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Even in crowded conditions, cyclists are perfectly able to mix harmoniously with pedestrians and, contrary to popular belief, they are not a major danger to them.
CTC View (formal statement of CTC's policy):
- Cyclists should behave responsibly and within the law.
- Cyclists do very little harm to other road users, including pedestrians.
- Unlike driving, most cycling takes place in areas of high pedestrian activity, but it poses far less risk to pedestrians than motor vehicles. This is the case even for pavement cycling and red light jumping, neither of which CTC condones.
- Cyclists and pedestrians are able to interact far more harmoniously, even in crowded conditions, than is often thought.
- People who are frail or who suffer sensory or mobility impairments are often understandably reluctant to share space with cyclists. Trials, however, usually prove that cyclists very rarely put any pedestrian in a hazardous situation. Codes of practice - backed up as required by policing - are preferable solutions, rather than undermining the promotion of safe cycling for fear of the actions of a minority. | <urn:uuid:17ff8c53-0fa8-45e7-8f80-ec9b0c553f6d> | {
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About the Renminbi (yaun)
The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China. However, it is more commonly known by its primary unit, the yuan. Renminbi is a decimalized currency system with subunits in tenths called jiao and subunits in hundredths called fen. Although Hong Kong and Macau are politically parts of China, these two locations use a separate currency. Therefore, the Renminbi is not legal tender in Hong Kong and Macau. The Renminbi is issued and managed by the People's Bank of China, which was established in 1948. It remained the only legal bank in the country until 1978. The renminbi was introduced in the same year the People's Bank was founded. After introduction, the currency maintained its value by being pegged to the US dollar, but as China progressed to a free-market economy, it was devalued on several occasions in an attempt to increase China's industries. Today, many economists and international financial experts claim that the exchange rate of the Renminbi is undervalued compared to its buying power by as much as 37.5 per cent.
As of 2005, the renminbi has been floating on the foreign exchange market in a narrow margin that is determined by a basket of leading world currencies. The basket includes the US dollar, Euro, Japanese yen, South Korean won and several other currencies in a smaller proportion. After being removed from the US dollar peg, the Renminbi immediately increased in value on the foreign exchange by two per cent. In 2008, the peg to the US dollar was reinstituted. In 2010, it was announced by China that the restrictions placed on the renminbi will be relaxed so the renminbi will once again have market flexibility. China is also working to internationalize the Renminbi with the goal of it being used widespread as a foreign reserve currency. Deals have already been struck with Russia, Vietnam and Thailand that allows trade to be settled directly in renminbi.
Although the yuan has been the primary unit of currency in China for decades before, the Renminbiyuan was not introduced until the Communist Party of China gained control of the country. The Renminbi, or "people's currency," was introduced to bring a unified currency system to the nation at the end of its civil war. Currency is circulated through coins and banknotes, which are minted and printed by the China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation, a state-operated entity. | <urn:uuid:a17a7e19-6609-4563-89e4-830f79060925> | {
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2 Flight zone. Cattle are herd animals and are classified as a prey species. They have natural defenses against predators, such as escape or flight behaviors. The flight or escape zone is generally referred to as the area around them that, when invaded by the unwelcome, will cause them to move away. As cattle interact more with their handlers and regular surroundings, the flight zone can become smaller and they can be approached more readily.
3 Stimulus area. This is the buffer area outside the flight zone in which controlled stimulus, when applied efficiently, will cause the cow to move as intended by the handler. “Stimulus” here refers to human presence and action only, not prods, whips or any other physical tools. It is also more successful when only one person applies stimulus at a time.
4 Depth perception. Cows have limited close-up depth perception, making stepping over a curb, onto a shadow, or walking off the edge of a bedded pack potentially new to them. If those conditions are present in their environment, they will need to be handled repeatedly in order for them to learn not to over-react.
5 Hearing. Cattle have a broader hearing range than humans in frequency of kilohertz and will respond to quieter noises and higher pitches that humans cannot hear. Reducing or eliminating loud noises, including shouting, whistling and clanging gates, will help reduce stress and adrenaline production.
6 Stage of life. Regular, calm interaction with humans should begin with newborn calves. Young animals of all species (including humans) have “brain plasticity,” which means they have a tremendous ability to absorb and retain knowledge when they are very young. The transition period between hutches and group housing is a critical time to practice stockmanship to help them interact more calmly with humans, find out where their feed and water are, and become acclimated to having pen mates. Calving time is another period that requires careful stockmanship, because maternal instincts can cause cows to become more aggressive and more easily startled. As a stockman, always leave yourself an escape route when handling close-up animals.
7 Flow of movement. Once a cow is moving in the intended direction, it is ideal to keep her moving and not interrupt that positive flow. Facility design plays an important role here. Placing cows in holding areas before they enter the parlor is not ideal, and crowd gates and “cow pushers” can cause severe stress. An example of constant, positive flow is the rotary parlor, which promotes positive flow and provides a very calming, regular routine to the cow. | <urn:uuid:705549a6-386b-440f-9ffe-e16f2c31490a> | {
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Definitions for water mill
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
a mill with machinery driven by water.
Origin of water mill:
a mill powered by a water wheel
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Engineering & Construction Degrees and Programs Offered in California (CA)
Engineering and construction careers require you to have a high level of technical knowledge and formal training. A bachelor's degree plus a license from the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists is required for most engineers, while construction managers typically have a bachelor's degree plus certification and work experience. An associate's degree in engineering can prepare you for entry level technician jobs.
Earning engineering and construction degrees in California
Train to work in engineering and construction and you could enjoy a healthy salary for a career that fascinates you. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the following 2009 mean annual wages for popular construction and engineering jobs in California:
- Aerospace Engineers: $107,710
- Civil Engineers: $91,910
- Industrial Engineers: $86,200
- Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers: $74,500
- Electricians: $56,840
Engineering and construction degrees in California can lead to a growth career in the state. The California Employment Development Department projects an 8.9 percent growth in job opportunities for construction managers between 2008 and 2018, a 7 percent growth for engineering managers, an 80.6 percent growth for biomedical engineers, and a 21.4 percent growth for environmental engineers. Learn more about your degree options and start your commitment to training in California today. | <urn:uuid:3bd4cefc-e19e-4a07-a385-416a4b91feef> | {
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55 And Older
You can contract HIV
Even though pregnancy may not be an issue, sexually active people over 55 are still at risk for contracting HIV and other STDs.
With new male enhancement drugs on the market, STD rates among older Americans are increasing. In 2007, persons aged 50 and older accounted for approximately 16% of new HIV/AIDS diagnosis.
You can protect yourself
It is imperative that you continue to use protection such as condoms and dental dams to prevent unwanted diseases. Use protection whenever you engage in any kind of sexual activity.
Make sure you:
- Know how to use a condom. Don't know how? Practice putting one on a banana or cucumber. You can get free condoms and help at Desert AIDS Project.
- Always use Latex condoms with water-based lube like KY Lubricant, ID Glide, and others.
Remember: ONLY USE WATER-BASED LUBE – anything else will break the condom.
- Use a condom, even when performing oral sex! You'll be safer and cleaner.
- Carry and store condoms in a cool, dry place. That means your car is not a location, especially during the summer months when anything left in a car will melt!
If you have any questions about how put on condoms, what lube is, or where to keep either one of these, please contact Ralph Gonzalez at (760) 323-2118 ext. 703 or . | <urn:uuid:7c631c9a-49d3-4b0f-8d61-f2c3c15b70f6> | {
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Prepare for spring by diving into late-winter chores in the garden.
Remove leaf litter from a pond, especially if you have fish. Decomposing leaves can have an adverse effect on water quality. Turn off the pump to make it easier to collect the leaves. While removing the leaves, you can also scoop out algae that may have formed. When you're finished removing the leaves, turn the pump back on.
If weeds have sprouted in the path that surrounds the water feature, remove them by hoeing or pulling. Never use herbicides near a pond, especially if it contains fish, because nearly all herbicides are toxic to fish. They may also destroy aquatic plants in and around the pond.
Wait to remove or transplant overgrown or misplaced plants in or around the pond until the temperatures are warmer. Late winter is not an ideal time to transplant herbaceous plants, and the water may be too cold or even frozen to work in.
Late winter is the ideal time to cut back ornamental grasses. Although it can be fairly easy to cut back grasses with a pair of pruners, loppers or shears, you can also secure the top growth with a bungee cord or piece of twine and cut grasses back with electric or gas powered hedge trimmers. This method can be particularly useful on cutting back large sized grasses.
Late winter is a good time to prune runaway vines because you can visibly see where the vines are growing and remove them from nearby plants. If you wait until spring has sprung and the leaves are already on the trees and shrubs, you may miss an overgrown vine that could potentially be choking nearby plants.
Did You Know...
Using a clothes line instead of a dryer will save a lot of energy. It's difficult to find hard numbers, but the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star website indicates the average family does about 300 loads of laundry per year. Pacific Gas and Electric's website estimates that it costs about $.33-$.56 per load for gas dryers and about $.12-$.15 per load for electric dryers. Based on these numbers, hanging clothes on a clothes line will save you about $40-$45 per year if you own an electric dryer and about $100-$170 per year if you own a gas dryer.
-- Rebecca Matulka, Energy.gov
Home Selling Tip
When preparing for a showing, pay attention to details! Little things mean a lot in the big picture because they pull the house's look together. Things like small, colorful ceramic tiles placed into brick steps to carry through a color scheme. Edging the lawn. Large planters. Finally, don't forget to tidy up. Curb appeal also means a place that looks neat and clean, the kind of place you'd like to live.
GateHouse News Service | <urn:uuid:9eb9e6c9-a106-4bbc-9417-90898d5f7075> | {
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In this course you have learned of the importance of being compassionate and of controlling negative emotions like anger and hatred that can cloud one's vision and better judgment. Our underlying premise has been that doing so helps improve the world. True compassion — a sense of concern for others that stems from feelings of equality with them — the Dalai Lama says, drives peace.
An ethic of compassion contributes to an "inner disarmament." In concert with a sense of universal responsibility compassion can help people get along and eventually lead to world peace. Without inner disarmament, it is very difficult to achieve genuine, lasting world peace.
In this lesson we look briefly at the issues of non-violence, peace and disarmament from the perspective of universal responsibility and personal ethics. | <urn:uuid:b7be83df-d42b-4998-bdf6-10059f6146ef> | {
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Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary define the word Extortion as obtaining (as money) from a person by force, intimidation, or undue or unlawful use of authority or power.
In order for musicians to get paid copyright collectives began to appear in the 19th century. These collecting societies were formed to ensure that those who create copyrighted material are able to collect the money they are due. In its simplest form the member musician hands over control of his/her economic rights to the collecting society. The collecting society then has the mandate to collect the dues. Once collected these funds are dispersed among the members.
In most (at least European) countries the collecting societies have established themselves as a central part of the socio-economic system. They are powerful interest groups which ensure that they (and in extention their members) are catered to by the political-legal system. By entering into agreements with trade organisations the collecting societies now have established the right to collect money from all businesses that play music, show tv etc to their customers.
Rasmus at Copyriot has written an interesting piece on the way in which collecting societies manage to collect money. In Sweden the most active collecting societies are SAMI and STIM which are able to collect money for any music played in places of business where customers gather.
So large everything from: hotels with music in the lifts, small pizzerias whose music annoys you while you wait for your delivery, hairdressers, businesses that play cheesy music while you are on hold and cafés with music nobody listens to. They are all required to pay to the collecting societies.
Rasmus even relates an event where a policeman at a demonstration in Germany wrote down all the songs played and sent the list to the German collecting societies who promptly sent the organiser a bill. Swedish law would work in the same way. The policemanâ??s superior stated that the policeman had gone too far but the bill still has to be paid. (link to story in German).
The Spanish Case
In 2005 the main Spanish collecting society (Sociedad General de Autores y Editores – SGAE) â?? sued Ricardo Andrés Utrera Fernández, the owner of Metropol, a disco bar located in in Badajoz for not paying SGAEâ??s license fee of 4.816,74 â?¬ for the period from November 2002 to August 2005 for the public performance of music.
On February 17th, 2006, the Lower Court number six of Badajoz, a city in Extremadura, Spain, rejected the collecting societyâ??s claims because the owner of the bar proved that the music he was using was not managed by the society. The music performed in the bar was licensed under CC licenses that allows that public display since the authors have already granted those rights. Specifically, the judge said:
â??The author possesses some moral and economic rights on his creation. And the owner of these rights, he can manage them as he considers appropriate, being able to yield the free use, or hand it over partially. “Creative Commons” licenses are different classes of authorizations that the holder of his work gives for a more or less free or no cost use of it. They exist as â?¦ different classes of licenses of this type â?¦ they allow third parties to be able to use music freely and without cost with greater or minor extension; and in some of these licenses, specific uses require the payment of royalties. The defendant proves that he makes use of music that is handled by their authors through these Creative Commons licenses.â?? (quote from CC)
The full text of the decision (in Spanish) is available here. The Spanish case sets a new precedent in that it confirms that the collecting societies can only collect if the music played is made by members of collecting societies.
Copyright Activists Needed
What needs to be done? Hairdressers and café owners are probably not the most tech or Internet savvy. So to help them the basic idea is to set up a website filled with CC licensed music and easy howto instructions on how to use the music either online or by downloading and creating CDâ??s.
Aside from music arranged by genre, technical information on how to use it, the site should include legal information explaining why the users will no longer have to pay money to the collecting societies.
This copyright civil disobedience could potentially become the most important method for affecting change in the copyright system since it attacks the purse of the collecting society. In addition to this the scheme is legal. This last point does not make it less civil disobedience since the organisation of the site is a form of protest against the extortionary powers which the collecting societies have collected. | <urn:uuid:53c0e6ce-f0be-487b-93be-df921a263f2c> | {
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One of the most significant events in Norman Waterford and Ireland was the marriage of Strongbow and Aoife which took place in Christ Church Cathedral as it symbolised the long and sometimes tortuous birth of a new Ireland. In 1171 the King of England, Henry II, arrived in Waterford and anxious to exercise his control over a process of conquest that was taking place almost despite him, began to demand the submissions of the Anglo-Norman knights. The submission of Strongbow and his followers was received by Henry at Waterford. Henry II recognised Strongbow as McMurrough’s heir to Leinster but the strategically important port cities of Dublin and Waterford, which Strongbow had captured, were retained by the King. Henry II elevated Waterford to the status of a royal city - a status that was to change the course of the city’s history lace front wigs dramatically.
Consequently in the years after the invasion, many English and French merchants settled in Waterford. This new merchant class with its’ trading contacts in England and on the continent was to make Waterford medieval Ireland’s chief port for the import of wine and a major exporter of wool and hides. The city flourished during the 13th century and many new monasteries, friaries and churches were built. New stone-built defences protected its’ citizens and a sophisticated form of local government developed whereby the citizens elected a mayor on an annual basis to rule over the city.
The 14th century saw the beginning of the breakdown of Anglo-Norman power in Ireland. However Waterford’s close connections with cities such as Bristol and Chester ensured that it remained very much part of the English political scene. This century also saw the plague known as the ’Black Death’ wipe out a third of the city’s population. This decline in population, which was experienced all over Europe, had an adverse effect on trade. The subsequent decline in demand caused the City Fathers to become even more tenacious in protecting the city’s monopoly on shipping entering Waterford Harbour.
Traditionally, all ships entering the harbour, with the exception of those originating in Leinster, were obliged to unload at Waterford. In 1372 Waterford City Council commissioned the decoration of the Great Charter Roll, an illuminated manuscript measuring 14 feet in length, in an attempt to strengthen their legal case against the burgesses of New Ross who were working to nullify Waterford’s monopoly. The manuscript thus produced has fortunately been preserved in Waterford and is regarded as the most important Irish illuminated manuscript from the late medieval period and can be seen in the Waterford Museum of Treasures.
During the 14th and 15th centuries, Waterford was surrounded by hostile neighbours — the O’Driscolls, sea pirates from Co. Cork, who were the scourge of the city’s shipping, while their allies the Powers, an Anglo-Norman family who controlled County Waterford, were often known to attack the City and plunder the nearby countryside in search of booty. Yet despite the problems Waterford was by the end of the 15th century a strong and well-fortified city with an international reputation for good quality woollen shawls which were known on the continent as ’Waterford Rugs’.
In 1495 an attack on the city by Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the throne of Henry VII was repulsed. Canon mounted on the ringworks in front of Reginald’s Tower saved the City and gave Waterford the distinction of being the first Irish city to use artillery in its defence. In recognition of the city’s loyalty, the King gave the city its’ own motto: ’Urbs Intacta Manet’ — Waterford, the Loyal City. | <urn:uuid:dc966f37-61d0-4bab-b370-6bbb39744c3d> | {
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More in Outdoors
Arguably the biggest mistake you can make is with "topping" your tree. It's considered something of a dirty word in horticulture circles. Topping means cutting a tree back so severely that only the stumps of large branches are left. It's done in an attempt to control the size of the tree. This stresses the tree because it takes away the leaves, its food sources. The tree will send out many smaller branches in an effort to produce more leaves quickly but they are not as strong as the previous branches and can break off easily in the wind. Tree topping also results in a pretty unattractive tree.
The way to properly bring a tree down in height is to make your cuts at a joint. A joint is the place where either a leaf or a branch grows out from the stem. Cut down the tallest branches at a joint, which will reduce the height significantly, instead of leaving a bunch of stubs. This way, the tree will be able to heal itself, growing a new branch in that spot.
If you have a dense tree that's completely blocking a view, you may want to thin it out. This involves removing entire branches that are too overgrown by making the proper cuts at a joint. This will allow you to see through the tree by taking some of the heaviness out of the canopy.
It's always a good idea to have a pruning partner whenever you prune, but this especially helps when thinning.
Before you cut, have someone stand back and look at the tree to make sure you're not chopping off an important part of the tree or taking so much as to ruin the shape.
You don't want to turn your pruning tools into weapons, so you better know how to use them. Pruners and pruning saws should always be sharp and disinfected when you use them. This will help you to make a smooth, clean cut and the tree will be able to recover faster from it.
For branches larger than 1-1/2" in diameter, you'll want to use a special technique called the "1,2,3 Method." This will protect the bark on your tree by preventing the branch from splitting. If you just started cutting downward on a larger branch, the weight of that branch would bring it down faster than you can cut. This would cause the branch to split and the bark would tear, making it harder for the tree to recover and more susceptible to pests or disease. Here is how this method is done:
Cut #1: Make an undercut about 1' from the trunk, which means cutting on the underside of the branch. Stop cutting when you've gone one third of the way through the branch.
Cut #2: Move about 3" past the undercut, toward the end of the branch, and start cutting. The weight of the branch will still take it down and the trunk may split but it won't split past your undercut.
Cut #3: Finish it off by cutting off the stub at the joint.
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It's free and easy. | <urn:uuid:602285ba-7614-43dd-ad69-f41fbd7d956b> | {
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The early Christian church chose Midsummer Day as the birth date of Saint John the Baptist (June 24th -- it isn't really "mid summer" but that's the day traditionally celebrated as midsummer's day).
Saint John has long been thought of as one of the greatest saints. It was he who told of the coming of Christ. He was given the name John the Baptist because he baptized people -- including Jesus.
Saint John's Day has been celebrated throughout many Christian countries for hundreds of years.
In Puerto Rico, for example, bonfires blaze the entire night of June 23rd. Between midnight and dawn, people swim in the sea in memory of the saint who baptized people in water.
In Quebec, Canada, the Fête de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste is also an important holiday which includes bonfires, fireworks, parades and carnivals. | <urn:uuid:9fce56dd-cbb2-4634-9865-7097deb262de> | {
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What four factors influence the severity of allergy season?
(BPT) - While many people rejoice when the weather gets warmer, it's not always a pleasant time for everyone. Those who suffer from seasonal allergies know to expect difficulties around this time of year, but the severity of allergy season can vary.
The presence of the common causes of spring allergies
- pollen and mold - can fluctuate depending on a number of weather-related factors. Here are some of the conditions that can affect pollen counts, according to the experts at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).
* Length of the growing season. Longer growing seasons might be a good thing for farmers and gardeners, but it can mean increased misery for allergy sufferers, as it increases the time pollen and mold are present as well.
* Erratic weather. A warmer-than-usual winter season, as experienced this year, makes trees pollinate earlier. If spring weather fluctuates greatly between warm and cold spells, it can result in more intense periods of pollen release during the warm spells, when plants take the cue to grow and release pollen.
* Rainfall. Rain can be either a good thing or a bad thing for allergy sufferers, depending on when it happens. The worst allergy seasons are often preceded by a wet spring, which promotes rapid plant growth later on. But rain can also provide a much-needed respite for those with allergies, as a heavy rainfall can help clear the air of pollen.
* Wind. Dry and windy weather is not kind to people with allergies, as the wind spreads pollen and mold.
Since so many factors contribute to high pollen counts, it's all but impossible to predict how intense an allergy season will be. However, in addition to taking steps to limit your exposure to allergens that affect you, seeing an allergist before the season starts can also help ensure you find relief.
Why see an allergist?
Allergists are not only trained to treat your systems, but can identify the source of your allergies and develop a treatment plan to address your symptoms. A doctor who is also a certified allergist can teach you how to avoid potential triggers for your allergies, and recommend treatment options that may go beyond over-the-counter medications.
An allergist may also recommend allergy shots
, also known as immunotherapy, which can alter the progression of allergies, providing more than just symptom relief. Even if an allergy shot might not be for you, an allergist can recommend both prescription and over-the-counter medications that can best treat your symptoms.
"You can waste a lot of time, money and energy treating yourself instead of seeing an allergist," says Dr. James Sublett, an allergist and chair of the ACAAI Public Relations Committee.
In fact, studies suggest immunotherapy, when used on the appropriate patients, can result in health care cost savings of up to 41 percent. To learn more about allergy symptoms and treatment, or to find an allergist, visit www.allergyandasthmarelief.org | <urn:uuid:de0185a6-3a51-4c7b-b13e-8d3cae1d2c65> | {
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Dover, Del.–August 11, 2003 At a press conference held this morning at the Delaware Department of Education, Secretary of Education Valerie A. Woodruff announced school and school district accountability ratings for more than 170 public schools and 19 school districts under Delaware’s recently revised accountability system.
As a result of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, Delaware was required to modify its existing accountability system to meet the requirements of the far-reaching federal law. According to NCLB, all states are required to conduct an annual assessment of all students in grades 3-8 and one high school grade. The results of the annual assessment are then used as the primary means to determine school and school district accountability ratings.
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is designed to measure academic performance of not only all students in a particular school but of subgroups within the student population. One of the key changes to Delaware’s existing system, and for all states across the country,is that 100% of all students must be proficient in English Language Arts (Reading and Writing) and mathematics by the 2013-2014 school year. The federal formula for determining AYP is based upon all students and required subgroups of students meeting proficiency at an established annual target.That target will continually increase towards the 2013-2014 school year when 100% of students across the U.S. must be proficient.Including all students, the subgroups are: American Indian; Asian American; African American; Hispanic; White; Low Income; Special Education;and Limited English Proficient. By applying the federal formula, Delaware’s target this year for English Language Arts is at 57%. Students must meet the standard. In mathematics, the target has been calculated at 33%.
Additionally, a fixed target of 95% of students must participate in the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) each spring in ELA and math in each school or AYP will not have been attained. Lastly, an elementary or middle school and school districts must maintain or show progress in another target called “Other Indicator” in the area of Science and Social Studies.For high schools and school districts, the graduation rate is the “Other Indicator.”
A school or school district is classified as “Under School Improvement” if it does not make AYP in the same content area(percent proficient or participation rate) for two consecutive years, or the school or school district does not maintain or show progress on the “Other Indicator” for two consecutive years. A school or district can be moved out of “Under School Improvement”if all targets are met for two consecutive years in the same content area or “Other Indicator” that placed the school or district“Under School Improvement” and the school or district must not fall below targets in the other content area or “Other Indicator” target for two consecutive years.Under Delaware’s revised accountability system, schools and districts are classified in one of five categories:
- Superior means that the school or district has met AYP, is not under improvement and has met additional, rigorous state criteria.
- Commendable indicates that AYP has been met while the school or district is not “Under Improvement.”
- Academic Review means AYP is not met for one year while the school or district is not “Under Improvement.”
- Academic Progress means AYP is met for one year while the school or district is “Under Improvement.”
- Academic Watch means AYP is not met for two or more years. The school or school district goes into or remains in “Under Improvement.”
Consequences for schools not meeting AYP differ depending on whether the school is a non-Title 1 school or a Title 1(receives federal funding for low income students) school.Title 1 School:
- 1 year = No consequences
- 2 years = Under School Improvement (USI) – begin Choice option for Title I schools
- 3 years = Remain Under School Improvement – begin supplemental services option for low-income students in Title I schools
- 4 years = Corrective Action – select one or more NCLB corrective action options
- 5 years = Restructuring Plan – select one or more NCLB restructuring options
- 6 years = Restructuring Implementation
- 1 year = No consequences
- 2 years = Under School Improvement (USI)
- 3 years = Remain Under School Improvement – begin prioritization of extra time services for subgroups not meeting target
- 4 years = Corrective Action – select one or more corrective action options
- 5 years = Restructuring Plan – select one or more restructuring options
- 6 years = Restructuring Implementation
Today’s announcement by Secretary Woodruff identifies that two school districts—Caesar Rodney and Smyrna—have been rated “Superior”while the remaining 17 school districts have been rated as “Academic Review.” In the individual school ratings,61 schools have been rated “Superior;” 12 are rated “Commendable;” 86 are rated “Academic Review;” and 12 schools (all Title 1) are rated “Academic Watch.”
The 12 schools rated “Academic Watch” are now required to offer choice options to parents. According to NCLB,school districts must notify parents that they can choice their children to other schools within the district that are not under improvement providing there is another elementary, middle or high school within that district.The districts must send letters to parents explaining the choice options available to them.
Four of the schools under “Academic Watch” must also offer supplemental services to their low income students.This includes extra time programs, tutoring and other academic services designed to improve student achievement.
Secretary Woodruff stated that the ratings applied to the schools and school districts do not totally reflect what is being accomplished in Delaware’s public schools. “Delaware has been engaged in education reform for the past 12 years. During that time,we have seen our students meet tougher, higher standards and achieve greater academic success.We have seen a steady increase in our reading, writing and math scores at our early grades; we have seen increases in our SAT9 scores.”Added Secretary Woodruff, “Our NAEP scores in reading and writing are among the best in the country.I am proud of the diligent, hard work of all of our educators and what they continue to do to provide a quality education for all students.”
“NCLB requires all schools and districts to meet many targets. Not meeting just one of 20 targets or just one of 35 targets means that the school doesn’t meet Adequate Yearly Progress and is rated as ‘Academic Review,’” said Secretary Woodruff.“The important thing to do is look at the total picture of what a school or district is doing.Did not meeting one target cause the rating? Or were several targets the cause?”
On Friday, August 15th, online school profiles will be available for viewing on DOE’s website.The profiles will identify each school’s accountability rating as well as show what targets were and were not met.“Parents can also look at school profiles to view student achievement data, staff information and a school’s demographics,”said Secretary Woodruff. “The profiles also provide a reader with school climate information, staff data and program information, as well.It is a powerful tool that parents can use to get a better understanding of their children’s academic environment.”
To view your school or school district profile, go to:
Delaware Department of Education
401 Federal Street, Suite #2
Dover, Delaware 19901
Phone: (302) 735-4035
Fax: (302) 739-4654
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Intel Corporation (INTC) is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers. Intel was founded on July 18, 1968, as Int egrated El ectronics Corporation (though a common misconception is that "Intel" is from the word intel ligence). Intel also makes motherboard chipsets, network interface controllers and integrated circuits, flash memory, graphic chips, embedded processors and other devices related to communications and computing. Founded by semiconductor pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore and widely associated with the executive leadership and vision of Andrew Grove, Intel combines advanced chip design capability with a leading-edge manufacturing capability. Though Intel was originally known primarily to engineers and technologists, its "Intel Inside" advertising campaign of the 1990s made it and its Pentium processor household names.
Intel was an early developer of SRAM and DRAM memory chips, and this represented the majority of its business until 1981. Although Intel created the world's first commercial microprocessor chip in 1971, it was not until the success of the personal computer (PC) that this became its primary business. During the 1990s, Intel invested heavily in new microprocessor designs fostering the rapid growth of the computer industry. During this period Intel became the dominant supplier of microprocessors for PCs, and was known for aggressive and sometimes illegal tactics in defense of its market position, particularly against Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), as well as a struggle with Microsoft for control over the direction of the PC industry.
The 2011 rankings of the world's 100 most powerful brands published by Millward Brown Optimor showed the company's brand value at number 58.
Intel has also begun research in electrical transmission and generation. Intel has recently introduced a 3-D transistor that may improve performance and energy efficiency. Intel will be mass producing this 3-D transistor, called Tri-Gate transistors, with their upcoming 22nm process in the near future. In 2011, SpectraWatt Inc., a solar cell spinoff of Intel, filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11. | <urn:uuid:862953fa-30e4-4aeb-ae92-f604facc50e4> | {
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It is still perplexing to note that although German-speaking countries had been the birthplace of many great musicians and composers before 1700, only in the 18th century did Germany fully realize how important its role was on the musical stage and it is no small paradox that the new cultural nationalism, rather than fiercely opposing the presence of foreign elements, chose instead to embrace the two dominant musical styles of the times, Italian and French.
For over a century, Italians favored the voice and the violin. Sensitive and expressive vocal lines were the norm, as was an unbridled, and at times extravagant virtuosity. The French, who had perfected the flute and the oboe, offered a lively, tender and concise music driven by the characteristic and varied rhythmic patterns of the dance. In other European countries, composers espoused one style or the order according to taste of circumstance. Around 1710, however, the idea that these various styles could coexist within a single work became the core of a large-scale aesthetic project. The so-called “réunion des goûts” had long been dear to the heart of French composers such as Couperin, Bernier and Campra. The full realization of the project, however, was left to German composers, and it is well aware of this accomplishment that Quantz, in his 1752 treatise, wrote: “If one has the necessary discernment to choose the best from the styles of different countries, a mixed style results which, without overstepping the bounds of modesty, could well be called the German style, not only because the Germans came upon it first, but because it has already been established at different places in Germany for many years, flourishes still, and displeases in neither Italy or France, nor in other lands.”
German composers were therefore writing Italian sonatas and concertos, as well as dance suites in the French manner, which were preceded by an overture in the style of Lully, a form that features a majestic, dotted-rhythm introduction, followed by a swift fugato. In its infancy, the “mixed style” simply allowed its various elements to overlap. Soon, however, standard compositions began to integrate the more intrinsic features of the rival genres: the concerto borrowed from the suite and became more “symphonic,” while in the suite, solo instruments began to assert themselves with concerto-like authority. Inevitably, such a process affected formal development: as the French, for example, progressively discarded the overture, the Germans gave the genre new breadth and scope. Moreover, rhythmic and melodic elements borrowed from German and Polish folk music often added a much sought for—and appreciated—local color. Original models, in the end, lost their prestige, to such a degree that, in 1758, Wilhelm Hertel could state that “in our music, we have come to rely solely upon ourselves; and we know how to treat the beauties of French and Italian music in a more skillful and profound manner.”
Georg Philipp Telemann—who in one of his autobiographies expressed his gratitude for “having had the chance to meet many of the most renowned musicians of the different nations”—was one of the chief architects of the new aesthetic program. The greater part of his musical life, from 1721 to his death in 1767, was spent in Hamburg. There, his creative energy seemed limitless: he taught at the Johanneum, was director of the Opera and of musical activities in five of the town’s principal churches, composed for different venues, regularly sent music to the courts of Eisenach and Bayreuth, and engraved, advertised and sold himself most of the forty collections of work he published between 1725 and 1740. In 1732, the citizens of Hamburg could read in one of their newspapers: “Music lovers can expect in the following year a great instrumental work called Musique de table, penned by Telemann. (…) Subscriptions are accepted every quarter. An annex will list the names of all subscribers.”
Telemann’s Musique de table, supported by strong publicity and the composer’s contacts with booksellers and distributors from Berlin, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, London and Amsterdam, was immediately and immensely successful: nearly 250 subscribers responded, people from the bourgeoisie, magistrates, ministers, clergymen, kapellmeisters, professional and amateur musicians. Among the German subscribers were Georg Pisendel and Joachim Quantz—the latter ordering six copies. More than twenty subscribers came from Denmark, Norway, Spain, Holland and Switzerland (Italy was the sole absentee). From England, it listed “Mr Hendel, Doctor of music.” It was in France, however, that the greatest interest for the collection was shown: 33 names (among them that of flautist Michel Blavet) were listed in the first edition.
The work was presented in three “productions,” i.e., three volumes that shared the same design: an overture followed by a suite of dances and characteristic pieces, a quartet, a concerto, a trio, a solo (in fact a sonata with continuo) and a “conclusion.” This closing piece had the same instrumentation as the overture, and thus not only closed the suite, but also substantiated the cyclical aspect much desired by Telemann for each of his three productions. That Telemann, at a time when the convention was to publish by groups of six or twelve works belonging to the same genre, choose to break with tradition is only further testimony of his interest in the mixed style (Bach later voiced similar aesthetic beliefs when he devoted the second part of his Clavier-Übung to a Concerto nach Italianische Gusto and an Overture nach Französische Art).
The title Telemann gave his publication, “Table Music,” may lead us to believe that the work only served as pleasant background to various gastronomic activities. Apart from the fact that the music, as was often the case with chamber works, may have performed such a duty, a title such as Overtures, Concertos or Sonatas would have probably had less impact from a publicity point of view. Indeed, musical works written and published with a reference to the table had been legion since the beginning of the 17th century. The Taffel-Consort published by Thomas Simpson in Hamburg in 1621, the Partitas of Heinrich Biber’s Mensa sonora (1680) or the Simphonies pour les souper du Roy of Michel-Richard Delalande, among other examples, were all written in accordance with the idea, typical of Baroque aesthetics, that all human activities should coincide and that life’s delights should meet, but were also conceived with the aim elevating the arts to princely heights.
In Telemann’s Musique de Table we find the usual Baroque pedagogical intent: the work presents itself first and foremost as a school for instrumental performance where Telemann, as he states in one of his writings, lovingly chose a part “suited for each instrument,” so that every musician can find pleasure. Telemann, perhaps here more than in any other of his compositions, reaches great heights of invention: the melodic richness, the variety and the ingenuity are astonishing and transcend established forms. Of this first “production,” offered here by the Ensemble Arion—without the Quartet—many features should be praised: the free and generous dialogue between the two violins in the Trio-Sonata, the delicacy of the slow movements of the Flute Sonata, to name a few, are in themselves remarkable, but it is the extraordinary orchestral and motivic proprieties of the Concerto for flute, violin and cello—who, although not mentioned in the title, does perform a few solos—combined with a nearly-classical elegance, that make this one of the most beautiful concertos of its time.
A work of such quality no doubt contributed to the emergence of German artistic and intellectual pride, and surely helped Germans realize how great was their talent in musical matters. In a letter to a friend, Telemann wrote: “I do hope this work will one day contribute to my fame.” Considering its place in history and how often performed it is today, we can easily state that his wish has indeed been granted.
© François Filiatrault Translation Alex Benjamin.
1730-1760: never did a third of a century witness from a nation such a burst, such unearthing and bringing forth: a staggering tête-à-tête with all the spiritual possibilities of neighboring worlds, established, crowned, in full control of their being. (…) In less than twenty-five years, the German bourgeois became aware, through fundamental works, not only of his life, but also of his musical philosophy. He has cleared out his garden. He has taken his critical stance. Beyond faith or family-linked activities, music now enters the very script of his spiritual life. In the German philosophy of life that develops against the Welsche, the place of music is now precisely defined: at the foreground.”
Marcel Beaufils, Comment l’Allemagne est devenue musicienne (1942), 1983. | <urn:uuid:431aa1c6-8ef0-4556-9643-d32285ba2551> | {
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The Creation of the First Copper Penny
Appearing in the Columbian Centinel of June 20, 1792.
Click on the image to see an enlargement
On Page 1:
*An Act to Provide For a Copper Coinage*
"That the director of the mint...be authorized to contract for and purchase a quantity of copper, not exceeding one hundred and fifty tons...to be coined at the mint into cents and half-cents...and be paid into the treasury of the United States, thence to issue into circulation."
"The Act also stipulates that "no copper coins or pieces whatsoever except the said cents and half-cents, shall pass current as money, or shall be paid, or offered to be paid or received in payment for any debt, demand, claims, matter or thing whatsoever."
The Act warns that all other copper coins used in payment will be forfeited, and those involved fined ten dollars.
The Act is signed in script type by G. Washington on May 8, 1792.
This legislation resulted in the birth of the copper penny, from which descends our present one cent piece — in all its various and sundry permutations over the course of 200 years. | <urn:uuid:55bed855-c58a-420f-a54b-68a85c5fc457> | {
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This week’s top news story has been hiding in plain sight on the Internet for two years.
Even so, a September, 2010 report from Deutsche Bank Group entitled “Climate Change: Addressing the Major Skeptic Arguments,” is big news. In Earth Preservers’ opinion, the report has the potential to be a game-changer because it has the clearest, simplest explanation for why man-made climate change is real.
“(This report’s) clear conclusion is that the primary claims of the skeptics do not undermine the assertion that human-made climate change is already happening and is a serious long term threat.
“To us,” report continues, “the most persuasive argument in support of climate change is that the basic laws of physics dictate that increasing carbon dioxide levels in the earth’s atmosphere produce warming. (This will be the cause irrespective of other climate events.) The only way that warming can be mitigated by natural resources is if there are countervailing ‘feedback mechanisms’, such as cooling from increased cloud cover caused by the changing climate.
“A key finding of the current research is that there has far been no evidence of such countervailing factors. In fact, most observed and anticipated feedback mechanisms are actually working to amplify the warming process, not cool it.”
The report goes on to answer each argument skeptics make in the often rancorous public debate in the US over whether climate change is real, among them:
* Global average temperatures have not risen since 1998
* Climate models are defective and therefore cannot provide reliable projections of future climate trends.
What makes the Deutsche Bank report compelling reading isn’t so much that the information is new. Rather, it’s the way Mark Fulton, Global Head of Climate Change Investment Research, and his team at DB Climate Change Advisors, have presented the information, the source of which is the Columbia Climate Center at the Earth Institute, Columbia University. Each of the skeptics’ arguments is answered simply and directly. | <urn:uuid:0ea7ffd5-5967-436c-b5e3-e1620cf95b58> | {
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The Blackfriars Bridge over the River Thames was constructed back in Victorian times, and now it’s getting a distinctly steampunk facelift with the addition of 4,400 photovoltaic panels. When complete, this installation is expected to be not only the largest solar power array in the United Kingdom, but also the world’s largest solar bridge.
The bridge, constructed in 1886, forms the foundation for the new Blackfriars station, which is being upgraded by Network Rail to meet the needs of more passengers and an improved train service. As part of these improvements, a new roof will be added to the historic structure with over 6,000 square meters (around 19,685 square feet) of solar panels.
All this renewable energy will be delivered directly to the Blackfriars rail station, covering 50 percent of the station’s energy needs and reducing CO2 emissions by an estimated 511 tons per year. The station will also be pursuing such eco-improvements as a rain harvesting system and solar tubes to allow for more natural lighting throughout the building.
London’s Solarcentury is behind the project’s solar engineering, working in conjunction with engineers from Jacobs to incorporate solar generation into the station design; the high-efficiency solar modules utilized by the project come courtesy of Sanyo. | <urn:uuid:8c7bc000-5759-4add-9d02-03086bc152f4> | {
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The Bonding Model
A Brief Description
What is it?
A mechanism by means of which atoms, ions or groups of atoms are held together in a molecule or crystal.
A tentative description of a system or theory that accounts for all of its known properties. | <urn:uuid:f02d9416-8186-4f02-a920-55f0b199ea5d> | {
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Alternative power sources are able to do more than just save the planet. Now, they can help save people, too.
Spectra Watermakers, Inc. of San Rafael, Calif. has introduced the new Solar Cube, a portable water treatment machine powered by solar and wind that can provide clean drinking water in disaster situations.
Powered by 24-volt batteries, which are charged by integrated photovoltaic panels and a wind-powered generator on the machine, the Solar Cube is portable and easily assembled on-site in less than an hour. By placing a pump, which is also attached to the machine, into a polluted or saltwater source, the Solar Cube captures the water and pumps it through a series of filters, including a reverse osmosis membrane in the final stage, which eliminates microscopic bacteria, viruses, salts and dangerous chemicals.
The Solar Cube can provide up to 3,500 gallons of clean drinking water a day, enough to sustain hundreds of families during a disaster. It can provide enough energy to power other vital emergency functions, such as refrigeration equipment, laptops and communications equipment. It can be used also to provide water and electricity to remote locations or for developers working in rural areas.
Spectra Watermakers manufactured the Solar Cube in cooperation with Trunz Metallchnik AG of Switzerland. EC | <urn:uuid:48f27f4b-19dd-4a3e-81d3-eb37069b7c2e> | {
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Last week, Los Angeles became the largest city in the nation to enact a ban against one of the most widely polluted items in history – the plastic bag.
Over the next 12 months, the use of plastic bags in the city will be phased out gradually. Larger stores will have sixmonths to phase them out, while smaller stores will have a year. The ban will affect paper bag usage too: in a year, retailers will be required to charge 10 cents per bag.
In addition to reducing waste in landfills and on streets, the ban will help decongest the city’s waterways, rivers, and ocean, which have become clogged with the bags in recent years.
The ban is also expected to help conserve fossil fuels. It’s estimated that the 380 billion plastic bags consumed annually in the U.S. eat up 12 million barrels of oil. The City of Los Angeles reportedly uses 2.7 billion plastic bags a year, making the recent ban no small drop in the barrel when it comes to scaling back our fossil fuel use.
To get a better idea of its wide-ranging effects, here’s a quick rundown of the potential economic and environmental impacts of the plastic bag ban in Los Angeles.
The plastic bag ban is estimated to save the city, and the taxpayer, a significant amount of money each year in cleanup fees. The County of Los Angeles Flood Control district spent over $24 million (PDF) in 2008-2009 (the most recent year for which data are available) on litter prevention, cleanup, and disposal. And that’s not counting the $12 million (PDF) the State’s Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 7 spent on cleaning up the 50,000 cubic yards of litter and debris along the city’s highways. With plastic bags being a major contributor to litter on the streets, the ban will save the city a lot of money in cleanup fees alone.
However, there is an economic con to this decision, and it falls on plastic bag manufacturers. Many employees from manufacturing plants protested the City Council’s decision, citing fears of unemployment. According to an industry group, the decision to ban the bags threatens the jobs of over 2,000 workers.
Although the trend of banning plastic bags has had an effect on large retailers across the United States, many are taking adaptive measures and are joining the fight against plastic bags. In addition, the ban is not expected to put any stores out of business.
Marine pollution is one of the most pressing environmental concerns facing the world today, and plastics amount to 90% of the trash on the ocean’s surface. It harms marine life and breaks down into microscopic plastic dust, which attracts more debris and compounds the problem. A ban on plastic bags, especially in a place like Los Angeles with vital rivers, waterways and access to the ocean, is a critical effort to tempering the pollution problem in the world’s oceans.
Banning plastic bags also helps conserve non-renewable fossil fuels. Plastic production is responsible for roughly 8% of the world’s oil production. Any reduction in plastic use will help decrease greenhouse gas emissions and overall energy consumption.
Finally, plastic bags take up room in landfills. Although nobody likes the idea of a landfill, waste in a landfill is cut off from air and water, which prevents contamination. Another one to three percent of the hundreds of billions bags produced each year end up as “strays,” which can be found around the globe.
The plastic bag ban in Los Angeles is part of a growing trend of cities, states, and even countries banning or taxing their use. With a wide array of positive economic and environmental effects, this ban and similar initiatives are leading the way to cleaner and healthier communities and ecosystems.
Top image: Courtesy Flickr user frankservayge | <urn:uuid:784d0848-20f0-4fcf-ba2d-e088d14ba21c> | {
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Engineer your first step to a four-year degree at Edmonds Community College
Engineers Make a Difference
Engineering is the art of applying scientific and mathematical principles, experience, judgment, and common sense to make things that benefit people. Engineers solve problems. They improve and develop products to meet consumer and societal needs. They find ways for existing products to work better, last longer, operate more safely and cost less.
They also look for innovative solutions to global problems. Engineers design bridges and important medical equipment as well as processes for cleaning up toxic spills and systems for mass transit.
It's a Fact
Engineering professions requiring a four-year degree are among the highest paying jobs in Washington State according to the office of Labor Market and Economic Analysis. Source: www.workforceexplorer.com | <urn:uuid:c9d71a03-1a5c-4380-b591-b22abec06ba2> | {
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Consumption and Saving Review for AP Economics
Review questions for this study guide can be found at:
Main Topics: Consumption and Saving Functions, Marginal Propensity to Consume and Save, Changes in Consumption Functions
The circular flow model illustrates the importance of consumption in the production of goods and the employment of resources. A better understanding of consumption allows us to build a model of the macroeconomy and see the role of policy in affecting macroeconomic indicators like GDP, employment, and inflation.
Consumption and Saving Functions
Though not the only factor, the most important element affecting consumption (and savings) is disposable income. Disposable income (DI)is what consumers have left over to spend or save once they have paid out their net taxes.
With no government transfers or taxation, DI = C+ S. Though not all consumers save part of their income, typical consumers spend the majority of their disposable income and save whatever is left over. To see the relationship between disposable income and consumption we create a consumption function.
Consumption and Saving Schedules
The consumption and saving schedulesare the direct relationships between disposable income and consumption and savings. As DI increases for a typical household, Cand Sboth increase. Table 13.1 provides an example.
Even with zero disposable income, households still consume as they liquidate wealth (sell assets), spend some savings, or borrow (dissavings). For every additional $100 of disposable income, consumers increase their spending by $80 and increase saving by $20. We can convert the above consumption schedule to a linear equation or consumption function:
C= 40 + .80(DI)
The constant $40 is referred to as autonomous consumptionbecause it does not change as DI changes. The slope of the consumption function is .80. This function is plotted in Figure 13.1.
At every level of DI, the consumption function tells us how much is consumed. Both Table 13.1 and Figure.13.1 tell us that at incomes below $200, the consumer is consuming more than his income; as a result saving is negative and this is referred to as dissaving. But at incomes above $200, the consumer is spending less than his income; and so saving is positive.
The saving schedule above can also be converted into a linear equation, or saving function:
S= – 40 + .20(DI)
The constant $ – 40 is referred to as autonomous savingbecause it does not change as DI changes. With zero disposable income, the household would need to borrow $40 to consume $40 worth of goods. The slope of the saving function is .20. This function is plotted in Figure 13.2
Marginal Propensity to Consume and Save
An important lesson from the study of microeconomics is the marginal concept. You can think of it in two equivalent ways. Marginal always means an incremental change caused by an external force, or it is always the slope of a "total" function. The same is true here.
The marginal propensity to consume (MPC)is the change in consumption caused by a change in disposable income. Another way to think about it is the slope of the consumption function.
MPC = ΔC/ΔDI = slope of consumption function
Using Table 13.1, we see that for every additional $100 of DI, Cincreases by $80 so the MPC = .80.
The marginal propensity to save (MPS)is the change in saving caused by a change in disposable income. Another way to think about it is the slope of the saving function.
MPS = ΔS/ΔDI = slope of saving function
Using Table 13.1, we can see that for every additional $100 of DI, Sincreases by $20 so the MPS = .20.
There is a nice relationship between the MPC and the MPS. For every additional dollar not consumed, it is saved. So if the consumer gains $100 in disposable income, he increases his consumption by $80 and increases saving by $20. In other words, MPC + MPS = 1. If you know one, you can find the other.
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A thyroid scan uses a radioactive tracer and a special camera to measure how much tracer the thyroid gland absorbs from the blood. The tracer can be swallowed or can be injected into a vein. It travels through your body, giving off radiation signals. The camera "sees" the signals and can measure how much tracer the thyroid absorbs from the blood.
A thyroid scan can show the size, shape, and location of the thyroid gland. It can also find areas of the thyroid gland that are overactive or underactive. The camera takes pictures of the thyroid gland from three different angles. The radioactive tracer used in this test is either iodine or technetium.
A radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) test may also be done to find problems with how the thyroid gland works, such as hyperthyroidism. For more information, see the medical test Radioactive Iodine Uptake Test.
Another type of thyroid scan, a whole-body thyroid scan, may be done for people who have had thyroid cancer that has been treated. The whole-body scan can check to see if cancer has spread to other areas of the body.
Why It Is Done
A thyroid scan is done to:
How To Prepare
Tell your doctor if you:
Before a thyroid scan, blood tests may be done to measure the amount of thyroid hormones (TSH, T3, and T4) in your blood.
To prepare for a thyroid scan:
Your doctor may ask you to eat a low-iodine diet for several days if this test is being done to check for thyroid cancer.
For a thyroid scan, you will either swallow a dose of radioactive iodine or be given technetium in a vein (intravenously) in your arm. When and how you take the radioactive tracer depends on which tracer is used.
Just before the test, you will remove your dentures (if you wear them) and all jewelry or metal objects from around your neck and upper body.
Before a thyroid scan, you need to sign a consent form that says you understand the risks of the thyroid scan and agree to have it done. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form(What is a PDF document?).
How It Is Done
A thyroid scan is done in the nuclear medicine section of a hospital's radiology department by a person trained in nuclear medicine (nuclear medicine technologist).
The tracer used in this test is either radioactive iodine or technetium. You will either swallow a dose of iodine 4 to 24 hours before the scan or be given technetium in a vein (intravenously) in your arm 15 to 30 minutes before the scan.
For this test, you will lie on your back with your head tipped backward and your neck extended. It is important to lie still during this test. A special camera (called a gamma scintillation camera) takes pictures of your thyroid gland from three different angles. The test takes about 30 minutes.
For a whole body thyroid cancer scan, the camera will scan your body from head to toes.
After a thyroid scan, you can do your regular activities. But you will be asked to take special precautions when you urinate. This is because your body gets rid of the radioactive tracer through your urine. This takes about 24 hours. It is important to flush the toilet and wash your hands thoroughly after each time you urinate.
How It Feels
You may find it uncomfortable to lie still with your head tipped backward.
There is always a slight chance of damage to cells or tissue from radiation, including the low levels of radiation used for this test. But the chance of damage from the radiation is usually very low compared with the benefits of the test.
This test is not done for pregnant women because of the chance of exposing the baby (fetus) to radiation. This test is also not recommended for breast-feeding women or young children.
A thyroid scan uses a radioactive tracer and a special camera to make a picture of the thyroid gland. The radioactive tracer used in this test is usually iodine or technetium. A thyroid scan is done to help find problems with the thyroid gland.
A whole-body scan will show whether iodine is in bone or other tissue (iodine uptake) after the thyroid gland has been removed for cancer. The whole-body scan can check to see if cancer has spread to other areas of the body.
What Affects the Test
Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:
What To Think About
eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise
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Find out what women really need.
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The Anatomy of Anxiety
THE ANATOMY OF ANXIETY
Buried deep in the brain is an area known as the limbic system. The limbic system connects to key parts of the brain such as the amydala and the hippocampus, where all memories begin and are stored for later playback. The limbic system is the emotional storehouse of the brain where anxiety is born. When you are under stress, the limbic system acts like an alarm, sending message of anxiety, fear and panic. As a storehouse of emotional memories, it also plays back painful traumas or stressful episodes of the past. If the stress is chronic, the unceasing signals can break down the master controller of the brain's reasoning and decision making centers, resulting in anxiety, panic, insomnia, chronic fatigue and phobias.
One out of five children and adults suffer from anxiety in the United States alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, some twenty-four million Americans will suffer from an anxiety disorder at some time in their life. In children, constant anxiety, can contribute to Attention Deficit Disorder and hyperactivity. Thousands of children are given this diagnosis and Ritalin is prescribed, yet the problem is anxiety related.
Major Symptoms Of Anxiety:
Pounding heart, skipping, racing heart
Unable to relax, constant tension, nervousness
Feeling of loss of control, uncertainty
Mental confusion, memory problems
Restless sleep, restlessness
Neck and shoulder pain, muscle spasms
Difficulty breathing, cannot take a deep breath.
Rush of panic and fear, adrenaline rush
Bottomless stomach, diarrhea, constipation
Loss of sex drive
Knots in the stomach
There are medical disorders that may provoke anxiety symptoms. They include:
Cardiovascular - cardiac arrythmias, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, heart attack.
Respiratory - asthma, emphysema, hyperventilation, hypoxia
Endocrine Cushing's syndrome, carcinoid syndrome, hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism.
Neurological - Epilepsy, Huntington's disease, migraine headaches, multiple headaches, Wilson's disease, vertigo, chronic pain.
Many times the drugs that are given for the medical problems can cause rebound anxiety, some of these are stimulants, sedatives, tranquilizers, MAO's (monoamine oxidase inhibitors), tricyclics and antidepressants. There are numerous anxiety symptoms, those related to panic are physical. Those with anxiety disorders often see a long list of physicians before finally realizing that the problem is anxiety, find a therapist to help them. Fear of impending surgery or a health crisis can cause the limbic system to send constant messages of anxiety, fear and panic. When physicians and hospitals are involved, there is always uncertainty which gives birth to anxiety. This anxiety represents a fear of loss of control and can cause hospital phobias.
Caring for a loved one after surgery, especially if cancer is involved causes the caregiver to take on the symptoms and display anxiety and pain. A study sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health found 30% of the caregivers suffer from clinical depression or anxiety while the loved one is alive. A quarter suffer symptoms four years later; 10% of non-caregiving relatives were depressed and had anxiety attacks for four years after death. Grief of a loved one can cause anxiety that produces a constant adrenaline rush, which in turn, can cause muscle contraction headaches. Physical pain frequently comes from chronic anxiety. There are millions of people in the U.S. who suffer from stress and anxiety, induced pain. Until the cause is addressed, they will never improve.
If you or your children suffer from anxiety, drugs are not the answer. Drugs do not create the needed neurotransmitters for the limbic system. An in-depth study done by Consumer Reports, January, 1993, cited studies that demonstrated Xanax, Prozac, Halcion and others were not effective. Drugs only treat symptoms. Stop the drugs and the symptoms return. Peter Breggin, M.D., in his book, Toxic Psychiatry, addresses all the negative side effects of psychiatric drugs. If you are taking antidepressants or tranquilizers I encourage you to read this excellent book.
Those who have anxiety need neurotransmitters. Amino acids create neurotransmitters and restore the balance of the brain chemistry. The specific amino acids for anxiety are used in combination formula including GABA, glutamine and glycine. If you have depression, tyrosine is very helpful. All amino acids must be taken with B6, an important cofactor. If your problem is test anxiety, use Super Glutamine one to three times daily.
Mag Link, a magnesium chloride is very helpful with anxiety and chronic pain. Every anxious person I have seen is magnesium deficient. Magnesium is the number one stress mineral. Under prolonged situations of stress and anxiety, magnesium stores are burned rapidly. The optimal intake of magnesium is 600-1,000 mg. per day. Most people only get 100 mg. of magnesium from their daily diet. The R.D.A. is 400 mg. per day. This means that you are deficient in magnesium, and this deficiency can lead to increased anxiety, facial tics, palpitations, back pain, heart disease and hypertension.
For chronic pain, use DLPA 750 mg twice daily, Boswella 300 mg twice daily or Pain Control 24.
For sleep, use Liquid Serotonin, Sedaplus, Melatonin or 5-HTP
If you are on the proper supplement program, you can control your anxiety by feeding your brain the nutrients it needs. Amino acids and brain function go hand and hand. The brain is the most undernourished organ in the body. Your brain needs nourishment daily. The proper nourishment comes from vitamins, amino acids, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. Learn to relax by using relation tapes that teach you how to meditate using deep breathing and a release of negative or fearful feelings. For complete information on amino acids for pain, stress, anxiety and depression, read Healing With Amino Acids of the Anxiety Epidemic available at your local health food store or call 1-800-669-2256.
Other helpful resources:
Control of Anxiety audio cassette tape by Billie J. Sahley, Ph.D.
Anxiety/Panic Attacks audio cassette tape by Billie J. Sahley, Ph.D.
Healing Images audio cassette tape by Bernie Seigal, M.D.
Toxic Psychiatry by Peter Breggin, M.D.
Tired or Toxic by Sherry Rogers, M.D.
The Great Anxiety Escape by Max Ricketts
Beyond Prozac by Michael Norden, M.D.
Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer by Kenneth Pelletier, M.D., Ph.D.
Pain & Stress Publications.
By Billie J. Sahley | <urn:uuid:550644f6-b6d7-4520-9f7e-806499153618> | {
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1536 Act of UnionThe 1536 Act of Union combined England and Wales into a single state. It was passed during the reign of King Henry VIII of England. His father, Henry VII was Welsh-born and very conscious of it, and Henry VIII declared himself proud of his Welsh blood. His motive in merging the two countries was not mere domination; Wales benefited in many ways from the legislation.
Although the native Welsh rulers had long since been subdued, the English king remained concerned about the power of the Marcher lords and his government's general lack of control over the principality. He therefore instructed his chief administrator, Thomas Cromwell, to seek a solution. The effect of the act was to make Wales as an integral part of England:
The country of Wales justly and righteously is … incorporated, annexed, united and subject to and under the imperial Crown of the Realm, as a very member and joint of the same.
It was not unpopular with the Welsh, who recognised that it would help give them equality with their neighbours in law. Under the act, the Marcher lordships were abolished and replaced by counties. For the first time, Wales was entitled to send members to the parliament at Westminster. Justices of the Peace were created to administer the law and justice at a local level, in line with the English practice.
Another effect of the act was to outlaw the Welsh language from official use, replacing it with English. This did not trouble the landed gentry, who were already largely anglicised, but it made life difficult for the common people, who were no longer able, for example, to understand court proceedings. | <urn:uuid:78b35d24-33ab-4646-96fa-a1108bc0df9f> | {
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Think green, act green. This message is not limited to governments alone any more. It has become everyone’s concern to take measures to save the environment as much as we can before it is too late. Each one of us can contribute to make the planet eco-friendly by doing small things on an everyday basis – for example, turning off the computer when it is not in use, switching lights off when no one is in the room, or using recycled paper. Read on to find more measures you can take. These steps will also save you money.
5. Using recycled paper
Using recycled paper is a big way to save trees. Business cards can be printed on recycled paper. You can also print using a green printer. And you should print only when required and use two-sided printouts. Though these are small steps, if everyone were to follow them across the globe, think how many trees could be saved.
Turn off your computer when it's not in use for a long time. The monitor uses around 90% percent of the power used to run the machine. If nothing else, turn off the monitor and put the computer in sleep mode. When you turn off the machine, switch off the main plug as well because it also uses energy. Also, use LCD monitors if you want to save energy. The initial cost may be high but they use a fraction of the energy guzzled by CRT screens.
Only use a monitor, UPS and CPU that are standardized by the government in your country. There is much software available that can be used to save the battery and to better manage power. Software like Granola and BatteryCare, for example. help in saving your battery.
3. Car pooling
Car pooling is practiced by people who are environmentally friendly. You too can join the team. When going to the office, a party or anywhere for that matter, accommodate more people who have the same route in a single vehicle. This way, many can save fuel. Take turns when car pooling. This way you not only spread less CO2 into the air but you can also save a few bucks.
2. Virtual vs. paper
Use less paper. This is among the best ways to be eco-friendly. In our modern times, make use of your computer to take notes instead of writing them down on paper. Using word processing software will make your task even simpler as you can use the spell check option. Also, avoid relying on paper bills; instead, make all your payments online.
1. Recycling e-waste
All you ladies out there won’t feel good after hearing this, but your make-up
contributes to polluting the environment. Cosmetics contain harmful
chemicals that poison the environment. Even electronics that are dumped in the waste are harmful to the environment. Hence, try to avoid throwing these items into the trash. Instead, give them to someone who can recycle them.
These initiatives, if taken consciously, could soon become a part of your routine, and you will not feel a burden in practicing them. This way you are playing an important role in saving the environment and treasuring it for future generations. | <urn:uuid:c8583adb-0ce7-41ab-a986-1ade0ff21596> | {
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The Future of Toxicity Testing is Here
EPA Tox21 partnership taps high-tech robots to advance toxicity testing.
Today there are around 80,000 chemicals that exist in food and consumer products, and 1,500 new synthetic chemicals are introduced into the marketplace every year. Most of these chemicals, both new and old, have not been tested for toxicological information, presenting a serious challenge to those tasked with protecting human health from potentially harmful chemical exposures.
EPA researchers are working to change that. They and their partners are advancing the scientific basis for hazard identification and risk assessment by helping usher in innovative new fields of study and by tapping powerful modern technologies such as super computers and other emerging technologies—including robots.
As part of the Agency’s Computational Toxicology Research Program (CompTox), EPA has partnered with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) National Toxicology Program, the National Institute of Health (NIH) Chemical Genomics Center, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a collaboration known as Tox21. By combining their collective expertise and pooling existing resources—including research results, funding, and testing tools—Tox21 aims to revolutionize chemical toxicity test methods by advancing high throughput, mechanism-based test methods. The partnership is ushering in the future of toxicity testing.
That’s where the robots come in.
The collaboration recently unveiled a high speed screening system that tests chemicals for harmful human health effects. The mechanized system greatly reduces the need for lab animals in toxicity testing, working instead with 3-by-5-inch test plates that are moved precisely through a series of steps by giant yellow, constantly moving robot arms. Each plate contains 1536 small wells that can hold various living animal cells—typically skin, liver, or brain cells of rats or humans—and a sample of a particular chemical.
“Each one of those wells is filled with a single chemical sample that we use to expose the cells to, so in essence we have 1536 chemical toxicity tests on a single plate,” explains Dr. Robert Kavlock, Director of EPA’s National Center for Computational Toxicology. The robot uses a pin tool, which has corresponding pins for each well, in order to dispense a drop or two of the chemical being tested. The robot’s arm then puts the tray in a digital imaging device that scans the sample for changes in the cell that could mean biological activity.
The robot receives software instructions on what types of biological activity to “look for” in the exposed cells. Positive results are flagged, triggering an alert that the computer sends to project scientists’ computers outside the 20-by-20 foot robot lab.
Scientists interpret the results so they can then identify chemicals that warrant further screening or study. Just because a chemical shows a reaction with an isolated cell (skin, liver, etc.) does not necessarily mean that it will have the same effect when interacting with a living person. To address this, Dr. Kavlock’s team at EPA is developing algorithms that predict whether a person’s organs and body as a whole will react to chemical exposure the same way their individual cells did in the preliminary tests.
Tox21 is revolutionizing the way chemical testing is done. Traditional toxicity testing is built on animal-based studies that require relatively large investments in time and resources, including money. In the past, EPA has had to test one chemical at a time, completing only a couple dozen assessments a year: “A single human researcher may work on ten chemicals a year, or 20," says Kavlock. "We are doing 10,000 in a week.”
Tox21’s new robot system significantly reduces the cost and duration of chemical testing, which will allow EPA to better identify potentially harmful chemicals and serve its core mission to safeguard human health and the environment. It also allows the FDA to better analyze unexpected toxicity, opening the door for better drug development.
The partnership built around Tox21 and the high-tech robot testing is also an exemplary government partnership. "You read a lot in the papers about the duplications of government," Kavlock explained in a recent New York Times article about the project. "This is the case where there's un-duplication. We are really bringing—between NIEHS, NIH Genomics Center and EPA—a really significant complementary expertise."
Tox21’s robot system is now testing chemicals found in industrial and consumer products, food additives and drugs, for evidence they might lead to adverse health effects. The end goal is to create a comprehensive database detailing tested chemicals with particular emphasis on toxic and harmful ones. Thanks to the Tox21 collaboration and its new robot technology, the future of toxicity testing—and the protection of human health—is now. | <urn:uuid:42598074-ce55-4d53-9157-6690756a97f5> | {
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The Lecture Series is presented by the Environmental
Science Institute and the Jackson School of Geosciences
UT Campus, Welch Hall 2.224
5:45-7 - Pre-lecture Fun
7-8 - Lecture
8-8:30 - Q & A Session
The Live Webcast will start at 7pm. Please log on at least 15 minutes before 7pm to download the necessary plug-ins to view our webcast.
Welch is located on the corner of 24th Street and Speedway. Building & Parking Maps
In the News:
BBC News - Whales' recovery 'vastly overestimated'
Whale populations are too low to resume commercial hunting, geneticists find
Science News for Kids
ABC Science Online - Gene study blows whaling out of the water
Discover - Extent of Great Whale Slaughter Worse Than Previously Thought
Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 7 PM CT
Archived Lecture Available Soon
The History and Future of Whales
by Dr. Stephen R. Palumbi
Professor of Biological Sciences, Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station
What is the Lecture About?
Stephen R. Palumbi is a professor of Biological Sciences at Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station. He and other research scientists in the Palumbi Lab study genetics, evolution, conservation, population biology, and systematics of a diverse array of marine organisms. He uses molecular genetic techniques in conservation-related research, including the identification of whale and dolphin products available in commercial markets and the genetics of marine reserves designed for conservation and fisheries enhancement. His 2003 publication in the journal Science on Whales before Whaling in the North Atlantic suggests that whale populations were 10 times larger than historical records indicate, which has critical implications for the future of whaling and whale conservation.
Dr. Palumbi received his Ph.D. from University of Washington in marine ecology in 1984. In 1996, he received a Pew Fellowship for Marine Conservation Research. He has published on the genetics and evolution of butterflyfishes, bryozoans, cone snails, corals, sea urchins, sharks, spiders, shrimps, and whales. His recent books include The Evolution Explosion: How humans cause rapid evolutionary change and Marine Reserves: An Ecosystem Tool for Marine Management and Conservation.
Lecture materials are for educational purposes ONLY. We request that the use of any of these materials include an acknowledgement of the presenter and the Hot Science - Cool Talks of the Environmental Science Institute. Also include the disclaimer: May not be duplicated or commercially distributed as they are intended for education and private/classroom audiences.
The Hot Science - Cool Talks Outreah Lecture Series is sponsored by the AT&T Foundation and ConocoPhilips.
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| Last modified:
December 9, 2010
Contact ESI Webmaster | <urn:uuid:ab2ff805-3c1d-4e9e-a0e0-dfd1087eaf01> | {
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A venous skin ulcer is a shallow wound caused by venous
insufficiency, a condition in which the valves in the blood vessels are damaged
and allow some blood to back up in the veins. The slowed circulation causes
fluid to seep out of the overfilled veins into surrounding tissues, causing
tissue breakdown and ulcers.
Venous skin ulcers, also called stasis leg ulcers, typically
develop on either side of the lower leg, above the ankle and below the
The first sign of a skin ulcer is an affected area of skin that
turns dark red or purple. It may also become thickened and dry and itchy.
Without treatment, an open wound (ulcer) may form. Venous skin ulcers often
weep clear fluid and are covered with yellowish film.
The most effective treatment for venous skin ulcers is frequent
elevation of the legs above the level of the heart and use of compression
stockings during waking hours.
August 31, 2011
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Margaret Doucette, DO - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Wound Care, Hyperbaric Medicine
How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2013 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
This Site and third parties who place advertisements on this Site may collect and use information about your visits to this Site and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like to obtain more information about these advertising practices and to make choices about online behavioral advertising, please click here | <urn:uuid:680c4417-f397-4ff5-983f-6d743dfcc26e> | {
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Strength Training After Breast Surgery
by Margaret Snow, MD
“…weightlifters had fewer swelling flare-ups, and on average, reported their symptoms as somewhat less bothersome…”
Lymphedema is fluid buildup and swelling that develops in a limb or other part of the body when the lymphatic system that ordinarily carries fluid back to the heart is disrupted. This disruption may be congenital or caused by surgery, trauma, or radiation. A common byproduct of breast cancer treatment, lymphedema may affect the arm on the same side of the breast that is treated with surgery or radiation. The swelling and impaired lymph function can cause pain, infection, and loss of arm mobility. Overuse or injury can cause lymphedema to flare up, and arm swelling may worsen over time.
Patients with lymphedema have traditionally been advised to avoid heavy exertion and weightlifting in the arm or on the side affected by lymphedema. However, experts know that weightlifting is an effective strategy to use muscle and build strength so the arm or affected limb will be less prone to injury. Previously, small studies suggested weightlifting as a safe strength-building regimen in these patients. Kathryn H Schmitz, PhD, from Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, conducted the Physical Activity and Lymphedema (PAL) Study to definitively answer the question of weightlifting safety in lymphedema patients.
The study recruited women who developed lymphedema after treatment for unilateral breast cancer. Each patient was carefully measured by specially-trained physical therapists before the study and throughout. The researchers also collected surveys of patient symptoms. The 141 patients were divided into two groups: an exercise group and a control group that did no exercise. The exercise group worked out at local YMCAs with fitness trainers who had undergone three days of training with Dr. Schmitz to learn how to work with breast cancer survivors with lymphedema. Both groups of patients were fitted with custom lymphedema sleeves; the exercise group was asked to use the sleeves whenever they performed the recommended armstrengthening, trunk and leg exercises. The weight was gradually increased with a focus on building strength.
The PAL study found that patients who participated in the weightlifting program increased their strength when compared to the control patients. Women who lifted weights did not have any more swelling than the control patients who did not exercise. In fact, they had fewer swelling flare-ups, and on average, reported their symptoms as somewhat less bothersome after a year compared to the control patients.
Because none of the measures of lymphedema severity were worse in the exercise group than in the control group, the authors concluded that the study “reduced the concerns that weightlifting would worsen arm and hand swelling…and supports the potential benefits” of a weightlifting program for breast cancer survivors with lymphedema.
As a result of the study, Dr. Schmitz and her colleagues developed the Physical Activity and Lymphedema (PAL) Weight Training Program. The program should not be undertaken unless you have completed supervised sessions with a physical therapist to learn how to do the upper body exercises properly. You can learn more about the program at lymphnet.org.
Dr. Margaret Snow is a previvor and a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician who enjoys golfing and photographing birds. She serves as FORCE’s West Michigan Outreach Coordinator.
Disclaimer: Health links are made available for educational purposes only. This information should not be interpreted as medical advice. All health information should be discussed with your health care provider. Please read our full disclaimer for more information.
This site has been made possible by a generous grant from Morphotek. | <urn:uuid:6cbba054-4c14-434a-9497-7b0256a31ccd> | {
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New Granada (grənäˈdə) [key], former Spanish colony, N South America. It included at its greatest extent present Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. Between 1499 and 1510 a host of conquerors explored the Caribbean coast of Panama and South America. After 1514, Pedro Arias de Ávila was successful in assuring permanent colonization of the isthmus of Panama. At Santa Marta (1525) and Cartagena (1533), Spanish control of the Colombian coast was firmly established, and in the next few years the northern hinterland was explored. German adventurers, notably Nikolaus Federmann, penetrated the Venezuelan and Colombian llanos between 1530 and 1546. By far the greatest of the conquerors was Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, who in 1536 ascended the Magdalena River, climbed the mighty Andean cordillera, where he subdued the powerful Chibcha (an advanced native civilization), and by 1538 had founded Santa Fé de Bogotá, later known simply as Bogotá. He named the region El Nuevo Reino de Granada [the new kingdom of Granada]. During the next 10 years the conquest was virtually completed. No civil government was established in New Granada until 1549, when an audiencia court, a body with both executive and judicial authority, was set up in Bogotá. To further stabilize colonial government, New Granada was made a presidency (an administrative and political division headed by a governor) in 1564, and the audiencia was relegated to its proper judicial functions. Loosely attached to the viceroyalty of Peru, the presidency came to include Panama, Venezuela, and most of Colombia. Disputes with—and the great distance from—Lima led to the creation (1717) of the viceroyalty of New Granada, comprising Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. Later the captaincy general of Venezuela and the presidency of Quito were detached, creating a political division that was to survive the revolution against Spain and the efforts of Simón Bolívar to establish a republic of Greater Colombia. The struggle for independence began in 1810, and by 1830 Venezuela and Ecuador had seceded, and the remnant (Colombia and Panama) was renamed the Republic of New Granada. This became the Republic of Colombia in 1886, from which the present Panama seceded in 1903.
See A. J. Kuethe, Military Reform and Society in New Granada (1978).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
More on New Granada from Fact Monster:
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Latin American History | <urn:uuid:1872d9f4-aa67-47f8-b483-01fe0f93cd28> | {
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René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur
Réaumur, René Antoine Ferchault de (rāˈəmyŏr, Fr. rənāˈ äNtwänˈ fĕrshōˈ də rāōmürˈ) [key], 1683–1757, French physicist and naturalist. He invented an alcohol thermometer (1731) and the Réaumur temperature scale, in which the freezing point of water is 0° and the boiling point 80°. In 1710 he directed the official description of arts and trades in France. He investigated gold-bearing rivers, turquoise mines, and forests. He did research on the composition of Chinese porcelain, which led him to develop an opaque glass, and on the composition and manufacture of iron and steel, including a means of tinning iron. As a naturalist he is best known for his exhaustive study of insects (6 vol., 1734–42; a 7th vol., part of the original manuscript, appeared in 1928); he also studied regeneration in crayfish and showed corals to be animals, not plants.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Physics: Biographies | <urn:uuid:7649c86f-6e95-42c5-bd57-72be102e6d47> | {
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Follow our four-point plan of attack to trace your roots in Spain, Portugal and the Basque region.
Since ancient times, the Iberian peninsula—encompassing Spain, Portugal, and the long-contested Basque country—has been coveted and conquered by the Romans, Germanic tribes, Arabs, Holy Roman Empire and Napoleon. For genealogists today, tracing your ancestry in the Iberian region is a conquest with its own challenges: language barriers, decentralized records, lagging digitization and state takeovers of church registers, among others.
But those obstacles aren’t insurmountable—technological weapons can help you break down language barriers, records access is gradually improving, and the reward for tackling Spanish, Portuguese or Basque records likely will be well worth the struggle: The area’s church and notarial records in particular are some of the world’s richest genealogical treasures. Follow these four steps for your own successful assault on the formidable peninsula. | <urn:uuid:eeae2e05-e317-4ee7-81ca-bb333d46d381> | {
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Going, Going, Gone: The impact of land fragmentation
on Texas agriculture and wildlife
A New Breed of Landowner
For generations, land in Texas was a legacy. It was passed down from one generation of farmers or ranchers to the next. In today's world, however, traditional farming and ranching have become questionable propositions. Fewer and fewer people are willing to take on the challenges of a life on the land.
A new breed of landowners, excited about staking their claim to a bit of Texas, is eager to step in. Younger, more educated and more affluent, the newcomers are quite different from their predecessors. For them a "farm" or "ranch" is not a place to raise crops or cattle, but rather a weekend retreat from the city or a place to raise a family in the country.
Unlike previous owners, they don't need the large acreages of land required to make farming or ranching profitable. Instead, they merely want a place where they can hunt, fish and find a little solitude. Huge expanses of land aren't required for such things.
As a result, prices aren't driven by what the land can produce, but rather by its scenic and recreational value. Those natural amenities have become precious commodities. In many counties across Texas they have pushed prices for land to record levels.
The fragmentation study found that while the average agricultural value of farm and ranchland grew only 4 percent between 1992 and 2001, there were 25 counties where the development and recreational value of land increased between 86 percent and 292 percent. (Look at a map of this disparity between land values) The study found that such increases in "non-agricultural" values were a good early indicator that large farms and ranches would likely be divided into smaller ownerships. The study also revealed that this land fragmentation is often accompanied by changes in land use and fragmentation of wildlife habitats.
The researchers found that "mid-sized" family ranches of 500 to 2,000 acres were particularly susceptible to fragmentation. During the 1990s, these properties disappeared at a rate of a quarter-million acres a year because families who had lived and worked on those lands for generations sold them and moved on. (More information on the decline of mid-sized ranches)
The decision to sell is often a matter of simple, heartbreaking economics. With developers offering far more money than they can make from the land by farming or ranching, landowners accept the offers, often reluctantly, and move on. As they depart, a major piece of Texas' rural heritage disappears. Rural economies are often left in shambles as stockyards, grain elevators, farm implement dealers and other ranch-related enterprises close their doors.
Managing Director, Field Programs
1 Short Street, Suite 2
Northampton, MA 01060
(p) 800-370-4879 (f) 413-586-9332
Texas Regional home page | <urn:uuid:e36d8c46-2bf7-4ec9-ba87-b6184c56f907> | {
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Edge Of Chaos 1.1
Interesting things happen at the boundary between order and chaos, where the qualities of both states are evident. There is enough order to retain information, and enough chaos to provide variety. A good way to explore this interesting phenomenon is to study a famous cellular automaton called "Conway's Game of Life" which inhabits the edge of chaos region. This screensaver allows you to explore the edge of chaos through the Game of Life.
conway, game of life, cellular automaton, edge of chaos, emergent complexity, ca,
Five Cellular Automata 6.22
Software for exploring five cellular automata: q-state Life (a generalization of Conway's Game of Life), the Belousov-Zhabotinsky Reaction, Togetherness, Viral Replication and Diffusion-Limited Aggregation. The documentation provides a complete description of the algorithms used.
cellular automaton, cellular automata, life, automation, conway, belousov, zhabotinsky, bz, belousov-zhabotinsky, simulation, | <urn:uuid:4a12ec37-118e-4b91-8581-1b59f5616bfb> | {
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FDR and Housing Legislation
75th Anniversary of the Wagner-Steagall Housing Act of 1937
September 1, 2012 is the 75th anniversary of the Wagner-Steagall Housing Act, a piece of late-New Deal legislation that reflected the government’s recognition of adequate housing as an important societal need.
Franklin Roosevelt had been interested in housing issues as Governor of New York, and he brought his support for housing reforms to the federal level when he became President in 1932. The Home Owner’s Loan Corporation (HOLC) was created in 1933 to provide mortgage relief to home owners at risk of losing their homes through foreclosure. The HOLC also developed a comprehensive housing plan that served as the basis for the National Housing Act of 1934. This law created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that insured banks, mortgage companies, and other lenders, thereby encouraging the construction of new homes and the repair of existing structures.
It was FDR’s hope that the law would also spur employment in the construction industry. Although the 1934 National Housing Act and the FHA met the needs of existing home owners and those Americans financially able to purchase homes, it did little to address the housing needs of the poor, including many African-Americans living in slums.
But there was fierce political opposition to low-cost public housing for low-income Americans. Landlords and the real estate industry believed that rental and sales markets would be undercut by cheaper public housing. Fiscal conservatives in Congress were afraid of the budgetary impact of a costly public housing program. And many Congressman from more rural parts of the country feared that such a program would help cities instead of smaller communities.
Senator Robert Wagner of New York thought differently, and he became the driving force behind the Wagner-Steagall Housing Act of 1937. Wagner introduced public housing bills in three successive Congresses, 1934, 1935, and 1936. The latter two bills were never even reported out of the House banking committee because its chairman, Rep. Henry Steagall of Alabama, believed public housing initiatives were socialistic and favored big cities.
President Roosevelt lent his full support to Wagner’s efforts and made adequate and affordable housing a priority in his second term. In his State of the Union Message of January 6, 1937, President Roosevelt spoke of the urgent need for the new Congress to address the housing situation:
“There are far-reaching problems still with us for which democracy must find solutions if it is to consider itself successful. For example, many millions of Americans still live in habitations which not only fail to provide the physical benefits of modern civilization but breed disease and impair the health of future generations. The menace exists not only in the slum areas of the very large cities, but in many smaller cities as well. It exists on tens of thousands of farms, in varying degrees, in every part of the country.”
Two weeks later, Roosevelt made the point more succinctly in his Second Inaugural Address:
"I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished. . . . The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”
FDR then worked behind the scenes with lawmakers and administration officials on the housing bill. Issues such as financing of projects, caps on costs per unit, and the staffing and governance of the proposed housing authority were sorted out in conferences held at the White House. With the major concerns of various Congressmen—including Rep. Steagall—resolved, the bill finally went to a vote. President Roosevelt signed the Wagner-Steagall Housing Act into law on September 1, 1937.
The new law established the United States Housing Authority (USHA) that provided $500 million in loans for low-cost housing projects across the country. Under the new law, the USHA acted as a loan granting agency to state and local housing authorities to build low-cost housing in both small and large urban areas. The USHA was empowered to advance loans amounting to 90% of project costs, at low-interest and on 60-year terms. By the end of 1940, over 500 USHA projects were in progress or had been completed, with loan contracts of $691 million. The goal was to make the program self-sustainable through the collection of rents: one-half of rent from the tenants themselves, one-third paid by contributions from the Federal government; and one-sixth paid by annual contributions made by the localities themselves. During World War II, the USHA was instrumental in planning and constructing housing for defense workers.
To Franklin Roosevelt, adequate housing was not just a need, but a right. The Wagner-Steagall Housing Act of 1937, along with other New Deal housing and mortgage initiatives, brought greater economic security to hundreds of thousands of Americans. In his January 11, 1944 State of the Union address, FDR declared a “second Bill of Rights” that included “the right of every family to a decent home.”
Silent footage (right) of FDR's campaign trip to Pittsburgh, PA, during which he dedicated the Terrace Village housing project on October 11, 1940. MP07-1
Photographs (below) of the same dedication event in Pittsburgh, October 11, 1940. | <urn:uuid:0c06295b-d2b4-4e05-baa4-a7b77b7d9bf4> | {
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Last Updated: 4/12/12
Setup and Water Preferences
Links and Pictures
For information on my betta's tank, visit my aquarium page.
Common names: Betta, Siamese fighting fish
Scientific/Latin names: Betta splendens
Maximum length: 2 to 3 inches
Colors: Bright reds, yellows, blues, purples, oranges, and greens as well as peach, white, and black
Temperature preference: 75 to 90 degrees F
pH preference: 6 to 8
Hardness preference: Soft
Salinity preference: Low to medium
Compatibility: Two males will fight; male may pester females; females generally get along; compatibility with other species varies (see below)
Life span: 3 to 5 years
Ease of keeping: Easy
Ease of breeding: Moderate
The betta or Siamese fighting fish is very well known. Along with goldfish and guppies, they are commonly kept and usually it less-than-ideal homes. The betta, Betta splendens, is a small labyrinth fish from Thailand, Cambodia, and nearby areas. It is able to use oxygen in air to survive. Thus, it can live in small and/or polluted waters. Males do not tolerate other males. It is for this reason that males are kept in tiny containers of water by themselves. Females are rarely even sold. They are a little smaller or seem so because their fins are much shorter. They have less flashy coloration and are more tolerant of other bettas.
Males grow to about three inches and are brightly colored. Colors may include green, red, yellow, orange, purple, blue, white, black, and more! Most bettas are mostly red or blue/green. Females contain these same colors but more in a pastel shade. They have more apricot colored areas too (non-colored). Females grow to about two inches.
Setup and Water Preferences
Bettas like soft, slightly acidic water. A pH from about 6 to 8 will do. They need warm temperatures of at least 75 degrees F but can take short periods (less than a day) in the 60's. Low temperature is one of the most frequent causes of death for bettas. They do not do well at "room temperature" if that temperature is below 75 degrees F for long periods of time. One disadvantage of keeping them in cups and bowls is this lack of temperature control. For a fish that can take down to about 50 degrees F in a bowl, a paradise fish is a better choice (although it is a bit larger and more active and would prefer a tank).
Bettas prefer to eat small, live foods but will eat most small, meat-based foods. Live brine shrimp are a favorite food. My betta ate brine shrimp on his first day with me but strangely on the second day, he took every live brine shrimp he could find into his mouth and then spat them out! Then, he switched to flakes! Many bettas like the small pelleted foods. Bettas spend most of their time at the water's surface so they find it easiest to eat floating foods. My betta also explored other levels in the tank but slept at the top.
Male bettas are sold to be kept in tiny containers of water all by themselves. Because they can gulp and use atmospheric oxygen, they can survive in small puddles of water or small cups. But, just because they can does not mean they have to do so or even should. I put one in my 20 gallon community tank (see below for precautions). He was a bit confused at first, never having seen other fish, plants, and room to move! But, then he loved it! Bettas kept in less than a gallon of water should have the water changed at least a few times a week or as it gets dirty. Because males fight with one another, breeders with lots of fish have no choice but to keep the fish individually in small containers, like bowls, vases, or pickle jars. Bettas are often sold with a "betta vase" which is just a small container usually with a plant stuck in it. While a few microbes or algae might be on the roots short term, the betta will quickly eat those. He may pick at the roots to gather oxygen as well. But, the betta cannot live off the plant alone and must be fed at least a few times a week. Small containers can also foul quickly so frequent 50% water changes are good. The water should never be cloudy or stinky. If you would not drink it based on how it looks (not knowing a fish had been in it), it is not fit for your betta. Please do not keep bettas in tiny containers. See this site for more information.
Compatibility of Bettas with Other Fish:
A male betta attacks other males, females when he sees fit, and fish that HE thinks look like a betta too. He will "fight" with his reflection. Fighting males spread out their gills like wings, lunge, and bite off pieces of fin. Fish with flowing fins may find them nipped by a male betta. These include fancy goldfish (who do not like the heat that a betta likes anyway), fancy guppies, and other longfinned fish. Female bettas are more tolerant. They generally can tolerate other females but there are tales of females who think they are male and nip other fish. Fast moving and nippy fish like many barbs and danios will often nip at slow bettas' fins. If a male betta is put in a warm community tank with no other fish that looks like a betta (no flowing fins) and no fish that may nip or eat him, then he will get along fine. Goldfish and bettas are not a good mix. This is for a number of reasons: the betta may nip the goldfish, the goldfish may pester the betta to death or rip his fins, the goldfish likes it cool while the betta likes it warm, and the piggy goldfish will eat any food added for the betta. Single-finned goldfish grow over a foot long while bettas stay at an inch or two. Goldfish like to move around at a good pace making a mess while bettas like to take their time to move around. I love both goldfish and bettas but just not together.
On 7/31/06, Jennifer pointed out the following:
"...Although females can get along with each other and sometimes with males, the tank setup makes a huge difference in whether or not the attempt is successful. Having plenty of hiding places and room to get away from each other will go a long way in keeping the bettas from hassling each other to death. I mention this because a number of customers in my store commonly misunderstand the idea that females are relatively peaceful to mean that they can toss two or three bettas into a small bowl without a problem as long as only one is male..."
A male betta has bright colors and long fins. An average female has more subdued colors and shorter fins than a male. Some females are more colorful and can be mistaken for males but are generally smaller. When ready to spawn, her abdomen will enlarge with eggs. Because females are rarely sold, most bettas encountered (usually in cups) are male.
Males will build a bubble nest in water less than six inches deep that has floating plants and no water movement. A breeding setup should not have running filters or aeration, or the nest may be destroyed. Floating plants will anchor it in place. Usually, a male and female are conditioned separately but in sight of one another (in two half-filled five gallon tanks for example). They are fed live foods. The male should build a nest as the female's eggs develop. When the nest looks done, and the female is fat, they can be put together. He may bully her. If he gets violent, they need to be separated. Otherwise, they will spawn, and he will put eggs in the floating nest. After her eggs are all out, she should be removed as he will then attack her to protect the nest. Fry hatch in about 24 hours at 80 degrees. Newborns can eat infusuria, egg yolk, and maybe even crushed flakes. Breeding is reported to be easy but it is vital to remove the young males into separated quarters as soon as their sex is apparent.
I redid my aquariums in 2001. I had room for another fish and decided to finally get my first betta. I had always wanted to rescue one from life in a cup. I bought a multi-colored male on 7/29/01 and put him in my twenty gallon tank. He was pretty slow and seemed almost confused by all the stimulation of plants, animals, and room to swim. He flared his gills once that I saw at a little honey gourami who dashed off. It was funny to watch another honey gourami follow the betta with his feelers out, trying to make contact! Fifi got along well with the other fish. I named him Fifi which is sort of short for fighting fish (the first two letters of each word). Fifi was gorgeous! My only concerns were the water movement which may be too much for the betta who has never had to deal with that and also that he may get his fins sucked into the filter intake if he rests near there. Really though, the filter was mild especially once the surface was nearly 100% covered in floating fern which broke up the water movement. By his second day with us, Fifi was swimming more vigorously (making up for lost exercise!) and eating flake food.
On 8/3/01, I discovered that Fifi had ick. Since I did not quarantine (bad me!), I had to treat the entire tank with increased temperature, salt, and ick medication. He recovered easily but nine other fish in the tank died (out of 18) within the few weeks after they were cured of ick. Fifi's photo on 8/4/01 is at the top of the page.
Unfortunately, Fifi died on 12/19/01 for unknown reasons. He had not been himself for a few days and not coming to eat. There were no signs of external parasites, funguses, or infections of any sort. I am not sure if he died from non-visible parasites or from old age. Bettas are known for only living a few years. I only had him five months but have no idea what his age was when I got him. Since they take about 6 months to be large enough to be sold and then often sit in the store for months, he could already have been a year or two old when I got him. I miss Fifi because he was always eager to be fed, would seem to look at me, and moved around the tank with real purpose making funny movements as he eyed in on something and would nip at it.
Homer and Marge:
On 10/19/07, I finally got another betta after almost six years. I wanted some fish in my basement pond and decided on a betta. My 2.5 year old niece
wanted a purple one so I got one that is kind of white/pink in the body with blue and purple fins.
I named him Homer. I added a little aquarium salt, Stress Coat, Stress Zyme, MelaFix, and
Aquarisol (for ick prevention) to the tub pond. Here are some photos. The first three were taken
while he was in the cup I got him in.:
Homer - right side
Homer - left side
Homer - top view
The basement pond with Homer in it
Homer started making a lot of bubble nests. I felt bad that he was destined to be alone. I decided to buy him a female friend. I obviously cannot house a lot of bettas so I will not try to raise any resulting fry apart from their parents. If any survive, I will certainly take care of them (I have three aquariums that can take some if needed). I added Marge on 11/16/07. She is half his size and definitely was not egg laden (yet). She was kind of naturally colored with light blue fins (initially). I will let you know if Bart, Lisa, and Maggie show up. I had always read that male bettas are so mean, especially to female bettas. Well, when I put her in, he saw her. Instead of attacking, he swam away from her! It has only been a day now that she has been in there but I have not seen her again as she is hiding. There is plenty of room in there to hide. He, on the other hand, comes right up when he sees me and shows off. He is really getting pretty now that he is out of the horrid cup he was in. Homer is not bothering Marge but she is also still in hiding.
Here are two not so good photos taken on 11/16/07 before I put Marge into the pond. I am sorry
that my camera would not focus on her.
Marge - top view
Marge - top view
Aha! On 11/24/07, I finally spotted Marge after 8 days. She is fine. She has gone from light in color to almost black with really blue fins, almost like that female betta shown above (photo someone sent me). I think she may be trying to show him who is boss. Her fins might be a little tattered (hard to tell from above), and she seems to have already grown (although she is still tiny). I could see both of them at the same time (they could see each other), and they were not bothering each other. When I fed them, I saw both of them eat.
I noticed that Homer was guarding about a dozen eggs on 12/24/07. They were gone a few days later, and he stopped guarding that spot under the big white fake floating plant. I do not know if any hatched but I do not think that any survived. There were pond snails (that came in with the plants from my pond) who were driving around the eggs but Marge may have also eaten some. Sometimes Homer chases her to nip at her but she is faster. Other times they will both be close when I put in food, and he does not go after her. I think the aggression of bettas is overrated (except for males with males which I have not done or suggest!).
On 1/17/08, I noticed that Homer was guarding a nice batch of eggs. There was a little pond snail there too though. I feel bad not rescuing the eggs but also know it is hard to raise fry, especially with bettas where the males have to live separately as adults.
Marge on 1/13/08. You can see the intense blue on the edges of her dorsal and caudal fins. The rest of her is pretty much black. The red thing is the adjustment dial on the submerged heater. Behind her is the black intake of the Penguin Mini filter.
I noticed in early March that I had not seen Marge in a while. I realized the morning of 3/11/08 that something was stuck to the filter intake. I feared it was her. I confirmed that when I got home from work and took it off. I do not know if Homer contributed to her demise but it is certainly possible. When I had seen them interact the last few months, it was never overly aggressive, just mild chasing. She had not been damaged by him before. I guess all it would have taken was for him to have one attack mode. Her body was too degraded to tell if she had been bitten. I do not plan to get another betta so do not worry.
On 3/14/08, I bought seven rosy red minnows in an attempt to get my turtle to eat. He killed two but ate none so I had to find a place for the five minnows. I moved Homer from the basement pond and put him in to the 20 gallon aquarium on 3/18/08. The minnows then went in the pond. Homer really seems to like the 20 gallon tank! He is getting along with the fish, frogs, and shrimp. I was worried he might bother the shrimp but Homer is a slow mover with a tiny mouth. He is enjoying the added food variety.
Here is a photo of Homer in the 20 gallon tank right after I put him in there. It was the best betta
photo I have ever taken so I also put it at the top of the page!
Homer on 3/18/08.
Homer on 4/5/08.
On 11/7/08, I realized that Homer was developing what so many bettas get. His tummy is starting to bulge. Whether it is dropsy, fish tuberculosis, or some kind of tumors, it seems to be what afflicts the bettas of most of the people who contact me. I hope Homer hangs on and does as best as he can. I have had him a year. Most bettas are almost a year old when bought at the store and only live a few years.
Here is a photo of Homer from 12/13/08 when he was moderately bloated up (filled with fluid).
As I type this on 12/26/08, he is huge and probably will not live much longer.
Homer continues to get larger. I can see through his body to the other side. It is just full of water
inside. This photo is from 1/8/09:
Homer died on 2/14/09. My niece and I will miss him. She always would ask, "Where's Homer?" or say "I see Homer!" with such zest.
I impulsively bought another betta for my 20 gallon tank on 6/19/09. This time, I got a female. She was powder blue. I named her Pretty because she was.
These photos of Pretty are from 6/19/09:
Pretty - two adult panda cories are in the photo; you can see how small Pretty is.
Pretty has done well but already a problem has appeared. Sometime in early September of 2009, she started to develop a small growth, cyst, or infected tumor on her right gill plate. I hope it does not get any larger.
I was saddened to find Pretty dead on 10/31/09. I did not think she would die so soon and suddenly. I will not get another betta anytime soon.
I got a new betta on 3/9/12 for the 20 gallon tank. I wanted him to be strong so his name is Rambo. He is a double tail male betta. He is still small with a dark body and white fins. He is having fun exploring after a life of tiny containers.
I took these photos of Rambo on 3/9/12 on the day that I got him.
Rambo - in the cup they had him in
Rambo - in the cup
Rambo - from above, in a bowl during acclimation
I saw Rambo on 3/15/12, and his fins were red as from septicemia. I do not know what is wrong or why. He is mostly hiding. I hope he can hang in there. I have not seen Rambo since. No body was found. He is presumed dead. I will update if he shows up. I will make a note to never get a betta again. I thought his life would be better in a 20 gallon tank than a bowl but I was wrong.
Links and Pictures
Betta FAQ - This is an archived version as the site is now gone. The last archive says they did not pay their bill so this is the archive before that.
California Betta Society and Betta FAQ
Betta Talk - a great site, especially for beginners
Tera's Bettas - information, breeder lists, breeding, etc.
The Betta FAQ
bcbetta - a betta breeder with lots of gorgeous photos of fancy bettas and some information on breeding, etc.
Fish Profile on Betta
Healthy Betta - "Your source to keep your betta happy and healthy."
Not Trash Pets - a site dedicated to spreading the word that small animals are not trash pets.
Ultimate Bettas - a betta forum
Photos are listed from oldest to newest.
Here is a photo of a male betta that Sascha sent to me on 6/9/05. The betta has a kinked spine and scales sticking out. He most likely had dropsy. The poor guy died about a week later.
Deb sent me this photo on 8/14/05 of her female betta.
Gina sent me these photos of her betta on 3/6/06. His name is UB.
UB right side
UB right side
UB left side
UB front view
Gina later sent these four photos on 6/29/06 of another male betta, a real beauty named Pinky.
When she first got him, he was all white and sick but look at how gorgeous he turned out!
Pinky - right side
Pinky - right side
Pinky - right side
Pinky - left side
Go to this page to see photos of a betta with a tumor that Diana treated with surgery.
Xochitl sent photos of his sick male betta on 9/10/06. The betta has some sort of swelling on the
right side. It is hard to tell from the photos what it is but it may contain fluid.
Betta - top view.
Betta - side view.
Meg sent this photo of her male betta, Pinot Griso on 10/2/06.
Melissa sent these photos of her sick betta with dropsy on 7/24/07. His name was Guido and
he died shortly after the photos were taken.
Paul sent this photo of his male betta UMB on 10/21/07. He is a multicolored crowntail.:
Paul sent another photo of UMB on 12/14/07. UMB died of dropsy in the fall of 2008.
Wind & Weather sells neat things for your garden!
The World's Largest Pet Store is your source for discount aquarium, pond, and pet supplies!
There have been 27,174,652 visitors (file views since 2006) to Fishpondinfo from October 1, 2003 through May 18, 2013.
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What this all does is it makes the ball move... it makes it switch directions when it hits the walls, speed up a little bit with each hit, and switch angles when it hits the paddle. The paddle part is the main part, what it does is it finds the distance the ball is from the middle of the paddle when it hits and makes that distance divided by 2 the new angle. Now this depends on the size of the paddle, if the paddle is very big, then it will make the ball go crazy when it hits near the edge and you may want it to be divided by a larger number.
|» Level Intermediate|
Rating: 5.79 Votes: 24
|Use this tutorial to make a game like breakout or pong, i have a version of pong on my cheap as free website, check it out|
|Download the files used in this tutorial.|
|Download (0 kb)|
|More help? Search our boards for quick answers!| | <urn:uuid:f55ef96d-5a4a-4f81-9e57-6d16a33c76c4> | {
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Information for Students
Welcome to the Flint Regional Science Fair! We look forward to seeing you at the Fair in March.
Taking part in a science fair is fun, educational, and rewarding. This part of our web site provides information and links that can help you get started, conduct your research and enter the Flint Regional Science Fair.
The FASF is held every Spring. This means you should begin planning in the Fall and Winter prior to the Fair to ensure you pick a good research topic, and have plenty of time to do a good job and present a quality project.
Parents, teachers, and mentors are important helpers to identify projects, collect the resources required for your project, and track your progress. Ask your parents and your teachers for assistance. They are your best bet for one-on-one direction and support in your Science Fair experience.
Elementary Division and Junior Division projects follow simpler rules than Senior Division projects.
More Web Student Science Resources
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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.
** Not applicable or data not available.
– Denotes synonyms that are applicable to the state. Show these synonyms only
Wetland Assessment Procedure (WAP): Source - Southwest Florida Water Management District, Wetland Assessment Procedure Instruction Manual for Isolated Wetlands (March 2005).
Source - Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council's 2007 List of Florida's Most Invasive Species
Category I - Species that are invading and disrupting native plant communities in Florida. This definition does not rely on the economic severity or geographic range of the problem, but on the documented ecological damage caused.
Category II - Species that have shown a potential to disrupt native plant communities. These species may become ranked as Category I, but have not yet demonstrated disruption of natural Florida communities.
Wetland Status, Department of Environmental Regulation (DEP): Source - Delineation of the Landward Extent of Wetlands and Surface Waters, Chapter 62-340, Florida Administrative Code. 1994.
Wetland Status (NWI): Source - National list of vascular plant species that occur in wetlands. US Fish & Wildlife Service Biological Report 88(24). National Wetlands Inventory, US Fish & Wildlife Service. 1988.
A positive (+) or negative (-) sign is used with the Facultative indicator category to more specifically define the regional frequency of occurrence in wetlands. The positive sign indicates a frequency toward the higher end of the category (more frequently found in wetlands), and a negative sign indicates a frequency toward the lower end of the category (less frequently found in wetlands).
Identifying species that appear as waifs or only periodically appear in the flora for a few seasons.
(Definitions from: American Heritage Science Dictionary)
Intro paragraph to be provided by New York.
This numeric rank provides the relative rarity for each species based on a scale from 1 (very rare) to 5 (common). These ranks carry no legal status.
Each species' global rank is determined by NatureServe. These ranks carry no legal weight. The global rank reflects the species worldwide rarity.
View a List of All Ecological Communities
For more information, contact: Dr. Richard Wunderlin or Dr. Bruce Hansen
© 2013 Institute for Systematic Botany | Data last modified: 5/23/2013
Web Development: | The Florida Center for Community Design + Research
A member of the University of South Florida family of PlantAtlas.org websites
Wunderlin, R. P., and B. F. Hansen. 2008. Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/).[S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.
Select the criterion by which you wish to search (Scientific name, Genus, Family, etc.) and enter that information into the provided field.
Hint: Correct spelling is necessary for desired results, but because this function is a string search the full name need not be entered. Any correct part of a taxon name can be entered and a choice of the correct one made from the small list of resulting matches.
For example, matching the full name exactly in a Scientific Name search for Piptochaetium avenacioides may be difficult, but strings of either tium aven or avenaci or m avenac or pipto will all result in very small lists of matches. The intended name can then be chosen from any of those lists. Usually, the last letter (or two) of a given genus, a space, and the first few correct letters of the specific epithet will provide a sufficiently short list containing the desired taxon.
A similar example in a Common Name search is Virginia snakeroot. Searching using "snake root" will yield no results due to the extra space, but searching "snake" will generate a short list of plants with the word "snake" in the common name. Furthermore, a search of "Virginia snake" or even "nia snak" yields one result: Virginia snakeroot.
If, after following the above advice, then difficulties are still encountered please use the "browse" feature.
A voucher specimen is a pressed and thoroughly dried plant sample deposited in a herbarium, and is intended to be a permanent record supporting research purposes. A voucher may be a record of a plant's occurrence in a particular area, or a specific example of a plant used in a scientific investigation.
Proper vouchers display all the necessary attributes for complete identification of the plant, and are to be accompanied by accurate locality, habitat, collection time, and collector data.
Only plant populations vouchered by specimens deposited in Index Herbariorum http://sciweb.nybg.org/science2/IndexHerbariorum.asp recognized herbaria are represented on this map. | <urn:uuid:9974a45d-9ac9-4eb1-be0b-bd60641eda4a> | {
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Mrs. Dixon's Home Page » Treasure Key
In Dixon Den we have special keys that allow students to bring in a "treasure" to share with the class. Much like show and tell, the first grader with the key stands up in front of the class to tell all about the treasure he/she has brought to share. The holder of the key should be able to tell why the item is a treasure to him/her and be able to tell important information about the treasure. If your child brings home the key, please help him/her to choose something interesting to share with our class. Some good ideas include: a few pictures or a souvenir from a recent trip, part of a collection, pictures of a pet, a favorite book, a special or unusual gift, or something from nature. Help your first grader put the key and the treasure in his/her backpack that evening so nothing will be forgotten the next morning. In order to share, a child must bring both the treasure and the key. Dixon Den first graders look forward to their turn with the key! It gives them an opportunity to practice speaking in front of a group and it makes them feels special!
Amy Dixon's Site
Mott Road Elementary School
7173 Mott Road
Fayetteville, NY 13066 | <urn:uuid:f6ec64c4-d7d0-4fdb-8aa2-07aa46dd7b63> | {
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Nanobiosensors hold considerable potential as future areas of development for nanotechnology, according to a recent study.
However, ‘Nanobiotechnology perspectives. Role of nanotechnology in the food industry: a review’, which is to be published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology, claims case-by-case toxicity studies are needed.
“Advances in microfluid and inorganic nanoparticle production have enabled the preparation of efficient sensors to rapidly detect pathogens or pesticides in food or on the farm or in the product on the market,” the authors conclude.
“The nanobiosensor can also be applied in environmental pollution control in the food industry. Functionalised food with nanoparticles as flavours and nutrients carriers can enhance food quality and safety.
“The important issue in the immediate future will be the toxicity of these nanomaterials in plants, animals and humans and then it must be studied case to case.”
Electronic noses and tongues, which use arrays of nanosensors, have considerable potential in assessing beer quality, especially at the fermentation stage, the research claims. Recently developed electronic noses have also been applied to the detection of fungal contamination of cereal grain samples.
In particular, the researchers state: “Electrochemical nanosensors, especially amperometric ones, are of great interest nowadays, because of their high sensitivity for the detection of important components or pollutants in agriculture and in foods.”
Pathogen and mycotoxin detection
Studies suggest nanobiosensors can be used in pathogen and mycotoxin detection in foods, they add, with Salmonella, E.Coli and Listeria being most studied.
For example, an antibody-functionalised carbon nanotube nanosensor has been used for detecting Salmonella in a nutrient broth solution. And a cholesterol biosensor containing multiwall carbon nanotubes and cholesterol oxidase has been constructed on glassy carbon electrodes with excellent performance.
There is evidence to suggest that nanoparticles of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) could combat Salmonella and Listeria, the researchers state.
Shelf life could be improved through encapsulation of nitric oxide in nanostructures that improve its stability, they note, citing one example in which its incorporation into packaging had enhanced the preservation of button mushrooms.
Use of edible nanofilm could also help preserve food such as fresh produce, meat, confectionery, baked goods and French fries for longer, acting as active packaging, increasing barrier protection, the authors claim.
“The edible thin film can be prepared from edible nanolaminates that might protect the food from moisture, lipids, gases, off-flavours and odours.”
Nanotechnology applications in non-edible packaging include enhancing plastic barrier properties; incorporation of bioactive sensing and signalling regarding food quality and improving heat resistance, states the review.
Duran and Marcato state that prolamin, or Zein, offers opportunities as a carrier for flavour compounds or nutraceuticals, either as nanobeads or nanoparticles.
Source: International Journal of Food Science and Technology
‘Nanobiotechnology perspectives. Role of nanotechnology in the food industry: a review’
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The price of energy has a very strong influence on the energy choices governments and individuals make. I sometimes hear people ask "Why are we still building coal-fired power plants?" or "Why don’t we replace more petroleum with biomass?" One reason is that biomass is generally more difficult to use from a logistical point of view. Another is that there just isn’t enough biomass to meet present energy demands. But a major factor comes down to price.
The price and convenience of energy sources are ultimately the keys to customer acceptance. Homes can be heated with wood, heating oil, natural gas, or electricity. Automobiles can be fueled with gasoline, ethanol, natural gas, diesel, electricity, and a wide variety of more unconventional fuels. If consumers have a choice and the supply is convenient, they will tend toward the cheapest energy source they can get.
Below I have compiled a list of current prices for some of the more common energy options on an energy equivalent basis – the British Thermal Unit (BTU). A BTU is simply the amount of heat energy it takes to raise the temperature of one pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. Everything has been converted into U.S. dollars per million BTU (MMBTU). The sources for the data are listed below.
I have included the cost of electricity, although it is important to note that the efficiency of electric motors is higher than for internal combustion engines. For comparison, I have also included the cost of the federal ethanol tax credit (Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit), which is $0.45 per gallon of ethanol for 2010.
Energy Prices per Million BTU
The list above illustrates why wood pellets for home heating are flowing out of Canada and the U.S. and into Europe. Wood pellets are much more expensive and generally less convenient to use than natural gas in North America. It isn’t difficult then to see why wood pellets have a difficult market in North America. For people with access to natural gas, the lower price and convenience of natural gas is compelling. In Europe, natural gas supplies aren’t as secure, so they have more incentive to consider wood pellets as an option.
The cost of the ethanol subsidy is interesting. Taxpayers presently pay more for the subsidy than natural gas costs. However, if you consider that the subsidy is on a per gallon basis – and a large fraction of that gallon of ethanol is fossil fuel-derived, the subsidy for the renewable component is higher.
For instance, consider an energy output of 1.5 BTUs of ethanol (and by-products) per BTU of fossil fuel input (this is approximately where today’s corn ethanol plants operate). In this case the renewable component per gallon is only 1/3rd of a gallon; the rest of the subsidy is essentially subsidizing the fossil fuel inputs. (An energy return of 1.5 indicates that it took 1 BTU of fossil fuel to produce 1.5 BTUs of ethanol; hence the renewable component of the ethanol in that case is 1/3rd). That means that the subsidy on simply the renewable component is actually three times as high – $17.76/MMBTU. Also bear in mind that this is only the subsidy; the consumer then has to pay $23.46/MMBTU for the ethanol itself.
Of course there are many other considerations, and government subsidies can tilt the playing field toward or away from different options. But if you ever wonder why those long railroad cars filled with coal are headed east from Wyoming, or why we tend to heat homes in North America with natural gas or heating oil, now you know.
Sources for Data
1. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Coal News and Markets Report for the Week Ending 1/15/2010. (Link).
2. EIA, Natural Gas Futures Prices for 1/15/2010. (Link).
3. U.S. Department of Energy, Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC). (Link).
4. EIA, Spot Prices for 1/15/2010. (Link).
5. EIA, World Crude Oil Prices, U.S. average price for 1/15/2010. (Link).
6. WoodPelletPrice.com, typical premium wood pellet prices for 1/15/2010. (Link).
7. CME Group, Chicago Board of Trade Ethanol Futures for February 2010 Contract. (Link).
8. EIA, Wholesale Day Ahead Prices at Selected Hubs for New England 12/31/09. (Link).
9. POET, POET Announces Cost Reductions in Cellulosic Ethanol. (Link).
Petroleum – 138,000 BTU/gal
Gasoline – 115,000 BTU/gal
Diesel – 131,000 BTU/gal
Ethanol – 76,000 BTU/gal
Heating oil 138,000 BTU/gal
Jet fuel – 135,000 BTU/gal
Propane – 91,500 BTU/gal
Northern Appalachia Coal – 13,000 BTU/lb
Powder River Basin Coal – 8,800 BTU/lb
Wood pellets – 7,000 BTU/lb
Electricity – 3,412 BTU/kWh | <urn:uuid:0b67435d-3d93-41f6-ba0f-afc9c93585fe> | {
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The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is an antelope species native to the Indian Subcontinent that has been classified as near threatened by IUCN since 2003, as the blackbuck range has decreased sharply during the 20th century.
The blackbuck is the only living species of the genus Antilope. Its generic name stems from the Latin word antalopus, a horned animal. The species cervicapra is composed of the Latin words capra, she-goat and cervus, deer.
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats. A group of antelope is called a herd. | <urn:uuid:78778fbb-ab40-4be6-ba88-9daa4ab2d2c1> | {
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Dirk van Borne (16th century)
Dirk van Borne, a printer of Deventer, Dutch province of Overijssel, had printed and published the Groot Wonderboek by David Joris. He was seized July 1544; in January 1545 he was placed under house arrest until August 1545, and even then he was not allowed to leave the town. Dirk was not a follower of David Joris; he was a Catholic and defended himself by saying that he had not known that the book of David Joris, which Jurriaen Ketel had given him for printing, was a heretical book.
Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (1919): 22-23.
Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam. 2 v. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: I, No. 309.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, pp. 64-65. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.
©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
MLA style: van der Zijpp, Nanne. "Dirk van Borne (16th century)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1956. Web. 23 May 2013. http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/dirk_van_borne_16th_century.
APA style: van der Zijpp, Nanne. (1956). Dirk van Borne (16th century). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 May 2013, from http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/dirk_van_borne_16th_century. | <urn:uuid:09982f21-2ff8-43e9-b629-854b5d980e19> | {
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The release of the 5200 Supersystem in 1982 represented Atari's attempt to replace their outdated 2600 model and pull ahead of rival, high-quality platforms like Intellivison. By 1982, Atari game programmers realized that they were severely limited by the capabilities of the 2600 system.
The designers incorporated technology into the 5200 (called "Pam" in developmental stages) which they had just developed for their own 8-bit 400 and 800 series personal computer systems. The 5200 is basically a game console version of their home computer, substituting a controller in place of a keyboard.
The Intellivision system had raised the stakes in the gaming industry with its 16-position controller. Atari's own 2600 offered only 8 positions. In hopes of obliterating the competition, Atari designer, Craig Asher helped engineer the "analog" controller. It gives players full, 360° control of the action on-screen.
The 5200 controller contains two other features which made Atari's unique to any other system built by 1982: First, It offers speed variability. When a joystick is held in a single direction long enough, a player can increase his or her rate of on-screen movement. Second, it contains an easy-access PAUSE button, enabling players to easily freeze their games indefinitely. This immediately became a normal feature on most every subsequent system controller.
Unfortunately there turned out to be a major drawback to this groundbreaking technology. The analog controllers never caught on with consumers because they are "non-centering," meaning they do not feature a neutral position. There is no way to come to an immediate stop. This factor will tend to inflict a high level of frustration on any 5200 player who tackles a game which requires precision stopping and starting movements like Frogger or Pac-Man. The controllers were also apparently not made with durability in mind and are quite easily broken.
When Atari released the 5200 it was incompatible with 2600 cartridges. Consumers who had loaded up on games for the 2600 were understandably reluctant to invest in an entirely new platform. Its initial retail price of $330 didn't cause units to fly off of the shelves either.
The 5200 also improved on the 2600 in its switch box. The 2600 system requires players to walk behind the television and change the setting on the box setting from TV to GAME. The 5200 automatically switches to GAME after the power is turned on. Also, when changing cartridges, the 5200 shifts to a black screen instead of the annoying, white noisy static players get between games with the 2600.
When the platform was launched in 1982, Atari chose not to support it with any "must have" new titles. Instead they decided to re-release improved versions of former best seller for the 2600 like Space Invaders or Galaxian. Later, they did offer more sought-after titles like Joust, Space Dungeon and Ms. Pac-Man, but by that time the gaming market was on the verge of collapse.
In 1983, between: Atari (with the 5200 and 2600), ColecoVision and Intellivision, the VCS (Video Computer System) market was stuck in a glut due to an oversaturation of product. Consumers were also demanding that their computers perform more functions than just play games. At that point the Commodore 64 and Atari 800XL home computers had just been released.
Even after a slow start, 1983 sales for the 5200 plummeted. Warner Communications (Atari's former parent company) reported second quarter losses of $283.4 million. By the end of the year, Atari had posted losses of $536 million. They ended production of the 5200 in 1984.
The best game titles for the 5200: Berzerk, Missile Command, Centipede, Qix, Pengo, Wizard of Wor, Space Dungeon, Rescue on Fractalas! and Montazuma's Revenge. ~ Dave Beuscher, All Game Guide | <urn:uuid:29db177d-a52a-43e4-99a7-5727d693b22e> | {
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Born within 40 years of Martin Luther's death, Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) conferred musical greatness on Protestant church music in the German language. He left behind around 500 works – almost exclusively settings of texts from the Luther Bible.
Schütz was born in Köstritz and is remembered there with events and exhibitions at the Heinrich Schütz House – his birthplace, a former inn.
Schütz was a choirboy aged 13 when he was discovered by the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, who paid for his tuition including under Gabrieli in Venice. It was later with reluctance that he allowed his protégé to move to Dresden.
In Dresden, Schütz held the post of court kapellmeister to the Elector of Saxony for 55 years. They were difficult times because the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) was raging in Germany. Schütz's legacy is commemorated in Dresden's Church of Our Lady, by a stele near the Zwinger Palace and at the Heinrich Schütz House on Frauengasse.
In 1651 Schütz purchased a house to which to retire in Weissenfels, where he had spent his youth. It was there that he wrote his Swan Song, an eleven motet setting of Psalm 119 for two choirs. The Heinrich Schütz House in Weissenfels is largely preserved in its original state. | <urn:uuid:574cc9ec-979d-4d22-bd04-e11e3ec4f186> | {
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An abbrev is a word that has been defined to expand into a specified expansion. When you insert a word-separator character following the abbrev, that expands the abbrev—replacing the abbrev with its expansion. For example, if ‘foo’ is defined as an abbrev expanding to ‘find outer otter’, then typing f o o . will insert ‘find outer otter.’.
Abbrevs expand only when Abbrev mode, a buffer-local minor mode, is enabled. Disabling Abbrev mode does not cause abbrev definitions to be forgotten, but they do not expand until Abbrev mode is enabled again. The command M-x abbrev-mode toggles Abbrev mode; with a numeric argument, it turns Abbrev mode on if the argument is positive, off otherwise. See Minor Modes.
Abbrevs can have mode-specific definitions, active only in one major mode. Abbrevs can also have global definitions that are active in all major modes. The same abbrev can have a global definition and various mode-specific definitions for different major modes. A mode-specific definition for the current major mode overrides a global definition.
You can define abbrevs interactively during the editing session, irrespective of whether Abbrev mode is enabled. You can also save lists of abbrev definitions in files, which you can the reload for use in later sessions. | <urn:uuid:8f0fc1f7-e414-4db5-9432-889dc2cbc7ec> | {
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Archaeological Places in Lima
From immemorial times different pre-Inca cultures that appeared in the history inhabited the Rímac valley and territories around Lima. In its origins an old fishermen town was located here, with great religious tradition. In later period the pre-Inca cultures of Maranga and Aramburú were developed, then followed the Collas, Huachos and the Huallas cultures, and finally they were conquered by the Incas.
The Incas respected the religions of the conquered people and they added their gods, reason for which many pre-Inca religious centers stayed until the arrival of the Spaniards.
All these towns and cultures left archaeological remains, some of them, at the moment well conserved and others restored, outstanding among those:
(UNESCO World Heritage Site) The Sacred City of Caral 5000-year-old and 626-hectare is an archaeological site situated on a dry desert terrace overlooking the green valley of the Supe river, 184 Km. north of Lima city. It dates back to the Late Archaic Period of the Central Andes and is the oldest centre of civilization in the Americas.
Located 31 Km (19 miles) from Lima on the Pan-American Highway South (45 minutes by car), in the valley of Lurín. It was the most important pre-Inca ceremonial center on the Peruvian coast. Main pre-Inca adoration and ceremonial center of the inhabitants' of the valley of Rímac in which the God Pachacámac was venerated. The investigations presume that this place was inhabited since the year 200 up to 1533.
Pre-Inca and Inca archaeological construction. From the pre-Inca constructions stand out the "Templo Pintado" (colored temple) and the "Templo Viejo" (old temple), built with small adobes and pyramids with ramps. After the Inca conquest (1440-1533) they built next to them the "Templo del Inti" (Temple of sun) and an "acllahuasi" (house prepared for the chosen girls). The Temple of Inti has a flight of stairs made of stones and passages that go along the edge of the main structure, built with adobes. On him a great terrace exists with view to the sea, and is related with the islands in front of this group with an old legend.
Pachacámac was the God creator of life and of the universe and it was not personified. The state of conservation of this location and its restoration offer a great show of cultural historical interest.
Site Museum: Daily attention from 09:00 to 17:00, exhibition of archaeological remains found in this complex, ceramic, textile, idols, etc.
Located in the intersection of Avenida El Rosario and Avenida Nicolás de Rivera, San Isidro district. Visiting hours: Tue. – Sun. 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.. Pre-Inca adoration place, pyramidal huaca built with adobes (bricks made with mud), it is restored. Site museum houses pieces found during the excavations of the area.
Located in General Borgoño street, block 8 (Near Avenida Angamos Oeste, block 4 and Avenida Arequipa, block 45) in Miraflores. Visiting hours: Wed. – Mon. 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. A ceremonial center dating from earliest stages of the Lima culture. Huaca with a pyramidal shape, pre-Inca adoration site dedicated to the God Pachacámac. Sometimes, events or musical shows take place there. You can also find a site museum that exhibits pieces found in the excavations.
Puruchuco (Quechua voice: Hat of feathers)
Located Kilometer marker 4,5. Carretera Central east of Lima. Visiting hours: Mon. – Sun. and holidays – 8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. Inca archaeological site, the Inca buildings (1440 A.D. – 1533 A.D.) are made of mud and adobe. Palace in which "caciques" (political chief of the city) or important people exercised domain over the valley of Rímac. The space is distributed along geometric lines and divided into three sectors, the most interesting being the area of patios and lookouts. During the excavation process, several mummies were recovered, characterized by being placed in a fetal position and accompanied by everyday objects. You will find an interesting site Museum.
Located at Kilometer Marker 10 Carretera Central, take the turnoff on the right hand side of the Rimac River and drive 5 Km (3 miles) lower part of the Jicamarca gorge, east of Lima, in the denominated place Huachipa. Inca archaeological complex, citadel with walled square, numerous barns or food deposits. It was built during the sixth and seventh centuries A.D., the period corresponding to the Lima culture. Its 167 hectares of mud buildings are considered the second largest among the pre-Hispanic Andean mud cities (after Chan Chan in La Libertad).
San Juan de Pariache
Located at 9.94 miles (16 Km) to the east of Lima. Inca archaeological location, of very similar construction to the archaeological center of Puruchuco. | <urn:uuid:d6098e9d-4564-4c9e-95e8-5c7c76318191> | {
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Our 5 favorite fifth grade writing worksheets
These handy worksheets will help your fifth grader perfect her prose.
By GreatSchools Staff
W.A. Spooner invented this type of mixed-up phrase, now called a "spoonerism." In this writing worksheet, your child gets practice decoding and editing spoonerisms and then writing the phrases correctly.
Skills your fifth grader will work on: letter sounds (phonemes), fluency, building vocabulary, recognizing common phrases, editing, and writing practice. | <urn:uuid:adc3fd4b-cc34-468c-9933-26b382ecb5aa> | {
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Laconian Kylix (Vase/Cup) - 560 BC
Hand-made ceramic copy of a Greek Corinthian Kylix from the Black Figure period of ancient Greek ceramic art, depicting a mythological scene. The original was made around 560 B.C. and features an unusual contemporary scene— King Arkesilas of Cyrene overseeing a group of workmen. The weighing motif suggests an Egyptian model, but the lively details and crisp decorative friezes make it a fine example of Laconian pottery.Approx. 20 cm in diameter (7.9").
*This is a hand-painted reproduction, individually signed by the artist.
Due to special handling requirements, product may require 2-4 weeks for delivery depending on availability. Express delivery available upon request.
GREEK BLACK FIGURE POTTERY
The black-figure pottery ( 'μελανόμορφα, melanomorpha ) technique is a style of ancient Greek pottery painting in which the decoration appears as black silhouettes on a red background. The pale, iron-rich clay turned a reddish-orange color when fired, and then the design was sketched in outline and filled in using refined clay as paint. Details would be added with an engraving tool, scratching through the paint layer to the clay below. Originating in Corinth during the early 7th century BC, it was introduced into Attica about a generation later. Other notable black-figure potteries existed at Sparta, Athens, and in eastern Greece. The technique flourished until being practically replaced by the more advanced red-figure pottery technique in 530 BC, although later examples do exist. | <urn:uuid:0583e24a-8673-4c84-aa38-e31f36452eaa> | {
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Two researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves at Southeast University from Nanjing, China, have discovered and prototyped a device that acts like a black hole for electromagnetic waves in the microwave spectrum. It consists of 60 concentric rings of metamaterials, a class or ordered composites that can distort light and other waves.
Qiang Cheng and Tie Jun Cui called their device “omnidirectional electromagnetic absorber”. The 60 rings of circuit board are arranged in concentric layers and coated in copper. Each of the layers is printed with alternating patterns, which resonate or don’t resonate in electromagnetic waves.
What is indeed very amazing is that their device can spiral 99% of the radiations coming from all directions inside it and convert them into heat, acting like an “electromagnetic black body” (or “hole”).
The omnidirectional electromagnetic absorber could be used in harvesting the energy that exists in form of electromagnetic waves and turn them into usable heat. Of course, turning the heat back into electricity isn’t a 100% efficient process (far from it), but directly harvesting electromagnetic waves in the classic antenna-fashion is way too inefficient compared to this black hole.
“Since the lossy core can transfer electromagnetic energies into heat energies, we expect that the proposed device could find important applications in thermal emitting and electromagnetic-wave harvesting.”
Possible uses can vary from powering your phone with the existing electromagnetic energy that surrounds it, to wireless power transmission and even powering space ships – it all depends on the wavelength that the device is tuned to.
The question that arises is: would this kind of devices have other uses than these constructive ones mentioned above?
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Join the Discussion4046 total comments so far. What's your opinion ?
Electromagnetic wave harvesting? Extremely fascinating. When one thinks about it, it makes sense. Electromagnetism is one of the more powerful forms of the universe (next to gravity and strong/weak nuclear forces). The inner sci-fi geek in me loves the idea and can only imagine what an EM device could do for humanity in the future. But of course the part of me stuck in reality is still skeptical of such technologies and what their applicable use would be. Very very cool science though!-Consumer Energy Alliance "A balanced approach towards America's energy future" | <urn:uuid:9223455a-55b0-44bb-b0c4-c351a964fb39> | {
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The big mover in the first two years is wind. Small amounts of photovoltaic solar, geothermal and biomass are also added, helping to back-up the new wind power.
The combination of wind's massive growth, assisted by other technologies and immediate efficiency gains allows the first polluting coal plants to be retired. The capacity of other coal plants, including Hazelwood and Munmorah, is halved.
Several new technologies pick up pace, including concentrating solar power (CSP).
Australia's dirtiest power station, Hazelwood, closes in early 2013 after 42 years' operation. In NSW, wind and CSP combine to replace coal plants at Liddell and Munmorah. Other plants close down or reduce output in Queensland and WA.
Renewables are now making major headway in Australia's power sector. Ocean energy makes its first appearance supplying electricity to Victoria, while geothermal and solar continue to expand faster.
South Australia becomes the first state to phase out coal-fired electricity, as geothermal and wind power combine to replace Northern power station.
Ocean energy expands in Victoria, and begins supplying significant power needs for Tasmania, WA and SA.
Large-scale solar projects in SA and north-western Victoria help build the region's energy hub that geothermal power initiated.
Continued closures and phase-outs of coal plants, including Eraring in NSW.
The widespread deployment of CSP is the main source of around-the-clock electricity that replaces the remaining 10 coal plants.
By the end of 2020, Australia has replaced all of its coal-fired power stations with renewable energy. | <urn:uuid:c3d8fd8a-232c-40fa-bab2-a4f93d39822c> | {
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No more Chernobyls
Time heals everything, doesn't it? It has been 25 years since the name Chernobyl became the infamous nuclear accident that devastated the lives of millions of people in Western Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine. 25 years on, and the nightmare for thousands of people is still frightening.
View of the destroyed no. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power station. Following the explosion the fire and radiation leaks was not brought under control till 9 days after the accident.
The Chernobyl catastrophe released one hundred times more radiation than the atom bombs dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Yet many seem to just dismiss the accident as a part of history and forget what large doses of radiation actually do to human lives. Sadly, focussing solely on the disputed statistics of Chernobyl has dehumanised what happened. The effects of Chernobyl touched millions of people and thousand still endure very visible and painful effects.
We are telling the stories of just a few of those thousands, to bring to light the reality of nuclear energy. Independent scientists and economists know that nuclear energy is the most expensive electricity source available, counting the cost of building, running and decommissioning the power stations. But an economic analysis alone cannot calculate the costs due to the damage done to our genes, the very foundation of life.
There are many other costs to take into consideration - the insurance and the cost of potential accidents, the long-term disposal of waste when no reliable solution has yet been found. Nuclear power is not a solution for climate change. The massive subsidies needed to keep the nuclear industry alive are slowing and undermine the renewable energy revolution that is the real solution to climate change.
All the above are facts about nuclear energy, however, no scientist or economist can tell you a life story of misplacement, diseases, trauma and fear. . . Only the victims can.
Take action for clean and safe renewable energy - select your country below: | <urn:uuid:78dce944-7545-4ad8-8627-c8d6aaea703d> | {
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Does this test have other names?
What is this test?
This test measures the level of iron in your blood.
Iron is an essential trace element in your blood. It helps your body make healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your bloodstream.
Having too little or too much iron can lead to health problems. Too little iron in your body can cause a condition called anemia. When this happens, your blood doesn't have enough iron to make the number of red blood cells needed to provide the amount of oxygen your body needs.
Iron-deficiency anemia is most often caused by blood loss, such as after an injury or surgery, or because of heavy menstrual bleeding.
Too much iron can be caused by hemochromatosis. This is a genetic condition that causes your blood to absorb too much iron.
Why do I need this test?
You may need this test if your doctor suspects that you have too much or too little iron in your blood. Common symptoms of anemia include:
Less common symptoms of anemia are brittle nails, restless leg syndrome, and a sore tongue.
Signs and symptoms of too much iron include liver problems, weakness, fatigue, darkening of the skin, and joint pain.
What other tests might I have along with this test?
Your doctor may also order a total iron binding capacity test to measure the level of transferrin in your blood. Transferrin is a protein that carries iron from your digestive system to the cells in your body that need it.
Your doctor may also measure your level of ferritin, another protein that helps store iron in your body. He or she may also order a complete blood count, or CBC, to get the full picture of the parts of your blood.
What do my test results mean?
Many things may affect your lab test results. These include the method each lab uses to do the test. Even if your test results are different from the normal value, you may not have a problem. To learn what the results mean for you, talk with your health care provider.
Results are given in micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL). Normal ranges of iron in the blood are 60 to 170 mcg/dL.
If your results are lower, it means you may have iron-deficiency anemia. Your doctor will confirm this with other tests.
If your results are higher, it means you may have hemochromatosis.
Too much iron in the blood can also be from taking too many iron supplements or iron-enriched multivitamins.
How is this test done?
The test requires a blood sample, which is drawn through a needle from a vein in your arm.
Does this test pose any risks?
Taking a blood sample with a needle carries risks that include bleeding, infection, bruising, or feeling dizzy. When the needle pricks your arm, you may feel a slight stinging sensation or pain. Afterward, the site may be slightly sore.
What might affect my test results?
Other factors aren't likely to affect your results.
How do I get ready for this test?
You don't need to prepare for this test. | <urn:uuid:e4b08c01-cd2e-4fb8-b5ed-2ede4e730ad8> | {
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Flora & Fauna Areas
Fr. Polynesia Flora
|Want to travel to French Polynesia?
Most travelers enter French Polynesia via the international airport in Tahiti, from which they can fly east to the Marquesas or the Tuamotus, or west to the other Society Islands such as Moorea and Bora Bora. Sailboats can be charted in the major islands (Tahiti and Raiatea) allowing access to smaller islands without airports. Cars can be rented on most of the Society Islands (Tahiti to Bora Bora). Bicycles are a good option on all but the largest islands. Hiking is a great way to get into the forests of the Marquesas.
This section highlights some of the interesting flora and fauna -- plants, animals and birds -- of the islands of French Polynesia. This includes the island groups of the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, and the Society Islands which include Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora.
Located approximately 3,500 miles from the South American continent, and about the same distance from the Australian continent, the French Polynesian islands almost define the word "isolation." After the astounding wildlife of the Galapagos, French Polynesia seemed somewhat sterile in terms of birds and land animals. The plants, however, are as varied and magnificent as those of the Eastern Caribbean, and the underwater life is bountiful and exciting.
Binoculars and camera in hand, we spend many hours exploring our environment. On board, we use several valuable reference books to terrestrial flora and fauna:
A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific by Pratt, Burner, and Berrett, 520 pages.
Seabirds: An Identification Guide by Peter Harrison is a superb guide to seabirds of the world that should be in every serious bird-watchers library.
A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics by Marco Lambertini, 338 pages.
Collins Guide to Tropical Plants by Lotschert and Beese - A Descriptive Guide to 323 Ornamental and Economic Plants.
And, less technical, but easy reading and full of anecdotes is the Lonely Planet guide to Tahiti & French Polynesia which helps put each country into perspective geologically, environmentally, and culturally.
The largest land animals are the small yellow geckos that inhabit the trees and eaves of the island homes. Large, nocturnal coconut crabs leave evidence of their existence by their 8‑12" (20‑30 cm) holes in the sand. More obvious are the hermit crabs which scuttle about on the sandy shores scavenging for food and new and better shells to inhabit. There are no dangerous land animals and no snakes in French Polynesia.
|While hiking over the top of Moorea with friends Karen and Jon, we suddenly heard Jon yelp. A 3" brown spider had launched itself onto his collar from one of the Tahitian chestnut trees. He didn't let it sit on his shoulder long enough to prove that "there are no poisonous spiders in French Polynesia."|
|While driving around Huahine (in the Society Islands) we came upon a stream in which live the islander's sacred blue‑eyed eels. We thought we would be lucky to find an eel. To our surprise, about a dozen of the 2‑3 foot brown eels emerged from behind a retaining wall to check out the bread crumbs we tossed on the water. Fresh water eels (and crabs) can be found in most of the Society Islands streams.|
BIRDS of French Polynesia
The tiny, blue-faced Zebra Dove
The bird life in French Polynesia is scant compared to the Americas, or Australia, with introduced species slowly pushing out the endemic land birds. In 1903 the aggressive Indian myna was imported to help wipe out a beetle. It has also wiped out several endemic birds by robbing their nests. The island of Maupiti (the western-most inhabited island in the Society Islands) brags more native birds than elsewhere due to the lack of mynas. In addition to the mynas a few song birds can be seen flitting from branch to branch such as the red-vented bulbul, common waxbill, chestnut-breasted mannikin, and silvereye. A very common companion along trails and roadsides was the tiny blue faced zebra dove, not endemic, but introduced from Australia to Tahiti in 1950. It is also known as the barred or peaceful dove.
More than 27 species of sea birds migrate to and from the islands, though a few do nest here. Commonly seen over the anchorages are magnificent frigate birds, the all-white fairy terns, great terns, and black and brown noddies with a distinctive white patch on the head. Other avian friends of ours from the Galapagos are the red-footed boobies and masked boobies.
For bird identification in French Polynesia we generally used two books:
Seabirds: An Identification Guide by Peter Harrison (a superb guide), and
A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific by Pratt, Burner, and Berrett.
|The wandering tattler is a commonly seen migratory shorebird, arriving in the northern winter from Alaska and NW Canada. It feeds on rocky shores by running and probing, while characteristically bobbing its tail. One took a long break from feeding to rest on the bow rail of Ocelot one afternoon in Raiatea.||The Pacific reef heron is occasionally seen standing very still on the water's edge. Similar to the Little blue heron, the Pacific reef heron has a more crouched stance and yellow-greenish legs. It is often solitary, but nests ashore in small groups on rocky ledges or trees. It occurs throughout French Polynesia.|
|Boobies and frigate birds soar and circle above the
sea in the late afternoon. This shot was taken on the day we left Maupiti
to sail to the Kingdom of Tonga.
We occasionally saw sea birds hundreds of miles from land. Most were petrels or shearwaters. They are very difficult to positively identify while on the wing, at sea.
|A red-footed boobie rests on the ocean between acrobatic flights and dives to capture a meal just outside the reef in Bora Bora. Despite their name which implies a clown-like appearance and demeanor, we find the boobies to be graceful and strikingly beautiful with their blue faces, clearly delineated feather colors, and bright red feet. Also common in the islands are the brown boobies with their brown heads, back and wings, and white breast. They, too, have light blue on their bills, but less than the red-footed boobies.|
Top Level: Home | Destinations | Cruising Info | Underwater | Boat Guests | Ocelot | Sue | Jon | Amanda | Chris | Site Map | Make a Comment
|This site is
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Niagara Falls Events Schedule
Niagara Falls Illumination Schedule
Each night, 365 days a year Niagara Falls are bathed in a rainbow of colours. During summer months the Falls are lit up from 9pm to midnight. Start time varies throughout the year, but begin at nightfall.
Fireworks over the Falls
Witness as spectacular firework displays light up the night sky over Niagara Falls! Enjoy the show every Friday, and Sunday from May 15 to October 9 at 10pm!
Special Holiday displays:
- May 18, 25
- July 1, 4
- August 3
New this summer, experience the excitement three times a week! Fridays, Sundays and Wednesdays in July and August at 10pm!
- July 1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31
- August 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 28, 30
All Firework display times and dates are subject to change and dependent on weather and wind conditions.
Niagara Falls Facts
- The word "Niagara" was derived from the Iroquois Indian word "Onguiaahra" meaning "the strait"
- Niagara Falls is 12, 000 years old
- Niagara Falls are the second largest falls in the world next to Victoria Falls in South Africa. What makes Niagara Falls spectacular is the combination of volume and height.
- 2800 cubic meters of water flows over the edge of the Falls per second during the summer peak, and falls at a speed of 65 km/hr.
- The sound of the Falls has been described as thunder, and is caused by air bubbles breaking as they are slammed up and out of the water.
- The plunge pool beneath the falls is 35m(100 feet) deep.
- It is estimated that Niagara Falls erodes at the rate of 1foot per year.
- The Niagara generating stations supply one quarter of all power used in New York State and Ontario.
- All the water flows from 4 Great Lakes (Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie) north through the Niagara River into Lake Ontario and through the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean.
- As one of the seven natural wonders of the world, Niagara Falls attracts more than 12 million visitors a year.
Effective June 1, 2009 all citizens of Canada, United States and Mexico will require a passport or approved document including an enhanced driver's licence or enhanced Identification Card to travel through North America by land or air. Children 15 years of age and under must present a valid passport for air travel however are only required to present proof of citizenship when entering the country by land or water.
This change in the required documents is the result of the 9/11 commission recommendations under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).
For more information, please visit www.travel.state.gov, http://www.getyouhome.gov/ or cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/media/release-communique/2007/0212toronto-eng.html.
The Government of Canada has announced the intention of eliminating the Goods and Service Tax Rebate, and announced the introduction of the Foreign Convention and Tour Incentive program.
As of March 31, 2007 visitors to Canada who purchase goods and export them, will no longer be entitled to a rebate of the GST paid.
The Foreign Convention and Tour Incentive program offers rebate to certain property and services used in the course of holding a foreign convention in Canada.
For more information on the Visitor Rebate Program or Foreign Convention/Tour, visit www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/nonresidents/visitors/menu-e.html.
You can also phone:
- From within Canada, call toll-free at 1 800 668-4748
- From outside Canada, call (902) 432-5608 (long distance charges will apply).
While the hotels will accept both Canadian and American currency, the best method of payment when using US dollars is by credit card as the exchange is handled by the credit card company and based on the exchange rate of the day.
Please be aware that exchange rates may vary within the Tourist district when paying by cash with American currency.
The Legal age for gambling and drinking in Ontario is 19 years old. | <urn:uuid:e570b681-b6b1-4660-9e9d-3d8fdef2980b> | {
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Health Services: Gardasil for Men
Gardisil is the vaccination that prevents infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16, and 18 which cause approximately 70% of cervical cancer in women and 90% of genital warts.
Why should men consider Gardasil?
Boys and young men age 11-26 should be vaccinated against human papillomavirus, or HPV, to protect against anal and throat cancers that can result from sexual activity The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Academy of Pediatrics recommended young men receive the series of 3 Gardisil vaccines. Men who are protected against HPV are less likely to pass the infection to their sex partner(s). Men who have receptive anal sex could benefit from Gardasil because the vaccine is shown to be 78% effective in preventing anal intraepithelial neoplasia, a precursor to anal cancer.
Why should men be concerned about HPV?
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the U.S. and is spread by skin-to-skin contact and with vaginal or anal sex. Researchers believe that most sexually active people have HPV at some point in their lives. There is no treatment for HPV infection and most infections don’t cause any symptoms, but the conditions it causes can be treated. In men and women, HPV can cause genital warts that look like painless, fleshy skin growths. They may be small and hard to see. Women who are infected with some types of HPV are at increased risk for cervical cancer. Men and women who have receptive anal sex may be at increased risk for anal cancer associated with HPV.
Some facts for men and women about the Gardasil vaccine:
- Gardasil vaccine is given in three doses 2 and 6 months after the first dose and three doses are required for protection.
- Gardasil is not a substitute for regular exams by your health care provider.
- Gardasil helps prevent genital warts but will not treat them.
- Gardasil will not prevent the transmission of other sexually transmitted infections.
- Gardasil does not protect against HPV types not included in the vaccine.
- Gardasil will not protect against HPV types which you may have been exposed to previously.
- You may benefit from Gardasil if you already have HPV. This is because most people are not infected with all four types of HPV in the vaccine.
- The most common side effects of Gardasil are: pain, swelling, itching, and redness at the injection site, and fever.
How much does the vaccine cost?
The vaccine is available at Student Health Services at our cost of $150/dose. Many insurance companies cover the cost of the vaccination, including the Haverford College Student Health Insurance. You may want to call your insurance company to find if this vaccine is covered. If you are interested in getting the vaccine please call Student Health Services to schedule an appointment.
You should always speak with your healthcare provider before trying the vaccine or any other drug. The staff at Student Health Services can answer your questions and make you aware of all the potential side effects before you make a decision to get the vaccine. You can also be screened and treated for other common sexually transmitted infections at Student Health Services. More information about HPV and other sexually transmitted infections is available from the CDC. | <urn:uuid:e5db9ca5-4727-4495-b519-49045b74c762> | {
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Ирвинг против Липштадт
Holocaust Denial on Trial, Trial Judgment: Electronic Edition, by Charles GrayTable of Contents
6.60 Whilst it would not be right to say that there is no issue between the parties in relation to the existence of a policy of deporting Jews eastwards, the differences in the parties' respective case appear to me to be comparatively unimportant. The topic can therefore be taken quite shortly.
6.61 According to Longerich, the Nazi policy towards the Jews evolved over the years. In the 1920s and 30s various legal and economic sanctions were applied to Jews in Germany with a view to compelling them to emigrate. Longerich draws attention to various statements made by Hilter at this time which foreshadow a more radical solution to the Jewish question. Towards the end of the 1930s pressure for the emigration and even expulsion of the Jews intensified. The term Endlosung (final solution) came into use, carrying with it the implication that all Jews would be removed from Nazi Germany.
6.62 Hitler's attitude at this time is reflected in an entry in Goebbels's diary for 24 August 1938:
"We discuss the Jewish question. The Fuhrer approves my procedures in Berlin. What the foreign press writes is insignificant. The main thing is that the Jews be pushed out. In 10 years they must be removed from Germany. But in the interim we still want to keep the Jews here as pawns".
6.63 From the outbreak of war in September 1939 the policy towards the European Jews in those countries invaded by the Nazis was to find for them a "territorial solution", that is, to find an area at the periphery of the Nazi empire to which the Jews might be deported and where they might very well perish. At this stage, Longerich agrees, the policy was not a homicidal one, although he adds the rider that there already existed what he called the "perspective" of mass murder. His argument is that this is discernible from the comments made at the time which suggest that it was recognised that it was unlikely that the Jews would survive for long after their deportastion. They would perish through disease or starvation.
6.64 It is the Defendants' case, largely although not entirely accepted by Irving, that the hard-line policy towards the Jews manifested itself when the Nazis invaded and conquered Poland in September 1939. There were two aspects: the first was the establishment of a reservation in Poland between the Vistula and the Bug into which all Jews under Nazi domination would be deported. The second was a programme to execute selected Jews in Poland as a means among others of rendering the country leaderless and destroying it a nation. According to Longerich, the first aspect commenced with the deportation from about the autumn of 1941 of Jews from the Central Europe into the ghettoes in Eastern Europe. The intention was to deport them further east later, probably in the spring of 1942, when they would perish.
6.65 On 18 September Himmler wrote to the Gauleiter in Warthegau, Greiser, informing him:Himmler forewarned Greiser of the arrival of Jewish transports from the Reich. Hitler appears therefore to have initiated the programme of deportation some time before mid-September 1941.
"The Fuhrer wishes that the Old Reich and the Protectorate be emptied and freed of Jews from west to east as quickly as possible. I am therefore striving to transport the Jews of the Altreich and the Protektorat in the Eastern territories that became part of the Reich two years ago. It is desirable that this be accomplished by the end of this year, as a first and initial step in deporting them even further to the East next spring.
I intend to remove a full 60,000 Jews of the Altreich and the Protektorat to the Litzmannstadt ghetto for the winter. This has, I have heard, the space to accommodate them".
6.66 The deportations, which were initially to ghettoes in Lodz, Rikga and Misk, began in early to mid-October 1941. Although six trainloads of Jews were summarily executed on their arrival at Kovno and in Riga, Longerich agreed that the policy at this time in relation to European Jews was to deport them and not to kill them or at least not to kill them on the spot. The Defendants say that vast numbers of Jews were deported from the Altreich, the Protektorat, Austria, France, Slovakia, Croatia and Romania to the East. Many of these European Jews may have been led to believe that they were going to a new life in the East. That explains why they travelled with food and in some cases with the tools of their trade (although Longerich points out that the food was provided by the Jewish Commission and not by the Nazis). Irving put it to Browning (and Browning accepted) that the extant records relating to deportations, consisting mainly of transport documents, are incomplete. In consequence, suggested Irving, the estimates of the numbers deported vary enormously. Irving maintains that the scale of the intended deportation was nowhere near as comprehensive as the Defendants maintain. In France for example estimates of the number of deportees range from 25,000 to 200,000. (Browning asserted that the consensus now is 75,000 French Jews were deported).
6.67 Irving recognised the emergence of a policy of wholesale deportation of European Jews. He accepted that Hitler was an advocate of this policy. Indeed Irving's case is that the deportation of the Jews continued to be Hitler's preferred solution to the Jewish question until 1942. The so-called "Magagascar plan", whereby the Jews were to be deported from the Reich to the island off the east coast of Africa, was not abandoned until then. Thereafter it is Irving's case that Hitler wanted the entire Jewish question put off until after the end of the war (see section V(ix) above under the heading "The Schlegelberger note"). Whether or not Irving is right about that, he firmly rejected the contention for the Defendants that the evidence shows that there was to the knowledge of Hitler a genocidal implication underlying the policy of deportation. | <urn:uuid:95527f3a-49de-4b29-b0f3-57c29636ce37> | {
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Charter of Rights for people who experience mental health issues
The Charter of Rights is for all people who experience mental illness or mental health problems, no matter who they are, regardless of their age, their gender identity, their sexual orientation, their religion, their culture, what language they speak, what their diagnosis is, what their level of ability is and whether they are rich or poor.
ACT Charter of Rights
This Charter of Rights states how people who experience mental illness or mental health problems can expect to be treated by people who care for and work with them.
It sets out those rights that explicitly support people to be free from discrimination and to access high quality health and social care services.
This Charter will help everyone better understand their rights and safeguard them in the ACT.
People who experience mental illness or mental health problems have the same rights as everyone.
|Download:||ACT Charter of Rights for people who experience mental health issues (PDF File - 290k)|
Charter of Rights Community feedback report (PDF File - 538k)
Charter of Rights Pamphlet (PDF File - 540k)
Charter of Rights poster (PDF File - 1267k)
People who can help me (PDF File - 381k)
Related Legislation,Charters,Standards and Rights Based documents (PDF File - 216k)
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Gastroenterology Specialist, Dr. Sidney Smith explains the difference between GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) and heartburn.
Read the full transcript »
What is the difference between GERD and heartburn? Dr. Sidney Smith: It really is it varies depending upon the person, I think GERD is the medical terminology that we used to describe gastro reflux disease and I have of folks coming in complaining of GERD and I think it’s always important to test how exactly what they mean by GERD. Some folks have reflux which they feel of sensation of liquid coming back up in the esophagus, other folks have classic heartburn which is usually describe as a burning sensation behind the breast bone. So, it varies from person to person but again GERD is the blanket term that we use to describe reflux disease but again there is a quite a bit of variation within that condition. | <urn:uuid:0ee8763c-2b6b-4ee4-be29-f47abf928536> | {
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PROGRAM PRIORITY: WOMEN'S HEALTH
In many parts of the world, women’s health is neglected in research, budget, and policy priorities. Among the most critical areas is maternal mortality. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 500,000 women die in pregnancy and childbirth each year. Millions more suffer lasting injuries or disability. Maternal mortality is the leading cause of early death and disability among women of reproductive age in many developing countries; often, women die because technology that has been available for decades is not present when they are pregnant and when they give birth. The World Bank reports that there is no single cause of death for men that comes close to the scale of maternal mortality.
A myriad of reasons exist for this, one of which is the failure to fulfill women’s right to health information, education, and services. Women are often unable to exert control over their own reproductive health in part because they are uninformed about available services as well as the health risks and benefits of procedures or practices. In other cases, the infrastructure and training to deliver essential maternal care have not been developed, and few mechanisms exist to make it easier for women in rural or poor areas to access essential care. Often, the lack of community-based data means that the number of maternal deaths and disabilities is not accurately measured.
HEALTHRIGHT INTERNATIONAL’S RESPONSE:
Saving lives through education, information, and health system capacity
HealthRight International is committed to lowering maternal and infant mortality rates, expanding access to health care for women, providing education and services addressing reproductive health, and empowering women to advocate for appropriate health services for themselves and their communities. HealthRight programs work to build lasting access to health for women through a comprehensive set of approaches, including:
- Building and improving health system infrastructure, such as maternity wards and systems for gathering data
- Building provider capacity – at facilities and in the community – to provide quality maternal and reproductive health care
- Disseminating accurate and comprehensive information on healthy practices as well as services available for women’s health, and empowering women to make decisions to promote their and their family’s health
- Raising community awareness about women’s health needs and challenges, engaging women, men, and community leaders ranging from government officials to village chief
SUCCESSES AND RECENT INITIATIVES
In Kosovo, HealthRight developed a model for and constructed Women’s Wellness Centers, providing women with access to a continuum of reproductive health services and counseling under one roof. Since 2005, the Centers – now owned and operated by the Kosovo Ministry of Health – have provided services to tens of thousands of women in Kosovo.
In the Northern Rift Valley of Kenya, HealthRight’s Partnership for Maternal and Neonatal Health, working in collaboration with the local Ministry of Health staff, has taken a multi-pronged approach to improving women’s access to maternal health care, including renovating facilities for delivery and emergency obstetric care, developing mobile clinics to reach isolated communities, and training hundreds of health providers and community members.
In Russia, Ukraine, and most recently in Viet Nam, HealthRight’s MAMA+ Project is a comprehensive model for ensuring access to information, services, and support for HIV-positive pregnant women and mothers, and empowering them to care for their children in the family environment. The model takes a client-centered approach to treating and caring for those living with HIV. Since 2005, the MAMA+ Project has provided a continuum of services to hundreds of women, their children, and other family members.
In Nepal, HealthRight has partnered with local organizations serving women and girls who are survivors of trafficking and gender-based violence. HealthRight established health clinics at six locally-run shelters across Nepal, providing access to quality on-site health services and counseling to thousands of shelter residents and community members. | <urn:uuid:fbb4cdf6-0bf4-4dfe-a9cd-790a610d95f9> | {
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Is World War II Bringing the Same Result?
On the night of September 1, 1939, Hitler sent his legions thundering over the Polish border. Two years later, with virtually all of Europe engulfed, the war spread to the Pacific as well. As before, our allies found increasing need for the products of our farms, forests, and factories, our mills and mines. As a result, the United States entered upon the greatest era of prosperity it has ever known. And farmers shared fully in it as agricultural prices soared to record levels and production rose by leaps and bounds. Let us see exactly what the war has done.
Great Britain, cut off from the food resources of Continental Europe, turned to us as in 1914–18 for more and more of her food imports. The Soviet Union, some of its fertile cropland, such as the Ukraine, occupied by the Nazis for almost three years, sought food from us to help sustain the Red armies and to eke out the scanty diet of its civilian population. We shipped huge amounts under lend-lease-2,144 million dollars’ worth of food to Great Britain and 915 million dollars’ worth to the Soviets in the period from March 11, 1941, to June 30, 1944. There is a basic distinction, however, between the foods sought by our Allies in 1914–18 and in the present war. In the last war, there was a demand for bulky foods. In this war; there has been emphasis on prepared foods (dehydrated eggs, canned fish, and the like) and on processed meats.
The slogan in this war has been “Food Is a Weapon of War—As Important as Guns and Ammunition!” In response American farmers have planted more acreage, especially to high-nutrient crops like soybeans and peanuts, raised more livestock, particularly hogs, and produced more dairy products—cheese, butter, and eggs needed by our allies. Despite a shortage of labor and machinery, but with the help of very favorable weather, 1942 agricultural production, including crops, livestock, and livestock products, rose 24 per cent and 1943 production 29 per cent above that of the average years 1935–39.
What Will Follow This War —Boom or Depression?
Will the present high prices and extraordinary demands for farm products continue after the war or will the balloon burst swiftly, as it did in 1920?
What do the experts think?
It is generally agreed that the two main requirements for a. healthy agriculture in the United States are: (1) full employment and high national income to provide people with the money to buy the bulk of our farm output at prices profitable to the producer and (2) a large volume of foreign trade—both imports and exports—which would take care of agricultural surpluses. The first without the second will not bring farm prosperity.
Thus, a United States Department of Agriculture report on “The Farmer and War,” issued in January 1944, says that “if improved farm returns are to continue after the war, ways will have to be found to keep industry producing for our needs in times of peace somewhat comparable to the way we produce ... in time of war, so that consumers of farm products retain their employment and can earn enough to buy the food and other things they need and want.”. This report urges a freer international trade and suggests that the United States buy enough foreign goods to permit other countries to obtain the exchange—the dollars—needed to purchase our agricultural products.
Marion Clawson, an economist of the United States Department of Agriculture, writing in the Antioch Review in the summer of 1944, says that after the war our capacity to produce farm commodities will be greatly increased. Farms will be more mechanized. Land now used to grow feed for work horses and mules will be released for the production of human food. Better methods of cultivation and plant breeding will increase the yields from the same acreage and often from the same amount of labor.
Will Acreage in Cultivation Decline?
After every war plans have been made for settling veterans on the land. Frequently, and especially after World War I, these plans fell short of success. This time, it is urged, we ought not to make the same mistakes. As Dr. Raphael Zon, an eminent student of land-use problems, says, “There should be no helter-skelter settlement in remote regions away from existing social and recreational facilities. New land settlement should not be developed simply as a haven of refuge for the unemployed. . . Such settlements should be located on good land that has not been inflated in value, and the individual farms should be of sufficient size to provide a reasonably good income.”
It may be, as some students of the land problem declare, that farm acreage will have to be reduced after the war in order not to flood the market with surplus farm products. In the crop year 1944, some 354 million acres were in crops. Dr. Bushrod Allin of the United States Department of Agriculture estimates that after the war, if the national income stays at 150 billion dollars per year, overseas demand for American produce is sharply curtailed from wartime levels, and better farming methods and increased mechanization bring greater yields, 327 million crop acres will be sufficient to supply our own population.
Such a reduction would be difficult and painful. It would mean that thousands of farmers, especially those on poor land, would have to seek other ways of making a living, and some acreage now in crops would have to be put in pasture or allowed to revert to forest.
On the other hand, some students believe that, in order to meet the nutritional needs of all our people, considerable areas must be added to our present cropland, and that such acreage is still available. An expansion can be justified, however, only if the demand for agricultural products increases, and if people who cannot now afford proper diets have enough, income to buy more adequate food.
Whatever happens, it is clear that opportunities for new farmers after the war will depend in some measure on expansion of acreage in cultivation. If there is an actual over-all reduction, not many new farmers will be needed.
Regardless of the general situation, a certain number of developed farms will be offered for sale or rent each year. There are a good many over-age farmers on the farms of the United States at the present time. Many of them have done pretty well financially during the past few years and probably will want to retire soon after the war. If they do, they will make room for a good many young farmers. Judging by the record of the last five prewar years and other factors, it is estimated that from 250,000 to 350,000 good family-size farms may come on the market in the first five years after the war.
Also, desirable farms of various sizes will become available if and when new lands are developed. Their volume and location will depend on what kind of public work programs are undertaken, on the general condition of agriculture, and on the demand for additional farms. Some private capital, of course, will be forthcoming for these land developments. | <urn:uuid:53ed70ab-cc3c-4ff8-bcda-ee4e38e9d9e7> | {
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On this day in 1944, French General Jacques Leclerc enters the free French capital triumphantly. Pockets of German intransigence remained, but Paris was free from German control.
Two days earlier, a French armored division had begun advancing on the capital. Members of the Resistance, now called the French Forces of the Interior, proceeded to free all French civilian prisoners in Paris. The Germans were still counterattacking, setting fire to the Grand Palais, which had been taken over by the Resistance, and killing small groups of Resistance fighters as they encountered them in the city. On August 24, another French armored division entered Paris from the south, receiving an effusion of gratitude from French civilians who poured into the streets to greet their heroes—but still, the Germans continued to fire on French fighters from behind barricades, often catching civilians in the crossfire.
But on August 25, after Gen. Dwight Eisenhower was assured by Gen. Charles de Gaulle, leader of the French Resistant forces, that Allied troops could now virtually sweep into Paris unopposed, Ike ordered Gen. Jacques Philippe Leclerc (a pseudonym he assumed to protect his family while under German occupation; his given name was Philippe-Marie, Vicomte De Hauteclocque) to enter the capital with his 2nd Armored Division. The remnants of German snipers were rendered impotent, and many German soldiers were led off as captives. In fact, the animus toward the Germans was so great that even those who had surrendered were attacked, some even machine-gunned, as they were being led off to captivity.
More than 500 Resistance fighters died in the struggle for Paris, as well as 127 civilians. Once the city was free from German rule, French collaborators were often killed upon capture, without trial. | <urn:uuid:dfbf4599-75cc-44aa-9820-6a8a333e2c3d> | {
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Editorial: Home Non-Energy - Preparing Homes for Future Blackouts
We all have stories about losing power in our home for several hours—or days—and many people suspect that power interruptions are becoming more frequent. They may be right; unfortunately, the utility data are so sketchy that nobody can say for certain. But declining investment in maintenance on the part of utilities, plus the increased frequency of extreme weather caused by climate change, are almost certain to keep the blackouts coming.
One response is to buy a home generator. That’s understandable, and it’s justified for homes with critical needs. After Hurricane Sandy, generator sales are booming. But on-site generators are expensive, dangerous, and dirty. They are also unreliable, which consumers discover only when they actually need one. That’s the supply-side solution; but it’s also worth considering how greater energy efficiency might play a role in dealing with the problem of blackouts.
Insulating a home beyond code makes it more blackout survivable. Power outages have an unfortunate habit of happening when it’s hot, cold, or unpleasant outside; indeed, extreme weather is often the cause of the outage. So a reasonable precaution is to enable the home to maintain habitable conditions for as long as possible without heating or cooling. That is best accomplished with more insulation and tighter construction. Installing windows that ensure natural ventilation (without compromising the home’s security) also makes the home more livable during both extreme and normal conditions. Building codes typically require insulation levels suitable for average weather, not for the exceptional cold snap or heat storm. Also, building codes assume that the heating and cooling systems are functioning. That’s not the case when the power is out.
Modest thermal upgrades may be all that is needed to carry a home through a second night without power (and avoid spending a night in a motel or shelter). These upgrades may also prevent the pipes from freezing for a few critical hours. A superefficient refrigerator will prevent food from spoiling for a few more hours, too. Unlike generators, these measures provide benefits all the time, not just during emergencies.
Maintaining operation of sump pumps is key to preventing irreversible damage in low-lying homes during a wet power outage. Many people buy generators first and foremost to power their sump pumps. An especially efficient sump pump makes sense, because it can run longer off a battery, perhaps avoiding the need for a generator altogether. Adding a DC power option—and linking that to a PV unit—would make a home even more self-reliant.
It’s also essential to maintain emergency lighting and communications during a power outage. Rapid progress in LED lighting technologies now allows a superefficient primary lighting system to also function as a backup, possibly with an alternative DC supply. Communications are more challenging. During Hurricane Sandy, subscribers to Verizon’s FiOS network found that their Internet and telephone systems quickly died because the backup batteries failed before the promised eight hours. Network equipment could be designed to switch into more energy-saving modes (mostly by operating at lower rates of data transfer) during blackouts to extend battery life. These modes could also save energy during normal conditions.
Can these upgrades be sold? Yes, if they are packaged as a new category of home performance based on resistance to extreme weather events and extended power interruptions. The package would include both supply- and demand-side measures. It would be selling peace of mind and security rather than payback time. (People use different parts of their brain for those kinds of decisions.) And even if there is no emergency, these homes will be saving more energy 99.9% of the time.
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January 09, 2008
Global warming is a hot topic in today’s news. People are seeking ways to save energy and protect the environment. Reducing household energy consumption is one effective way to slow the trend toward global warming. Utilities have successfully implemented demand response programs for commercial and industrial consumers. Now more and more energy companies, such as San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and Burbank Power and Water (BPW), are switching residential consumers’ old mechanical meters to new smart digital meters, in order to implement demand response programs in the residential sector (see “Developing Affordable Smart Thermostats,” p. 16). These smart meters connect the utility to the home over a network. They can help consumers monitor and control their energy consumption, and help utilities decrease peak demand, reducing the need to use or build more inefficient and dirty power plants that come online only to meet peak loads.
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The previous post discussed why Kalawao County, Hawaii may not really be the smallest county in the United States because it is not actually a county except in name only. The next two smallest by area, New York County in New York and Bristol County in Rhode Island are similarly problematic.
If you are to believe no less of an authority than the beverage company Snapple and their Real Fact #146, you might consider what they’ve published on the inside of countless ice tea lids: “The smallest county in America is New York County, better known as Manhattan.” This is flat-out wrong. If New York County is to be considered a functional entity then so does Kalawao County, which is clearly smaller. At 22.96 square miles, New York County is indeed small. But it’s not the smallest.
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New York County is roughly analogous to Manhattan along with Roosevelt Island plus some outlying spots. It is part of a 1898 city-county consolidation that created a unified New York City with its five famous boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. It is sometimes described as a sui generis arrangement (“one that is of its own kind”) as it is truly a unique creation. New York County is governed by the New York City Charter. The 1898 consolidation did create the office of Borough President which until recently had a meaningful influence on city budgets and land use. However this was declared unconstitutional by a 1989 United States Supreme Court case, Board of Estimate of City of New York v. Morris
. Basically it was held to violated the “one man, one vote” doctrine due to population differences between the boroughs. Today the Borough President serves in a largely powerless advocacy position. Therefore it can be logically concluded that New York County is a non-governing entity within greater New York City. Manhattan is no doubt one of the most meaningful and influential places on the planet but New York County has been transformed into a county without stature.
View Larger Map
So now we’re forced to move on to the next larger county in an attempt to determine whether it might be the right candidate or whether it’s just another plot of land masquerading as a county. This is Bristol County, Rhode Island
with a landmass of 24.68 miles. It is a pretty clear-cut case. Rhode Island disestablished its county structure as confirmed both by the Office of the Secretary of State of Rhode Island
and the National Association of Counties
. Rather it has 39 self-governing municipalities. The county structure still exists for purposes of the census, which recorded about 50,000 residents for Bristol County in the most recent count, but otherwise it’s a historical artifact and simply a geographic designation. Three self-governing towns fill the borders of what was once Bristol County: Barrington
; and the Town of Bristol
. By definition it is a meaningless county.The three smallest and most likely possibilities have been examined and yet there still isn’t a definitive choice for what might actually be the “smallest county in the United States.”
Other Posts in this Series: | <urn:uuid:e4265c68-83cf-4e68-8363-18d8f8040fae> | {
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By Imraan Baccus
(HN, November 29, 2011) - As Durban welcomes the world for the COP 17 meeting, the air is filled with some of the excitement that we all felt during the World Cup last year.
But the debates around environmentalism and the need to take serious action against climate change are often tending to the superficial. There is a lot of self-righteousness and Hallmark style sentimentality around, when what we need is a clear look at the realities of the situation.
Climate change is a reality and for a low-lying country like Bangladesh, it could be a very serious problem. There is no doubt that serious action needs to be taken and that it needs to be taken quickly. But when the debate slips, as it often does, into a sort of 'We are the World' sentimentality it forgets some essential facts. One of these facts is that it is North America and Western Europe that have caused this problem. They industrialised first and they became rich countries.
Here in Durban this morning, a debate around the North, civil society and who should be paying for clean energy alternatives emerged in a civil society discussion. What is clear is that the current crisis was caused by the North's industrialisation over the last two hundred years and they are therefore the ones with the moral responsibility to sort it out. They are also the ones with the resources to be able to afford clean alternatives to fossil fuels. When it is suggested that we must all sacrifice in the fight against climate change there is a slippage into the assumption that we are all equally responsible when that is clearly not the case. We are not all equally responsible and the industrialised North needs to pay climate reparations along with reparations for colonialism and slavery.
When green technologies and energy sources are more expensive, countries in the global South must not be forced to use them. Venezuela has a right to use its oil to meet the needs of its people. The rich countries in the North can afford to shift to clean energy and if it is necessary for the global South to follow suit, then this must be subsidised by the North. Some governments in Latin America have made this point very strongly and the logic of their argument is clear. But countries in the South cannot allow themselves to be bullied into shifting towards technologies that they cannot afford when the masses of their people remain in poverty.
There is also a longstanding colonial tendency to assume that modern civilisation rightly belongs in the white West but should not corrupt the rest of the world. This romantic nonsense is just a ploy to keep the people in the global South in their place, and their countries attractive playgrounds for the global elite. All countries have the same right to modernise and to meet their people's needs.
When environmentalists in the global South echo this colonial language that says that the natives are best left to their traditional ways they are often feted in the North. The Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva is a good example of this. But we should not forget that many progressive Indian academics and activists are extremely critical of her romantic anti-modernism, which they see as being deeply complicit with colonial ideas about the noble savage. Marxists, who are committed to modern forms of economic development, are often appalled by her ideas.
The fact that China and India are now rapidly industrialising is sending all kinds of shock waves through the West, which is rapidly losing its position of dominance over the rest of the world. When the language of environmentalism is used in the North to question the rapid advance of India and China it often masks a desire to reserve industrialisation, and the economic power it brings, to the West.
But the discomfort that many of us feel with the green agenda on the global scale is also replicated at home.
Many black South Africans are deeply suspicious of the green agenda and there is good reason for this. Conservation was historically used to evict Africans from their land and the practise of evicting people in the name of 'eco-tourism' has continued after apartheid. So called 'eco-estates', in rural areas and in cities', are very often nothing other than zones in which the more extreme edge of white privilege uses a green language to make its exclusionary privilege seem like some sort of ethical commitment.
It's not unusual for middle class environmentalists that want to get rid of unsightly pollution, rubbish dumps or industrialisation in their areas to also want to get rid of poor African people from these areas. There is often a clear connection between environmentalism and racism in South Africa and its quite unusual for the green agenda to take questions of social justice seriously. In fact its quite clear that for many white people, and some wealthy black people too, the language of environmentalism is attractive because its gives its users the appearance of holding the ethical high ground without them having to question their own privilege with regard to other South Africans – most of whom are black and poor.
Of course there are some real attempts to link environmental questions to social questions. Here in Durban the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance and the work of people like Des D'sa and Bobby Peek is deservedly famous. The struggle against pollution in South Durban is a struggle lead by working class black people and it demands a clean environment for the people of Wentworth, Merebank and the Bluff. It does not see poor or working class black people as 'pollution', which is often a key assumption in much white environmentalism and much middle class black environmentalism.
If the green agenda is to have a future in South Africa it must face up to the historical responsibility of the North when it comes to climate change and it must find ways to, as has been done in South Durban, link environmental questions to social questions. In Latin America mass movements have been built that successfully link environmental questions to social questions but there in South Africa it remains a field that is dominated by white and middle class interests and often carries a deep hostility to poor black people.
Buccus is Research Fellow in the School of Politics and at the Democracy Development Programme. The views expressed are his own and should not be attributed to any of his institutional affiliations. This commentary first appeared on the website of the South African Civil Society Information Service (SACSIS). | <urn:uuid:7da0d3c6-7646-4ad4-bcf2-005eb81775e0> | {
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Hydroponics is the method of growing plants sans soil under controlled environment. Starting a hydroponic garden is not hard, as long as you plan and prepare for the task. A few weeks before planting, you need to decide what you want to grow with your system and accordingly you have to prepare seedlings for your hydroponic growing. Moreover, you have to decide how many plants you want to grow and estimate the size of the area according to your needs. To set your own garden, you need pump, garden watering system, and 100 to 150 liter drum to house the nutrient solution.
To start your garden, you need to take out the seedlings from their respective pots and wash them carefully to remove the soil from roots. Next, place your clean seedlings in the growing medium such as perlite, rockwool, coir clay balls, or NFT channeling. Prepare a hydroponic solution of nutrients and water by maintaining pH level between 5.5 and 6. Maintain the grow room temperature between 75 to 80 degree F. Always try to place your plants somewhere they can get sufficient amount of light and air, otherwise it is essential to supply plenty of artificial lights.
You need to create an ideal environment for your hydroponic plants by maintaining the humidity level properly. The ideal humidity for a normal hydroponic plant should be around 50 percent. You need to keep the pests away from your hydroponic plants with the help of hydroponic gardening supplies to get a healthy garden. Hydroponic gardening supplies are mostly pest free and therefore there is no need to use any chemical pesticides. The growth rate on a hydroponic plant is 30 to 50 percent faster than a soil plant, grown under the same conditions. Hydroponic crops are fed with all essential nutrients required for growth without exposing them to harmful toxins, pesticides, and pathogens. | <urn:uuid:ebc6b6a0-61ec-47f3-b94b-aa334becf368> | {
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'Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.' The prophetic words of Galadriel, addressed to Frodo as he prepared to travel from Lothlorien to Mordor to destroy the One Ring, are just as pertinent to J R R Tolkien's own fiction. For decades, hobbits and the other fantastical creatures of Middle-earth have captured the imaginations of a fiercely loyal tribe of readers, all enhanced by the immense success of Peter Jackson's films: first "The Lord of the Rings", and now his new "The Hobbit". But for all Tolkien's global fame and the familiarity of modern culture with Gandalf, Bilbo, Frodo and Sam, the sources of the great mythmaker's own myth-making have been neglected. Mark Atherton here explores the chief influences on Tolkien's work: his boyhood in the West Midlands; the landscapes and seascapes which shaped his mythologies; his experiences in World War I; his interest in Scandinavian myth; his friendships, especially with the other Oxford-based Inklings; and the relevance of his themes, especially ecological themes, to the present-day.
"There and Back Again" offers a unique guide to the varied inspirations behind Tolkien's life and work, and sheds new light on how a legend is born.
‘Generations of readers have responded to the power, precision, and delicacy of J R R Tolkien’s linguistic imagination. This absorbing new study of The Hobbit brings a philologist’s eye to that work’s creation, structure, and expression, positioning it within the broader development of Tolkien’s professional thinking about the evolving mythography of his creative writings.’
– Vincent Gillespie, J R R Tolkien Professor of English Literature and Language, University of Oxford
‘Mark Atherton is that ideal combination: a reader and critic deeply appreciative of Tolkien’s literary artistry, his imaginative scope and his linguistic invention, who is also, like Tolkien himself, a distinguished scholar of medieval language and literature. In this highly readable and accessible study, Atherton brings his own scholarship to bear on Tolkien’s sources for The Hobbit, and in the process illuminates the whole of Tolkien’s remarkable oeuvre. Essential reading for all Tolkien fans.’
– Heather O’Donoghue, Vigfusson Rausing Reader in Ancient Icelandic Literature and Antiquities, University of Oxford
‘Mark Atherton’s treatment of one of the most famous books of the twentieth century is timely and welcome. In this detailed exploration, he provides the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the many origins, influences and inspirations – biographical, historical, geographical and literary – that, combined with a unique imagination, resulted in the crafting of a new mythology.’
– Brian Sibley, author of The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy and of Peter Jackson: A Film-maker’s Journey
We caught up with Mark Atherton to talk about his new book. Read the interview here.
To read more about Mark Atherton's work on JRR Tolkien, visit his blog.
Publisher: I.B.Tauris & Co LtdHardback
Publication Date: 01 Sep 2012
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Book Authors: Warren G. Bennis, Robert J. Thomas
Book Review by : Anil Kumar Kartham
Faculty Associate, ICMR (IBS Center for Management Research)
DLeadership, cross-generational leadership, wisdom, skill, Era, Changing the world, organization, how people become leaders, Crucible, Individual factors, IQ, self-grooming, Adaptive capacity, leadership competencies
The theory of leadership attempts to describe the process of leadership making. Era is an important aspect of their theory of leadership. Thus, it is relevant to ask how is "Era" different in case of geeks and geezers? At the age of 25-30,
geeks are more ambitious and have larger goals compared to geezers at the same age. They dream of "Changing the world" and "making history." The Geezers on the other hand, were concerned more about making a living. The Geeks seek to balance their lives by giving enough importance to both work and family. The Geezers hardly bothered about balance at this age. The Geezers worshiped heros. They chiseled their image of successful leader based on these heroes. The Geeks had none of that sort. Their parents or teachers or even their friends were their heroes. The authors point to "Era" as the creator of these differences.
This doesn't mean they had no commitment to their jobs. They were dedicated as long as they were with the company. And they were ready to leave whenever they found greener pastures. The loyalty described by Whyte in Organization Man lost favor in 1980s. The geeks valued "Balanced life" more than the geezers did. They were persistent in maintaining the balance. The following quote of a geek makes it clear: If I can't do it with balance, then I don't want to do it. Or I'm not buying into your model of success. They were not shy in acquiring wealth, unlike the geezers. They did not see money as evil. Rather the love of it as evil.
The geeks and the geezers are not as dissimilar as they appear on the surface. They are made of the same stuff and in the same process. They are similar in their learning. Both groups of leaders are highly enthusiastic about learning. And they yearn and struggle to go beyond limits: individual limits such as strength or learning ability or institutional limits such as racial and/or sexual discrimination. More important similarity, the authors say they uncovered, is a sort of common experience that transformed both groups of leaders. This common experience is the basis on which the authors have built their story on "how people become leaders."
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National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1998 (ICPSR 2934)
Alternate Title: NHSDA 1998
Principal Investigator(s): United States Department of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Office of Applied Studies
Summary: The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) series measures the prevalence and correlates of drug use in the United States. The surveys are designed to provide quarterly, as well as annual, estimates. Information is provided on the use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco among members of United States households aged 12 and older. Questions include age at first use as well as lifetime, annual, and past-month usage for the following drug classes: marijuana, cocaine (and crack), halluci... (more info)
This data is freely available.
WARNING: This study is over 150MB in size and may take several minutes to download on a typical internet connection.
United States Department of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Office of Applied Studies. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1998. ICPSR02934-v4. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2013-05-06. doi:10.3886/ICPSR02934.v4
Persistent URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR02934.v4
This survey was funded by:
- United States Department of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Office of Applied Studies (283-97-9007)
Scope of Study
Summary: The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) series measures the prevalence and correlates of drug use in the United States. The surveys are designed to provide quarterly, as well as annual, estimates. Information is provided on the use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco among members of United States households aged 12 and older. Questions include age at first use as well as lifetime, annual, and past-month usage for the following drug classes: marijuana, cocaine (and crack), hallucinogens, heroin, inhalants, alcohol, tobacco, and nonmedical use of prescription drugs, including psychotherapeutics. Respondents were also asked about personal and family income sources and amounts, substance abuse treatment history, illegal activities, problems resulting from the use of drugs, need for treatment for drug or alcohol use, criminal record, and needle-sharing. Questions on mental health and access to care, which were introduced in the 1994-B questionnaire (see NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE, 1994 [ICPSR 6949]), were retained in this administration of the survey. Also retained was the section on risk/availability of drugs that was reintroduced in 1996, and sections on driving behavior and personal behavior were added (see NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE, 1996 [ICPSR 2391]). The 1997 questionnaire (NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE, 1997 [ICPSR 2755]) introduced new items that the 1998 NHSDA continued on cigar smoking, people who were present when respondents used marijuana or cocaine for the first time (if applicable), reasons for using these two drugs the first time, reasons for using these two drugs in the past year, reasons for discontinuing use of these two drugs (for lifetime but not past-year users), and reasons respondents never used these two drugs. Both the 1997 and 1998 NHSDAs had a series of questions that were asked only of respondents aged 12 to 17. These items covered a variety of topics that may be associated with substance use and related behaviors, such as exposure to substance abuse prevention and education programs, gang involvement, relationship with parents, and substance use by friends. Demographic data include gender, race, age, ethnicity, marital status, educational level, job status, income level, veteran status, and current household composition.
Subject Terms: alcohol, alcohol abuse, alcohol consumption, amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, demographic characteristics, drug abuse, drug use, drugs, hallucinogens, health care, health insurance, heroin, households, inhalants, marijuana, mental health, mental health services, methamphetamine, prescription drugs, sedatives, smoking, stimulants, substance abuse, substance abuse treatment, tobacco use, tranquilizers, youths
Geographic Coverage: United States
Date of Collection:
Unit of Observation: individual
Universe: The civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States aged 12 and older, including residents of noninstitutional group quarters such as college dormitories, group homes, shelters, rooming houses, and civilians dwelling on military installations.
Data Types: survey data
Data Collection Notes:
Data were collected and prepared for release by Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC.
The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse questionnaire and estimation methodology changed with the implementation of the 1994-B survey. Therefore, estimates produced from the 1998 survey are not comparable to those produced from the 1994-A and earlier surveys.
This version of the 1998 NHSDA public release file does not contain data collected on the Parenting Experiences answer sheet (#21) or the questionnaire roster (QD-47) contained in the "Non-Core" Demographics section, nor does this file include various recoded variables that are typically created from the roster data and have been included in past public release files. All the necessary processing of these data and weight calculations for use of these data had not been completed by the data producers at the time of the data deposit. The data producers anticipate release at a later date of an updated version of the 1998 NHSDA public use file, containing additional questionnaire data, variables derived using these data, and additional weights.
For selected variables, statistical imputation was performed following logical imputation to replace missing responses. These variables are identified in the codebook as "...LOGICALLY IMPUTED" and "...imputed" for the logical procedure or by the designation "IMPUTATION-REVISED" in the variable label when the statistical procedure was also performed. The names of statistically imputed variables begin with the letters "IR". For each imputation-revised variable there is a corresponding imputation indicator variable that indicates whether a case's value on the variable resulted from an interview response or was imputed by the hot-deck technique. Hot-deck imputation is described in the codebook.
The "basic sampling weights" are equal to the inverse of the probabilities of selection of sample respondents. To obtain "final NHSDA weights," the basic weights were adjusted to take into account dwelling unit-level and individual-level nonresponse and then further adjusted to ensure consistency with intercensal population projections from the United States Bureau of the Census.
To protect the privacy of respondents, all variables that could be used to identify individuals have been encrypted or collapsed in the public use file. These modifications should not affect analytic uses of the public use file.
Users who wish to replicate results published in the NHSDA Main Findings Report or other SAMHSA reports should use the 1998 NHSDA imputed data for prevalence estimates rather than raw data from the questionnaire or drug answer sheets.
For some drugs that have multiple names, questions regarding the use of that drug may be asked for each distinct name. For example, even though methamphetamine, methedrine and desoxyn are the same drug, their use was measured in three separate variables.
Sample: Multistage area probability sample design involving five selection stages: (1) primary sampling unit (PSU) areas (e.g., counties), (2) subareas within primary areas (e.g., blocks or block groups), (3) listing units within subareas, (4) age domains within sampled listing units, and (5) eligible individuals within sampled age domains. The 1998 NHSDA used the same 115 PSUs selected for the 1995 through 1997 NHSDAs, 6 supplemental PSUs from Arizona and California, and an additional 16 noncertainty PSUs from 13 purposely selected states. The 115 PSUs were selected to represent the nation's total eligible population, including areas of high Hispanic concentration. These PSUs were defined as metropolitan areas, counties, groups of counties, and independent cities. Of the 115 PSUs, 43 were selected with certainty and 72 were randomly selected with probability proportional to size (PPS). The national sample was supplemented by a PPS selection of 14 noncertainty PSUs from Arizona plus 4 noncertainty PSUs from California. Because the national sample provided representation for certainty PSUs in each state, no additional certainty PSUs were added to either sample. The 1998 NHSDA used all available segments that had adequate listing units from the 1997 NHSDA. Only 24 percent of the 1998 sample, or 640 segments, consisted of a new segment sample selected for the 1998 NHSDA. The remaining 76 percent, or 2,030 segments, overlapped with the 1997 survey year. The five age groups were: ages 12-17, 18-25, 26-34, 35-49, and 50 and older. The three race/ethnic groups were: whites/others, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Hispanics. Blacks and Hispanics were oversampled in the 115 PSUs that comprised the national study component. There was no oversampling of Hispanics in the Arizona/California supplement because each state's Hispanic allocation in the national study component was large enough to satisfy state-level precision requirements. Consequently, the three racial/ethnic groups were sampled in the supplement so that the combined national study and supplemental samples would result in a proportionally allocated sample.
Mode of Data Collection: personal interviews and self-enumerated answer sheets (drug use)
Response Rates: The study yielded an 85.4 percent completion rate for screening sample households and 93.0 percent for screening eligible households. The interview response rates for the three racial/ethnic groups were: 74.1 percent for whites/others, 79.7 percent for Blacks, and 80.5 percent for Hispanics. The overall interview response rate was 77 percent. A completed interview had to contain, at a minimum, data on the recency of use of marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol.
Extent of Processing: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Performed consistency checks.
- Created online analysis version with question text.
- Performed recodes and/or calculated derived variables.
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Original ICPSR Release: 2000-06-21
- 2013-05-06 Data collection instrument released.
- 2008-04-25 New files were added. These files included one or more of the following: Stata setup, SAS transport (CPORT), SPSS system, Stata system, SAS supplemental syntax, and Stata supplemental syntax files, and tab-delimited ASCII data file.
- 2000-08-04 Erroneous codes for missing values were deleted for the variable IRAGE2 in the SAS and SPSS setup files.
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A new kind of computer interface, combining advantages of a computer mouse, a touchpad and a touch screen.Introduction - current state and proposed solutionThe advantages of touch screens are commonly known and include, inter alia, simplicity and comfort of use. However, such screens are at the same time not free from defects. These include above all provoking painful fatigue of the operator’s hand, especially when the display is situated in the position close to vertical, which is common while working on a notebook PC for instance (so-called gorilla arm). Another drawback is the very limited precision of pointing caused by relatively big sizes of human fingers. Also, this type of interface results in fingering the screen of the computer device and making it opaque.The possibility of working with a hand resting on a basis / mouse and greater precision are the main merits of a computer mouse. But yet, the necessity to move the whole device as well as the pointing system’s incompatibility with the spreading prevalence of the touch technique (e.g. Windows 8) are on the minus side.By contrast, although a touchpad eliminates the necessity to move the whole device, its week point is - like in a mouse - the limited compatibility with the touch technology.Generally speaking, the touch technique is being widely implemented as the most intuitive and comfortable. On the other hand it is not fully functional in certain situations.The proposed device is supposed to eliminate these shortcomings. It introduces a new quality in non-keyboard computer handling. The interface combines the feature of a computer mouse, that makes it possible to work with a hand supported by a basis, with the feature of a touch screen, which is the possibility to point with fingers; it also brings additional benefits such as no need to move the whole hand (just the fingers) and the more accurate - than in touch display - pointing. The system of precise pointing has been named the “virtual finger”.Device description and principle of operationThe device is a kind of a “sensor” in the shape of a flat plate with applicable software. It is used for “scanning” the movements of the operator’s fingers, wireless “transmitting” of the movements to the computer system, their visualization on the screen, and for activating the right action after touching the surface of the device (called “sensory surface” hereinafter). The device recognizes and follows the movement of the fingers above the “sensory surface” starting with certain boundary distance and transmits it to the computer display in the form called “shadow” hereinafter.While bringing one or a few fingers at the sufficient distance to the device (shorter than 3 cm), a “shadow” / “shadows” of the finger / fingers appear on the screen.Bringing the fingers closer to the sensory surface diminishes the circumferences of the “shadows” and increases their intensity (concurrently the “shadows” remain translucent, so that the icons under them are still visible).At the last stage of pointing an even more distinct pointer emerges (e.g. index finger icon).When the operator finally touches the “sensory surface” of the device, it reacts as if there was a click on the mouse.The proposed name of the device: “shad-pad” (from shadow pad).
It would be nice if Alienware offered higher-gamut or IPS matte screens. Many potential customers require the GPU power of an Alienware and use their laptops outside or for professional work. Alienware's competitors offer high-quality matte screens, and such screens are already available for Dell's XPS and Precision models. Good anti-glare screens would remove the need for customers to create costly, risky modifications to replace the glossy LCD or remove the plexiglass above. Even if Alienware offered matte screens as optional upgrades to the glossy panels now available, the option would provide much additional value for Alienware laptops.
The flip design is an awesome idea. However, I would like a bigger screen. Why does a tablet have to be so small? Please make one of these with a 15" or bigger screen with more power and memory - and I will buy 3 of them: 1 for each of my student children and one for my wife and I. Beef it up! Please, please, please!
The "dot" key on all keyboards is one of the most used. Make the "dot" key white, so it will stand out, with a black dot on it for easier identification.... I do this on my keyboards with a small piece of adhesive white tape.
In past we have seen OS which runs all kind of softwares, then comes OS for mobile which limits to selected and lightwait software.Current market and products: Market is fragmented between OS that run everything (locally e.g. Windows or cloud e.g. Google book) and OS that runs on mobile.Cost and Size of machine and OS depends upon where they are for everything or for mobile. New market and product:Idea here is to have an OS which run only browser i.e. machine which run only browser. So we need to have OS and machine which is trimmed to run only browser.Benefit: Its a new market and product lineIt will bring down costLarge community which need gadget only for internetMore use cases, I will be providing based on further request.
I hope if we can share other the cinima from our laptop just by switch the screen from work resolution into cinma resolution by include the projector beside the whole of camera and it could be reflected on the wall from the laptop
A website where home gardners and small farmers can put up their crops that they are planning, planting, growing, harvesting - and see, by "locality," what others are planting in their neighbourhood. The idea is that they can then perhaps change their minds and plant something no-one else is growing, leading to greater diversity of foods available in their region. People can then either opt to buy these direct from the grower, or trade them for something that they grow themselves, and the idea is to make every region able to grow good local food. The "locality" should be an area that makes sense for local food, i.e. not much more than 20 - 50 miles, to encourage people to use less fuel transporting food around.People should be able to "pledge" either a certain percentage of a planted or harvested crop, or pledge some labour on the grower's property (sort of like community gardening) or tools and materials (wire netting, compost scraps, etc) in exchange for some of the crop. Additionally, users should be encouraged to share their experiences of what grows well locally, what needs special techniques, and so forth. Within a few years, a site such as this should be able to even out local food production, provide detailed, locality-based advice on what can be grown and how to grow it, and (if advertisers are chosen carefully and with relevance, i.e. home handyman, gardening, nursery, and so forth) be able to produce an income by presenting locally-targeted advertising to users, who can use these ads to find the best local services and materials.It would be a crowdsourced agricultural and GIS dataBASE, as well. This can be stripped of identifying data, and sold/donated to research foundations and government departments to provide detailed knowledge of soil and weather and local plants etc on an ongoing basis. The information provided would give valuable knowledge to such organisations about the health of the ecosphere and the weather systems.On the purely humane side, it would allow a much wider audience to have access to local food, thus strengthening local economies and reducing food miles and handling costs. I think an idea such as this is one of theose things where a large company has nothing to lose by devoting a few resources to it and advertising / publicising it, and then if the site doesn't take off, it's a relatively small loss. If it does take of though, it would establish the green credentials of the company and give them some very good publicity!
In any type education, it is essential the use of interactive notebooks, it would be helpful that electronic notebooks were invented or manufactured, allowing manual writing and connection with books related to the level of education without letting use different programs or applications. With the fulfilment of these conditions it would be avoided the situation of carrying both notebooks and books in a backpack
Use the same account login and password for IdeasStorm as the store.dell.com. Why have two accounts?
I have a chair and a desk combination in mind that is adjustable and ergonomic so folks using laptops can be more comfortable and we can prevent carpel tunnel syndrome. Dell can add this to their product line up. | <urn:uuid:c5de2e74-a537-4fe7-a9f4-9e588d103bd9> | {
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Saint Thomas Aquinas was a Catholic Priest in the Dominican Order and one of the most important Medieval philosophers and theologians. He was immensely influenced by scholasticism and Aristotle and known for his synthesis of the two aforementioned traditions. Although he wrote many works of philosophy and theology throughout his life, his most influential work is the Summa Theologica which consists of three parts.
The first part is on God. In it, he gives five proofs for God’s existence as well as an explication of His attributes. He argues for the actuality and incorporeality of God as the unmoved mover and describes how God moves through His thinking and willing.
The second part is on Ethics. Thomas argues for a variation of the Aristotelian Virtue Ethics. However, unlike Aristotle, he argues for a connection between the virtuous man and God by explaining how the virtuous act is one towards the blessedness of the Beatific Vision (beata visio).
The last part of the Summa is on Christ and was unfinished when Thomas died. In it, he shows how Christ not only offers salvation, but represents and protects humanity on Earth and in Heaven. This part also briefly discusses the sacraments and eschatology. The Summa remains the most influential of Thomas’s works and is mostly what will be discussed in this overview of his philosophy.
The birth-year of Thomas Aquinas is commonly given as 1227, but he was probably born early in 1225 at his father’s castle of Roccasecea (75 m. e.s.e. of Rome) in Neapolitan territory. He died at the monastery of Fossanova, one mile from Sonnino (64 m. s.e. of Rome), Mar. 7, 1274. His father was Count Landulf of an old high-born south Italian family, and his mother was Countess Theodora of Theate, of noble Norman descent. In his fifth year he was sent for his early education to the monastery of Monte Cassino, where his father’s brother Sinibald was abbot. Later he studied in Naples. By about 1243 he determined to enter the Dominican order; but on the way to Rome he was seized by his brothers and brought back to his parents at the castle of S. Giovanni, where he was held a captive for a year or two and besieged with prayers, threats, and even sensual temptation to make him relinquish his purpose. Finally the family yielded and the order sent Thomas to Cologne to study under Albertus Magnus, where he arrived probably toward the end of 1244. He accompanied Albertus to Paris in 1245, remained there with his teacher, continuing his studies for three years, and followed Albertus at the latter’s return to Cologne in 1248. For several years longer he remained with the famous philosopher of scholasticism, presumably teaching. This long association of Thomas with the great polyhistor was the most important influence in his development; it made him a comprehensive scholar and won him permanently for the Aristotelian method. Around 1252 Thomas went to Paris for the master’s degree, which he found some difficulty in attaining owing to attacks, at that time on the mendicant orders. Ultimately, however, he received the degree and entered ceremoniously upon his office of teaching in 1257; he taught in Paris for several years and there wrote certain of his works and began others. In 1259 he was present at an important chapter of his order at Valenciennes at the solicitation of Pope Urban IV. Therefore not before the latter part of 1261, he took up residence in Rome. In 1269-71 he was again active in Paris. In 1272 the provincial chapter at Florence empowered him to found a new studium generale at any place he should choose, and he selected Naples. Early in 1274 the pope directed him to attend the Council of Lyons and he undertook the journey, although he was far from well. On the way he stopped at the castle of a niece and became seriously ill. He wished to end his days in a monastery and not being able to reach a house of the Dominicans he was carried to the Cistercian Fossanova. There he died and his remains were preserved.
The writings of Thomas may be classified as: (1) exegetical, homiletical, and liturgical; (2) dogmatic, apologetic, and ethical; and (3) philosophical. Among the genuine works of the first class were: Commentaries on Job (1261-65); on Psalms, according to some a reportatum, or report of speeches furnished by his companion Raynaldus; on Isaiah; the Catena aurea, which is a running commentary on the four Gospels, constructed on numerous citations from the Fathers; probably a Commentary on Canticles, and on Jeremiah; and wholly or partly reportata, on John, on Matthew, and on the epistles of Paul; including, according to one authority, Hebrews i.-x. Thomas prepared for Urban IV: Officium de corpore Christi (1264); and the following works may be either genuine or reportata: Expositio angelicce salutationis; Tractatus de decem praeceptis; Orationis dominico expositio; Sermones pro dominicis diebus et pro sanctorum solemnitatibus; Sermones de angelis, and Sermones de quadragesima. Of his sermons only manipulated copies are extant. In the second division were: In quatitor sententiarum libros, of his first Paris sojourn; Questiones disputatce, written at Paris and Rome; Questiones quodlibetales duodecini; Summa catholicce fidei contra gentiles (1261-C,4); andthe Summa theologica. To the dogmatic works belong also certain commentaries, as follows: Expositio in librum beati Dionysii de divinis nominibits; Expositiones primoe et secundce; In Boethii libros de hebdomadibus; and Proeclare quoestiones super librum Boethii de trinitate. A large number ofopuscitla also belonged to this group. Of philosophical writings there are cataloged thirteen commentaries on Aristotle, besides numerous philosophical opuscula of which fourteen are classed as genuine.
The greatest work of Thomas was the Summa, and it is the fullest presentation of his views. He worked on it from the time of Clement IV (after 1265) until the end of his life. When he died he had reached question ninety of part III, on the subject of penance. What was lacking was afterward added from the fourth book of his commentary on the “Sentences” of Peter Lombard as a supplementum, which is not found in manuscripts of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The Summa consists of three parts. Part I treats of God, who is the “first cause, himself uncaused” (primum movens immobile) and as such existent only in act (actu), that is pure actuality without potentiality and, therefore, without corporeality. His essence is actus purus et perfectus. This follows from the fivefold proof for the existence of God; namely, there must be a first mover himself unmoved, a first cause in the chain of causes, an absolutely necessary being, an absolutely perfect being, and a rational designer. In this connection the thoughts of the unity, infinity, unchangeableness, and goodness of the highest being are deduced. The spiritual being of God is further defined as thinking and willing. His knowledge is absolutely perfect since he knows himself and all things as appointed by him. Since every knowing being strives after the thing known as end, will is implied in knowing. Inasmuch as God knows himself as the perfect good, he wills himself as end. But in that everything is willed by God, everything is brought by the divine will to himself in the relation of means to end. Therein God wills good to every being which exists, that is he loves it; and, therefore, love is the fundamental relation of God to the world. If the divine love be thought of simply as act of will, it exists for every creature in like measure: but if the good assured by love to the individual be thought of, it exists for different beings in various degrees. In so far as the loving God gives to every being what it needs in relation practical reason, affording the idea of the moral law of nature, so important in medieval ethics.
The first part of the Summa is summed up in the thought that God governs the world as the universal first cause. God sways the intellect in that he gives the power to know aid impresses the species intelligibileson the mind; and he ways the will in that he holds the good before it as aim, and creates the virtus volendi. To will is nothing else than a certain inclination toward the object of the volition which is the universal good. God works all in all, but so that things also themselves exert their proper efficiency. Here the Areopagitic ideas of the graduated effects of created things play their part in Thomas’s thought. The second part of the Summa (consisting of two parts, namely, prima secundae and secundae, secunda) follows this complex of ideas. Its theme is man’s striving after the highest end, which is the blessedness of the visio beata. Here Thomas develops his system of ethics, which has its root in Aristotle. In a chain of acts of will man strives for the highest end. They are free acts in so far as man has in himself the knowledge of their end and therein the principle of action. In that the will wills the end, it wills also the appropriate means, chooses freely and completes the consensus. Whether the act be good or evil depends on the end. The “human reason” pronounces judgment concerning the character of the end, it is, therefore, the law for action. Human acts, however, are meritorious in so far as they promote the purpose of God and his honor. By repeating a good action man acquires a moral habit or a quality which enables him to do the good gladly and easily. This is true, however, only of the intellectual and moral virtues, which Thomas treats after the mariner of Aristotle; the theological virtues are imparted by God to man as a “disposition” from which the acts here proceed, but while they strengthen, they do not form it. The “disposition” of evil is the opposite alternative. An act becomes evil through deviation from the reason and the divine moral law. Therefore, sin involves two factors: its substance or matter is lust; in form, however, it is deviation from the divine law. Sin has its origin in the will, which decides, against the reason, for a changeable good. Since, however, the will also moves the other powers of man, sin has its seat in these too. By choosing such a lower good as end, the will is misled by self-love, so that this works as cause in every sin. God is not the cause of sin, since, on the contrary, he draws all things to himself. But from another side God is the cause of all things, so he is efficacious also in sin as *-ctio but not as ens. The devil is not directly the cause of sin, but he incites by working on the imagination and the sensuous impulse of man, as men or things may also do. Sin is original. Adam’s first sin passes upon himself and all the succeeding race; because he is the head of the human race and “by virtue of procreation human nature is transmitted and along with nature its infection.” The powers of generation are, therefore, designated especially as “infected.”
In every work of God both justice and mercy are united, and his justice always presupposes his mercy since he owes no one anything and gives more bountifully than is due. As God rules in the world, the “plan of the order of things” preexists in him; i.e., his providence and the exercise of it in his government are what condition as cause everything which comes to pass in the world. Hence follows predestination: from eternity, some are destined to eternal life; while others “he permits some to fall short of that end.” Reprobation, however, is more than mere foreknowledge; it is the “will of permitting anyone to fall into sin and incur the penalty of condemnation for sin.” The effect of predestination is grace. Since God is the first cause of everything, he is the cause of even the free acts of men through predestination. Determinism is deeply grounded in the system of Thomas; things with their source of becoming in God are ordered from eternity as means for the realization of his end in himself. On moral grounds Thomas advocates freedom energetically; but, with his premises, he can have in mind only the psychological form of self-motivation. Nothing in the world is accidental or free, although it may appear so in reference to the proximate cause. From this point of view miracles become necessary in themselves and are to be considered merely as inexplicable to man. From the point of view of the first cause all is unchangeable; although from the limited point of view of the secondary cause miracles may be spoken of. In his doctrine of the Trinity, Thomas starts from the Augustinian system. Since God has only the functions of thinking and willing, only twoprocessiones can be asserted from the Father. However, these establish definite relations of the persons of the Trinity to each other. The relations must be conceived as real and not as merely ideal; for, as with creatures relations arise through certain accidents, since in God there is no accident but all is substance, it follows that “the relation really existing in God is the same as the essence according to the thing.” From another side, however, the relations as real must be really distinguished one from another. Therefore, three persons are to be affirmed in God. Man stands opposite to God; he consists of soul and body. The “intellectual soul” consists of intellect and will. Furthermore the soul is the absolutely indivisible form of man; it is immaterial substance, but not one and the same in all men (as the Averrhoists assumed). The soul’s power of knowing has two sides; a passive (the intellectus possibilis) and an active (theintellectus agens). It is the capacity to form concepts and to abstract the mind’s images (species) from the objects perceived by sense. However, since the abstractions of the intellect from individual things is a universal, the mind knows the universal primarily and directly, and knows the singular only indirectly by virtue of a certain reflection. As certain principles are immanent in the mind for its speculative activity, so also a “special disposition of works,” or the synderesis (rudiment of conscience), is inborn in the scholastics. Held to creationism, they therefore taught that the souls are created by God. Two things according to Thomas constituted man’s righteousness in paradise-the justitia originalis or the harmony of all man’s powers before they were blighted by desire, and the possession of the gratia gratum faciens(the continuous indwelling power of good). Both are lost through original sin, which in form is the “loss of original righteousness.” The consequence of this loss is the disorder and maiming of man’s nature, which shows itself in “ignorance, malice, moral weakness, and especially in concupiscentia, which is the material principle of original sin.” The course of thought here is as follows: when the first man transgressed the order of his nature appointed by nature and grace, he, and with him the human race, lost this order. This negative state is the essence of original sin. From it follow an impairment and perversion of human nature in which thenceforth lower aims rule contrary to nature and release the lower element in man. Since sin is contrary to the divine order, it is guilt, and subject to punishment. Guilt and punishment correspond to each other; and since the “apostasy from the invariable good which is infinite,” fulfilled by man, is unending, it merits everlasting punishment.
The way which leads to God is Christ: and Christ is the theme of part III. It can not be asserted that the incarnation was absolutely necessary, “since God in his omnipotent power could have repaired human nature in many other ways”: but it was the most suitable way both for the purpose of instruction and of satisfaction. The unio between the logos and the human nature is a “relation” between the divine and the human nature which comes about by both natures being brought together in the one person of the logos. An incarnation can be spoken of only in the sense that the human nature began to be in the eternal hypostasis of the divine nature. So Christ is unum since his human nature lacks the hypostasis. The person of the logos, accordingly, has assumed the impersonal human nature, and in such way that the assumption of the soul became the means for the assumption of the body. This union with the human soul is the gratia unionis which leads to the impartation of the gratia habitualis from the logos to the human nature. Thereby all human potentialities are made perfect in Jesus. Besides the perfections given by the vision of God, which Jesus enjoyed from the beginning, he receives all others by the gratia habitualis. In so far, however, as it is the limited human nature which receives these perfections, they are finite. This holds both of the knowledge and the will of Christ. The logos impresses the species intelligibiles of all created things on the soul, but the intellectus agens transforms them gradually into the impressions of sense. On another side, the soul of Christ works miracles only as instrument of the logos, since omnipotence in no way appertains to this human soul in itself. Furthermore, Christ’s human nature partook of imperfections, on the one side to make his true humanity evident, on another side because he would bear the general consequences of sin for humanity. Christ experienced suffering, but blessedness reigned in his soul, which, however, did not extend to his body. Concerning redemption, Thomas teaches that Christ is to be regarded as redeemer after his human nature but in such way that the human nature produces divine effects as organ of divinity. The one side of the work of redemption consists herein, that Christ as head of humanity imparts perfection and virtue to his members. He is the teacher and example of humanity; his whole life and suffering as well as his work after he is exalted serve this end.
This is the first course of thought. Then follows a second complex of thoughts which has the idea of satisfaction as its center. To be sure, God as the highest being could forgive sins without satisfaction; but because his justice and mercy could be best revealed through satisfaction he chose this way. As little, however, as satisfaction is necessary in itself, so little does it offer an equivalent, in a correct sense, for guilt; it is rather a “super-abundant satisfaction,” since on account of the divine subject in Christ in a certain sense his suffering and activity are infinite. With this thought the strict logical deduction of Anselm’s theory is given up. Christ’s suffering bore personal character in that it proceeded out of love and obedience. It was an offering brought to God, which as personal act had the character of merit. Thereby Christ “merited” salvation for men. As Christ still influences men, so does he still work in their behalf continually in heaven through the intercession (interpellatio). In this way Christ as head of humanity effects the forgiveness of their sins, their reconciliation with God, their immunity from punishment, deliverance from the devil, and the opening of heaven’s gate. But inasmuch as all these benefits are already offered through the inner operation of the love of Christ, Thomas has combined the theories of Anselm and Abelard by joining the one to the other.
The doctrine of the sacraments follows the Christology; for the sacraments “have efficacy from the incarnate Word himself.” The sacraments are signs which not only signify sanctification, but also effect it. That they bring spiritual gifts in sensuous form, moreover, is inevitable because of the sensuous nature of man. The res sensibles are the matter, the words of institution are the form of the sacranieits. Contrary to the Franciscan view that the sacraments are mere symbol, whose efficacy God accompanies with a directly following creative act in the soul, Thomas holds it not unfit to say with Hugo of St. Victor that “a sacrament contains grace,” or to teach of the sacraments that they “cause grace.” Thomas attempts to remove the difficulty of a sensuous thing producing a creative effect by a distinction between the causa principalis et instrumentalism. God as the principal cause works through the sensuous thing as the means ordained by him for his end. “Just as instrumental power is acquired by the instrument from this, that it is moved by the principal agent, so also the sacrament obtains spiritual power from the benediction of Christ and the application of the minister to the use of the sacrament. There is spiritual power in the sacraments in so far as they have been ordained by God for a spiritual effect.” This spiritual power remains in the sensuous thing until it has attained its purpose. Thomas distinguished the gratia sacramentalis from the gratia virtutum et donorum in that the former in general perfects the essence and the powers of the soul, and the latter in particular brings to pass necessary spiritual effects for the Christian life. Although, later this distinction was ignored.
In a single statement the effect of the sacraments is to infuse justifying grace into men. Christ’s humanity was the instrument for the operation of his divinity; the sacraments are the instruments through which this operation of Christ’s humanity passes over to men. Christ’s humanity served his divinity as instrumentum conjuncture, like the hand; the sacraments are instruments separate, like a staff; the former can use the latter, as the hand can use a staff.
Of Thomas’ eschatology, according to the commentary on the “Sentences,” only a brief account can here be given. Everlasting blessedness consists for Thomas in the vision of God; and this vision consists not in an abstraction or in a mental image supernaturally produced, but the divine substance itself is beheld. In such a manner, God himself becomes immediately the form of the beholding intellect; that is, God is the object of the vision and at the same time causes the vision. The perfection of the blessed also demands that the body be restored to the soul as something to be made perfect by it. Since blessedness consist in operation, it is made more perfect in that the soul has a definite opcralio with the body. Although, the peculiar act of blessedness (that is, the vision of God) has nothing to do with the body.
The author of this article is anonymous. The IEP is actively seeking an author who will write a replacement article
Last updated: May 6, 2009 | Originally published: May/6/2009
Article printed from Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/aquinas/
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Unlike drugs, which are used to treat sick people, vaccines are used in healthy people to prevent certain illnesses. Before a vaccine can be used in the United States, it must be shown to be safe and effective. To make these determinations, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducts a rigorous review of data regarding the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. Because healthy children are typically the recipients of vaccines, safety requirements are especially stringent.
Many federal agencies and private organizations are involved in ensuring the safety of vaccines and for promoting the health of the population:
The FDA regulates vaccines that are used in the United States, ensuring that they are shown to be safe and effective before they are approved for use. The vaccine first undergoes laboratory studies, then studies with animals, and then with humans. The results of the studies at every step in the process must show that the vaccine does what it is supposed to do, and that it does not harm people who receive it. The FDA also inspects the manufacturing plant and makes sure the vaccine is made in a safe and consistent manner.
Vaccine licensure is a lengthy process that may last up to 10 years. Vaccines must go through three phases of clinical trials in human beings before they are licensed for public use. To establish basic safety, Phase One trials are small, involving only 20-100 volunteers and lasting only a few months. To continue to gather information on efficacy and safety of each vaccine, Phase Two trials are larger (with several hundred volunteers), and last anywhere from a few months to a few years. Phase Three trials have several hundred to several thousand participants and typically last many years.
If the FDA approves the vaccine for use in humans, the manufacturer can market the vaccine. Each batch of vaccine made by the manufacturer must be tested for safety, potency, and purity before being put on the market. A sample from each lot must be sent to the FDA.
In addition, the FDA requires that doctors report reactions that occur after vaccination. More on this program may be found in the “Monitoring Vaccine Safety” section below.
After a new vaccine is approved by the FDA, committees of experts decide whether it should be recommended for use in the general population. These committees evaluate the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. They also determine how the vaccine should be used, estimate how new recommendations would affect other health care issues, and consider cost-effectiveness issues.
In addition to making recommendations on new vaccines, the committees of experts also review and update recommendations on existing vaccines. The policies for vaccines change along with the changes in the threat of disease.
The committees of experts include:
ACIP is a scientific advisory committee with 10 to 15 members. Although ACIP is federally chartered, the experts are chosen from outside of government. For each vaccine, the ACIP reviews a broad range of materials:
The ACIP considers how the use of the new vaccine might fit into existing child and adult immunization programs. The committee also considers how the vaccine is stored and administered, cost-effectiveness, how the vaccine might affect other health care delivery systems, and other factors.
Members of the COID are selected on the basis of their knowledge of infectious disease and their expertise in vaccines. In addition to the 12 core committee members, liaisons represent the FDA, CDC, and other organizations. COID works closely with these federal agencies and private organizations in an effort to avoid conflicting recommendations.
Committees of experts make recommendations on the use of vaccines in the United States, but it is the responsibility of the individual states to determine which vaccines are required by law. It is up to states to pass and enforce compulsory immunization statutes.
School immunization laws are established to prevent epidemics of certain contagious diseases, such as measles. Currently, all 50 states have school immunization laws.
All 50 states allow children to be exempted from mandated immunizations for medical reasons. Nearly all (48) states allow religious exemptions and 20 allow philosophical exemptions. If an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease occurs, those children who are not vaccinated may be prohibited from going to school until the outbreak is resolved.
For further information, read Indications, Recommendations and Immunization Mandates. | <urn:uuid:5a017a84-ceeb-4c5a-b3ee-24a025b9feda> | {
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A spice commonly used in Indian foods could also double as a powerful weapon to fight against cancer, diabetes, and inflammation. If recent studies on the spice’s effect to continue producing promising results are any indication, Dr. Saraswati Sukumar of Johns Hopkins University hopes curcumin, which gives turmeric its yellow color, will help people fight off or prevent diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
In an interview with India-West, Sukumar explained how she and a colleague, Dr. Anirban Maitra, are paying close attention to promising clinical trials of curcumin.
Curcumin is the extract of turmeric and may soon be used in pill form. The spice is commonly integrated into many Indian dishes. Sukumar will be giving a presentation Jan. 24 in West Palm Beach, Florida, about the positive health benefits of curcumin. While more clinical trials are still needed to further understand how the common spice is beneficial to the human body, Sukumar believes a curcumin pill currently in experimental format could have a dramatic impact in fighting certain diet-induced diseases that are becoming more commonplace.
“The talk I am going to be giving in Palm Beach, Florida, really covers the field to let people know what’s involved with this, what does curcumin do, what are the positive effects, so on and so forth,” Sukumar told India-West in a telephone interview earlier this week.
In addition to being a strong weapon against diabetes and inflammation, steady consumption of curcumin can also counteract skin damage that result from cancer-based radiation treatment.
“It has very strong anti-inflammatory activity,” Sukumar told India-West of curcumin’s health benefits. “Is that the only activity that’s really causing it to be this effective? We don’t think so. We think it has effects on multiple other pathways that are just beginning to be understood.”
With an estimated 26 million people diagnosed with diabetes, Sukumar said curcumin can also be a great benefit in fighting the metabolic disease.
Sukumar explained how an experiment where mice with obesity-induced diabetes were given doses of curcumin and experienced glucose levels returning to near normal levels within 20 days, thanks to an increased production of “good fat” hormones.
When a follow-up clinical trial was performed in a double-blind study with pre-diabetic patients, Sukumar cited that none of the 119 subjects who were given curcumin developed the disease. However, 19 out 116 pre-diabetic patients in that same trial who were given a placebo did develop the disease.
“It has an effect, indirectly, on the fat content as well as … diabetes,” the Indian American researcher told India-West, adding that the clinical trial tested patients over a nine-month period, and another follow-up study with more time passed would be needed to further validate the promising results.
Both Sukumar and Maitra hope to eventually have a water-soluble curcumin pill available on the market sometime soon. However, early clinical trials of the experimental pill have not yet yielded the desired results. In current trials, Sukumar pointed out several grams of curcumin need to be consumed in order to be effective. Whether small doses of the spices can be consumed in pill format in order to have the desired effect on the body remains to be seen.
Nevertheless, Sukumar expressed her excitement about further discovering the health benefits of turmeric and curcumin.
“I really feel extremely positive about setting out, spending energy, and telling the world about what curcumin can do. And it’s just a spice off your rack,” Sukumar said.
She added that the spice can still be used in its natural state, similar to how it is mixed into many Indian food dishes.
To incorporate curcumin into one’s lifestyle, Sukumar simply suggests obtaining large portions of turmeric.
“Get a bag of turmeric and use it lavishly in your food,” Sukumar told India-West. “It adds some flavor but it’s not going to hurt you.”
She also suggested adding turmeric to the grilling of foods such as garlic, mushrooms, and onions. It is also best combined with warm oil.
Sukumar will be speaking at an annual women’s health symposium, “A Woman’s Journey,” next week at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. | <urn:uuid:6a23e84d-751c-4ce4-8098-911ecef4c580> | {
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IntroductionTrentino–Alto Adige (trāntēˈnō-älˈtō äˈdējā) [key], region (1991 est. pop. 890,360), 5,256 sq mi (13,613 sq km), N Italy, bordering on Switzerland in the northwest and on Austria in the north. From 1919 to 1947 it was called Venezia Tridentina. Trent (Ital. Trento ) is the capital of the region.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Italian Political Geography | <urn:uuid:7dd8c313-3d23-4ee6-810e-a6bf53f82acd> | {
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It's the 40th anniversary of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination in educational settings on the basis of sex, and while the landmark legislation has done much to level the playing field in academics and athletics, there remains work to be done. That's what the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education, an alliance of more than three dozen national organizations including the American Association of University Women and the American Civil Liberties Union, says in a lengthy new report analyzing the state of Title IX at 40. There's still room for improvement in how universities and the government apply and enforce Title IX in athletics, sexual harassment, the STEM fields and other areas, the report says. But it also identifies a handful of recommendations that span all the areas covered by Title IX. In short, they are: improved public awareness of Title IX with active education efforts on the part of all stakeholders, including advocacy groups and the federal government; continued and enhanced enforcement by the U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, including compliance reviews in areas not currently monitored, such as the treatment of pregnant and parenting students; a requirement by Congress for schools and colleges to provide "enhanced" education data collection and reporting, including more detailed cross-tabulation by campus sub-groups; better identification, training, communication and transparency regarding Title IX coordinators; and restored federal funding to state education agencies for gender equity work, including funding state Title IX coordinators and programs and for technical assistance with compliance. | <urn:uuid:81fd095e-9299-4ead-924d-b444db79e9b8> | {
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Step 1: In the garden
Spent coffee grounds can be mixed with lye to make a great composting agent, you can even throw in the coffee filter, too!
Worms in compost like to eat the bacterium that grows on the facets of coffee grounds, though the grounds themselves are a a food source it also adds grit to the worms' digestive system allowing them to digest better.
Small amounts of coffee grounds can be added directly to top soil, especially on plants that like high acidity in the soil like azaleas or roses. Coffee is high in nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, potassium and other trace minerals, spreading around a thin layer of coffee grounds on your soil will allow a slow release of these minerals into your plants.
Be aware of which plants like acidic soil (roses), and which plants don't (tomatoes).
Coffee has a very strong odour which many insects and animals do not like. In addition, it's been suggested that mosquitoes, ants, slugs and maggots all dislike the acidity of coffee and will stay away from areas where there is high concentration of acidic soil. | <urn:uuid:c7d6695b-30ce-439a-a864-b0a1dc3a1e6b> | {
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What Is It?
A friction blister is a soft pocket of raised skin filled with clear fluid caused by irritation from continuous rubbing or pressure. Friction blisters usually occur on the feet, where tight or poor-fitting shoes can rub and irritate delicate toes and heels for long periods. This type of irritation causes minor damage to the skin and the tissue just beneath the skin, then fluid accumulates just beneath the outermost layer of skin. If the irritation is enough to damage small blood vessels, the blister also may contain blood, and is then called a blood blister.
A friction blister is a small pocket of puffy, raised skin containing clear fluid. It is usually painful when touched. A blister can appear anywhere.
Blisters can be diagnosed by looking at them. In short, if it looks like a blister and feels like a blister, and if it's in a place that could have been irritated by pressure or rubbing, it likely is a blister.
Friction blisters typically drain on their own within days. A new layer of skin forms beneath the blister, and eventually the blistered skin peels away.
If pressure or friction continues in the same area, the blister may last two weeks or longer. Continued friction may rub away the delicate top skin layer, and the blister may break open, ooze fluid and run the risk of becoming infected or developing into a deeper wound. If the irritation is mild, the blister may heal despite continued irritation, and eventually a callus will form.
The best way to prevent friction blisters is to wear shoes that fit your feet well, so that the shoe is not tight anywhere and does not slide up and down your heel when you walk. Wear socks with shoes to protect your feet and prevent irritation, and try to keep your feet dry. If another activity is causing blisters -- for example, if learning to play golf is causing blisters on your hands -- ask an instructor to point out other ways to perform the same activity in a nonirritating way, and take advantage of protective devices, such as gloves.
Because blisters typically get better on their own in just a few days, generally no special treatment is required other than to keep the blisters clean and dry. Because the skin provides a natural protection against infection, a blister should be left intact if possible. Do not try to drain the blister or pierce or cut away the overlying skin. Try to avoid further irritation, or protect the blister with a sterile bandage if continued irritation is unavoidable. If the blister breaks on its own, wash the area with soap and water, gently pat dry, use an antibacterial ointment and cover it with a bandage.
People with diabetes and people who cannot reach blisters easily (because of a physical disability or other ailment) may need to have their blisters evaluated by a foot specialist (podiatrist) or other health care professional. People with diabetes often have nerve or circulation problems that make it more difficult to recognize wounds, and that cause wounds to heal more slowly. In these people, a simple foot blister might go unrecognized and could become infected. People with diabetes need to care for their feet daily and examine them for sores or blisters.
When To Call a Professional
Widespread blistering, itchy blisters or blistering in a place that has not been exposed to rubbing or pressure should be evaluated by a physician. These are signs of an illness, not friction blisters.
For typical blisters, medical care is needed only if an infection develops. This is more likely to occur if the skin over the blister has been pierced, broken or popped. These types of blisters need to be watched for a few days to make sure they heal properly. See your doctor immediately if you think you have an infection, see significant redness, notice drainage that is not clear fluid or develop a fever. Also, seek professional help if the blister is so large or painful that walking or other activities become difficult.
People with diabetes who get blisters frequently or have blisters that don't seem to heal should see a health care professional.
Most blisters heal on their own in a few days. If there is continued pressure or friction to the area, it may take two weeks or longer for the blister to go away.
American Diabetes Association
ATTN: Customer Service
1701 N. Beauregard St.
Alexandria, VA 22311
American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine
4414 Ives St.
Rockville, MD 20853
American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA)
9312 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814 | <urn:uuid:b7efcc1f-2d13-4270-8244-0a36fea3da4e> | {
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| ||Minding Your Mind || |
Autism and Older Fathers
Last reviewed and revised on June 17, 2011
By Michael Craig Miller, M.D.
Harvard Medical School
A study published in the September, 2006 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry may give older prospective fathers pause before plunging into biological parenthood. The authors found a significant increase in the risk of autism and similar disorders as fathers got older.
| What Is Autism? |
Autism is a profoundly disabling disorder that starts in early childhood. The key features are:
- Abnormal social development little or no eye contact, prefers to be alone
- Difficulty communicating impaired language ability, uses gestures or pointing rather than words
- Unusual behavior spins objects, doesn't like being cuddled
- Evidence of strong abilities sometimes in non-verbal areas, such as math or music
- Older people with autism may have some ability to interact with people, but about two-thirds are mentally retarded and most cannot live on their own
Unfortunately, the incidence of this illness appears to be on the rise. Some experts think autism is diagnosed more often simply because more people are aware of it. But that's probably not the whole explanation.
Genetic factors almost certainly play a big role in understanding what causes autism. So researchers are eager to discover anything that might be responsible for increasing a person's genetic vulnerability for the illness, such as having parents who are 40 or older.
The risk was smallest for children of fathers younger than 20 and greatest for children of fathers older than 50. A man in his 40s, for example, was almost 6 times as likely to have an autistic child as a man age 20. This relationship held even after researchers adjusted the results for the year of the person's birth, their socioeconomic status, or the mother's age.
This is not the first discovery of its type. Health care professionals have long known that as parents age, the risk of giving birth to a child with certain illnesses goes up. Older mothers, for example, are more likely to have a child with Down syndrome. In recent years, studies have revealed a link between aging fathers and schizophrenia.
The Archives study took advantage of the extraordinarily complete health records of over 300,000 Israeli men and women. They underwent a complete health assessment when they were 17-year olds, prior to entering military service. Using this database, researchers were able to determine the incidence of autism in the population. The researchers had access to intellectual, medical and psychiatric evaluations of almost all Israeli boys and three-quarters of girls. (Their identities were kept secret, however.) For most individuals, the father's age at birth was known.
Although boys were more likely to develop autism than girls, the risk for girls also increased as fathers got older. When fathers were young, about 1 in 6 children with autism were girls. After fathers passed the 40 year-old mark, the proportion of girls with autism rose to about 1 in 3. This suggests that the genetic factors in play for offspring of older fathers are different from those for offspring of younger fathers.
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What Causes These Genetic Errors?
All children inherit genetic material in equal amounts from both parents. In the case of autism, scientists think that the genetic material in the sperm of these older fathers has somehow become altered in harmful ways. These flaws make the child more vulnerable to developing the disease.
According to one theory, mutations (changes) are more likely to develop as men get older. Germ cells give rise to sperm throughout a man's life. These cells make copies of themselves and after several decades, the germ cells are copies of copies of copies. A second theory suggests that the offending genes passed down by older men are not properly marked or "imprinted." Accurate marking which establishes whether a gene is from the father or the mother determines if it will be active or not. If there is an error, the gene may function abnormally.
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Should Older Men Stop Fathering Babies?
It's true that medical technology and general improvements in health have made life much more enjoyable for people in middle to late life. Maybe 50 is the new 30 when it comes to some aspects of aging. But a healthy and active lifestyle does not make 50-year-old sperm the new 30-year-old sperm.
The increased risk of passing on any genetic vulnerability to a child is significant when you are older. When it comes to autism, however, the numbers are sobering. A man younger than 30 has no more than a 1 in 1,000 chance of fathering a child with autism. But the risk bumps up to approximately 3 in 1,000 for a man in his 40s and 5 in 1,000 above age 50. If a father in his fifties has a son, the risk of autism may approach 1 in 100.
This study has important implications for what causes autism, but it also has limitations:
- The researchers did not have specific information about the severity of mental retardation or language ability.
- It's possible that the autistic traits arose as the father aged, but were passed on because they were part of the fathers' genetic make-up all along.
- Maybe people with autistic traits are more likely to become fathers later in life, slanting the data.
- Older fathers could have passed along genes for other psychiatric disorders that have traits that look like autism.
- The researchers did not have access to information about the child's birth environment or development.
Until recently, health care professionals have focused almost exclusively on the mother's age as a risk factor for health problems in the child. But we now know that the father's age also adds to the risk of potentially devastating diseases. And there is no practical way to detect these illnesses during pregnancy. For those weighing the risks, the decision can be wrenching. Adoption and in some instances a sperm donation may be acceptable alternatives to older fathers wanting to build a healthy family.
Michael Craig Miller, M.D. is Editor in Chief of the Harvard Mental Health Letter. He is also associate physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. He has been practicing psychiatry for more than 25 years and teaches in the Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Program. | <urn:uuid:ead27494-0b5f-4d1e-945a-b75ef1d081c5> | {
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Physician William H. Welch
Noted physician and bacteriologist William H. Welch died on this date in 1934. He gained fame during his lifetime for discovering the bacterium that causes gas gangrene, since named Bacillus welchii. Welch also studied other diseases; these included pneumonia, diphtheria, and problems with immunity and infection. Born in Connecticut in 1850, Welch graduated first from Yale University and then from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Welch later was pathologist-in-chief of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Eventually, he also held senior administrative posts at the Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, the Hopkins hospital and the Institute of the History of Medicine. In 1910, Welch served as president of the American Medical Association.
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| ||Food for Thought || |
Healthy Eating in Wintertime
Last reviewed and revised by Faculty of Harvard Medical School
on January 16, 2013
By Caitlin Hosmer, M.S., R.D., L.D.N.
and Heather Hawkes
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Winter ushers in a time of the year when we choose heavier foods and are typically less active. Does this winter shift sound familiar to you? While the temperatures drop outside, it is easy for us to drop good eating and exercise habits.
We are most vulnerable to weight gain in the six-week interval between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggested that a typical one-pound gain during the holiday season for Americans may be small, but can accumulate through the years and contribute to obesity later in life. Once we put on that extra pound or more, we often don't get back to our baseline weight later in January.
How does it happen? Volunteers in the NIH study were asked about factors that might influence weight change, including stress, hunger, activity level, changes in smoking habits, and number of holiday parties they attended. Two factors stood out: Those who were much less hungry or much more active were the least likely to gain weight over the holidays. Conversely, those who were less active and hungrier had the most holiday weight gain.
There are lots of food choices during the holidays. Pick ones that satisfy without adding to the bulge:
The gardens may be done for the year, but there are still many fresh foods available. Fresh produce satisfies us with fiber, and provides additional vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to boot.
- Greens and oranges are the colors for winter produce. These are packed with vitamins and minerals to help ward off winter illnesses.
- Kale and mustard greens are great additions to soups and stews or they can be sautéed.
- Squash, sweet potatoes and pumpkin make great baked dishes that are high in fiber. Do keep in mind that these root vegetables are dense and filling, so keep portions moderate.
- An easy way to get your fruit this time of year is to make a winter fruit salad. Cut up in-season and readily available pineapples, citrus and apples; mix together and keep the bowl handy in your fridge for snacking.
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As the days get shorter and the temperatures fall, we tend to reach for our favorite comfort foods to lift our moods. Here are some helpful tips for making healthier choices, while keeping comfort foods comforting and hunger at bay with moderate portions:
- When it's cold outside, it feels good to warm our insides. When eating for warmth, try broth-based soups, such as minestrone, and add some of those winter vegetables! In the morning, start your day off right with a bowl of oatmeal. This high-fiber cereal will stick with you all morning, especially with a small handful of nuts added for protein.
- There are also many simple substitutions you can make when cooking to decrease fat and calories. For a lower-fat macaroni and cheese, use low-fat dairy products: skim or reduced-fat milk and cheese. Add tomatoes and onions for flavor.
- Reading labels can give you a lot of information about what you're eating. Look at the serving size. How does your portion compare to the serving on the package? Package servings are often smaller than what we actually consume.
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Maintaining Your Pre-Holiday Weight
If you are trying to maintain or lose weight, the holidays can be a scary time. We surround ourselves with family and friends and an abundance of food.
- The day of a party, don't skip meals. Maintain a regular eating schedule so you won't be starving and overeat when you arrive at the party.
- Go for the nut bowl. Having a small handful of nuts will satisfy you more than the chips and dip, and you'll eat less throughout the course of the evening.
- Help yourself to the fruit and veggie platters. The fiber is filling and balances out heavier, starchy foods.
- Scan the spread of food and then make your choices. Have small amounts of your favorite foods and desserts. Try leaving space on the plate between food items to limit how much gets piled on. Eat slowly to enjoy holiday foods longer. And remember that holiday gatherings are also about people talking slows down eating.
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Don't Succumb to the Inactivity Blues
Typically it requires greater effort to be physically active in the winter the time when we most need this antidote to eating more and feeling more stress. Not only are we more sedentary because of the weather, but indoor behaviors, such as watching TV, lend themselves to snacking when we're not hungry.
- Build your winter wardrobe for outdoor exercise. You don't have to spend a fortune at a sports store. Discount department stores offer lower-budget gear. Layering is the key. This allows you to stay at the right temperature. As you get moving you can shed layers, and then add them back as you cool down. Make sure you have good footwear for traction, water-resistance and warmth.
- If venturing outdoors doesn't appeal, try an exercise video that you can do from the comfort of your home, or join a local gym. This may be the perfect time to try an exercise class, such as yoga, step or Pilates. It's important to remember you can't just exercise eight or nine months out of the year. Physical activity needs to be done on a regular basis to maintain the benefits.
- Activity is stimulating to our body and mind. Our moods are already prone to being "down" in the winter. Physical activity can help to give you that boost in energy and attitude. For those who experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), one study found that an hour's walk in winter sunlight was as effective as 2½ hours under bright artificial light, an alternate therapy.
No matter what time of year, staying healthy is a balance of good eating and physical activity. With winter come barriers that require us to be more diligent about food choices and exercise. Keep in mind these tips and you'll be looking and feeling better this winter!
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Roberts SB, Mayer J. "Holiday weight gain: fact or fiction?" Nutrition Reviews. 2000; 58(12):378-9.
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Caitlin Hosmer, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., is the manager of the Nutrition Consultation Service at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from Cornell University. She completed her dietetic internship at Frances Stern Nutrition Center and New England Medical Center, and received a master's degree in nutrition at Tufts University.
Heather Hawkes is a dietetic intern at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She graduated from the University of Vermont in December 2002 and in the spring of 2003 spent nine weeks in Haiti as a public health nutritionist. | <urn:uuid:410df45c-8cfe-4556-b1e0-0427f3a1db5b> | {
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Linn, Amy. Illuminating News: What You Don't Know About Lightning Might
Come As Shock. Providence Sunday Journal. August 21, 1988.
Abstract: This article explains some common misconceptions about
lightning. For example, one misconception is that lightning never strikes
the same place twice. This is untrue. Once lightning discovers an easy target
it will likely strike again. The article also provides important safety
precautions. The safest place during a thunderstorm is inside a house away
from windows or inside a closed car. | <urn:uuid:2069c051-8762-4c3d-a0d3-651a55fe3924> | {
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IDEA Award Winner 2008
Geography-independent Cancer Research Tools
- George Thoma, Chief, Communications Engineering Branch, National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health
- Sameer Antani, Staff Scientist, National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health
- Rodney Long, Electronics Engineer, National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health
- Mark Schiffman, Senior Investigator, National Cancer Institute
Oncologists, gynecologists, and healthcare workers are increasingly relying on network-based tools developed by the National Library of Medicine. These tools include databases with images that range from 20 megabytes to tens of gigabytes, real-time collaboration tools, as well as professional education and development tools.
These tools have changed the way geographically distant cancer researchers are able to collaborate. Over 40 researchers across 6 countries have conducted over 10 studies in just 2 years. Prior to these tools, collaboration relied on the physical exchange of photographic and glass histology slides via postal mail, with considerable logistical challenges and delays. Moreover, the convenient and accurate correlation of patient records and physical slides posed further challenges. Taking advantage of high speed networks the NLM-developed tools have made it possible to implement simultaneous views, searches, and exchange of large volume data.
These and other tools being developed aid current cancer research, and are being extended to other areas of biomedical research. For example, one tool module now enables shape-based retrieval for a collection of 17,000 digitized X-ray images of cervical and lumbar spine x-ray images and related text information. Furthermore, by extending accessibility to images and information, these tools help meet the urgent need to apply the results of biomedical research to clinical medicine | <urn:uuid:bf8f466c-006d-43a7-a6c8-9ffac95a5263> | {
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The Arrow of Time
We are all aware of an intuitive "flow" of time from past to future. Not only do we feel this flow of time, but we also see it manifested in the behaviour of objects which change over time. Many objects seem to behave differently in the forward time direction when compared to the backward time direction. For example, we don't see a spilt glass of water jumping up and going back into the glass, we don't see a broken egg reforming itself. These effects all add to the impression that there is some sort of "forward direction" in the time dimension. This directionality is called the Arrow of Time.
However, this "arrow of time" is something of a mystery to physicists because, at the microscopic level, all fundamental physical processes appear to be time-reversible (we'll consider this later). Also, as shown on the Time and the Block Universe page, our universe appears to have a spacetime structure in which all of time is laid-out in a "block universe", i.e., there is no actual "flow" of time, no movement of a "now" point.
So on this page we will investigate the cause of this mysterious "Arrow of Time".
Entropy can be considered the amount of disorder in a system. For example, a car that has rusted could be said to have a greater entropy value than a new car: bits of the car may have fallen off, the paint may be flaking. Basically, the molecules of the car have become more disordered over time: entropy has increased.
As has just been just discussed, all microscopic processes appear to be time-reversible. The question of why we see an "arrow of time" in macroscopic processes has therefore presented physics with a long-standing conundrum. For this reason, much attention has focussed on the fact that the entropy of a closed system increases with time, i.e., a system will gradually become more disordered with time. Eventually the system (gas in a closed container, for example) will reach a state when all its molecules are completely randomly orientated. This state is called thermal equilibrium. The rule that entropy increases with time is called the second law of thermodynamics.
The reason for this increase in entropy can be seen from a purely probabilistic argument: a system will have many more possible disordered states than ordered states, so a system which changes state randomly will most likely move to a more disordered state. It's really just a matter of likelihood. For this reason, the second "law" of thermodynamics is not really a "law" at all, certainly not an unbreakable law on the same basis as other physical laws - it is a statistical principle. In fact, it might be possible for a room full of randomly-distributed particles to re-order itself quite by chance so that all the particles end up in one corner of the room - it would just be incredibly unlikely!
While the second "law" of thermodynamics is "just" a statistical principle, it is a mightily powerful statistical principle! This is because the basis of the second law - that "disorder will increase" - seems so obvious, and seems to appeal to a fundamental, platonic principle of mathematics. For this reason, the second law manages to appear even more fundamental and unbreakable than the other physical laws, some of which (for example, the amount of electric charge on an electron) seem rather arbitrary in comparison. This fundamental strength of the second law is described well by the astrophysicist Sir Arthur Eddington:
"If someone points out to you that your pet theory of the universe is in disagreement with Maxwell's equations - then so much the worse for Maxwell's equations. If it is found to be contradicted by observation - well, these experimentalists do bungle things sometimes. But if your theory is found to be against the second law of thermodynamics I can offer you no hope; there is nothing for it but to collapse in deepest humiliation."
- Sir Arthur Eddington
One of the most inexplicable features of the early universe is that it had an incredibly low value of entropy. This value of entropy was so low that even now - 13 billion years later - we still find ourselves living in a world of relatively low entropy. As a result, many of the objects we surround ourselves with have low entropy: new cars, and perfect unbroken eggs in egg cups. And these objects are basically falling apart around us as they inevitably move to higher entropy states: cars rust, eggs fall on the floor and break. Hence, the increase in entropy in our ordered world is one reason why we detect an apparent "arrow of time".
But change of entropy is fundamentally time-symmetrical!!
However, this is a good time to clear-up a very widely-held misconception about the change of entropy: that change of entropy is in some way fundamentally time-asymmetric, that entropy change behaves fundamentally differently in the forward time direction to the backward time direction. This is absolutely not the case. In the general case, entropy increases in the backward time direction in just the same way as it increases in the forward time direction: change of entropy is symmetrical with time. (However, a very small minority of physicists might still believe change of entropy is time-asymmetric - see my comments at the bottom of this discussion with the notoriously tetchy physicist Luboš Motl here).
The probabilistic basis of the second law of thermodynamics simply says that a system will have many more possible disordered states than ordered states, so a system which changes state randomly will most likely move to a more disordered state. This seems very clear and obvious - such a simple statement is never going to be the cause of something so mysterious as fundamental time-asymmetry. Indeed, this change to a more disordered state is just as applicable in the reverse time direction as in the forward time direction: it's just a change of state, independent of time.
But what about the second law of thermodynamics which states that "entropy increases with time"? This seems to imply a fundamental time-asymmetry to entropy. But we have to realise that the second law only applies to special-case systems: objects with low entropy, the sort of objects we generally encounter in everyday life (rusting cars, etc.). In fact, if we consider general-case objects (i.e., objects in thermal equilibrium), objects which have never been arranged into any sort of order, then their entropy is at a maximum already so their entropy can only decrease with time - completely at odds with the second law!
This generally-held misconception that change of entropy is fundamentally time-asymmetrical is revealed by the Loschmidt paradox. The Loschmidt paradox considers the apparently fundamental time-asymmetry of entropy implied by the second law and states that this is at odds with the known time symmetry of fundamental processes. It is only when we realise that the second law is frequently badly stated and hence contains unstated assumptions (which have been just considered) that the Loschmidt paradox is resolved. (Wikipedia describes this resolution of the paradox, showing how one of the key assumptions of Boltzmann's version of the second law of thermodynamics was flawed - see here).
But if change of entropy is time-symmetric, why do we see the entropy of the universe as only increasing? Roger Penrose considers this question in his book The Road to Reality. Penrose considers what we might expect to happen if we trace the entropy of the universe back in time from the state it is in now. If change of entropy is really time-symmetrical, then we should expect to see entropy increasing as we trace the universe into the past, just as we will see entropy increasing into the future. But we know, in fact, that the universe had a lower entropy in the past: i.e., the entropy of the universe actually reduces in the past. So where does this asymmetry come from?
As Roger Penrose goes on to reveal, the time-asymmetry of change of entropy within the universe is explained by the extraordinarily low entropy of the universe at its origin:
Basically, the low-entropy past of the universe "fixes" the experiment. If we want to get a symmetrical answer then we have to be careful to conduct a symmetrical experiment. Rather than starting with a special-case low entropy universe, we have to imagine a universe which started in thermal equilibrium and has reached its current state unaided, purely by chance:
After that low-entropy point is reached, we then see entropy starting to increase according to the second law. But the key thing is that if we trace the entropy of the universe back in time past the low-entropy point we now see that symmetry that Roger Penrose sought. Hence, change of entropy is fundamentally symmetrical.
In fact, throughout this discussion on the arrow of time we will find that the arrow of time is caused by the time-symmetric second law of thermodynamics, together with the very special, low-entropy initial conditions of the universe.
(This discussion on time-symmetric entropy change is based on an example by J. Richard Gott in his book Time Travel in Einstein's Universe in which the role of the universe is played by an ice cube - see here. The ice cube example is considered in detail in Chapter 6 of Brian Greene's book The Fabric of the Cosmos.)
We all have a very strong feeling of a directionality of time, which has a flow in a forwards direction. As Michael Lockwood says in his book The Labyrinth of Time: "We regard the forward direction in time, in stark contrast to the backward direction, as the direction in which causality is permitted to operate. Causes, we assume, can precede their effects, but cannot follow them."
But we have just seen how physical processes appear to be time-symmetrical, with no distinction between the forward and backward directions. So where does that leave causality? As Michael Lockwood again says about the passage of time: "We find no hint of this in the formalism of Newtonian physics. Not only is there no explicit reference to a passage or flow of time; there is not even any reference to cause and effect. Indeed, there is not even any directionality".
"But", you might protest, "surely causality works in only one direction: forwards in time? I kick a football - the football doesn't kick me." Well, let's consider the example immediately below of forward causality. We see a snooker cue coming in from the left, hitting the white ball, which then causes the white ball to hit the red ball:
However, if you shoot a movie of that sequence, and then play it backwards, it still makes perfect physical sense. As you can see below, we then have the red ball coming in from the right, hitting the white ball, which then causes the white ball to hit the cue backwards. So, because of the symmetry of the laws of physics, this process of causality - which we thought only applied to the forward direction of time - in fact applies equally to the backward direction of time as well:
The reason why we don't see causality happening in the backward direction is purely because of a bias in our psychological systems: something about the complexity of our psychological system (our brains!) causes our thought processes to work only in the forward direction of time (this will be considered below). The great advantage of recording the sequence on a movie and then playing the movie backwards (to reveal the time symmetry of causality) is that a movie camera works in a much more simple fashion than our brains and thus has no such psychological bias in the forward direction: it works in exactly the same way forward as backward.
So if causality is time-symmetrical, we could in fact think of our current situations are being caused by time-reversed future events as much as by past events! For example, as I sit here by my desk in work this morning, I could consider my position as being caused by me being in my apartment this evening, and driving my car from there backward in time, backward down the road the work, to put me in work this morning! It's a bit brain-bending, but it's equally valid as saying "I got up this morning, and drove forwards to work". It seems strange, but that's only because of our psychological bias. The movie of my complete day at work would tell the correct (time-reversible) story.
The Quantum Mechanical Arrow of Time
As has just been explained, almost all known physical principles (from Newtonian mechanics through to Einstein's relativity) have a completely symmetric treatment of past and future. Nowhere in any of these equations is there anything which distinguishes a forward direction of time from a backward direction of time. The exception to this rule appears to be quantum mechanics. On the page on The Quantum Casino it was explained how, when we make a measurement of a quantum observable, there is a "collapse of the wavefunction" in which a probability wave collapses to generate a single observed value from a range of possible values. This process appears to work in the forward time direction only, i.e., it is irreversible.
An explanation for this apparent "collapse of the wavefunction" is presented in detail on the page on Quantum Decoherence, so I don't want to repeat it here. Suffice to say that the coherent phase relationships of the interference terms are destroyed when a particle interacts with the environment. The dissipation of these terms into the wider environment can be interpreted in terms of increasing entropy (again, see the section on "Decoherence and Entropy" on the Quantum Decoherence page for full details). Quantum decoherence can then be understood as a thermodynamic process: after decoherence, the process is said to be thermodynamically irreversible.
So once again the underlying physical principles appear to be time symmetric, with no fundamental preference for either the forward or backward time direction. The apparent arrow of time produced by the "collapse of the wavefunction" is once again shown to be a result of increasing entropy. As Andreas Albrecht explains in his paper Cosmic Inflation and the Arrow of Time (when considering decoherence in the double-slit experiment): "A double-slit electron striking a photographic plate is only a good quantum measurement to the extent that the photographic plate is well constructed, and has a very low probability of re-emitting the electron in the coherent 'double slit' state. Good photographic plates are possible because of the thermodynamic arrow of time: the electron striking the plate puts the internal degrees of freedom of the plate into a higher entropy state, which is essentially impossible to reverse. Furthermore, different electron positions on the plate become entangled with different states of the internal degrees of freedom, so there is essentially no interference between positions of the electron. From this point of view, the quantum mechanical arrow of time is none other than the thermodynamic arrow of time."
Why can't we remember the future?
If physical processes all appear to be time-reversible at a fundamental level, we might ask the question "Why can't we remember the future?" After all, we can remember the past, and physics seems to make no distinction between past, present, and future. So why don't we already have prior knowledge of what is going to happen in the future?
In order to answer this question, we shall consider the reasoning of James Hartle which is based around the radiative arrow of time:
The Radiative Arrow of Time
In his paper The Physics of "Now", James Hartle makes the point that the reason we can't remember the future is because we have not yet received any information about future events. This thinking is based on the idea of a "light cone", the shape of which is defined by the speed of light:
At first glance, this might seem a very straightforward explanation of why we are unable to remember the future: it takes time for a light ray (photons) carrying information to reach us from a distant event. Basically, in the future we will have more information about distant events than we have at present. It is hard to imagine a situation in which light behaves differently - it would appear that light will always take time to travel from a point A to a point B:
This principle - that light will always take time, travelling forwards in time between two points - is called the radiative arrow of time (also known as the electromagnetic arrow of time). But this apparently clear-cut principle is not as clear-cut as it first appears. It turns out that the "world line" of the photon is the same for a photon travelling forwards in time from point A to B as it is for a photon travelling backward in time from point B to point A:
In fact, if we temporarily forget about the little arrows on the world lines (which indicate "cause" and "effect") then we see that the world lines of both the forward and backward photons are precisely identical:
This principle is clearly illustrated by a Feynman diagram of particle interactions which can be rotated at will, showing particle interactions work exactly the same backward in time as forward in time:
It makes no sense to talk about the entropy of a single photon (entropy is a statistical property of a large group of particles), so a single photon has no arrow of time. However, we do not receive our information about distant events in the form of single photons. Rather, it appears we receive information in the form of light rays which are composed of billions of photons (bosons are quite happy to congregate in the same state, and gather together in a cooperative fashion to create light rays). For this reason, studies of the radiative arrow of time have concentrated on studying the Maxwell electromagnetic field equations which treats light as a field with a wave nature (rather than considering the path of individual particles).
It is often quoted that Maxwell's electromagnetic field equations are time-reversible and so allow for advanced (backward-in-time) waves as well as retarded (forward-in-time) waves. However, in practice it is much easier to produce a retarded wave than an advanced wave, and this reveals the limitations of Maxwell's equations as a full description of the behaviour of light. We need to combine Maxwell's equations with something else in order to derive a radiative arrow of time.
James Hartle attempts to use Maxwell's equations to deduce the radiative arrow of time in Appendix A of his aforementioned paper The Physics of "Now" which is called The Cosmological Origin of Time's Arrow. His approach (based on principles described in H. Dieter Zeh's book The Physical Basis for the Direction of Time) combines the time-symmetric Maxwell's equations with the time-asymmetric boundary conditions of the universe as a whole (he considers the asymmetrical total amount of electromagnetic radiation). The approach suggests that because there were no free electromagnetic fields at the start of the universe, but there are fields in the future, those fields must all be caused by retarded waves that have their sources in the past. However, I don't see how the radiative arrow of time can depend on the total of electromagnetic fields in the universe in this way. There's no equivalent of the second law of thermodynamics (increasing entropy) for electromagnetic fields. The total of electromagnetic field in an isolated system does not tend to increase (as is the case with entropy). The radiative arrow of time must surely depend on the increasing sum total of entropy in the universe, not the total of electromagnetic field. Surely the radiative arrow of time must have the same cause as the thermodynamic arrow of time.
At the beginning of the last century, Walter Ritz proposed that only retarded (forward-in-time) waves were physically possible (i.e., the process was fundamentally time-asymmetric). In 1908 and 1909 he had a famous argument with Einstein over this matter, as Einstein believed the process was fundamentally symmetric and could be explained by thermodynamic arguments (see here). It turns out that it is easier to create a light ray in the forward time direction as the behaviour of the billions of photons as they are produced (by an ordered source such as a light bulb) and scattered (when they reach a target) can be understood in turns of increasing entropy: "This arrow has been reversed in carefully-worked experiments which have created convergent waves, so this arrow probably follows from the thermodynamic arrow in that meeting the conditions to produce a convergent wave requires more order than the conditions for a radiative wave. Put differently, the probability for initial conditions that produce a convergent wave is much lower than the probability for initial conditions that produce a radiative wave. In fact, normally a radiative wave increases entropy, while a convergent wave decreases it." (see the Wikipedia article on the Arrow of Time). Hence, the reason we do not see convergent, advanced waves can be explained in terms of entropy.
When I turn on an electric light, for example, the photons leave the bulb in a relatively ordered form. The photons then radiate away from the bulb, redistributing themselves around the room (i.e., a radiative wave), creating a state of greater disorder - increased entropy. As Andreas Albrecht explains in his paper Cosmic Inflation and the Arrow of Time: "The complete absence of the time-reverse of radiation absorption is understood to be one feature of the thermodynamic arrow of time in our world. A hillside absorbing an evening news broadcast is entering a higher entropy state, and the entropy would have to decrease for any of the troublesome time-reversed cases to take place. So in the end, the radiation arrow of time is none other than the thermodynamic arrow of time."
Could it be possible to remember the future?
If we consider the hypothetical situation in which we have found a way to circumvent the limitations imposed by the radiative arrow of time, it is interesting to ask if it could ever be possible to remember the future. And, if so, what would our "memories" by like?
In this respect, the Scottish philosopher Donald Mackay suggested an interesting "thought experiment". Mackay wondered if it could ever be possible to predict how someone will behave in the future, and, if so, what would be the consequences for human free will. If we had complete knowledge of the current state of a person's brain, would we be able to accurately predict a person's actions in the short-term future? Basically, if we are able to predict how a person will behave - and the decisions they will make - in the future then human free will is shown to be a fallacy, an illusion.
However, Mackay suggested that it would be impossible to predict a person's future decisions if that predicted future was made known to the person. This is because the person could then choose to act in a different way from how you have told him he will behave. This is described by John D. Barrow in his book Impossibility: "Consider a person who is asked to choose between soup or salad for lunch. If we introduce a brain scientist who not only knows the complete state of this person's brain, but that of the entire universe as well at present, we could ask whether this scientist can infallibly announce what the choice of lunch will be. The answer is 'No'. The subject can always be stubborn, and adopt a strategy that says 'If you say that I will choose soup, then I will choose salad, and vice versa'. Under these conditions it is logically impossible for the scientist to predict infallibly what the person will choose if the scientist makes his prediction known."
So if a person gains access to knowledge about his future behaviour, it would appear that it becomes impossible to predict that future. But this knowledge about future behaviour is precisely what a person will gain if he is able to remember the future. So if a person is able to remember the future, he could then choose to act in a different way to how his memory of the future tells him he will act! There would appear to be a logical inconsistency here: if a person is able to remember the future, then those memories of the future instantly become unreliable. Therefore, it would appear to be impossible to "remember the future".
As an example, here's how Dilbert might behave if he could remember the future: | <urn:uuid:3ab5fd70-76a4-4ab3-b9bf-9162bdadc8d9> | {
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An animal detection system with the warning lights activated resulted in 1.52 mi/h lower vehicle speeds (compared to warning lights off) for passenger cars and pick-ups.
Alerting drivers to the presence of large animals in the road at Yellowstone National Park.
The study area was on US Highway 191 inside of the Yellowstone National Park, with a posted speed limit of 55 mi/hour. The data collection period occurred over two weeks in which there was mostly no precipitation. Researchers installed three traffic counters and road tubes outside and inside of the detection area. The counters recorded the date, time, vehicle type, vehicle speed and gap (in seconds) between vehicles. When vehicles moved in platoons, only the speed of the first vehicle in a platoon was used as a data point when the signs were activated (since the following vehicles may be influenced by the speed of the first one). A sample size of 2,428 vehicles per 24 hour period was used.
The deployment of an animal detection system at Yellowstone National Park found that passenger cars, pick-ups, vans, and trucks with two units or more had lower vehicle speeds by 1.52 mi/hour with warning signs activated compared to warning signs off. Although the difference is small, it is important to note that small reductions when vehicles are traveling at high speeds have a disproportionate decrease in the probability of severe accidents.
The data also showed that the number of collisions with large animals was 58 to 67 percent lower than was expected (but could not be tested for significance due to the variability in the number of collisions and just one year of post installation collision data). Driver opinion of the system documented in interviews revealed that a majority (59 percent) would have liked to see the system stay in place. The system was removed in the fall of 2008 due to high maintenance and a lack of spare parts.
Author: M.P. Huijser, T.D. Holland, A.V. Kociolek, A.M. Barkdoll and J.D. Schwalm
Published By: Oregon Department of Transportation Research Unit and the Federal Highway Administration
Source Date: March 2009URL: http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31600/31698/Animal-Vehicle_Crash_Mitigation_Phase_2.pdf
Average User Rating
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Mussar is a thousand-year-old Jewish system for personal growth, specifically in the realm of character improvement. Mussar provides a distinctively Jewish answer to the sorts of questions any thinking person asks about life:
This 20-part course gives an overview of the basic concepts and practices of Mussar. The course examines a variety of character traits -- truth, anger, kindness, gratitude and others -- that are the stepping stones on the journey toward spiritual greatness. Students will be guided in a practical system for how to track and measure their spiritual progress.
This course also features 8 dynamic video segments.
Are there areas of your character you want to improve? Mussar is a great way to get there.
Each class features a dynamic essay that includes stories, insights, thought questions, and spiritual exercises. These essays can be read online, or printed in a beautiful PDF format. The course also includes 8 video presentations.
Part One: Foundations
Part Two: Character Traits
Part Three: Conclusion | <urn:uuid:875b4ad4-cf78-40ec-a808-3d2b0f361b5a> | {
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use exponent rules to simplify. Write as a single power, dont need to find the value. [ (11/20)^4 x (11/20)^-8]^5 and (11/20)^-6 you cant leave an number to the power of a negative exponent. You have to change it like this ex : 2^-3 = 1/2^3 = 1/8
-A store sells 28 ounces of peanut butter for $2.24. The store also sells 32 ounces of teh same peanut butter for $2.40. Which is a better buy?
12. The Delhi Sultanate ruler Radiyya first took power chiefly because A. she proved herself in battle. B. she wore men's clothes. C. she killed her brother. D. her father chose her as his successor. I chose c
Ok can u Atleast check if it makes sense? I wanna pass
I found it can i send a recording??
R these correct??plz help En la 11. ___________ te llamé. De la oscuridad me llamaste. Reconocí tu 12. ___________. Reconociste la mia. Vente para acá, 13. ___________. Respondiste: ¿Dónde estás, papá? No te 14...
😭 Thanks anyway:(
No I listen to the cd and fill in the blanks
For Further Reading | <urn:uuid:beec3909-35ce-41c5-bfaa-4daa1e72dbc1> | {
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Kom Ombo is an agricultural town in Egypt famous for its temple. It was originally an Egyptian city called Nubt, meaning City of Gold (not to be confused with the city north of Naqada that was also called Nubt/Ombos). It became a Greek settlement during the Greco-Roman Period. The town's location on the Nile 50 km north of Aswan (Syene) gave it some control over trade routes from Nubia to the Nile Valley, but its main rise to prominence came with the erection of the temple in the 2nd century BC.
In antiquity the city was in the Thebaid, the capital of the Nomos Ombites, upon the east bank of the Nile. Ombos was a garrison town under every dynasty of Egypt, Pharaonic, Macedonian, and Roman, and was celebrated for the magnificence of its temples and its hereditary feud with the people of Tentyra.
Ombos was the first city below Syene at which any remarkable remains of antiquity occur. The Nile, indeed, at this portion of its course, was ill-suited to a dense population in antiquity. It runs between steep and narrow banks of sandstone, and deposits but little of its fertilizing slime upon the dreary and barren shores. There are two temples at Ombos, constructed of the stone obtained from the neighboring quarries of Hadjar-selseleh. The more magnificent of two stands upon the top of a sandy hill, and appears to have been a species of Pantheon, since, according to extant inscriptions, it was dedicated to Aroeres (Apollo) and the other deities of the Ombite nome by the soldiers quartered there. The smaller temple to the northwest was sacred to Isis. Both, indeed, are of an imposing architecture, and still retain the brilliant colors with which their builders adorned them. They are, however, of the Ptolemaic age, with the exception of a doorway of sandstone, built into a wall of brick. This was part of a temple built by Tuthmosis III in honor of the crocodile-headed god Sobek. The monarch is represented on tress, the door-jambs, holding the measuring reed and chisel, the emblems of construction, and in the act of dedicating the temple. The Ptolemaic portions of the larger temple present an exception to an almost universal rule in Egyptian architecture. It has no propylon or dromos in front of it, and the portico has an uneven number of columns, in all fifteen, arranged in a triple row. Of these columns thirteen are still erect. As there are two principal entrances, the temple would seem to be two united in one, strengthening the supposition that it was the Pantheon of the Ombite nome. On a cornice above the doorway of one of the adyta is a Greek inscription, recording the erection, or perhaps the restoration of the sekos by Ptolemy VI Philometor and his sister-wife Cleopatra II, 180-145 BC. The hill on which the Ombite temples stand has been considerably excavated at its base by the river, which here strongly inclines to the Arabian bank.
The crocodile was held in special honor by the people of Ombos, and in the adjacent catacombs are occasionally found mummies of the sacred animal. Juvenal, in his 15th satire, has given a lively description of a fight, of which he was an eye-witness, between the Ombitae and the inhabitants of Tentyra, who were hunters of the crocodile. On this occasion the men of Ombos had the worst of it, and one of their number, having stumbled in his flight, was caught and eaten by the Tentyrites. The satirist, however, has represented Ombos as nearer to Tentyra than it actually is, these towns, in fact, being nearly 100 miles from each other. The Roman coins of the Ombite nome exhibit the crocodile and the effigy of the crocodile-headed god Sobek.
In Kom Ombo there is a rare engraved image of Cleopatra VII in the walls of the main temple and also the engraving of what is though to be the first representation of medical instruments for performing surgery, including scalpels, curettes, forceps, dilator, scissors, and medicine bottles dating from the days of the Roman Egypt.
The city was a bishopric before the Muslim conquest, and Ombos was a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church, Ombi, which has been vacant since 1966. Karol Wojtyła (the future Pope John Paul II) was titular bishop of Ombi from 1958 until 1963, when he was appointed Archbishop of Kraków.
JOURNEYS trips that include Kom Ombo:
Ancient Wonders of Egypt
Egypt Desert Oases & the Nile Valley
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Definition of a Crime Victim
The Attorney General's Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance define a victim as a person that has suffered direct physical, emotional, or pecuniary harm as a result of the commission of a federal crime. If the victim is a non governmental institution, such as a bank or corporation, this definition includes a representative of that institution. Government agencies are not considered victims for the purpose of victim services but federal government employees who are harmed in the performance of their duties are considered victims. If the victim is deceased, under 18 years of age, incompetent or incapacitated, this definition includes one of the following persons (in order of preference): a spouse, a legal guardian, a parent, a child, a sibling, another family member; or another person designated by the court.
Definition of a Witness
The Attorney General's Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance define a witness as a person who has information or evidence concerning a crime, and provides information regarding his or her knowledge to a law enforcement agency. Where the witness is a minor, the term witness includes an appropriate family member or legal guardian. The term witness does not include a person who is solely a defense witness.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will make its best efforts to ensure your rights are protected. You may seek the advice of an attorney with respect to these rights. If you believe that an employee of the United States Attorney’s Office failed to provide you with one or more of these rights, you may file an administrative complaint, as provided under 28 CFR §45.10. Please contact the United States Attorney’s Office to obtain information about these procedures. | <urn:uuid:b4ac4900-9a11-413b-86a6-cd361d788d54> | {
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New GREEN UP Program Helps Buildings to Save Money While Reducing Emissions
By: Meirav Even-Har, Toronto
Regular readers of this blog may have noticed I cover the subject of buildings quite often. Responsible for as much as 40% of global GHGs, buildings remain, for the most part, under the public awareness radar. However, for the companies that own and manage commercial, institutional and residential buildings, the story is a little different. Progress has been made. There are greater numbers of new and existing green buildings. Many Canadian property managers have engaged in a variety of energy, water and waste reduction campaigns. Less energy and water used means a lower carbon footprint.
To continue driving further reduction in energy and water use in existing buildings, the Canada Green Buildings Council (CaGBC) has launched a new program called GREEN UP®. The program includes "a national database and information system designed to improve the energy and environmental performance of buildings in Canada."
How does GREEN UP work?
The following is a brief overview using the steps outlined on the GREEN UP program website:
Step 1: Measure real estate portfolio's energy and water use.
First, GREEN UP users provide program staff with available energy billing data for each registered building. Once inputted, participants are able to track monthly energy use and associated carbon footprint. The program offers access to performance data in office, multi-family, long-term healthcare, hotel, retail, K-12 school, and government buildings.
Step 2: Compare buildings to those of peers and within portfolio.
Building performance can be measured for both individual buildings, as well as portfolios. It can then be compared building to building, or as a group (portfolio) against industry best practices. The peer comparison numbers are based on ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (ENERGY STAR) metrics, for energy [thermal (heating/cooling and electricity), and water use.
Step 3: Set building performance targets and implement projects.
Measuring and tracking performance is important. However, it's what you do with the information that really counts. Setting building performance targets is a component of the GREEN UP program that caught my attention, because it includes tools to help owners and managers develop actionable plans to drive improvements. For example, the Investment Decision Guide Dashboard helps "identify where to target funds for certification, operational and renewal projects." It also enables users to conduct "what-if" scenario analysis, by shifting investment criteria, as well as buildings, regions or types.
While GREEN UP is not a certification program, it is a tool that can be beneficial for those working on certification projects such as: LEED® Canada EB: O&M (LEED for existing buildings).
Step 4: Track savings from retrofit, operational, and occupant improvement
Connecting to the business case, this final step allows participants to link dollars to realised and/or potential energy savings for an entire portfolio, as well as individual buildings.
In a press release for the program's launch, CaGBC President and CEO Thomas Mueller remarks, "By giving those involved in managing buildings this comprehensive and accessible tool we are helping them identify where they can improve building performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions." Understanding the big picture while helping integrate sustainability into operations is key to move the industry forward.
To learn more about GREEN UP click HERE
CaGBC: GREEN UP program webpage http://www.cagbc.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Programs/GREENUP/default.htm
CaGBC: GREEN UP Information Sheet http://www.cagbc.org/AM/PDF/greenup/CaGBC_GU-06-2012-En.pdf
CaGBC: Press release June 2012, Canada Green Building Council launches GREEN UP Building Performance Program
Image: GREEN UP Logo courtesy of Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) | <urn:uuid:c4a7a403-37c2-4ee3-9cba-88c8aaf6a048> | {
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People in the mountains celebrated festivities with the harvest yielded in the fields on the holy territory within the house of worship. Part of the harvested crops was used in ritual bread baking and beer brewing. The first spring works in Khevsureti started by plowing cornfield. On a Friday, the chief of the community would stand on the flat deck roof of one of the houses and announce the beginning of plowing. It was an obligatory work for all, and once the people finished plowing the area, then they would start working on their own patches of land.
It is interesting to note, that as the process of harvest served the divine deeds, it acquired a ritual character. When it was the time to reap the fields, the chief of clan would announce so and appoint the day of reaping. By this time the beer would have been brewed, the parish would get together, select the sacrificial animals and would sacrifice to the deity. The chief would open the beer cask and fill the silver chalices, light the candles nearby the offerings, and chief say prayers. Everybody would toast with beer to the glory of the house of worship. Then the chief would go out into the field with the sickle, cut some barley, and then hand the sickle to the reapers. The latter were offered the drink by people carrying the tuns with beer. Reaping was accompanied with songs. After the process was finished, one of the reapers would start chanting, "God bless the Iakhsar and the Iakhsar bless your people" (Iakhsar is one of the pagan deities of the people of Tusheti, Khevsureti, Pshavi) and the people around would start echoing and this meant that the reaping was over.
The crop harvested in the holy field was considered sacred. If the house of worship had its own barn, the harvest would be stored there. If not, then it would be taken to the cleanest attic of one of the houses, which was strictly guarded. It was such a sacred product that its theft, appropriation or wasting in any way was strictly precluded. The most of the wheat crop was used in beer brewery, which was the main ritual drink and no blessings and toasting would be possible without this drink at the feasts. | <urn:uuid:b7f52e94-5f28-457f-9633-8f3769d70b4d> | {
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England could spice up its food production by growing more herbs and spices, says a report looking at the nation's future food security.
It said it could become possible if the UK's climate changes, as could growing chickpeas "for roti-bread flour".
Experts involved in the government-convened Green Food Project also called for improvements in yields, resource efficiency and wildlife protection.
The findings will be unveiled by Farming Minster Jim Paice.
Continue reading the main story
Throughout history, the impact of plant pests and diseases, such as potato blight, can devastate lives
Plant pests: The biggest threats
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set up the project in order to bring together representatives in farming, manufacturing, science and conservation to look at measures to ensure the UK's food system can cope with future pressures.
Among the issues facing the sector are climate change, a growing population, changes in diet and eating habits.
"With our increasingly hungry world, every country must place its part to produce more food and improve the environment," Mr Paice said.
"We're not talking about Soviet-style targets but an overall approach in which the whole food chain pulls together."
Food for thought
The project consisted of five subgroups to look at particular areas within the food system - wheat, dairy, bread, curry and geographical areas - with the goal of consider ways to "reconcile how we will achieve our goals of improving the environment and increasing good production".
The project's steering group identified a number of "strategic steps" that could be taken to strengthen the food chain, including:
Research and technology - improve knowledge base and science capability; also improve forecasting potential scenarios the sector will face in the future
Knowledge exchange - improve the way in which research and advice is shared between food, farming and environmental sectors
Investment - giving farmers and businesses confidence that investments will improve future performance
Ecosystem services - develop a clear understanding of the economic costs and environmental risks of allowing such services to deteriorate
Consumption and waste - initiate further work on how to tackle problems within the food system surrounding consumption, demand and waste
Among the organisations represented were the National Farmers' Union, the British Retail Consortium, the Food and Drink Federation, WWF and the RSPB.
Commenting on the report, RSPB conservation director and member of the steering group Martin Harper said: "It is clear that food production and consumption urgently need to change.
"The project is an important first step towards working out what England's contribution should be to help food production to become more sustainable and shared more equitably."
Another member of the steering group, WWF-UK's head of food programme Mark Driscoll, also described the report as a first step, but said more needed to be done.
"The establishment of a consumption forum, but this has to be much more than just a talking shop," he said.
"It must report back with clear recommendations and a timetable for action from government, business and civil society." | <urn:uuid:4be3302e-fadc-46b5-bc9e-47ba681e1238> | {
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A new strain of flu is affecting man's best friend. Health officials say a strain of flu virus, called Dog Flu, is affecting dogs in kennels in Texas and six other states. Researchers say the dog flu strain jumped from horses to dogs. Scientists say dogs have no immunity to the virus and a large number show no symptoms at all. Though few, some infected dogs die. Other canines experience only a fever and cough.
Dog Flu can spread from dog to dog through coughing and sneezing. Vets say it mimics a common illness called Kennel Cough. Dr. Schwede, owner of Acres North Veterinary Hospital tells us it's only a matter of time before the Dog Flu infects dogs in Lubbock. Though there is no vaccine for the illness, he says to keep dogs away from other dogs who have respiratory infections.
Health officials anticipate a vaccine for Dog Flu will be developed soon. | <urn:uuid:b8a37f14-b616-49ef-b1d1-90fda5bc1791> | {
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Waste is defined as something that is unwanted or unusable. According to the Office of National Statistics, a staggering 342m tonnes of waste is produced in the UK each year. Instead of going to landfill sites to be buried or burnt, a vast proportion of this waste could be cut using the following steps:
Reduce – change manufacturing processes so that less materials are used or change consumer habits so that less wasted material is bought
Reuse – choose goods and products that can be used again and reuse rubbish for other purposes
Recycle – make sure that waste is processed and made into another product wherever possible. Composting is also recycling: the nutrients in organic waste are processed and returned to the soil to help more plants to grow
Reducing your waste
Any building or environment where people live or work will produce a certain amount of waste, and children’s centres are no exception. Reducing waste may involve taking an in-depth look at the types of resources your centre buys and considering ways of cutting down. There are numerous ways a children’s centre can reduce the amount of waste produced and handle waste in a more environmentally friendly way. Does the centre recycle and, if so, what types of waste do you recycle? Could you recycle more or re-use materials such as paper and yoghurt pots? Instead of paying companies to remove your waste, by recycling it you will save money in the long-term as you won’t need to pay contractors to take it away. You may also be able to sell some of your metal and glass to companies who can recycle it.
Ensure that paper recycling bins are placed in every classroom and discuss with the children what they are and why they are needed. Encourage children to use both sides of paper and when they’re finished to use the recycling bins.
Composting is a great way of disposing of food waste in an environmentally friendly way. Place compost bins around the centre grounds and ask the children to help empty the food into the bins. Children could then draw pictures of the different foods which are composted. Ask children to look into their lunch box and identify what waste can be composted and what can’t. Explain how certain items such as yoghurt pots can be re-used to make paint pots etc.
Visit our Resources & Links to download a Rupert Bear themed waste dot to dot activity. This section also provides details of organisations that will be able to help your centre tackle the waste topic. | <urn:uuid:ded03b8c-4e91-429a-99f0-d045c0bc7ed7> | {
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According to Miguel Angel Ortiz, a professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Benedict wasn’t so much addressing the specific issue of remarried divorcees but addressing the relation between the spouses’ personal faith and the validity of marriage, including its commitment to fidelity.
In a 2005 question-and-answer session with priests, the pope said he once believed that lack of faith was enough to declare a marriage invalid. But, after tasking theologians to look into the issue, he had “understood that the problem was very difficult” and required further study.
At the time, Benedict said it was “particularly sad” to see people marry in the church out of tradition instead of a faith commitment only to subsequently find faith and remarry.
For Ortiz, the pope’s reflection could “speed up the process of declaring a marriage invalid” without changing the substance of the process itself.
Read it all.
Filed under: * Culture-Watch History Marriage & Family Religion & Culture * Religion News & Commentary Other Churches Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI * Theology Ethics / Moral Theology Pastoral Theology
Posted January 30, 2013 at 8:00 am
To comment on this article: Go to Article ViewThe URL for this article is http://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/47442/
© 2013 Kendall S. Harmon. All rights reserved.
For original material from Titusonenine (such as articles and commentary by Dr. Harmon) permission to copy and distribute free of charge is granted, provided this notice, the logo, and the web site address are visible on all copies. For permission for use in for-profit publications, please email KSHarmon[at]mindspring[dot]com
<< Return to Mobile view (headlines) | <urn:uuid:f7370c32-62f4-4e03-b7b6-8677f292a254> | {
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Kenya - the Useful Plants Project
In Kenya, the Useful Plants Project aims to enhance the ex-situ conservation of plants that are beneficial to human wellbeing. Ex-situ conservation involves conserving seeds outside their native habitat and helps to protect plant life for our future.
The project is working closely with local communities to increase their capacity to propagate useful species.
The main objectives of the project in Kenya are to:
- identify the most useful plant species for conservation
- conserve these important plants ex-situ
- carry out research in order to support the conservation and sustainable use of selected useful species
- enhance the capacity of Government of Kenya (GoK) agencies and local growers to cultivate target species
Activities in Kenya
Through literature review and ethnobotanical surveys, investigating the use of plants within community groups, the project team have identified the most useful plant species.
Four nurseries have been selected for enhancement. They have been surveyed to discover which useful species were already propagated by the local people, identify those with propagation problems and highlight plants of particular interest.
The UPP team is running workshops in the communities to educate local people about the importance of conserving useful species and preserving local knowledge. Training is provided and teaches techniques for seed collecting, conservation and propagation, enhancing the ability of the local community to cultivate useful plants.
Outside Tharaka, the team collects nationwide; germination tests are carried out at the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) with assistance from the Genebank of Kenya, at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), where seeds are conserved. The seeds are duplicated at Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank to ensure their long term conservation.
The Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT) is assisting with the propagation of difficult plants, while Kew scientists from the Jodrell Laboratory are collaborating with Kenyatta University to study the phytochemestry of the African satinwood (Zanthoxylum gilletii) in different geographical areas.
24-26 February 2010
Collaborators in Kenya
Institutes involved in the Project in Kenya are:
- The National Museums of Kenya (NMK)
- The Genebank of Kenya at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI)
- Kenyatta University
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT)
People in Kenya
- Dr Helida Oyieke, Useful Plants Project Manager in Kenya
- Alice Wagura, Useful Plants Project Project Co-ordinator in Kenya | <urn:uuid:f5d015f3-5711-4657-9b4d-19ec92fe5547> | {
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