pungent foot cream and realised it reminded me of caring for my elderly father. It was not a pleasant smell, but I was grateful nonetheless.’
What is anosmia?
* Anosmia is the loss of the sense of smell, either total or partial; it is believed 6,000 Britons suffer from birth, but about 600,000 are affected by adult-onset anosmia, and according to the NHS, it gets more common after 50
* The causes range from head trauma, nasal/sinus disease, upper respiratory viral infections, and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Diseases. In 25% of cases, the cause is unknown
* Famous sufferers include singer Michael Hutchence, William Wordsworth and actor Bill Pullman, although it seems to affect women and men equally
* Loss of smell does not destroy your sense of taste entirely. Anosmics can make out individual tastes like sweet or sour, but the brain can’t process those tastes into a full flavour without the input from the sense of smell
* There are five specialist clinics around the UK to which you can be referred: James Paget University Hospital, Great Yarmouth; Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford; Freeman Hospital, Newcastle; Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham; Guys Hospital, London
*For more information, visit: fifthsense.org.uk |
Those outside the profession usually think plastic surgery derives its name from the synthetic polymers (plastics) fundamental to many of this field's procedures. But in fact, the 'plastic' in plastic surgery comes from the Greek word plastikos, which means 'capable of being shaped or molded'. This adjective was used by the surgeons pioneering this field in the early twentieth century to describe the restoration of bodily form or shape, which is the fundamental role of plastic surgery.
Ironically, plastics have become increasingly useful for plastic surgeons because of their extreme moldability and biocompatibility. (Biocompatibility refers to the material's composition and surface characteristics which allow it to be accepted by the patient without any allergic or inflammatory reaction). Plastics are particularly useful when surgeons are trying to replace tissues that have been lost or damaged, whether it be for a trauma victim or a patient who received "botched" plastic surgery.
Breast implants are the best known example of plastic material used in plastic surgery, but plastics can also be formulated to mimic and restore certain facial bones. Synthetic plastics are used to replace skull bones lost after accidents, reconstruct facial bones misshapen after trauma, and most recently to build up certain facial bones which have been shown to lose their volume with aging.
Many of these procedures rely on the use of computerized tomographic (CT) scans to precisely identify the deformity, guide the surgeon during reconstruction, and even manufacture implants customized to the patient. The figure below shows a three dimensional skull model derived from CT data of a patient who lost part of his skull and left orbit bones in a traffic accident. The image on the left shows the defect and the image on the right shows a plastic implant custom made to replace the missing skull fragment.
The CT scan below on the left shows a patient who suffered right cheek bone fractures, while the CT scan on the right shows how porous polyethylene implants were used to build up the contours of the injured right side so that it would imitate the shape of the uninjured, normal left side.
Recent studies have revealed that our skeletons play a significant role in our aging faces. These studies compared the dimensions of facial skeletons on CT scans in groups of young (third decade of life) and old (sixth decade of life) individuals. The CT scans revealed a loss of definition in areas which directly correlated with changes that we see in the skin tissues of the aging face. In other words, areas of bone loss in older individuals matched their aging facial features, leading us to believe that bone deterioration is a direct cause of sagging skin and other signs of facial aging.
The CT images below are taken from one such study. They show the orbital bones of a typical young female and those of a typical older female. Note how the overall shape of the orbit has become much rounder. One can see how this underlying skeletal configuration might play a role in determining the shape of the overlying soft tissues, as demonstrated in the line diagram. The researchers further postulated that this bone regression leads to the formation of crow's feet, lower eyelid sagging and other signs of aging.
Some surgeons are using facial implants to augment the facial skeleton to restore and improve native skeletal contours. For example, implants are specifically designed to augment the bone that lies directly beneath the eye -- the infraorbital rim. As shown below, an orbital implant can restore an older skeleton to one with the shape characteristic of youth. These types of implants could also be used to repair damage to orbital bones due to trauma.
As a result of their versatility, moldability and biocompatibility, 'plastics' are an increasingly important tool for today's plastic surgeon. Coupled with the precise three-dimensional data available from CT scans, facial implants made of various plastic materials allow the plastic surgeon to better replace, reconstruct, recontour and even rejuvenate the facial skeleton.
Shaw RB, Katzel EB, Koltz PF, Yaremchuk MJ, Girotto JA, Kahn DM and Langstein HN Aging Facial Skeleton: Aesthetic Implications and Rejuvenation Strategies Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 127:374-383, 2011. |
What is Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is a process through which clients work one-on-one with a trained therapisto explore their feelings, beliefs, or behaviors, work through challenging or influential memories, identify aspects of their lives that they would like to change, better understand themselves and others, set personal goals, and work toward desired change.
Understanding Individual Therapy
It could be time to seek therapy if an issue causes distress or interferes with daily life. It is important not to wait until symptoms become severe before going to therapy.
It may be best to seek therapy if you are often unhappy or feel overwhelmed and hopeless about issues in your life. Therapy can also help if you cannot focus on work or school, experience addiction, or feel like hurting yourself or someone else.
Therapy can help treat mental, emotional, physical, and behavioral issues. Concerns that may be discussed in therapy include, but are not limited to:
- Food and eating issues
- Relationship or marriage challenges
- Family issues
The first session of therapy often focuses on gathering information. A therapist speaks with the person in treatment about their past physical, mental, and emotional health.
They also discuss the concerns bringing the person to therapy. It can take a few sessions for a therapist to have a good understanding of the situation. Only then can they address concerns and determine the best course of action.
Even if therapy cannot cure a condition, it can help people develop healthy coping skills. Determination to be active in therapy and heal is essential for meeting therapeutic goals and fostering a positive therapeutic relationship.
Finding the right therapist is also crucial to the treatment process.
You and your therapist can decide if family members need to be involved or if family therapy is an option.
Click here to learn more about Family Therapy.
Why Should I choose Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is just one of the various ways that psychology professionals can assist people. Just like other types of treatment and strategies such as group or family therapy, individual counseling also has a number of advantages and benefits.
In general, it is more personalized and the practitioner is allowed to focus on the client’s specific problems. This way, the professional can develop a set of recommendations, strategies, and treatment tailor-fit to the patient’s situation.
Further, individual therapy can help with: developing fresh perspectives about life and new skills, deal with addictive behaviors, find ways to relate and deal with emotional suffering, improve relationships, and regain sense of self. From Source.
Call us at 469-714-0006 or email us at [email protected]
Scientific Backing of Individual Therapy
Key Benefits of Therapy at Exult
Children are going through high-stress times. At Exult, we have multiple professionals who are licensed in helping your child.
- Group therapy
- Individual therapy
- Access to on-site psychiatrist
- Providers work together
- Tailored program for your loved one
- Afternoon hours
- Yoga and Mindulness
We do take multiple insurances such as United, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and Medicare but we suggest you discuss any major medical decisions with your insurance provider.
We offer medication management but we try to keep an open discussion between the client, therapist, and psychiatrist as to the needs of the client. |
Some years ago a friend sent me a greeting card that pictured a frazzled mom on the front. Several of her children, in various stages of misbehavior and mischief, surrounded her. As one child stood on a chair in the kitchen, soapy water spilled out of the sink onto the floor while black smoke rose from the toaster. The one sentence-caption inside the card said it all: “Lord, please give me patience to handle my blessings.”
I often think of that card and remember to ask for an extra measure of patience when little ones are begging to help me in the kitchen, because even if the toast burns, the floor gets sticky wet, and a dusting of flour covers every surface, the investment of time and energy (and patience) that it takes to let young children help in the kitchen is worth it—now and in the long run. Most young children are eager to learn, and they especially love to help in the kitchen. We need to take advantage of that enthusiasm before helping in the kitchen seems more like a chore than fun. Though young children require more help and supervision than older children and teens, the skills they develop will increase their independence and ability to be more helpful as they mature.
Children are much more willing to eat a variety of foods and try new ones if they have helped to prepare them, and that can transfer into huge savings of time at home and money at the grocery store. Picky eaters can be expensive to feed both at home and away from home.
When we applaud their desires and encourage them to help in the kitchen, children can learn about nutrition and develop healthy eating habits more naturally. They will also learn what it means to stretch the family food budget and practice good stewardship of our purchases. Children with special dietary needs can gain a greater understanding of their particular limitations if they have been involved in preparing their food, and that can boost their feelings about themselves and their ability to meet their own nutritional needs in the future.
Cooking also makes practical use of the scientific concepts and reading and math skills they are developing in more formal studies—reinforcing those skills and aiding retention. Learning to cook will help them develop a deeper understanding of the need to follow directions carefully, as well as provide them with understanding about when and where they can be creative and make adjustments in recipes, to suit their tastes.
One of the first steps to letting my children help in the kitchen was to encourage them in their play. Who hasn’t made a mud pie? With old or thrifted plastic measuring spoons and cups, we played at measuring sand and water outside. Though they began helping in the kitchen with easy recipes that required relatively inexpensive and simple ingredients, their play measuring with sand and water first meant that we experienced less mess and waste of real food in the kitchen.
An excellent way to document their progress in learning to cook is for each child to create and maintain a personal cookbook journal. It can be assembled chronologically, as new foods or recipes are introduced or by categories. A three-ring binder with tab dividers works best for recipes and entries that are arranged by categories, but any notebook or journal works when the pages are added over time. Be sure to frequently include photographs of each child at work in the kitchen, as well as pictures of the finished products.
Children are very good at assuming they can do anything their inquisitive minds can imagine unless we tell them otherwise. That’s why it’s important for us to establish rules for working in the kitchen and to communicate them clearly. It’s a good idea to write them down for future reference (and for use by babysitters and grandparents) and place a copy inside each individual cookbook journal. Age-appropriate amendments can be made as the children mature and master skills in the kitchen, including a list of appliances or utensils (toaster, mixer, can opener, knife, stove, oven, slow cooker, blender, etc.) they have been approved to use without direct supervision.
A few of the kitchen rules we established for little (and bigger) ones included these:
• Before starting to cook, remove your rings, bracelets, and watches.
• Avoid wearing shirts with long sleeves, or roll the sleeves up to your elbows.
• If you have long hair, pull or clip it back away from your face.
• Wash your hands thoroughly.
• Wear an apron to protect your clothes.
• Don’t do anything until an adult is in the kitchen with you.
• Don’t taste the food you are preparing with your fingers or with a spoon you have already had in your mouth.
• Always wash your hands after touching raw meat.
• If you help to cook, then you also help to clean.
As the children’s skills in the kitchen advanced and young cooks demonstrated an ability to safely use the stove, the following rules were added:
• Review the recipe and instructions with Mom before beginning.
• Do not cook or bake unless an adult is in the house with you.
• Do not use an appliance or utensil that is not on your personal “approved” list.
• Always point knives and other sharp utensils away from you.
• Never try to catch a knife or sharp utensil that is falling. Move out of the way and let it drop. If it falls to the floor, wash it before using it again.
• Do not put a sharp knife into a pan or sink of soapy water if you cannot see the bottom of the pan or sink.
• Check the oven before preheating to make sure that no pots or pans are stored there.
• Tell someone if you need to leave the kitchen while food is cooking on the stove or in the oven.
• Always use a potholder, but never carry a pot of hot liquid without help from an adult.
• Never use a wet potholder to carry something hot.
• When cooking on the stove, turn pot handles away from the front of the stove.
• Keep a lid (for the pot or skillet being used) on the counter next to the stove if you are cooking with oil.
• If the oil catches fire, cover the pan with the lid and turn off the stove. Do not try to move the pan.
• If you are cooking something while using a lid on the pan, step back a little before removing the lid.
• Turn the stove or oven off as soon as you have finished cooking or baking.
• Remember that it takes a while for a stove or oven to cool off after you have turned off the heat.
• Do not leave the kitchen before cleaning the dirty dishes and utensils, putting soiled kitchen towels and rags in the laundry basket, and putting everything back in its proper place.
The recipes our very young children began following were simple foods they enjoyed eating and often didn’t actually involve cooking or baking, such as “ants on a log” (celery filled with peanut butter dotted with raisins) or our version that we renamed “ants on a boat” (an apple wedge topped with peanut butter and raisins). They learned to prepare cold sandwiches and a variety of fruit and tossed salads, and they also learned how to arrange cheese and crackers on appetizer trays. They washed raw fruits and vegetables and snapped beans. With supervision, they learned to make slightly more complicated recipes, such as “pigs in a blanket,” applesauce, and the carrot salad my mother shared with me, which requires peeling and measuring.
Young children can also experience “cooking” a whole meal like stew by being allowed to measure and add the ingredients to a slow cooker before it is turned on. The December 2010 Molly’s Money-Saving Digest contains an article about making yogurt in a slow cooker—a safe, easy, and economical recipe for children of all ages that benefits the whole family.
Young children also can measure and add ingredients to blenders and mixing bowls long before they are skilled enough to use those appliances on their own. They can knead bread, add toppings to a pizza before it is baked, use a rolling pin, and spoon cookie dough onto baking sheets.
Are children going to make a mess in the kitchen? Absolutely. And sometimes be wasteful in their mistakes? Of course. But that is one way we moms can grow in patience and wisdom, that we might “handle our blessings” with love and grace and encouragement.
Molly Green is passionate about cheerful, creative homemaking on a down-to-earth budget. Visit her online home, www.Econobusters.com, for tips about frugal and tasty cooking, fresh decorating ideas, affordable family fun, simple but effective organizing, and much more! Sign up for her free weekly E-Newsletter and get a bonus menu-planning E-Book too!
Copyright, 2011. Used with permission. All rights reserved by author. Originally appeared in The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, Spring 2011.
Visit The Old Schoolhouse® at www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com to view a full-length sample copy of the print magazine especially for homeschoolers. Click the graphic of the moving computer monitor on the left. Email the Publisher at [email protected]. |
Web Date: January 29, 2009
One of the oldest known samples of plutonium has been dug up from a waste trench in Hanford, Wash., near the now-decommissioned nuclear production site along the Columbia River. During the process of figuring out the plutonium's origin and history, a new technique emerged that may help nuclear scientists identify the age and source of trafficked nuclear material.
The sample hails from one of the first attempts to produce weapons-grade plutonium during the Manhattan Project . . .
To view the rest of this content, please log in with your ACS ID.
- Chemical & Engineering News
- ISSN 0009-2347
- Copyright © American Chemical Society |
Photo: Roger Butterfield
Most species in the Verbascum genus have gray, woolly leaves born in a rosette at the base of the plant and erect bloom stalks covered in very small flowers. There are about 360 species, and the majority is biennials. The common name is mullein, and it likes full sun and well drained, but not rich, soil. Plants have deep tap roots and do not like to be disturbed once they are established, and they readily self sow.*
In my Midwest garden, I have V.chaixii (/shake see eye) that is native to southern Europe and often called the nettle-leaved mullein. It is a 3 foot tall perennial with a basal rosette of felted leaves that gets about a foot wide and a tall phallus-like stalk with tiny yellow flowers. It grows in zones 4 – 8 and has an imposing architectural presence growing either singly or in groups. Another imposing specimen is black mullein with flowers that have dark purple centers, but it seems slightly less hardy. Witches in the middle ages used this variety in their brews.
*Deadhead to avoid self sowing. |
Being able to use authentic communicative events such as telephone conversations, office gossip and shopkeeper-customer dialogues as example conversations will greatly improve an English learner's communicative ability and prepare them for real life situations. By being able to navigate their way around a lot of the unnecessary utterances such as 'eyeh', 'eok' and 'eah', English learners will be able to participate and understand these communicative events. By analysing real communicative events language teachers are able to be fully aware of all the intricacies that encompass a language. In order to unlock this real English and to convey it onwards to language learners in the classroom, short conversation should be recorded and analysed, with the results passed on in the classroom. By doing this, a communicative event will demonstrate that language is not neat and tidy, and in fact, includes a lot of unnecessary words to get from A to B. By exposing language learners to this unnecessary language and not just the A to B, the language teacher is providing the learner with real language to model.
Rebecca Brinkley, Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, Japan
Stream: Languages education and applied linguistics (ESL/TESL/TEFL)
This paper is part of the ACE2015 Conference Proceedings (View)
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Where did candles come from? - Fun facts from candle history
Like many other traditions, I take lighting a candle for granted. But have you ever stopped to think, where did a candle even come from? Why did people start burning it? Just like everything else, the tradition of lighting a candle came out of the necessity for light. We know very little about the actual origin of candles, but what’s fascinating is that we can trace candles back to many different forms and materials used by each of the ancient civilizations.
Ancient Egyptians were using torches by soaking the core of reeds into melted animal fat…. They had no wicks, but in my book, that's close enough! Ancient Chinese candles were said to have used molded paper tubes and rolled rice paper for the wick, wax from insects and seeds. Ancient Romans dipped rolled papyrus repeatedly into melted beeswax or tallow.
And while candles had practical uses, we know they had spiritual significance too. Candles have been used in religious ceremonies by almost every religion, and each one gives fire their own meaning. and have been referenced as divinity throughout all cultures. In many ancient times and even in idigenous cultures the sign of fire was the sign of life.
Honestly, we could go on and on about how candles have been infused into everyday life throughout history, whether it's for need, or for pleasure. But I think we’ve provided you with enough random facts to support the candle category on Jeopardy! If you need more, you can always email us!
For now, take your moment and work on infusing candles into YOUR routine. Some days you might NEED that affirmation that believes in you before you do. Some days you might just want to inhale that luxurious scent that the candle brings. Either way, go strike a match, and light your candle and light up your life! |
|Gap-Air-Mirror Defense for Youth Football|
|Single-Wing Offense for Youth Football|
|Coaching Youth Football|
|Football Clock Management|
|The Contrarian Edge for Football Offense||
|How to Order|
Copyright John T. Reed
There is a sort of standard pre-game warm-up in youth baseball. I do not like it. I recommend you use a more sensible pre-game warm-up as follows.
In 1992, a majors player in my local Little League got hit in practice by a regular Little League hardball that one-hopped into his knee. It shattered his kneecap. In 1970, my oldest son's varsity head football coach was at his first coaching-teaching job after college. That spring, a bull pen catcher threw a pitch back to his pitcher. But at that moment, the pitcher turned to look at something in the nearby game and the catcher's throw struck him in the temple. It killed him.
If either of those players had been on a team coached by me, they would not have been injured at all. In a 1992 pre-game warm-up, I yelled, "Balls in!" Standing near our third-base dugout, I turned to look toward first base. Our left fielder one-hopped a ball into my knee. I was not injured. It did not even hurt. Why? Because I only allowed RIF-1 balls in practice, pre-game, and pre-inning warm-ups---even when I coached teenagers. Reduced-Injury-Factor balls are made by Worth Sports. The level 1 is often called a "tee ball." It looks just like a baseball and has the same size and weight, but it's softer. RIF-5 balls are medium soft. RIF-10 balls are almost indistinguishable from regular hard balls, but they are much safer.
Baseball games are dangerous. See my article on baseball safety for details. Baseball pre-game warm-up periods are even more dangerous than games because of the increased number of balls and activities and the increased number of people: players, coaches, umpires, parent groundskeepers, siblings, parents, and grandparents who may be in the line of fire.
There is no doubt that every pitch your starting pitcher throws before the game reduces by one the total number of pitches he can throw during the game. Therefore, you should hold the number of pre-game pitches to an absolute minimum in order to maximize the number of game pitches that pitcher can throw before he gets tired.
On the other hand, it is widely believed that pitchers need to throw numerous warm-up pitches before the game or they will not be at peak effectiveness when they throw their first game pitch. One rule of thumb is that the pitcher should throw in pre-game until he breaks a sweat. I do not know whether this is true. I am especially suspicious that, although it may apply to adult pitchers, and to a lesser extent to teenage pitchers, it does not apply to pre-teen pitchers.
Billy Martin once said that players did not pull muscles in his day "because we didn't have muscles." So it is with pre-teens. I am a former pre-teen myself. Neither I nor any of my peers ever pulled a muscle when we played baseball by the hour in the fifties. None of the many pre-teens I coached ever pulled a muscle. Teenagers do have muscles and sometimes they pull them. I got my first charley horse when I was a teen. My high school football and volleyball players sometimes pulled muscles. Of course, when I played adult baseball and semi-pro baseball, both I and my teammates pulled muscles.
I recommend that you explain to your youth pitchers that they should not throw one more pre-game pitch than necessary to be ready for the first batter in the game. I would then leave it up to each individual pitcher to decide how many pre-game pitches he felt he needed. I expect the average pre-teen would feel he was ready after five to eight pitches. Teenagers might feel they need ten or twenty.
No one should decide how many pitches the starting pitcher throws based on "the way it's always been done" or what they see at Major League games. If you are inclined to believe in the old wives' tales of baseball, I suggest that you experiment. For one game, have your starting pitcher throw thirty pitches before the game. Note that in the score book. For another have him throw zero or five pitches and note that. Look at the games to see if there appeared to be any difference in his success with the first few batters. If it is inconclusive, try each again. I suspect you will find that all starting pitchers need at least a few pitches to unlimber their arms, but that you reach the point of diminishing returns after about five pitches at the pre-teen level and at about ten at the teen level.
I always count pitches to protect the arms of my pitchers. And I count pre-game pitches the same as I count game pitches. So my players would try to hold down the number of pre-game pitches so they would not get pulled from the game sooner than necessary. That is how I discovered that kids do not need many pre-game warm-up pitches.
Do not bother these guys in pre-game. Just give them some warm-up pitches when they come in. During pre-game, they should just warm up their arms like all the other players. You can let the position players throw more than five warm-up pitches because there is no danger that they will tire their arms out during the game.
When I batted in cages, against pitching machines, I noticed that I generally had trouble hitting the first five or six pitches. Bunting seemed to help get me started making contact. So did just swinging at five or six pitches. Accordingly, I came to the conclusion that batters probably have trouble hitting the first five or six pitches they swing at in games, too. Since that would be the entire game for many players, that's a disaster. Accordingly, I have each player hit soft toss before the game.
Important! I do not do soft toss with real baseballs or even soft baseballs. I do it with poly balls. Poly balls are white plastic balls with round holes spread evenly around their surfaces. They look like Whiffle Balls except that Whiffle Balls have slits and they are in one hemisphere only. Doing soft toss with baseballs of any kind is extremely dangerous because the ball may bounce off the pipe frame of the fence into which you are hitting and injure the batter, soft tosser, or a bystander. Baseball soft toss also ruins chain link fences. The resulting turned-up fence bottoms create a safety hazard during games. There is no danger of ricochet from poly balls because they are so light. Poly-ball soft toss is some times a problem on windy days. In that case, use balled-up batting gloves or socks. I make each player do soft toss until he hits two or three line drives.
I never take infield in team practice except to audition players for position at the first two practices. One reason I never bother with infield in team practices is that I know I will be forced to do so in pre-game. Each team taking infield is a time-honored ritual. It is not my favorite practice activity. On the other hand, it's not so bad. So I try to make some efficient use out of it.
First off, I do not hit infield, I throw it. I read that in a book somewhere, tried it, and liked it. Another coach in our Little League did the same and he did not get the idea from me. If you think you have to hit infield to replicate game conditions, see the discussion of that in my book Youth Baseball Coaching. Throwing is far more accurate and safer in that you never throw harder than you meant to, but you can easily hit the ball harder than you mean to.
I do a quick "get one" (catch a grounder and throw to first base) for everyone so they can get the range. One thing I do differently is have the pitchers take infield on the mound. That is, I throw to the first, second, and third basemen, the shortstop, and the pitcher. They each throw to first. I also give the catcher a few reps fielding bunts and throwing to first. Do a "get one" to second and third bases and an everyone-play-in "get one" to home plate. Alternate force and tag plays at each base other than first.
I sometimes also do a "muff and get one." In this, each infielder deliberately muffs the grounder then calmly picks it up and throws it to first base. This is to inculcate that errors are a normal part of youth baseball and not a cause for panic.
I do not "get two." If you do "get two," I suggest that you "get real." Only elite teen teams can execute a two-throw, double-force play in game conditions. The only two-throw, double-force play worth practicing in youth baseball is the 1-2-3. (One-hop smash to pitcher with bases loaded. He throws home to get the force, then the catcher throws to first for the second force.)
I do practice two other kinds of double play in pre-game. I yell "one-throw double play," then throw a grounder near each base. I tell the pitcher to let the ones aimed at second base go through. The fielder catches the grounder, steps on the base, then throws to first. I only do one rep for each fielder. The main purpose is just to get it into the player's head so he thinks of it if the situation comes up in a game. Once, I did that in pre-game, apparently amusing the opposing coaches and parents with my weirdness. Then our shortstop actually executed that play smooth as could be in the first or second inning of the game in question.
Secondly, and this is especially important at the lowest levels including tee ball, I practice pop-up double plays. I yell "pop-up double play" and throw each infielder, including the pitcher and catcher, a pop-up. As the ball is coming down, I yell a base number (one, two, or three). The fielder catches the pop, then immediately throws to the base in question to double off the runner who failed to tag up. Each infielder throws to two other bases, The pitcher and catcher get to throw to all three. In tee-ball games, we often got double or even triple plays because we practiced this.
I then practice the catcher-steal throws to second and third. Catchers generally need about ten reps of the throw to second before a game. They only need two or three to third. At this time, also make sure that the other players are doing their back-up duties correctly and that the baseman who receives the throw puts the tag on the ground next to the base. Start each of these reps with pitches. Do NOT allow your catcher to take his mask off for these throws.
My teams always can do the pitcher-cover-first play. I only saw one opponent who could do it in all my years in youth baseball. I give each pitcher one successful rep of this play in pre-game. I yell "pitcher cover first" and throw a grounder to the first baseman. It must be relatively far from first. The pitcher then runs to first base along the correct path, receives the toss from the first baseman, then steps on first for the force out.
At levels where runners can advance on a passed ball, I practice the pitcher-cover-home play in pre-game. The pitcher throws an invisible pitch. About the time it would have arrived at the plate, I toss the ball toward the backstop. I vary the direction. The pitcher charges in from the mound. The catcher scurries after the ball and throws it to the pitcher who places the tag on the ground, then throws to third base (because there is often another runner in a game).
Practicing this a little causes the pitcher and catcher to stop panicking when it happens in a game. But it is still a difficult play that requires a lot of practice.
If there is not a roof over the home plate area, give your catcher some practice catching foul pops. Mainly, he needs to remember to hold onto his mask until he sees where the ball is.
Outfielders can throw each other grounders and flies while the infield is working. Then you throw grounders to the outfielders and have them throw to second, third, and home. The players not fielding the ball should practice going to the right place. Pitchers generally need to back up third or home, although in youth baseball, with its short distance to the backstop, they are the cut man on throws to home.
Outfielders must be told where the lead runner is before the ball is thrown to them. Then they throw two bases ahead of the lead runner without hesitation. I did this once in a pre-game for the first time all season. I was not a coach on that team except that day. The manager and coach were away on business so they put me in charge. I told the right fielder he must throw two bases ahead of the runner without hesitation. I said there was a runner on first, threw him a grounder, and yelled "Three! Three!" Later in the actual game, that exact situation came up. The right fielder caught a one-hopper and gunned the ball to third without hesitation. For the first time all season, the runner did not advance beyond second. We won that game by one run.
At some lower age levels, many outfielders are often incapable of throwing two bases ahead of the lead runner. The right and center fielders can only throw to second. The left fielder can only throw to second and third. If that is the case, just have them practice those throws.
Outfielders must not "hit the cut man." Rather they must throw through the cut man to the target base. The cut man must not catch the ball unless it is off line. (Cut men also sometimes catch the ball to redirect it to a different base, but that is a very advanced skill.) Almost every Little League game I have ever seen, including the 1999 Little League World Series, have cut and relay men saving runners from being tagged out when they take an extra base. The cut and relay men do this self-sabotage by delaying an accurately thrown ball from reaching its intended base. Youth baseball coaches and players act as if it were a cardinal sin to allow a thrown ball to touch the ground. That's nuts! Better the outfielder's throw should one- or even two-hop to the base, than be caught then rethrown to the base. Catching and rethrowing the ball takes about one second at best. Left alone, the ball would have arrived at the base about one second sooner, even if it bounced. If you doubt me, have a race between an outfielder with a player relaying the ball and one without a relay man. The unrelayed ball will always arrive much sooner unless the distance is extreme.
The cut man's job on an accurate throw is to pretend that he caught the ball and threw it to another base to scare a runner there into staying. If the throw is on line to the target base, the cut man must NOT really catch it!
Do not give pitched batting practice in pre-game. The slowness of the pitches messes up batters' game timing. Also the need to swing at less-than-perfect pitches in batting practice encourages that awful habit on first and second strikes during the game. Do not fungo balls to outfielders. Throw them. Move out toward them if necessary.
John T. Reed |
There is no denying the real impact of global climate change on the environment. Yet, some of our nation’s leaders continue to defy science and question what is abundantly clear. The U.S. now has the dubious distinction of standing alone among developed nations in signaling a reversal in fighting the cause of climate change. Decades and decades of progress in bringing life back from the verge of extinction are now at risk.
As a nation, we faced similar threats before. We can again turn the tide. From prominent national organizations, to local grassroots action, these groups are leading the way to a cleaner environment.
- Alliance for Climate Education
- Better Future Project
- Center for Environmental Health
- Citizens Climate Lobby
- Climate Justice Alliance
- Climate Science Legal Defense Fund
- Climate Reality Project
- Friends of the Earth
- Housatonic Valley Association
- Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- Oil Change International
- Save the Sound |
The extension of the classical linear models to generalized linear models has two parts: a distribution from the exponential family and a link function.
The exponential family
The first part extends the linear model to response variables that are members of a large family of distributions called the exponential family. Members of the exponential family of distributions have probability distribution functions for an observed response in this general form:
where a(∙), b(∙), and c(∙) depend on the distribution of the response variable. The parameter θ is a location parameter that is often called the canonical parameter, and ϕ is called the dispersion parameter. The function a(ϕ) is usually of the form a(ϕ)= ϕ/ ω, where ω is a known constant or weight that may vary from one observation to another. (In Minitab, when weights are given the function a(ϕ), is adjusted accordingly.)
Members of the exponential family can be discrete distributions or continuous distributions. Examples of continuous distributions that are members of the exponential family are the normal and the gamma distributions. Examples of discrete distributions that are members of the exponential family are the binomial and the Poisson distributions. The following table gives the characteristics of some of these distributions.
The link function
The second part is the link function. The link function relates the mean of the response in the ith observation to a linear predictor in this form:
The classical linear model is a special case of this general formulation where the link function is the identity function.
The choice of the link function in the second part depends upon the specific distribution of the exponential family of the first part. In particular, each distribution in the exponential family has a special link function called the canonical link function. This link function satisfies the equation g (μi) = Xi'β= θ, where θ is the canonical parameter. The canonical link function results in some desirable statistical properties of the model. Goodness-of-fit statistics can be used to compare fits using different link functions. Certain link functions may be used for historical reasons or because they have a special meaning in a discipline. For example, an advantage of the logit link function is that it provides an estimate of the odds ratios. Another example is that the normit link function assumes that there is an underlying variable that follows a normal distribution that is classified into binary categories.
Minitab provides three link functions for each class of models. The different link functions make it possible to find models that adequately fit a wider variety of data.
For binomial models, the link functions are logit, normit (also called probit), and gompit (also called complementary log-log). These are the inverse of the standard cumulative logistic distribution function (logit), the inverse of the standard cumulative normal distribution function (normit), and the inverse of the Gompertz distribution function (gompit). The logit is the canonical link function for binomial models, thus the logit is the default link function.
For Poisson models, the link functions are the natural log, the square root, and the identity. The natural log is the canonical link function for Poisson models, thus the natural log is the default link function.
The link functions are summarized below:
Link Function, g(μi)
gompit (complementary log-log)
the mean response of the ith row
the link function
the vector of predictor variables
the vector of coefficients associated with the predictors
the inverse cumulative distribution function of the normal distribution
Describes a single set of factor/covariate values in a data set. Minitab calculates event probabilities, residuals, and other diagnostic measures for each factor/covariate pattern.
For example, if a data set includes the factors gender and race and the covariate age, the combination of these predictors may contain as many different covariate patterns as subjects. If a data set only includes the factors race and sex, each coded at two levels, there are only four possible factor/covariate patterns. If you enter your data as frequencies, or as successes, trials, or failures, each row contains one factor/covariate pattern.
Internal weights for
Fit Binary Logistic
For generalized linear models, the weight matrix is not the identity
matrix in cases where you do not specify weights. You can think of the internal
weights as giving more influence on the analysis to observations with more
data. For example, in fit binary logistic regression, the internal weight tends
to be larger when the number of trials is larger.
The following formulas give the internal weights for specific link
number of trials for the
the predicted probability for the design point in a binary logistic
the number of
events for the
the inverse cumulative distribution function of the standard normal
distribution for the predicted probability in a binary logistic
How Minitab removes highly correlated predictors from the regression equation in Fit Binary Logistic
Let rij be the element in the current swept matrix associated with Xi and Xj.
Variables are entered or removed one at a time. Xk is eligible for entry if it is an independent variable not currently in the model with rkk ≥ 1 (tolerance with a default of 0.0001) and also for each variable Xj that is currently in the model,
To remove highly correlated predictors from a regression equation, Minitab does the following steps:
Minitab performs the SWEEP method on the correlation matrix, R, treating X1 … Xp as if they are random variables.
For any continuous predictor, Minitab compares the element rkk with the tolerance; rkk ≥ tolerance, where k = 1 to p.
For each variable Xj currently in the model, Minitab checks that (rjj – rjk * (rkj / rkk)) * tolerance ≤ 1.
Where rkk, rjk, rjj are the corresponding diagonal and off diagonal elements for Xj and Xk variables after k step SWEEP operations.
Otherwise, the predictor fails the test and is removed from the model.
The default tolerance value is 8.8e–12.
You can use the TOLERANCE subcommand with the GZLM session command to force Minitab to keep a predictor in the model that is highly correlated with a different predictor. However, lowering the tolerance can be dangerous, possibly producing numerically inaccurate results. |
|VS3D / VScad3 User's Guide
VScad3 Model Manipulation
This mode is used for panning, zooming, or rotating a view. When a view is zoomed or rotated, the center point of the scaling or rotation is located at the center of the Workspace Region. The Workspace Region can be set via the main "Workspace / Region..." menu. Manipulating a view merely changed the viewpoint from which the model is viewed. It does not change the entities themselves in any way. Light sources do not rotate with a view. They stay fixed relative to the screen. When a view is manipulated, any other views on the page will go dark (will not be drawn), so that better performance may be obtained for view manipulation. When the view manipulation is finished (the mouse button is released), all other views will become visible again.
"View" : This setting determines which view to manipulate. If there is only one view on the page, then this setting has no meaning. Clicking a mouse button on a view (while in "View" mode) will select that view for manipulation, and the "View" setting will be adjusted to the number of the view that was clicked on ("1", "2", "3", or "4").
"Pan | Zoom | Rotate" : This specifies the type of transform to be applied to the view.
In "Pan" mode, enter the X,Y "Pan Vector" (distance).
In "Zoom" mode, enter the "Zoom Factor". The Zoom Factor must be greater than 0.
In "Rotate" mode, enter the X,Y,Z "Rotate Axis" vector, and the "Rotate Angle" (in degrees counter-clockwise).
"Eye..." : This will bring up the "View Eye Point" dialog. The view type can be set to an "Orthogonal" (parallel) projection, or a converging "Perspective" projection. The Near and Far Z clipping plane positions are measured relative to the screen and they control the near and far display clipping of entities. These settings will override the settings entered in the Workspace Region dialog. After a view has been set to the desired orientation, use the View mode "Eye" dialog to move the far clipping plane out to a far distance so that no distant geometry is clipped (typically, best results are obtained by setting the Far Z clipping plane distance to a large negative number).
The "Eye Point" setting determines how close the eye is to the model for Perspective projections. The Eye Point setting has no effect on Orthogonal projections. The Eye Point should be closer to the screen than the Near Z clipping plane position. If an Eye point distance is entered which puts the Eye Point inside the clipping planes, then the Eye Point will automatically be bumped just outside the Near Z clipping plane. So, to specify the most drastic (least parallel) view possible with the current view, enter an Eye Point of 0 and let the system adjust it accordingly.
"Reset" : This will reset the view back to it's default un-panned, un-zoomed, and un-rotated orientation. The main Workspace Region setting determines the default view area. |
INFORMATION FOR PLEAS OF "NOT GUILTY"
Plea of Not Guilty-A plea of not guilty means that you have a defense in your case, and that you are informing the Court that you deny guilt or that you have a defense in your case, and the State must prove what it has charged against you.
If you need a continuance for your trial, you must put the request in writing and submit it to the court with your reasons prior to trial. The judge will make a decision whether or not to grant the continuance. You may request a continuance for the following reasons:
- Religious holy day where the tenets of your religious organization prohibit members from participating in secular activities such as court proceedings, ( you must file n affidavit with the court stating this information); or
- that you feel it is necessary for justice in your case and why
Under Texas law, you can be brought to trial only after a formal complaint has been filed. The complaint, rather than the citation, is the formal charging instrument, which alleges the specific offense.
- You have a right to inspect the complaint before trial and to have it read at trial.
- You have the right to have your case tried before a judge or a jury at your request.
- You are entitled to hear all testimony introduced against you.
- You have a right to cross-examine any witness who testifies against you.
- You have a right to testify on your own behalf. You also have a constitutional right not to testify. If you choose not to testify, your refusal cannot and will not be used against you in determining your guilt or innocence. However, the prosecutor will have the right to cross-examine you if you do testify.
- You may call witnesses to testify on your behalf. You also have the right to have the court issue subpoenas for witnesses to ensure their appearance at trial. However, you must furnish the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of these witnesses to the Court at least 72 hours in advance so that the witnesses may be located and the subpoenas served.
PRESENTING THE CASE
As in all criminal trials, the State will present its case first by calling witnesses to testify against you.
After each prosecution witness has finished his testimony, you will have the right to cross-examine the witness. Your examination must be in the form of questions and you must not argue with the witness. Do not attempt to tell your side of the story at this time. You will have an opportunity to do so later in the trial.
After the prosecution has presented its case, you may present your case by calling witnesses, presenting physical evidence and/or testifying on your own behalf.
If the case is tried by the judge, the decision is called a judgment. If the case is tried by a jury, the decision is called a verdict. The judge or jury can consider only the testimony of witnesses under oath and any evidence admitted during the trial. If you are found guilty by either the judge or jury, the penalty will be announced at that time. |
Today in History: August 13
A Memo From Stalin
On August 13, 1942, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin drafted a memorandum to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt opposing their decision not to invade Western Europe at that time.
In the memo, Stalin, whose beleaguered Russian army had been contending with a German invasion for over a year, impressed upon the Americans and the British the necessity of relieving the pressure on Russia's western front. Stalin pressed the Allies to open a second front against Hitler in Europe. Concluding that this action would be militarily unsound for them to attempt in 1942, England and the U.S. chose instead to invade North Africa.
The alliance between Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union began to unravel soon after the German threat was vanquished in 1945. Indications of the depth of the tensions between the allies had surfaced in February of that year at the Black Sea resort of Yalta, where Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt met to plan the final defeat and occupation of Nazi Germany.
Also on the agenda was the question of how to deal with the defeated or liberated countries of Eastern Europe. Roosevelt was later criticized for failing to take greater measures at this meeting to prevent Stalin from seizing former German territory in Eastern Europe.
Learn more about World War II in American Memory:
- View photographs documenting the U.S. domestic experience of World War II. Browse the America from the Great Depression to World War II: Photographs from the FSA and OWI, ca. 1935-1945 collection, which includes photographs issued by the Office of War Information to rally support for the war effort among the American people.
- Search on World War II, Churchill, Stalin, or Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the Prints & Photographs Online Catalog to view items such as images, posters, and cartoons, as well as buildings related to war production.
- A Guide to World War II Materials links to World War II-related resources on the Library’s Web site including American Memory historical collections, online exhibitions, Journeys and Crossings presentations, and external Web sites. See, for example, Gen. George S. Patton's diary entries for March 1943.
- See the presentation 10th Mountain Division (external link) in the digital collections of the Denver Public Library (external link). The 10th Mountain Division trained in the Colorado Rocky Mountains in order to fight in the mountains of Northern Italy during WWII.
- Visit the Library of Congress online exhibitions Women Come to the Front: Journalists, Photographers, and Broadcasters During WWII and For European Recovery: The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Marshall Plan.
- See also Revelations from the Russian Archives, an online exhibit that includes information on the WWII wartime alliance between the Soviet Union and the U.S.
- Search the Today in History Archive on World War II to retrieve relevant features including the founding of the USO, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Allied invasion at Normandy, and the Japanese surrender of Okinawa. |
China has included parts of Arunachal Pradesh, one of India’s northeastern states bordering China, within its international boundaries, an updated version issued by Sky Map has revealed. Sky Map, China’s authority on digital maps, is constructed and operated by a unit directly under Beijing’s National Surveying and Mapping Geographic Information Bureau. Recently, Sky Map users discovered that it has updated the country’s map with the latest national borders, including India’s Arunachal Pradesh, a DW media report said.
Arunachal Pradesh, a hill state in the Northeast bordering Tibet, was part of British India in 1913-14 and formally included in India when the McMohan Line was established as the border between India and Tibet in 1938. China continues to consider Arunachal Pradesh a part of Tibet, which it occupied in 1951.
The map of China, until now, is based on the 1989 edition of the Sky Map of its national borders. Though since then, China has solved its border issues with Russia and Central Asian countries, but none of them have been reflected in the map.
However, as per a DW news report in Chinese, some users noticed that Sky Map has now updated the geographic information at the “county” level. “The county boundaries of some counties clearly transcend the red colour marked 1989 edition of the national border, especially in Tibet area bordering Bhutan and India,” the report said.
China has claimed its sovereignty over Tibet “counties bordering India and Bhutan from east to west — “Chayu county, Medog county of Linzhi city, Cuona county, Luoza county of Shannan city, Kangma county, Yadong county of Xigaze city”.
Chayu, Medog, and Cuona counties are divided by the McMahon Line with the northern parts in China and the southern parts in India. “Longzi County in Shannan City does not theoretically border India, but the McMahon Line runs through the county from southwest to northeast, with Chinese control in the west and Indian control in the east.”
However, China calls the Indian area and part of Chayu county, Motuo county of Nyingchi city and Longzi county and Cuona county of Shannan City, “South Tibet”.
As per the updated Sky Map, “the southern boundary of Chayu county is roughly the same as the boundary in 1989, the southern part of Motuo county has contracted northward, and the southern boundary of Cuona county also roughly coincides with the boundary in 1989. The Longzi county does not border India at all, as Beijing advocates. Cuona county of Shannan city not only borders with India but also borders with Bhutan.”
“China-Bhutan border dispute area, Mulasading, is located in Cuona County-south of the McMahon Line. Mulasading originally belonged to Tibet and was managed by the Tawang Temple. In 1949, India and Bhutan signed the Permanent Peace and Friendship Agreement to transfer Mulasading to Bhutan. In the latest Sky Map, the border of Cuona County in the Mulasading region is south of the 1989 edition of the national border.”
“In addition to Tibet, the borders of Tashkurgan County in the Kashgar region of Xinjiang have also changed. The northwestern part of the border is more than the 1989 edition. According to the 2011 border agreement between China and Tajikistan, this extra part is 1,158 square kilometers east of the Sarekole Mountains,” the report said.
China occupies India’s Aksai Chin, around 37,000 sq km uninhabited high-altitude desert part of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, bordering China’s Xinjiang province (IANS)
Courtesy – South Asian Monitor |
Dental Treatment Questions Clemmons NC - Preventive Dental Care - Family Dentistry - General Dentistry North Carolina
12-year-old likes to chew ice. Is this harmful?
Tooth enamel is very hard, but that doesn't mean you
can't break it. Try to avoid eating -hard foods- such as
popcorn. Don't crack nut shells with your teeth or chew
on ice. Opening packages with your teeth can also damage
Why are soft drinks
bad for your teeth?
Sugar and acids are your teeth's worst enemies. What are
we talking about? Soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit
juices, and candy. Because of the acid content, Mountain
Dew seems to be the worst of the worst. Dentists even
have a name for the damage it does - they call it -Dew
Mouth. These soften the tooth enamel, making it highly
susceptible to decay. Parents, watch your kid's
consumption of these, because young children's enamel
hasn't developed fully. This makes these drinks even
more damaging for kids. As well as eliminating the above
(or at least reducing their consumption), use a
sugar-free xylitol chewing gum after meals. Also, rinse
your mouth with a high-quality dental mouthwash.
seem to be a very bad idea. How bad?
Yes, they can look cool, but they can also fracture your
teeth as well as make it much easier to get a nasty
infection of the tongue and lips. Dentists have
estimated that up to 40% of people who have metal rings
or other oral piercings have had big problems from tooth
fractures and infection.
Is fluoride bad for
Fluoride is fine...in small amounts. Excessive fluoride
can cause tooth enamel irregularities. Young children,
especially, often swallow too much toothpaste while
brushing. So parents, supervise your young kids while
they brush. Kids (and even adults) often use way too
much toothpaste (a pea-size drop is plenty). A little
goes a long way.
I think I grind my
teeth at night. What can I do about this?
Do you wake up with pain in your jaws or a persistent
headache? If so, you may be grinding (called bruxing)
while you sleep. Persistent bruxing can damage teeth and
cause them to get shorter and shorter. It can also
damage your temporomandibular (jaw) joints and even
affect your hearing. If you suspect that you are a
bruxer, tell your dentist. He or she may recommend a
night guard or other oral appliance.
What's so bad about
losing a tooth?
Teeth can be lost due to an accident or other trauma,
but the most common reason people lose a tooth is
because of gum disease and/or decay. So, is it a big
deal to lose a tooth? I mean you can't die from it,
right? No, you can't, but losing even a single tooth can
cause the other teeth to shift and move around - not
good. This can affect chewing and your ability to absorb
nutrients from your food. Other bad things can happen;
your face will change shape, often looking "sunken."
This can make you look much older than you really are.
Your speech can be affected. Because it's harder to chew
with missing teeth, you may find yourself favoring
softer foods and more carbohydrates, which can cause you
to gain weight. The best way to treat a missing tooth
(or missing teeth) is with dental implants. An implant
can replace one tooth or many. They can be made to look
so natural that even a dentist has to look hard to tell
the doctor check for oral cancer?
Yes, we do. Dentists and hygienists are your first line
of defense in detecting and treating oral cancer. Each
year in the US, approximately 30,000 people are newly
diagnosed with oral cancer. Worldwide, the problem is
far greater, with new cases annually approaching
300,000. In the US alone, a person dies from oral cancer
every hour of every day. If you add the sub category of
laryngeal cancers, the rates of occurrence (about 10,000
additional new cases per year) and death are
significantly higher. However, the good news is, when
found early, oral cancers have an 80 to 90% cure rate.
Our office uses the VELscope Vx, the most powerful tool
available for assisting in the discovery of oral
abnormalities. The VELscope's distinctive blue-spectrum
light causes the soft tissues of the mouth to naturally
fluoresce. Healthy tissues fluoresce in distinctive
patterns - patterns that are visibly disrupted by trauma
or disease. Using the VELscope, a wide variety of oral
abnormalities can be discovered — often before they're
visible to the unassisted eye.
Discovering soft tissue abnormalities is particularly
important in the fight against oral cancer. Because the
VELscope Vx assists in early detection, cancer can be
caught before it has time to spread, potentially saving
lives through less invasive, more effective treatment.
What causes people
to lose their teeth?
Many people assume that tooth loss is due to decay. It's
not. It's because of gum disease. And it can be
completely painless right up until you lose your teeth.
Symptoms include bleeding gums when you brush or floss
and loose or shifting teeth. If you've been told you
need gum surgery, you will be glad to know that it's
possible to control gum disease with a variety of
I've read that gum
disease can contribute to heart disease and even stroke.
Is this true?
Yes. Recent medical research has caused many doctors to
reach a startling conclusion: gum disease, stroke, and
heart disease are linked. Since heart disease is usually
fatal, it is clear that gum disease is a serious matter.
The American Dental Association estimates that 8 out of
10 Americans have periodontal (gum) disease. If this
were any other affliction, such as AIDS or tuberculosis,
it would be considered an epidemic! Most dentists think
it is just that. They also knew that gum disease would
never be labeled epidemic because "no one ever dies from
it." The worst is that you lose your teeth. Not pleasant
– but certainly not life threatening. But that's all
The American Academy of Periodontology reports: "studies
found periodontal infection may contribute to the
development of heart disease, increase the risk of
premature, underweight births, and pose a serious threat
to people whose health is already compromised due to
diabetes and respiratory diseases." Periodontal disease
is characterized by bacterial infection of the gums.
These bacteria can travel into the bloodstream –
straight to the heart.
Now the Good News
With advanced periodontal disease, the treatment is
surgical. Gum surgery is never fun, but it is almost
always successful in controlling the condition, and it's
usually covered by common insurance plans. With mild
periodontal disease, there are very effective
NON-surgical procedures which, coupled with improved
dental hygiene, can virtually halt the spread of the
disease. This, too, is usually covered under most dental
What is a TMJ
TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, your jaw joints.
The pain, discomfort, or tenderness in or around the jaw
joints is called a TMJ disorder.
Signs that you might have a TMJ disorder are:
• Facial pain or tenderness
• Jaw pain
• Pain in or around the ears
• Neck pain
• Jaw stiffness
• Discomfort while chewing
• Difficulty opening and closing the mouth
• Jaw "locking up"
• Jaw makes a clicking sound
• Teeth that don't come together properly when eating or
There are a variety of treatment options for TMJ. Be
sure to ask your dentist about these. |
Creating Holiday Learning Traditions
By: Reading Rockets
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This holiday season consider adding some new traditions for your family that will make meaningful memories and strengthen foundations for reading and learning success.
Listen, laugh, learn
- Listen to audio books while you're traveling to visit family, wrapping gifts or cooking for the holidays.
- Lyrics to holiday songs are fun to read and sing together. It is also good fun and good collaborative writing practice to make up your own lyrics to familiar tunes.
- Start a story-telling tradition by revisiting holidays of the past. Old family photographs at holiday gatherings will help prompt stories about your own life and family traditions.
Read, relax, respond
- Put reading and writing skills to practical use. Plan holiday meals by reading cookbooks together, writing the shopping lists and finding the needed items at the store by reading signs and labels. Read the recipe and cook together. During the simmering and baking, kids can write and decorate menus or place cards for special holiday meals.
- Set aside time just for reading. Curl up on the couch together and read aloud an old favorite or check out books about another culture's winter celebrations.
- Work on those letters. Improve writing skills with letters to Santa and writing thank you notes for holiday gifts to relatives and friends.
*To view this file, you will need a copy of Acrobat Reader. If it is not already installed on your computer, click here to download.
Reading Rockets (2007) |
Benefits of Egg White Diet
The Egg White Diet has recently become popular among celebrities. In fact, some people claim to have lost as much as 30 to 70 pounds on the Egg White Diet. Eggs are often a point of controversy with respect to healthy eating, but there are some notable benefits to both the white and the yolk of the egg.
Inside an Egg
When you break the white outer shell of an egg, you see the liquid form of the egg. The interior of the egg consists of two parts: the outer transparent “white,” or albumin, and the bright yellow “yolk.”
Although the Egg White Diet focuses on the albumin of the egg, there are also benefits to occasionally including the yolk of the egg in your diet.
Egg White Benefits
- Egg whites are a fat-free source of complete protein.
- Protein – made up of a variety of amino acids – is vital for growth and the development of muscle tissue.
- Egg whites contain minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc.
- Egg whites are 90 percent water.
- The protein found in egg whites is readily absorbed in your body.
- Eaten at breakfast, egg whites give you energy to start the day.
- Eating two eggs at breakfast can contribute to successful weight reduction.
- A quick and easy food, egg whites are at home in a wide variety of cuisines and dishes.
- Proponents of high-protein diets claim that increased protein intake reduces your appetite and accelerates the rate at which you burn calories.
The Benefits of Eating Eggs
- Eggs contain an average of 6 grams of high-quality protein. In fact, the egg is the standard by which other proteins are measured.
- Eggs are a rich source of vitamins A, D, E and K.
- Eggs also contain many B vitamins such as vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B9 (Folate or Folic Acid), and B12 (Cyanocobalamin).
- The amino acids found in eggs and other complete protein sources aid in muscle recovery.
- Each egg contains less than 1 gram of carbohydrates.
- Eggs are a good source of Omega-3 fats, as well as the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.
- Yolks contain over 80% of the total minerals and vitamins found within the whole egg – including iron, potassium, folate, selenium, biotin, choline, and vitamins, A, B, E, and D.
- Eggs are a source of the vitamin Choline, which has been linked to memory function.
- Eggs boost brain health.
- Egg whites are part of a diet designed to reduce inflammation.
- In conjunction with a total anti-inflammation diet, egg whites reduce the risk of developing blood clots.
The Egg Diet Plan
The Egg Diet plan includes eggs at each meal, along with other food. To reduce boredom, you can prepare the eggs in a variety of ways. Keeping things interesting by trying different kinds of egg dishes will help you to stick with the plan for longer than you would if you were eating the same kind of eggs over and over each day. Although there are numerous variations of the Egg Diet, this version emphasizes protein and minimizes carbohydrate intake.
Grapefruit or any low carbohydrate vegetable or lean
2 servings of eggs
Salad which consists of vegetables with low carbohydrates
Lean proteins such as fish or chicken
1 or 2 servings of fruits
Proteins such as chicken and fish in limited quantities
Points to Ponder
- It is important to limit dietary cholesterol intake, but even more important to limit your intake of saturated fats and trans fats. Both of these fats increase the amount of cholesterol your body produces and in turn they increase your risk of developing heart disease. The saturated fat and dietary cholesterol in eggs is found in the yolk.
- Therefore, if you want to increase the number of eggs you eat beyond the amount you can consume while staying within the recommended amount of saturated fat and cholesterol, you can limit yourself to eating only the whites of the additional eggs.
- If you have a serious issue with high cholesterol, then you should limit the number of egg yolks you eat to two or fewer per week.
- Carbohydrates are necessary to fuel an active lifestyle. If you participate in regular exercise or strenuous activity, you may need to include a higher amount of carbohydrates to keep yourself
- sufficiently fueled and maintain your energy levels.
- Some people report experiencing nausea and fatigue in the first few days of the diet.
- Because this diet does not include a variety of foods, you are likely to fall short of a number of essential vitamins and minerals. Therefore, this diet is not appropriate as a long-term eating plan.
- Consuming a high number of eggs can cause bad breath and constipation.
- This diet plan does not guarantee a permanent weight loss. Like all other plans, you will regain the weight you lost if you return to eating the way you did before you lost the weight.
- Never eat stale eggs, they can cause food poisoning. Check the sell-by date on your eggs to ensure freshness.
The Egg Diet may result in short-term weight loss, and a m
oderate amount of eggs or egg whites can be a healthy addition to your regular eating plan.
Always consult your doctor before beginning a new diet or exercise regimen.
Behrenbeck, T., M.D., Ph.D.; Are Chicken Eggs Good or Bad for My Cholesterol?; MayoClinic.com; http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/HQ00608
O’Keefe, J. H., M.D., et al.; Dietary Strategies for Improving Post-Prandial Glucose, Lipids, Inflammation and Cardiovascular Health; Journal of the American College of Cardiology; October 2007; http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/3/249
Benton Franklin Health District; Egg-ucation; http://www.bfhd.wa.gov/edu/eggucation.php#witwa
USDA; National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24; Egg, Whole, Raw, Fresh; http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/111?fg=&man=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=&qlookup=egg |
you must use pesticides, follow these tips to reduce pesticide effects
on your local waterways:
- Identify your pest problem and choose the
least toxic pesticide that targets your pest and achieves the results
you want. For information about pest identification and management,
to manage pests in homes, gardens, landscapes, and turf.
- Determine how much pesticide you need and buy only the amount that
you can use up.
- Use spot treatments whenever possible.
- Always wear a long-sleeved shirt, pants, eye protection, and other
equipment required on the pesticide container label.
- Dispose of unused chemicals properly
and according to label instructions.
- Avoid overwatering after applying pesticides or fertilizers.
- Never let pesticide runoff flow into storm drains.
- Do not apply pesticides outdoors when rain is forecast or when it
is windy out.
- Avoid applying pesticides on paved areas or near waterways.
- Avoid applying pesticides in or near floor drains or sinks.
- Do not apply pesticides on areas that will be washed or mopped
with water, or where food is prepared or stored.
Illustration by Chris
applying pesticides to paved areas and do not apply pesticides while
watering or when rain is forecast.
More UC IPM resources (Pest Notes) |
- Perceptual Arousal
- Inquiry Arousal
- Goal Orientation
- Motive Matching
- Expectancy for Success
- Challenge Setting
- Attribution Molding
- Natural Consequences
- Positive Consequences
(ARCS - Motivational Theory, http://ide.ed.psu.edu/idde/ARCS.htm, accessed:1/8/2008)
A few things I like about this model:
- It works well with Gagne's nine events of instruction. You do not need to choose one over the other, but instead can incorporate the model within the nine events.
- For me, it encourages incorporating interactive elements into courses.
- It is flexible. And each category can be applied numerous times throughout instruction. However, do not over do it. For example, too many repetitive "attention" events can turn out to be annoying. Remember the MS Word Paper Clip guy?
Here are few links to learn more about ARCS: |
Hebrew is one of the oldest languages still in use today as a modern, living language. Hebrew originated in the Middle East over 5000 years ago and its earlier versions was the language of Moses and Jesus and the language in which the Bible was originally written. Over the centuries, the language and it’s alphabet have undergone many changes and developments.
For a long period of time, its use as an everyday spoken language died out and it was used, primarily, as a language of prayer by the Jews living in the Diaspora. Towards the beginning of the 20th century, when the modern day Zionist movement began to gather momentum, Zionist Jews began to revive the language as a spoken one, a language of every day communication. Perhaps the one person most credited with the rebirth of modern Hebrew is Itamar Ben Yehuda who was responsible for the first modern Hebrew dictionary using the Hebrew alphabet and who invented many new words to cope with modern developments that did not exist in biblical times. Today, Hebrew is spoken by over 6,000,000 Jews in Israel and many thousands more across the world. |
Camping has always been one of kids favorite activities. Hence, my lifting of the 1964 Alan Shermann song seemed an appropriate fit for this post’s title.
Earliest records show that girls attended camps as early as 1917 in the Washington-Metropolitan Area. In 1935, the Prince George’s County Girl Scout Council was chartered from the Washington, DC Council. This was the same year that John Byron Plato at age 58, (Born 17 Dec 1877, Geneva, IL- Died 29 Jun 1966, Forestville, MD) migrated from Ithaca, New York’s American Rural Index Company, to Forestville, Maryland where he had accepted a position as a special agent with the U.S. Census Bureau and worked at the Suitland Federal Center in Suitland, a town adjacent to Forestville. On July 27, 1915, this Colorado dairy farmer, J. B. Plato, received a patent for his “Clock System” Rural Index.
Patented schemes for identifying rural places peaked well before patents addressing travel mapping and even map folding. These schemes provided an alternative to the Public Land Survey System, and one anticipated by eight decades the “quadtree” data structure adapted for digital mapping in the 1970s. Particularly emblematic was John Plato’s Clock System that gave rural residents “real addresses” just like their urban counterparts. Twelve sectors defined by lines radiating from each locally important central place were superimposed on concentric circles a mile apart, which divided the surrounding area into “blocks.” All residences within each block were assigned a unique number or letter to produce a rural address, which was listed in a “rural directory” published along with a map. Link to John B. Plato’s original patent submission.
In 1948, John Plato married Christine Grieling, 10 Jul 1900 – 2 Apr 1991), who was nearly 24 years his junior. So, you may ask, and quite appropriately so, what’s John’s connection to campgrounds and the Girl Scouts. It was, in fact, this John Plato (aka “Uncle John” Plato), who donated 50 acres of his woodland property in Forestville and created and run a nature preserve with three artificial lakes. He next donated this property equally to local Girl Scouts and Campfire Girls. John Plato lived to be 89 years old and was buried in Forestville’s Forest Memorial Cemetery, part of the Forest Memorial United Methodist Church.
Camp Plato Place, as it was called, was located off of Berry Lane (which was west off of Ritchie Road), in Forestville. It had a log cabin with a cement floor, a large cement Turtle Hollow circle for campfires with block walls for seating, and a tenting area where Iris, Pipsissewa and Birdhouse plants grew.
In 1962, Camp Plato had three artificial lakes and canoe races. “Uncle John” Plato built a toboggan run covered with piles of fall leaves. The left image, above, shows some Camp Plato girls as they are getting ready for the downhill toboggan run. The image beside this one, on the right, best shows the camp’s full layout.
The Associated Press’s 1966 news article on the left reports on ongoing and increasing vandalism at Camp Plato. The Prince George’s County Police, according to the article, attributed these incidents to teenagers and younger children of the local neighborhoods that surrounded the camp. As you can see in the satellite map, some of the primary roads that surrounded the camp were Ritchie, D’Arcy, Roslyn, and Kipling Parkways in District Heights–my hometown in those days.
In 1974, the Camp Plato Place property was exchanged for Aquasco Farm, now known as Camp Aquasco.
As of this writing, I am still researching to learn more about what has happened to the property post the Camp’s closing. But there are many former kids who lived in the Forestville area that continue to share their fond memories of their times at this “get-away.” For example:
- I LOVED that teepee! And there was a circle of logs around the campfire site to use as seats. And the Lodge!!! I loved sleeping there. And I loved being a Camp Fire Girl!!
- My mom distributed cookies and camping equipment. My mom and dad went around to different campgrounds and repaired the platform tents. They were really involved.
- Yes. Plato Place was at the end of Berry Rd. Used to go there with the Girl Scouts. I remember when the Platos were still alive.
- We lived up the street. It was our playground. Doubt that it is safe to let kids run free these days.
- Yes it was Camp Plato Place and the Girl Scouts of the National Capital sold it in the 1970s and they told us they were going to open the land they owned (and the part they leased from MNCPPC) for camping instead. (Aquasco) Not much left of it these days……
- Back in the 70’s, I would ride my horse back there. Still had the teepee. The pond/ mini lake that had a rope swing was dried up.
- Perfect place for kids! Very generous guy.
- Not all have such fond memories of camp Plato. Crimes did happen there.
- We went there from D. C. Went tobogganing there and camped overnight. 🎼Kookaburra Sits in an Old Gum Tree
- There is an unconfirmed story that one or more girls in the 1940’s were murdered here. I’m wondering if the murders of girl scouts at Camp Scott in Oklahoma City became the story of Camp Plato over the years?
- Yes, the local teenagers did gather regularly in the evenings to have their own campfires and adventures. |
Wilt symptoms are caused in a large number of broadleaf plants by several species of Fusarium and Verticillium fungi. The fungi differ one from another but the symptoms which they cause are very similar. The only reliable method for separating these diseases is laboratory culture and identification of the fungus isolated from diseased plants.
Plants first show a wilted appearance. Individual branches or even single leaves may be affected at first. Leaves develop a yellow color, often in V-shaped sectors between the major veins. Leaves eventually die and fall.
Discoloration or brown streaking is often found in vascular tissues. The fungus can be readily isolated from the diseased stems. Diseased plants may die soon after first symptoms or they may sprout at the base after the top dies.
The wilt fungi have different general characteristics which will aid in identification and control. These are:
- Verticillium thrives in alkaline soil whereas Fusarium grows best in acid soils.
- Fusarium is more prevalent in sandy soil; Verticillium in heavy soils.
- Fusarium causes more injury when root-knot, reniform or sting nematodes injure the roots; Verticillium does not require injury for infection.
- Fusarium can be transmitted internally in seed while Verticillium is not.
- Verticillium prefers cooler soil than Fusarium.
The two diseases have some characteristics in common. These are:
- Both thrive with high nitrogen fertilizer, excessive soil moisture, thin stands, and deep cultivation during the growing season.
- Both fungi survive long periods in soil in the absence of a cultivated host.
Control of wilt diseases is difficult. Carefully follow suggested cultural practices. Rotation with tolerant plants and clean tillage to destroy infected tissue will help.
Plant breeders have selected many sources of genetic resistance to each wilt disease. Acceptable tolerant varieties have been developed in tomato, cotton, watermelons, and other crops. Growers should plant these improved varieties when they are equal to the susceptible varieties in yield, adaptation, and other cultural characteristics. Seed catalogs and other descriptive literature will give specific information on the tolerance of varieties to wilt diseases. Since new races of the fungi may develop that attack resistant varieties, it is necessary that growers keep up with the latest information on resistant varieties and control measures. |
Typically, airplanes have a bad reputation for containing germs and causing diseases. But there are certain ways to prevent these risks while flying. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a new question arises that is air traveling safe for people? Are there chances to get coronavirus while air traveling or not?
There are three general rules on air traveling, as shared by many medical experts. One is never to sit too close to anyone, avoid touching surfaces unnecessary and always book a trustable company.
The new research studies air travel for the risk associated with coronavirus pandemic. As it is an extremely contagious infection, the international health agencies like WHO have requested people not to travel if it is not absolutely needed.
Ashok Srinivasan is a computer scientist from the University of West Florida. He says; “Airlines use several zones in boarding. When boarding a plane, people are blocked and forced to stand near the person putting luggage in the bin—people are very close to each other. This problem is exacerbated when many zones are used. Deplaning is much smoother and quicker—there isn’t as much time to get infected.”
Srinivasan the first author and researcher of this study investigating the pedestrian dynamics models which are used as a control strategy to reduce the risk and spread of coronavirus cases through airplanes.
The complete study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.
During all previous years, scientists have mostly used the Self-Propelled Entity Dynamics (SPED model) which uses each person as a point. However, this model is limited as its results are presented slowly and gradually, making it difficult to take rapid decisions. In such situations as coronavirus pandemic, a faster and timely decision is all that is needed. Hence this SPED model doesn’t work well during a pandemic.
The newly proposed model is called the “CALM model” that stands for constrained linear movement of individuals in a crowd. It is faster and better than the SPED model and assumed to work best in the current coronavirus pandemic.
Srinivasan and his colleagues have Frontera which is the “fastest academic supercomputer” from the Texas Advanced Computing Center and this project was completed under the support of the National Science Foundation.
Just like SPED, the new model CALM stimulates a slender movement, more of a linear path. The analysis of these two models indicated that CALM was nearly 60% faster than the previously used SPED mode. Other than just better performance, it also models additional behaviors of all pedestrians.
Srinivasan on this new model advises all that; “You may still be at risk [for a virus] even if you are farther away than six feet,” he said. “In discussion with modelers, it appears that models don’t take air-flow into account. Just as a ball goes farther if you throw it with the wind, the droplets carrying the viruses will go farther in the direction of the air-flow.”
Before this, the researchers from Singapore investigated how a vent for exhausting air caused a person using rest-room to catch coronavirus, a new type of infection transmission.
On this new CALM model design, the program director at NSF’s Office of Cyberinfrastructure, Edward Walker says that;
“The results made possible by the use of the NSF-funded Frontera supercomputer system are timely because of our urgent need to combat the spread of COVID-19.”
He further added that; “This discovery, enabled through advanced computer simulations, could potentially have a fundamental impact on how Americans experience air travel in the future.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of State have recommended people not to travel during the coronavirus pandemic. Anyone who is planning to travel anywhere should read Health Notices by CDC and Travel Advisories issued by the State Department. |
Jonathan Bate notes the great difficulty of writing a biography of the poet John Keats – his own letters are almost impossible to surpass:
Consider his dispatch to his brother George and sister-in-law Georgiana, begun on St Valentine’s Day, 1819, and finally signed off and sent to Kentucky on May 3. It is not so much a letter as a journal. The original holograph runs to some sixty pages, and can be inspected digitally on the website of the Harvard University Keats Collection.
You could use it as the basis for a whole book, which might readily provide as much insight into the poet’s creative life as is to be found in the many biographies that follow him year by year from his cradle in a Moorgate inn (or maybe stable) to his grave, a stone’s throw from that of P. B. Shelley’s three-year-old son, in the English Cemetery in Rome. And it is in this letter that Keats tells his brother and sister-in-law how he thinks a life should be turned into literature, which is to say how a biography should be written: "A Man’s life of any worth is a continual allegory – and very few eyes can see the Mystery of his life – a life like the scriptures, figurative . . . . Lord Byron cuts a figure – but he is not figurative – Shakspeare led a life of Allegory; his works are the comments on it". What was the "continual allegory" of Keats’s life and how do we read it through it the commentary of his works?
(Portrait of Keats via Wikimedia Commons) |
|Requirements||Music & Islam|
In Civilization IV, a cathedral is defined as an especially large and ornate religious building where the faithful worship. Only the most prosperous cities can afford to create cathedrals, as they require huge amounts of raw material and years of dedicated labor by skilled craftsmen. For example, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, took over two centuries to complete.
In common usage, the term "mosque" is used to describe any Islamic house of worship. In this game that term is reserved for the more important and impressive structures; common mosques are called "Islamic temples." The first mosque built was the "Kaaba," in Mecca, which resides inside of the Masjid al-Haram. According to tradition, the Kaaba was originally a temple constructed by the prophet Abraham and his son, Ishmael. By the Prophet Muhammad's time, the Kaaba was being used to worship many "false" gods; he destroyed the idols and rededicated the structure to Allah when he captured Mecca in 630 AD. |
A SUKKAH IS a temporary hut built for Sukkot, a weeklong Jewish festival. It is usually covered in branches. In September 2017 the then mayor of Airmont, a village 35 miles north of New York City, ordered the fire inspector to the home of the mayor’s neighbours, an Orthodox Jewish family, to demand the family dismantle its sukkah. According to a lawsuit filed by the federal government on December 2nd, the inspector, at the mayor’s direction, threatened the family with immediate eviction unless the sukkah was taken down. The family dismantled it, despite the sukkah not violating any law.
This is one of several examples of alleged religious discrimination offered by the Department of Justice in its lawsuit against Airmont. It asserts that the village adopted discriminatory zoning codes and land-use practices that violate federal law and previous court judgments. Airmont claims the government is misinterpreting the village code. Yet this is the third time the federal government has filed a suit against the village since it was incorporated in 1991. A jury unanimously found in 1995 that the village’s first mayor, trustees and zoning board had engaged in a conspiracy to deprive Orthodox Jewish residents of their civil rights. One local said at the time: “the only reason we formed this village is to keep those Jews…out of here.”
For much of its history, Airmont has been under investigation, in litigation or under some sort of federal oversight. Its very creation, said Audrey Strauss, the acting attorney for New York’s Southern District, has its roots in animus against Orthodox Jews. Its incorporation came about because some locals wished to impose zoning restrictions to prevent the growing ultra-Orthodox Jewish population from worshipping together at home.
Since federal oversight expired in 2015, the latest lawsuit says, the village has doubled down on discriminatory land-use zoning. The government claims the village unlawfully prevented the approval of an Orthodox Jewish school’s expansion. Airmont implemented an 18-month village-wide moratorium on development, which the lawsuit claims was targeted at the Orthodox Jewish community. When the moratorium expired in 2018, the filing claims land-use laws were amended and applied arbitrarily. Jewish homeowners were prohibited from installing mikvahs, ritual baths used for religious observances.
Several rabbis jointly filed suit in a federal court in 2018. The case is pending. Their lawyer, Keisha Russell of First Liberty, a not-for-profit firm that specialises in religious-discrimination cases, said one client spent $50,000 over two years trying to get approval for a home extension.
For the past decade the ultra-Orthodox (particularly the Hasidic) population has been growing in towns in upstate New York and neighbouring New Jersey. Many of the arrivals were priced out of their old neighbourhoods in gentrified Brooklyn. The surging numbers and their demands for land have often put them at odds with locals. After battles over zoning and lawsuits, voters in nearby Monroe agreed in 2017 to allow a Jewish enclave to secede from the surrounding town to create a new town called Palm Tree. There, most wanted to replicate city life, living close together in multifamily dwellings.
But most Orthodox Jews in Airmont live in single-family homes on large lots on quiet streets. Yehuda Zorger, a community activist, for instance, left Brooklyn in 2014 for Airmont’s suburban lifestyle. He says it has reached the point where even having extended family help fix his deck might draw the wrath of code enforcement. Had he known Airmont’s history before he moved there, he says, he would have looked elsewhere for his coveted suburban lifestyle. Now, he is not going anywhere. ■
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Here today, zone tomorrow” |
Lawn dethatching is necessary for various reasons. It is the service carried out at the earlier stage. More so, the job is done at the active growth period when the lawn soil is still somehow moist. The same way with aeration, the lawn dethatch is done once a year. It is also done in the same period of the year as the aeration. The end of spring to the beginning of summer is usually the right time to dethatch the lawn. That is mostly after mowing for the grasses that do well during the warm season.
There are various reasons the lawn is dethatched and some of these reasons include:
Make sure the grasses get enough watch, nutrients, and air
When there is a thatch layer in the lawn, it can deprive the grasses of getting the nutrients, water, and other essentials they need to grow and remain healthy and green. Depriving the grasses, trees, and plants’ air, water, and nutrients can make them turn brown and possibly die. So, the number one reason for dethatching is to provide the roots with an adequate supply of nutrients, air, and water.
Dethatch to remove the infestation in your law
When you want to give the grasses in the lawn to remain thick and green, one thing you need is dethatching. This offers the same benefits as aeration, which is made to help the plants get water and air. You will be sure of removing the thatch that can promote insect infestation, which is not good for your lawn. So, you need to carry out this activity once a year to make sure that insects do not find reasons to eat up the grasses, plants, and trees.
Prevent lawn disease by dethatching
Thatch can give room to different lawn diseases. But, you can prevent these diseases from coming by dethatching. This is the service required to keep the lawn free from any form of paste and insects that can damage the grasses and plants.
Dethatch your lawn to ensure smooth mowing
Thatches and patches in your lawn can build up to thick layers, which can become spongy over time. When these spongy layers are allowed to remain in your lawn, it can make it difficult to achieve smooth and even lawn mowing. Therefore, if you want to achieve a perfect and smooth height on your lawn, you should make sure that you dethatch as regularly as required. |
Dust mites are tiny animals, about 0.4 millimeters long, that meal on flakes of human skin. Their feces includes a material called an extremely potent allergen, DerP1.
A lot of us think that pads bedding and beds should be changed frequently to avoid them from getting a household to huge cities of those unpleasant animals, lest their feces spread and trigger allergy symptoms in household members.
The problem is not necessarily clear whether you have got a mite allergy. As well as once you know you’re sensitive, there’s lots of frustration about which methods actually work.To determine if you ought to be fretting about your bedding along with the dust mites that occupy home inside them — alongside professional advice about the home that is best treatments.
Termites multiply in comfortable, humid climates. However, if moisture and the heat increase, be careful. “Very few individuals are sensitive to simply nothing,” he explained.
Think about these issues if you’re unsure whether you’ve got a sensitivity to dust mites: Do I’ve sinus problems and prolonged sniffles? Do I usually awaken with scratchy eyes? Do I sneeze very first thing each morning?
“Your only symptom may be chronic nasal congestion.”
Consider viewing an allergist for testing should you have annoying symptoms. And don’t forget the kids: dust mite allergy is widespread among a risk factor for developing asthma along with children, said Dr. Platts-Mills. The earlier you intervene, the more unlikely your child’s signs may advance into something worse.
Sensitivity tests take about one hour and many insurers protect the cost, which could vary from $500 to $1000, based on your geographical area. At the conclusion of the visit, you’ll understand what you’re sensitive to what level and also to.
THE SCIENTIFIC CONTROVERSY
You’ll have to lower your contact with them if you should be sensitive to dust mites. But you need to know of a medical dispute over bedding.
Many scientists recommend protective bedding as a means to lessen contact with dust mites. But a meta-analysis of 54 reports on treatments to manage dust mites, released in 2008 from the charitable Cochrane Collaboration, concluded, physical and “Chemical techniques targeted at reducing contact with household dust mite allergens can’t be recommended.”
Research released in 2004 within the New England Journal of Medicine discovered that masking pads and children’s beds with specific mite although the study continues to be combined -proof supports helped reduce asthma problems. An identical research, posted by Dutch scientists in Experimental and Medical Sensitivity in 2002, discovered that mattress encasings figured “their use must be recommended.” and served to lessen symptoms in asthmatic individuals
Dr. Gotzsche’s opinions, however, many experts suggest a number of treatments for all those sensitive to dust mites. The bugs certainly will occupy home in blankets and covers in a matter of times and grow rapidly in high moisture. It’s not essential to change them with fresh sheets. But when you’d instead start clean, spring for new pads.
It doesn’t matter what type you purchase; your bed with specific mite as well as it matters more which you protect both your pads -proof handles, experts say.
The brand new addresses are constructed of traditional typewriter ribbon product, with a tight place that doesn’t let termites enter but is gentle towards the effect. Make sure to get addresses like Objective Sensitivity or National Allergy Supply, from the reputable organization. Includes the cost of $15 to $40 for $100 or even more for bed covers and pads.
If your allergies are serious, your physician could also claim that you use Venetian blinds in the place of fabric curtains, and remove rugs out of your home, or at least from your own room. Dust mites take refuge in rugs but can’t survive hard materials like plastic or wood floors.
Basically, change your pads whenever you discover they’re not helping the mind and your throat along with they used to.
An exception to the principle: If you pour water on comforters or pads, consider removing them, where you sleep to prevent hatching to form a community.
My husband and I require new pads, as it happens, and we ought to have gotten protective covers when we were sensitive to dust mites. Nevertheless, our new pads are a pleasure to rest on, encouraging and a lot more rest compared to old ones. Purchase a mattress cover and rest easy. |
Definition of Terms
Quality in this context shows the significance of order. Moreover, it can mean different things in different environments and on the outputs the project is being created. In some cases, it means achieving specified goals within specified time and resource constraints. In other cases, it means meeting, achieving, or exceeding the highest possible degree of customer satisfaction at the lowest overall cost with increased efficiency to the organization. In still cases, it means achieving the highest possible degree of work, product, service, and/or process excellence. Yet, it is generally related to an important attribute in works, products, services, and/or processes.
Quality Assurance in this context is a systematic activities used and implemented within the quality plan of an organization to measure, monitor, and achieve the integrity and effectiveness of work, product, service, and/or process that demonstrate a level of confidence (the state of being certain or the act of making certain) in maintaining and delivering the acceptable quality, desired outcome, and completeness and correctness of the end results based on organization established criteria, wide standards, and requirements accurately.
Quality Control in this context is the implementation of the quality program used and implemented within the quality plan of an organization to examine work, product, service, and/or process that demonstrate a level of quality in complying with the ongoing customer specifications and/or requirements in a sustainable manner.
Quality Criteria in this context is based upon a framework in which organization and/or quality manager can:
- specify the quality requirements and implement and/or make claims about the quality attributes of the products, services, and/or processes;
- decide how much focus one must put on the quality of the project and how much on the quality of the deliverables; and
- specify the quality criteria against which the quality of the output will be measured (e.g. fitness for purpose, best practice for processes, adherence to a specific standard or specification, usability, accessibility, validity, etc).
Moreover, quality criteria provides assurance that the process of specification, implementation, and evaluation of product, services, and/or processes has been conducted in a rigorous and standard manner.
Quality Improvement in this context captures statistics, lessons learned, and What goes wrong (problem) around quality implemented within the quality plan of an organization to examine approaches and methods of quality management and techniques that demonstrate a level of reliability in driving, reinforcing, improving, and achieving continually the success and efficiency and cost effectiveness of work, product, service, and/or process.
Moreover, any improvement (change) takes time to implement, gain acceptance, and stabilize as accepted practice. Improvement must allow pauses between implementing new changes so that the change is stabilized and assessed as a real improvement, before the next improvement is made (hence continual improvement, not continuous improvement).
Furthermore, improvements that change the culture take longer as they have to overcome greater resistance to change.
Further, improvement is easier and often more effective to work within the existing cultural boundaries and make small improvements than to make major transformational changes. Transformational change works best when an organization faces a crisis and needs to make major changes in order to survive.
Well organized quality improvement programs take all factors into account when selecting the quality improvement methods.
Quality management in this context is a method that ensures all the activities necessary to design, develop, and implement work, product, service, and/or process are effective and efficient with respect to the application of quality management system and its performance.
Quality management can be considered to have three main components:
- Quality Control
- Quality Assurance
- Quality Improvement
Moreover, quality management focuses not only on product quality, but also the reliability, maintainability, and safety of the means to achieve it.
Quality plan in this context is a critical plan that establishes what quality means to the project, enables quality manager to agree on a set of quality goals and targets with his/her project sponsor and client, shows how and when it will achieve the quality goals and targets, and shows the quality processes it will put in place. Moreover, it describes what needs to be done and who should do it. That is, it identifies responsibilities, accountabilities, and relationships of those participating in the quality process.
Quality plan generally consists of the following sections:
- Quality Statement
- Quality Process
- Quality Criteria
Quality Process is designed, managed, and improved in order to support an entire work, product, and service life cycle, improve quality of works, products, services, and/or processes; and satisfy and increase value for the project sponsor and client. Usually it matches the specific project requirements and the project sponsor and client’s needs. The QA team must develop advanced skills in managing and improving the quality processes. By reason of, these quality processes will have a strong impact on their reputation, profile, and standing – credibility with project sponsor and client. This impact will also contribute to their image in terms of its capacity to implement quality policies.
Quality process is divided into three sub-sections.
- Quality Program
- Quality Review
- Quality Workflow
Quality Record in this context describes the procedures for maintaining the quality records (metrics, variance reports, executed checklists etc) during project execution as well as after the project completion.
Quality Statement in this context is a statement used to provide project sponsor and client with the necessary level of quality requirements in works, products, services, and/or processes. It centres on issues and/or concerns relating to the functionality (suitability, accuracy, interoperability, security), reliability (maturity, fault tolerance, recoverability), usability (understandability, learnability, operability), efficiency (time behavior, resource utilization), maintainability (analyzability, changeability, stability, testability), and portability (adaptability, installability, conformance, replaceability) of works, products, services, and/or processes (1).
- Adherence to standards
- Bugs per lines of code
- Number of reported problems
- Size of variances in schedule, budget cost
- Cost of rework
- Client sign-off
- Client satisfaction ratings
- Amount of follow-on business
Quality Workflow in this context describes the repeatable pattern of quality activity enabled by a systematic organization of resources, defined roles and responsibilities, and information flows into a quality process. Moreover, it helps the systematic organization to evaluate the efficiency of the flow route in increasing discrete control of uniquely identified business attributes and rules and reducing potential low efficiency drivers. |
A team of Chemists from faculty of Science at a University in Sweden has studied an enzyme. The study shows that there is existence of three dimensions in an enzyme called ribonucleotide reductase (
The research has also stated the complete process of
According to the expert, the entire study was based on the knowledge of building blocks and their benefits inside living organisms.
According to the researchers their basic research of building blocks can be helpful in future to fight infection. “A new antibiotic drug can be developed with the help of this new research”, said the team.
Scientists have also found a link between nosocomial infection and a bacterium called pseudomonas aerunginosa. Nosocomial infection is also known as, ‘hospital-acquired infection’. The whole study has been conducted with the help of synchrotron radiation, at MAX IV Laboratory. |
You probably think you know your Miranda rights from watching fictional law enforcement officers recite them so many times on TV or in the movies. But do you? More importantly, do you understand when these rights come into play?
FindLaw recapitulates the four Miranda rights as follows:
- You have the right to remain silent.
- Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
- You have the right to an attorney.
- If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.
When they apply
Per the historic U.S. Supreme Court case of Miranda v. Arizona that established Miranda rights in 1966, they take effect only at the point of your arrest, not before. Therefore, law enforcement officers have every right to attempt to elicit voluntary information from you prior to your arrest. You, on the other hand, have every right to respectfully decline to answer their questions and give them voluntary information.
Why they are crucial
Your Miranda rights actually flow from the following three Constitutional rights you have at all times, both before and after your arrest:
- Your Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures on the part of overzealous government officials
- Your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination
- Your Sixth Amendment right to attorney representation any time you face or potentially face criminal charges
Your Miranda rights therefore constitute your most crucial rights any time officers attempt to question you about an active criminal case. While you must identify yourself when they ask you to, you need not answer any additional questions unless and until you have your attorney by your side. |
Road Signs and signals: the major key to road safety
Whether you are a pedestrian, cyclist or motorist, road signs and traffic signals are essential to ensure your safety. Road signs, traffic lights and pavement markings provide information so that you can take the proper precautions.
The shape and colour of road signs indicate the type of information that they convey.
If you don’t understand certain signs, you could place yourself in a circumstance that could prompt a mishap. There are a great deal of signs in our street condition, so it may be a smart thought to revive your memory as to their importance and use.
There are different road signs we covered few of them in our TIPS section & continuously increasing (Pleas click here to visit our TIPS Section).
Before automobiles were invented, horses were often used for transportation in big cities. Since there were no traffic rules for pedestrians or horse carriages, streets were often overcrowded, and movement of people and goods was therefore inefficient and sometimes even dangerous. The problem was especially serious at road intersections. One solution to this congestion problem was to use police officers to control the flow of traffic, which is still used in some parts of the world today. Another solution, which was first used in 1868, was to install a traffic light with different colors that could be used to indicate when a vehicle can “stop,” “caution – be prepared to stop,” or “go ahead”.
Pavement markings are significant, in light of the fact that they supplement signs on street signs and from traffic lights. STOP LINE This imprint shows where drivers must stop at a crossing point. Walker CROSSING When there are traffic lights or stop signs at a convergence, white stripes or two parallel white lines show a passerby crossing. . LANE LINES Arrows on the pavement indicate where motorists should be in order to do one of the following: turn left, turn right or go straight.
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Nitrate Contamination is Ongoing Problem for Salinas Residents
By Justin Ebrahemi
California’s “salad bowl” has been contaminated, and some local Salinas residents are paying the price. After decades of inorganic fertilizers, the groundwater has been polluted by nitrates and industrial solvents, causing physical and financial hardships for some communities.
A state-funded study by University of California, Davis has revealed that one in ten persons living in Salinas Valley is at risk for drinking water which exceeds the nitrate standard. The report warns that if nothing is done to alleviate the problem, the percentage of those at health and financial risk could reach 80 percent by 2050. If environmentally-sound practices were to be implemented, however, nitrogen pollution from farm and livestock operations can be reduced by 30 to 50 percent.
Nitrogen in the form of nitrates is absorbed by plants but can also move into the groundwater via a process called leeching. They are tasteless, odorless compounds that can lead to a variety of medical problems. Infants who ingest excess levels can lose their ability to carry oxygen in their blood, a fatal condition called “methemoglobinemia.” Nitrate consumption in adults can lead to thyroid illness and cancer. With the advent of chemical solvents and fertilizers in the industrial revolution, nitrate contamination has been a growing problem, particularly in Salinas Valley.
San Jerardo, a small Valley community bordered on all sides by miles of agricultural field, is just one of the many communities that have suffered from nitrate contamination as a result of synthetic fertilizers in the agricultural practices of peripheral farms. The community thrives with children, disabled individuals, and retired farm workers. Jerardo members reside in small refurbished homes surrounded by a fortress of eucalyptus trees, separating the community from miles of farm lands.
In the 1990’s, the co-op received their water through Alco Water Services, a Salinas-based company. Alco were found falsifying their lab tests to mask the nitrate problem, according to Horacio Amezquita, manager of the co-op. Some residents like Eliseo Alcala experienced rashes, hair loss, and eye irritation. Amezquita decided to take action.
Because San Jerardo is a co-op, Amezquita has had difficulty raising funds to alleviate the contamination. In 2001, the federal government removed Alco from San Jerardo, and residents used bottled water until a new system was established. In 2006, Amezquita fought for purification and was rewarded with a temporary water filtration system using money from AG labor. Four years later, the county received stimulus money on San Jerardo’s behalf, and replaced the filtration system with a new well 2 miles away from the co-op, supplying the community with fresh water.
However, the solution left residents with the ongoing costs of the new water system. In five years, the cost of water has spiked from an average of $25/ month to $115, according to Amezquita.
San Jerardo resident Jose R. Hernandez believes those responsible for contamination should be paying the co-op’s water bill. He remains distrustful of the current water supply, as he claims it tastes odd. “We still buy gallons from far away ‘cause there’s not much trust in the water. Like many Jerardo members, he’s skeptical of the surrounding farms. “I have friends who manage these fields; I think they use illegal pesticides in the middle of the night that’s polluting our land. I have red eyes and rashes, and I think it’s from that.”
Hernandez’s son is a survivor of cancer, an illness he believed to be the result of years of nitrate contamination. “A lot of people have cancer here, some have died. “
Oversight organizations, like the Central Coast Agriculture Water Board, have been making gradual progress addressing water contamination in Salinas Valley.
In 2004, the Water Board issued the “waiver of waste discharge”, an order that required watershed monitoring. Last March, the organization adopted a new AG order, suggesting that farmers protect surface water quality by managing nutrients. The order also provides a timeline for growers to report compliance with practices, using a third party if they desire. The new system of “tiers” considers a farm’s acreage in how much information they must report. The larger farms have to report the most information, but the data doesn’t necessarily relate to the causes of pollution in the region.
Marc Los Huertos, Professor for Environmental Science and Policy at California State University, Monterey Bay, believes the AG order was poorly developed and needs to be modified to address the specific source water contamination. “If you’re a big farmer, you wear a bigger target, but it is unlikely it will demonstrate any success because these are the guys that have already invested tons into this process. There’s never been information that says which tier is the source of the problem, it’s not linked in a way that makes any sense.”
Consequently, some of the most sustainable farmers were penalized for not reporting their efforts. “From a scientific standpoint, I felt like it was dismissing the ones who were working the hardest”, says Los Huertos.
Part of Los Huertos’ work is how to instill a cultural shift so that growers can document their solutions to protect groundwater. “I’m trying to incentivize for the guys who are doing a good job”, he explains. “How do we get at those growers that aren’t doing a good job?”
Steve Shimek, program manager for Monterey Coastkeeper and executive director of The Otter Project, has a different perspective. “(Los Huerto’s) approach is to incentivize farmers to use less nitrates, my approach is to have clear water standards so they cannot pollute in excess. It’s an incentive approach versus a regulatory approach.”
Due to the new tier system, some of the smaller farms aren’t being regulated as much. Huertos believes some farmers are being wrongly targeted. “It’s ironic, when the AG order started to be renegotiated a few years ago; the first thing the growers called for is better enforcement.”
But some central valley farmers want AG orders repealed. “If you’re not regulating at all, and you have sudden regulations, it’s a huge impact. It’s an expense they haven’t otherwise found out”, says Jennifer Clary of Clean Water Action. Many farmers are expressing that monitoring has nothing to do with solving the problem-it only has to do with accountability.
Clean Water Action has been calling for state-wide regulations for farmers, as they believe volunteer actions are not sufficient enough to protect our water. “One of the difficulties is that part of the central coast order has been stopped. Ag is telling us they’re already implementing measures, but just voluntarily right now”, says Jennifer Clary.
Huertos advocates for more specific policies farmers can adhere to- “The growers I know in that region are really proactive guys. I think there’s a general sense that they want to be part of the solution, but they don’t know how. And frankly, as a scientist, it’s hard to figure out a concrete solution.”
Yet a concrete solution is exactly what San Jerardo’s manager is calling for. With a lifetime of organic farming, Amezquita is appalled by how local farms are conducting business. “When you came in, you saw all that water that’s thrown out? There’s no rain. So why is so much water sitting there? I’ve been farming all my life, that’s not good farming practices.”
Water quality isn’t the only problem that Jerardo is dealing with. Currently, the co-op is trying to figure the most efficient and sustainable way to treat their wastewater. They recently obtained a County grant to fix their water system, but Amezquita believes farmers should be part of the solution as well. “They’re wasting valuable time that can be used to mitigate the amount of damage from cheap fertilizers. You need some kind of organic matter. Organic soil has thousands of organisms while synthetic fertilizer doesn’t. It’s like you eating vitamins versus real food. ”
“It’s kind of an embarrassment that we let it happen for so long and it wasn’t addressed in a very thought-out way. I think the residents are disappointed”, says Huertos.
Joseph McIntyre, Executive Director of AG Innovations, a non-partisan nonprofit, is calling for immediate response. “I think there’s a pretty broad agreement that communities need safe, clean drinking water immediately. The solution for that is quite different than the long term solution. Nitrates will be in water for at least 50 years, we’re obviously not going to wait that long”, says McIntyre.
AG Innovation looks over the California Roundtable on Agriculture and the Environment, an organization that focuses on the long-term drivers of nitrates and “how to find the perfect balance between our need to produce food crop and how to minimize nitrates that remains in soil”, explains McIntyre.
The UC Davis report estimates it will cost $20 million to $35 million per year to treat water in community systems, which are highly susceptible to nitrate contamination. It is estimated that about 254,000 people live in these communities.
Amezquita realizes the financial hardships of solving a problem that began decades ago. “There’s not enough money to cure the problems the industry has created by overproduction, by creating a synthetic way of farming.”
Jennifer Clary believes the financial burden is not as bleak as it seems. “Any financial aspect would be on the grower’s. However, the program calls to use fewer nitrates which would save farmers money. The amount they would save hasn’t been measured.” The Central Coast Water Board is also issuing financial assistance in some cases to help growers reach compliance.
Environmental progress is taking the form of agricultural milestones that the farming industry, while sometimes reluctantly, adheres to. While the political wheels for regulation are slowly turning, San Jerardo residents are taking the financial burden of a pervasive water fiasco that no one wants to take the blame for.
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Make your own crazy bouncing balls with this great science experiment. It only takes three minutes to make your own custom multi-coloured balls from the magic powder (included) and water! There's enough to make 3 different shaped balls. So simple but lots of science fun! Explore how the different shaped balls bounce and learn about Newton’s laws of motion.
DIY Bouncy ball lab kit. Includes 2 different shaped ball moulds (note: a round-shaped mould is not necessarily included) and 4 brightly coloured powders in a clear tub.
This is chemistry in action. Bouncing balls were originally made of natural rubber, however now bouncing balls can be made of plastics and other polymers or even treated leather. In this experiment the bouncing balls are made from polymers. Polymers are molecules made up of repeating chemical units and are used to make lots of things, including clothing, plastic containers, nonstick cookware and bulletproof vests. In this experiment different polymers are cross-linked to make the strong, elastic bouncing balls. Everyone loves these bouncy DIY science toys!
- Chemical reactions
- Chemistry of polymers and their use in everyday life
- Elastic collisions
- Newton’s three laws of motion
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - Small Parts. Not for children under 3 years. |
Topic: A Model For Critical Thinking
Presenter: Mike Henderson
Critical thinking is the disciplined and objective analysis of information as a guide to judgment and action. Critical thinkers can be actively engaged in life; creating and re-creating aspects of their lives, solving difficult problems, seeing issues in larger and different contexts, bringing clarity to underlying personal assumptions and core values. As an introduction to Critical Thinking, we will briefly discuss a model for being proactive and structured in our approach.
Mike Henderson – Mike Henderson is an Industrial Engineer with extensive experience in both manufacturing and service industries. His expertise is in leading continuous improvement and transformational change initiatives in order to achieve individual and organizational performance breakthroughs. |
The soft tissue cancers known as rhabdomyosarcomas occur primarily in the oral cavity and its related regions, as well as in the urinary tract. The botryoid type of these malignancies are tumors with a grapelike clustered appearance. Botryoid rhabdomyosarcomas most often appear in the bladder.
Botryoid Rhabdomyosarcomas and Dogs
While other forms of canine bladder cancer usually affects older dogs, botryoid rhabdomyosarcomas generally afflict dogs under the age of 2. Large breeds, such as the Saint Bernard, are most vulnerable to these relatively rare tumors, and females are more likely to develop the cancer than males. These tumors are primarily located on a smooth section of the bladder known as the trigone, but they can grow on the bladder wall. They can also extend into the urethra, obstructing urinary flow.
Signs and Symptoms
In its early stages, botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma might be mistaken for a bladder infection. An affected dog might have difficulty urinating, with blood appearing in his pee. Rather than relieve himself in a steady stream, he might pee in small amounts in different locations. Your veterinarian might initially treat him for a bladder infection -- but that malady generally clears up promptly with antibiotics. When the antibiotic therapy fails to do the trick, more extensive testing is necessary.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Your veterinarian will conduct blood tests and a urinalysis on your dog, along with X-rays and a computed tomography scan for diagnosis. After the tumor is identified, you vet will conduct a biopsy. Once botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma takes hold, it becomes extremely invasive. Your veterinarian can perform surgery to remove the tumor, but it's hard for a surgeon to eradicate the entire tumor, and the operation might not prove successful. After surgery, your dog will likely undergo chemotherapy to stabilize or prevent further tumor growth. Your vet will probably prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories for pain management.
Botryoid Rhabdomyosarcoma Prognosis
Botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma usually metastasizes to the bones or the dog's internal organs via the lymph nodes. Unfortunately, if the cancer metastasizes, most dogs don't live more than a year, even after receiving surgery and chemotherapy. With surgery alone, many dogs don't live more than a few months. The dire prognosis is something to consider if expenses are tight, as surgery and chemotherapy are costly. If these treatments aren't an option for you, speak to your veterinarian about palliative treatment that can keep your dog comfortable until you make a decision regarding euthanasia.
- Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images |
A significant research effort is being made to develop near-term quantum devices which fall short of fault-tolerance requirements and the ability to perform universal computation, but are able to perform specific computational tasks beyond the reach of today’s best classical computers.
Although much attention in this area is given to Google’s plan to perform a large random quantum circuit sampling experiment, Aaronson and Arkhipov’s BosonSampling problem continues to be considered a strong contender for the basis of a demonstration of significant quantum advantage.
The appeal of BosonSampling is in the way that it seems to translate so naturally to an experiment: sample from the output state generated when $N$ single photons have been injected into a large $M \in \Theta(N^2)$ (modes) linear optical circuit implementing a random transformation on optical modes. Amazingly, Aaronson and Arkhipov were able to show (whilst only making a few reasonable conjectures) that the existence of an efficient classical computing strategy to perform BosonSampling, even approximately, would have surprising and far reaching consequences in complexity theory.
But is this the most natural problem solved by such an experiment? Work by García-Patrón, Renema and Shchesnovich (complemented by concurrent work by Oszmaniec and Brod ) suggests not. They show that, in fact, the tendency for photons to get lost to the environment means that the problem solved by conducting such an experiment in typical architectures can be simulated using an efficient classical algorithm. As it turns out, it’s hard to convince photons to be part of a demonstration of BosonSampling – they would rather do something much more classically accessible.
The authors show that, by commuting loss to before the interferometer, the input multiphoton state can be well approximated by a thermal state. This, coupled with the fact that CPTP maps contract trace distance, means that the thermal state remains a good approximation at the output of the experiment. The evolution and sampling of the thermal state is efficient, and the approximation is shown to be a good one when the depth $D$, of the linear optical circuit satisfies $D \in \Omega(\log(M))$. Furthermore, the authors show that making the depth grow more slowly is not an obvious way to re-establish classical hardness, presenting a classical quasi-polynomial-time algorithm based on tensor network methods.
Beyond the limits imposed by this work, the utility of tricks such as post-selecting on a small number of photons being lost have been constrained by the same authors . Daunting levels of improvement in the engineering of photon sources, linear optical circuitry and single photon detectors seem to be required unless a new approach is taken.
García-Patrón, Renema and Shchesnovich have not only provided novel classical simulation methods, but also an increased incentive to devise and utilise schemes to mitigate loss induced errors in multiphoton linear optics experiments. This could, potentially, make the quest for quantum advantage by BosonSampling more relevant to the development of a wider range of photonic quantum computing devices.
Scott Aaronson and Alex Arkhipov, "The computational complexity of linear optics”, in Proc. 43rd Annu. ACM Symp. Theory of Comput., 333 –342 (2011). 10.1145/1993636.1993682.
Raúl García-Patrón, Jelmer J. Renema, and Valery Shchesnovich, "Simulating boson sampling in lossy architectures", Quantum 3, 169 (2019). 10.22331/q-2019-08-05-169.
Michał Oszmaniec and Daniel J Brod, "Classical simulation of photonic linear optics with lost particles", New J. Phys. 20, 092002 (2018). 10.1088/1367-2630/aadfa8.
This View is published in Quantum Views under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. Copyright remains with the original copyright holders such as the authors or their institutions. |
About household myths in new way, or Whether microwave and black mold can kill
Cholesterol — my friend?
The Kazan Federal University has given lectures as part of the traditional popular science project Pro-Science since November 16. However, this year their format has changed: coronavirus has forced the organisers to switch lectures to online. During a week, teachers and scientists of the university talked about when humanity will finally visit other planets or get rid of all diseases. Realnoe Vremya together with university students joined a lecture by well-known medical blogger and scientific journalist Aleksey Vodovozov, in which he debunks myths about dangerous devices or substances that people encounter on a daily basis.
If we didn't have cholesterol, we wouldn't exist as a human body
Is it really such a terrible creature that clogs a person's blood vessels and, as a result, leads to heart attacks, strokes, and so on? And what is the correct name for it — cholesterol or cholesterin?
The question is not so easy. Back in 1769, when famous researcher François Poulletier de la Salle found yellowish stones in a patient's removed gallbladder, picked up one of them and tried to crush it, his fingers became greasy, and he thought that it was a piece of adipocere.
Later, in 1815, Michel Eugène Chevreul gave the name of this substance, which sounded like “cholesterol”. According to the rules of the then emerging nomenclature, various fatty acids, fats ended with —in, for example, glycerin, this was correct for 1815. But the thing is that 40 years later, another outstanding researcher, Marcellin Berthelot, found out that cholesterin is a fatty alcohol, however, like glycerin, so it should be called “cholesterol”, by analogy with the names of other alcohols, for example, “ethanol”. But those four decades were enough for the name “cholesterin” to be firmly fixed in some languages, for example in Russian and German, but in English a new name appeared and established — cholesterol.
Everyone probably knows that cholesterin can be bad and good, and most often high-density proteins are called good. Accordingly, those with low density are bad cholesterin. The more good, the better, and vice versa. In one of the issues of Time magazine, an article was published that cholesterin is an enemy that penetrates our body in large quantities from animal fats, causes atherosclerosis, which then leads to coronary heart disease, strokes and other diseases, and it should be abandoned. This means that you can not eat eggs, butter, fried bacon, shrimp and other products.
However, three decades later, the same publication wrote: eat butter, doctors were wrong. A lot of interesting things have happened in 30 years.
Cholesterin is produced inside our body, and there is some amount that gets into us with food. And it turns out that this is an extremely normal substance for our body, because if we didn't have cholesterin, we wouldn't exist as a human body.
Why? Because all our membranes are made up of phospholipids, which in turn are made up of phospholipids. Besides, we would not have men and women, because sex steroid hormones are created from cholesterol. This is not only not harmful but also a critical compound for the human body. Only 20% of cholesterol we get from food, and the rest of the body synthesises itself.
By the way, cholesterol is present not only in animal forms, but also in plant foods — these are some types of the Solanaceae family, such as tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers. Remember, potatoes turn green — thus junk is accumulated, not quite a pleasant substance for a person, which can cause gastroenterological disorders, in fact poisoning. And yes, indeed, it is a kind of poison. And it is this poison that is synthesised from cholesterin. If you look at the cholesterin content in oils, then corn oil has 55 mg per kilogramme — this is, of course, less than in animal sources, but this does not mean that vegetable sources are useful for humans.
There were studies that evaluated the effect of cholesterin-free diets, during which it turned out that no, they do not affect the level of cholesterin in the blood, this is illogical. And if we want to change the level of cholesterin in the blood, we need to interfere with the internal processes of the body. It is this concept that has grown a whole galaxy of drugs called “statins”, which block the synthesis of cholesterol at the liver level.
Today we understand that food and cholesterin are not related, and we get the minimum amount of cholesterin through it. If we reduce it, the body will still “finish” the amount it needs a day, it will still produce cholesterin inside the liver, because this is a critical substance. Now we understand that it is necessary for the body.
Yes, indeed, it can participate in the pathological process of plaque formation, but it is not guilty — that is, it does not do it: first, there are damage to nerve cells, damaged cells begin to massively capture cholesterin from normal, for example, to foam ones — they are so called because they look like foam. And then a sclerotic plaque appears in this cell as an attempt to patch the hole.
Today, this understanding of atherosclerosis is confirmed and meets all scientific research. And yes, high cholesterol itself can be just a marker of a pathological process. The thing is that even with low cholesterin, osteoarthritis is quite possible, that is, there are several other factors involved, and not just lipid ones.
What is good about medical science: after all, scientists have figured out the effect of cholesterol and returned to the right direction. So today we can say that cholesterin is not a killer.
Sulphur protects the ear from various environmental factors
Are cotton buds murderers? A person uses them to clean the ear canal from ear wax.
And I must say that this is a little self-harming. The thing is that ear wax is a protective substance, since it contains a large number of viscous substances, including those formed as a result of cholesterin metabolism. There is also lysozyme — an antibacterial and antiviral substance that is produced by the body. That is, it is a kind of putty, but it gets stuck with dust, some insect particles, what is in the air, including microorganisms and viruses that are affected by lysozyme.
If it is regularly removed mechanically, it will weaken the body's protection in the external ear canal, and this is unacceptable. If some mechanical damage occurs in the ear or any inflammatory process begins, then the case may end sadly, it may develop, for example, not external, but otitis media, then there will be a lesion of the inner ear, a violation of balance, and so on.
You need to protect your ear. And this is exactly what ear wax does — it protects the ear from various environmental factors.
To clear the ear of accumulated wax, people have come up with ear candles. The procedure is a bit similar to inquisitorial: a special tube is inserted into the ear, set on fire, and a draft is formed in it, which removes the accumulated wax into the tube. At the same time, it is much more likely to get a burn, so the damage from it can be much greater.
How do ENT doctors deal with earwax that can block the ear canal and reduce hearing acuity? The first thing they do is examine the ear with an otoscope to determine the location of the earwax. Then it is softened with water, that is, the ear is washed. If it is not strongly glued to the ear wall, it is easily washed out. But sometimes it sticks tightly, and they fail just to remove it. First, it is still softened with warm water and then removed with an ear probe. It is clear that the buds can not cope with this.
These buds have a very interesting history — you can say the embodiment of the American dream. They were invented by Polish emigrant Leo Gerstenzang. He had a baby and watched his wife take care of the baby. She took a toothpick, wrapped a piece of cotton wool, and brushed the baby's ears. Leo thought — why not make ready-made such sticks? People liked the idea, the cotton buds were in great demand. For example, in 2014, they sold almost $200 million worldwide.
Today, cotton buds are no longer made of wood, and most often cotton wool on both sides, and manufacturers indicate how to use them correctly, for example, for removing or correcting makeup, for spot application of medical ointments or gels. To clean the baby's ear, special sticks are made with an extension so that it does not penetrate deeply. But some parents manage to push this stick quite deep. For example, over 20 years, more than 260,000 parents with children who received various injuries from these very sticks have applied to the emergency departments of hospitals. There are many facts when buds violated the integrity of the eardrum.
Can a microwave kill you? If you drop it from a height, yes
Can a microwave kill you? If you drop it from a height, yes, but not with magnetic waves.
From a scientific point of view, radiation is ionizing radiation. What does it mean? This is short-wave high-energy radiation. But what's there? Here are microwaves, with a length of about 18,5 cm, that is, this is a completely different level: they do not carry an ionizing potential, since it is impossible to tear off some parts of the molecules using such a wave. This is not the same ultrashort wave that is used in x-ray radiation or in cobalt guns, where gamma rays and everything else, that is, there is a completely different story. This is the first point.
Second point. Look at any door of the microwave — it has some kind of grid. What kind of grid is it? This is the Faraday shield — a special device that does not transmit radiation with a wavelength less than the stroke of the shield. See what kind of grids there are, what kind of cells there are — they are very small, so 18,5 cm will not come out of there in any way. And even something shorter-wave won't get out either.
How can microwaves harm us? First, it turns out that due to the peculiarities of using a microwave oven, it preserves biologically active substances better. Why? Well, for example, when frying, they are quite actively destroyed, and even some carcinogenic substances can be formed there if we do not properly handle food. And when we cook with a microwave, everything is completely safe, and useful substances are stored longer.
Where is the harm? It is still possible and is associated with other features of microwaves. For example, we take a certain product, it is covered with a film on top, and just like that we put it in the microwave. In this case, it is really possible to transfer molecules from the package to the product. Of course, it will not become plastic, but a certain number of molecules will move there.
Whether this is good or bad is another matter, and depends on what went over there. So the problem appears exactly when we violate the operating instructions. We take this product, take it out of its “native” packaging and pour it or pour it into glass or ceramic, and then put it in the microwave.
Another option is that you unevenly heat the food, which means that the food will not get rid of, say, salmonella, and therefore all sorts of various dysentery and other intestinal infections are quite likely. And this is the real danger from microwaves. But it is solved simply.
You should not put whole chicken in the microwave, it is better to cut it into pieces and only then warm it up. The same applies to frozen foods: we defrost them first, and then cook them.
Is black mold dangerous?
A lot of nonsense from self-appointed experts can be found today on Instagram. For example, some publications related to coffee: that it must be only black and without milk, and most importantly, that instant coffee should be excluded from the diet altogether, because it is dangerous for mycotoxins that are produced by mold fungi.
This is an actual mistake, in fact, spores are mold. But are there any mycotoxins, this is actually the problem?
The WHO and other world organisations that deal with food safety are talking about this problem. Only it looks different. For example, on some cereals, you can find a mold fungus such as ergot. It is the source of very dangerous mycotoxins — ergotamines and ergotoxins, which cause poisoning by these two ergot alkaloids, which threaten a person with mental disorders. In the middle ages, they were known as “St. Anthony's fire ". Then, as you know, there was no agricultural chemistry, and a large amount of ergot could get into flour, and then into bread, so that a large number of people at that time suffered from hallucinations and disorders of other organs and systems of the human body.
Today, ergot is dangerous mainly for farm animals that eat cereals that are not cultivated and are not processed by special teams. Ergot was last found on wheat in the 1950s.
Another variant of mycotoxin is black mold — a terrible, insidious, which protects the tombs of the pharaohs, the so-called Aspergillus fungus, which secretes a very strong aflatoxin. But here begin but. If you take one such fungus and look at it at the molecular level, it releases mycotoxin into the environment, but, according to research, in a room where even the walls are completely covered with this mold, the concentration necessary for poisoning is not formed. In other words, it is impossible to achieve this toxic concentration.
It is interesting that, for example, black mold in a room is rather a marker that there are unfavourable living conditions: high humidity, poor ventilation, and so on. And this can lead, for example, to diseases of the respiratory system, but it has nothing to do with mold.
The only option is if the mold emits spores that multiply. And they, like pollen, can act as a sensitizer — settle on the bronchial mucosa and lead to bronchospasms, signs of suffocation and, with prolonged exposure, to bronchial asthma.
So, food mycotoxins exist, but they affect food supplies, and mostly, of course, in Africa, simply because the necessary agricultural technologies are not available there.
In 2004, one of the largest recent outbreaks was recorded in Kenya, with 325 victims and 125 deaths. Dangerous? Definitely, who would argue! However, storage conditions must not be violated and clearly affected raw materials must not be used. |
Throughout the history of pop music, there has always been an influential cultural icon for consumers to follow. In the following, my aim is to take a modern look at three various representations of these iconic models - of which all are melded and intertwined together as part of what constitutes pop music - and address their respective impacts on consumer culture both individually and holistically. In addition, by analyzing these icons from a modern, fragmented perspective, I hope to unveil to readers the effects pop music iconography continues to have on consumers and their methods of consumption and idolization. For my contextual purposes, I will be concentrating on the artist/s, album cover art, and modes of music collecting such as vinyl albums, CDs, and MP3 players.
Academicians often attempt to classify and label theoretical movements in a variety of ways. For us, "modernism" can be best defined by Chris Barker, who writes, “Modernism incorporates the tensions between on the one hand, fragmentation, instability and the ephemeral and, on the other hand, a concern for depth, meaning and universalism.” Two primary constructs I wish to focus on are fragmentation - which I will frequently refer to as individualism - and universalism - which will be synonymous with globalization.
Of the numerous artists who can be considered when studying this idea of a "cultural icon," there is no better representative than Bob Marley. In this section, I will primarily use Marley’s legacy and impact, along with a few other popular names from the past fifty years, to support my claim.
Paul Gilroy writes of Bob Marley, “He has become an immortal, uncanny presence.” First, we must ask ourselves, “How and why is this so?” Marley, born in Jamaica to an Anglo-American father and a black mother, grew up during a turbulent time for his country. Gilroy explains, “Marley certainly endured a difficult childhood as what would now be called a ‘mixed race’ child. It introduced him not only to poverty and the viciousness of racial hierarchies, but to the antipathy and suspicion that can be directed from both sides of the colour line at people whose bodies carry the unsettling evidence of transgressive intimacy between black and white.” Due to the concept of being a "mixed race" child, Marley, early in life, began to strive for a unification and "oneness" amongst all people - this attempt to achieve harmony would carry over, not only into his music and lyrics, but to his image and messages, too. Gilroy furthers this idea by stating, “Contrary to the stereotype, mixed parentage does not seem to have been a handicap for him but rather to have conferred some interpretative advantages and stimulated him towards useful insights into the character and limits of identity and groupness.” Marley’s "mixed race" dualism directly coincided with his country’s consistent struggle and longing for independence from colonial Britain. Like Jamaica, sixties America was harboring its own share of political and racial unrest. Though the Civil Rights and Voting Acts had both been passed, the majority of blacks and whites were still at a high level of civil unrest, not to mention the presence of the Vietnam War and its lingering effects on the nation. All of this American instability did not go unnoticed by Marley, who, by this time, had moved to America to work as a housekeeper and since moved back to his home-nation.
During this time, Marley and his band mates became interested in the iconic messages that performers like James Brown were singing to audiences. As David Shumway writes, “Look magazine [asked] in its cover, ‘Is this the most important black man in America?’” In 1968, Shumway reminds us, Brown released his “Say It Loud - I’m Black and I’m Proud” which would, essentially, become the “anthem of the black-power movement.” With influential artists such as Brown frequenting the Jamaican radio waves, Marley began to write songs that would rebel against the cultural "normalities" of the time - for not only Jamaica and America, but all people. In a word, the music was anti-establishment. However, for Marley, it was not rebellion in the sense of an uprising anarchy; in contrast, it was the exact opposite. Of this, Gilroy writes, “Bob’s lyrics not only remind us of the goal involved in making the colour of skin no more significant tha[n] the colour of our eyes. They also admonish anybody who hesitates before the existential responsibility which comes with knowing that you do, contrary to appearances, rule your destiny.”
As Gilroy explains, “the underdeveloped world that made itself audible in the core of overdeveloped social and economic life” is referred to by Marley as "Babylon." In this light, Marley appears to be commenting on the world as being too "individualized" - and the shards and remnants remaining are only becoming more "fragmented" with time. To respond to this, Marley attempted to offer a counter to the disillusioned "Babylon"; he and the Wailers became the first true pop leaders of the "world music" movement. Through "world music," Gilroy writes, “The Jamaican rebel style was heard, copied and then blended into the local traditions of Brasil [sic], Surinam, Japan, Australia, and numerous African countries, particularly Zimbabwe, Zaire, South Africa and the Ivory Coast.” In a sense, Marley and his band mates were attempting globalization and unification by means of a rebellious method of peace, love, and awareness. By doing so, there was a hope that what had become a fragmented world could once again reach some sense of simplistic and cohesive understanding.
Marley’s work and efforts did not go unnoticed to the consumers of his time (and still to the present day). Setting aside the fact that Marley’s face - marked with wrinkles of struggle and shrouded in mists of ganja smoke - can be found on countless posters, the peace warrior’s message has effectively spread to seemingly all corners of the globe. Gilroy asks, “Do people connect themselves and their hopes with the mythic figure of Bob Marley as a man, as a Jamaican, a Caribbean, as African or pan-African artist?” This is a difficult question, and one I believe cannot have a simple answer. For our purposes, I believe consumers so intimately connected with Marley because of his melodic plea for a return to an Edenic paradise amidst the troubles and woes of war and racial conflagrations. Gilroy explains that Marley “[gave] post-colonial Jamaica a voice in the world” and created a “shift away from non-violence and towards legitimate force, deployed in self-defence [sic] [which was] registered in [his] imagination.” Shumway writes, “Music was the glue that held young people together, something shared that transcended any particular politics except that of youth itself.” Shumway is correct: People were tired of the disenfranchised "Babylon," and Bob Marley was the global rally cry who would let these people voice their concern.
Album Cover Art
Thus far, I have attempted to show the cultural impact that pop music icons have on consumers by analyzing and primarily focusing on the artist, individually. What we must also consider in this study are the tools that artists are equipped with to further provide their work with proper clarity and intended representation. In this case, one of the most prominent tools available - though its popularity appears to be waning with the rise of digital music (MP3 players such as iPods, which will be addressed later in the article) - to modern pop musicians is the album cover. By examining album cover art as another mode of iconography, I hope to show how these various forms of artistic expression can and do affect cultural consumers.
Peter Plagens calls the album cover a “veritable Sistine Chapel ceiling.” In other words, artists/musicians use the cover itself as a canvas, while the actual text and images on them becomes the palette. On this canvas, the artist has free reign to produce his vision and message as he sees fit to portray it. To better understand this idea, I turn to my primary focal point for this section. In his article “CD Cover Art as Cultural Literacy and Hip-hop Design in Brazil,” Derek Pardue comments on his time spent with Brazilian hip-hoppers - who represent a microcosm for all artists - and the importance of cover art for them. To begin, we read, “‘Marginal’ hip-hoppers use images to represent the outside world, which they limit for political reasons to the periferia, in a manner that they propose transforms that world and consequently transforms themselves as well.” As Pardue explains, periferia is to be understood as the “socio-geographical term which symbolizes São Paulo’s suburban spaces and Brazilian ideologies of race and class during 20th-century processes of urbanization.” In other words, for Pardue’s studied Brazilian hip-hoppers, the album cover becomes a way to comment on and relay meaning pertaining to racial and class issues of the homeland. Of course, looking at this on a global scale, I would argue the same could be said for any artist in any country - while songs and lyrical content provide an oral means of representation, album covers present a visual and written one.
According to Pardue, Brazilian hip-hop appears to be dividing itself into two categories: positive and marginal. Of these two classifications, we read, “‘Positive’ hip-hoppers often claim that they are able to ‘exchange information’, a quality held in high respect, better than ‘marginal’ hip-hoppers, because they keep up with not only US trends but what is happening in England, France, Germany, Chile, Cuba, Japan, and other hip-hop centers.” For us, this point suggests that marginalized hip-hoppers (or marginalized artists of any genre) are forced to be "out of the loop," so to speak. Because they are outside - be it due to socioeconomic status, living in (sub)urban slums, etc., these artists, as a result, are naturally more fragmented and individualistic. Granted, they can be unified within their own small subgroups, but they cannot connect on a universal and global scale like the "positive" artists can.
Being aware of this division amongst artists, the push for creative freedom and representation on album covers becomes all the more important for these Brazilian hip-hoppers. Three ways in which the musicians achieve this symbolism can be found via 1) perspective camera angles, 2) clarity of images, and 3) typography. Like Bob Marley’s reaction to "Babylon," BR - one of the groups Pardue followed during his time spent in Brazil - dubbed oppressive and unjust figures of society as the ‘system’; to further expand on this, Pardue relays what BR group members discussed while attempting to create a look for their album cover, writing, “We are a target. [The system] is like that … [Let’s] just use our eyes and we’ll be looking down on the [periferia]. It’s serious.” By using this downward camera angle, consumers see BR standing up and symbolically defeating the "system." In addition, BR members look serious in order to show their intention of sending a stern message of counter-reaction against unfair treatment. This realistic depiction of periferia makes BR look like rebel warriors, harkening back to the days of Marley; simultaneously, this message also cannot help but appeal to consumers who feel the same sense of disillusion.
The second means of album cover representation can be seen through the clarity of images used. Pardue notes, “They felt that the profile of BR was ‘in your face, straight up no funny stuff.’ And, this could be most effectively achieved with a photo 100% in sharp focus with defined color boundaries.” For BR, and for consumers, vivid, sharp images with a detailed focus - all contained within a set and defined boundary - touches on "realism." Ultimately, the blinders of society are removed, and there remains no protective film to guard the true essence of reality; prospective consumers are subjected to a visual illustration of "truth" as seen by musicians with the same view of the world as themselves. While BR effectively depicts this sense of realistic fragmentation in their work, I interject here to briefly present and discuss another form of cover art that contrasts Brazilian hip-hop reality - sixties altered state-of-consciousness.
If we are to consider sharp, clear images as "realism," then we must also understand that album covers of the exact opposite form - those with non-confining boundaries, numerous colors, and shrouds of smoke - stand to symbolize the anti-establishment and counter culture in their own way. Of course, this form rose to prominence during the turbulent events of the sixties. The Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam led, in part, to the creation of the "hippie" subculture. In a sense, hippies were crying the same plea and seeking the exact refuge as Bob Marley - that of a return to a more simple way of life in which all could co-exist; this wish found fulfillment on album covers of the 1960s. Sam Sutherland writes of these album covers, “Visual elements now drew from a sometimes literally mind-blowing pantheon of styles and influences, from psychedelic art to high fashion, elaborate logotypes to commercial illustrative styles cribbed from simpler, bygone times.” Sutherland brings a fine point to mind: people of today look back at the Boomer generation and wonder why drugs were so prevalent. I believe it was because people wished for an escape from reality, which, in and of itself, was too much for people to cope with. Thus they searched for mind-altering methods to return the nation (and world) to a more peaceful and unified time. Both BR’s and sixties album art symbolize similar messages: 1) Be it through sharp realism or mind-altering "shrouded-ness," both cultures were/are counter-establishment 2) Both represent the struggles going on during their time - be it the periferia or Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement 3) Both modes of expression appealed to its respective consumer culture - "hippies" (and followers of the sort) and global hip-hoppers (or anyone feeling undermined and misrepresented by the "system.")
A third method of examining album art and its effects on consumer culture can be found by looking at the cover’s typography. Typography is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the style, arrangement, or appearance of printed letters on a page.” The format, size, and space between letters all indicate meaning for the creators. For example, Pardue writes, “When I asked about the typography, Sérgio remarked that the block lettering works in multiple ways to ‘combine’ with hip-hop. First, it links to [the system], because hip-hoppers recognize official, government signs as stenciled. Some associate stenciled lettering with institutional uniforms or large building signs.” In other words, hip-hoppers see block letters of serif and sans-serif format as symbolizing the empowered "system" they oppose. The appearance of these stenciled formats seems structured, confined to boundaries and rules, rigid, and are used as the accepted norm of written "system" communication. Pardue writes of this opposition toward the institution: “In Na Mira da Sociedade, designers Sérgio and Fanta cracked the stenciled lettering in the title as a visual reply to being the target of society. In the CD insert pages they continue this theme of visual opposition by literally shooting holes in the ‘system’ typography.”
Another typographical form musicians use to make their artistic statements is graffiti. The style and structure of graffiti is everything typical block font is not - thus, it still opposes the "system," yet does so in a slightly less aggressive manner. Pardue writes, “Graffiti artists visually mark and subsequently oppose the rules of public place.” Graffiti font typically consists of fat letters that are not restricted to boundaries - the form takes on a somewhat playful resistance with its typical usage of a wide variety of colors and other stylistic choices such as italics. In a sense, graffiti is distinct because it allows the musician to, once again, turn the album cover into a canvas for his or her artwork.
Like camera angles and clarity of images, various forms of typography all play an important role in establishing the artist’s message on the album cover. Cover art becomes an entity of its own - it unifies people through its cultural images and messages. The creation process, which takes place to produce album cover art, unites fragmented people and cultures; the final product, whatever form it may take, is certain to affect consumers in some fashion.
Methods of Collection
Up to this point, I have examined two types of cultural consumer icons: the artist and album cover art. Respectively, each topic has been, and in its own form continues to be, an icon. While this may be so, there is a third mode of iconography that, in the present day, I find to be most prevalent - the MP3 player. The MP3 player has become iconic with modern music. As a result of this, digitalizing music has, I argue, caused the following for consumers: 1) an alteration of methods of collection 2) a return to an individualized state-of-being 3) the creation of a positive shift in control and power in the consumer’s favor.
The format on which music is stored has changed with time and technological improvements - this change is unavoidable. From LP records of varying size and capacity and compact cassettes, to compact discs and now MP3 players, one aspect is for certain: music storage devices are becoming physically smaller in size while the actual amount of information the device can store is growing exponentially. This fact creates somewhat of an intriguing division among consumers, which I will be referring to as meaning - or what consumers associate with and connect to when they purchase music. In this light, meaning can be associated with collectors of music and general consumers, too. I argue that storage devices such as LPs, compact cassettes, and compact discs allow buyers to acquire and brandish a physical means of space. On the contrary, MP3 players store digitalized music that cannot necessarily be held and stored as part of a physical collection. This is not to say digital music cannot be part of a collection; on the contrary, I believe it instead becomes a spatial object within the digital storage device. In essence, it is part of a collection, but its owner cannot say, “Look at the shelves that line my home…these are my memories.” Thus, music collecting becomes altered somewhat. Some will prefer to point to the MP3 device and say this is collecting as well, but storing music digitally changes the traditional meaning of what collecting represents.
On this topic, David Beer recounts part of Walter Benjamin’s narrative which, though pertaining to books, can apply to the storage of music, too: "I am unpacking my library. Yes, I am…I must ask you to join me in the disorder of crates that have been wrenched open, the air saturated with the dust of wood, the floor covered with torn paper, to join me among piles of volumes that are seeing daylight again after two years of darkness, so that you may be ready to share with me a bit of the mood…what I am really concerned with is giving you some insight into the relationship of a book collector to his possessions, into collecting rather than collection." For Benjamin, it does not matter if the books have been untouched for years - it is the memories established and shared due to the process of physically collecting the books that are important. This collecting is Benjamin’s "meaning"…the books surround him as a part of the history of his consumer life - they help define who he is. The same can be said for music collecting. As I write, I look to my shelf beside me and consider all of the albums I have collected. While I do own an MP3 device, I still relish in having this physical collection, regardless of if I touch them for years or not. Beer writes, “Benjamin describes a complex relationship between the collector and his books that is not simply about the practice of reading but about the physicality, aesthetics, experience, and tactility of collecting. Benjamin’s collector is immersed in memoires and narratives through the connections made…with the physical properties of the book as a form of technological reproduction.” There is obviously a strong level of reciprocity between book and music collecting methods - they are one in the same, just of a different mode of text.
Beer challenges MP3 users by asking, “What are the consequences of leaving our collection constantly packed away on a hard-drive?” For our purposes, aside from the transition away from the traditional method of collecting (one which I believe devaluates the collecting experience), my main fear for the decision to digitally store music is that it will return consumers to a fragmented, individualized state-of-being. David Hadju wonders, “Is the album dying, or is it just passing into another plane of existence?” Antony Bruno echoes Beer and Hadju by adding, “Does album art have a place in the future of digital music?” (26). All three authors’ questions relay a similar theme: What will be the fate of the traditional methods of pop music consumer culture? I believe MP3 players, and even online file-sharing, will return consumers to an earlier period when the primary focus was placed on the song instead of the album. Hadju writes, “The first half-century of recorded music reinforced the pre-eminence of the song, largely because the recording capacity of a standard ten-inch 78 rpm record was only about three minutes.” During this time, an individual song was more important than a united album. As records gave way to albums, more of an emphasis was placed on the entire collection as a whole. Artists who had become accustomed to achieving fame and popularity based on hit singles were now required to focus on a consistently thorough and worthwhile album for consumers to purchase. Were artists not able to do this, their works were said to contain "filler" songs - material that would satisfy the required space on the album, but not necessarily be meaningful contributions for the consumer.
Where then does the MP3 player fit into this scenario? First, we must look at how digitalizing music - thus making it available for download on the internet - is allowing consumers to pick and choose what has meaning for them, individually. Instead of having to purchase an entire album on CD format, or waiting for the single to be released, consumers can simply go to iTunes and select the individual songs they prefer. Not only does this method of collection take us back to early recorded music when A and B-side singles were sold (thus allowing people to pick and choose), it also turns the pop music consumer population into a fragmented culture. Buyers are not all getting the same collective experience (from buying the same cohesive album), instead they are individually selecting what appeals to them most. The same can be said for Bruno’s album art destiny. He writes of cover art’s role in digitalized music: “Its primary purpose is to serve as icons when scrolling through vast music libraries on the computer or iPod.” In other words, even the symbolic album cover is becoming less important - its role has been reduced to simply helping consumers identify the individual songs by scrolling through the interface.
I briefly intervene here to address a contradictory point (there are more, I am sure) which I see could arise with my argument. Though I believe digitalizing music is fragmenting and separating consumers, I do see the possibility of the creation of what I shall call "individualistic globalization." In theory, these two terms are polar opposites - the former divides while the latter unites - but, by combining them, we create what I believe digital music may do to consumers: cause a digital global unification on an individual scale. To put it simply, people may, with regards to music, connect with one another on an international scale like never before seen, even though they are choosing to personally select individual songs that have meaning for them. MP3 players and digital downloads may then, in essence, globalize consumers, while doing so on an individual level.
As a result of being able to pick and choose individual songs over entire albums, there remains one final category I wish to discuss: the power shift from artist to consumer. To begin with, I wish to quote Hadju’s answer to his own question referenced above. He writes: "What we are witnessing, then, is not the death of the album, but something more intriguing: a transformation in the nature of its authorship. While professional recording artists are creating all the materials that end up on home-recorded CDs, the art of their assemblage - of selecting, compiling, and editing (or even altering the tracks electronically) - has shifted into the hands of the individual at home." What Hadju is referring to is the power shift that is occurring between producer and consumer due to the decision to make digitalized music downloadable. In a sense, the artist is no longer the album creator - the consumer is. Hadju adds, “It is only to be expected that blank compact discs for home recording outsell commercial releases today.” Why is this so? Because consumers are able to select individual songs of meaning to them and organize their own compilations. These created CDs can be shared amongst people (the same can be argued for mixed tapes, though as much individual customization was not available during its prime); personal touches such as typography and designs can be added to the blank cover of the disc; and, a certain level of power is bestowed upon the consumer because he can do with the songs what he likes. Hadju even goes so far as to interview his own daughter who, we are informed, owns over one hundred created discs. The daughter - a member of the "MP3 generation" and targeted audience of the developing digital consumer culture - makes a critical point when she states why she enjoys making her own CDs: “[We can] mix it up. [Music] is a mix. The music industry is obsessed with categories - hip-hop, rock, New Age.... Put different tracks together. They may get along.” This opinion only further reiterates that consumers are becoming fragmented due to picking and choosing music to download from the internet. Artists, while their music continues to be played and enjoyed, lose their creative powers to wield the album as an overall work; instead, consumers are left to produce their own fragmented albums to suit their individual tastes and meanings.
In this article, it has been my aim to take a modern approach with regards to pop music and three of its main icons. This form of iconography - individual in its analysis, yet united in its purpose - stands to show how time and culture has affected pop music and its consumers. Artists, album cover art, and methods of collection all play a vital role in the fragmentation and, at times, unification of people. Of course, the study of these three icons, while informative as I hope it has been, leaves us with yet-unanswered questions which only time and technology can answer. Will the role of the artist decline as more control is placed in the hands of the consumer? Will iPods and MP3 players completely diminish the popularity of the album? Will digitalized music become the "new traditional" method of collecting? Whatever these answers may hold and unveil, my hope is that readers will now better grasp a small portion of pop music’s past in order to better interpret, analyze, and understand its future.
From guest contributor Jeremy Burris |
Land der Berge, Land am Strome (English: Land of mountains, land by the river) is the National Anthem of Austria.
Lyrics of the Austrian National Anthem are penned by Paula von Preradović and the Anthem is Composed by Johann Holzer.
The Austrian National Anthem was Adopted on February 25, 1947.
The Austrian National Anthem is a matter of Pride for all Austrians and it is sung everywhere from Government Offices to Schools and Colleges on specially occasions like Austrian National Day / Independence Day – Declaration of Neutrality on 26 October, etc.
I am sure you might be searching for German Lyrics, English Meaning, Instrumental Music, Vocals, Video, Mp3 Download of Austrian National Anthem – Land der Berge, Land am Strome.
Land der Berge, Land am Strome – Austrian National Anthem Lyrics & Meaning :
|German Lyrics||English Meaning|
1. Land der Berge, Land am Strome,
2. Heiss umfehdet, wild umstritten,
3. Mutig in die neuen Zeiten,
1. Land of mountains, land on the River,
2. Strongly fought for, fiercely contested,
3. Watch us striding free and believing,
Land der Berge, Land am Strome – Austrian National Anthem Video :
Instrumental Video –
Vocal Video –
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Land der Berge, Land am Strome – Austrian National Anthem Sheet Music :
If you are a performer and wish to perform the Austrian National Anthem on Piano, Keyboard, Flute, Trumpet, Violin, Clarinet, Guitar or any other musical instrument then you will require Austrian National Anthem Sheet Music.
Find below Sheet Music of the Austrian National Anthem –
If you like this post about the Austrian National Anthem, Please LIKE & SHARE it with all Austrians ….
National Anthem of any country shall be respected and proper observance and decorum shall be maintained when it is played. All inhabitants are required to stand when the national anthem is played or sung. |
C10 – Hungary
The economic importance
Extensive farming of carps in man-made ponds of Central Europe dates back to the Middle Ages, and is still one most important sub-segment of European aquaculture both in social and production terms. Carps are farmed in polyculture together with auxiliary species using traditional farming technologies with limited reliance on ex-farm inputs and exposed highly to climatic conditions. The yearly output of Central European pond aquaculture is around 70,000 tonnes, accounting for 5% of EU aquaculture production. Hungarian pond aquaculture represents this sector in Climefish as a separate case study. Total Hungarian pond production is around 13,000 t per annum, generating an annual turnover of 40 million € and providing jobs for 1,500 persons. However its social and economic importance go beyond these numbers as wetland-related ecosystem services and angling tourism built around pond farms are estimated to be of significant value for the society.
Why climate change matters in this area
Most of the farmed species are warm water species and have their optimal thermal range between 24-30°C. It is expected that Hungarian aquaculture will benefit from increasing temperatures in general through increased growth rate and longer production period. However, increased occurrence of extreme weather events may stress biological organisms and also amortizes physical infrastructure. Altered precipitation patterns may also induce conflicts between fish farmers and operators of irrigation sector over the use of renewable freshwater resources.
How ClimeFish will tackle climate-related issues
The ClimeFish will use the most significant fish species in the Hungarian pond aquaculture as model species. We are collecting data on the past and present situation regarding production and propagation data of this species. Data analysis will be applied to investigate the impact of climate change. Models will be run to predict future scenarios. The developed forecasting tools will allow us to improve management strategies and support decision making. |
‘Cobra King’ on Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany, today. During the Battle of the Bulge the tank and its crew led an armor and infantry column that relieved the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. U.S. Army Europe historians and museum curators recently confirmed the tank’s identity and lineage.
U.S. Army Europe historians and museum curators recently confirmed the identity and lineage of the tank that ended the Battle of the Bulge in World War II through its serial and registration numbers. One day after Christmas 1944, the tank “Cobra King” and its crew led an armor and infantry column that relieved the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. Today, the tank sits on the grounds of Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany.
‘Cobra King’ led 4th Armored Division column that relieved Bastogne during Battle of the Bulge
By Dave Melancon, U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs Office
Photo credit U.S. ARMY PHOTO
The ‘Cobra King’ crew — 1st Lt. Charles Boggess, Cpl. Milton Dickerman and Pvts. James G. Murphy, Hubert S. Smith and Harold Hafner — pose for a celebratory photo in the vicinity of Bastogne, Belgium shortly after the tankers led the armor and infantry column that liberated the city in December 1944.
VILSECK, Germany — A World War II-era warrior with a storied past still stands guard over the back gate of Rose Barracks here.
That sentinel is a Sherman tank, nicknamed “Cobra King” by her first crew, that helped liberate occupied France, helped to relieve the embattled 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne, breached the Siegfried Line and battled its way through Germany into Czechoslovakia.
The 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division fought many hard-won battles in France, but Cobra King and its crew earned their place in U.S. Army history during the Battle of the Bulge.
One day after Christmas 1944, Cobra King – its nickname symbolic of the tank corps tradition of naming vehicles with the first letter of their companies’ designations — and its five-man crew from the 37th’s Company C led a column of infantry and armor that relieved the encircled Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne, Belgium.
On Dec. 24, 2008 – just two days shy of the 64th anniversary of its entry into Bastogne — U.S. Army Europe historians announced that the tank’s identity and lineage had been confirmed.
A German offensive, called “Watch on the Rhine,” began Dec. 15, 1944 when the German 5th and 6th Panzer Armies pushed through U.S. lines along the German-Belgian border, headed for Antwerp. U.S. forces were pushed westward, but the 101st, held fast in Bastogne surrounded by the enemy.
The 4th, part of Gen. George S. Patton’s 3rd Army, began its 19-hour, 150-mile race to rescue the 101st in Bastogne Dec. 18. The Germans continued their attack on the western side of the Bastogne perimeter Dec. 26 but the U.S. lines held firm.
Cobra King and its crew began their 5-mile final push into Bastogne through stiff German resistance, according to a January 1945 interview with Capt. Stedman Seny, the division assistant operations officer, on the division association’s Web site.
The commanders of the 37th and the 53rd Armored Infantry Battalion, Lt. Cols. Creighton W. Abrams Jr. [39th Colonel of the Regiment Creighton W. Abrams 7 Jun 1951 – 29 Jun 1952] and George L. Jaques, were ordered to make a break for Bastogne, he said.
Race to Bastogne
Starting from assembly areas north of Arlon Dec. 22, the 4th’s three combat commands, similar in size and organization to today’s modular brigade combat teams, battled their way to Bastogne. The division sustained heavy losses along the way.
While preparing for their next push, Abrams and Jaques saw the sky filled with cargo planes dropping ammunition and supplies to the surrounded paratroopers. Abrams suggested they try a dash through the village of Assenois straight into Bastogne.
That afternoon division tankers took the high ground near the village of Clochimont, about five miles southwest of Bastogne, Seny said. According to his report, the 37th was down to 20 medium tanks and the 53rd was short about 230 men as the two units’ C Companies set out. Cobra King, bumper number C-6, led the column of tanks and halftracks with 1st Lt. Charles P. Boggess of the 37th’s Company C in its commander’s seat.
According to reports, U.S. artillery rained 2,340 shells on enemy positions, tankers and infantrymen and showered the defending Germans with heavy machine gun fire as the column, in Seny’s words, “highballed through Clochimont” toward Assenois, the last stop before Bastogne.
Thick woods concealed blockhouses defending the road beyond Assenois. Boggess’s company had the job of plowing through those defenses without stopping. The companies that followed, supported by the 53rd, would mop up behind them.
After the first four U.S. tanks continued north through Assenois, the Germans detonated Teller mines behind them, knocking out a halftrack and wounding several infantrymen, Seny said.
“The Germans had these two little towns of Clochimont and Assenois on the secondary road we were using to get to Bastogne. Beyond Assenois, the road ran up a ridge through heavy woods. There were a lot of Germans there, too,” Boggess said in a December 1949 article in European Stars and Stripes. “We were going through fast, all guns firing, straight up that road to bust through before they had time to get set.”
“I used the 75 (mm main gun) like it was a machine gun,” said gunner Cpl. Milton Dickerman. “(Loader Pvt. James G.) Murphy was plenty busy throwing in shells. We shot 21 rounds in a few minutes and I don’t know how much machine gun stuff.”
“We moved full speed, firing straight ahead, with the other tanks firing left and right. We weren’t supposed to stop on the way, either,” Boggess said in an interview with strictly-gi.com during the 40th anniversary commemoration of the battle in 1984.
North of Assenois, Boggess and crewmen Pvts. Hubert S. Smith, driver, bow machine gunner Harold Hafner, Murphy and Dickerman approached a team of combat engineers in U.S. uniforms assaulting a pillbox. Boggess, aware of reports of German soldiers masquerading as Americans, called out to the engineers’ platoon leader, who identified the team as U.S. Soldiers.
“We then came across a large pillbox, which we at once destroyed,” Boggess said. “There certainly was a lot of confusion, since the Germans hadn’t expected us to break (through) via this secondary road. Nevertheless, enemy fire was considerable, and we lost four Shermans on the way.”
The siege of Bastogne was broken when the Cobra King crew linked up with the 101st’s Able Company, 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion, at the pillbox about two miles from the town center.
At 5:10 p.m., Abrams shook hands with Gen. Anthony McAuliffe, acting commander of the 101st in Bastogne.
The road cleared by the column was the only route in or out of Bastogne. That night, dismounted infantrymen continued to clear enemy stragglers in the woods along the road. Assenois was cleared by 8 p.m. Dec. 26, and by morning the woods on both sides of the road running north from Assenois were secure enough to assure relatively free use.
The relief of Bastogne cost the 4th Armored Division about 1,000 men killed and wounded. The 37th lost five men, with another 22 wounded and five missing. Thirty Soldiers of the 53rd died and 180 were wounded. Company C was down to four tanks.
But the fight was not over.
“The corridor to Bastogne had to be held. By now the 37th and elements of the 26th Infantry Division were joined in fighting to hold the road open,” according to reports on globalsecurity.org. It took two weeks to push the Germans east of Bastogne, and the battle officially ended just more than a week later, on Jan. 17, 1945. The 37th earned a Presidential Unit Citation for its relief of the city.
On to Germany
The 4th remained in the Bastogne area for about six weeks, in anticipation of another German offensive.
In February and March, the 4th followed the 90th Infantry Division through the Siegfried Line to the Kyll River in Germany and battled its way to the Rhine through Simmern, Bad Kreuznach and Worms. The 4th crossed the Rhine in late March and pushed on to Hanau, Giessen and (Bad) Herzfeld.
Elements of Company C, 37th Tank Battalion were detached from the 4th to support Task Force Baum, an ill-fated attempt to rescue an estimated 1,500 U.S. prisoners of war in a camp near Hammelburg, far behind enemy lines about 60 miles away.
Capt. Abraham J. Baum’s task force wreaked havoc on German forces along its route. Some enemy radio transmissions said the entire 4th was on the attack. Although greatly weakened, the task force reached Hammelburg and freed the prisoners.
With the aid of the strongest of the liberated POWs, the task force fought its way through a German army corps in a desperate dash toward U.S. lines, losing all its vehicles in the attempt.
Peter Domes, webmaster for taskforcebaum.de, the Web site of a German World War II re-enactment group based in Hammelburg, said Cobra King was not among the destroyed or abandoned tanks. “According to our information, there was no ‘Jumbo’ on the Hammelburg Raid,” he said. “This type of vehicle would have slowed down the speed of a task force.”
Only 35 U.S. Soldiers made it through the German defenders. The 37th’s tanks were “written off the books” April 6, according to one report.
Meanwhile, the rest of the 4th raced eastward through Germany. By April 1 the division crossed the Werra River, rolled into Gotha a few days later, and crossed the Saale River April 12.
Chasing the enemy through eastern Germany, the 4th crossed into Pisek, Czechoslovakia in early May.
After V-E Day — May 7, 1945 — the 4th assumed occupation duties in Landshut, Germany, where it remained until its inactivation the following year.
The 37th had been detached from the division a week earlier and redesignated as the 37th Constabulary Squadron, 3rd Constabulary Regiment. Swapping their Shermans for armored cars, the tankers took on law enforcement and security duties until the squadron was inactivated the following year.
After the War
Cobra King remained in Germany while the 37th Tank Battalion was re-activated in 1951 and assigned to the 4th in 1953 at Fort Hood, Texas. The battalion would later return to Europe, and a photograph from the division’s 1958 yearbook shows the famed tank on display on McKee Barracks in Crailsheim, Germany.
When Crailsheim was closed in 1994, the 1st Armored Division units there relocated to Vilseck and brought the tank along, said Steven Ruhnke, 1st Armored Division museum curator. The division later relocated to Bad Kreuznach, Germany, but this time Cobra King stayed behind.
Cobra King maintained its vigil in obscurity for several years until Sgt. Brian Stigall of the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery, recognized it after attending a Battle of the Bulge commemoration in 2004.
Research by Army historians in Germany and the U.S. confirmed its identity. Cobra King is now expected to go on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Army, scheduled to open in 2013 near Washington, D.C. |
Following the major earthquakes in 2015, Nepal’s National Planning Commission (NPC) issued a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment report
that strongly emphasised ‘building back better’ as the guiding principle for recovery and reconstruction. But what does this catchphrase really mean?
Most recommendations in the report focus primarily on technical interventions such as reconstruction of physical assets, enhanced communication capacities and logistics, risk monitoring, vulnerability assessment, and improved legal and institutional arrangements. However, the impact of disasters and processes of recovery is embedded in unequal power structures, and therefore needs to be addressed by taking into account vulnerabilities and inequalities.
Disasters such as earthquakes are natural phenomena, but their impact is not. Various studies have shown that the effect of a natural disaster is unevenly distributed, and pre-existing inequalities and discrimination along the lines of gender, caste, class, ethnicity and disability are exacerbated and further reinforced in the relief and reconstruction phase.
An extensive study
on natural disasters between 1981 and 2002 in 141 countries showed that in societies where the socio-economic status of women is low, calamities directly or indirectly killed more women than men. In the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 80 per cent of the deceased
were women and girls. Following the recent earthquakes in Nepal, 55 per cent of those who lost their lives were women and girls
, in comparison with 45 per cent being men and boys.
In the case of the 2004 tsunami
, more women and children died as they were inside homes, in contrast to men who were out in the fields. Women’s limited access to public spaces where information about disasters are given, social norms of modesty whereby women and girls are discouraged from activities such as running, swimming and climbing trees, and traditional clothing like saris that hinder women’s swift mobility also influenced survival during the disaster.
In the context of Nepal, the higher female mortality rate during the earthquakes can be attributed to numerous factors
such as male migration to the capital city and abroad, and women’s caretaking responsibilities resulting in a higher likelihood of women and girls being at home. In many cases, women were reported to have delayed their escape to rescue their children, older family members and valuables.
Being a woman does not in itself lead to higher vulnerability.It is the socially constructed gender norms like assignment of roles, responsibilities and ‘appropriate’ behaviours, along with unequal distribution of resources, rather than biological differences.
Gendered vulnerability is derived from intersecting identities and social relationships, so it is equally important to consider other identity factors
— such as class, caste, age, location, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, ethnic identity, religion, language, and absence or presence of disability — which influence the severity of the impact of disasters. This does not mean creating a checklist or doing an additive exercise, but instead understanding how different socially constructed identities interact to create different experiences of vulnerability.
For example, a blanket approach to post-earthquake relief distribution resulted, in many cases, in those with political links and social status accessing the bulk of the resources. A study
conducted during the relief phase showed that discrimination based on caste or political affiliation was perceived as one of the main reasons for unfairness in aid. Historical marginalisation and systemic exclusion
have aggravated pre-existing vulnerabilities for many Dalits, Tamang and minority communities post-disaster.
Single women faced a unique set of challenges further complicated by geographical location
, as many women — due to childcare responsibilities — found it difficult to make the long journey to local administrative centres to access relief. Only 19.7 per cent of land and houses is under female ownership, which makes it difficult for many women to directly access funds to rebuild their houses.
With thousands of health centres and hospitals destroyed, it became especially problematic for pregnant women
to access sexual and reproductive healthcare. In makeshift temporary shelters, women and girls faced added risks in terms of security, and lack of privacy and sanitary facilities
. The prevailing social stigma against sexual and gender minorities was exacerbated as transgender users of segregated sanitary facilities in Kathmandu camps
feared sexual harassment and encountered abuse.
In urban areas like Kathmandu, many casual labourers
— predominantly men, and living in poor quality houses — were highly vulnerable to disaster risk, yet in the aftermath compensation funds went to household owners and not tenants who were directly affected.
The earthquakes have affected all social groups. However, identity and power relations make the experiences of vulnerabilities and risks different and complex. The focus should be on the inequities in daily life
— and not just in times of disaster — when we strive to ‘build back better’, because yes, we need to rebuild houses but we also need to rebuild lives.
Women still waiting to rebuild homes and lives
, Shreejana Shrestha
Female refugees of Nepal’s earthquake
, Karma Gurung
Quakes and women
, Binita Marhatta |
is definitely a highly infectious bacterium that causes the potentially lethal disease tularemia. SchuS4 are required for appropriate intracellular replication full virulence in mice and warmth stress tolerance. Additionally the is definitely a facultative intracellular bacterium that causes the potentially lethal disease tularemia. can infect a wide range of animal species including humans. can be transmitted to humans through a number of routes; the most common is definitely via the bite Rabbit Polyclonal to MITF. of an infected insect or another arthropod vector. The spectrum of human being illness can range from the ulceroglandular form to the more serious pneumonic or typhoidal form of tularemia (1). The risk of severe human being illness is definitely connected primarily with two subspecies the highly virulent subsp. (type A) and the less virulent subsp. (type B). Documented use of as a biological weapon in World War II and issues over building of antibiotic-resistant strains have led to an enhanced desire for MK-8033 unveiling mechanisms of virulence which may serve as encouraging targets for the development of MK-8033 treatments or effective prophylaxis in case of its misuse (2). infects multiple cell types including nonphagocytic and phagocytic cells (1 2 Following access into phagocytic sponsor cells is found in phagosomes that are characterized by the presence of early (EEA-1) and late (Light-1) endosomal markers (3). However the bacterium consequently modulates the fusion of the reenters Light-1-positive endocytic compartments referred to as for adaptation to intracellular environments and/or evasion of phagocytic cell defense mechanisms. These include genes located in a 34-kb pathogenicity island (FPI) genes responsible for MK-8033 the presence of a noninflammatory lipopolysaccharide protecting capsule and siderophores and genes encoding proteins involved in resistance MK-8033 to various stress conditions (5 -12). Of the additional candidates tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR)- or SEL1-like (SLR) structural motif-containing proteins seem to be encouraging targets for more detailed studies. The TPR and SLR motifs share related α-helical conformations but differ in consensus sequence size and superhelical topology (13). Despite this variation both motifs represent elegant modules for the assembly of various multiprotein complexes via mediating protein-protein relationships (13 14 therefore such proteins are often involved in numerous cellular processes in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms (14 15 Several proteins with expected TPR/SLR motifs have been shown to be required for the fully indicated virulent phenotype. These proteins include the hypothetical SLR-containing protein DipA the putative TPR-containing protein FTT_1244c from subsp. SchuS4 (4) and the putative TPR-containing proteins PilF and FTL_0205 from subsp. LVS (16 17 The goal of this study was to determine whether the three putative TPR-like proteins FTS_0201 FTS_0778 and FTS_1680 play a role in subsp. FSC200 (FSC200) virulence. Using practical genomics and characterization and proteomic studies we discovered that the product of the gene is definitely a membrane-associated protein that contributes to the virulence mechanisms of subsp. SchuS4 would result in a related attenuated bacterial phenotype. We found that inactivation of FTT_0166c protein expression prolonged survival of mice and significantly decreased intracellular microbial replication within macrophages. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bacterial strains plasmids and growth conditions. The bacterial strains and plasmids used in this study are outlined in Table 1. subsp. FSC200 (18) acquired from the strain collection (FSC) was kindly provided by ?ke Forsberg Swedish Defense Research Agency Ume? Sweden. Wild-type FSC200 and the derived mutant strains were cultivated on MK-8033 McLeod agar supplemented with bovine hemoglobin (Becton Dickinson Cockeysville MD USA) and IsoVitaleX (Becton Dickinson Cockeysville MD USA) at 37°C with 5% CO2 or in liquid Chamberlain’s medium (19) at 30°C 37 or 42°C. Wild-type and mutant subsp. SchuS4 were cultivated on chocolates agar or in liquid mind heart infusion broth supplemented with 1% IsoVitaleX (Becton Dickinson Cockeysville MD USA) at 30°C and 37°C. strains were cultivated on Luria-Bertani (LB) agar and in LB broth at either 30°C or 37°C. When necessary penicillin (100 U/ml) ampicillin (100 μg/ml) kanamycin (50 μg/ml for and 20 μg/ml for genes as previously explained (20). Target sites for insertion and retargeting PCR primers (Table 2) were generated using the TargeTron.
Published research reported that lack of function from the gene can be due to hypermethylation; however set up inactivation can be from the occurrence and clinical need for multiple myeloma (MM) continues to be unclear. in regular bone marrow aswell as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Nevertheless aberrant hypermethylation had not been larger in advanced MM than that in early-stage MM considerably. The results of the research reveal that hypermethylation can be correlated with an elevated risk in the development of monoclonal gammopathy CS-088 of undetermined significance to MM. hypermethylation which induces the increased loss of function from the gene takes on a critical part in the first tumorigenesis of MM and acts as an established diagnostic marker and potential medication target. gene is principally induced by hypermethylation in MM the reported prices of hypermethylation in MM are incredibly diverse. Furthermore set up inactivation of gene can be from the occurrence and clinical need for MM is not thoroughly determined. Therefore we performed a organized review and meta-analysis to look for the ramifications of hypermethylation for the occurrence and clinical need for MM. Strategies Search technique and selection requirements We identified research from Embase ISI internet and PubMed from August 1 1995 to July 2015 using the next keyphrases: “multiple myeloma” “Kahler’s disease” “plasma cell myeloma” “methylation” “methylation examined in major MM; 2) methylation dependant on polymerase chain response (PCR); 3) study revealed the partnership between methylation of MM clinicopathological guidelines and prognosis; and 4) research provided adequate data and info to determine chances percentage (OR). The exclusion requirements included: 1) case reviews conference abstracts characters evaluations editorials and professional opinion; and 2) all magazines concerning in vitro/former mate vivo research cell lines and human being xenografts. Furthermore to inclusion requirements “aberrant” methylation or hypermethylation can be defined by very clear PCR product music group recognized by methylation-specific polymerase string response (MSP). Data removal and methodological evaluation Two writers (BW SY) individually evaluated and extracted data from qualified research. Two writers (BZ YF) evaluated all the content articles Mouse monoclonal antibody to Tubulin beta. Microtubules are cylindrical tubes of 20-25 nm in diameter. They are composed of protofilamentswhich are in turn composed of alpha- and beta-tubulin polymers. Each microtubule is polarized,at one end alpha-subunits are exposed (-) and at the other beta-subunits are exposed (+).Microtubules act as a scaffold to determine cell shape, and provide a backbone for cellorganelles and vesicles to move on, a process that requires motor proteins. The majormicrotubule motor proteins are kinesin, which generally moves towards the (+) end of themicrotubule, and dynein, which generally moves towards the (-) end. Microtubules also form thespindle fibers for separating chromosomes during mitosis. that in shape the inclusion and exclusion requirements. Disagreements were resolved through consensus and dialogue. For each research the CS-088 following info was documented: yr of publication the 1st author name number of instances sample resource methylation detection technique clinicopathological guidelines methylation price and follow-up outcomes. Heterogeneity of investigations was examined to determine set up data of the many research could possibly be analyzed. Three researchers (BW SY and BZ) go through each publication individually for the methodological evaluation from the research and evaluated and obtained them based on the Reporting Tips for Tumor Marker Prognostic Research (REMARK) recommendations and Western Lung Cancer Functioning Party (ELCWP) quality size.17 18 the product quality was supplied by them ratings and reached a CS-088 consensus worth for every item. Statistical evaluation The Review Supervisor 5.2 (Cochrane Cooperation Oxford UK) and STATA 12.0 (StataCorp LP University Train station TX USA) had been selected for analysis. The rate of recurrence of promoter hypermethylation was likened in various tumor features. The pooled rate of recurrence of promoter hypermethylation and 95% self-confidence intervals (CIs) had been estimated. Cochran’s check19 as well as the hypermethylation is higher in MM than that in regular bone tissue marrow examples significantly. The pooled OR from 15 research including 571 MM and 193 regular bone tissue marrow are demonstrated in Shape 2 (OR=19.80 95 CI=9.21-42.56 inactivation through hypermethylation takes on an important part in the pathogenesis of MM. We further established that hypermethylation also happens in MGUS which can be less than that in MM (OR=2.25 95 CI=1.20-4.21 hypermethylation status between MM individuals and normal all those (pooled OR=19.80 95 CI=9.21-42.56 hypermethylation status between 315 individuals with multiple myeloma (MM) and 101 MGUS (pooled OR=2.25 95 CI=1.20-4.21 hypermethylation status … We examined 179 MM individuals pooled in five research to assess set up aberrant hypermethylation in MM was connected with advanced phases of MM. As demonstrated in Shape 4 aberrant hypermethylation isn’t considerably higher in advanced MM (Stage III) than that in early-stage MM (Stage I and II) (OR=1.17 95 CS-088 CI=0.54-2.54 gene expression by promoter hypermethylation might not perform an important part in MM development. Figure 4.
History can be used being a hepatoprotective supplement in Taiwan traditionally. and nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in Computer12 cells respectively. Finally EAW inhibited D-galactose-induced lipid peroxidation neuron and apoptosis loss in the cerebral cortex of mice. Conclusion These outcomes demonstrate which has neuroprotective potential through preventing oxidative stress-induced harm which luteolin and wedelolactone donate to the defensive actions. a genus seed owned by the possesses multiple actions such as for example anti-microbial anti-inflammatory anti-cancer and CNS-depressant activity [9-11]. Previously Lin reported that included four MK-0457 compounds with the capacity of suppressing androgen activity: luteolin apigenin indole-3-carboxyaldehyde and wedelolactone . Luteolin and apigenin owned by flavonoid framework have already been reported to reveal anti-oxidant anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory results [13-15]. Wedelolactone owned by coumarin structure continues to be demonstrated to display an array of natural results including anti-inflammation immunomodulatory anti-myotoxic anti-oxidant anti-phlogistic anti-haemorrhagic anti-hepatotoxic and anti-cancer activity [16-20]. Because the neuroprotection potential of isn’t well understood in today’s study we utilized two versions and was shredded within a blender and extracted with 5 amounts of MK-0457 95% ethanol at area temperatures for 2?times. The MK-0457 mix was filtered through filtration system paper (5?μm pore size) as well as the filtrate was dried using rotary evaporation in vacuum at 40°C. The percentage produce was 9.3% (w/w). The crude ethanolic extract was suspended in distilled drinking water and partitioned successively with n-hexane and ethyl acetate respectively to attained semi-crudes. All dried out ingredients including ethanol remove n-hexane remove (HEW) and ethyl acetate remove (EAW) were kept at -20°C ahead of use in the next research. DPPH radical scavenging assay The two 2 2 (DPPH) technique measures the result of the antioxidants using the steady DPPH radical within a MK-0457 methanol option. A 60 Briefly? μM DPPH radical solution was manufactured in methanol. Various concentrations from the test extracts had been reacted using the DPPH radical option (3?mL) for 45?min in room temperature as well as the absorbance was measured in 517?nm. The affinity from the check materials to quench the DPPH free of charge radical was examined based on the formula scavenging %?=?(absorbance of control group-absorbance from the remove added group)/absorbance of control group × 100%. HPLC evaluation EAW was analyzed utilizing MLLT3 a Hitachi L7100 HPLC program using a 5-μm ODS-Hypersil column (250 × 4.6?mm). The cellular phase was generated from solvent A [acetonitrile: H2O: acetic acid solution (90:10:3)] and solvent B [acetonitrile: H2O: acetic acid solution (10:90:3)] using the next gradient plan: 0-3?min 100% solvent B 3 85 solvent B 8 80 solvent B 15 60 solvent B. The recognition wavelength was 360?nm as well as the stream price 0.8?mL/min. Quantization was completed with the exterior regular technique based on the specific region in 360? nm using calibration curve of luteolin and wedelolactone. Cell lifestyle Adrenal pheochromocytoma (Computer12) cells had been preserved in DMEM moderate formulated with 5% fetal bovine serum 10 equine serum and 100 U/mL penicillin and streptomycin within a 5% CO2 incubator at 37°C. Planning of nuclear proteins and evaluation of antioxidant-response component (ARE) binding activity of nuclear aspect E2-related aspect 2(Nrf2) Computer12 cells (1 × 106 cells/ml) had been subjected to the indicated reagent or automobile (0.1% DMSO) for 6?h. Nuclear ingredients were gathered using NE-PER nuclear removal reagent (Thermo Fisher Scientific Rockford IL USA) based on the manufacture’s guidelines. Nuclear proteins concentrations were motivated using the Bio-Rad proteins assay reagent. The quantity of Nrf2 obtainable in the nucleus to bind AREs was motivated utilizing a TransAM Nrf2 Transcription Aspect ELISA Package (Active MK-0457 Theme Inc. Carlsbad CA USA) based on the manufacturer’s guidelines. Briefly nuclear ingredients (2.5?μg) were put into wells that contained the immobilized consensus ARE oligonucleotide. An initial anti-Nrf2 antibody was put into each well accompanied by a horseradish peroxidase-conjugated supplementary antibody. The indication was discovered at 450?nm and Nrf/ARE binding activity is.
Ampelopsin (APL) a major bioactive constituent of siRNA or blockage of siRNA obviously weakened APL -induced increases Brivanib of FGF21 and p-AMPK as well as glucose uptake Brivanib capacity in palmitate -pretreated L6 myotubes. Ampelopsis grossedentata and exhibits outstanding anti-cancer anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects [11 12 Our previous experiments found that APL could significantly improved insulin resistance in rats with T2DM induced by low-dose streptozocin evidenced by decreasing the levels of blood glucose and serum insulin levels serum insulin C-peptide and the homeostasis model assessment- insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). In this study we would further verify the anti-diabetic activity of APL and elucidate the mechanism of this action. Interestingly an increasing quantity of investigations have shown that naturally flavonoids (e.g. honokiol kaempferol galangin quercentin luteolin) were potent PPARγ agonists and have been known as attractive drug candidates for the therapy or prevention of T2DM with fewer unwanted side effects [13-17]. APL also belongs to flavonoids and its chemical structure was closely much like quercentin and luteolin. For this reasons Brivanib we proposed that APL might also a prospective PPARγ agonist to regulate insulin sensitivity glucose and lipid metabolism. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 21 a novel member of the FGF family has been identified as a potent metabolic regulator with pleiotropic effects on glucose and lipid metabolism. Initially FGF21 is Brivanib considered to be mainly synthesized and released by the liver and adipose tissues [18 19 But recently it has been found rodent skeletal muscle mass cells could be a source of FGF21 especially in response to insulin [20-22]. Reportedly a large number of Brivanib experiments have showed that FGF21 knockdown could increase PPARγ sumoylation which resulted in attenuating PPARγ-induced the beneficial insulin-sensitizing effects and increasing the detrimental side effects of the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone whereas adding back FGF21 could prevent sumoylation and restore PPARγ activity therefore FGF21 have been considered as a key mediator of the physiologic and pharmacologic actions of PPARγ [22-25].Moreover numerous investigations have found that FGF21 regulates energy homeostasis through activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway . AMPK is usually a major metabolic energy sensor that regulates energy homeostasis and metabolic stress by controlling several homeostatic mechanisms that are acknowledged as other targets of T2DM treatment [27-29]. Our previous study has shown that APL supplementation could improve physical overall performance under acute hypoxic conditions partially by activation of AMPK in skeletal muscle mass . Collectively we Mouse monoclonal to DDR2 hypothesized that APL maybe an approaching PPARγ agonist that beneficially improved insulin resistance. To clarify this hypothesis the potential involvement of PPARγ activation and further modulation of FGF21-AMPK signaling pathway was evaluated in the models of skeletal muscle mass insulin resistance induced by palmitate. Our results indicated for the first time that APL maybe served as a PPARγ agonists and improved insulin resistance partially via activation of PPARγ and subsequent regulation of FGF21- AMPK signaling pathway. Results Ampelopsin enhances palmitate -induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle mass myotubes Skeletal muscle mass insulin resistance is the main defect in T2DM which has been considered to be an important target for T2DM prevention and treatment. For this reason to confirm the contribution of APL to improve insulin resistance glucose uptake capacity in palmitate -treated L6 myotubes was measured by 2-NBDG uptake. Differentiated cells were pre-incubated with palmitate (0.75 mM) for 16 h to induced insulin resistance as described before then treated with different concentrations (1 5 or 10 μM) of APL for 24 h or with 10 μM APL for different time intervals (6 12 or 24 h) in the presence or absence of 100 nM insulin. We found that APL treatment experienced no significant effects on PA uptake outside the cells and experienced little impact on cell viability in L6 myotubes under the insulin-treated conditions and basal conditions (S1 and S2 Figs). In the mean time APL alone treatment could significantly increase glucose uptake.
The dorsal mesentery (DM) may be the major conduit for bloodstream and lymphatic vessels in the gut. a bias for asymmetric gut rotation disruption which randomizes gut looping (Davis et al. 2008 Shiratori et al. 2006 Significantly these asymmetries are short-lived as soon as looping is normally underway the wide asymmetric DM transforms right into a slim suspensory morphology without observable L-R asymmetry (Savin et al. 2011 Fig. 1 Arterial advancement in the DM is fixed left side To discover mechanisms downstream of this trigger asymmetric cell behavior we performed laser beam micodissection from the still left and best DM (still left: among others Fig. 1C Fig. S1). RNA in situ hybridization (ISH Fig. 1EF) using pan-endothelial (+/? and has a conserved and necessary function during arterial patterning in the DM. Asymmetric organization from the Cxcr4/Cxcl12 pathway over the L-R axis from the DM Of particular curiosity to gut vasculogenesis may be the chemokine or screen faulty DM arteriogenesis (Ara et al. 2005 Tachibana et al. 1998 Certainly ISH at HH20 Rabbit polyclonal to Dynamin-1.Dynamins represent one of the subfamilies of GTP-binding proteins.These proteins share considerable sequence similarity over the N-terminal portion of the molecule, which contains the GTPase domain.Dynamins are associated with microtubules.. verified that is within the PNU-120596 still left DM mesenchyme encircling the endothelium (Fig. 4A). Ahead of DM development and gut closure (HH17) when the intervening bilateral endothelial plexus continues to be is also portrayed bilaterally (Fig. 4C). appearance subsequently grows D-V asymmetry in the still left DM using PNU-120596 its highest focus ventrally where in fact the 1°LA forms on the DM-gut boundary (HH23 Fig. 4D). On the other hand appearance was within endothelium from the D-V arterial cords (Fig. 4B) and in the intervening vascular plexus bilaterally (Fig. S4A). At HH25 appearance continued to be in left-sided 1°LA endothelium (Fig. S4B). This selecting is in keeping with prior function illustrating that in mouse intestine is normally expressed just in arterial endothelium. Fig. 4 Cxcr4/Cxcl12 axis is normally regulated by is normally both required and enough to govern the molecular and mobile personality in the still left DM (Davis et al. 2008 Kurpios et al. 2008 In mice missing on the proper aspect (misexpression) DM mobile asymmetries may also be dropped. The normally loose best mesenchyme is rather densely compacted just like the still left aspect (a ‘double-left’ phenotype). To understand whether is enough to operate a vehicle and vascular plan in the DM we misexpressed and GFP on the proper aspect at HH14 (Fig. 4E-L). GFP-positive cells had been found just on the proper aspect at HH20 (Fig. 4H) while GFP by itself had no influence on vascular advancement (Fig. 4I-J). Nevertheless in keeping with our prior work portrayed on the proper created a ‘double-left’ phenotype including ectopic appearance (Fig. 4F vs. E) ectopic PNU-120596 development of Cand appearance in the DM of both Pitx2 +/? and vs. +/? p<0.018 +/+ vs. ?/?; regulates the Cxcl12/Cxcr4 axis and is PNU-120596 essential to start DM arteriogenesis. To discern between immediate and indirect Pitx2-reliant transcription we verified Pitx2 binding sites at known Pitx2 goals and forecasted conserved sites on the however not locus (Fig. S4E). These data trust recently reported results from in vivo ChIP-seq of FLAG-tagged Pitx2 binding in mouse cardiac tissues (NCBI Gene Appearance Omnibus "type":"entrez-geo" attrs :"text":"GSE50401" term_id :"50401"GSE50401) (Wang PNU-120596 et al. 2014 we discovered five enriched Pitx2-binding peaks encircling (Fig. S4E). No significant Pitx2 binding was noticed on the locus arguing against a job for appearance in endothelial cells. These data claim that is a primary focus on of Pitx2 in vivo which Pitx2-dependent appearance in mesenchymal cells from the still left DM indicators to neighboring function in the DM we implanted beads soaked within a medically validated Cxcr4 antagonist AMD3100 (Matthys et al. 2001 in to the still left coelomic cavity ahead of DM development at HH14 (Fig. 5A). This acquired no influence on DM morphology or appearance (Fig. S5 n=6/6). Nonetheless it ablated both appearance is not enough to operate a vehicle D-V cord development in the lack of can function in the lack of the L-R Pitx2 we targeted the Pitx2-detrimental compartment from the DM PNU-120596 where D-V endothelial cords secondarily regress and asked whether ectopic misexpression of can recovery this regression and support arterial vascular advancement in the lack of (Fig. 6 and Fig. S6). Being a control we initial overexpressed and GFP in the still left ISH on entire embryos to examine DM vascular procedures upon ectopic overexpression. In comparison towards the endogenous degrees of left-sided in WT embryos.
The fresh rhizome of Smith (Zingiberaceae) is used as a food flavoring and also serves as a folk medicine as an antipyretic and for analgesics in Taiwan. iNOS and COX-2 through induction of the HO-1 pathway. Moreover matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 and COX-2 expressions of interleukin (IL)-1β-stimulated primary rat chondrocytes were inhibited by zerumbone. In an assay an acetic acid-induced writhing response in mice was significantly reduced by treatment with zerumbone. Furthermore zerumbone reduced paw edema and the pain response in a mono-iodoacetate (MIA)-induced rat osteoarthritis model. Therefore we suggest that zerumbone possesses anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects which indicate zerumbone could be a potential candidate for osteoarthritis treatment. Smith zerumbone arthritis anti-inflammatory heme oxygenase-1 metalloproteinase 1 Introduction Smith a wild ginger that belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) is used as a remedy to alleviate stomachaches LGD1069 fevers sores and inflammation in Southeast Asian countries . Zerumbone is KIT a monocyclic sesquiterpene compound isolated from rhizomes of study of pathophysiology and chondroprotective effects. Therefore we used MIA as an inducer of OA animal model analyzed HO-1 initiated iNOS and COX2/PGE2 signaling pathways to explore the inflammatory mechanism of zerumbone and used MMP-13 as a biomarker of chondroprotective effects. Many studies were performed to elucidate the biological activities of zerumbone and demonstrated its many pharmacological activities. However there are few reports or investigations of its effects on OA. Thus we conducted and experiments using macrophages rat chondrocytes and an MIA-induced OA model. 2 Results 2.1 Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Zerumbone on LGD1069 LPS-Induced RAW 264.7 Cells Since iNOS and COX are mediators of inflammatory reactions expressions of iNOS and COX-2 proteins in RAW 264.7 cells were assessed by a Western blot assay. Results showed that zerumbone suppressed iNOS and COX-2 protein expressions by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner (Figure 1A B). Subsequently NO and PGE2 levels were measured from harvested medium. LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells were treated with various concentrations of zerumbone (2.5~20 μM) and NO and PGE2 production LGD1069 showed significant decreases (Figure 1C D). On the contrary the anti-inflammatory modulator heme oxygenase (HO)-1 was significantly upregulated by zerumbone in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with zerumbone suppressed inflammatory reactions. As shown in Figure 1D after exposure of cells to zerumbone with tin protoporphyrin (SnPP; 20 μM) a selective inhibitor of HO-1 the inhibitory effects of NO production were reversed. Cell viabilities were not affected LGD1069 in the presence of 20 μM zerumbone as determined by an LGD1069 MTT assay LGD1069 (data not shown). Figure 1 Anti-inflammatory action of zerumbone on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells after treatment for 6 h. (A) Inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and heme oxygenase (HO)-1 protein expressions; (B) Quantitational … 2.2 Inhibition of COX-2 and MMP-13 Expressions by Zerumbone in IL-1β-stimulated PRCs In arthritis COX-2 promotes the production of prostaglandins which are important mediators of inflammatory pain and regulate catabolic processes in the cartilage. Also MMPs are important factors in chondrolytic processes that contribute to degenerative changes in OA cartilage. The inhibitory effects of zerumbone on COX-2 and MMP-13 were evaluated using IL-1β-stimulated primary rat chondrocytes (PRCs). PRCs were treated with IL-1β (10 ng/mL) in the presence or absence of zerumbone at various concentrations (0.5~4 μM). Zerumbone significantly downregulated COX-2 and MMP-13 expressions by IL-1β-induced PRCs (Figure 2A B). Figure 2 (A) Effects of zerumbone inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 expressions on interleukin (IL)-β-induced chondrocytes; (B) Quantitational and statistical analysis of protein expressions * < 0.05 compared to control; Data were ... 2.3 Analgesic Effects of Zerumbone on the Acetic-Acid-Induced Writhing Response The.
Plasminogen recruitment is a common strategy of pathogenic bacteria and results in a broad-spectrum surface-associated protease activity. can be found as a commensal in the nasopharynges of 3 to 40% of healthy individuals (14 52 55 59 Only in rare cases will this pathogen cross the epithelial barrier of its natural habitat to cause invasive disease. Sepsis and meningitis are the hallmark manifestations of meningococcal disease which mainly afflicts infants and adolescents (51). Whereas the conversation of with cells of TAK-285 the epithelial and endothelial barriers crossed during the course of disease has been the focus of several studies little is known about the components necessary for conversation with the extracellular matrix (ECM) and distribution in tissue (19 37 42 Plasminogen is the key proenzyme of the fibrinolytic system. After plasminogen activation by TAK-285 specific proteases such as tissue-type plasminogen (tPA) activators and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) the active enzyme plasmin becomes a broad-spectrum protease that besides its main substrate fibrin can cleave vitronectin fibronectin and laminin Rabbit Polyclonal to DRD1. major components of the basal laminae and ECM (48). In addition plasmin can activate other proteolytic enzymes including matrix metalloproteinases and latent macrophage elastase thus triggering further proteolytic activity which results in the cleavage of collagen elastin and proteoglycans (40). Plasminogen binding to bacterial surfaces has been linked to the invasiveness and pathogenicity of different pathogens (32 33 For example requires plasminogen derived from human blood to disseminate in its tick vector (17). Furthermore plasmin-coated borreliae were found to display an enhanced capability to transmigrate endothelial cell layers and surface-bound plasmin activity could be shown to enhance spirochetemia in mice (16 17 The plasminogen activator Pla of contributes to bacterial invasiveness by proteolytically activating plasminogen and localizing plasmin activity to basement membranes which enhances the migration of through tissue (34 57 In a similar way streptokinase secreted by group A streptococci activates plasminogen and could be shown to be a key virulence factor in vivo (58). Binding of plasminogen to and has been shown to result in degradation of the ECM and enhanced penetration of the bacteria TAK-285 (7 22 63 Many of the pathogens that recruit human plasminogen to their surfaces express a wide variety of several plasminogen binding proteins. At least two of the plasminogen binding proteins OspA and the 70-kDa BPBP have been shown to be uncovered at the bacterial surface; two receptors enolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase have been identified for pneumococci and eight plasminogen binding proteins have been proposed for (5 6 16 The conversation between plasminogen and its receptors is usually mediated by triple-disulfide-bonded kringle domains within the plasminogen molecule that contain lysine binding sites. Binding of plasminogen to other proteins has been reported to involve C-terminal lysine residues or internal binding motifs enriched with lysine residues (8 23 48 65 Historically TAK-285 the observation that meningococcal meningitis is associated with enhanced fibrinolytic activity (9) was one argument for the hypothesis that plasminogen activation could be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic bacterial infection. Thereafter binding of plasminogen to and its subsequent conversion to enzymatically active plasmin by uPA and tPA was demonstrated (61). Binding of plasminogen can be blocked by ?-amino capronic acid indicating the involvement of lysine binding domains (61). However no neisserial plasminogen receptor has yet been defined although Scatchard analysis has suggested the existence of at least two receptors. In this study the identification and characterization of three plasminogen binding molecules at the surface of are reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bacterial strains and media. Amplification of various plasmids was performed in strain DH5 with expression of recombinant proteins in strain M15(pREP4). The strains used in this study are listed in Table ?Table1.1. strains were cultured at 37°C in Luria Bertani (LB) broth or on LB agar and was cultured at 37°C and 5% CO2 either on gonococcal (GC) agar (BD Difco Heidelberg Germany) or in proteose peptone broth (PPM+) (BD Difco) supplemented with Poly ViteX (bioMerieux Marcy l’Etoile France). Bacteria were stored at ?80°C in glycerol stocks. If appropriate.
Background Magnetic resonance imaging indicates diffuse white matter (WM) changes are associated with cognitive impairment in cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). pathology consistently scored higher across all brain regions in CADASIL subjects (gene 1. The clinical features in CADASIL are characterized by recurrent strokes migraine with aura motor deficits pseudobulbar palsy mood disturbances and subcortical dementia 1. The profile of cognitive impairment in CADASIL resembles that in sporadic vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and manifests GW 5074 as deficits in attention processing speed and executive function but relatively preserved semantic fluency 2. CADASIL subjects exhibit rather specific spatial distribution of white matter (WM) changes as shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggesting disrupted cortical connectivity underlies the cognitive deficits. Abnormalities GW 5074 in normal-appearing WM are not readily demonstrable with conventional MRI but become visible with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) or magnetization transfer imaging. However WM hyperintensities on normal MRI did not correlate with cognitive dysfunction in CADASIL 3. In contrast DTI was shown to relate to impairment in executive function GW 5074 in SVD as well as CADASIL 4 5 Furthermore DTI histogram metrics were used to predict disease progression in CADASIL 6 7 We have previously shown that WM changes are reflected by severe demyelination and are associated with profound microvascular degeneration and enlarged perivascular spaces in the temporal poles of CADASIL subjects 8. However the extent of axonal abnormalities has not been described in CADASIL and how this relates to the underlying arteriopathy in the damaged WM is not clear. Here we performed a systematic pathological examination of the axonal integrity and microvascular changes to provide insights into the vulnerable brain regions of CADASIL subjects prior to death. Materials and methods Subjects Table?1 provides the demographic details of the subjects. The mean ages of the CADASIL and control subjects were not different. Available case notes and radiological reports indicated CADASIL subjects showed extensive WM changes consistent with SVD of the brain and met the minimum criteria for cognitive impairment used in our post-stroke survivors study 9. Duration of disease was defined as the time between disease onset at first stroke and death 10. CADASIL diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of gene mutations or the presence of granular osmiophilic material (GOM) in arteries within skin biopsies 8. None of the controls had neurological or pathological evidence for cerebrovascular disease or neurodegenerative disorder. We also endured that controls did not have any evidence of cardiovascular disease in life or at autopsy. Brain tissues from CADASIL subjects and controls were collected from four Rabbit Polyclonal to BL-CAM (phospho-Tyr807). sources. These were the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource Newcastle General Hospital; MRC London Brain Bank for Neurodegenerative Diseases; the MRC Sudden Death Brain and Tissue Bank the University of Edinburgh and Ludwig Maximilians University Germany. Use of brain tissue was approved by the local research ethics committee of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource (NBTR) committee and the ethics committees overseeing the Brain Banks at the other GW 5074 respective sites. Table 1 Demographic details of the CADASIL (cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy) subjects and controls Neuropathological examination and quantitative immunohistochemistry Formalin fixed paraffin embedded coronal blocks from a total of 16 brain regions (Table?2) were examined. These extended along the rostro-caudal axis of the cerebrum per atlas of Perry and Oakley 11. The blocks were cut serially at either 30?μm thickness for the three-dimensional stereology study or at 10?μm thickness for program tinctorial staining and immunohistochemistry as described previously GW 5074 8. Macroscopic and microscopic pathology was assessed using standardized protocols as explained 12 13 Haemotoxylin and eosin (H&E) luxol fast blue (LFB) and cresyl fast violet (CFV) were used as standard stains for describing neuropathological changes and for detection of infarcts presence of WM rarefaction and degree of arteriopathy. Cerebrovascular lesions. |
If you have lilacs in your yard, you know how precious it is to see them bloom. During long periods of drought conditions your lilac should be given 1 to 2 inches of water weekly to avoid wilting. Shakespeare memorialized the sweet smell of the rose, but obviously he hadnt so much as sniffed a lilac, the undisputed perfumed queen of the spring. Also, weigela flowers appear all along the branches, not just at the terminal ends like these are (and like lilacs do). Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew these shrubs in their gardens, and lilacs were grown in America’s first botanical gardens. Some buds are definitely in bloom (mostly at the top of the tree at the moment) but they are tiny. Lilacs originated in Eastern Europe and Asia and were brought over to America by colonists in the 17th century. To support our efforts please browse our store (books with medicinal info, etc.). Lower parts of the branches and twigs do not grow leaves. Syringae. I just found a bush in my lilac bushes that have berries that look just like chokecherries, as do the leaves on the bush. Spots are initially pin-point in size but can enlarge to 1/8 inch or more. Flowers are borne in large terminal panicles that are 10 to 20cm (4 to 8") long and quite showy. I fertilized in spring and cut the dead flowers. The whitish appearance is caused by the powdery mildew fungus. Lilacs have carried symbolic meaning in many cultures for centuries. So, if you’re on a country road and see a few seemingly-random lilac bushes, there was most likely a house or farm there in the last century. EdibleWildFood.com is informational in nature. Pruning off damaged branches could prevent further damage. The lilac is perhaps the most sought-after blooms to add a soft, yet pleasant scent to homes. Related: Garden Ideas from the United States Botanic Garden. They can be prone to powdery mildew, and wet/damp weather is a good environment for it. Click. Many leaves are shaped like a heart. Syringa’s name comes from the Greek word for pipe, “syrinks"—and that's where the lilac’s scientific name, Syringa, came from. nutrition, recipes, history, uses & more! Symptoms of lilac bacterial blight Initial symptoms include brown, water-soaked spots on leaves. We've got the low-down on how to make sure everything from your perennials to your roses are ready when the snow flies. They have ivory blossoms that smell similar to privet, a close relative. to late spring with sweet fragrant clusters of … We reach for them after school and after dinner. By late summer or fall entire leaves may appear white. These beautiful, hardy bushes are a great addition to your landscape because they tend to be easy to care for and the problems with lilac bushes are mostly minor. The white "powder" is composed of fungal structures (mycelium and spores). Both trees always bloomed for years. Common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) fruit capsules are borne in large panicles that are located at the terminal tips of branches. These bushes have also held different meanings in different cultures throughout the centuries. Hydrangeas need a partially shady location in hot summer climates. The key to managing household duties quickly and efficiently is to design an easy-to-follow routine that includes all the most important tasks. Not only will they come back year after year, but they will also give you a show for the senses with colorful blooms and sweet scents. Tree lilacs can grow up to 7 m (25') high and have a tree-like appearance, but their many stems tend to get them classified as bushes. Leaf spot such as you see can be caused by something physically hitting the plant, a fungus, or a bacteria. For the ancient Greeks, lilacs were an integral part of … Lilac’s History Is Rooted In Greek Mythology. Lilacs can be host to a couple of problems, and the first signs can be yellowing of leaves. These bushes have to be about 8 years old. It was said that Pan was in love with a nymph named Syringa. This springtime favourite is a deciduous shrub (or tree) that can grow quite tall. The larvae of the moth feed on the soft wood of the shrub. Leaf-tip browning is an annoying condition that commonly affects certain types of houseplants. The lilac's scent is what makes a lilac a stand-out plant in the garden—its scent is stronger in full sun and is commonly used in perfumes and soaps. Depending on what's growing in your garden, there's a lot you can do to get your ornamental plants ready for the colder months. Your sucker will look pathetic at first but just dig a hole, backfill it … Rake away any mulch, dead limbs or dropped leaves from the base of the lilac to clear the surface down to the grass or soil layer. Known as the "Queen of Shrubs," lilacs are of some of the hardiest and most fragrant flowering bushes we use in our gardens. Plant in either spring or fall, although the latter is preferred. The genus is most closely related to Ligustrum (privet), classified with it in Oleaceae tribus Oleeae subtribus Ligustrinae. At first, leaves look perfectly healthy and then a short time later they look as though someone has placed an open flame near them. With so many types of house styles, narrowing the list down to your favorite can be overwhelming. Look for signs of insect infestation (sawdust, sap, frass) and damage like exit holes on the branches. Leaves are simple, opposite, ovate, 2 to 4 inches long and vibrant green. Click, All listed plants are found in central-east Canada and The leaves are known to reduce fever. Lilacs have come to symbolize spring and renewal because they are early bloomers. Even so, its best to be prepared if you have a run in with lilac pests and diseases, so we made up a list of common lilac pr… Depending on the variety, some lilacs are considered either a shrub or a tree. Although they weren't native to the United States, they quickly became popular with Americans. The most common shades of lilac blossoms are light purple or a vibrant lavender color. BH&G is part of the Meredith Home Group. Here's how to tell the differences between each architectural style. I've had a really good look at it. Only one tree bloomed. Powdery white spots usually appear first on the lower leaves and quickly move their way upward on the plant until the majority of leaves are covered in white or gray fungal growth by late summer or early fall. Flowers only. Pan found the shrub and used part of it to create the first panpipe. We have never watered the lilac - always assumed that as a tree it would look after itself. Height is 7 to 16′ and can get up to 12′ wide. Magenta lilacs symbolize love and passion. Aphids and borers are insects that bother the lilac bush by feeding on the leaves. It looks good in a mixed herbaceous border or on its own as a focal point Do not water lilacs any more than this because this can lead to powdery mildew. Leaves are simple, opposite, ovate, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4') long and vibrant green. It is up to the reader to verify nutritional information and health benefits with qualified professionals for all edible plants listed in this web site. Look over the plant and select three to five of the strongest branches on the lilac. See how you can personalize your home's entrance with holiday front door decorations, including evergreen wreaths, garlands, pinecones, and pops of plaid. Although the species stands for renewal and confidence overall, each color of lilac has its own specific meaning. Some wild plants are poisonous or can have serious adverse health effects. north-east United States (zones 4-7), but do grow elsewhere. White spots on leaves usually start to develop in mid-summer and enlarge as the summer progresses. If the blooms edge more on the blue side of the color wheel, they symbolize happiness and tranquility. Remove the infected plant; do not replace it with plants susceptible to Phytophthora. Your kitty deserves a name as special as she is. However, other colors of lilac flowers can be white, yellow, burgundy, or varying shades of pink. Within their species, there are more than 1,000 varieties of lilacs, including some trees. The bush doesn't look like a lilac vine, but the flowers do resemble lilacs. Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease that occurs on many different plants, including common lilacs (Syringa vulgaris). Remember that lilacs bloom on old (last year's) wood, so if you pruned them this spring, you lost this year's blooms. Grab a glass of milk because we're about to dunk peanut butter cookies, oatmeal-raisin cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, and many more of our all-time favorite cookie recipes. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. They are roughly tear-drop shaped, rounded near the … The yellow variety of lilacs, 'Primrose', is not a common sight in American gardens, and was only introduced in 1949, so it's not known to carry any symbolic meaning. See which names were most popular this year! Lilac trees like the Peking and Japanese tree lilac can reach heights of more than 30 feet tall. I like the delicate bitterness, but you may want to sweeten your cup of lilac leaves tea. Their stalked flowers are commonly available in shades of pink, purple, blue, and white, plus they add both softness and height to any garden. Deep brunettes, sandy blondes, and bold reds are in this year. Syringa (lilac) is a genus of 12 currently recognized species of flowering woody plants in the olive family (), native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and widely and commonly cultivated in temperate areas elsewhere.. These shrubs belong to the Oleaceae family, which includes over 20 different plant species, including olives, ash, and jasmine. There are a lot of lilac bushes around the neighbourhood that do bloom, but these seem to be in a hedge like planting. Sounds like powdery mildew, even if there is no "powdery" look. The tree lilacs flower a week to 10 days after the late lilacs, which flower about a month after the early lilacs. It's a fungal disease that is rather self-limiting. Perfect for zones 6-9 --- we're in zone 9. prefers loose, medium moisture, well-drained soils in nearly full sun; often grown as a multi-trunked, bushy shrub, can be shaped into a gorgeous tree; Loves our warm winters (compared to zone 6). Capsules are beaked. The common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is a very cold-hardy plant, but if a hard frost or a freeze comes along just as the flower buds are about to open, they can be damaged.This results in the loss of blooms for that year. Identification, health, Never spray the leaves and foliage of a lilac bush with water because the moisture on the leaves can lead to fungus. You can rake the leaves up at the end of the season to keep the fungal spores … You can also use the leaves of lilacs to make tea. There's a lot to love about lilacs, and knowing their history shows just how special these plants are. Check out the following six of our favorite surprising facts we unearthed about this amazing shrub. Most blooms only last a few weeks each year! We’ll help you set up a baking kit for beginners with 21 essential tools. But no matter what plant it is, there are several possible causes of leaf spot, and for most gardeners what is most important is the answer to the question, So how can I help this plant? Spider plants, tropical plants, and those with long, strappy leaves are especially susceptible.The main difficulty when confronting leaf-tip burn is to remember that it's a symptom of a larger problem (usually a cultural issue) as opposed to a condition in itself. I also planted a new tree 3 years ago; it's 5' tall doing very well except it has never bloomed. All information, photographs and web content contained in this website is Copyright © EdibleWildFood.com 2020. This looks like lilac leaves, yes? Wild food can help treat various medical conditions. Monitor next spring as lilac starts blooming for the adults and set traps using pheromones (see Lilac borer). White lilacs represent purity and innocence, while purple lilacs symbolize spirituality. A fairly small proportion look like … Ed Gohlich, 6 Little-Known Lilac Facts That May Surprise You. Many lilac bushes can be found in fields, open areas and in cultivated gardens. Shrub lilacs and bush lilacs are short and compact. Lilac Leaves Tea. Hosting Thanksgiving dinner for the first time or need a quick refresher? Leaves are different also, in shape and texture. Blossoms in mid. If you’re a beginner baker who’s just starting out (or a master chef looking to declutter), start with this list of baking tool must-haves. For the ancient Greeks, lilacs were an integral part of the story of Pan, the god of forests and fields. We are not health professionals, medical doctors, nor are we nutritionists. Look for the lilac borer while pruning in the late spring or summer. Avoid overhead watering of healthy plants. Branches can grow fairly straight or turn into many winding stems moving in a twisting and spiral course. Click on images of Lilac to enlarge. Answered by Nikki on April 26, 2012 Certified Expert . Lilacs don’t like wet feet and will not bloom with too much water. Have you noticed that many lilac leaves at this time of year are more white than green? Most seem moist and be ready to open. Witches'-broom: Short, thin twigs and branches originating from one area of the stem form dense clusters. Lilac blooms look like conical or pyramid-like clusters of smaller flowers. And most varieties of lilacs grow up to 10 feet tall. They are not technically trees, but they get big enough that you can treat them as if they are. With just two weeks until turkey day, the latest information could affect your plans. You might recognize them as a flower from your grandma's garden, and that nostalgia factor is likely one of the reasons they've been gaining popularity over the last five years. There's more to this shrub than just pretty flowers. If you don't have them in your garden already, give lilacs a try. For those who already own these tools, this list may finally provide the motivation you need to toss that never-been-used soufflé dish. Related: Getaway to the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival. The lilac is perhaps the most sought-after blooms to add a soft, yet pleasant scent to homes. The leaves of the Japanese tree lilac ( S. reticulata ) tend to be broader and rounder than those of the Chinese tree lilac ( … Use to make a cordial, tea, or add to a salad. The same organism is the source of bacterial blight on pear, blueberry, cherry, maple, and many other woody plants and the symptoms of lilac blight are similar in appearance to fire blight in fruit trees. Our Thanksgiving planning guide is here to save your holiday! Sprays can be applied. Flowers are shaped like a lilac, is a purple color, very fragrant, and grows to 10-15' in this area. I have two established lilac trees that are intertwined to look like one tree. Lilac leaves tea is bitterish in taste, not as mild as the lilac blossom tea. Because of their life span, they often survive longer than the home of the gardener that planted them. As the name implies, the primary symptom in lilacs is a powder-like coating on the leaves of the bush, but this coating can spread to leaves, stems, and flowers if conditions are right. Get tips for arranging living room furniture in a way that creates a comfortable and welcoming environment and makes the most of your space. Bark is light to dark grey, smooth when it is young and shreds when it’s older and larger in diametre. You need to be careful, however, because insects are attracted to this bush. For those who have little or no blooms, when are you pruning the plants? Once mature lilac shrubs can grow to 2 to 5 m (7 to 16′) and can get up to 3 m (12′) wide. Deciduous; A tall, medium size shrub that sometimes looks like a small tree. ... Last year, but mostly this year, my lilac bushes have only a few leaves. The Bloomerang lilac is one the of few types of reblooming lilacs. Please click here for more information. Depending on the variety, some lilacs are considered either a shrub or a tree. As he was chasing her through the forest one day, she turned herself into a lilac shrub to disguise herself because she was afraid of him. Individual tree lilac leaves are 2 to 5 inches long and about half as wide, dark green above and grayish green below. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Established lilac bushes tolerate short periods of drought without damage, but longer durations of dry conditions can cause the leaves and stems of the bush to wilt. All Rights Reserved. During the Victorian age, lilacs were a symbol of an old love—widows often wore lilacs during this time. Better Homes & Gardens may receive compensation when you click through and purchase from links contained on As the disease progresses, spots tend to coalesce, often causing leaves to become miss shapened. Powdery mildew on lilac bushes isn’t caused by a single fungus, but is, instead, caused by several different species. 'President Grevy' Lilac (Syringa vulgaris ‘President Grevy’) Double the petals make this lilac a real … The 10 Most Popular House Styles Explained, A Whole-House Cleaning Schedule You'll Actually Stick To, Call Your Stylist: These Hair Colors Will Be Everywhere This Spring, 7 Small But Impactful Ways to Fit Self-Care Into Your Day Right Now, Luna, Bella & Lily Top This Year's List of Most Popular Cat Names, Getaway to the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival, Garden Ideas from the United States Botanic Garden. Cleaning your home doesn't have to be a daunting, time-consuming chore. Stems are stout, small, with raised lenticels and raised leaf scars. Building your essential baking toolbox starts here! this website. Water the lilac shrubs until the soil around the bushes is moist and then stop. In Russia, holding a sprig of lilac over a newborn baby was thought to bring wisdom. Leaves may be distorted, small, and yellow. Thanksgiving Countdown: A Stress-Free Guide to Hosting for the First Time, 23 of Our Test Kitchen's Best Cookie Recipes of All Time, Conquer Holiday Cooking with This Meat Roasting Guide, The CDC Just Updated Its Thanksgiving Safety Guidelines—Here's What You Need To Know, 5 Simple Ways to Prepare Your Garden for Winter, 21 Essential Baking Tools Every Home Cook Needs (Plus 16 That Are Nice to Have), 9 Ways to Decorate Your Front Door for the Holidays, What Style Is Your House? Lilacs are in the Oleaceae (olive) family, this shrub sometimes looks like a small tree. A. If you’re lucky, a friend will give you a sucker, or offshoot, of the root system of one of his plants. Individual weigela flowers are larger in all respects than these. Homemade cookies are always a welcome treat. This winter front door display is layered with holiday cheer. Lilacs are known for their hardy nature and long lives—many lilac shrubs live to be more than 100 years old. There is not much that you can do to prevent this; just accept the loss and appreciate next year's blossoms twice as much. The common lilac flowers (Syringa vulgaris) are lilac, fragrant, and depending on geographic location bloom in May. They tend to prefer full sun. Lilacs are in the Oleaceae (olive) family, this shrub sometimes looks like a small tree. Staying atop of your wellbeing is a must, especially during uncertain, stressful times. Credit: However, the berries are not growing on a clump on a long stem, rather they are in clumps coming out of the main branches on individual 1/2 inch or so stems. Infected branches appear swollen and brittle. With its beautiful flowers and wonderful fragrance, the lilac bush is a wonderful addition to any garden. Shrub lilacs and bush lilacs are short and compact. They prefer loamy, well-drained, acidic soil and bloom during the … Also the growth habit of weigelas is different: Their branches are arching, whereas these are mostly vertical. There were lilac flowers everywhere, so it's not the weather. The classic definition of a tree is that it is over 4m (13') tall and has a single trunk. The blooms from lilacs can be anywhere between 6” to 8” (15 cm to 20 cm) in length. Himalayan lilac has variegated leaves in fresh green with a darker green central splash Syringa vulgaris ‘Lois Amee Utley’ – a large lilac with fragrant pink, double flowers. All the times and temperatures you need to know to roast turkey, chicken, beef, and pork for your feast. They're essential to holidays and casual gatherings. In-depth wild edible PDFs. Whether it's a tried-and-true 1940s BH&G cookie recipe or a unique twist on sugar cookies, our Test Kitchen's compiled a lot of favorite cookie recipes over the years. While we strive to be 100% accurate, it is solely up to the reader to ensure proper plant identification. The Celtics saw lilacs as magical because of their sweet scent. Contact a certified arborist for treatment. Lilac tip blight will eventually turn the leaf tips brown. Follow these step-by-step instructions for creating a customized whole-home cleaning schedule. These tips will help you make time for self-care for a mental health boost every day. We'll show you the top 10 most popular house styles, including Cape Cod, country French, Colonial, Victorian, Tudor, Craftsman, cottage, Mediterranean, ranch, and contemporary. The moth feed on the variety, some lilacs are short and.... A lilac, is a purple color, very fragrant, and bold reds in. 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975). The rigid tetraspanin proteins may thus act as stable pilings in a lipid sea, say the authors.
Tetraspanins associate with a number of important transmembrane proteins such as integrins to form distinct signaling networks, called tetraspanin webs. Lipids trapped in the networks create microdomains with characteristic compositions and unique properties.
The web under study here was made up of uroplakins. Two uroplakin tetraspanins each pair with a single transmembrane partner forming a heterotetramer subunit, six of which then form a 16-nm wide, ring-shaped particle. A two-dimensional crystalline array of these particles contributes to a remarkable urothelial permeability barrier, which keeps urine on one side and body fluid on the other.
These arrays are particularly suitable for electron microscopic studies. At 6 Å resolution, the team could assign secondary structures to certain regions of the particle. The angle between membrane-traversing α-helices is minimal, so that the helices can pack tightly together. Each single transmembrane partner is shaped like an L that covers the tetraspanins and connects to a neighboring subunit.
The relatively rigid tetraspanin structure is ideal for docking other tall signaling transmembrane proteins. Tetraspanins can also help these proteins to pass messages into the cell, and are themselves the receptors and signaling conduits for some bacteria and viruses. Future structural studies should reveal how these signals are transduced to trigger a wide variety of cellular responses. |
Thomas Jefferson and Chess
by Bill Wall
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13 (April 2 – old style), 1743 in a farmhouse in Shadwell, Virginia. He was the third of 10 children. At the age of 16, Jefferson entered the College of Willian & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. He graduated in 1762, completing his studies in only two years.
Dr. William Small (1734-1775) was appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy at the College of William and Mary. As a chess player, he probably introduced chess to Jefferson around 1762. Dr. Small was one of Jefferson’s teachers. Dr. Small usually played chess in the evenings with his friends, including Jefferson.
Jefferson was a member of the Flat Hat Club Society (founded in 1750), the earliest secret college society in America, and spent evenings playing chess with its members or pulling pranks on others at William and Mary. (source: Dear Companion: The Inner Life of Martha Jefferson, Kelly Neff, 1997) One of the other members of the Flat Hat Club Society that Jefferson played chess with was John Page (1743-1808). He later represented Virginia in the House of Representatives and was a governor of Virginia.
Jefferson then studied law and was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1767, at the age of 24.
In the late 1760s, Jefferson rode from his clients in Virginia counties to the provincial law courts in Williamsburg to file lawsuits. During his travels, he paid calls along the way on old school friends and played chess with them. In his letters to them were kindly reminders, written in Latin, to bring along a chessboard to gatherings (Jefferson would bring the chessmen). (source: Thomas Jefferson: A Life, Willard Randall)
Jefferson was a collector of books. In 1770, his home and library of 200 books was destroyed by fire. He started collecting again, and had 1,250 titles by 1773. By 1815, he had over 6.500 volumes. He collected chess books as well, and one of his favorites was Philidor's Analyse du jeu des Echecs (Analysis of the Game of Chess), first published in 1749, 1750, 1752, and 1754. Benjamin Franklin also has a copy of this book that he purchased in London. Jefferson also had chess books by Greco and Stamma (1737 and 1745).
Jefferson had 6 children, but only two (Martha (1772-1836) and Mary (1778-1804)) survived to adulthood. Jefferson inherited 135 slaves from his wife’s father when he died in 1773. His wife, Martha Wayles Skelton, died in 1782 at the age of 33. Jefferson never remarried.
In 1768, Jefferson began construction of his primary residence, Monticello on a hilltop overlooking a 5,000 acre plantation. From the West Lawn at Monticello, Jefferson, family, and guests could walk up the stairs on the West Portico to reach the Parlor, one of three rooms in Monticello that were part of Jefferson’s original plan for the home. The Parlor was a public room, designed for conversation, music, games, and reading. The room held folding tables for games, such as a chess set that, according to family tradition, was a gift from the French court to Jefferson. He owned at least 6 chess sets.
When he moved into Monticello, he was concerned about his ivory chess sets that had disappeared in the move.
The earliest dated reference from Jefferson came from his diary on August 18, 1769, when he wrote "gave James Ogilvie to buy me a set of chessmen."
On September 3, 1769, Jefferson wrote to John Walker (neighbor and classmate at William & Mary), “I shall be at a Society spring [Flat hat Club] on Tuesday at four…Bring also, as I asked you before, a chess board [tabulam scaccariam]. I shall bring the men. If we can get a board made expressly for this use, it would be well. But we will speak of that later.” (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
On September 13, 1769, Jefferson wrote, “Send for chess board and men.” (source: Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with legal records and miscellany, 1767-1826, James Bear and Lucia Stanton, 1997, p. 28)
On Aug 3, 1771, Jefferson wrote to Robert Skipworth, his brother-in-law, “A spring, centrally situated, might be the scene of every evening's joy. There we should talk over the lessons of the day, or lose them in Musick, Chess, or the merriments of our family companions. The heart thus lightened, our pillows would be soft, and health and long life would attend the happy scene.” (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
Jefferson practiced law in Staunton, Virginia and probably played chess there. He served as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in 1775. Jefferson wrote the first draft to the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He then returned to Virginia and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates.
In 1779, Jefferson was elected governor of Virginia at the age of 36.
On February 2, 1781, Horatio Gates (1727-1806) wrote a letter to Governor Jefferson about some of the Revolutionary War effort and after his defeat at Camden, South Carolina. He added the following in the letter, “This is the Letter of One Chess Player to Another, not the letter of General Gates, To Governor Jefferson.” (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
On Nov 26, 1782, Jefferson wrote to Francois-Jean de Chastellux, a French general, “…I hope being with you in time. This will give me full Leisure to learn the result of your observations on the Natural bridge, to communicated to you my answers to queries, to receive edification from you on these and other subjects of science, considering chess too as a matter of science.” (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950) Chastellux visited Monticello several times and they played chess together.
In 1783, Jefferson was appointed as a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress.
On Mar 3, 4, and 7, 1783, Jefferson wrote in his ledger that he paid around 11 shillings for some chessmen. On Nov 12, 1783, he wrote in his ledger that he paid Mentz 2 shillings and 3 pence for a chess board. (source: Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with legal records and miscellany, 1767-1826, James Bear and Lucia Stanton, 1997)
On May 31, 1784, before departing for Paris, Jefferson visited the book store of James Rivington in New York and paid him 20 shillings for maps, a Spanish dictionary, and some chessmen.
In June 1784, Philip Mazzei, and Italian physician and close friend of Jefferson, wrote, “Your going to France without letters from me will seem very strange to many worthy persons who have shown great kindness to me that I have not procured for them your acquaintance…To Favi who is living at the Hotel de Mirabeau rue de Seine…you will tell him that your departure has prevented me from giving to you, as I told him was my intention, a superb set of chess which he gave to me.” (source: Philip Mazzei: Selected Writings and Correspondence)
In 1784, Jefferson moved to Paris. Before leaving, he sold some of his chess books to James Monroe (1758-1831). Jefferson, Monroe, and Madison lived within 30 miles of each other. They rode to each other’s neighboring plantations to play chess.
On Dec 6, 1784, Jefferson bought another chess set in France.
In 1785, he served as Minister to France for the Continental Congress. Jefferson tried to play chess in some of the Paris cafes, but didn’t like to lose.
On Oct 17, 1785, Dr. James Currie, a neighbor of Jefferson, wrote to Jefferson, “…Send me the Encyclopedia, if you thought proper, tho Came in the French language. It might divert my mind from play which has hitherto been my Bane and which I have altogether left off except Chess, wishing to acquire some knowledge in that in Expectation of having the pleasure of one day or other seeing you here and being further instructed by you in it. Short, I suppose by this time is being such an adept as not to make one false move in this Science.” (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
On Feb 6, 1786, Jefferson paid 96 francs for admission to the Salon des echecs. This was an exclusive chess club in the Galerie de Montpensier of the Palais-Royal above the Café de Foi. He did not renew his dues in 1787, saying he was too busy. David McCullough, in his book, John Adams, says that Jefferson was so decisively beaten at the chess club that he never went back.
On Apr 1, 1786 and Apr 11, 1786, Jefferson bought some chessmen in France.
On Apr 22, 1786, Jefferson wrote to Francis Eppes, “Meeting accidentally with a light neat pattern of chessmen, I ask your acceptance of a set which I deliver with this letter to Fulwar Skipwith to be forwarded to you.” Fulwar Skipwith (1765-1839) was an American diplomat and served as U.S. Consul-General in France.
In 1786, Jefferson sent a chess set to Francis Eppes. Francis wrote back on Oct 30, 1786, “I must now thank you for your present of chess Men. They are very handsome. I shall endevour to recover what little knowledge I had of the game which for want of practice I have almost forgot.” (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
In 1788, Thomas Jefferson played chess with Thomas Lee Shippen. Shippen wrote that he won 5 out of the 7 games.
Jefferson left Paris in September, 1789. One of the items he returned with was an ivory chess set made in France. The red pieces represented Africans, and the white pieces represented Frenchmen.
When he returned to the United States, President George Washington appointed him Secretary of State. He served as Secretary of State from 1790 to 1793.
On May 4, 1791, Francois Andre Danican Philidor (1726-1795), the great chess player, wrote to Jefferson and enclosed some information on the manufacture of arms and a report of a commission named by the Academy of Sciences to examine locks and interchangeable parts. (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
On July 31, 1791, Jefferson wrote to Mary Jefferson Eppes, his younger daughter, "You mentioned formerly that the two Commodes were arrived at Monticello. Were my two sets of ivory chessmen in the drawers? They have not been found in any of the packages which came here, and Petit seems quite sure they were packed up.”
Jefferson could not get along with Alexander Hamilton and Washington nearly dismissed Jefferson from his cabinet for his political views. Jefferson left the cabinet voluntarily in 1793, but Washington never forgave him for his actions, and never spoke to him again.
Jefferson was Vice President under John Adams from 1797 to 1801.
On Feb 12, 1798, Jefferson noted that he paid Roberts for a chessboard.
On May 30, 1798, Jefferson wrote the following to Tadeusz Kosciuszko, Polish military leader, “Niemcewicz [Polish poet and aide to Kosciuszko] was much affected. He is now at the federal city. He desired me to have some things taken care of for you. These were some kitchen furniture, backgammon table, and chess men…” (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
He was President of the United States from 1801 to 1809. His vice president was Aaron Burr, also an enthusiastic and strong chess player. They may have played chess together.
On Aug 13, 1801, Jefferson wrote to James Madison, “I shall rejoice to see Mrs. Madison, yourself and the chess heroine [Anna Payne, Dolley Madison’s sister] here.” (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
On Dec 4, 1801, Jefferson wrote to Thomas Mann Randolph, future governor of Virginia, “I must trouble you to get it [a philosophy book] from Monticello whenever convenient, and to send it on by post well wrapped in stout paper. I will pray you at the same time to send me Philidor on chess, which you will find in the book room.” (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
On Apr 3, 1802, Jefferson sent a note to DeWitt Clinton, New York senator and future New York governor, inviting him over for dinner and chess. (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
On Nov 5, 1802, Jefferson sent a note to Edward Thornton, British diplomat, inviting him over for dinner and chess. (source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton, 1950)
On Sep 21, 1806, Jefferson played chess with a Mister Thornton.
After leaving the Presidency in 1809, Jefferson continued to be active in public affairs. He founded and built the University of Virginia in 1819, at the age of 76. He also designed and built a plantation house called Poplar Forest as a private retreat. He populated it with some of his favorite books including several chess books by Philidor and Chess Rendered Familiar by J.G. Pohlman, London 1819. (source: The Road to Monticello: The Life and Mind of Thomas Jefferson, by Kevin Hayes, 2007, p. 609)
Jefferson taught his grandchildren how to play chess at Monticello. Jefferson taught his granddaughter, Ellen Wayles Randolph, to play. In the summer, the two would carry the chess set outdoors and play under the trees on the West Lawn.
In 1815, Jefferson’s books later became part of the Library of Congress when the original Library of Congress was burned by the British in 1814. Jefferson sold 6,487 of his books to the new Library of Congress for $23,950. He intended to use that money to pay off some of his large debt, but he immediately started buying more books.
On Dec 4, 1818, Jefferson wrote a letter to Robert Welch, “"When Dr. Franklin went to France on his revolutionary mission, his eminence as a philosopher, his venerable appearance, and the cause on which he was sent, rendered him extremely popular. For all ranks and conditions of men there, entered warmly into the American interest. He was therefore feasted and invited to all the court parties. At these he sometimes met the old Duchess of Bourbon, who being a chess player of about his force, they very generally played together. Happening once to put her king into prise, the Doctor took it. 'Ah,' says she, 'we do not take kings so.' 'We do in America,' says the Doctor. "At one of these parties, the emperor Joseph II, then at Paris, incog. under the title of Count Falkenstein, was overlooking the game, in silence, while the company was engaged in animated conversations on the American question. 'How happens it M. le Compte,' said the Duchess, 'that while we all feel so much interest in the cause of the Americans, you say nothing for them?' 'I am a king by trade,' said he." (source: The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Paul Ford, 1892-99, vol 12, p. 109)
In his later years, he played Benjamin Franklin, also a keen player. He would write letters about Franklin and how popular he was in France because he played chess with beautiful or powerful women. Jefferson would tell friends that he and Franklin were equal in chess playing strength. He also told friends that he played four hour games of chess against James Madison.
Jefferson left two undated sheets of paper concerning chess. The sheets of paper were how to play an endgame with a Rook and Bishop against a Rook. The analysis came from Philidor's Analysis of Chess book.
Jefferson died on July 4, 1826.
In 1853, Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, Thomas Jefferson’s granddaughter, wrote of Jefferson, “So he was, in his youth, a very good chess-player. There were not among his associates, many who could get the better of him. I have heard him speak of 'four hour games' with Mr. Madison. Yet I have heard him say that when, on his arrival in Paris, he was introduced into a Chess Club, he was beaten at once, and that so rapidly and signally that he gave up all competition. He felt that there was no disputing such a palm with men who passed several hours of every evening in playing chess." (source: Ellen Wayles Coolidge Letterbook)
On 2011, archaeologists unearthed a few chess pieces at former president James Madison’s country estate. Montpelier officials thought that the chess pieces were likely from the same set Madison and Thomas Jefferson used in their frequent matches during Jefferson’s visit.
One chess set on display at Monticello is “Set of Thirty Chessmen, c. 1770-90. Dieppe, France. Ivory.” According to the family, Jefferson received this set as a gift from the French court when he was in Paris as American Minister to France from 1785-1789. A second ivory set of “Barleycorn” design, created between 1800 and 1840 had one side stained red. It is not known when or where Jefferson acquired the set but it is believed that it was created or purchased in London. The Barleycorn design was growing in popularity in the nineteenth century and was named for the leaf motif encircling the main shaft of the kings and queens, almost becoming a standard before the Staunton style emerged. These are the only two sets owned by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. The Barleycorn set is on display at Monticello, while the Dieppe set was exhibited at the Smithsonian Museum of American History as part of “Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty” in 2012. It is no longer on display. |
Plain or all purpose flour types could be quite easily transformed to create a cake flour type like properties, in baking behaviour. Because the weight of cake flour is much lower due to its density, a portion of the standard flour being converted can be substituted with potato flour or cornstarch (called also maize or cornflour) instead. This tactic lowers down its protein and gluten percentage (hence the lower density) which therefore gives the body properties similar to those of the cake flour.
For the ratio: simply remove 3 tablespoons out from the flour that is being converted and replace them with also 3 tbsp. of either the potato flour or the cornstarch.
Convert cake flour recipes. Tool for converting cake flour from any amount into other common units generally used in baking recipes for measuring cake flour portions. The cake flour conversion tools allows making translations between Metric and US unit measuring systems. The calculator deals with any cake flour amount or unit found in recipes with cakeflour content. This cake flour online web converter utility works with the following weight scaling and volume measuring units and their output values: cooking cups ( Metric vs US cup of cake flour ), grams ( g ), dekagrams ( dkg – deca – deka ), kilograms ( kg – kilo ), ounces ( oz ), fluid ounces ( fl oz ) of cake flour, liters ( L ), milliliters ( ml ), pounds ( lb ), grains ( gr ), quarts US ( qt ) of cake flour, quarts dry US ( qt dry ), tablespoons ( tbl.sp ) and teaspoons ( tea.sp ) full of of cake flour amount. Instead of an info table list this cake flour converter also includes option for the cake flour product nutritional values calculation, in a specific number, plus food dietary information of cake flour; calories or kilocalories ( Cal equals kcal in dietary and food science ) food intake energy kilojoules ( kJ ), and values in grams ( g ) plus ounces ( oz ) for total carbohydrates, sugars, protein, lipids – fat, saturated fats, dietary fiber portion and cholesterol values that cake flour contains.
To link to this web based Cake flour amounts converter tool, copy then paste this code into your html.
The link will appear on the page as: Cake flour amounts converter
For online collaboration to improve the » Cake flour amounts converter, requests for new units or web tools additions, send your feedback. |
The team environment:
A team provides an environment that can provide individuals with safety to grow and boundaries to protect, allowing members to develop leadership in sports. The role and responsibility of the coach is to create this space for individuals to accept challenges and responsibility. Let’s explore what this means and how we can create a positive team environment:
Knowledge is gained through cognitive understanding. Beliefs and attitudes are created through life experiences. We feel the power of pulling together for a shared purpose. We feel the energy of the team, the players and the coach. We feel the intensity of the ‘moment’ – whether positive or negative.
Safety to grow.
We all require a safe environment to grow and develop, as individuals and as players. There is a requirement for both physical safety and psychological safety. The physical barriers may be visible and easy to recognize. The psychological barriers are not. Coaches, players and parents work very hard to cover these limitations, often because the reaction does not feel rational. The triggers to these reactions are often sensory perceptions unique to the individual so that no one else may be experiencing the trigger. Our drivers of be strong, try hard, hurry up, please others and be perfect (Kahler’s Drivers) kick in and as the pressure mounts they can become dysfunctional. The environment no longer feels safe. Our normal response? We increase the intensity and our level of safety further diminishes.
Boundaries to protect.
Every game has a set of rules. We know the parameters by which we operate. Although they may be open to interpretation or may not be executed properly in all games, it is our responsibility to learn and follow the rules. When we don’t play by the rules, we are subject to penalties, fouls and game ejections. There is incentive to learn to play smart, within the set parameters. When the rules are not properly enforced, players find it very difficult to perform to their potential. If we do not establish proper boundaries to protect individuals within the team, there is not safety to grow and develop.
Coaching the coach:
We all bring our individual beliefs and cultural attitudes to the gym, the rink or the field. Players and coaches. In most cases, the coach does what he believes is best for the team and for the players but we need to recognize that this is based on his perspective. And our perspective is based on what we learned from his parents, coaches and teammates. In a relaxed environment, there may not be significant tension between our knowledge of how to coach and our beliefs and attitudes about what the players should be doing. However, during the most intense moments of the practice or game, we can easily trigger old perceptions that activate some intense emotions. The result? Our reactions take over in the heat of the moment. These reactions may not be rational but we (strongly) believe that we are right.
Leadership in sports:
Sports provides a wonderful opportunity to develop valuable leadership skills, provided the coach can create an environment where team members feel safety to grow and boundaries that protect. We all inevitably have less desirable experiences that get stuck – images, sounds and other perceptions that activate us during practise or games. We have the opportunity to identify, isolate and neutralize these triggers using the Logosynthesis® method so that we can release habitual patterns that hold us back and limit our performance. Coaches, players and parents all have a role to play in both creating a safe environment and in supporting each other to release the triggers that impede performance. A team is stronger together and each person has a role to play in holding this space to grow and develop.
To learn more about how the Logosynthesis® method can support your team or organization, contact us. |
There has been a lot of talk regarding pizza and its link to cancer prevention, specifically esophageal cancer prevention. While this new finding is quite exciting to pizza fans, it needs to be carefully explained, as all pizzas are not created equal when it comes to esophageal cancer prevention.
Silvano Gallus, PhD is an epidemiologist at the Instituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri,” in Milan, Italy and lead researcher of a study which focuses on the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: “Does pizza protect against cancer?”
Gallus stated in a recent article from WebMD that “Italian pizza is less than 50% crust, 20% tomato sauce, 20% mozzarella cheese, and 4% olive oil” and continued that Italian pizza “is very different from fast-food pizza.”
In fact, you can sometimes even find more than triple the amount of calories and fat in an American pizza than one found in a Pizzeria in Italy. “Traditional Italian Pizza” has a thin crust which is made from flour, yeast, water, olive oil (and nothing else) and topped with tomato sauce and a small serving of mozzarella.
This “fast-food pizza” found in America has a thicker crust made with refined carbohydrates, added preservatives, unhealthy oils and fats, and much heavier toppings. Gallus notes in the article that those refined carbohydrates have also “been directly associated with cancer of the upper digestive tract and colorectal cancer.” Gallus stated that there is “limited information on the potential influence of pizza and cancer risk.”
However, lycopene which is found in cooked tomatoes and olive oil has been proven to have the potential to not only reduce the risk but to also slow the growth of some cancers.
The study showed “regular pizza eaters had 34% less risk of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer, 59% less risk of esophageal cancer, and 25% less risk of colon cancer.” So it seems that in actuality, certain types of pizza which are low in fat, high in nutrient may help you lower your risk of esophageal and other cancers. This is not surprising given the research conducted regarding the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet.
Want to make your own Italian thin crust pizza at home? Check out this great recipe from Walks of Italy’s website: How to Make an Italian Pizza: The Simple, Step-by-Step Guide
To read WebMD’s full article, “Pizza Prevents Cancer?” Click here
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.
Content found on Salgi.org is for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. |
San Jacinto, California
1899 December 25 12:25 UTC
Property damage from this earthquake was most severe at Hemet and San Jacinto, west of Palm Springs. Six people were killed by falling adobe walls at Saboba, a few kilometers east of San Jacinto. The estimated property loss of about $50,000 appears to be low.
Only two chimneys remained standing in Hemet, where brick buildings partly collapsed and wood-frame buildings shifted off their foundations. A ground fissure about 46 meters long extended under a house near Hemet; the house was wrenched and twisted severely. The fissure may have been surface rupture in the San Jacinto fault zone. Many brick buildings were partly wrecked at San Jacinto. At Riverside, chimneys were overthrown, and brick buildings were cracked. This severe shock was felt north to Bakersfield (Kern County), south to Jacumba (San Diego County), and northeast to Needles (San Bernardino County). It also was reported felt at Seligman, Arizona. Many aftershocks occurred on December 25 and 26.
Abridged from Seismicity of the United States, 1568-1989 (Revised), by Carl W. Stover and Jerry L. Coffman, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1527, United States Government Printing Office, Washington: 1993. |
Evolutionist miracle of the day – The Origin of Proteins:
Michael Behe wrote on October 16, 2013
From ASBMB Today, the official magazine of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology:
“Over all, what the field of protein evolution needs are some plausible, solid hypotheses to explain how random sequences of amino acids turned into the sophisticated entities that we recognize today as proteins.”
Interestingly, the print magazine copy (which I get as a member of ASBMB) is entitled: “‘Close to a Miracle’: Researchers are debating the origins of proteins.” The online version, however, is entitled: “‘Close to a Miracle’: Researchers are debating whether function or structure first appeared in primitive peptides.”
It sounds to me like somebody might’ve leaned a bit on the headline writer.
Another of the geological structures that defy the standard explanations: radically bent, but not broken or metamorphosed strata: Soft-sediment deformation: Recent Flood Evidence |
In a little less than a year and a half, something bad is going to happen.
The world's computers, on which just about everything we eat, earn, spend and save depends, are going to suffer a seizure – or rather a snowballing series of tiny spasms, which in the end may amount to the same thing. The timing, the tempo, the gravity of the impact on you and me are uncertain, but it is very likely that we will find ourselves living “in interesting times.”
The cause of our impending adventures is the Millennium Bug, also known as Y2K. As computer problems go, this one is almost unbelievably simple. Nearly all computers and databases store the year as a two-digit number, like “76” or “98.” It's always been understood that the missing digits are “19.” As of less than two years from now, however, the missing digits won't be “19” anymore. But many computers won't know that. Their internal calendars will flip over from 99 to 100, the first digit will fall away because only two spaces are provided to carry the year, and they'll be back in 1900.
The ramifications of this computational lapse into second childhood are extremely complex. Some of its many untoward effects will be quite unexpected and seemingly unrelated to the date. There are well-informed people who think its effects will be comparable in magnitude to those of a whole string of natural disasters, or a depression, or world war, or even – what the heck! – an asteroid.
Most of us are reluctant to suppose that anything comparable to the extinction of the dinosaurs is a possibility, and especially that it could be brought about by something as silly as two-digit date fields. But the hypothetical path that leads from two-digit dates to the collapse of civilization is less circuitous than you might suppose. The most pessimistic scenario looks like this. Data-processing failures lead to delays and errors in billings, interruptions of payments, inability to determine debts and receivables. Amid growing financial disruptions, ill-prepared businesses and banks begin to fail for lack of cash flow, individuals can't get access to their money, securities markets slide as confidence crumbles. Even the manufacturers who have done their Y2K homework find their assembly lines stopping because parts don't arrive from suppliers who haven't. As goods become less universally available, supermarket shelves are emptied by hoarders.
In the meantime, glitches in malfunctioning electronic controllers lead to widespread power failures in the middle of winter, explosions or fires in chemical plants and refineries, effluent spills from sewage-treatment plants, unsafe drinking water, fuel shortages, breakdowns in medical services and communications. Repair teams are overwhelmed. Air traffic slows to a crawl because '80s-vintage traffic-control computers can neither be relied upon nor fixed. Everyday life becomes a minefield of erratic traffic lights, stalled elevators, false alarms, busy signals and missed payments. Government, tormented by as many electronic demons as anyone else, suspends some services and fails to deliver others – including various kinds of entitlement checks. Civil disorders spread. The well-supplied arm and barricade themselves against foraging guerrilla gangs. And so on.
To believe that such a sequence of events is plausible, you must first be willing to accept that the civil institutions of the developed world are not very robust. In some ways, they are not. There are certainly forces in our society that are only barely held in check, and that single events – such as the first Rodney King verdict – can unblock. You must also believe that the modern electronic world, in which we travel, consume, work and play with nearly frictionless efficiency, does not represent the natural state of things, but is rather an elaborate artificial network of delicate, invisible symbioses.
For a quick taste of the gloomiest possible view of Y2K, you can do no better than to visit the Web site of Dr. Gary North at www.garynorth.com. North's Ph.D. is in history: It is an ornament whose generic luster Newt Gingrich has, to be sure, somewhat diminished. North takes an apocalyptic view of the years ahead. He foresees a general collapse of civil institutions, and urges his readers to leave the cities before the brimstone starts to fall. North is sometimes so reminiscent of those bearded characters with REPENT signs in old New Yorker cartoons that it is not surprising to learn that his motives are, in fact, at least partly religious. One would not guess this from his Web site, which appears – despite its survivalist overtones – balanced and well-researched and omits to mention his religious connections, but North is, in fact, a Christian extremist, who in his writings has suggested that “those who refuse to submit publicly to the eternal sanctions of God by submitting to . . . baptism and holy communion, must be denied citizenship, just as they were in ancient Israel.” His Y2K stance can be viewed as a variation on Christ's advice to his prospective disciples to give up what they had and follow him. But being religious doesn't automatically make North wrong about Y2K. Even if you don't share his world-view or his pessimism, his Web site is worth visiting for its huge number of links to other sources, and for its detailed exposition of possible Y2K eventualities.
The doomsday view of Y2K could be easily brushed aside if Gary North were its only advocate, or even a typical one. But he isn't. There are many close observers of the impending millennium who are quite pessimistic – not so much so as North, perhaps – and who do not have a dogmatic ax to grind. One is Ed Yardeni, chief financial analyst for the New York securities firm of Deutsche Morgan Grenfell. Yardeni expects a worldwide recession to follow the turn of the millennium; he currently puts the chance of it at 70 percent, and raises the figure almost monthly. In his taxonomy of various likely or possible Y2K mishaps, Yardeni breezily calls the worst an “Ellie,” or “Extinction Level Event.”
THE MEDINA EFFECT
Another moderate pessimist is a computer professional named – for no religious reason – Desmond Nazareth. Nazareth is a Philadelphia Y2K specialist, and has the distinction of being one of the first, if not the very first, to try to make a business out of Y2K repairs.
In 1987, Nazareth was a junior programmer in a large financial institution. Somebody noticed a money leak in the processing of late charges; over a period of six months, roughly about half a million dollars had been unaccountably lost. Nazareth tracked the problem down to a “century overflow condition” in a few lines of code in a 20,000-line mainframe program written 15 or 20 years earlier. One of his proposed solutions was sweeping: to expand the year field from two to four digits in the affected company's databases, and to modify all the software that used them.
“People were highly uninterested,” says Nazareth. “Their reaction was, 'Ridiculous. We couldn't possibly do so much for something as simple as this!'”
After ruminating on the problem for half a year, Nazareth and another programmer formed a company and wrote software to automate system and data repairs. They failed to interest either software publishers or venture capitalists; the payoff was too remote. Managers simply could not believe that such a silly, simple problem could be a serious one. Their response was what Nazareth calls “magical thinking”: “Something will happen to fix it.” It is only in the past three or four years that Nazareth's foresight has finally become the conventional wisdom.
Nazareth compares the data-processing systems of large corporations and financial institutions to the medinas – the ancient native quarters – of Middle Eastern and North African cities. Warrens of passageways, chambers, tunnels and oubliettes that have grown organically over centuries, medinas bewilder strangers and sometimes mystify even their initiates. Large software systems – General Motors, for example, uses about 2 billion to 3 billion lines of program code – are similar: No one knows everything that is going on or could go on inside them, or what all their vulnerabilities and potential interactions with other systems may be. Even after repairs have been made, therefore, it is impossible to be sure that Y2K problems are gone, or even to test completely enough to be certain that the fixes themselves have not introduced new, unexpected side effects.
“The basic problem is the complexity itself,” Nazareth says, noting that even companies that correct their own problems are still vulnerable to breakdowns in their supply chains and interfaces with outer companies' data-processing systems. The interconnectedness of data-processing systems makes determining “Y2K compliance” – ability to handle 21st-century dates – extremely tricky. As Robert Lefkowitz, vice president for desktop compliance with Next Era Consulting Corp., puts it, “[Our business partners] can't be compliant, because we know that in most cases they haven't questioned our compliance. Can any company be compliant if its business partners are not?”
Some large corporations have made efforts to determine the Y2K integrity of their suppliers, but the job is next to impossible. Questionnaires go unreturned, and telephone queries elicit standard responses – “We expect to be ready by December 1998” – that prove, on closer examination, to be hollow. “We are assessing our Y2K status,” for instance, is synonymous with “We haven't done anything yet.” Among those who do respond, the majority have not taken any practical steps to remedy the problem. Recently, the National Federation of Independent Businesses found that 75 percent of small business had done nothing about Y2K. It predicted that 330,000 small businesses would be bankrupted by Y2K and 370,000 would be “temporarily crippled.”
How will businesses be affected? In many ways, but the most obvious and clearly understandable examples are in accounting. How much interest is due in January 1900, on a loan made in 1986? Confronted with the command to generate an invoice for payment on a loan to be made in the distant future, what will a computer do? Request a negative payment? Spew out reams of useless garbage? Post an error message on the screen and stop running altogether? And think about payroll: How will a computer process a check for an employee who, according to its records, has not yet been hired? Incredibly, some old software even uses “99” as a code to mean “the end of time,” and might, for instance, automatically order deletion of all files with “99” dates.
These examples may seem more amusing than ominous, but in the globally interconnected world of finance, numbers are everything and time is money. The chief assets of banks, insurance companies and investment firms, beside which their skyscrapers are mere baubles, are their databases. Corrupt the data, destroy the business.
Government agencies throughout Southern California are beginning only now to realize the potential seriousness of the problems they face. At the Los Angeles Unified School District, 48 in-house programmers are working nearly full-time on reviewing some 24 million lines of codes. The possible ramifications of not fixing the problems are myriad. Payroll systems, for example, track the licenses of school police officers and bus drivers. Those whose licenses have expired don't get checks. “There could also be an impact on our retirement system,” says Terryl Hedrich, director of administrative support for LAUSD's Information Technology Division. “For benefit purposes, computers have to calculate how long an employee has been with the district. The computer could generate false data because it doesn't know how to subtract whole numbers from 00.” Hedrich says the schools are also evaluating things such as refrigeration units that may make date comparisons in calculating when to automatically defrost, student records that rely on birth dates to calculate grade placements, and numerous financial systems. She is optimistic that they will finish the fixes with time to spare. But to correct all the problems will cost, an outside consultant has estimated, some $48.5 million.
It's difficult to assess how far local corporations have gotten in assessing and fixing their Y2K problems. Many smaller businesses just assume they won't have problems. As the owner of one computer-animation company put it, “None of what we do on a computer involves dates. If we have to, we'll just put out our payroll manually.” But he acknowledges not having analyzed the company's software to see if it is date-reliant in some hidden way. Other companies give vague but confident assessments. At Mattel, a spokesman said, “a full-time team is working on inventorying computer programs and projects.” The company has been “working for a few years” and “definitely” expects to be compliant. At Parsons Infrastructure and Technology Group, S.G. Anand acknowledges the difficulty of the problem, but says the company is evaluating its embedded chips, computers and software as well as interfaces with outside systems. The big challenge, Anand says, is not the fixing but the testing.
Despite the generally reassuring tone of many Y2K pronouncements, the comptroller of a large locally-based private pension fund undoubtedly spoke for many businesses when, after asking to remain unnamed, he admitted, “We're scared to death. It could destroy us.”
IF IT AIN'T BROKE
It seems incredible that the brilliant technicians who crafted the world's vast computer infrastructure could have been so shortsighted as to build this time bomb into it. How could they have made such a fundamental blunder?
It began in the '60s, when computers filling whole rooms had neither the capacity nor the speed of a single a modern-day PC. Because memory space was scarce and expensive, data-processing systems that handled millions of records had to keep each one as small as possible. A programmer's ingenuity was measured by the number of bytes he was able to pare out of a procedure or a file. In those days, with data processing in its infancy, system design in flux and the turn of the millennium decades away, two-digit years seemed to make good sense.
By the '80s they didn't anymore, but the damage was already done. Data-processing systems had grown reeflike upon older ones, because it was always cheaper to write new code to interface with existing systems than to replicate the existing systems for new types of computers with new capabilities. Two-digit years were locked so firmly into computer systems that even managers who recognized the potential problem – and some programmers were sounding warnings to their supervisors way back in the '70s – could not justify the expense and effort required to correct it. As Desmond Nazareth and many others like him found, the managers of corporate data-processing departments were complacently confident that this gremlin would be outwitted somehow or other, as others always had, and that at any rate they wouldn't still be around to worry about it.
It was true that the problem was not, in computational terms, a very difficult one. The shortage of digits could be remedied in various ways. For example, there was “windowing”: program code could be added to systems to capture all dates as they go in and out, deciding in each case, on the basis of common-sense rules, which century they belong to. Or you could write programs to search through other programs and databases, finding their date fields and expanding them. You could even buy time by backdating all transactions by exactly 28 years, since January 1, 1972, is a Saturday in a leap year, just as is January 1, 2000.
But the fundamental problem, as it turned out, was not the two-digit year itself. It was the sheer number of places that it turned up. By the time corporations and governments began to take the glitch seriously, the number of systems affected, the number of instances in which errors were possible, and the potential ramifications of every error because of the interconnectedness of nominally separate data-processing systems had grown to inconceivable size. It was as if it had suddenly been discovered that every 1/4-inch bolt in every structure and machine built since 1970 were made of a material that would turn to mush at the end of the century.
Unlike individual owners of home PCs, each of whom has a private copy of a single public product and can buy or download standard upgrades or patches, businesses and government agencies have tended to develop custom-designed systems and software. The larger the operation and the longer its data-processing history, the more likely it is that documentation of the inner workings of programs have been lost; that the programs, or parts of them, were written in languages now extinct by programmers long retired or deceased; or that they were written in unstructured and undisciplined styles that are hard to decipher and modify today.
Thus, by the middle of this decade every large organization found itself looking at millions of lines of code, some of which did things that no one understood. It would be necessary to search through them for every instance of an operation using a date, modify those to work past the turn of the millennium and then test them exhaustively, since it is axiomatic in programming that any modification may produce unintended side effects. And all this needed to be done while the programs were running day and night, and on the organization's own computer systems, while maintaining an impermeable barrier between the operating and the experimental versions of code and data. It had to be done without contaminating old data with new dates until the entire revised system was deemed ready for service.
Despite the looming obviousness of the problem, even today Y2K remains a hard sell. Managers are reluctant to spend a lot of money – their entire data-processing budget for one or more years – on activities that produce no discernible gain. But there is no longer any choice. And the cost of evaluating, fixing and testing what at first glance looked like a trivial glitch turns out to be unbelievably high – from one to as much as 10 dollars per line of code modified. The Gartner Group, a leading information-technology consulting organization, has estimated the worldwide cost of Y2K remediation at $600 billion – about a tenth of the U.S. GDP for a single year. But estimates are wildly unreliable. The state of California, for example, believes its efforts will cost some $240 million. But the far smaller Los Angeles Unified School District estimates its costs at more than a fifth of that amount, suggesting that one or the other has grossly miscalculated.
One thing is certain however: Large corporations are now routinely budgeting hundreds of millions for repair and testing. Whether they will ultimately spend more or less than expected remains to be seen, but many experts suspect that current estimates of eventual costs are optimistic.
AND A RUSE
It's natural that some of the people involved in Y2K remediation have become prophets of doom: They have a firsthand view of a disaster unfolding. But they are also interested parties. They are making money from the problem and hoping to make more, and the more frightened their potential customers are, the more money they stand to make. (More subtle, but perhaps no less important to would-be Cassandras, is the increment to one's self-esteem that comes from feeling that one's work is saving the world.) So as the drumbeat of ominous warnings accelerates, there has also developed a backlash. Y2K debunkers denounce the alleged problem as a full-employment program for computer nerds, and dismiss warnings of dire consequences as so much millenarian raving. Their attitude was typified by a 1996 article in American Programmer magazine by Nicholas Zvegintzov, a computer scientist and writer. The Year 2000 problem, he wrote, was a “racket and ruse” used by programmers to suck money into their departments. Solving it was, in Zvegintzov's opinion, “an exercise for the software novice.”
And he has not changed his opinion. “The truth is that January 1, 2000 will come and go, and the world and its computers will go on working about as well as before, with perhaps a few minor mishaps, and you will find yourself wondering what the big excitement was about,” Zvegintzov said recently. “Just as cockroaches are said to be perfectly adapted to surviving nuclear holocaust, so bureaucracy is perfectly adapted to surviving the Year 2000.” The ruse, if ruse it be, has succeeded mightily. In many organizations, the amount of work that needs to be done to head off the supposedly fictive disaster, and the skills it requires, exceed the capacity of the information-systems department, and so a new industry has been born: Y2K remediation. Small hired-gun consulting firms have sprung up, armed with specialized tools and talents. As the demand grows, newborn offshore firms have rushed in to fill the vacuum: Israel, India and Ireland are leading sources of Y2K expertise, as daytime programming operations in Bangalore repair and run the codes of New York corporations on New York computers, via telephone and satellite, during the New York night. But India, however overpopulated it may be, is not overpopulated with computer programmers; it has only 30,000 of them. Demand for programmers is outrunning the supply, however, and prices are high and are getting higher – not least because this is a line of work that is doomed to vanish in a couple of years. To forestall mass desertions, Bank of America, for one, has set aside $100 million to fund post-2000 bonuses for programmers who don't jump ship.
Few software professionals have embraced Zvegintzov's view. But for those not directly involved in saving the world, reassurance that it really doesn't even need saving is welcome, and to generations accustomed to domestic tranquillity, the idea they are being stalked by a disturbance of global dimensions is hard to accept. So, for the great majority of ordinary people and small- to medium-size businesses and organizations, the Millennium Bug remains something they read something about somewhere, and then forget.
SPEAK NO EVIL
Even organizations that claim to have their problems under control, such as the city of Los Angeles, dislike talking openly about them, ostensibly because they do not want to create needless anxiety in the uninformed citizenry. In the face of this persistent silence, Peter de Jager, the world's leading and most peripatetic deliverer of Y2K warnings to business and government, created the “Damocles Project” to encourage whistle blowers to come forward anonymously with information on Y2K-related situations with public-safety implications. But he recently ended the project and destroyed its files when he received legal advice that his records could be subpoenaed and he might not be able to protect the confidentiality of his sources. Thus one path for inside information from business and industry was cut off.
No one – not government, not business, not even individual employees – has much to gain by announcing costly problems before they occur, and so there is a notable lack of hard scientific evidence on which to build a reasoned case for one Y2K outcome as opposed to another. It remains difficult, and will probably remain difficult right up to the end, to separate rational predictions from dire fantasies, and so estimates of the dimensions of the Y2K threat will always be largely speculative.
The Securities and Exchange Commission now requires publicly held corporations to include Y2K statements in their annual reports. Naturally, most such statements are couched in cautious language, saying, in effect, “We can't know the future, and this is a future risk like other future risks.” Some, however, are slightly more expansive. Hewlett-Packard's statement, filed in March of this year, identifies a number of concerns, including “customer-satisfaction costs” – in other words, the irritation of customers who discover that computer and software manufacturers have for years been knowingly selling them products with a built-in, but undisclosed, expiration date. “Company believes,” the passage says, “that it is not legally responsible for costs incurred by customers to a achieve their Year 2000 compliance.”
Legal experts say that computer and software manufacturers probably have no liability, even though when they sold their goods they knew, and their customers probably didn't, that they would no longer work after 1999. Nevertheless, common sense suggests that if companies knowingly sold computers and software that would not run past the end of 1999, and did not warn their customers, they should bear some responsibility. The argument that the expected service life of a computer or a program is only two or three years will not impress many end users. A New York law firm has already, in fact, filed a class-action suit against a Santa Monica software manufacturer, Symantec, for charging customers for Y2K-compliant upgrades to the widely used Norton Utilities, and the state of North Carolina is suing computer manufacturers, under a legal theory similar to that used in tobacco lawsuits, in an attempt to recover an estimated $132 million in remediation costs.
For many businesses, costs in good will, customer support and legal defense could run far beyond the amounts required to achieve compliance. The costs of litigating over due diligence and executive responsibility, over loss or interruption of business, or even over physical damage to persons and property, could be greater still; the cost of losing would be greatest of all. So large is the potential cost, in fact, that many states have passed or are weighing legislation that would make them immune to lawsuits over Y2K-related damages.
It is perhaps a manifestation of some natural law relating harmful events to the litigation that they engender, that one published prediction of the cost of litigation arising from Y2K-related issues are two to three times the estimated repair cost: about $1 trillion.
Don Butte, an executive at Kraft Foods who had responsibility for the company's Y2K program, recently reported that with 300 people working full time on remediation, Kraft itself is “basically on schedule.” But 70 percent of Kraft's thousands of suppliers have not yet started to repair their computer systems, leading Butte to speculate that some smaller suppliers will probably elect to go out of business rather than face the expense of making the necessary revisions. He expected that only 60 percent of Kraft's suppliers can possibly be ready by the year 2000. Kraft is already involved in triage and contingency planning for supply interruptions that are now thought to be inevitable. One option being considered is to stockpile essential raw materials in advance of the millennium – an opportunity for futures traders, if they can just figure out which materials will be in short supply.
With the time required for a large business to thoroughly test its modified software being, by general consent, at least a year, the window of opportunity for getting the fixes done at all is rapidly closing. Companies systematically underestimate the magnitude of the problem and the probability of getting any software project completed on schedule, despite examples such as that of State Farm Insurance, which presciently began tackling Y2K in 1989 and still has 100 employees working full time on the project today.
Some of the widespread failure to act is due to a mistaken belief that the problem is confined to mainframe computers, and that PCs, which handle an increasing proportion of corporate, scientific and government computing, are not affected. In fact, even home PCs and consumer software packages – including Windows 95 – have potential Y2K problems, and some will require physical overhaul to solve them.
F IS FOR FEDERAL
Even if you're not prepared to believe that everything is going to fall apart after that fateful New Year's Day, there are still plenty of lesser prospective disasters to choose from. Besides the widely predicted business and financial failures, with an associated collapse of stock prices and possible global recession, slowdowns or breakdowns of government services are also likely, with the IRS, FAA and Department of Defense among the favorite victims. The federal government admits to facing costs of over $50 billion for Y2K remediation, and at the beginning of June received an F for its collective efforts from the House subcommittee charged with overseeing the effort. |
Multiple sclerosis (MS) onset in childhood occurs in a small proportion of individuals with the disease, although the precise incidence of pediatric MS is unknown. It may be difficult to distinguish the initial attack of pediatric MS from acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, particularly in very young children. Environmental and genetic factors that appear to increase the risk of pediatric MS include prior infection with Epstein-Barr virus, exposure to cigarette smoke, and HLA-DRB1*15 haplotype. Children may have more posterior fossa involvement at onset and a higher relapse rate than adults with MS. Although time to disability may be longer than in adults, pediatric MS is associated with an earlier age of disability. Off-label use of standard disease-modifying therapies for adult MS is common, although data regarding the efficacy and safety for these medications are limited. |
Scientists have conducted a study and found the magical formula of Speed they call it the ‘Speed rule’. This formula allows people to understand why some animals run, fly and swim faster than all others. It is not just E=mc2, but scientists unveiled other aspects of Speed.
The scientists stated that only strength does not determine top rapidity. In fact, land mammals, birds, and fish can only go faster for as long as they can draw from available energy stored in muscle tissue. The researchers revealed that an intermediate body size is optimal for hitting that sweet spot between strength and energy burst.
Animals such as cheetah, Falcon or marlin carry a median body size. Additionally, only an animal’s weight and the medium moves in water, air or across the land. Weight is enough to calculate animals’ maximum speed with 90 per cent accuracy, stated the scientists.
Scientists emphasized on the fact that the largest animals are not the fastest. If muscles were all that mattered “elephants would reach maximum speeds of about 600 kph.
By: Priyanka Negi
Content: Hindustan Times |
The way we read and publish books has changed dramatically during recent years. The rise of electronic books and electronic readers and tablets has meant that increasing numbers of people are ditching paper books in favor of the convenience that these lightweight devices have to offer. Even the publishing industry has changed: ebooks have become one avenue for enterprising authors to self-publish their works, without the need to hand over control (or the profits) of their creative works over to a traditional publisher.
Yet, there may still be more revolutionary changes to come. Google and London-based interactive publisher Editions At Play are adapting the concept of the blockchain to ebooks, publishing an experimental digital novel that owners can edit, dedicate and pass along to friends and family. Titled “A Universe Explodes,” it’s written by Google Creative Lab Sydney creative director Tea Uglow, engineered by design agency Impossible, and explores new models of distributing and owning digital products. Watch them explain it in this short video:
The interesting twist here is how the blockchain is used here to create a new way to distribute books. Blockchains are essentially distributed databases that keep continuous track of records, or “blocks,” each containing a timestamp and a link to the previously recorded block. Likened to an open “digital ledger” of sorts, the technology is designed to be tamper-resistant, as any changes are recorded and validated across the blockchain’s decentralized and distributed network of data and its users, and cannot be altered retroactively.
So it makes sense that blockchain technology is used to authenticate transactions in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, securing academic certificates, or to help create smart contracts of all kinds. Businesses are also exploring commercial applications of this distributed form of technology, but the blockchain can also be translated into other fields, such as ensuring that images are properly attributed online, or used to underpin an art registry that would allow artists to have an equity stake in the future sales of their artworks.
In the case of “A Universe Explodes,” the conventional paradigm of e-book ownership is turned on its head. While there are only 100 “own-able” copies of the short novel available, it can be read by anyone with access to a web browser. Each of the owned copies can be passed onto a friend, then onto another friend, up to 100 times. Yet another intriguing feature is the requirement that for a person to “own” a copy, they must erase two words on each of the novel’s 20 pages, and add one word. Once an owner finishes the book, they must write a dedication to someone and pass the copy on. The end result will be a collection of “limited editions” — each of which can be read by anyone, thanks to the blockchain.
“Each book is unique, with personal dedications, and an accumulation of owners, (not to mention a decreasing number of words) as it is passed on,” explained Uglow in a post on Medium. “So it is both a book and a cumulative expression of the erosion of the self and of being rewritten and misunderstood. That is echoed in the narrative: the story is fluid, the transition confusing, the purpose unclear. The book gradually falls apart in more ways than one. It is also kinda geeky.”
Uglow calls these contributions to the book’s history of digital footprints “cultureblocks.” These changeable and shareable blocks of culture are meant to emphasize the subtle differences between actually owning something digital — and thus, being able to transform it at will — versus having a license to access to it, which is what happens when we are using on-demand streaming services to watch movies or listen to music.
The point was to see if this model of digital ownership would give people a different experience, interacting with a new kind of literature that isn’t just read, but is also ever-evolving and dependent upon dissemination for its continued survival, albeit in a slightly different form every time it’s altered and passed on, until at last, the book will consist of one word per page in its final form.
“We wanted to share and explore the idea that ownership of digital can be distinct from a stream or a license to access, and equally that technology is something that can inspire writers to push the potential of the form as well as their word-count,” said Uglow.
The project posits an intriguing future possibility for books in an increasingly interactive world: might literature become a kind of collective endeavor that’s reinterpreted each time it’s digested? What will ownership of tomorrow’s digital artifacts look and feel like? And will cultureblocks — that evolutionary chain of metadata about how cultural exchanges happen — tell us about the world in which the book exists, more than what’s written in the book itself? While this experimental book probably won’t change our love for books, it may very well transform the way we enjoy, understand and share them.
Images: Google / Editions At Play |
All organizations have strategic business plans that identify their purpose (mission), look to the future (vision), and clarify specific and measurable goals, objectives, and actions to achieve their purpose and attain their desired future state. These plans may be informal or formal, but all organizations have them in one form or another.
Our Vision: Kyrene’s vision is to prepare all students to meet educational and life challenges
in order to make positive contributions to society.
Our Mission: To realize our vision, Kyrene seeks to inspire and engage our diverse community of
students, staff, families and citizens to ensure continuous academic achievement and
personal growth for every student.
The Kyrene School District continues to be a learning organization that is highly dynamic and delivers superior learning experiences that meet the educational needs of all students today as we anticipate what they will need tomorrow. Kyrene is continually constructing and reconstructing what we need to accomplish as we adapt to prepare students to meet the challenges of a changing world. Therefore, we have felt that the metaphor of a Blueprint best serves our purpose of presenting our plans for now and the future. Blueprint means a plan of construction and is a term that will help the organization and community better understand that our focus is on continuous improvement in broad goal areas that impact every aspect of the Kyrene Elementary School District. |
Tod Mountain at Sun Peaks
Skwelkwekwelt is an important hunting area for moose and deer. Traditionally, the people set up hunting camps where they would dry enough moose and deer meat for the entire winter supply. Many roots and medicines were harvested by the people at Skwelkwekwelt. This traditional use area is being destroyed by major expansion to the Sun Peaks Ski resort and by logging.
Revelstoke, B. C.
St’gil’xtn is within the traditional territory of the Lakes Secwepemc. It is an important hunting and trapping area. Traditionally, the Secwepemc would trap many furs in the area. It is also an important huckleberry picking area. The Secwepemc also fished in the area lakes at different seasons.
Cwkwikwuyt is located at what is now known as Scotch Creek, B. C. It is an important hunting and berry picking area. The people also gather cedar roots and birch bark for baskets in this area. Traditionally, Cwkwikwuyt was a camping site as the people traveled over the mountains to the north end of Adams Lake.
The area on the north side of the Neskonlith reserve
Celewt is located on the north side of the South Thompson River on the Neskonlith reserve. Traditionally it was a huge settlement. You can find the depressions in the ground from the winter home sites. Many salmon drying racks were set up along the river as the people speared the salmon in the fall. Ice fishing was done in the winter months. Today the Neskonlith people still go night spearing on the river and smoke the salmon they way it was done traditionally.
All the land within the Secwepemc territory
The territory of the Secwepemc extends from the Columbia River Valley on the east slope of the Rocky Mountains to the Fraser River on the west and from the upper Fraser River in the north to the Arrow Lakes in the south. Secwepemc territory covers a vast area; approximately 180,000 square km. |
Equine enthusiasts are always evaluating the horse’s appearance, particularly if they are considering purchasing the animal. Conformation is the term used to describe this appearance and can be broken into principal categories of balance, structural correctness, muscling, and type. Of these, balance and structure are of highest importance when we assess most of our performance horses. Balance refers to equal distribution of weight from front to back and from top to bottom, as determined by angles and proportions of body parts. Structural correctness is critical for soundness and clean movement and is determined by proper bone alignment, particularly in the legs.
So how important is conformation when selecting a horse? Just as top human athletes possess certain body types that grant them athletic prowess, a well-balanced horse has smoother gaits and is better able to perform athletic maneuvers. Being structurally correct also greatly increases the horse’s likelihood of staying sound when his body is subjected to repeated concussive forces. So how do we look at a horse and analyze these important qualities?
To begin, we want to see that the horse’s parts are proportional. The horse’s body should be a square, and the neck, shoulder, back, and hip should all be approximately equal lengths, with the horse’s topline shorter than his underline. A common flaw that negatively affects the horse’s balance is a back that is long in proportion to his body. A too-long back makes it difficult for the horse to bring his hind legs up under his body as he moves. This causes him to distribute more weight on his front end, which reduces power and maneuverability, increases concussive forces on the front limbs, and causes a more jarring ride. Another important yet easy-to-determine criterion of balance is hip and wither height. These should be approximately the same. If a horse is built “downhill” he will carry more weight on his front end, causing the same problems mentioned above. However, when assessing young horses’ balance, remember they will grow faster at the hip than the withers and will appear built downhill at different points during growth.
Slope of shoulder and “turn” of hip are two other factors we assess for balance to determine athleticism. Slope of the shoulder measured from the withers to the point of the shoulder is ideally approximately 45° and directly influences the horse’s stride length and smoothness. Overly upright shoulders can cause the horse to have a short, jarring stride, whereas nicely sloped shoulders allow horses to reach farther with their front legs, offering a smoother ride. Balance of the hip is also critical to a horse’s athletic ability and power. A horse’s hip should be approximately the same length as its back and have a slope roughly the same as the shoulder. A horse with too flat or steep of a hip will lack range of motion needed to provide power.
After examining the horse for balance, consider leg structure. The performance horse’s legs withstand incredible impact. Conformational flaws cause deviations in concussion absorption, compromising the horse’s quality of movement as well as leading to future lameness. When observing the forelimbs from the front, we should be able to draw straight lines from the points of the shoulder to the ground, bisecting each leg exactly in half, with the hoof and carpus (knee) pointing forward. Deviations from this can lead to injuries and undesirable gait qualities. For example, base-narrow horses are predisposed to landing on the outside of their hoof walls, which can usher in conditions such as ringbone, sidebone, and heel bruising. From the side of the horse we can observe conditions affecting the horse’s carpal joints. Calf knees (back at the knee) and buck knees (over at the knees), for instance, cause increased stress on the lower limb joints and soft tissues. Also examine the hind legs from both the side and rear for structural deviations.
The above guidelines are meant to help you evaluate conformation. There are exceptions to every rule, and some horses with poor conformation go on to be great performers. However, conformation is still one of the most reliable predictors of both athletic ability and soundness. Developing an educated “eye” for a horse and the ability to assess conformation knowledgeably are useful skills to add to your horsemanship toolbox.
Kylee Jo Duberstein, PhD, is an assistant professor of equine science at the University of Georgia's Department of Animal and Dairy Science who teaches courses in horse evaluation and horsemanship.
Originally published in the January 2014 issue of The Horse: Your Guide To Equine Health Care. |
I doubt there’s one among us that’s not aware of West Nile virus (WNV). Since the disease was first reported on in the United States in 1999, more than 30,000 people have been reported as getting sick with West Nile virus. As we all know, it’s the dreaded mosquito that spreads this serious, life altering disease.
The very safest method of mosquito control for you, your horses and the environment includes reducing the breeding ground for mosquitoes: mud and stagnant water. This wet situation is not ideal.
This year incidences of the disease have been on the rise. As of September 4, 2012, 48 states have reported WNV infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes--1,993 cases in people, including 87 deaths. Over 70 percent of the cases have been reported primarily in six states: Texas, South Dakota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Michigan, however some type of WNV activity has hit the entire continental United States. Since the disease was first detected, this is the highest amount of cases reported for this time period.
As you may recall, most people who become infected with WNV don’t get sick. Some develop mild flu-like symptoms. In rare cases, WNV may cause encephalitis or inflammation of the brain. The majority of humans who die from WNV are older and may had a weakened immune system.
It appears to be different for horses; horses of all ages have succumbed to the disease. Symptoms of WNV are similar to other neurological conditions including rear limb buckling, knuckling over and ataxia. As of the first part of this month 33 states had reported 186 equine cases of WNV. Horses doing poorly rarely recover--the fatality rate for horses with WNV is about 33%--but fortunately there are steps that we can take that can help reduce our risk and the risk of our horses for exposure.
The number one thing is to vaccinate them. Talk with your veterinarian and get their recommendations. While no vaccine is 100% effective, the WNV vaccine is performing well with a very high rate of effectivity and few side effects.
Reducing Mosquito Habitat on Horse Properties, Ranches and Farms
The very safest method of mosquito control for you, your horses and the environment includes reducing the breeding ground for mosquitoes: mud and stagnant water. The mosquito larva eats organic material and lives in stagnate water -- stagnant usually means water that has not been moving or added to (such as from rain) for four days. For farms, this means muddy pastures and paddocks are prime mosquito habitat.
Here is a checklist of horse farm management techniques for reducing mosquito habitat:
- Pick up manure in your paddocks and sacrifice area every 1 to 3 days. This is important because it will greatly decrease the build-up of mud. While you’re at it, pick up stray clumps of bedding or leftover hay. All organic material eventually decomposes and leads to mud.
- Install gutters and downspouts on all buildings and divert the rainwater away from confinement areas. In most parts of the Midwest, the amount of rainwater that runs off a two-stall run-in shed per year can be anywhere from 7,000 gallons to 14,000 gallons--or much more! Diverting 14,000 gallons of water away from your horse’s paddock will greatly reduce the amount of mud, standing water and mosquito habitat around your farm. Divert clean rainwater to areas on your property such as a dry well, rain barrel, stock watering tanks, a well-vegetated woods or unused portion of your pasture.
- Use footing in paddocks and high-traffic areas to reduce mud. Popular choices include hogfuel (chipped wood products), gravel (crushed rock) or sand. Use 3 to 6 inches of footing throughout your paddock.
- If surface water flows run into your barn or paddocks look at other means for diverting this water away. Possibilities for dealing with surface water drainage include French drain lines, water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff), grassy swales, and dry wells.
- Tarp your manure pile. This will keep your manure pile looking like a pile of compost and not a pile of mush.
- Practice good pasture management techniques. In the summer the golden rule for pasture management is don't graze below 3 to 4 inches. Cross fencing and controlled grazing are important components of good pasture management.
- Winter pasture management techniques include creating a sacrifice area (a paddock) to keep your horses in when soils are saturated or frozen and pasture plants are dormant. Keeping horses off dormant grass plants and soggy soils is critical for maintaining a healthy pasture next summer and avoiding a muddy mess in between which can harbor mosquitoes.
- Plant and maintain native trees and shrubs. Plants use a lot of water and can potentially reduce the amount of standing water around your horse place. A mature Douglas fir can drink 100-250 gallons of water per day. Evergreens have an added advantage in that they keep on using water in the winter when deciduous trees are dormant. Use water-loving native shrubs along the outside of paddocks may help keep the area dryer and reduce runoff.
- Dump scrub and refill all stock watering tanks at least once each week.
- Check for clogged rain gutters and clean them out.
- Check for containers and places where water may collect. At least once a week empty water from flowerpots, pet food and water bowls, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels, wheelbarrows, and tarps.
- Remove old tires and other items that collect water. Be sure to check for containers or trash in places that may be hard to see, such as under bushes or around your home.
For more information:
CDC map of WNV activity since the first part of September 2012: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/Mapsactivity/surv&control12MapsAnybyState.htm
For WNV information in Canada: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/wnv-vwn/index-eng.php
Also, check out: West Nile Virus Still a Threat on TheHorse.com |
What are the principles involved in the construction of essay test items, a. general types of an essay test
Should members of the Communist Party of the Philippines be allowed to teach in college or universities? Your answer should be confined to two pages. Here we shall suggest ways of constructing essay questions, and in the next section, we shall suggest ways of improving scoring, although these two procedures are interrelated.
For this reason, some faculty prefer short-answer items to essay tests. What is the chemical formula for sodium bicarbonate? Were the questions worded clearly? Developing and evaluating essay test items Essay test items are effective in helping students to demonstrate higher order thinking in unique ways.
The first version of the example offers no common basis for responding and, consequently, no frame of sample cover letter for ernst and young for evaluating the response. This tip addresses two important questions concerning multiple choice and matching test items: Identify three examples of the uses of the hammer in a typical Filipino home.
Recent Class Questions
As each question is constructed, the teacher should estimate the approximate time needed for a satisfactory response. Indicate the most probable one and give reasons for your selection.
Here we shall suggest ways of constructing essay questions, and in the next section, we shall suggest ways of improving scoring, although these two procedures are interrelated.
That is, students who have not fully mastered everything in parenting courses essay course should still be able to demonstrate how much they have learned. For the restricted-response question, this means rewriting it until the desired response is clearly defined: Both types of test items can be used to determine lower level recall and higher level learning understanding, application, synthesis.
Since questions can result in misleading wording and misinterpretation, try to have a colleague answer your test questions before the students do. Comment on the adequacy of the evidence used b the said tribunal reaching the decision on the cased filed against the chief executive of the country.
The rubric should specify the criteria students are required to meet in achieving full value for the test item or the value they will earn if missing certain criteria no hometown ielts essay and grammatical errors, but weak example; no example provided; no example, spelling and grammatical errors; inappropriate or weak response to item write an expository essay on my favorite food little knowledge or understanding; no response to item or response is completely off the target In addition to evaluating using a rubric, try evaluating each essay item for all students before moving on to the next item.
Require students to demonstrate critical thinking in organizing and producing an answer beyond rote recall and memory Empower students to demonstrate their knowledge within broad limits beyond the restraint of objective tests true false, multiple choice Allows learners to demonstrate originality and creativity Reduces preparation time in developing, as well as distributing, a test, what are the principles involved in the construction of essay test items for small number of students Presents more possibilities for diagnosis Disadvantages: Other students will prefer essay questions.
Except for the desirable effect on student morale, however, there is little to recommend the what are the principles involved in the construction of essay test items of optional questions.
Needless to say, this provides a distorted measure of the student's achievement, and it also tends to have an undesirable influence on study habits, as intensive preparation in a relatively few areas is encouraged. You can help students prepare for the test by clarifying course goals as well as reviewing material.
It is better to use fewer questions and give more generous time limits than to put some students at a disadvantage. Restrict the use of essay questions to those learning outcomes that cannot be measured satisfactorily by objective items. Is the material I tested for really what I wanted students to learn?
Too often essay questions place a premium on speed, because inadequate attention is paid to reasonable time limits during the test's construction. Does not assume learner is practiced with the what are the principles involved in the construction of essay test items Start questions with an active verb such as "compare", "contrast", "explain why"; Offer definitions of the active verb, and even practice beforehand.
Which of the following examples best demonstrates aggressive behaviour A, B, C, D?
He takes great pride air his air business, about, which he has worked hard for 40 theses to achieve statement the huge obstacles he had to face, about air. Write them down, too, air, so you won39;t forget.
OR Give examples ask students to match the theory, concept, or principle that applies to that example… Understanding Write test item statements after each class so that they reflect your teaching emphasis. More often or not, factors like expression, grammar, spelling and the like are evaluated in relation to content. If students answer different questions, it is obvious that they are taking different tests, and so the common basis for evaluating their achievement is lost.
Of course, there are learning outcomes that involve in-depth study of topics that are shaped and defined by students.
Informing students that they should pay special attention to organization, comprehensiveness, and relevance of arguments defines the task, makes the scoring criteria explicit, and makes it possible to key the question to a particular set of learning outcomes. Avoid questions on obscure material that are weighted the same as questions on crucial material.
But when objective items are inadequate for measuring the learning outcomes, the use of essay questions can be easily defended, despite their limitations. Here are a few general guidelines to help you get started: Prove or disprove this statement. While essay and short-answer questions are easier to design than multiple-choice tests, they are more difficult and time-consuming to score.
Phrase the question so that the student's task is clearly indicated.
- Principles of Test Construction 1
- Constructing Essay Exams
The time taken to develop rubrics will enable the instructor to grade more quickly and consistently. This will provide a more holistic view of how the class answered the individual questions How do you help students succeed on essay exams?
Also, some students will narrow the problem before responding, thus giving themselves a much easier task than students who attempt to treat the broader aspects of the problem.
Constructing and Scoring Essay Test | Test (Assessment) | Essays
For the sake of clarity, avoid using ambiguous or vague terms large, long time, regularly, some, usual as meanings for this words are subjective. Moreover, essay tests can suffer from unreliable grading; that is, grades on the same response may vary from reader to reader or from time to time by the same reader. Support your statements with examples when possible. Although some students may not be able to give the correct answer, they all will certainly know what type of response is expected.
The extreme freedom of the extended-response question makes it difficult to present questions so that the student's responses will reflect the particular learning outcomes desired.
Keep in mind that one of the most important steps is choosing a great topic.
Compare 19TH century and present-day Filipino writers with respect to their involvement and societal affairs. If you wanted to know whether students could apply a concept to a new situation, but mostly asked questions determining whether they could label parts or define terms, then you tested for recall rather than application.
Example B provides a better alternative that will require the respondent to demonstrate command of specific knowledge. Motivating teaching in higher education: When students anticipate the use of optional questions, they can prepare responses on several topics in advance, commit them to memory, and then select questions to which the responses are most appropriate.
For instance, avoid making the correct alternative the longest or most qualified one, or the only one that is grammatically appropriate to the stem.
Use true-false items for important items. If scores are uniformly high, for example, you may be doing everything right, or have an unusually good class.
Prepares a response according to the verbal directive, either mentally or written, either outlined or "mapped", Writes response Reviews and edits if time permits Essay tests can evaluate more complex cognitive or thinking skills assuming that rote memory and recall tasks are assessed more appropriately through objectives tests as true-false and multiple choice questions.
Example A: The following ideas may be helpful as you begin to plan for a multiple choice exam: Ralph, E. Essay questions should never be hurriedly constructed in the hope that they will measure broad, important but unidentified educational goals.
Why do birds migrate? Did I test for what I emphasized in class?
The best procedure for clarifying the extended-response question seems to be to give the student explicit directions concerning argumentative essay 123helpme type of response desired: What should be the focus of researches of education TO explain the incidence of failure among students with high intelligence quotient?
If students interpret the question differently, their responses will be organized differently, because organization is partly a function of the content being organized. Why or why not? Compare the current policies of the Democratic and Republican parties with regard to the role of government in private business.
Click here to download the Suggestions for Constsructing Test Items word document.
Although you may want to include some items that only require recognition, avoid the temptation to write items that are difficult because they are taken from obscure passages footnotes, for instance. Were there questions which most of the students with high grades missed? Help Students prepare. For example, a multiple choice test might be useful for demonstrating memory and recall, for example, but it may require an essay or open-ended problem-solving for students to demonstrate more independent analysis or synthesis.
Before writing test items determine whether you want to evaluate acquisition of content or address higher-order learning understanding, application, synthesis. Madison, Wisconsin: Some of the complex learning outcomes, such as those pertaining to the organization, integration, and expression of ideas, will be neglected unless essay questions are used. Most students will assume that the test is designed to measure what is most important for them to learn in the course.
Multiple choice exams
Ensure that the response to the item will result in the type and quality of evidence intercultural communication research proposal require. Integrate course objectives into the essay items Specify and define what mental process you want the students to perform e. The restricted scope of the topic and the type of response expected make it possible to relate a restricted-response question directly to one or more of the outcomes.
This difficulty can be partially overcome by indicating the bases on which the answer will be evaluated: Provide answer options. Evaluation of student work on topics of their own choosing is important for such learning outcomes.
Study Guides and Strategies
For students who find writing difficult, either physically painful or because of a learning disability, objective test items can be highly effective tools for testing. New Forums Press. If you want to use words like explain or discuss, be sure that you use them consistently and that students know what you mean when you use them.
Note also how easy essay planning sheet for 5 paragraph essay would be to relate such an item to a specific learning outcome such as "the ability to formulate and defend tenable hypotheses. Students who have physical or learning disabilities often lemon battery research paper difficulty writing responses to essay type items, matching and multiple choice test items require limited writing and can be effective tools for testing specific types of learning.
If the question becomes too narrow, it will be less effective as a measure of the ability to select, organize, and integrate ideas and information. |
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