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On This Day - 22 May 1918
Theatre definitions: Western Front comprises the Franco-German-Belgian front and any military action in Great Britain, Switzerland, Scandinavia and Holland. Eastern Front comprises the German-Russian, Austro-Russian and Austro-Romanian fronts. Southern Front comprises the Austro-Italian and Balkan (including Bulgaro-Romanian) fronts, and Dardanelles. Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres comprises Egypt, Tripoli, the Sudan, Asia Minor (including Transcaucasia), Arabia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Persia, Afghanistan, Turkestan, China, India, etc. Naval and Overseas Operations comprises operations on the seas (except where carried out in combination with troops on land) and in Colonial and Overseas theatres, America, etc. Political, etc. comprises political and internal events in all countries, including Notes, speeches, diplomatic, financial, economic and domestic matters. Source: Chronology of the War (1914-18, London; copyright expired)
Liege and Metz railways bombed by British airmen; Mannheim again attacked.
Raid attempted on Paris by about 30 German machines, but only one reaches capital.
Increased artillery fighting along Piave; an attack at Capo Sile bridgehead repulsed.
Allied airmen active.
Naval and Overseas Operations
Air-raids on Zeebrugge; a German destroyer sunk in harbour.
In East Africa British engage enemy between Nanungu and Mahua; capture guns and ammunition, drive Germans westward.
U.S.A. Sedition Bill passed, and �300,000,000 voted for ordnance. | <urn:uuid:22e28037-0635-45b0-83d6-4f23bfa46332> | {
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<networking> (CMIS) Part of the OSI body of network standards.
Network management information services are used by peer processes to exchange information and commands for the purpose of network management. CMIS defines a message set (GET, CANCEL-GET, SET, CREATE, DELETE, EVENT-REPORT and ACTION), and the structure and content of the messages such that they might be used by "open" systems. In concept, it is similar to SNMP, but more powerful (and hence more complex).
Try this search on Wikipedia, OneLook, Google
Nearby terms: Common LISP Object System « CommonLoops « Common Management Information Protocol « Common Management Information Services » Common Object File Format » Common Object Model » Common Object Request Broker Architecture | <urn:uuid:3a39f7c9-b380-40e8-a4cd-0e4e6a99063c> | {
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Photo by Della Chen
At the crux of most debates on the future of food production is one often-contentious point of comparison: the viability of organic versus conventional farming methods. On one hand, our growing populations require an affordable, nourishing, and immediately available food supply — a demand that many point to as a reason to favor conventional, higher-yield methods. On the other, organic farming advocates argue that sustainable practices will have a further-reaching, more positive impact on local economies, communities, and the future at large than conventional methods can even begin to offer. Entering the fray is writer Sam Fromartz, who recently posted a response on his blog to an essay by journalist/author Marc Gunther.
Sam's piece offers an even-handed take on why number-crunching crop yields doesn't paint a broad enough picture to ultimately answer the question of organic versus conventional:
"The problem with this argument is not that the yield calculations are wrong. The problem is that yield studies are inappropriate by themselves in measuring what's 'sustainable,' in determining what might 'feed the world,' and which methods actually end up using more land in a particular situation. That’s because farming does not occur in a vacuum where yield is the sole measure of success."
He goes on to speak candidly explore the limitations of counting solely on yield calucations as indicators of success, specifically in regards to environmental impact and famer livelihood. He also highlights alternative methods to getting the most out of a single crop, like addressing pre- and post-harvest food waste. An illuminating read!
Sign up now and get $10 when we open. | <urn:uuid:4b49364b-5e27-4555-9e72-7293850a0029> | {
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|Did You Know?|
|Acidic drinks such as soda, energy drinks, and water with lemon erode the surface of the tooth, called enamel, which can lead to decay. Instead of letting acid from drinks sit on your teeth, rinse your mouth with plain water.|
If eyes are the window to the soul, then a smile offers a peek at the pancreas. Just as diabetes can affect your kidneys, feet, heart, and eyes, it plays a role in your oral health, too. Research in this area is young, but studies show that the disease affects the mouth by targeting the gums, increasing decay, and slowing healing.
Probably the greatest impact diabetes has on the mouth is in upping the severity of periodontal disease. This serious gum infection can destroy the tissues and bones that keep the teeth in place and may result in tooth loss. Some signs include red, swollen, and/or bleeding gums, loose or sensitive teeth, and persistent bad breath. “There is very good evidence that diabetes is a risk factor for periodontal disease, both in extent and severity,” says Ira Lamster, DDS, professor of dental medicine and dean emeritus of the College of Dental Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center.
|Good to Know|
|Though uncontrolled diabetes can result in oral health problems, a single episode of high or low blood glucose won’t harm your teeth.|
Though gum disease is a direct result of bacteria, in the form of plaque buildup on teeth and especially below the gum line, there’s no difference between the bacteria in your mouth and those in the mouth of someone without diabetes. Instead, Lamster says, gum disease is worse in people with diabetes because of a greater inflammatory response to the bacteria.
But the link between diabetes and gum disease isn’t a one-way street. “If a person has moderately advanced to advanced periodontal disease and they have diabetes, their metabolic control will be worse,” Lamster says. In fact, some research suggests early signs of gum disease may be an indicator of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. A 2011 study in the Journal of Dental Research found that dentists could identify 73 percent of people with undiagnosed diabetes in part because of the presence of periodontal disease. That suggests routine cleanings could help screen for the disease.
|How to Floss|
|1. With floss between two teeth, curve the floss into a C shape so it’s snug against one tooth.|
2. Rub floss up and down against the tooth and into the space between the tooth and gum.
3. Repeat with the other tooth before moving on to the next gap between teeth.
The good news is that if you treat your gum disease, you may see improvements in your glucose control. Yet, according to the American Diabetes Association’s 2012 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, the quality of studies on the topic is up for debate, so how much your A1C may improve is uncertain. Depending on the extent of the gum disease, a dentist may do a deep cleaning, prescribe medications, or perform surgery.
Dry mouth is a common problem for people with diabetes, and though it may be a result of aging or medications, Lamster says it could be a complication of the disease. The autonomic nervous system controls salivary gland function, so problems with creating saliva are a form of diabetic neuropathy. (Note that nerve damage doesn’t cause any other problems in the mouth, not even tooth sensitivities or pain, which may be a result of gum disease, tooth decay, grinding teeth, tooth whitening, and so on.)
Lacking spit may not sound like a big deal, but the condition does more than make your throat dry and lips chapped. “Saliva is one of our body’s defense systems,” says Thomas Oates, DMD, PhD, assistant dean of clinical research and vice chair of the Department of Periodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School. “It protects the gums from getting infected.” Less saliva means less protection for the teeth against acid and plaque, which leads to tooth decay.
This is compounded if you eat often: “There’s a lot of research that suggests frequency of eating can be a problem,” Oates says, though he notes that there’s no research directly linking diabetes to an increased risk of cavities. Eating glucose or candy to treat lows won’t necessarily up your cavity count, but eating those foods often can. (If you’re eating frequently to treat low blood glucose, however, talk to your doctor about ways to adjust your treatment and limit the number of lows.)
|Experts recommend brushing for at least two minutes, concentrating on each individual tooth, including the surrounding gum.|
People with diabetes are more likely to have root decay, too. Receding gums, a problem that happens with age and gum disease, can expose a tooth’s root and leave an opening for decay.
To stimulate the cleansing effects of saliva at times when you can’t brush or rinse your mouth with water, try chewing sugar-free gum or candy. And take healthy-mouth steps to prevent decay. For starters, get rid of plaque by brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, and get regular teeth cleanings (usually every six months), when a dental hygienist will scrape plaque from your teeth.
|Q & A|
|Do I have to brush each time I treat a low with glucose?|
Nope, but it’s smart to rinse your mouth with water and/or chew sugar-free gum or candy. Doing so will stimulate the saliva that protects teeth.
It makes sense that if diabetes slows wound healing in foot ulcers, for instance, the same would be true for the mouth. But oral wounds typically don’t face the same problems as elsewhere in the body because the mouth has lots of blood flow and possibly because saliva helps fight infection.
The same isn’t true of healing from dental surgery. For the past six years, Oates has studied the effects of dental implants in people with diabetes and has found that they have delayed healing of the bone around the implant compared with people without diabetes.
Though the link between slow healing from dental surgery and diabetes is still being investigated, you can better your chances of a quick recovery by making sure your blood glucose is well controlled. In the end, you play a large role in preventing potential oral complications of diabetes, so take the time to keep your glucose in line and your mouth minty fresh. | <urn:uuid:08301811-aa39-47f7-885f-eb2d306ae420> | {
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The Aslan base their calendar and timekeeping
units on the period of Kusyu
(the Aslan homeworld) around Tyeyo, its star.
The Aslan year is the ftahea, 212.2 eakhau (Aslan days) long. A
is 319.98 standard days in
length; an eakhau is 36 hours long. Each eakhau has a unique
name; for convenience they are numbered from one to 212 and referred to
by number. To every fifth ftahea, a 213th eakhau is added to keep
the calendar in sync with Kusyu.
The Aslan also divide their ftahea into three raohfokh (seasons):
Aihros, Tralrea, and Ktaho. Aihros (Beginning) is the equivalent
of spring: the mating season for many animals and the time when annual
plant life grows from see. Tralrea (Growth) is the long season of
mild weather on Kusyu; it is the growing season (although in
this sense it referes to the growing of herd animals) and lasts 100
eakheau. Ktaho (Harvest) is the hunting season; it is short (only
30 eakheau) and a traditional time of Aslan hunts.
The Aslan calendar began counting time when the first Tlaukhu was
established. The data of 3658 corresponds to the Imperial date of 1120.
An Aslan date is stated in the same format as an Imperial date. A
three-digit eakhau number is followed by a hyphen and a four-digit
ftahea number. For proper identification in the Imperium, the
date is usually followed by the word Aslan. For example, 201-3644
Aslan is the 201st day of the 3644th year of the Aslan calender; it is
equivalent to 000-0000.
The planet Kusyu has only minimal axial tilt and orbital
eccentricity. there is little inthe way of astronomical cause for
seasons on the world, and the Aslan calendar has no seasons because
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KVM: Kernel-based Virtual Machine for Linux
KVM (for Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a full virtualization solution for Linux on x86 hardware. It consists of a loadable kernel module (kvm.ko) and a userspace component.
Using KVM, one can run multiple virtual machines running unmodified Linux or Windows images. Each virtual machine has private virtualized hardware: a network card, disk, graphics adapter, etc.
The kernel component of KVM is included in mainline Linux, and will appear in Linux 2.6.20.
KVM is open source software.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest | <urn:uuid:143b1b83-4809-4c7d-8b34-23c046378a5a> | {
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Air Force project could 'transform' supercomputing
Recent advances in supercomputing haven’t just been about speed, but in developing more energy-efficient architectures, as the Energy Department has shown with Sequoia at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and work on Titan at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The Air Force is heading down this path too, recently awarding a contract to Wu Feng, associate professor of computer science in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, to speed up simulations of its unmanned micro air vehicles (MAVs). The tiny aircraft, as small as five inches, with insect-sized models expected in the future, can be used in a variety of military and hazardous conditions.
Feng, a proponent of green supercomputing, plans to carry out the project with an approach to multi- and many-core parallel computing that he said will “transform supercomputing,” according to a Virginia Tech announcement.
The Air Force project will make use of accelerator-based supercomputers such as HokieSpeed, which Feng designed and built in 2011 for a mere (in supercomputing terms) $1.4 million National Science Foundation grant.
Virginia Tech's Wu Feng on HokieSpeed via Vimeo
The approach to MAV simulations — conducted under a contract with a maximum of $6 million over five years — is a multidisciplinary effort, involving aerospace and mechanical engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists from Virginia Tech and North Carolina State University, who by combining advances in math, algorithms and engineering will develop computational fluid dynamic codes and supporting hardware and software, Virginia Tech said.
Researchers expect to “achieve substantial speed-up over current simulations and provide significantly better utilization of the underlying and co-designed hardware-software of a supercomputer,” Feng said.
Improving performance through parallel hardware and co-designed software is an emerging field, he said. “Furthermore, coupling hardware-software co-design with advances in algorithmic innovation offers the promise of multiplicative speed-ups,” he said.
As supercomputing has gotten steadily more powerful, the amount of energy the machines draw has become a concern. That’s one reason Feng and Kirk Cameron of the Virginia Tech College of Engineering started the Green500, which ranks supercomputers, in essence, according to how much mileage they get out of the power they use.
Feng’s work on efficient computing dates to when he worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he built a 240-node cluster called Green Destiny (named after the sword in the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) that performed at 100 gigaflops while using the same power as two hair dryers, about 3.2 kilowatts, Virginia Tech said.
And energy-efficient supercomputers on a large scale are catching on. Titan, if fact, which leads the Top500.org list of the world’s fastest supercomputers, is at No. 3 of the Green500’s list of most efficient. | <urn:uuid:943bcd86-b76c-4b12-ae9b-a39839ac294b> | {
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|Home > News & Policies > Proclamation Archives|
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 18, 2001
National Park Week, 2001
By the President of the United States of America
The United States boasts an incredible wealth of natural beauty. From rugged coastlines and thick forests to arid deserts and canyons, our diverse landscapes represent a treasured heritage of which all Americans can be proud.
Our country's commitment to the conservation of its open spaces runs deep. The Nation founded Yellowstone National Park in 1872 and thereby generated renewed appreciation for the great outdoors among Americans. Our country's actions inspired other countries to follow suit by establishing their own national parks or equivalent preserves.
Since the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916, our national parks have grown to occupy a special place in the hearts of the American people. As responsible stewards, we must leave them in good condition for those who follow us. By providing additional resources for their preservation and maintenance, we can prevent the deterioration in facilities and infrastructure that threatens their future well-being.
National parks are a testament to the natural wonders of our mountains, valleys, rivers, and streams. They remind us to take a break from the busy pace of modern society to experience the simpler pleasures of life and provide unique opportunities for personal recreation. Whether camping in Yosemite National Park or boating along Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, people of all ages can take in spectacular scenery and enjoy a relaxing time with family and friends.
The National Park Service also serves an educational purpose, honoring our heroes and preserving important historical landmarks. By visiting the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, the immigration station on Ellis Island or many other significant sites in our national parks, Americans gain a deeper understanding of our national story and the extraordinary people and events that paved the way for our development and progress.
National Park Week pays tribute to the importance of our national parks and recognizes the dedicated men and women entrusted with their care. The observance also calls attention to the need to reinvest in these national treasures by providing for their sound stewardship in the years to come. As timeless and majestic reminders of our outdoor heritage, America's national parks add immensely to our quality of life and represent a wonderful legacy that must be passed on to future generations.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim April 23 through April 29, 2001, as National Park Week. I encourage all Americans to visit our national parks and experience America.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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For plug-in car and battery makers, there’s a lesson in the Obama administration’s recent decision to pull funding for research of hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles: Don’t rely too heavily on the dole for too long.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, you may recall, formed a cornerstone of what Bush administration officials envisioned as a Hydrogen Economy. These days, many policymakers and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs alike are pitching the idea of a Clean Energy Economy, in which we get around in hybrid and electric vehicles that tap renewable energy from a smart grid, rather than the long-promised hydrogen cars.
As DOE chief Steven Chu explained in a briefing on the agency’s budget proposal, “We asked ourselves, ‘Is it likely in the next 10 or 15, 20 years that we will convert to a hydrogen car economy?’ The answer, we felt, was ‘no.’”
Based on that conclusion, the DOE decided to cut $100 million from its hydrogen fuel cell program for 2010 and start dedicating the research initiative to “fuel cell technologies” for buildings and other applications, with funding cut down to $68 million. (Separately, the agency awarded $41.9 million last month to 12 companies working on portable fuel cells for electronics, and larger fuel cells for both backup power and vehicles.) In a DOE report earlier this year, the agency found that fuel cell costs are still too high and durability too low for the auto industry to meet the goal set out in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 of 100,000 hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles by 2010.
The U.S. fuel cell industry is taking the cut as a sign that its energy will be better spent influencing Congress than the Department of Energy. “We aren’t giving up on Dr. Chu,” U.S. Fuel Cell Council executive director Robert Rose told the New York Times Wheels blog. While the DOE has been short-staffed, he said, “Congress will look carefully at this.”
But truth be told, a careful look would find an investment of some $1.2 billion over four years for development of an expensive, far-off technology and zero viable hydrogen vehicles on the market and few stations in the ground (only about 120 nationwide) to show for it, especially when it comes to hydrogen production and delivery systems — the core of any hydrogen highway. As the LA Times Up to Speed blog notes, Chu cited a lack of infrastructure as a reason to pull funding.
Of course, infrastructure remains one of the big missing pieces for mass adoption of plug-in vehicles, too. So now that electric and hybrid cars have curried government favor, the clock is ticking for their developers to cut costs, demonstrate progress — and pay their own way. | <urn:uuid:6f3a774b-c3b4-4591-a677-4c2013aa2f5c> | {
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1 Peter 1:1 identifies the author of the Book of 1 Peter as the apostle Peter.
Date of Writing: The Book of 1 Peter was likely written between A.D. 60 and 65.
Purpose of Writing: 1 Peter is a letter from Peter to the believers who had been dispersed throughout the ancient world and were under intense persecution. If anyone understood persecution, it was Peter. He was beaten, threatened, punished and jailed for preaching the Word of God. He knew what it took to endure without bitterness, without losing hope and in great faith living an obedient, victorious life. This knowledge of living hope in Jesus was the message and Christ's example was the one to follow.
Key Verses: 1 Peter 1:3, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
1 Peter 2:24, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."
1 Peter 5:8-9, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
Brief Summary: Though this time of persecution was desperate, Peter reveals that it was actually a time to rejoice. He says to count it a privilege to suffer for the sake of Christ, as their Savior suffered for them. This letter makes reference to Peter’s personal experiences with Jesus and his sermons from the book of Acts. Peter confirms Satan as the great enemy of every Christian but the assurance of Christ's future return gives the incentive of hope.
Connections: Peter’s familiarity with the Old Testament law and prophets enabled him to explain various OT passages in light of the life and work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In 1 Peter 1:16, he quotes Leviticus 11:44: “Be holy, for I am holy.” But he prefaces it by explaining that holiness is not achieved by keeping the law, but by the grace bestowed upon all who believe in Christ (v. 13). Further, Peter explains the reference to the “cornerstone” in Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22 as Christ, who was rejected by the Jews through their disobedience and unbelief. Additional Old Testament references include the sinless Christ (1 Peter 2:22 / Isaiah 53:9) and admonitions to holy living through the power of God which yields blessings (1 Peter 3:10:12; Psalm 34:12-16; 1 Peter 5:5; Proverbs 3:34).
Practical Application: The assurance of eternal life is given to all Christians. One way to identify with Christ is to share in His suffering. To us that would be to endure insults and slurs from those who call us "goodie two shoes" or "holier than thou." This is so minor compared to what Christ suffered for us on the Cross. Stand up for what you know and believe is right and rejoice when the world and Satan aim to hurt you.
© Copyright 2002-2013 Got Questions Ministries. | <urn:uuid:06523170-a81c-4fd0-80ad-30a484fc0310> | {
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The neem tree has been called "the village pharmacy" because its bark, leaves, sap, fruit, seeds, and twigs have so many diverse uses in the traditional medicine of India. This member of the mahogany family has been used medicinally for at least 4,000 years and is held in such esteem that Indian poets called it Sarva Roga Nivarini , meaning "the One That Can Cure All Ailments." Mohandas Gandhi encouraged scientific investigation of the neem tree as part of his program to revitalize Indian traditions, which eventually let to more than 2,000 research papers and intense commercial interest.
At least 50 patents have been filed on neem and neem-based products in the United States for control of insects in food and ornamental crops. However, the Indian government and many nongovernmental organizations have united to overthrow some patents of this type, which they regard as "folk-wisdom piracy." One fear is that if neem is patented, indigenous people who already use it will lose the right to continue to do so. Another point is the fundamental question: Who owns the genetic diversity of plants? The nations where the plants come from or the transnational corporations that pay for the research into those plants? Although this area of international law is rapidly evolving, a patent on the spice turmeric has already been overturned, and neem may follow soon.
At least 100 bioactive substances have been found in neem, including nimbidin, azadiracthins, and other triterpenoids and limonoids. Although the scientific evidence for all of neem's uses in healthcare remains preliminary, the intense interest in the plant will eventually lead to proper double-blind, placebo-controlled trials . (For information on why such studies are so important, see Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies? )
Because of the numerous parts of the neem tree used, and the many different ways these can be prepared, the only advice we can give at this time is to follow the directions on the label of the neem product you purchase.
For all these reasons, as well as the lack of comprehensive safety investigation of neem products other than neem oil, we recommend that young children, pregnant or nursing women, or individuals with severe liver or kidney disease avoid use of neem.
- Reviewer: EBSCO CAM Review Board
- Review Date: 07/2012 -
- Update Date: 07/25/2012 - | <urn:uuid:8e763d24-b19f-4d66-9284-26d4da20e630> | {
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Exotic pests are nothing new. The hemlock wooly adelgid, which has turned woods from green to brown from the Poconos to the Great Smoky Mountains, arrived 70 years ago on a single hemlock a Virginia landowner imported for his Japanese-style garden.
But while federal agriculture officials struggle with adelgid and other established pests, emerging threats, like the citrus longhorned beetle, a wood-boring native of Asia, are presenting new headaches.
So destructive is the beetle that bans on an array of popular plants grown in Europe, including cherry trees, rhododendrons, and even cut roses from the Netherlands, are under consideration by federal officials, said Faith Campbell, a senior policy representative for the conservancy.
Europe is just one part of the $500 million international plant exporting business that has producers from Colombia to China sending more than three billion plants to the United States each year. Such foreign imports could be responsible for as much as 70 percent of the most damaging non-native insects and diseases afflicting American forests today, according to the study, which was conducted by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at the University of California, Santa Barbara. | <urn:uuid:c5256b95-2b54-4524-9ae9-61e691102f84> | {
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Dr. Jane Lubchenco, a marine ecologist from Oregon State University, has been elected to many scientific honors, one of which was the presidency of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. For her presidential address at the AAAS annual meeting, she looked straight out at the huge assembly of scientists and delivered an unapologetic, undiluted warning:
“During the last few decades, humans have emerged as a new force of nature. We are modifying physical, chemical, and biological systems in new ways, at faster rates, and over larger spatial scales than ever recorded on Earth. Humans have unwittingly embarked upon a grand experiment with our planet. The outcome of this experiment is unknown, but has profound implications for all of life.”
What responsibility do scientists have, she asked, both to transmit this message and to help deal with the problem?
Actually scientists, and others, have been transmitting similar messages lately with clarity and urgency. Here are just a few excerpts, from a long and growing list:
World Resources Institute, 1998: “Most high-quality agricultural land is already in production, and the environmental costs of converting remaining forest, grassland, and wetland habitats to cropland are well recognized. … Much of the remaining soil is less productive and more fragile. … One analysis of global soil erosion estimates that … topsoil is being lost 16 to 300 times faster than it can be replaced.”
International Food Policy Research Institute, 1999: “The period since World War II has seen remarkable growth in agricultural production … in the developing world. While in many farming areas this growth has apparently been sustainable, in others it derived from two unsustainable processes: the clearing of new lands of lower productive potential or higher vulnerability, and the intensification of production by mining or destroying the soil resource base.”
U.N. Comprehensive Assessment of the Freshwater Resources of the World, 1997: “Water resources constraints and water degradation are weakening one of the resource bases on which human society is built. Water shortages and pollution are causing widespread public health problems, limiting economic and agricultural development, and harming a wide range of ecosystems. They may put global food supplies in jeopardy and lead to economic stagnation in many areas of the world.”
World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development, 1999: “There has been a clear global trend toward a massive loss of forested areas. … The current trends are toward an acceleration of the loss of forested area, the loss of residual primary forests, and progressive reduction in the internal quality of residual forest stands. … Much of the forest that remains is being progressively impoverished, and all is threatened.”
World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity, 1992: “Our massive tampering with the world’s interdependent web of life — coupled with the environmental damage inflicted by deforestation, species loss, and climate change — could trigger widespread adverse effects, including unpredictable collapses of critical biological systems whose interactions and dynamics we only imperfectly understand. Uncertainty over the extent of these effects cannot excuse complacency or delay in facing the threats.”
Two oil industry geologists, Colin J. Campbell and Jean H. Laherrère, sobered everyone by saying in Scientific American in 1998: “Our analysis of the discovery and production of oil fields around the world suggest that within the next decade, the supply of conventional oil will be unable to keep up with demand. … Global discovery peaked in the early 1960s and has been falling steadily ever since. … There is only so much crude oil in the world, and the industry has found about 90 percent of it.”
Another industry voice, Robert Shapiro, CEO of the Monsanto Corporation: “The earth can’t withstand a systematic increase of material things. If we grow by using more stuff, I’m afraid we’d better start looking for a new planet.”
Economists are speaking up as well. The following statement was signed by 2000 economists, including six Nobel laureates, in 1997: “The balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate. As economists, we believe that global climate change carries with it significant environmental, economic, social, and geopolitical risks, and that preventive steps are justified.”
Ecological Society of America, 1991: “Environmental problems resulting from human activities have begun to threaten the sustainability of Earth’s life support systems.”
The [U.K.] Royal Society and the [U.S.] National Academy of Sciences, 1992: “The future of our planet is in the balance. Sustainable development can be achieved, but only if irreversible degradation of the environment can be halted in time. The next 30 years may be crucial.”
Short of yelling and screaming, which scientists are trained not to do, I don’t see how these august people could be more clear. None of their reports concludes that there is nothing to be done, that we must stupidly submit to the consequences of our overconsumption of our own resource base. They are full of constructive, common-sense, affordable, doable suggestions by which human needs could be met without destroying the planetary sources that maintain us.
The scientists are doing their part. When will television start harping on major tragedies we can prevent, instead of minor ones we can only grieve over? When will politicians start thinking about, talking about, doing something about, leading toward the really important issues of the coming century? When will citizens insist that they do? | <urn:uuid:6d8dc99b-836d-402d-8207-44f94a857768> | {
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How often have you driven somewhere, perhaps for a day out in the countryside or on your way to a holiday destination, and have passed an unsightly heap of rubbish bags, a discarded armchair or a filthy sodden mattress by the side of some secluded country B-road?
These piles of refuse, whether household junk or builders materials, scrap metal or garden waste are the result of fly-tipping; the illegal dumping of waste on private ground or ground that is unlicensed to receive such waste.
But it’s not just road sides that are affected by fly tipping; inner-city alleyways, waste grounds, playing fields and even scenic areas of the British countryside are being defiled by the illegal and inconsiderate actions of the fly-tippers.
The adverse consequences of fly-tipping
Every local authority in the UK is committed to combating fly-tipping, and research into the undesirable consequences of this practice reveals why this is necessary.
The total cost to local authorities of clearing up illegally dumped waste is around £75 million each year. The Environment Agency estimates the cost of removing fly-tipped waste from agricultural land at around £50million per year.
Areas that are consistently subjected to fly-tipping have seen a decline in house prices and a consequent impact on local trade.
Aesthetic and economic considerations aside, the negligent dumping of waste has profound long-term implications for the natural environment and those that depend upon it.
The vast majority (around three-quarters) of refuse that is fly-tipped is household waste, and much of that is food.
Thanks to the indiscriminate littering habit of Britons, it’s estimated that the UK’s rat population is roughly the same as the human population.
Whilst rats may be thriving, other wildlife suffers as a consequence of fly-tipping; pollutants entering natural water systems are responsible for the deaths of around 100,000 marine animals each year, and around 70,000 animals are injured or killed annually as a result of discarded rubbish.
More worryingly, the potential harm that fly-tipping could cause to humans cannot be ignored. Hazardous waste such as asbestos, toxic chemicals, low-level radioactive waste, medical waste and refrigerant chemicals all pose potential dangers to the atmosphere, soil and water supply.
Why are people fly-tipping?
The collection and disposal of general household waste – and increasingly recyclable and garden waste – is covered by the Council Tax which pays for the weekly or fortnightly emptying of domestic rubbish bins.
But larger items of waste – fridge freezers, mattresses, larger quantities of household and garden rubbish attract a fee for their removal and disposal – the so-called ‘Landfill Tax’.
Although most local authorities charge relatively little for collecting larger household items and taking them to licensed waste management premises, it seems that an increasing number of people would rather expose themselves to the risk and inconvenience of loading up a car or van and driving it to some place away from their own premises to discreetly but inconsiderately dump it.
Taking action against fly-tipping
Fly-tipping is considered an extremely serious offence; those prosecuted can expect fines of anything up to £50,000 and the possibility of a custodial sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment.
Penalties are also applicable for anyone who entrusts their waste disposal to an unlicensed waste carrier or one that disposes of waste on an unlicensed site.
In 2007-2008, local authorities carried out 1,871 prosecutions against fly-tippers of which 95% resulted in successful convictions.
Sadly this is only scratches the surface of the fly-tipping problem, but it’s becoming easier to report offenders either to the Environment Agency (on 0800 80 70 60) or to local authorities via telephone or email.
Anyone who witnesses fly-tippers in action should not tackle them in person, but should note the time, date and location of the offence, a description of those involved, the type and amount of waste being dumped and – importantly – whether the site was in proximity to a water source such as a river or reservoir.
This information should then be passed on to the Environment Agency or your local authority for further investigation.
As vigilance, action and prosecutions in respect of the illegal act of fly-tipping increase, it seems bizarre that rather than finding the location of the nearest licensed refuse disposal site or paying the modest fee required for a skip or licensed rubbish disposal contractor, some people would rather risk a hefty fine or a spell behind bars for fly-tipping.
John is a guest blogger from UK skip hire site skipandbin.com – helping UK consumers find the cheapest skip hire services in their area.
- Manchester becomes a dumping ground as fly-tipping rates soar (menmedia.co.uk)
- George Osborne warned of fly-tipping chaos as ‘skip tax’ gets messy (independent.co.uk)
- A much better services for rubbish removal in New York City, New york (junkguysaustin.wordpress.com) | <urn:uuid:7418805e-52d4-4ae6-a88d-6d883d1ffca5> | {
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African American Sites to Break Brick Walls
I recently received a phone call from a lady asking when Beginning Genealogy Classes were starting up. After talking a little further to her, I realized she could be teaching the Beginning Genealogy classes. She had gotten her African American ancestors to the 1870 census, and like a lot of you, hit a brick wall. It was not beginning classes she needed, but a few suggestions where to look next and a whole lot of luck!
Here are some tips (in no particular order) on trying to get beyond that 1870 census:
A. While you are in the 1870 census, look for others with the same surname in the same locale you are in. These names may prove helpful in the future as they are probably related. But, when you research slave history, I have been told that the last name a lot of African Americans were given were the surname of the plantation owner. So, the person with the same last name may not necessarily be from YOUR family. And along those same lines, YOUR ancestor’s brother or sister could have a different last name depending on where they lived.
B. As mentioned above, the last name, very rarely the first name, would have changed with a move from plantation to plantation. One incident I came across was this name change due to a marriage within the Rice plantation household. The daughter of Mr. Rice married into the Dunne Family in the Birmingham, Alabama area. She was given slaves to take with her when she moved. Therefore, the slave name changed from Rice to Dunne. As I did the genealogy for this family, I would find part of the family with the surname of Rice and the other Dunne.
C. Do not assume your ancestor was a slave. There were free black at this time; I had a couple families in the South that were free that came from Maryland.
D. Check out the Military Records. Did you know that African Americans found in all the wars beginning with the American Revolution? The trick is to find the paperwork associated with your ancestor. When researching the Civil War, do not just check out the basic Civil War links, but remember the United States Colored Troop link as well. (Compiled Service Records)
E. The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands was established by the War Department on March 3, 1865. Its primary function was to supervise all relief and educational activities relating to refugees and freedmen. It assumed custody of abandoned or confiscated lands or property in the former Confederate States, Border States, District of Columbia, and Indian Territory. Sometimes, within these documents, family or previous residence, maybe even the plantation they lived on would be mentioned. (For more on this topic visit Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
F. The Freedman’s Bank is another source that might prove helpful. The Freedman’s Bank Savings and Trust Company was chartered in 1865 with the primary object to assist former slaves and African-American soldiers with their new financial responsibilities. In theory, this bank was to be a permanent financial institution for savings deposits and provide a place, safe from swindlers, to deposit money. However, mismanagement and outright fraud caused the bank to collapse in 1874 adding another tragedy to the legacy of pain endured by many African Americans. When these families went to sign up, records were made on them that sometimes included family names, descriptions, former plantation homes, war history and more. So, while it was a tragedy that this endeavor failed, the records that were developed are a gold mine to their descendants.
G. Research the census records before 1870 in the area your ancestor’s lived and the surrounding counties. See if their surnames match with a white family of the same name. That family might be the family your ancestor’s were slaves at. Spend some time researching this family and see if they have any records that might prove helpful to you. Was there a marriage where a dowry was listed? If your ancestor went with this daughter, they may have been mentioned. Unfortunate and painful as it is, slaves were listed as property. Check out the property records, wills, and their business transactions; property meant money and so paperwork was usually kept.
H. Do not neglect the newspapers. Tim Pinnick has written a wonderful book on Finding and Using African American Newspapers. When a slave escaped, a mention in the newspapers giving a name and description were listed in the areas where the slave lived. Directly after slavery was abolished, many African Americans put ads in the papers looking for their family and friends. Tim’s book will give you insight on how to locate these newspapers.
I. While researching, keep in mind that a lot of African Americans married and went to live with the Native Americans. In some instances, the Native Americans also had slaves. Do not limit the search for just African American, errors in race are documented so look for your ancestor’s name without listing the race if a brick wall exists.
J. Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database : It has over 35,000 slaving voyages that forcibly embarked over 10 million Africans for transport to the Americas between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. It offers researchers, students and the general public a chance to rediscover the reality of one of the largest forced movements of peoples in world history.
K. Slave Insurance was kept on some slaves. The Slave registry gives the slave names, county, other identifying information, name of slaveholder, the county of slaveholder, and who the policy was submitted by. Kentucky, for example, lists many counties with slave names.
L Lastly, but very important, pay attention to the stories that were handed down. While the stories may have been added or taken away from during the years, they may have some vital information in them to give you clues on your family. Sometimes, for Native Americans and African Americans, these family stories are the key to discovering your ancestors.
Visit [email protected] for more articles from Tina Sansone | <urn:uuid:9bcf894e-4e3a-418c-b6a6-b426ab1186c2> | {
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August 4, 2004
HONOLULU - The public should stay out of streams, coastal, and
standing waters that are contaminated by storm water (usually brown or
murky in color). Storm water can contain harmful micro-organisms
(pathogens), from overflowing cesspools or septic tanks as well as
animal feces washed into streams and storm drains.
Excessive storm water can also contain sewage from overflowing
manholes and overwhelmed treatment facilities or chemicals from
polluted runoff from commercial and industrial facilities.
The Department of Health and the counties monitor water quality and
spills. Warning signs will be posted at beaches and streams if
contaminants from treatment facilities reach those waters or when
People should use caution if the water is brown or murky, regardless
of whether warning signs are posted.
On Oahu, sewage or chemical spills should be reported to the City
and County at 523-4423. Questions regarding the safety of standing
water, "brown water" in coastal and inland areas, or beach closures
should be directed to the Department of Health Clean Water Branch on
Oahu during normal business hours at 586-4309.
For more information, contact:
Department of Health
E-Mail: dayukimura @mail.health.state.hi.us | <urn:uuid:15d6848d-07ff-46e0-879c-104a66a10afe> | {
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Editor’s note: This story is the first of a multi-part series on the French-Eversole War of Perry County. Part two will be published next week.
The History Channel’s hit miniseries, “Hatfields and McCoys,” chronicled the feud between two families in West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. That famous feud is certainly the most well-known in American history, but one of the bloodiest and most destructive took place right here in Hazard and Perry County between 1887 and 1894.
According to The Days of Darkness by John Ed Pearce, and Kentucky’s Famous Feuds and Tragedies by Charles G. Mutzenburg, what was dubbed the “French-Eversole War” was apparently precipitated by a disagreement of business tactics between two Hazard business owners, but the actual fighting ran much deeper than that.
Members of the Eversole family were long-time residents of Perry County, and had made their mark on the county by the time the feud errupted. A branch of the family built what is now the oldest standing structure in the county. The Eversole Cabin in Chavies was built in the late 1700s and exists today much like it did in 1800. It was the site of skirmishes during the Civil War, and remained in the family for over 80 years, until it was given to a member of the Campbell family to pay off a debt.
The French family had only been in the area for a generation by the time the feud began. Coming from North Carolina originally, the patriarch, B. Fulton French, quickly established himself in the community through local commerce.
In the early 1880s, the coal industry was in its infancy in the mountains across Eastern Kentucky, and the resource was not yet heavily mined. Previous to the railroad moving into Hazard in 1912, companies began buying land for little to no money since most landowners did not realize just how valuable that land would become.
Once the railroad moved in and the mining industry came into its own, it became apparent that there was much money to be had in buying land, and the land owners that had already sold out had been bought off for much too low a price.
French was also an attorney, though he worked with the companies to buy land for obscenely low amounts, and then took it from the owners as they began mining the coal.
Joseph Eversole, a young lawyer and local merchant, reportedly saw profiting from the misfortunes of his neighbors as an egregious offense. He tried to warn landowners not to sell out for such low prices. The companies then tried to silence Eversole, pitting French against him.
While their intial dislike of one another stemmed from mineral rights, the traditional story on how the feud began was that a cashier at French’s store had fallen for a female employee. One night he came back to the store and found this employee with French. The cashier was so enraged that he decided to warn Eversole that French had threatened his life. Eversole then formed and army, and so did French, and the fighting began.
While this is the story that was often told in newspapers and in verbal history, it is likely not true, according to Pearce, a former Courier-Journal writer who pieced together the history of the feud through old newspaper accounts and other sources, such as local historians. All that is actually known is that in 1887, the two business competitors moved beyond disliking one another and into feuding.
Hazard at the time has been described as a rough place with only 200 residents. The streets were thick with deep mud and only a few wooden plank sidewalks. It was rumored that judges would often opt out of holding trials because of the frequency of gunfights in town.
As the Perry County feud began, both sides began arming themselves and their employees, and eventually even hired gunmen all before the first shots were ever fired. An Eastern Kentucky newspaper during the time, The Hazel Green Herald out of Wolfe County, reported that in the summer before the official start of the feud the two sides clashed, with Eversole’s side driving French out of Hazard. French then set up a base camp in Harlan, and both men began fortifying their homes, though Pearce noted that the latter part of this account may not be entirely accurate.
The men reportedly paid fleets of bodyguards only two dollars a day. They were able to outfit themselves so cheaply due to the rough state of affairs in Hazard at the time.
While the two sides had clashed on occasion, it was not until the 1887 killing of Silas Gayheart, a friend of French, that the feud truly began. French hired a Knott County native named “Bad” Tom Smith shortly after as a full-time gunman.
Bad Tom became the most infamous person tied to the feud, being known for his hot temper, cool, unforgiving killing, accurate shooting and epileptic fits. He had been known in Hazard for some time for killing three men who were shooting at several of his friends. As legend has it, he was able to knock one man unconscious with a rock and take his gun, and kill the other two before any were able to get a shot off on him.
After the killing of Gayheart, the Eversole group denied killing him, and based on records of the time had nothing to gain from killing him, Pearce wrote. French never believed Eversole’s denial, so the feud was on.
After the shooting, Hazard citizens were on edge despite the limited actual fighting. Shots did, however, begin to ring out at night and the relatively few residents that were not involved in the feud began moving away from the town.
In another instance of fighting, the French group camped on the road near Hazard and waited until a large group of Eversoles had convened for a meeting. The Frenches drove the Eversoles out of Hazard that night.
Only a few days after this fight, a reporter from Cincinnati came to Hazard to cover the feud. He met up with a man that promised to take him to the people involved in the feud. Unfortunately, he was only told the French’s side since the man was affiliated with the group.
The wildly exaggerated story came out several days later in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Another clash arose just days after the article came out and caused casualties on both sides of the fight.
After just a few months of fighting, both sides had nearly depleted their funds and wanted to stop the battle.
They both signed an official truce in 1887 that was turned in to two different judges. The peace was tense, however, and just a little over a month after the truce, both sides were at it again, and more lives would be lost. | <urn:uuid:b56e2450-debf-4775-b742-0c3f90c6ed00> | {
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Although it is composed in Old English, Beowulf is nevertheless about Danes and Geats, inhabitants of South Sweden as well as modern Denmark. There are eerie parallels between this poem and a late saga, that of Grettir the Strong, who operated in Iceland and Norway. Both authors dealt with the same cultural problem: ghosts and alien species hostile to humans. The two authors presented them essentially in the same way, and they bear little resemblance to ghosts as we understand them. While the lecture will summarize all relevant information, those interested could read Beowulf in the translation by Seamus Heaney, lines 99-1686. Those with still more time might look at the following in the Saga of Grettir: chapters 32-35 and 64-66. There are two translations available, one from the University of Toronto Press and the other from Penguin. | <urn:uuid:32ff1e68-7c37-444d-810f-840a2e9c11d3> | {
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In the applet below you see 1D realisation of white and correlated noise
with equidistant step in x. Independent random points
uniform distribution on interval (-1, 1) make the white noise (the blue
curve). Correlated random points Vi (the red curve) are
obtained by averaging of white noise in radius Rc sphere, i.e.
kernel Ko is used
Vi = ∑j= -Rc,Rc fi+j
To get a 2D fractal noise (mountain) you take an elastic string (see Fig.1), then a random vertical displacement is applied to its middle point. The process is repeated recursively to the middle point of every new segment. The random displacement decreases m times each iteration (usually m = 2 are used).
Using Fourier transformation for V(r), K(r), f(r)
g(k) = ∫ g(r) eikr dr ,
we get for V(k)
V(k) = K(k) f(k) .
I.e. averaging (*) means the white noise filtration by means of a filter with bandwidth K(k). The bandwidths for the two used filters are shown in Fig.3 (for Rc = 1)
KG(k) ~ exp[-(Rck)2], Ko ~ sin(Rck)/k.
At last 2D correlated random landscape. To get a smooth potential
2D Gauss kernel is used
Percolation in random potential landscape
Drag mouse to rotate 3D image (with "shift" to zoom it). The white line (in the blue bar to the right) corresponds to the average <V> value. The yellow line corresponds to the Fermi energy εF . Drag the line by mouse to change εF . See also 3D Mountains and Hidden Surface Removal Algorithms. | <urn:uuid:ad8ea79d-d059-4e6b-9162-059c5c2dc206> | {
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New Delhi: The population of the great Indian Bustard has reduced to less than 300, making the bird twice as endangered as the tiger. The rare bird has now been put on the Critically Endangered List by the World Conservation Union.
Alarm bells are ringing for the 'Son chidiya' or the great Indian Bustard. The grassland bird that was once found across the Indian subcontinent, is now on the brink of extinction. It's estimated that not even 300 of these birds are left in India, pushing the species to the critically endangered list.
What is alarming is that the bird is vanishing even from the sanctuaries meant for its protection. While the Desert National Park in Rajasthan has less than 100 birds, in Bustard Sanctuary in Maharasthra the bird's population has declined from 21 to just 9. And even worse, Karera Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, Sorsan in Rajasthan and Ranibennur Sanctuary in Karnataka have lost their entire population.
Scientists have blamed it on disturbances and loss of the grassland habitat. BNHS Director Asad Rahmani said, "It needs scientific management of grasslands and the government should start project Bustard now."
Just recently the National Board of wildlife gave approvals for denotification of Karera sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and reduction of the Great Indian Bustard sanctuary in Maharashtra. It is now up to the government to decide if it wants to save this neglected species from extinction. | <urn:uuid:c952bd8b-c368-4703-aa92-d75dc151b2ec> | {
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After maintaining a steady pace for a century, lighting technology has begun to leap forward, fueled by tightening energy efficiency standards and hefty incentives for manufacturers. And despite a bit of price shock on some lighting products, co-op members-especially large commercial and industrial accounts-are working with their local, not-for-profit, consumer-owned power providers to see if emerging lighting options can curb rising costs.
Congress first enacted improved energy efficiency standards for incandescent bulbs under the federal Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. But when new lightbulb rules began to take effect in 2012, they were met with confusion.
Under the law, by 2014, lightbulbs using between 40-W to 100-W must consume at least 28 percent less energy than traditional incandescents, which will save Americans an estimated $6 billion to $10 billion in lighting costs annually. The measure also mandates that lightbulbs become 70 percent more efficient by 2020.
In June of this year, the U.S. House passed an amendment to stop enforcement of these standards, mirroring a funding freeze for enforcement efforts adopted in late 2011. Yet even if the provision becomes law, very little will change. Congress has not repealed or adjusted existing lightbulb efficiency standards or changed the timeline for implementation. Major lighting manufacturers like General Electric, Philips, and Osram Sylvania continue working to comply with the 2007 law.
As the next wave of standards kicks in, traditional 75-W incandescent lightbulbs will no longer be available as of January 1, 2013, and 40-W and 60-W versions will no longer be available as of January 1, 2014. In the race to fill the nation’s growing need for efficient lighting comes a new breed of illuminators, led by light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
Incandescent bulbs create light using a thin wire (filament) inside a glass bulb-a delicate connection that can easily be broken, as frustrated homeowners can attest. In contrast, LEDs are at the forefront of solid-state lighting-small, packed electronic chip devices. Two conductive materials are placed together on a chip (a diode). Electricity passes through the diode, releasing energy in the form of light.
Invented in 1960 by General Electric, the first LEDs were red-the color depends on materials placed on the diode. Yellow, green, and orange LEDs were created in the 1970s and the recipe for the color blue-the foundation for white LEDs-was unlocked in the mid-1990s. Originally used in remote controls, exit signs, digital watches, alarm clocks, and car signal lights, LEDs quickly gained momentum for large-scale lighting.
By 2030, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates solid-state lighting technologies could reduce the amount of electricity used for lighting (currently 13.6 percent of the nation’s total) by half, saving up to $30 billion a year in energy costs.
Electric cooperatives are supporting LED study through the Cooperative Research Network (CRN), an arm of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Recently, CRN worked with Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, a generation and transmission cooperative based in Anadarko, Okla., and the Oklahoma State University Animal Science Department to evaluate LEDs at a farrowing operation and a dairy farm in the Sooner State. The project measured the effectiveness of LEDs in harsh environments and looked for any influence on animal behavior.
T-Bar M Dairy Ranch, outside of Durant, Okla., normally uses 250-W metal halide lights in its barns. CRN exchanged those bulbs in 10 fixtures with 120-W LEDs. After six months, the dairy had cut energy use by 55 percent and boosted brightness by 30 percent.
“Utility costs go up every year-that’s reality,” explains Tami Tollenaar, who manages the dairy. “To move forward in your business, you have to look for ways to be more efficient. LEDs are one of the things we can do to help us move forward.”
CRN also worked with Robinson Family Farms, a 380,000-head hog operation in Holdenville, Okla. The farm already used compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) but had problems because those bulbs didn’t work well in harsh conditions.
“Lighting for a swine facility is pretty important,” explains owner Rich Robinson. “We try to convince the sows it’s spring year-round to improve their eating habits.”
CRN switched 25 fixtures from 26-W CFLs to 15-W LEDs. After six months, Robinson slashed his energy use by 54 percent.
“I was worried because normally when you see an LED it doesn’t seem to put out as much light as a 150-watt incandescent bulb-it’s a different type of light,” Robinson admits. “But, after installing the lights, I was surprised at how well they lit up the area. I think the LEDs actually outperformed the CFLs.”
“The initial cost of LEDs is significantly higher than conventional lighting,” notes Scott Williams, Western Farmers Electric commercial & industrial marketing manager. “Like all modern technology, you can expect the price to come down as the product develops. However, when you consider all the factors over the life cycle of a light, LEDs have already proved they save money.”
Shedding Light on LEDs
Curious to know if LEDs are right for you? Homeowners can visit
www.energysavers.gov/lighting to compare LEDs to new energy-efficient incandescent bulbs and CFLs. The Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives free app, “Save Energy, Save Money” for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, includes a lighting calculator showing the potential savings from replacing incandescent lamps with either CFLs
or LEDs; learn more at www.togetherwesave.com/Energy-Saving-App-Smartphones. For more in-depth information about LEDs and other types of solid-state lighting, visit www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl.
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, Cooperative Research Network, Philips, ENERGY STAR, U.S. Energy Information Administration Megan McKoy-Noe, CCC, writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service organization for the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. Rob Holt contributed to this article. | <urn:uuid:23ca6841-392b-449b-ac48-b37d3b4e2f38> | {
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Intellectual knowledge appears to be innate and privy to the few, but in fact, access to information, development of intellectual work skills, time investment, and the maintenance of intellectual appearances are key to being perceived as an intellectual.
To make education more equitable, professors must go beyond knowledge transmission and instruct students in the concrete skills of knowledge acquisition and knowledge presentation. Instruction in intellectual skills-acquisition implies the breakdown of the traditional professor-student relationship and of the academic intellectual hierarchy and professors must learn to cope with the consequences of adopting new pedagogies. If we wish to share the secrets of our professions, how do we prepare our students for such a democratic approach and at the same time maintain our professional status?
The author, a professor of Spanish language and literature, presents strategies for democratizing education and demystifying intellectual work through the application of skills-based pedagogical methodologies to the teaching of literature. The implications that these strategies have for a new type of learning and the impact that they have on social stratification will also be discussed.
|Keywords:||Democratizing Education, Demystifying Intellectual Work, Knowledge Acquisition Skills, Interpretative Skills, Teaching Literature, Skills Based Teaching|
Assistant Professor of Spanish, Department of Literature and Languages, Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
There are currently no reviews of this product.Write a Review | <urn:uuid:2db016d0-d509-4003-8288-668024b1c2bf> | {
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Polonius, a character in Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" advises his son, "Neither a lender nor a borrower be". With due respect to Polonius and his genius, credit has become a part and parcel of our life. While most of us cannot be lenders, we are bound to be borrowers because of the system we live with.
Consumer credit is a scheme to receive goods and services today in lieu of the payments made in future. When you use electricity, water, or post-paid telephone services, you are using credit, as the payment for these services will be paid later. These credits are not harmful but we have to be careful about the most used consumer credit options, i.e. credit cards, buying consumer goods on credit and easy financing etc
Uses and misuses of credit
Credit can be a great help in times of need but it can also destroy your finances if used carelessly. Using credit has two facets; it gives you immediate benefits in terms of increased productivity, conveniences, or just simple satisfaction to vanity; it also exerts financial and psychological costs. Use the credit only when the advantages outweigh the cost.
The uses of credit are humongous ranging from medical emergencies, education needs, and travel emergencies. Credit cards are usually very handy in most of these situations.
There are times when shopping stores (Pantaloon, Big Bazaar) issue credit cards jointly with a bank and provide 5%-10% cash back or discount. If you are a regular visitor to these stores, you should make use of this option. The only problem with this is that you end up shopping for things you do not need.
In today's world, a credit card is handy to make reservation in airlines, train, or hotels. While credit helps in many cases where it increases productivity; helps in medical emergency; or builds future growth as in higher education; its misuse can ruin the finances, make you bankrupt and dilute your creditworthiness.
Just because the credit card has a bigger limit, people tend to overspend. This is best avoided alongwith taking up 0% loans on consumer goods.
In addition to these habits, people have a tendency to pay just the minimum amount required. The liability becomes huge after some time.
Managing your credit capacity
It is important to build a good credit capacity (or rating) by judiciously using the credit options available to us. You need to consciously build a good credit score that will enable you to get higher credit in case of an emergency. Instead of driving yourselves into a situation that would require external help like that of a credit counselling agency, try to nip the evil in the bud and figure ways to manage your finances effectively. Using credit does allow you to spend more on goods and services now. But it also reduces the money you have for future needs as a part of your future income will be used to pay for the services or goods you are buying now.
Taking inspiration from what Benjamin Graham said, credit has become a reality of life as certain as death and taxes. To manage our credit better, we have to follow a few ground rules.
Here are a few beginners' tips that can prove useful:
- Pay the credit card bills on time. No exception.
- Mind your credit scores. If you feel your card details have been compromised, take it up immediately with the bank, which has issued you the card
- Pay your EMI regularly. Any default will damage your credit score and hence creditworthiness.
- Do not use too many credit cards.
- Avoid treating credit cards as easy money. This is the money you have to pay back with high interest if you make it a habit to pay only the minimum amount due every month.
- Do not buy unnecessary items just because it is available on zero credit and low EMI. Remember its money spent!
- Always try to increase your down payment when you take up a loan so that your monthly liability doesn't eat into your savings.
Finally, credit doesn't increase your purchasing power. It just brings future purchasing power to the present and gives you a false impression that it has increased.
By BankBazaar.com - an online marketplace for your personal loan and home loan needs. | <urn:uuid:5adbee4c-689d-44c8-ba91-66bd83935f06> | {
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A new study shows that inheritance may be the cause for the rise in diabetes in the U.S.
Scientists are studying additional forms of inheritance, besides DNA, like metabolic programming, which can occur in the womb or shortly after birth, and causes permanent changes in metabolism.
Researchers in the study looked at mice with diets high in saturated fat and studied the results in the mice and their offspring. They found that a high-fat diet brought on type 2 diabetes in the adult mice.
If a pregnant female mouse stayed on a high-fat diet, their offspring had a greater chance of developing diabetes, even when given a moderate-fat diet.
Researchers say that these studies have only been tested on mice, so there’s no further reason as of yet to warn mothers to eat differently during pregnancy. Even mated with healthy mice, the next generation offspring could develop diabetes as well.
This study was published in the September issue of the Journal of Lipid Research.
Source: Journal of Lipid Research | <urn:uuid:51b48948-9ea8-4176-a208-9908c3a47fc8> | {
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The Muslim Home – 40
Book by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Forming the household
Creating an atmosphere of
faith in the home
Islamic Knowledge in the home
Meetings at home
Good manners at home
Evils in the home
The home inside and out
Bismillaah il-Rahmaan il-Raheem
In the Name of Allaah, Most Gracious, Most
All praise be to Allaah, we praise Him and seek
His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own
selves and from our evil deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides, no one can lead
astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness
that there is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear
witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
The home is a blessing.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And Allaah has made for you in your homes an abode…” [al-Nahl 16:80]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Here Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, is mentioning His complete blessing
to His slaves: He has given them homes which are a peaceful abode for them, to
which they retreat as a haven which covers them and gives them all kinds of
What does the home represent to each one of us?
Is it not the place where he eats, enjoys intimacy with his wife, sleeps and
rests? Is it not the place where he can be alone and can meet with his wife and
Is the home not the place that offers cover and
protection to women? Allaah tells us (interpretation of the meaning): “And
stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of
ignorance…” [al-Ahzaab 33:33]
If you think about those who are homeless, who
live in shelters, or on the streets, or as refugees scattered in temporary
camps, then you will realize the blessing of having a home. If you listen to a
distressed homeless person saying, “I have nowhere to settle, no fixed place to
stay. Sometimes I sleep in so and so’s house, sometimes in a café or park or on
the sea-front, and I keep my clothes in my car”, then you will realize the
disruption that results from not having the blessing of a home.
When Allaah punished the Jews of Banu Nadeer, He
took away this blessing and expelled them from their homes, as He said
(interpretation of the meaning): “He it is Who drove out the disbelievers
among the people of the Scripture (i.e. the Jews of the tribe of Banu al-Nadeer)
from their homes at the first gathering.” Then He said: “… they destroyed
their own dwellings with their own hands and the hands of the believers. Then
take admonition, O you with eyes (to see).” [al-Hashr 59:2].
There are many motives for the believer to pay
attention to putting his house in order.
Firstly: protecting himself and his family from
the Fire of Hell, and keeping them safe from the burning punishment: “O you
who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel
is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who
disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that
which they are commanded.” [al-Tahreem 66:6 – interpretation of the meaning].
Secondly: the great responsibility borne by the
head of the household on the Day of Reckoning.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Allaah will ask every shepherd (or responsible person) about
his flock (those for whom he was responsible), whether he took care of it or
neglected it, until He asks a man about his household.”
Thirdly: the home is a place to protect oneself,
to keep away from evil and to keep one's own evil away from people. It is the
refuge prescribed by Islam at times of fitnah (strife, tribulation).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Blessed is the one who controls his tongue, whose house is
sufficient for him, and who weeps over his mistakes.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “There are five things, whoever does one of them, Allaah will be
with him: visiting the sick, going out for jihaad, entering upon his leader with
the intention of rebuking and respecting him , or sitting in his home so that
the people are safe from him and he is safe from the people.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “The safety of a man at times of fitnah is in his staying home.”
The Muslim can see the benefit of this advice
when he is residing in a foreign land where he is unable to change much of the
evil around him. Then he will have a refuge which, when he enters it, will
protect him from doing haraam things or looking at haraam things, and will
protect his wife from wanton display and unveiling, and will protect his
children from bad company.
Fourthly: people usually spend most of their time
at home, especially when it is very hot or very cold, when it is raining, early
or late in the day, and after finishing work or school, so this time should be
spent in worship and halaal pursuits, otherwise it will be spent in wrongdoing.
Fifthly and most importantly, paying attention to
the home is the most important means of building a Muslim society, because the
society is formed of the households and families that form its building blocks.
Households form neighbourhoods, and neighbourhoods form societies. If the
building blocks are sound, the society will be based on the laws of Allaah,
standing firm in the face of enemies and filled with goodness that evil cannot
penetrate. Then Muslim homes will produce pillars of society who will reform and
guide it aright, such as exemplary dai’yahs, seekers of knowledge, sincere
mujaahideen, righteous wives, caring mothers and all other types of reformers.
Because this subject is so important, and our
homes are full of so many shortcomings and evils and examples of negligence,
this begs the very important question:
What are the means of reforming our homes?
The following contains advice on this topic. May
Allaah benefit us from it, and cause the Muslims to focus their efforts on
reviving the Muslim home.
All the following advice revolves around two
things: achieving our interests, which is by establishing that which is right
and good, and warding off evil, by removing that which can cause it or bring it
into our homes.
Forming the household
(1) Making a good choice when choosing a wife
“And marry those among you who are single
(i.e., a man who has no wife and a woman who has no husband) and (also marry)
the saalihoon (pious, fit and
capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they
be poor, Allaah will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allaah is All-Sufficient
for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people).” [al-Noor
24:32 – interpretation of the meaning].
The head of the household must select a righteous
and suitable wife based on the following conditions described in various
“A woman may be married for four things: her
wealth, her lineage, her beauty or her religion. Choose the one who is
religious, may your hands be rubbed with dust [i.e., may you prosper]!”
“This world is all temporary conveniences, and
the greatest joy in this life is a righteous wife.” (Reported by Muslim,
“Let every one of you have a thankful heart, a
remembering tongue [remembering Allaah] and a believing wife who will help him
with regard to the Hereafter.” (Reported by Ahmad, 5/282, and al-Tirmidhi
and Ibn Maajah from Thawbaan. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5231).
According to another report: “A righteous wife to
help you with your worldly and religious affairs is the best treasure anyone
could have.” (Reported by al-Bayhaqi. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4285).
“Marry one who is loving and fertile, for I will
be proud before the other Prophets of your great numbers on the Day of
Resurrection.” (Reported by Ahmad. Saheeh al-Irwa’, 6/195).
“I advise you to marry virgins, for their wombs
are more fresh, their mouths are more sweet and they are more content with
little.” According to another report: “… and they are less likely to deceive.”
(Reported by Ibn Maajah. Al-Silsilah al-Saheeh, 623).
Just as a righteous wife is one of the four
elements of happiness, so a bad wife is one of the four elements of misery, as
it says in the saheeh hadeeth: “One of (the elements of) happiness is a
righteous wife, who when you see her you feel pleased, and when you are away,
you feel that you can trust her with regard to herself and your property. And
one of (the elements of) misery is a bad wife who when you see her, you feel
upset, she keeps attacking you verbally, and when you are away, you do not feel
that you can trust her with regard to herself and your property.”
On the other hand, it is also essential to look
at the situation of the prospective husband who is proposing marriage to the
Muslim woman, and to agree to his proposal in accordance with the following
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “If there comes to you one with whose religion and character you
are pleased, then marry your daughter [or sister, etc.] to him, otherwise there
will be fitnah and great corruption in the land.”
All of the above must be achieved through asking
the right questions, verifying facts, gathering information and checking
sources, so that the home will not be corrupted or destroyed.
The righteous man and righteous woman together
will build a righteous home, because “the vegetation of a good land comes
forth (easily) by the Permission of its Lord, and that which is bad, brings
forth nothing but a little with difficulty…” [al-A’raaf 7:58 – interpretation of
(2) Striving to guide one’s wife
If one's wife is righteous, this is a blessing
indeed, and this is from the Bounty of Allaah. If she is not that righteous,
then it is the duty of the head of the household to strive to guide her. Any of
the following scenarios may apply:
A man may marry a woman who is not religious in
the first place, because he himself is not religious at first, or he may have
married her in the hope of guiding her, or under pressure from his relatives,
for example. In these cases he must strive hard to guide her.
A man must also realize from the outset that
guidance comes from Allaah, and that Allaah is the One Who reforms people. One
of His blessings to his slave Zakariya was, as He said (interpretation of the
meaning): “… and [We] cured his wife for him…” [al-Anbiya’ 21:90]. This
curing or reforming may have been physical or religious. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “She
was barren and could not have children, then she had a child.” ‘Ataa’ said: “She
was harsh of tongue, and Allaah reformed her.”
There are various means of guiding or reforming
one’s wife, such as:
Paying attention to correcting her worship of
Allaah in all its aspects, as will be discussed in detail below.
Striving to strengthen her eemaan, such as:
encouraging her to pray at night (qiyaam al-layl)
encouraging her to read Qur’aan
encouraging her to memorize adhkaar and remember
the appropriate times and occasions for saying them
encouraging her to give charity
encouraging her to read useful Islamic books
encouraging her to listen to useful Islamic
cassettes that can increase knowledge and strengthen eemaan – and continuing to
supply her with them.
choosing good, religious friends for her, with
whom she can form ties of sisterhood and have good conversations and purposeful
protecting her from evil and blocking off all
avenues for it to reach her, by keeping her away from bad companions and bad
Creating an atmosphere of faith in
Making the home a place for the
remembrance of Allaah
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “The likeness of a house in which Allaah is remembered and the
house in which Allaah is not remembered is that of the living and the dead,
We must make our homes places where Allaah is
remembered in all kinds of ways, whether in our hearts, verbally, during prayer,
by reading Qur’aan, by discussing Islamic issues, or by reading different kinds
of Islamic books.
How many Muslim homes nowadays are dead because
there is no remembrance of Allaah, as mentioned in the hadeeth. What must they
be like when all that is heard therein is the music of Shaytaan with instruments
and singing, and backbiting, slander and gossip?
What must they be like when they are filled with
evil and sin, such as the haraam mixing of the sexes and wanton display between
relatives who are not mahram or with neighbours who enter the home?
How can the angels enter a home like this? Revive
your homes with all kinds of dhikr, may Allaah have mercy on you!
(4) Make your homes a qiblah
What is meant is taking the home as a place of
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We inspired Moosa and his brother (saying): ‘Take dwellings for your people
in Egypt, and make your dwellings as places for your worship, and perform
al-salaah, and give glad tidings to the believers.’” [Yoonus 10:87].
Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “They were commanded to take
their dwellings as places of prayer [lit. mosques].”
Ibn Katheer said: “This – and Allaah knows best –
was because of the intensity of the tribulation that they were facing from
Pharaoh and his people. They were commanded to pray much, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): ‘O you who believe! Seek help with patience
and prayer…’ [al-Baqarah 2:153], and as it was reported in the hadeeth that
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when he was
distressed by something, would pray.”
This explains the importance of worshipping at
home, especially at times when the Muslims are in a position of weakness, as
happens in some places where the Muslims cannot pray openly in front of the
kuffaar. In this context we may think of the mihraab of Maryam, which was her
place of worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… Every
time Zakariya entered the mihraab to visit her, he found her supplied with
sustenance…” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:37]
The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them)
used to be keen to pray at home – apart from the fard or obligatory prayers
(which they prayed in congregation in the mosque) – and there is a moving story
concerning this. Mahmood ibn al-Rabee’ al-Ansaari reported that ‘Utbaan ibn
Maalik – who was one of the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) and was one of the Ansaar who had been present at Badr –
came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
said: “I am losing my sight, and I lead my people in prayer. When it rains, the
valley between me and them gets flooded and I cannot get to their mosque to lead
them in prayer. O Messenger of Allaah, I would like you to come to come and pray
in my house so that I can take it as a place for prayer.” The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “I will do that, in sha
Allaah.” ‘Utbaan said: “The next day the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and Abu Bakr came in the morning. The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked for permission to
enter, and I gave him permission. He did not sit down until he entered the
house, then he said, ‘Where would you like me to pray in your house?’ I showed
him a corner of the house, then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) stood up, said Takbeer, and we stood in a row behind him,
and he prayed two rak’ahs and gave the salaam at the end of the prayer.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 1/519)
(5) Spiritual training for the members of the
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
pray qiyaam at night, and when he prayed witr he would say, ‘Get up and pray
witr, O ‘Aa’ishah’” (Reported by Muslim, Muslim bi Sharh al-Nawawi,
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “May Allaah have mercy on a man who gets up at night and prays,
then he wakes up his wife to pray, and if she refuses he throws water in her
face.” (Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawood. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3488).
Encouraging the women of one's household to give
charity is another means of increasing faith. This is something very important
which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged, when
he said, “O women! Give in charity, for I have seen that you form the majority
of the inhabitants of Hell.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath,
One of the new ideas is to have a box at home for
donations to the poor and needy: whatever is put in the box belongs to them,
because it is their vessel in the Muslim home.
If the family members see an example among them
fasting on al-Ayyaam al-Beed (the 13th, 14th and 15th
of each Hijri month), Mondays and Thursdays, Taasoo’aa’ and ‘Aashooraa’ (the 9th
and 10th of Muharram), ‘Arafaah, and frequently in Muharram and
Sha’baan, this will be a motive for them to do likewise.
Paying attention to adhkaar and Sunnah
du’aa’s that have to do with the home
Adkhaar for entering the home:
Muslim reported in his Saheeh that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When any
one of you enters his home and mentions the Name of Allaah when he enters and
when he eats, the Shaytaan says: ‘You have no place to stay and nothing to eat
here.’ If he enters and does not mention the name of Allaah when he enters, [the
Shaytaan] says, ‘You have a place to stay.’ If he does not mention the name of
Allaah when he eats, [the Shaytaan says], ‘You have a place to stay and
something to eat.’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, al-Musnad, 3/346;
Abu Dawood reported in his Sunan that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If a man
goes out of his house and says, ‘Bismillaah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allaah, laa
hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaah (In the name of Allaah, I put my trust in
Allaah, there is no help and no strength except in Allaah),’ it will be said to
him, ‘This will take care of you, you are guided, you have what you need and you
are protected.’ The Shaytaan will stay away from him, and another shaytaan will
say to him, ‘What can you do with a man who is guided, provided for and
protected?’” (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi. Saheeh al-Jaami’,
Imaam Muslim reported in his Saheeh that
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “When the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered his house, the first thing
he would do was use siwaak.” (Reported by Muslim, Kitaab al-Tahaarah,
chapter 15, no. 44).
Continuously reciting Soorat al-Baqarah in the house to ward off the Shaytaan
There are a number of ahaadeeth concerning this,
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not make your houses into graves. The Shaytaan
flees from a house in which Soorat al-Baqarah is recited.” (Reported by
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Recite Soorat al-Baqarah in your houses, for the
Shaytaan does not enter a house in which Soorat al-Baqarah is recited.”
(Reported by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak. 1/561; Saheeh al-Jaami’,
Concerning the virtues of the last two aayaat of
this soorah, and the effect of reciting them in one’s house, he (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah wrote a document two thousand
years before He created the heavens and the earth, which is kept near the
Throne, and He revealed two aayaat of it with which He concluded Soorat
al-Baqarah. If they are recited in a house for three consecutive nights, the
Shaytaan will not approach it.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad,
4/274, and others. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1799).
Islamic Knowledge in the home
(8)Teaching the family
This is an obligation which the head of the
household must undertake, in obedience to the command of Allaah (interpretation
of the meaning): “O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your
families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones…” [al-Tahreem 66:6].
This aayah is the basic principle regarding the teaching and upbringing of one's
family, and enjoining them to do what is good and forbidding them to do what is
evil. There follow some of the comments of the mufassireen on this aayah, in so
far as it pertains to the duties of the head of the household.
Qutaadah said: “He should command them to obey
Allaah, and forbid them to disobey Him, and direct them in accordance with the
commands of Allaah, and help them to do that.”
Dahhaak and Muqaatil said: “It is the Muslim’s
duty to teach his family, including relatives and female slaves, what Allaah has
enjoined upon them and what He has forbidden.”
‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
“Teach them and discipline them.”
Al-Tabari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“We must teach our children and wives the religion and goodness, and whatever
they need of good manners. If the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to urge the teaching of female servants, who were
slaves, what do you think about your children and wives, who are free?”
Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said
in his Saheeh: “Chapter: a man’s teaching his female slaves and wife.”
Then he quoted the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him): “There are three who will have two rewards: … a man who has a female slave
whom he teaches good manners and teaches her well, and teaches her knowledge,
and teaches her well, then he frees her and marries her: he will have two
Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said,
commenting on this hadeeth: “The chapter heading refers specifically to female
slaves, and to wives by analogy, i.e., teaching one’s free wife about her duties
towards Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger is more clearly essential than
teaching one's female slaves.”
In the midst of all a man’s activities, work and
other commitments, he may forget to allow himself time for teaching his wife.
One solution to this is to allocate some time for the family, and even for
others such as relatives, to hold a study-circle at home. He can let everyone
know the time and encourage them to come regularly, so that it will be an
ongoing commitment for him and for them. Something similar happened at the time
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Chapter: can the women be given a day exclusively for them to seek knowledge”?
and quoted the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him):
“The women said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): ‘The
men always crowd us out and we cannot reach you, so set aside a day for us when
we can come to you.’ So he set aside a day when he would meet them and teach
Ibn Hajar said: “A similar report was narrated by
Sahl ibn Abi Saalih from Abu Hurayrah, according to which [the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said: ‘Your appointment is in the house of
so and so,’ and he came to them and spoke to them.’”
What we learn from this is that women should be
taught in their houses, and we see how keen the women of the Sahaabah were to
learn. Directing teaching efforts to men alone, and not to women, is a serious
shortcoming on the part of dai’yahs and heads of households.
Some readers may ask, suppose we set aside a day,
and tell our families about it – what should we study in these gatherings? Where
do we begin?
I suggest that you begin with a simple program to
teach your family in general, and the women in particular, using the following
The tafseer of al-‘Allaamah Ibn Sa’di, entitled
Tayseer al-Kareem al-Rahmaan fi Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan, which is
published in seven volumes and is written in an easy style; you can read it or
teach somes soorahs and passages from it.
– you coul discuss the ahaadeeth quoted, along with the footnotes and the
lessons learned from them. You could also refer to the book Nuzhat
Hasan al-Uswah bimaa thubita ‘an Allaahi wa
Rasoolihi fi’l-Nuswah, by al-‘Allaamah
Siddeeq Hasan Khaan.
It is also important to teach women some of the
ahkaam of fiqh, such as the rulings on tahaarah (purity) and menstrual and
post-partum bleeding, salaah, zakaah, siyaam (fasting) and hajj, if she is able
to go; some of the rulings on food and drink, clothing and adornment, the sunan
al-fitrah, rulings on mahaarim (who is a mahram relative and who is not),
rulings on singing and photography, and so on. Among the important sources of
such information are the fatwas (rulings or edicts) of the scholars, such as the
collections of fatwas by Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz and Shaykh Muhammad ibn
Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, and other scholars, whether they are written fatwas or
fatwas recorded on tapes.
Another matter that may be included in a syllabus
for teaching women and family members is reminding them of lessons or public
lectures given by trustworthy scholars and seekers of knowledge which they can
attend, so they can have a variety of excellent sources for learning. We should
not forget either the radio programs of Idhaa’at al-Qur’aan al-Kareem; another
means of teaching is reminding family members of the particular days when women
can attend Islamic bookstores, and taking them there, within the guidelines of
sharee’ah [i.e., proper hijaab, etc.]
(9)Start building an Islamic “library” in your
Another thing that will help in teaching your
family and letting them develop a understanding of their religion and help them
adhere to its rules, is having one’s own Islamic library at home. It does not
have to be extensive; what matters is choosing good books, putting them in a
place where they are readily accessible, and encouraging family members to read
You could put books in a clean and tidy corner of
the living room, and in a suitable place in a bedroom or guest room; this will
make it easy for any member of the family to read constantly.
In order to build a library properly – and Allaah
loves things to be done properly – you should include references so that family
members can research various matters and children can use them for their
studies. You should also include books of varying levels, so that old and young,
men and women can all use them. You should also have books for giving to guests,
children’s friends and family visitors, but try to get books that are
attractively presented, edited properly and with the sources and classification
of the ahaadeeth properly given. You can make the most of Islamic bookstores and
exhibitions to build a home library, after consulting and seeking advice from
those who have experience in the field of books. One way in which you can help
family members to find a book when they want it is to organize the books
according to subject, with books of Tafseer on one shelf, books of hadeeth on
another, fiqh on a third, and so on. One of the family members could also
compile alphabetical or subject indexes of the library, to make it easier to
look for books.
Many of those who want to start a home library
may ask for titles of Islamic books. Here are a few suggestions:
Tafseer Ibn Sa’di
by Ibn al-Qayyim
by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen
Lamahaat fi ‘Uloom al-Qur’aan
by Muhammad al-Sabbaagh
Saheeh al-Kalim al-Tayyib
‘Aml al-Muslim fi’l-Yawm wa’l-Laylah
(or: Al-Saheeh al-Musnad min Adhkaar al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah)
and its commentary Nuzhat al-Muttaqeen
Mukhtasar Saheeh al-Bukhaari
Mukhtasar Saheeh Muslim
by al-Mundhiri and al-Albaani
Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer
Da’eef al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer
Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb
Al-Sunnah wa Makaanatuhaa fi’l-Tashree’
Qawaa’id wa fawaa’id min al-Arba’een
al-Nawawiyyah by Naazim Sultaan
Fath al-Majeed Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed
(edited by al-Arnaa’oot)
A’laam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah
by al-Hakami (ed.)
Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah,
edited by al-Albaani
The series on ‘Aqeedah by Umar Sulaymaan
al-Ashqar in 8 parts
by Dr. Yoosuf al-Waabil
by Ibn Duwiyyaan
by Ibn Qudaamah
[also available in English translation]
by Saalih al-Fawzaan
Collections of fatwas by different scholars (‘Abd
al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Muhammad Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen)
Sifat Salaah al-Nabi (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) by Shaykh
al-Albaani and Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz [available in English under the
title The Prophet’s Prayer Described]
Mukhtasar Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz
Good manners and purification of the soul:
Tahdheeb Madaarij al-Saalikeen
Tareeq al-Hijratayn wa Baab al-Sa’aadatayn
Raafi’ al-Kalim al-Tayyib
by Ibn al-Qayyim
by Ibn Rajab
Tahdheeb Maw’izat al-Mu’mineen
Seerah and biographies
by Ibn Katheer
Mukhtasar al-Shamaa’il al-Muhammadiyyah
by al-Tirmidhi, abridged by al-Albaani
by al-Mubaarakpoori [available in English translation]
Al-‘Awaasim min al-Qawaasim
by Ibn al-‘Arabi, ed. by al-Khateeb and al-Istanbooli
(2 vols.) by Shaykh Akram al-‘Umari [available in English under the title
Madinan Society at the Time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’
Minhaj Kitaabat al-Taareekh al-Islaami
by Muhammad ibn Saamil al-Salami
There are many other good books on various
topics, such as those by:
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Naasir al-Sa’di
Shaykh ‘Umar Sulaymaan ibn Ashqar
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ismaa’eel
Prof. Muhammad Muhammad Husayn
Shaykh Muhammad Jameel Zayno
Prof. Husayn al-‘Awayishah’s books on
al-Raqaa’iq (topics to soften the heart and strengthen eemaan)
by Muhammad Na’eem Yaaseen
by Shaykh Muhammad Sa’eed al-Qahtaani [available in English translation]
Al-Inhiraafaat al-‘Aqdiyyah fi’l-Qarnayn
al-Thaani ‘Ashara wa’l-Thaalith ‘Ashara
by ‘Ali ibn Bukhayt al-Zahraani
Al-Muslimoon wa Zaahirat al-Hazeemah
al-Nafsiyyah by ‘Abd-Allaah
Al-Mar’ah bayn al-Fiqh wa’l-Qaanoon
by Mustafa al-Sibaa’i
Al-Usrah al-Muslimah amaam al-video
wa’l-tilifiziyon by Marwaan Kijik
Al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah I’daadaatuhaa wa
mas’ooliyaatuhaa by Ahmad Abu Bateen
Mas’ooliyat al-Abb al-Muslim fi Tarbiyat
Waladihi by ‘Adnaan Baahaarith
by Ahmad al-Baaraazi
Wa Jaa’a Dawr al-Maajoos
by ‘Abd-Allaah Muhammad al-Ghareeb
Books by Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd
Abhaath al-Shaykh Mashoor
There are many other useful, good books – what we
have mentioned is only by way of example, and is by no means a complete list.
There are also many useful pamphlets and booklets, but it would take too long to
list everything. The Muslim should consult others and think hard. Whomever
Allaah wishes good for, He helps him to understand His religion.
(10)Home audio library
Having a cassette player in every home may be
used for good or for evil. How can we use it in a manner that is pleasing to
One of the ways in which we can achieve this is
to have a home audio library containing good Islamic tapes by scholars, fuqaha’,
lecturers, khateebs and preachers.
Listening to tapes of Qur’aan recitation by some
Imaams, for example those recorded during Taraaweeh prayers, will have a great
impact on family members, whether by impressing upon them the meanings of the
Revelation, or by helping them to memorize Qur’aan because of repeated
listening. It will also protect them by letting them hear Qur’aanic recitation
rather than the music and singing of the Shaytaan, because it is not right for
the words of al-Rahmaan (Allaah) to be mixed with the music of the Shaytaan in
the heart of the believer.
Tapes of fatwas may have a great effect on family
members and help them to understand various rulings, which will have an impact
on their daily lives. We suggest listening to tapes of fatwas given by scholars
such as Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh Muhammad Naasir al-Deen
al-Albaani, Shaykh Muhammad al-‘Uthaymeen, Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, and other
Muslims must also pay attention to the sources
from which they take fatwas, because this is the matter of religion, so look to
where you take your religion from. You should take it from someone who is known
to be righteous and pious, who bases his fatwas on sound ahaadeeth, who is not
fanatical in his adherence to a madhhab, who follows sound evidence and adheres
to a middle path without being either extreme or too lenient. Ask an expert.
“… Allaah, Most Gracious: ask, then about Him of any acquainted (with such
things).” [al-Furqaan 25:59 – interpretation of the meaning – Yusuf Ali’s
Listening to lectures by those who are striving
to raise the awareness of the ummah, establish proof and denounce evil, is very
important for establishing individual personalities in the Muslim home.
There are many tapes and lectures, and the Muslim
needs to know the features of the sound methodology so as to distinguish sound
lecturers from others and look for their tapes, which they can listen to with
confidence. Among these features are:
The lecturer should be a believer in the ‘aqeedah
of the Saved Group, Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, adhering to the Sunnah and
firmly rejecting bid’ah. The speaker should be moderate, neither extremist nor
He should base his talks on sound ahaadeeth, and
beware of weak and fabricated ahaadeeth.
He should have insight into people’s situations
and the realities of the ummah, and should offer the appropriate remedy for any
problem, giving the people what they need.
He should speak the truth as much as he can, and
not utter falsehood or please the people by angering Allaah.
We often find that tapes for children have a
great influence on them, whether by helping them to memorize Qur’aan by
listening to a young reader, or du’aa’s to be recited at various times of day
and night, or Islamic manners, or nasheeds (religious “songs” with no
instrumental accompaniment) with a useful message, and so on.
Putting tapes in drawers in an organized fashion
will make it easier to find them, and will also protect them from getting
damaged or from being played with by young children. We should distribute good
tapes by giving or lending them to others after listening to them. Having a
recorder in the kitchen will be very useful for the lady of the house, and
having a recorder in the bedroom will help a person make good use of time until
the last moments of the day.
(11) Inviting good and righteous people and
seekers of knowledge to visit the home.
“My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him
who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women…” [Nooh
71:28 – interpretation of the meaning].
If people of faith enter your home, it will
increase in light (noor), and will bring many benefits because of your
conversations and discussion with them. The bearer of musk will either give you
some, or you will buy from him, or you will find that he has a pleasant scent.
When children, brothers and parents sit with such visitors, and women listen
from behind a curtain or screen to what is said, this offers an educational
experience to all. If you bring good people into your home, by doing so you keep
bad people from coming in a wreaking havoc.
(12) Learning the Islamic rulings with regard
Praying in the house
With regard to men, the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of prayer is a man’s prayer in
his house – apart from the prescribed prayers.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari,
al-Fath, no. 731).
It is obligatory to pray (the five daily prayers)
in the mosque, except if there is a valid excuse. The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said: “A man’s voluntary prayers in
his house will bring more reward than his voluntary prayers at other people’s
places, just as his obligatory prayers with the people are better than his
obligatory prayers alone.” (Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah. Saheeh
With regard to women, the deeper inside her home
her place of prayer is, the better, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “The best prayer for women is [that offered] in the
furthest part of their houses.” (Reported by al-Tabaraani. Saheeh
A man should not be led in prayer in his own
home, and no one should sit in the place where the master of the house usually
sits, except with his permission. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: “A man should not be led in prayer in his place of
authority, and no one should sit in his place in his house, except with his
permission.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2772).
I.e., no one should go forward to lead him in prayer, even if they recite
Qur’aan better than he does, in a place that he owns or where he has authority,
such as a householder in his home, or an imaam in a mosque. Similarly, it is not
permitted to sit in the private spot of the head of the master of the house,
such as a bed or mattress, etc., except with his permission.
Seeking permission to enter.
“O you who believe! Enter not houses other
than your own, until you have asked permission and greeted those in them, that
is better for you, in order that you may remember. And if you find no one
therein, still, enter not until permission has been given. And if you are asked
to go back, go back, for it is purer for you. And Allaah is All-Knower of what
you do.” [al-Noor 24:27-28 – interpretation of the meaning].
“… so enter houses through their proper
doors…” [al-Baqarah 2:189 – interpretation of the meaning].
It is permissible to enter houses that are empty
if one has some legitimate business there, such as a house prepared for guests.
“There is no sin on you that you enter (without taking permission) houses
uninhabited (i.e., not possessed by anybody), (when) you have any interest in
them. And Allaah has knowledge of what you reveal and what you conceal.”
[al-Noor 24:29 – interpretation of the meaning].
Not feeling too shy to eat in the houses of
friends and relatives, and in houses of friends and relatives and others to
which one has the keys, if they have no objection to that. “There is no
restriction on the blind, nor any restriction on the lame, nor any restriction
on the sick, nor on yourselves, if you eat from your houses, or the houses of
your fathers, or the houses of your mothers, or the houses of your brothers, or
the houses of your sisters, or the houses of your father’s brothers, or the
houses of your father’s sisters, or the houses of your mother’s brothers, or the
houses of your mother’s sisters, or (from that) whereof you hold keys, or (from
the house) of a friend. No sin on you whether you eat together or apart…”
Telling children and servants not to barge in to
the parents’ bedroom without permission at the times when people usually sleep,
i.e., before Fajr, at siesta time and after ‘Isha’, lest they see something
inappropriate. If they see something accidentally at other times, this is
forgivable, because they are tawwaafeen (those who go about in the house)
and it is difficult to stop them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Let your legal slaves and slave-girls, and those among
you who have not come to the age of puberty ask your permission (before they
come to your presence) on three occasions: before Fajr prayer, and while you put
off your clothes for the noonday (rest), and after the ‘Isha prayer. (These)
three times are of privacy for you; other than these times there is no sin on
you or on them to move about, - attending (helping) you each other. Thus Allaah
makes clear the aayaat (verses of this Qur’aan, showing proofs for the legal
aspects of permission for visits, etc.) to you. And Allaah is All-Knowing,
All-Wise.” [al-Noor 24:57].
It is forbidden to look into the houses of other
people without their permission. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever looks into someone’s house without their
permission, put his eyes out, and there is no diyah or qisaas [blood money or
retaliation] in this case.” (Reported by Ahmad, al-Musnad, 2/385;
Saheeh al-Jaami, 6046).
A woman who has been divorced by talaaq for a
first or second time [and could still go back to her husband] should not leave
or be made to leave her home during the ‘iddah, and she should still be
supported financially. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O
Prophet! When you divorce women, divorce them at their ‘iddah (prescribed
periods), and count (accurately) their ‘iddah (periods). And fear Allaah your
Lord (O Muslims), and turn them not out of their (husband’s) homes, nor shall
they (themselves) leave, except in case they are guilty of some open illegal
sexual intercourse. And those are the set limits of Allaah. And whoever
transgresses the set limits of Allaah, then indeed he has wronged himself. You
(the one who divorces his wife) know not, it may be that Allaah will afterward
bring some new thing to pass (i.e., to return her back to you, if this as the
first or second divorce).” [al-Talaaq 65:1]
It is permissible for a man to forsake his
rebellious wife inside or outside the home, according to the interests
prescribed by sharee’ah in any given case. The evidence for forsaking her inside
the home is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “… refuse to share
their beds…” [al-Nisa’ 4:34]. With regard to forsaking women outside the
home, this is what happened when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) forsook his wives, leaving them in their apartments and
staying in a room outside the houses of his wives. (Reported by
al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Talaaq, Baab fi’l-Eelaa’).
One should not stay alone overnight in the house.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade being alone and said that a man should
not stay overnight alone or travel alone. (Reported by Ahmad in
al-Musnad, 2/91). This is because of the
feelings of loneliness etc., that come from being alone, and also because of the
possibility of attacks by enemies or robbers, or the possibility of sickness. If
one has a companion, he can help fight off attacks, and can help if one gets
sick. (See al-Fath al-Rabbaani, 5/64).
Not sleeping on the roof of a house that has no
protecting wall, lest one fall. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever sleeps on the roof of a house that has no
protecting wall, nobody is responsible for what happens to him.”
(Reported by Abu Dawood, al-Sunan, no. 5041; Saheeh al-Jaami,
6113; its commentary is in ‘Awn al-Ma’bood, 13/384).
This is because one who is asleep may roll over
in his sleep, and if there is no wall he may fall off the roof and be killed. In
such a case, nobody would be to blame for his death; or his negligence would
cause Allaah to lift His protection from him, because he did not take the
necessary precautions. The hadeeth may mean either.
Pet cats do not make vessels naajis (impure) if
they drink from them, or make food naajis if they eat from it. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn
Abi Qutaadah reported from his father that water was put out for him to make
wudoo’, and a cat came and lapped at the water. He took the water and did wudoo’
with it, and they said, “O Abu Qutaadah! The cat drank from it.” He said, I
heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say:
‘Cats are part of the household, and they are among those who go around in your
houses.’” (Reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, 5/309; Saheeh
al-Jaami’, 3694). According to another report
he said: “They [cats] are not naajis; they are among those who go around
[al-tawwaafeen wa’l-tawwaafaat – refers to children, servants, etc.] in your
houses.” (Reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, 5/309; Saheeh
(13) Creating opportunities for meetings to
discuss family matters.
“… and who (conduct) their affairs by mutual
consultation…” [al-Shoora 42:38 – interpretation of the meaning].
This is a time when the family members can sit together in a suitable place to
talk about issues within and without the family that affect them. This is a sign
of strong ties, interaction and cooperation within the family. No doubt the man
is the one whom Allaah has appointed to be in charge of his “flock’s” affairs
and he is primarily responsible and is the decision maker, but giving room to
others to contribute – especially when the children get older – is good training
for them to learn to bear responsibility, as well as giving everyone the
confidence of knowing that his or her opinion is valued when they are asked to
express their points of view. Examples of this are discussions concerning going
for Hajj or for ‘Umrah during Ramadaan, and other trips, travelling to visit
relatives and uphold family ties, or for vacations; organizing wedding parties
and ‘aqeeqahs for newborns; moving from one home to another; and charitable
projects such as finding out about the poor people in one's neighbourhood so the
family can offer help or send food to them. Families can also discuss problems
faced by themselves or by relatives, and talk about how to solve them, and so
on… It is worth pointing out here that there is another important kind of family
meeting, which is holding frank discussions between parents and children. Some
of the problems of adolescence can only by solved by one-on-one conversations
between parents and children, where a father talks, calmly and quietly, with his
son about matters that have to do with the problems of youth and the Islamic
rulings pertaining to adolescence, and a mother talks to her daughter and tells
her what she needs to know about Islamic rulings and helps her to solve the
problems that she may face at this age. The father or mother may open the
discussion with words such as “When I was your age…” This will have a great
effect in making what they say acceptable to the youngster. Lack of such frank
discussions will force the children to talk to bad companions, which leads to so
many other evils.
(14) Not showing family conflicts in front
of the children.
It is rare for people to live together under one
roof without any arguments, but reconciliation is better and correcting oneself
is a virtue. What shakes the unity of the family and harms its infrastructure is
when conflicts are brought out into the open before the members of the family,
who then split into two or more opposing camps, not to mention the psychological
harm that is done to children, especially little ones. Think about a home where
the father says to the child, “Do not speak to your mother,” and the mother says
to him, “Do not speak to your father.” The child is confused and filled with
turmoil, and the entire family lives in an atmosphere of hostility. We should
try to avoid conflict, but if it happens, we should try to hide it. We ask
Allaah to create love between our hearts.
(15) Not letting into the house anyone
whose commitment to Islam is not pleasing to you.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “The likeness of a bad companion is like the one who
works the bellows” (from a report narrated by Abu Dawood, 4829).
According to a report narrated by al-Bukhaari, he said, “the one who works the
bellows will burn your house or your clothes, or you will smell a bad odour from
him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 4/323).
Indeed, he will burn your home with all kinds of corruption and evil. How often
has the entry of corrupt and suspicious people into a home been the cause of
enmity among the family members, or of division between husband and wife. Allaah
curses the one who turns a wife against her husband, or a husband against his
wife, or causes enmity between a father and his children. This is how sihr
(magic, witchcraft) is brought into people’s homes, why things are sometimes
stolen, and why so often morals are corrupted: it is because a person whose
commitment to Islam is no good is admitted into the home. We must not let such
people in, even if they are neighbours, men or women, and even if they appear to
be friendly. Some people keep quiet out of embarrassment, and if they see such a
person at the door, they let him in, even though they know this is one of the
corrupt people. In this matter, women bear a great deal of responsibility. The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O people,
which day is most sacred? Which day is most sacred? Which day is most sacred?”
They said, “The greatest day of Hajj.” Then he (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said in his Friday khutbah on that day: “Your rights over your women
are that they should not allow anyone to sit on your beds whom you dislike, or
allow anyone into your homes whom you dislike.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi,
1163, and other from ‘Amr ibn al-Ahwas; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7880).
Muslim women, you should not feel upset if your
husband or father does not let one of the female neighbours into the house
because he sees that she is trying to cause trouble. Be smart and be strong if
someone tries to make comparisons between her husband and yours, lest that
pushes you to demand things from your husband that he cannot afford. It is also
your obligation to advise your husband if you notice that he has close friends
who are making evil appear attractive to him.
§ Advice to men: try to be
at home as much as you can, because the guardian’s presence at home keeps things
under control and enables him to supervise the upbringing of the family and to
put things right by watching and following up. For some people, the basic thing
is to be always outside of the home, and only if they cannot find some place to
go do they come home. This is wrong. If a man is constantly going out for
purposes of worship, he must still strike a balance; if he is going out for the
purposes of sin and wasting time, or because he is too busy with matters of this
world, he must reduce his work and business commitments, and put an end to idle
meetings. And how evil are those people who neglect their families and stay in
nightclubs…! We do not want to fall in with the plans of the enemies of Allaah;
we can learn a lot from the following paragraph of the minutes of the French
Eastern Masonic lodge held in 1923:
“ For the purpose of separating the individual from his family, you must
eliminate morals at their root, because people are inclined to cut off their
family ties and do things that are forbidden, they prefer to chat idly in cafés
rather than carry out their duties towards their families.”
(16) Taking careful note of what family
members are up to.
Who are your children’s friends?
Have you met them before?
What do your children bring home from outside?
Where does your daughter go, and with whom?
Some parents do not know that their children have
in their possession bad pictures, pornographic movies and even drugs. Some of
them do not know that their daughter goes with the (female) servant to the
market, then asks the servant to wait with the driver whilst she goes to her
appointment or “date” with one of the shayaateen (devils), or to smoke and mess
about with her bad friends. Those who neglect their children will not be let off
on that terrible Day, nor will they be able to flee from the horrors of the Day
of Reckoning. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Allaah will ask every shepherd (or responsible person) about his flock (those
for whom he was responsible), whether he took care of it or neglected it, until
He asks a man about his household.” (Hasan. Reported by al-Nisaa'i, 292,
and Ibn Hibbaan from Anas; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1775; al-Silsilat
There are some important points to note here:
This supervision must be subtle.
There should be no terrorizing atmosphere
The child must not be made to feel that he or she
is not trusted.
Advice and/or punishments must be measured
against the ages of the children, their levels of understand and the extent of
the wrongful behaviour.
Beware of negative methods of checking on
children and making them feel that their every move is being watched. I have
been told of a person who has a computer in which he records every mistake his
children make in detail. If one of his children does something wrong, he sends
him a memo requesting his presence, then he opens the child’s file in the
computer and tells him all his previous mistakes, as well as the current
Note: we are not talking about a company here.
The father is not the angel whose job it is to write down bad deeds. This father
needs to read more about the principles of Islamic upbringing and education.
I also know of people at the other extreme, who
refuse to get involved in their children’s affairs at all, claiming that the
child will not be convinced that a mistake is a mistake or a sin is a sin unless
he does it and then finds out for himself that it is a mistake. This deviant
idea comes from being weaned on ideas of western philosophy and notions of
absolute freedom. Some of them give their child free rein, fearing that the
child may start to hate them, saying “I will earn his love whatever he does.”
Some of them give the child free rein as a reaction to their own over-strict
upbringings, thinking that they have to do the absolute opposite with their own
children. Some of them take this stupid attitude to extremes by saying, “Let our
sons and daughters enjoy their youth as they wish.” Do these people not think
that their children might pull on their clothes on the Day of Resurrection and
say, “O my father, why did you leave me in sin?”
(17) Paying attention to children at home.
Teaching them to memorize Qur’aan and Islamic
stories. There is nothing more beautiful than a father and his children coming
together to read Qur’aan, with a simple commentary, offering rewards for
memorizing passages. Young children have memorized Soorat al-Kahf from hearing
it recited repeatedly by their fathers every Friday. You can teach children the
basics of Islamic ‘aqeedah, for example as mentioned in the hadeeth, “Heed
Allaah’s commandments and He will protect you.” You can teach children good
manners and the adhkaar prescribed by Islam, for example for eating, sleeping,
sneezing, greeting, asking permission to enter.
There is nothing more attractive or effective for
children than telling them Islamic stories, such as the story of Nooh (peace be
upon him) and the Flood; the story of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and how he
broke the idols and was thrown into the fire; the story of Moosa (peace be upon
him) being saved from Pharaoh, who was drowned; the story of Yoonus (peace be
upon him) in the belly of the whale; the story of Yoosuf (peace be upon him) in
brief; the biography of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
such as the beginning of his mission and his hijrah; some of the Islamic battles
such as Badr and al-Khandaq; other stories from the Prophet’s life such as the
story of the man and the camel which he did not feed properly but abused it by
making it work too hard; stories of righteous people, such as the story of ‘Umar
ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) and the woman and her hungry
children in the tent; the story of the people of al-Ukhdood (the ditch); the
story of the people of the garden in Soorat al-Qalam , and the three
companions of the cave. There are many good stories which you can tell in a
brief and simple manner, with a few comments. These are better for us and we
have no need of the many stories that go against ‘aqeedah, or frightening myths
that distort children’s concept of reality and make them cowardly and afraid.
Beware of letting your children go out with just
anybody, lest they come back home uttering bad words and behaving badly. Be
selective when choosing children of relatives and neighbours to invite to come
and play with your children at home.
Make sure that your children’s play is both
entertaining and purposeful. Give them a special playroom, or at least a
cupboard for their toys, where they can keep their toys tidy. Avoid toys that go
against sharee’ah, like musical instruments, or toys that have crosses or them,
or games containing dice.
It is also a good idea to make a corner where
children can practice hobbies such as carpentry, electronics and mechanics, or
play some permissible computer games. With regard to the latter, we should be
alert to the fact that some computer games show the worst types of pictures of
women on the screen, and other games have crosses in them; one person has even
told me that there is a game that involves gambling against the computer – the
player chooses one of four girls whose pictures appear on the screen to
represent the other player, and if he wins, his prize is to see the worst kind
of picture of the girl.
Separating boys and girls in their beds or
sleeping arrangements. This is one of the things that distinguish those who are
committed to their religion from those who do not care.
Joking and showing affection. The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to play with children
and pat their heads; he would speak to them in a kind and gentle manner, giving
the littlest one the first fruit, and even letting them ride on his back
sometimes. There follow two examples of how he (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) played with al-Hasan and al-Husayn:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to stick his tongue out
at Hasan ibn ‘Ali, and the child would see the redness of his tongue, and would
like it and come running to him.” (Reported by Abu’l-Shaykh in Akhlaaq
al-Nabi (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wa Aadaabuhu; see
al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, no. 70). Ya’laa ibn
Murrah said: “We went out with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and we were called to eat, when we saw Husayn playing in the street.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) rushed ahead of the
people, holding out his arms, and the child was running hither and thither; the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was laughing with him until
he caught him, then he put one of the child’s hands under his chin and other
other on top of his head, and kissed him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari in
al-Adab al-Mufrad, no. 364; Saheeh Ibn Maajah, 1/29).
(18) Being strict in adhering to a schedule
for meals and bedtime.
Some houses are like hotels where the people who
live there hardly know one another and hardly ever meet.
Some children eat whenever they want and sleep
whenever they want, which leads to them staying up late and wasting their time,
or eating on a full stomach. This chaos leads to a weakening of family ties and
a waste of time and energy, and exacerbates the lack of discipline among family
members. You could excuse those who have legitimate reasons, because students,
male and female, may have different times of leaving schools and universities,
and those who are employed or who run stores do not have the same work
schedules, but still there is nothing nicer than a family gathering together at
the table and making the most of this opportunity to ask how everyone is and to
discuss useful topics. The head of the household has to be strict in setting a
time for everyone to be back home, and in insisting that everyone asks
permission before going out, especially those who are young, whether in terms of
chronological age or mental age, as it were, for whom one might have fears.
(19) Re-evaluating women’s work outside the
The laws of Islam complement one another. When
Allaah commanded women to “…stay in your houses…” [al-Ahzaab 33:33 –
interpretation of the meaning], He also decreed that men, their fathers and
husbands, etc., should be obliged to spend on them.
The basic principle is that women should not work
outside the home unless they have to. When Moosa (peace be upon him) saw the two
daughters of the righteous man keeping back their flocks and waiting to water
them, he asked them: “… ‘What is the matter with you?’ They said, ‘We cannot
water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks), and our father is a
very old man.’” [al-Qasas 28:23 – interpretation of the meaning]. They were
apologetic about the fact that they had come out to water their flocks, because
the guardian [their father] was unable to do so due to old age. So they were
keen to do away with the need to work outside the home as soon as the
opportunity arose: “And said one of them (the two women): ‘O my father! Hire
him! Verily the best of men for you to hire is the strong, the trustworthy.’”
[al-Qasas 28:26 – interpretation of the meaning].
This woman made clear her desire to go back to
staying at home to protect herself from the vulgarity to which she could be
exposed if she worked outside the home.
In modern times, when the kuffaar needed women’s
labour after the two world wars, to make up for the resulting lack of men in the
workforce, and there was a critical need to rebuild their economies, this
coincided with the Jewish plots to “liberate” women and advocate their rights
with the aim of corrupting them and consequently corrupting society as a whole.
Thus the idea of women going out to work was established.
In spite of the fact that the same motives were
not present in our lands, and that Muslim men protect their womenfolk and spend
on them, the women’s liberation movement developed in the Muslim world too, and
even reached such an extent that women are sent abroad to study, then are
expected to work so that these degrees will not go to waste. The Muslim
societies are not in need of such a thing on such a grand scale as is the case,
and one of the signs of this is the fact that there are men who are without work
whilst fields are still being opened up to women.
When we say “not on such a grand scale”, we mean
that there is a need for women to work in some fields, such as teaching, nursing
and medicine, within the conditions set out by sharee’ah, and when there is a
need for them to do so. But we started by saying that there is no great need,
because of the fact that we notice some women going out to work when there is no
need, and sometimes they work for very low wages, because they feel that they
have to go out to work even when there is no need to do so, or they work in
places that are not suitable, which leads to much fitnah and trouble.
One of the main differences between the Islamic
view on women’s work and the secular view is that the basic principle in Islam
is to “…stay in your houses…” [al-Ahzaab 33:33 – interpretation of the
meaning], although women may go out when they need to – “And permission has
been given to you to go out for your needs” (hadeeth). The secular principle, on
the other hand, is to go out no matter what the circumstances.
To be fair, we should say that there may indeed
be a need for women to work, such as a woman who is the breadwinner for her
family after her husband has died or her father has become too old to work, and
so on. Indeed, in some societies which are not based on Islamic principles, a
woman may find herself forced to work to help her husband cover the living
expenses of the family. A man may not propose to a woman unless she is working,
and some men may even make it a condition of the marriage contract that the wife
In conclusion: a woman may work if she needs to
or for some Islamic purpose, such as calling others to Allaah in the field of
teaching, or to make use of her time, as some women do who do not have
With regard to the negative aspects of women
working outside the home, these include:
§ What often happens of
things that are forbidden in Islam, such as mixing with men, getting to know
them and being alone with them, wearing perfume for them and starting to show
one's adornment to strangers (non-mahrem men), which can ultimately lead to
§ Not giving the husband
his rights, neglecting the house, not giving the children their proper rights.
(This is our basic point here).
§ Undermining the feeling
in some women’s minds that the husband is the qawwaam (protector and
maintainer). Let us take the case of a woman whose qualifications are equal to
those of her husband, or even higher (although there is nothing wrong with that
in and of itself), and who works and earns more than he does. Will she feel the
proper need towards her husband and obey him properly, or will she feel that she
is independent of him, which could rock the household on its foundations, unless
Allaah wills good for her? These arguments about spending on the working wife
and how much she should spend on the family may never end.
§ Physical exhaustion and
psychological and nervous pressure which do not befit the nature of women.
Having briefly discussed the pros and cons of
women’s work, we conclude that we have to fear Allaah, and to weigh the matter
up according to sharee’ah, and to know the circumstances in which a woman is
permitted to go out to work, and when she is not. We should not be blinded by
worldly gains or allow them to distract us from the truth. This advice to women
is in their best interests and in the interests of the family. Husbands should
also stop thinking in terms of taking revenge and should not consume their
wife’s wealth unjustly.
(20) Confidentiality: keeping family
This includes a number of things, including:
Not disclosing intimate secrets.
Not disclosing marital conflicts.
Not disclosing any secrets the exposing of which
could cause harm to the family or to any of its members.
With regard to the first matter, the evidence
that this is haraam is the hadeeth: “One of the most evil of people in the sight
of Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who went in unto his wife and
she went in unto him, then he disclosed her secret.” (Reported by Muslim,
4/157). The meaning of going in unto one another
is that he approaches her and has intercourse with her, as in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning): “… while you have gone in unto one another…”
Further evidence is to be seen in the hadeeth of
Asma’ bint Yazeed, who said that she was with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), when men and women were sitting with him, and
he said: “I think there are some men who talk about what they do with their
wives, and that there are some women who talk about what they do with their
husbands.” The people stayed silent. [Asma’] said: “Yes, by Allaah, O Messenger
of Allaah, [women] do that and [men] do that!” He said, “Do not do that, for it
is as if a male devil met a female devil in the street and had intercourse with
her whilst the people were watching.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 6/457;
also reported in Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albaani, p. 144).
According to a report narrated by Abu Dawood, he said: “Are there men among you
who when they have intercourse with their wives, they close their doors and
lower their curtains and ask Allaah to conceal them?” They said, “Yes.” He said,
“And then do they sit and say, ‘I did such and such, and I did such and such?’”
They kept silent. Then he turned to the women and said, “Are there any among you
talk [about intimate matters]?” and they kept silent. Then a young girl sat up
on one of her knees and craned her neck so that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) could see her and hear her, and said, “O
Messenger of Allaah, indeed the men talk and the women talk.” He said, “Do you
know what that is like? It is like a female devil meeting a male devil in the
street and having intercourse with him whilst the people are watching.” (Sunan
Abi Dawood, 2/627; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7037).
With regard to the second matter, which is
disclosing marital arguments outside the home, in many cases this only makes
matters worse. Involving outside parties in a marital conflict usually deepens
the split, and it reaches a stage where the couple will only communicate via
intermediaries when they should be the closest of all people to one another.
This should not be resorted to except in cases where they cannot resolve matter
face to face, in which case we should act in accordance with the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning): “… appoint (two) arbitrators, one from his
family and the other from hers; if they both wish for peace, Allaah will cause
their reconciliation…” [al-Nisa’ 4:35].
With regard to the third matter, which is harming
the family or one of its members – by spreading their secrets – this is not
permissible, because it is covered by the words of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): “There should be neither harming nor
reciprocating harm.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 1/313; al-Silsilat
al-Saheehah, no. 250). An example of this was
narrated in the Tafseer of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah
sets forth an example for those who disbelieve, the wife of Nooh and the wife of
Loot. They were under two of our righteous slaves, but they both betrayed their
[husbands]…” [al-Tahreem 66:10]. Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him)
reported the following in his tafseer of this aayah:
“The wife of Nooh used to know about his secrets,
and whenever anyone believed in him, she would tell the oppressors among the
people of Nooh about it. As for the wife of Loot, whenever Loot welcomed anyone
as a guest, she would tell the people of the city who used to do evil things”
(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/198), i.e.,
to come and do immoral things to them.
manners at home
(21) Spreading kindness in the home.
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘When
Allaah – may He be glorified – wills some good towards the people of a
household, He introduces kindness among them.’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad
in al-Musnad, 6/71; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 303).
According to another report: “When Allaah loves
the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them.” (Reported
by Ibn Abi al-Dunya and others; Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 1704).
In other words, they start to be kind to one another. This is one of the means
of attaining happiness in the home, for kindness is very beneficial between the
spouses, and with the children, and brings results that cannot be achieved
through harshness, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Allaah loves kindness and rewards it in such a way that He does not
reward for harshness or for anything else.” (Reported by Muslim,
Kitaab al-Birr wa’l-Sillah wa’l-Aadaab, no. 2592).
(22) Helping one’s wife with the housework.
Many men think that housework is beneath them,
and some of them think that it will undermine their status and position if they
help their wives with this work.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), however, used to “sew his own clothes, mend his own shoes
and do whatever other work men do in their homes.” (Reported by Imaam
Ahmad in al-Musnad, 6/121; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4927).
This was said by his wife ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah
be pleased with her), when she was asked about what the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do in his house; her
response described what she herself had seen. According to another report, she
said: “He was like any other human being: he would clean his clothes, milk his
ewe and serve himself.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad,
6/256; al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 671). She
(may Allaah be pleased with her) was also asked about what the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do in his house, and
she said, “He used to serve his family, then when the time for prayer came, he
would go out to pray.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 2/162).
If we were to do likewise nowadays, we would
achieve three things:
We would be following the example of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
We would be helping our wives
We would feel more humble, not arrogant.
Some men demand food instantly from their wives,
when the pot is on the stove and the baby is screaming to be fed; they do not
pick up the child or wait a little while for the food. Let these ahaadeeth be a
reminder and a lesson.
(23) Being affectionate towards and joking
with the members of the family.
Showing affection towards one’s wife and children
is one of the things that lead to creating an atmosphere of happiness and
friendliness in the home. Thus the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) advised Jaabir to marry a virgin, saying, “Why did you not
marry a virgin, so you could play with her and she could play with you, and you
could make her laugh and she could make you laugh?” (The hadeeth is
reported in a number of places in the Saheehayn, such as al-Bukhaari,
al-Fath, 9/121). The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said: “Everything in which Allaah’s name
is not mentioned is idleness and play, except for four things: a man playing
with his wife…” (Reported by al-Nisaa'i in ‘Ushrat al-Nisa’, p.
87; also in Saheeh al-Jaami’). The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to treat his wife ‘Aa’ishah
affectionately when doing ghusl with her, as she (may Allaah be pleased with
her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah and I used to do ghusl together from one
vessel, and he would pretend to take all the water so that I would say, ‘Leave
some for me, leave some for me,’” – and both of them were in a state of janaabah
(impurity). (Muslim bi Sharh al-Nawawi, 4/6).
The ways in which the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) showed affection towards young children are too
famous to need mentioning. He often used to show his affection towards Hasan and
Husayn, as mentioned above. This is probably one of the reason why the children
used to rejoice when he came back from travelling; they would rush to welcome
him, as reported in the saheeh hadeeth: “Whenever he came back from a journey,
the children of his household would be taken out to meet him.” He (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to hug them close to him, as ‘Abd-Allaah
ibn Ja;far said: “Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) came back from a journey, we would be taken out to meet him. One day we met
him, Hasan, Husayn and I. He carried one of us in front of him, and another on
his back, until we entered Madeenah.” (Saheeh Muslim, 4/1885-2772;
see the commentary in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, 8/56).
Compare this with the situation in some miserable
homes where there are no truthful jokes [i.e., jokes that do not involve lying],
no affection and no mercy. Whoever thinks that kissing his children goes against
the dignity of fatherhood should read the following hadeeth: from Abu Hurayrah
(may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) kissed al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, and al-Aqra’ ibn
Haabis al-Tameemi was sitting with him. Al-Aqra’ said: ‘I have ten children and
I have never kissed any one of them.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) looked at him and said: ‘The one who does not
show mercy will not be shown mercy.’”
(24) Resisting bad manners in the home.
Every member of the household is bound to have
some bad characteristics, such as lying, backbiting, gossiping and so on. These
bad characteristics have to be resisted and opposed.
Some people think that corporal punishment is the
only way to deal with such things. The following hadeeth is very educational on
this topic: from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: “If the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to know
that one of his household had told a lie, he would try to ignore him until he
repented.” (See al-Musnad by Imaam Ahmad, 6/152. The text of the
hadeeth is also in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 4675).
It is clear from the hadeeth that turning away
and forsaking a person by not speaking to them, rather than resorting to
punishment, is effective in such circumstances, and may be more effective than
physical punishment, so let parents and caregivers think about this.
(25) “Hang up the whip where the members of
the household can see it.”
(Reported by Abu Na’eem in al-Hilyah, 7/332; al-Silsilat
al-Saheehah, no. 1446).
Hinting at punishment is an effective means of
discipline, so the reason for hanging up a whip or stick in the house was
explained in another report, where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Hang up the whip where the members of the household can see it,
for this is more effective in disciplining them.” (Reported by
al-Tabaraani, 10/344-345; al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, no. 1447)
Seeing the means of punishment hanging up will
make those who have bad intentions refrain from indulging in bad behaviour, lest
they get a taste of the punishment. It will motivate them to behave themselves
and be good-mannered. Ibn al-Anbaari said: “There is nothing to suggest that it
should be used for hitting, because [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him)] did not command anyone to do that. What he meant was: keep on
disciplining them.” (See Fayd al-Qadeer by al-Mannaawi, 4/325).
Hitting is not the way to discipline; it is not
to be resorted to, except when all other means are exhausted, or when it is
needed to force someone to do obligatory acts of obedience, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): “… As to those women on whose part you fear
ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and
last) beat them (lightly, if it is useful)…” [al-Nisa’ 4:34] – in that
order. There is also the hadeeth: “Order your children to pray when they are
seven years old, and hit them if they do not do so when they are ten.” (Sunan
Abi Dawood, 1/334; see also Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1/266).
As for hitting unnecessarily, this is aggression.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) advised a
woman not to marry a man because he always had his stick on his shoulder, i.e.,
he used to beat his wives. On the other hand, there are those who think that
they should never use this method of discipline at all, following some kaafir
educational theories; this is also a mistaken opinion that goes against the
Evils in the home
Beware of non-mahrem relatives entering upon women when their husbands are
and women should sit separately during family visits.
aware of the dangers of having male drivers and female servants in the house.
Kick immoral people out of your houses.
Beware of the dangers of TV.
Beware of the evils of the telephone.
have to remove everything that contains symbols of the false religions of the
kuffaar or their gods and objects of worship.
Removing pictures of animate beings.
not allow smoking in your homes.
not keep dogs in your homes.
Avoid too much decoration in your homes (keep it simple).
The home inside and out
(37) Choosing a good location and design of
No doubt the true Muslim pays attention to the
choice and design of a home in ways that others do not.
With regard to location, for example:
The home should be close to a mosque. This has
obvious advantages: the call to prayer will remind people of prayer and wake
them up for it; living close to the mosque will enable men to join the
congregational prayers, women to listen to the Qur’aan recitation and dhikr over
the mosque’s loudspeakers, and children to join study-circles for memorization
of Qur’aan, and so on.
The home should not be in a building where there
are immoral people, or in a compound where kuffaar live and where there is a
mixed swimming pool and so on.
The house should not overlook others or be
overlooked; if it is, he should put up curtains and make walls and fences
With regard to design and lay out, for example:
He should pay attention to the matter of
segregating men and women when non-mahrams come to visit, e.g. separate
entrances and sitting areas. If that cannot be done, then use should be made of
curtains, screens and so on.
Covering windows, so that neighbours or people in
the street will not be able to see who is in the house, especially at night when
the lights are on.
The toilets should not be sited in such a way
that one faces the qiblah when using them.
Choosing a spacious house with plenty of
amenities. This is for a number of reasons:
“Allaah loves to see the signs of His blessings
on His slave.” (Hadeeth narrated by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2819. He said: This
is a hasan hadeeth).
“There are three elements of happiness and three
elements of misery. The elements of happiness are: a righteous wife, who when
you see her she pleases you, and when you are absent from her you feel that you
can trust her with regard to herself and your wealth; a compliant riding-beast
that helps you to keep up with your companions; and a house that is spacious and
has plenty of amenities. The elements of misery are: a wife who when you see her
you feel upset, she keeps attacking you verbally, and when you are absent from
her you do not feel that you can trust her with regard to herself and your
wealth; a stubborn riding-beast that if whip it, you get tired, and if you do
not whip it, it does not help you to keep up with your companions; and a house
with few amenities.” (Hadeeth narrated by al-Haakim, 3/262; Saheeh
al-Jaami’, no. 3056).
Paying attention to health-related matters such
as ventilation, natural light and so on. These matters depend on financial
ability and feasibility.
(38) Choosing the neighbour before the house.
This is a matter which has to be singled out for
discussion because of its importance.
Nowadays neighbours have more impact on one
another, because houses are closer together and people live together in
buildings, apartments and compounds.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) told us of four causes of happiness, one of which is a
righteous neighbour, and four causes of misery, one of which is a bad neighbour.
(Reported by Abu Na’eem in al-Hilyah, 8/388; Saheeh al-Jaami’,
887). Because of the seriousness of the latter,
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge with
Allaah from bad neighbours in his du’aa’: “Allaahumma innee a’oodhu bika min
jaar al-soo’ fi daar il-muqaamah fa inna jaar al-baadiyah yatahawwil (O
Allaah, I seek refuge with You from a bad neighbour in my permanent home, for
the neighbour in the desert [i.e. on a journey] moves on).” He commanded the
Muslims to seek refuge with Allaah from a bad neighbour in a permanent home
because the neighbour in the desert will eventually move on. (Reported by
al-Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad, no. 117; Saheeh al-Jaami’,
There is no room here to talk about the influence
a bad neighbour may have on a couple and their children, or the kinds of
nuisance he can cause, or the misery of living next to him. But applying these
ahaadeeth quoted above to one's own life should be sufficient for the one who is
possessed of understanding. Another practical solution is that implemented by
some good people who rent neighbouring homes for their families, so as to solve
the neighbour problem. This may be an expensive solution, but a good neighbour
(39) Paying attention to necessary repairs in
the home, and making sure that the amenities are in good working order.
Among the blessings of Allaah in this modern age
are the “mod cons” that He has bestowed upon us, which make many things easier
and save time, such as air-conditioners, fridges, washing-machines and so on. It
is wise to have the best quality of appliances that one can afford, without
being extravagant or putting oneself under financial strain. We should also be
careful to distinguish between useful extras and extravagant additions that have
no real value.
Part of caring for the home includes fixing
appliances and amenities that break down. Some people neglect these things, and
their wives complain about homes crawling with vermin, with overflowing drains
and piles of stinking garbage, filled with broken and worn out furniture.
No doubt this is one of the obstacles to
happiness in the home, and causes problems in the marriage and health problems.
The smart person is the one who hastens to fix these things.
(40) Paying attention to the family’s health
and safety procedures.
When any member of his family got sick, the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would blow on
them and recite al-Mi’wadhatayn (last two soorahs of the Qur’aan).
(Reported by Muslim, no. 2192).
When one of his family members got sick, he would
call for soup, and it would be made for him, then he would tell them to drink
it, and he would say, “It will strengthen the heart of the one who is grieving
and cleanse (heal) the heart of the one who is sick just as any one of you wipes
the dirt from her face.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2039; Saheeh
al-Jaami’, no. 4646).
One of the ways of taking safety precautions is:
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “When evening comes, keep your children inside, for
the shayaateen (devils) spread out at that time. Then when an hour of the night
has passed, let your children go, lock the doors and mention the name of Allaah,
cover your pots and mention the name of Allaah,even if you only place a stick
across the top of your vessel, and extinguish your lamps.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 10/88-89).
According to a report narrated by Muslim, he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Lock your doors, cover your
vessels, extinguish your lamps and tie your knots properly [i.e., cover your
jugs properly – in those days they would cover them with a piece of cloth and
tie it], for the Shaytaan does not open a door that is closed, or uncover
something that is covered, or untie a knot that you tie. And the mouse could set
the house on fire (i.e. it could pull out the wick of the lamp and set the house
on fire).” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 3/103);
Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1080).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Do not leave fires lit in your houses when you go to sleep.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 11/85).
And Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our | <urn:uuid:e9157ebb-4836-4460-a122-9e2626be02e2> | {
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Quant blogger Half Sigma and GNXP's Jason Malloy are quoted in a New York Times article by Amy Harmon entitled "In DNA Era, New Worries About Prejudice" about what's happening now that "genetic information is slipping out of the laboratory and into everyday life, carrying with it the inescapable message that people of different races have different DNA."
In case you are wondering, this article isn't written by Nicholas Wade, who I imagine has been put on heavy sedation by the NYT editors ever since the Watson Show Trial.
When scientists first decoded the human genome in 2000, they were quick to portray it as proof of humankind’s remarkable similarity. The DNA of any two people, they emphasized, is at least 99 percent identical.
But new research is exploring the remaining fraction to explain differences between people of different continental origins.
Scientists, for instance, have recently identified small changes in DNA that account for the pale skin of Europeans, the tendency of Asians to sweat less and West Africans’ resistance to certain diseases.
At the same time, genetic information is slipping out of the laboratory and into everyday life, carrying with it the inescapable message that people of different races have different DNA. Ancestry tests tell customers what percentage of their genes are from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. The heart-disease drug BiDil is marketed exclusively to African-Americans, who seem genetically predisposed to respond to it. Jews are offered prenatal tests for genetic disorders rarely found in other ethnic groups.
Such developments are providing some of the first tangible benefits of the genetic revolution. Yet some social critics fear they may also be giving long-discredited racial prejudices a new potency. The notion that race is more than skin deep, they fear, could undermine principles of equal treatment and opportunity that have relied on the presumption that we are all fundamentally equal.
“We are living through an era of the ascendance of biology, and we have to be very careful,” said Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University. “We will all be walking a fine line between using biology and allowing it to be abused.”
Certain superficial traits like skin pigmentation have long been presumed to be genetic. But the ability to pinpoint their DNA source makes the link between genes and race more palpable. And on mainstream blogs, in college classrooms and among the growing community of ancestry test-takers, it is prompting the question of whether more profound differences may also be attributed to DNA.
Nonscientists are already beginning to stitch together highly speculative conclusions about the historically charged subject of race and intelligence from the new biological data. Last month, a blogger in Manhattan described a recently published study that linked several snippets of DNA to high I.Q. An online genetic database used by medical researchers, he told readers, showed that two of the snippets were found more often in Europeans and Asians than in Africans.
No matter that the link between I.Q. and those particular bits of DNA was unconfirmed, or that other high I.Q. snippets are more common in Africans, or that hundreds or thousands of others may also affect intelligence, or that their combined influence might be dwarfed by environmental factors. Just the existence of such genetic differences between races, proclaimed the author of the Half Sigma blog, a 40-year-old software developer, means “the egalitarian theory,” that all races are equal, “is proven false.”
Though few of the bits of human genetic code that vary between individuals have yet to be tied to physical or behavioral traits, scientists have found that roughly 10 percent of them are more common in certain continental groups and can be used to distinguish people of different races. They say that studying the differences, which arose during the tens of thousands of years that human populations evolved on separate continents after their ancestors dispersed from humanity’s birthplace in East Africa, is crucial to mapping the genetic basis for disease.
But many geneticists, wary of fueling discrimination and worried that speaking openly about race could endanger support for their research, are loath to discuss the social implications of their findings. Still, some acknowledge that as their data and methods are extended to nonmedical traits, the field is at what one leading researcher recently called “a very delicate time, and a dangerous time.”
“There are clear differences between people of different continental ancestries,” said Marcus W. Feldman, a professor of biological sciences at Stanford University. “It’s not there yet for things like I.Q., but I can see it coming. And it has the potential to spark a new era of racism if we do not start explaining it better.”
Dr. Feldman said any finding on intelligence was likely to be exceedingly hard to pin down. But given that some may emerge, he said he wanted to create “ready response teams” of geneticists to put such socially fraught discoveries in perspective.
The authority that DNA has earned through its use in freeing falsely convicted inmates, preventing disease and reconstructing family ties leads people to wrongly elevate genetics over other explanations for differences between groups.
“I’ve spent the last 10 years of my life researching how much genetic variability there is between populations,” said Dr. David Altshuler, director of the Program in Medical and Population Genetics at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Mass. “But living in America, it is so clear that the economic and social and educational differences have so much more influence than genes. People just somehow fixate on genetics, even if the influence is very small.”
But on the Half Sigma blog and elsewhere, the conversation is already flashing forward to what might happen if genetically encoded racial differences in socially desirable — or undesirable — traits are identified.
“If I were to believe the ‘facts’ in this post, what should I do?” one reader responded on Half Sigma. “Should I advocate discrimination against blacks because they are less smart? Should I not hire them to my company because odds are I could find a smarter white person? Stop trying to prove that one group of people are genetically inferior to your group. Just stop.”
Renata McGriff, 52, a health care consultant who had been encouraging black clients to volunteer genetic information to scientists, said she and other African-Americans have lately been discussing “opting out of genetic research until it’s clear we’re not going to use science to validate prejudices.”
“I don’t want the children in my family to be born thinking they are less than someone else based on their DNA,” added Ms. McGriff, of Manhattan.
Such discussions are among thousands that followed the geneticist James D. Watson’s assertion last month that Africans are innately less intelligent than other races. Dr. Watson, a Nobel Prize winner, subsequently apologized and quit his post at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island.
But the incident has added to uneasiness about whether society is prepared to handle the consequences of science that may eventually reveal appreciable differences between races in the genes that influence socially important traits.
New genetic information, some liberal critics say, could become the latest rallying point for a conservative political camp that objects to social policies like affirmative action, as happened with “The Bell Curve,” the controversial 1994 book that examined the relationship between race and I.Q.
Yet even some self-described liberals argue that accepting that there may be genetic differences between races is important in preparing to address them politically.
“Let’s say the genetic data says we’ll have to spend two times as much for every black child to close the achievement gap,” said Jason Malloy, 28, an artist in Madison, Wis., who wrote a defense of Dr. Watson for the widely read science blog Gene Expression. Society, he said, would need to consider how individuals “can be given educational and occupational opportunities that work best for their unique talents and limitations.”
Others hope that the genetic data may overturn preconceived notions of racial superiority by, for example, showing that Africans are innately more intelligent than other groups. But either way, the increased outpouring of conversation on the normally taboo subject of race and genetics has prompted some to suggest that innate differences should be accepted but, at some level, ignored.
“Regardless of any such genetic variation, it is our moral duty to treat all as equal before God and before the law,” Perry Clark, 44, wrote on a New York Times blog. It is not necessary, argued Dr. Clark, a retired neonatologist in Leawood, Kan., who is white, to maintain the pretense that inborn racial differences do not exist.
“When was the last time a nonblack sprinter won the Olympic 100 meters?” he asked.
“To say that such differences aren’t real,” Dr. Clark later said in an interview, “is to stick your head in the sand and go blah blah blah blah blah until the band marches by.” | <urn:uuid:5a620981-b136-4762-8f04-6f39d9d7c5e3> | {
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|Subject||Crown Gall Disease|
Severity varies greatly with factors such as locations of the galls, cultivars, cultural practices, and, most important, the influence of climate. The galls are typically found on roots and crowns, and sometimes on canes and stems. The disease is more common and the symptoms more severe in cold climates. Latent infections of the bacterium are common in grapevines and many sources of planting stock harbor the bacteria.
In California, the long term effects of crown gall are difficult to assess or predict, especially where winters are mild. Even in vineyards where infection incidence is low, crown gall has the potential to cause problems when vines are grafted or budded with new scion varieties. Other types of mechanical injury can also trigger the formation of galls.
Tom Burr, Cornell University
Video Link: Adobe Presenter (formerly Macromedia Breeze) modules provide on-demand viewing of previously recorded PowerPoint presentations with streaming video and audio on the Web. They feature high-quality still images with synchronized audio and video; automatic playback or manual navigation; and a keyword search of slide text and notes. As Flash movies they are platform independent, but they do require Flash Player 6 or higher, which is currently installed on most computers. These modules were produced by UC Davis IET Mediaworks. The speaker and presentation may be viewed in video on the following links:
“STRATEGIES FOR CONTROLLING CROWN GALL IN NURSERY STOCK” - Dr. Tom Burr, Professor of Plant Pathology, Cornell University. Presented on June 20, 2006 at the Grapevine Clean Plant Workshop hosted by UC Davis Extension.
Video Link: Silverlight is a powerful development tool for creating engaging, interactive user experiences for Web and mobile applications. Silverlight is a free plug-in, powered by the .NET framework and compatible with multiple browsers, devices and operating systems, bringing a new level of interactivity wherever the Web works. The speaker and presentation may be viewed in video on the following link:
"Biology of crown gall disease and its management of grape nurseries and vineyards" - Dr. Tom Burr, Professor of Plant Pathology, Cornell University. Presented on October 11, 2012 at the 17th Congress of the International Council for the Study of Virus and Virus-like Diseases of the Grapevine (ICVG) hosted by UC Davis Foundation Plant Services.
Bini, F., Kuczmog, A., Putnoky, P., Otten, L., Bazzi, C., Burr, T. and Szegedi, E. 2008. Novel pathogen-specific primers for the detection of Agrobacterium vitis and Agrobacterium tumefaciens (PDF) Vitis 47(3).
Burr, T. 2004. Grape crown gall biology and strategies for control (PDF). Foundation Plant Services Grape Program Newsletter, Fall 2004: 16-18.
Martinson, T. and Burr, T. 2012. How Close are We to Crown Gall-Free Nursery Stock? (pdf). Research Focus 2012-1, Cornell University Viticulture and Enology Program, 6pp.
Schroth, M. 1992. Crown Gall. Pages 94-96 in: Grape Pest Management, 2nd edition. University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication 3343, Oakland, CA. | <urn:uuid:30f56d18-ce52-4d87-98e7-668727d6710c> | {
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I wanted to describe that 「えっと」 was similar to "Ummm" in English when someone is trying to think about what they are going to say, but I wasn't even sure if that was correct. Is that just a generalization? What does 「えっと」actually come from? Can it be considered to be a word or phrase?
えっと is just a sound. Yes, it is like "umm" in English and it is used when you're thinking of what to say, hesitating, or otherwise trying to fill the silence with something before you speak. As Dono mentioned, you can find えっと's general form in the dictionary, so it can be considered a word.
There is some discussion of this on the internet here, but this discussion also boils down to it just being a sound.
えっと as just a sound is a satisfactory answer to me in terms of etymology. I'm not sure if the と in it is related at all to the quotation particle と, but I have to wonder if anyone is sure.
Basically your description of えっと as "umm" is fine, and the dictionaries define it as something that you say to think before saying something else.
えっと is related to 言えないと, which is no longer said. Over time,it's just become something we say to fill the silence when thinking, like "anno". In the Edo Times you would hear people say 言えないと, which would have sounded like, "yunaito" back then. Think of how 行かないと means "I have to go." | <urn:uuid:d76b88dd-c257-49b3-a12b-190d8ab2ab6f> | {
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Introduction / History China is a land of great diversity in geography, climate, languages, and ethnic groups. It is home to approximately 180 distinct groups, including the 12,000 Mahei who live in Yunnan Province of southern China. They are generally included with the Hani, one of China's 55 national minorities, although some scholars think they may be related to the Akha, who live in the same area. Their origin is not known, but legends say that their nomadic ancestors gradually migrated south from a far away northern plain. Since their language is of the Tibeto-Burmese group, some believe that they originated in Tibet.
Where are they located? The Mahei live near the Myanmar border in an area that is characterized by forested mountains, abundant rainfall, and rich soil. Their farmers are noted for building tiered terraces along steep mountain slopes. Their small farming villages usually consist of 30 to 40 homes. Centuries of isolation in the high mountain terrain have left the Mahei socially and economically backward.
What are their lives like? The family unit is considered to be very important among the Mahei. Some aspects of family life, however, differ from region to region. For instance, monogamy (one husband, one wife) is the rule in some areas, while having multiple spouses is common in others. "Family order" is both patriarchal (male dominated) and patrilineal, meaning that a male child becomes part of the father's lineage, while a female will become part of her husband's lineage. Male children are given names that are connected with their father's name, but females are not.
The Mahei are well known for their sincere hospitality. When a guest enters a Mahei home, he is offered wine and strong tea. If he declines the drinks, the family will be highly offended; if he drinks them, the host will generously serve him with the finest he has to offer.
The Mahei celebrate several major festivals each year, the most notable being the New Year festival. This seven day event is celebrated at harvest time, during the tenth month. At noon on New Year's Day, an announcer throws three balls of blackened rice behind him to bid farewell to the old year. He then greets the new year by tossing three balls of white rice in front of him. Next, he pushes the ropes of a special swing and all of the people, regardless of sex or age, begin swinging. (They believe that this will ward off disaster and ensure a prosperous year.) That evening, the villagers stand around a bonfire eating, drinking, singing, and dancing. At midnight, the announcer cuts down the frame of the swing to signify the end of the festival and the beginning of a new work year.
During times of celebration, the Mahei wear attractive tribal costumes of hand-woven cotton dyed blue or black. The men wear distinctive jackets and turbans, while the women wear collarless blouses and special caps.
What are their beliefs? Traditionally, Mahei beliefs were a combination of animism (belief that non-human objects have spirits), polytheism (belief in many gods), and ancestor worship (praying to the dead for blessings and guidance). Trees in the "holy hills" were believed to be their guardian spirits. Today, most still adhere to similar beliefs, however, approximately 28% are Buddhist. They are very superstitious and view certain events, such as the birth of twins or handicapped children, as unlucky. These children are killed, their parents banished, and their homes and possessions burned. They believe in the existence of many ruling spirits, such as spirits that rule over heaven and earth, spirits that protect their villages, and evil spirits that bring diseases.
The Mahei have three major religious leaders: the zuima (a male elder who directs all religious activities), the beima (males who perform magic and exorcisms), and nima (fortune tellers and medicine men).
What are their needs? Since China's government strictly forbids Christianity, there are currently no missions agencies working among the Mahei. The Bible has not yet been translated into their language and there are no Christian broadcasts in their area. Intercession and missions activity are necessary for these people to hear the Gospel.
Prayer Points Pray that God will reveal Himself to the Mahei through dreams and visions.
Pray that God will give the Mahei believers boldness to share Christ with their own people.
Ask God to speed the completion of evangelistic materials into the Mahei language.
Pray that the doors of China will soon open to missionaries.
Ask God to strengthen, encourage, and protect the small number of Mahei Christians.
Pray that God will raise up qualified linguists to translate the Bible into the Mahei language.
Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Mahei. * Pray for translation of the Bible to begin in this people group's primary language. * Pray for the availability of the Jesus Film in the primary language of this people. * Pray for Gospel messages to become available in audio format for this people group. | <urn:uuid:74e4fb89-52ae-48a1-88ab-db216a669729> | {
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Koreans have a long tradition of drinking teas and tisanes for health, enjoyment and rituals. Even today, drinking tea is something many Koreans do every day, whether at home or at one of the country’s many elegant teahouses.
Tea was first introduced to the Korean peninsula during sixth or seventh centuries, and was probably brought to Korea by Buddhist monks. Written records show that kings and queens during the Silla period used tea as part of their religious and ceremonial offerings.
By the Goryeo dynasty, tea had become very important in Korea and was strongly connected with Buddhism. Monks cultivated tea plants at their temples, and drank tea to help concentrate during their mediations. It was also an important part of many rituals, and even the charyeceremony many Koreans perform nowadays on Chuseok and Seollal was originally an offering of tea instead of food and alcohol. During this period, tea was so important that people wrote poems and books about it, and much of the Goryeo period’s celebrated pottery was intended as tea vessels.
During the Joseon period, tea culture began to decline in Korea, partially because of the official suppression of Buddhism. Still, many scholars, like the great Dasan (Jeong Yak-yeong), were interested in tea and studied how to make and drink it. The Joseon court had its own tea rituals, as well, both for daily tea drinking and special occasions.
Korean tea culture experienced a revival during the 20th century, and is once again an important part of people’s daily lives. There are several active tea plantations around the country, with some of the most famous being in Boseong in Jeolla Province, Halla Mountain on Jeju Island, and the areas around Jiri Mountain. There are also some people who gather wild tea leaves for an exceptionally delicate and delicious tea.
In addition to true teas, which come from the leaves of the tea plant, Koreans also drink a wide variety of tisanes. These brews are made with other medicinal herbs, roots and berries for delicious and healthy drinks. Some of the most popular are made from quince, ginger, green plums, jujubes, citron or ginseng. In addition to tea leaves, other plants also popular for brewing, such as mugwort, lotus, bamboo and persimmon leaves. Other popular traditional “teas” are complex brews made with different combinations of medicinal herbs for strong and bracing brews with an edge of bitterness, which have an excellent reputation for helping people feel stronger and more alert or even help relieve the symptoms of the common cold.
During the summers, many Koreans also turn to chilled traditional drinks to take the edge of the summer heat. Sikhye is made from rice and has a delicate, sweet flavor that is exceptionally refreshing, while sujeonggwa has a rich sweet and spicy taste that comes from dried persimmons, cinnamon and ginger. Another popular trend is to make iced versions of popular drinks that are usually served hot. Adding a little ice to a glass of citron, or yuja, tea is a great way to cool off, and even traditional green teas take on a modern edge when served chilled.
Author: Jennifer Flinn
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Around the Nation
Wed November 2, 2011
Climate Change Has Calif. Vintners Rethinking Grapes
Prime California wine country areas like the Napa Valley could soon be facing rising temperatures, according to climate change studies. So some wineries are thinking of switching to grapes that are better suited to a warmer climate. But when vineyards have staked their reputations on certain wines, adapting to climate change is a tough sell.
The specific type of grape, or varietal, is how most of us think about wine. At one recent meeting of the San Francisco Wine Lovers Group, for instance, members listed pinot noirs, sauvignon blancs or cabernets among their favorite kinds of wine. All are well-known varieties grown in the California region.
"That's the big problem," says Andy Walker, a grape breeder at the University of California, Davis. "We've spent the last 100 years emphasizing varieties, and we've really marketed those names very effectively."
The university's test vineyard grows hundreds of different wine grapes from around the world. The vast majority are unknown to consumers because most wineries focus on only a handful of French grapes that prefer cool climates.
Extreme heat can be the enemy of good wine; it destroys acidity, and changes color and aromatics, Walker explains.
Resistance To Grape Breeding
According to a recent study from Stanford University, about 2 degrees of warming could reduce California's premium wine-growing land by 30 to 50 percent. That could happen as soon as 2040. Water supply is also expected to be an issue.
"I think the interesting thing for me as a breeder is to take advantage of this and say, OK, let's actually re-adapt varieties to California," Walker says.
But Walker says grape breeding is frowned upon in the industry. Most vines are grown from a branch that's taken off an existing plant.
"This essentially means that grapes have not really been having sex very much," says Sean Myles, a geneticist at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Myles says breeding is big business for other crops like corn, but wine grapes miss that opportunity to develop adaptability.
"That means that we're not allowing the genetic material to be shuffled anymore. That genetic material is now standing still in time," he says.
You could cross-breed today's varieties to make them more heat tolerant or drought resistant. But Walker says there's a big problem with that: Once you breed your pinot noir with something else, you can't call it pinot noir anymore.
"The last decision is the hardest," Walker says. "Can we market this variety?"
Hurdles On The Marketing Side
Walker says there are wine grapes from Italy and Spain that would do well in a warmer California.
"We could produce Barbera instead, or Negroamaro or Nero d'Avola from southern Italy, and we'd be far better ahead," he says.
Nick Dokoozlian, a vice president at E&J Gallo Winery, the largest family-owned winery in the U.S., says in most cases the company is responding to a consumer demand for a certain cultivar. The company has been testing new wine varieties and has found some promising grapes, Dokoozlian says. But the problem is that they can't necessarily sell those varieties.
"Consumers aren't aware of them. Really, the hurdles on the marketing side are much, much more significant," he explains.
Since vines can produce for up to 30 years, Dokoozlian says switching varieties is a major financial gamble.
"The wine business is an extremely capital intensive business. The financial risk of planting the wrong variety in the wrong place is pretty significant," he says.
Still, given the temperature and water supply changes projected for California, Dokoozlian sees the market shifting — eventually. Andy Walker says it's up to the industry to make it happen.
"I don't think it's the consumer that's going to make the shift. They have to be directed," Walker says.
And that means it could be some time before we see world-class Nero d'Avola from California on store shelves. | <urn:uuid:4ccd029f-00b6-4e15-b625-19bb4ddc6b1a> | {
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Podcasts & RSS Feeds
Thu September 22, 2011
Falling Satellite To Return Tomorrow
We know a little bit more about the fate of that falling weather satellite, the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, which is close to its fiery end. NASA now predicts the UARS will plunge into Earth's lower atmosphere "sometime during the afternoon of Sept. 23, Eastern Daylight Time".
Although most of the UARS will burn up during the descent, several heavy chunks of metal could survive. As you can imagine, there's been considerable interest in whose roof could be at risk. NASA said previously the North and South Poles won't get debris. Today the agency included North America in the safety zone, because "the satellite will not be passing over North America during that time period (of reentry)." That leaves one of the five other continents or the five sevenths of the planet covered by water to welcome back any leftovers.
NASA says the risk to public safety is extremely small.
If you'd like a closer look at the UARS, see this amazing video captured a week ago by Thierry Legault of France. He theorizes the UARS is tumbling, perhaps because of a collision with space debris a few years ago. | <urn:uuid:1d9242f8-aee9-4a32-9d60-e2ba02e52351> | {
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Chapter 5: "Conduct Yourselves Honorably Among the Gentiles" (1 Peter 2:12), Acculturation and Assimilation in 1 Peter
Seland read this paper in Edinburgh in 1998, and so it is the second essay of the book taken in chronological order. I personally found this chapter the most interesting and helpful of all.
In this chapter, Torrey addresses the question of the degree to which the author of 1 Peter intends for the audience to be assimilated to its non-Christian environment. His thesis is three fold (148). First, he does not believe the terms acculturation and assimilation have been used thus far to great advantage in analyzing the social strategies of 1 Peter. Secondly, those studies that have used these terms in relation to 1 Peter have not tapped into the extensive use of them in the social sciences.
Finally, he argues that they apply to the Christians of 1 Peter as "first generation Christians ... still in a process of being socialized into the Christian world view." Torrey suggests they are in somewhat of a "liminal" situation as newly converted Christians. As such, he sets out to review key literature on 1 Peter in relation to its social situation, to dip into relevant social scientific research on acculturation and assimilation, and then apply these findings to 1 Peter.
Seland's review of relevant New Testament research leads him to three key players, namely, David Balch, John Elliott, and John Barclay. Balch's work focused primarily on the household codes of 1 Peter, and his basic thesis is that "such codes were used in a apologetic and legitimating way in Graeco-Roman sources" (150). Balch--at least in his earlier work--characterizes such a purpose as assimilation. The audience of 1 Peter is being told to integrate themselves into society.
Elliott disagrees. The fact that the letter calls for Christians to separate from the world, as well as its missionary emphases, indicate for him that the Petrine house codes are discouraging assimilation for the purpose of avoiding suffering. Seland's critique of both is that neither use the terms assimilation and accommodation with the precision of the social sciences.
Barclay, on the other hand, is more precise in his terms, although his well known work, Jews in the Mediterranean Diaspora does not address 1 Peter. Barclay distinguishes three terms. First, Barclay uses the word assimilation in reference to the category of social interaction and the adoption of social practices from one's environment. Acculturation then is used in relation to broader cultural features like the use of the same language. Finally, accommodation has to do with the degree to which acculturation takes place, the level of separateness that either is or is not maintained.
In the end, Seland does not find this typology very helpful. He does not find Barclay's distinction between assimilation and acculturation very clear. Further, Barclay's nomenclature does not mesh well with the social scientific use of these terms.
And so Seland embarks next on an exploration of recent research in the social sciences on acculturation and assimilation (156-66). His first stop is B. S. Heisler, whose work analyzes the history of research on this topic in three stages. She dubs research up until the late 60's the "classical period." In this period, the process of assimilation was viewed as a one way process ending in complete assimilation.
Heisler dubs the second period the "modern" period, beginning in the seventies. In this period research focused more on conflict, particularly long term conflict, and less on equilibrium. The third period is the "post-modern period," of recent origin (which given the date of this article would be the 1990's). Here we find the expectation of multicultural societies and ethnic pluralisms (158).
Seland mentions several other sources from which one might construct a model of acculturation/assimilation appropriate for 1 Peter. These include the fields of social psychology and communication research. Finally, he draws definitions of acculturation and assimilation from the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences (160).
acculturation: "those changes set in motion by the coming together of societies with different cultural traditions."
Seland finds this statement in the article even more helpful: "Acculturation comprehends those phenomena which results [sic] when groups of individuals having different cultures come into continuous first-hand contact, with subsequent changes in the original cultural patterns of either or both groups."
assimilation: "a process in which persons of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds come to interact, free of these constraints, in the life of the larger society."
After all this background, Seland ultimately turns to Milton Gordon's 1964 model (from the so called classical period of such research) with a few caveats. The main caveat is a warning that Gordon was wrongly "deterministic" in his sense of inevitability to the process of assimilation. Adjustment of two groups to each other is not the only option.
Gordon's model breaks down several different categories of assimilation:
1. cultural or behavioral assimilation (=acculturation)--fitting in with the host culture in a most basic way (presumably things like learning the language, getting the appropriate documents, etc...)
2. structural assimilation--participating in the clubs, institutions, etc. in large numbers. Gordon believed that once structural assimilation had taken place, all the forms of assimilation below would inevitably follow.
3. marital assimilation (intermarriage)
4. identificational assimilation (identity by way of host society)
5. attitude receptional assimilation (no prejudice toward immigrants)
6. behavior receptional assimilation (no discrimination toward immigrants)
7. civic assimilation (absence of power conflict)
John Berry, in 1980, built on Gordon's categories by posing two questions: 1) does the immigrant group wish to maintain its distinct cultural identity and 2) does the immigrant group wish good relationships with the host culture (163-164)? The result are four basic relationships to the broader culture:
1. If the immigrant group does not want to maintain a distinct identity and does want good relationships with the host culture, the result is assimilation.
2. If the immigrant group does want to maintain a distinct identity yet also wants good relationships with the host culture, the result is integration.
3. If the immigrant group does want to maintain a distinct identity yet does not want good relationships with the host culture, the result is separation.
4. Finally, if the immigrant group does not want to maintain a distinct identity and at the same time does not care about good relationships with the host culture, the result is marginalization.
The final part of the chapter then takes all of the preceding processing of social scientific theory and attempts to use it in relation to 1 Peter. Here we arrive at one of Seland's contributions to the Balch/Elliott debate. The question is not really one of assimilation to Greco-Roman culture, as this is the cultural background of the likely Gentile audience (169-170). The question is that of the assimilation of the audience "to the (still developing) Christian system of cult, beliefs, ethos and symbols" (168). So in relation to the host culture, the question is best put as, "How much did he, by his letter, intend his readers to retain of that culture?" (173).
First, Seland argues that they are first generation Christians, "still in need of further acculturation/assimilation into the Christian system" (169). He is surely more correct than not in the light of statements such as we find in 1 Peter 1:14 and 4:3. However, we remember how large an area 1 Peter addresses and are careful not to presume an audience of any monolithic kind. They are primarily Gentile, and it is early enough in the Christian movement for the author to presume that the majority converted from paganism.
They are in a precarious social location. Here Torrey mentions briefly what he discusses more thoroughly in chapter 2. John Elliott is once again his requisite dialog partner. On the one hand, he agrees with Elliott that the phrase "aliens and exiles" in 1 Peter 2:11 does not refer to exile from heaven, as if the audience is on a heavenly pilgrimage (171).
Yet he also finds unconvincing Elliott's sense that they were strangers to these regions even before they converted. We will discuss this thesis in the next post as we review chapter 2. I am also unconvinced of Elliott's thesis and remain puzzled that commentators like Paul Achtemeier and Scot McKnight have followed Elliott on this issue.
At the same time, I'm still struggling with Seland's signature idea that this language in 1 Peter evokes connotations of proselyte language (more when we come to chapter 2). Seland is spot on when it comes to the audience being "proselytes" to Christian Judaism. But I'm having trouble seeing that the specific terms "aliens and exiles" carried those overtones. Indeed, I don't think it is safe at all to assume that the audience, especially in such a vast area, are relatively new converts. ***coming articles
The rest of the section then explores where 1 Peter might fit in relation to John Berry's four categories. Seland immediately dismisses out of hand the options of marginalization and separation. The author wishes the audience to maintain good relationships with the host society.
To address the question of integration versus assimilation, he switches back to Gordon's more detailed delineation of the process of assimilation (173-87). The first stage is acculturation or cultural assimilation in matters such as language. They are to live honorably among the Gentiles (2:12) while following a "new code of honor and shame" (176). Seland thus considers their level of acculturation to be high with some significant modifications.
He does not, however, consider their assimilation to be high in any of Gordon's other categories. The strong sense of harassment and conflict evoked in 1 Peter 2-3 do not reflect that of high assimilation between Christians and their environment structurally, and certainly not in terms of attitude or behavioral reception, let alone civic assimilation. It is assumed that some women will be married to non-believers, but it is unlikely the author would encourage such if it were possible to avoid. And while the audience is not encouraged to withdraw from its societal relations, it is clear that its self-indentification departs quite dramatically from its host environment.
The conclusion, which ironically Seland himself never mentions explicitly, is that the audience would best be typified by "integration" in Berry's typology.
more to come... | <urn:uuid:584adc42-d67f-4196-a479-a3f5c7c5c8fe> | {
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Maybe you've seen them before: blue or purple squiggles on grown-ups' legs that look like lines on a roadmap. And maybe you thought, "What the heck are those?" Well, they're veins.
But wait a second — why don't you have them? And why do they look different from the veins on the inside of your wrist or elbow? That's because those grown-up veins are varicose (say: vair-uh-kose) veins.
Blood Vessel Basics
What is a varicose vein, anyway? It's a vein that has become stretched and swollen with blood. To understand how that happens, let's learn a bit about what veins do.
You have veins and arteries running through your whole body. They are tiny tubes that carry blood to and from every part of your body, from your nose down to your toes. The flow of blood starts with the pumping action of your heart. When your heart beats, it pumps your blood and moves it through all those little tubes. The arteries carry the blood from your heart out to your body, and the veins carry the blood from your body back to your heart.
The blood going out to your body in the arteries is full of oxygen, which makes the blood bright red. But the blood coming back from your body in the veins is darker because your body parts have used up the oxygen in the blood. That's why veins look purple or blue.
What Causes Varicose Veins?
It's a lot of work to move all that blood. To do their job, veins are full of valves that help keep the blood flowing in the right direction. Valves are like tiny doors that close after the blood has passed through to keep blood moving along and to make sure it doesn't flow backward.
As people get older, though, the valves might not work as well. When that happens, some blood can stay in a vein instead of moving forward like it should. This makes the vein swell up, and that swollen vein is a varicose vein.
The veins often show up on the legs, ankles, and feet because those body parts are farthest from the heart. Gravity pulls blood down into your legs and feet when you're standing up or sitting down. So the veins have to work extra hard to get that blood back up to the heart, and some of those veins can wear out over time.
Varicose veins look twisted and purple or blue, and they're raised, which means they look like they're sitting on top of the skin. They can be tender and painful, especially after sitting or standing still for a long time. People who have varicose veins might also have achy legs that feel heavy.
Varicose veins are more common in women, and people are more likely to get them as they get older. These veins can be genetic (say: juh-neh-tik). That means that if your mom or your sister has them, you might get them. Things that put pressure on your legs and feet — like being overweight or standing for a long time every day without exercise — can also cause varicose veins. Sometimes women who are pregnant get them, too.
If someone you know has varicose veins, it's really no big deal. They're usually pretty harmless. But people who have problems like pain with their varicose veins will sometimes see a doctor to have them removed.
To get rid of varicose veins, some of the things doctors can do is zap them with light from a special laser or use something called sclerotherapy (say: skler-oh-thair-uh-pee). In sclerotherapy, the doctor injects fluid into the vein that makes it shrivel up. Both of these treatments are pretty common.
Luckily, there are things you can do now so you're less likely to have varicose veins when you're older. First, get your blood moving with regular exercise. Keeping your body fit helps keep your veins fit, too! Also, don't put a lot of pressure on your legs and feet by standing or sitting for too long without moving around. Help keep your blood flowing and your body will love you for it! | <urn:uuid:c2cfb05d-84ca-4481-bb4c-73bb11f9921b> | {
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Constipation is not having a bowel movement as often as you usually do, or having a tough time going because the stool is hard and dry. It's a very common problem, and usually happens because a person's diet doesn't include enough fluids and fiber.
Constipation usually isn't a cause for concern — it's preventable and most cases can be resolved with healthy eating and exercise habits.
After you chew and swallow food, it heads to your stomach. From there, it's on to the small intestine, then the large intestine (or bowels), and finally out of the body through the rectum and anus.
As food moves through your digestive system, your body soaks up water and nutrients it needs from the food. What's left over comes out as stool. Normal stool is usually soft and easy to pass, and it generally shouldn't be too difficult to have a bowel movement. But sometimes the bowels just don't move like they should.
A person is considered constipated when he or she has had fewer than three bowel movements in a week; when the stools are hard, dry, and unusually large; or when it's hard for the person to have a bowel movement.
Unhealthy diet. Most of the time, constipation is due to a diet that doesn't include enough water and fiber, both of which help your bowels move properly. People who eat a lot of fast food may find they're constipated more often. This is because fast food is full of fats (burgers, fries, milkshakes) and processed sugars (candy, cookies, sugary soft drinks). A healthier diet that includes high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can keep your stool from getting hard and dry.
Stress. People can get constipated when they're anxious about something, like a life change or a problem at home. Research has shown that stress can affect how the digestive system functions and can cause constipation, as well as other conditions, like diarrhea.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Some people have a condition called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can act through stress or by eating certain "trigger" foods, which usually are fatty or spicy. A person with IBS may have either constipation or diarrhea, as well as stomach pain and gas.
Ignoring the natural urge. Avoiding going to the bathroom, even when you really have the urge to go, can cause constipation. When you ignore the urge to go, it can be harder to go later on.
Certain medications. Sometimes, medications like antidepressants and those used to treat iron deficiencies can lead to constipation.
In rare cases, constipation is a sign of other medical illnesses, so keep your doctor informed if you continue to have problems, or if the constipation lasts for 2 to 3 weeks.
Different people have different bathroom habits, so someone who doesn't have a bowel movement every day isn't necessarily constipated. One person might go three times a day, while another might go once every 3 days. The real sign of whether you're constipated is if you're going less than you normally do.
A person with constipation might:
feel full or bloated
feel pain making a bowel movement
have to strain to make a bowel movement
notice a little blood on the toilet paper
Dealing With Constipation
To prevent and treat constipation:
Drink more fluids. Drinking enough water and other liquids helps keep stools soft so they can move more easily through the intestines. When you don't drink enough, the stool can get hard and dry, and you might get stopped up.
Eat more fiber. Foods that are high in fiber, like fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain bread, can help prevent constipation. Fiber can't be digested, so it helps clean out the intestines by moving the bowels along, while a diet full of fatty, sugary, or starchy foods can slow the bowels down. Try getting more fiber in your diet by eating apples, oatmeal, oranges, bananas, baked potatoes, and popcorn.
Make sure you get enough exercise. Physical activity helps move food through your digestive system and nudges the bowels into action, so be sure to get plenty of exercise. It can be as simple as playing catch, cycling, or shooting a few hoops.
Develop a regular meal schedule. Since eating is a natural stimulant for the bowels, regular meals may help you develop routine bowel habits. If necessary, schedule breakfast a little earlier to give yourself a chance for a relaxed visit to the bathroom before school.
Get into the habit of going. Maybe you don't want to use the bathroom at school, or maybe you just don't want to stop what you're doing right then. But if you make a habit of ignoring your body's signals that it's time to go, it can be tougher to go later on.
Some medical conditions — like diabetes, lupus, or problems with the thyroid gland — also can cause constipation. If you're worried that your constipation is a sign of something else, talk to your parents and your doctor. | <urn:uuid:c8b05296-dbc0-4665-91b2-4ce994c0a418> | {
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"Simultaneously mitigating near-term climate change and improving human health and food security."
Well, yes. What's new for Science doesn't have to be new for klimazwiebel authors and readers. But finally, good to hear that other people,too, seem to give up their 2-degree goals and become more pragmatic and realistic!
Here the abstract:
Tropospheric ozone and black carbon (BC) contribute to both degraded air quality and global warming. We considered ~400 emission control measures to reduce these pollutants by using current technology and experience. We identified 14 measures targeting methane and BC emissions that reduce projected global mean warming ~0.5°C by 2050. This strategy avoids 0.7 to 4.7 million annual premature deaths from outdoor air pollution and increases annual crop yields by 30 to 135 million metric tons due to ozone reductions in 2030 and beyond. Benefits of methane emissions reductions are valued at $700 to $5000 per metric ton, which is well above typical marginal abatement costs (less than $250). The selected controls target different sources and influence climate on shorter time scales than those of carbon dioxide–reduction measures. Implementing both substantially reduces the risks of crossing the 2°C threshold. | <urn:uuid:fd9742e0-924f-479c-9313-efc2f990fbff> | {
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Pub. date: 2010 | Online Pub. Date: May 06, 2010 | DOI: 10.4135/9781412958660 | Print ISBN: 9781412958653 | Online ISBN: 9781412958660| Publisher:SAGE Publications, Inc.About this encyclopedia
Property is a general term for things such as land or other material resources and goods, the relations between people and those things, the relations between people with respect to those things, or the system of rules that governs these relations. Every society with an interest in avoiding conflict between people over things requires such a system; without it, a civilized common life is impossible. We may distinguish three ideal types of systems that could be used to organize property in a society. Under the first type of system, property is held in common, and all members of the society are free to use it as they choose without spoiling it for others. Under the second type of system, property is held collectively, and society collectively determines its use. Under the third type of system, property is held privately, and those who hold it are free to use it In ... | <urn:uuid:ccd5b8f1-22f5-4dcf-b9bd-ed2cb608ba2f> | {
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A panel of experts discuss what works in developing School, Family & Community Partnerships.
Tell us about your most effective strategy or useful resource. Share tips, insights, and special stories about successful School, Family & Community Partnerships at your site.
School districts continually reexamine how families and communities can support students' academic success. Even in the best schools it is hard to create and sustain family programs that focus on achievement for all students.
Answer These Questions:
- How do family and community activities contribute to high academic standards and expectations for all students?
- How do teachers build relationships with families and the community to offer each child the strongest foundation for learning?
- Do you find there are many family and community activities, but no sense of a cohesive plan?
- What are the goals and expected outcomes for the activities of each school, family, and community partnership? Who else should be involved?
Click "View All Responses" to browse through the questions that have been answered by the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research at the Academy for Educational Development. To find questions and answers about a specific topic, click "View All Responses" and then use the search tool that appears at the top of the list.
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Fri September 7, 2012
The 7 Coolest Presidents In American History
Originally published on Fri September 7, 2012 2:34 pm
When former President Bill Clinton referred to present President Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention as "cool on the outside," Clinton was underscoring the notion that
Obama is, well, cool.
Obama was elected, much has been made of his coolitude. He listens to an iPod. He slow jams the news with late-night comic Jimmy Fallon. He wears shades, drinks beer, taps into social media and sings Al Green now and then. The New Yorker referred to Obama as Mr. Cool.
Which got us to thinking — and asking historians — who are the seven coolest presidents in American history?
1) Bill Clinton. After all, it takes a cool guy to know a cool guy. "Obviously Bill Clinton," says Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University. During the 1992 election, Clinton explored new ways to reach voters, like appearing on MTV and playing the saxophone on a late night talk show. Clinton's popularity, Zelizer says, "even in the middle of impeachment, demonstrated a kind of admiration many had for his personal style."
2) John F. Kennedy. The smoothie from Massachusetts "was certainly cool in terms of charisma and demeanor," Zelizer says. The stark contrast between Kennedy and Richard Nixon in the 1960 debates "might have set the standard for what it meant to be cool."
3) Theodore Roosevelt. Though Teddy was "not cool by modern standards," Zelizer says, "clearly the curiosity many Americans had for him as a person — famously with the Teddy bear — signaled that TR was a man of his times."
4) Ronald Reagan. The actor-turned-politician "attracted scads of young voters in the 1980 and 1984 elections," says Gleaves Whitney, director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. Reagan "was a rock star when he went to Moscow at the end of his presidency. Young Russians definitely thought him cool." So did many Americans.
5) Thomas Jefferson. The polymath from Virginia "was cool in the early days of the new republic," Whitney says. "He broke with the aristocratic formalities of his predecessors, George Washington and John Adams, and introduced the revolutionary republican greeting from France — the hand shake — to welcome guests to Monticello and the White House. Quite hip in his day, he was a renowned musician and elegant dancer with whom women fell in love."
Cool, of course, can have more than one definition, according to Julia Azari, an assistant political science professor at Marquette University. On one hand, presidential cool can refer to a president's ability to charm others, defy convention and appear hip — exemplified by Clinton's saxophone playing and Kennedy's movie-grade glamour. But it also can refer to a president's unflappable and seemingly detached manner.
In presidential politics, Azari says, the two definitions are often at odds. The first definition "sets the president up as a celebrity, but also speaks to the intimacy of his connection with not only the people but also popular, 'low' culture."
The second definition, she says, "positions the president as above the fray, impervious to petty political criticism. This is a key quality to cultivate during times when presidents have to make difficult political decisions."
6) Franklin D. Roosevelt. Using the second definition, Azari says, "I would add FDR to the list. He told critics he 'welcomed their hatred.' " He was "unflappable and in control, calm in a crisis."
7) George W. Bush. Using the first definition, "I'd add George W. Bush," Azari says. "Everyone wanted to have a beer with him. Too bad he doesn't drink." That likability quality seemed to serve Bush well politically, she adds, "at least in the short term."
On a closing note, Azari says, "I think a few presidents have suffered from a seeming lack of cool — in the sense of both hipness and unflappability: Herbert Hoover, Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter." | <urn:uuid:3147494d-3cd3-40bf-b77d-a6c3e48fb2ed> | {
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This is the first of several talks St. Francis has with Philothea about humility. In this first conversation, he tries to move her away from aspiring to superficial (worldly) virtues.
PHILOTHEA: St. Francis. I just don’t understand humility. What does that mean? Does it mean to hate myself? To be a doormat? Does it mean to…to what?
ST. FRANCIS: “Borrow…empty vessels not a few,” said Eliseus to the poor widow, “and pour oil into them” (4 Kings 4), and before we can receive the grace of God into our hearts they must be thoroughly empty of all self-glory [vainglory].
ST. FRANCIS: The kestrel has a peculiar property of frightening away birds of prey with its looks and cries, for which reason the dove seeks it beyond all other birds, and lives fearlessly in its neighborhood; and so humility repulses Satan and preserves in us the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. For this reason all the Saints, and especially the King of Saints and His Mother, ever honored and cherished this virtue above all others.
PHILOTHEA: I don’t get it. What does vainglory mean? How is it different from humility?
ST. FRANCIS: We call vainglory that which we seek for ourselves, either for that which is not in us, or being in us, is not our own, or being in us and our own, is not worthy to be glorified in.
PHILOTHEA: Let me think a minute about what you just said…so that would be things such as…
ST. FRANCIS: Noble birth, the favor bestowed by great men, [and] popular esteem are not in ourselves; they either come from our forefathers or from the opinion of others.
PHILOTHEA: So our name or because an opinion from another makes us sound good to others, that does not mean much, or something like that???
ST. FRANCIS: Some are proud and conceited because they have a fine horse, a plume in their hat, or are magnificently attired, but who cannot perceive the absurdity of this, since if anyone has reason to be proud it is surely the horse, the ostrich, or the tailor! And how very contemptible it is to rest our hope of esteem in a horse, a feather, or a garment!
PHILOTHEA: True. It’s the same as having a car, a hairstyle, or name-brand clothes. Surely, it was not me who made any of those, or, even if I did, I cannot make those things be accepted as “cool.” Things should not define me. Mmmmm…
ST. FRANCIS: Another thinks of his well-trimmed beard and mustache, or his well-curled hair, his delicate hands, or of his accomplishments in dancing, music, and so on, but is it not very contemptible to try to enhance his worth or his reputation through such frivolous and foolish things?
PHILOTHEA: I get it. I know the type of people you are talking about. They used to be called fops or dandies, but they are called something else today.
ST. FRANCIS: Others who have acquired a little science demand the respect and honor of the world on that account, as if all must needs come to learn of them and bow before them. Such men we call pendants [those who present their knowledge in an ostentatious, dogmatic, or dull manner, often placing excessive emphasis on trivial details and formal rules].
PHILOTHEA: They tell others that all people need only learn from their studies and ask them to bow before them as if they knew everything? Oh, my gosh. I never thought of people making science into its own dogmatic formulation of rules with its own high priests, but I guess it can happen to people in any discipline, and you know what? That actually makes a lot of sense! Everybody only has a piece of knowledge, so if a person of science, literature, politics, prayer, psychology, religion, art, or anything claims they know everything, then persuades others to follow them with certain exacting behaviors, bowing to worldly mannerisms…anyone who is this extreme is a pendant! It doesn’t matter if they believe in God or not. If they claim to know more than every other person in the world with their one piece of knowledge, if they claim that they own all the rights to human progress because they think their one piece of a whole will lead the way, then they have succumbed to pedantry.
Sadly, I think anybody who falls into this pedantry works to persuade themselves and others to give up on God by calling all believers ignorant fools and hypocrites. Or if they are believers themselves, they believe they are better than all others who call themselves religious. They are creating their own dogma based on one piece of knowledge. Is it because they are really worried about the honors part, or the opinion of others? Are they going with the fads of the day? Are they so worried about being accepted that they have to say they don’t believe or twist what they do believe because they want to be considered intelligent? Are they so worried about fitting in that they make up a new way to pray, to learn, to teach, to be in order to be accepted by those who really don’t believe? Are they compromising their integrity just to fit in?
It is really silly if you think about it because all of the knowledge that they claim to have (and they might or might not have a piece) they make that one small piece become the entire scheme of all things, the key to everything, a mountain out of a molehill, a piece as the whole instead of a part of a whole. Besides that, all these pieces were not discovered without the knowledge and work of others, many of those others were and are believers. How sad! To think that only one discipline has all the answers to all our human questions! There has to be at least as many questions as there are people on the earth, but I am sure each person has more than one question. How can one discipline possibly answer all these questions? But one discipline, one area of study, is making that claim–that they can answer that question–that they have all the answers to every human need. Talk about dogmatic! Sheesh…Apparently these extremes can happen to anybody, even in the area of science, art, or whatever. Any discipline, any piece of knowledge can become pedantry if we are not careful.
Sorry, St. Francis. That was just a really thought-provoking piece of information. It really just got me thinking. Usually, people accuse religious folk of being this way, but it can happen to even those who claim no religion. I can see why people could lose their way with this. They see a piece and run with it as if it were whole. A person who really searches for the length, the breadth, the width, the depth of all things, knows that he cannot know all or prove all on his own. Anyone who makes that claim must be false, superficial, artificial.
Sorry. I didn’t mean to take up your time. Go ahead.
ST. FRANCIS: Others pride themselves on their personal beauty, and think that everyone is admiring them: all of them in their turn are utterly silly, foolish, and impertinent, and their glory in such empty things we call vain, absurd, and frivolous.
PHILOTHEA: Yep. I know the type. So how can you tell if a person is really humble?
ST. FRANCIS: You may judge of real worth as of real balm, which is tried in water, and if it sinks, and remains at the bottom, it is known to be precious and costly; and so in order to know whether a man is really wise, learned, generous, and noble, observe whether his gifts make him humble, modest and submissive. If so, they are genuine, but if they float to the surface and would fain display themselves, be sure that in proportion as they make a show, so are they less worthy.
PHILOTHEA: They get puffed up, arrogant, detracting all others, proud of themselves, thinking they “know-it-all,” can do anything they want to do, make up their own rules because they have a title, beauty, or some certificate of knowledge.
ST. FRANCIS: Those pearls which are formed or fed in the wind and thunder leave only a pearly shell with no substance; and so those virtues and attractive qualities which have their root and support in pride, self-sufficiency, and vanity, have but the outward show of excellence, and are without sap, marrow, and solidity.
PHILOTHEA: I think you just described a person who has no integrity, no sense of fellowship, and no sense of compassion.
ST. FRANCIS: Honor, rank, and dignity are like the saffron, which flourishes and increases most when it is trodden underfoot. All the value of beauty is gone when its possessor is self-conscious; to be pleasing it should be forgotten; and science becomes contemptible when it is puffed up and degenerates into pedantry.
PHILOTHEA: One uppers. They do it for themselves. Not for anybody else. They claim to being do it for others, but the others have to abide by their rules that work only for the piece without regard for the whole.
ST. FRANCIS: If we are punctilious about rank, title, and precedence, we both lay our claims open to investigation and contradiction, and render them vile and despicable.
PHILOTHEA: Perfectionists. I’ve been there. Done that.
ST. FRANCIS: For that honor which means something when willingly offered, becomes contemptible when it is sought after, demanded, or exacted.
PHILOTHEA: Greedy. I have tried to take on too much sometimes, I know.
ST. FRANCIS: When the peacock displays his gorgeous plumes, he lays bare also his deformities; and those flowers which are beautiful in their native soil, soon whither if we handle them.
PHILOTHEA: Foolish. Running without rest. I have also been involved with a person who was very much like you describe and our relationship winded up turning into dust. He had very superficial expectations of me that I could not live up to since these things come and go so quickly, but for him, according to others, he is considered a success because he is able to compete on that superficial plane. I am actually glad I am not there anymore. I was full of anxiety.
ST. FRANCIS: And as they who inhale the mandragora from afar off and for a brief space, find it very delicious, but those who inhale it near and for long become drowsy and ill: so worldly honors are acceptable to him who receives them indifferently without resting in them or seeking them eagerly, but they become very dangerous and hurtful to him who clings to and takes delight in them.
PHILOTHEA: I guess I should feel sorry for him, then. I am getting the sense that humility is a lot more beautiful than vainglory.
ST. FRANCIS: The desire and pursuit of [authentic] virtue tend to render us virtuous, but the desire and pursuit of honors tend to make us odious and despicable. A really great mind will not waste itself on such empty goods as rank, honor, and form. It has higher pursuits, and leaves these for the weak and vain. He who can procure pearls will not be satisfied with shells, and those who aim at virtue do not trouble themselves about honors.
PHILOTHEA: So in pursuing virtue, I can learn humility, which to me has a lot more depth.
ST. FRANCIS: Of course each man may enter into, and remain in his own sphere, without lack of humility, so long as he does it with indifference, and without effort.
PHILOTHEA : So, it’s okay to accept beauty, honors, titles within the context of your job or whatever, but do so with indifference for these external things so that the primary goal of seeking virtue and God is not lost. Science and all those other things are good but just need to be kept in balance.
ST. FRANCIS: Just as vessels coming from Peru laden with gold and silver bring also a number of monkeys and parrots which cost nothing, and add but little to their freight, so those who aspire to be virtuous, may well accept their rightful rank and honors, but always without bestowing much care or thought to them, and without being involved in cares, vexations, disputes, and anxieties in consequence.
ST. FRANCIS: I am not alluding here to those invested with public dignities, nor to special and important occasions, in which everyone is bound to maintain a fitting dignity with prudence and discretion, combined with charity and courtesy.
PHILOTHEA: That’s good to know. It would be really rude to not uphold dignity. So the other extreme would be to hate those superficial things so much that they become the focus of your life, so then you lose humility just as in the other extreme of loving them too much. These outer things are accessories, so to concentrate on them by hating them too much or by loving them too much is imbalanced. They should be accepted and let go of like water going in and out of the hand, but the balm of virtue, that is something that lasts, and therefore is so much more worthy of our attention. Thanks St. Francis.
St. Francis will cover internal humility in the next conversation.
Look for the next conversation between St. Francis and Philothea, coming soon…
**from An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales (Tan Classics, 2010).
AND from the translation printed by Eremetical Press (2009, 400th Anniversary Edition) to help with the more difficult sentence structures and vocabulary.
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Representing the Race tells the story of an enduring paradox of American race relations, through the prism of a collective biography of African American lawyers who worked in the era of segregation. Practicing the law and seeking justice for diverse clients, they confronted a tension between their racial identity as black men and women and their professional identity as lawyers. Both blacks and whites demanded that these attorneys stand apart from their racial community as members of the legal fraternity. Yet, at the same time, they were expected to be “authentic”—that is, in sympathy with the black masses. This conundrum, as Kenneth W. Mack shows, continues to reverberate through American politics today.And the endorsements:
Mack reorients what we thought we knew about famous figures such as Thurgood Marshall, who rose to prominence by convincing local blacks and prominent whites that he was—as nearly as possible—one of them. But he also introduces a little-known cast of characters to the American racial narrative. These include Loren Miller, the biracial Los Angeles lawyer who, after learning in college that he was black, became a Marxist critic of his fellow black attorneys and ultimately a leading civil rights advocate; and Pauli Murray, a black woman who seemed neither black nor white, neither man nor woman, who helped invent sex discrimination as a category of law. The stories of these lawyers pose the unsettling question: what, ultimately, does it mean to “represent” a minority group in the give-and-take of American law and politics?
Representing the Race is a wonderful excavation of the first era of civil rights lawyering, the product of prodigious research and a keen eye for revealing detail.Ken discusses the book here.
--Randall L. Kennedy, author of The Persistence of the Color Line: Racial Politics and the Obama Presidency
Ken Mack brings to this monumental work not only a profound understanding of law, biography, history and racial relations but also an engaging narrative style that brings each of his subjects dynamically alive. It is a truly wonderful book.
--Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
A stunning reinterpretation of civil rights history for a twenty-first century audience, bringing to vivid life both famous and forgotten historical lawyers. Anyone who wishes to understand race relations in our modern era, including the racial politics that surrounds our first African American president, should read this book.
Ken Mack has written a rare book that forces us to reconsider the long history of civil rights. He offers an extraordinary account of a generation of attorneys who fought against Jim Crow and for professional recognition when the odds were against them. This is a masterwork.
--Thomas J. Sugrue, author of Sweet Land of Liberty: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North
Although civil rights lawyers occupy a central place in our nation's history, the nuances of their own position with regard to race, class, and professional stature bear closer examination. In this compelling new book, Mack recreates their individual and collective struggles and the triumphs that defined an era.
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If you have been reading our blog for a while, you will know that we like to use mirrors a lot in our classrooms- no, not for us!- but for our students. We love how it is a cute and easy way to teach the kids about having confidence and a high self- esteem. (Check out our Whoooo's a Good Looking Kid post for more ideas and printables for using mirrors to build self esteem.)
Since this is the time for celebrating LOVE, I decided to teach this lesson right around Valentine's Day. How often do you hear students talk about how much they LOVE their family, friends, toys, pets, school, sports, or of course, you- their teacher??? All the time, right??? While I love to hear my students profess their love of everything, I especially like to hear them talk about how much LOVE they have for themself! This does not happen as much as I would like- especially when students get older and are much more aware of peer pressure and pressure from our society. This is one of my favorite lessons to teach because it integrates reading, writing, a whole lot of self -reflection, an art project, and some very important LIFE LESSONS!!! :)
I began the lesson by passing out a mini mirror to every student in the class. You can purchase some at the Dollar store, ask your students to bring them to school, or even check your science supply rooms- you never know where you might find them!
I then called the students to sit in a circle on the carpet and asked them to look in the mirror and share what they saw and how they feel. Yes, there was giggling, whispering....so I went first. "On the outside, I see my blue eyes and feel happy because I like them. On the inside, I see how I am a compassionate person and I care about my students." The boys and girls followed my example and shared their own thoughts about what they see on the outside from looking at their reflection in the mirror and also who they are in the inside (what the mirror does not reflect!)
We continued by sharing the positive "inside and outside" qualities that we notice about each other- showed some love to each other. I then read a few of my favorite picture books and had the students reflect on the "top ten things I love about myself!" We then learned about the different adjectives that could be used to describe our personality (postive ones of course!) and create a cute, little art project that we turned into a bulletin board.
Check out some of the pictures that I took from our lessons:
I used to teach this lesson earlier in the school year, but I wanted to wait for the "love" theme of February to inspire the lessons this year. (***TPT customers- This was a file that we revised from our TPT store. If you already purchased the file titled, Awesome Adjectives that Describe Me!, then please redown the revised file!!!) If you are interested in this file, click on the image below to buy the file from TPT (it is $3.50):
This file is also sold in our Show Your Students the Love February unit, also on TpT, for $8.00.
Speaking of all this love....the first two readers who leave a nice comment will get our Valentine's unit for free! :) Please don't forget your email address! Enjoy your weekend! | <urn:uuid:cac0a311-c5a0-4106-a356-1940b97e393c> | {
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Liver disease is the only major cause of death that, despite all the money and science mankind invested in it, is still increasing from year to year. In fact, twice as much people die of liver disease today than twenty years ago.
If liver disease is so important why don’t we hear more about it? Because liver disease is a silent killer – it can be damaged to the point of disturbing your entire metabolism before anything shows up on standard liver tests and serious symptoms only appear when the disease is already in advanced stages.
The liver plays a key role in preventing and generating various diseases, like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, toxic and metabolic diseases… If you take care of your liver you can not only prevent but even reverse these conditions, but if you don’t pay attention to your liver it will be hard to control them.
This is a step-by-step guide in reversing liver disease. Here is what you will learn:
- Why you should care about your liver
- What are the causes of liver damage
- How healing your liver can help you lose weight
- How to know if your liver is damaged
- A liver detox
- Cure liver disease
- Step-by-Step: what to do next | <urn:uuid:eace65e0-c1b2-4651-859a-f4198cfff0b8> | {
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French songwriter Georges Moustaki wrote Milord, the most popular song for Edith Piaf. Milord is a polite way to address traveling Englishmen in France, especially in Brittany and Normandy.
Edith piaf is considered as the greatest French singer. Her tragic life added to her legend as she started singing in the streets of Paris in the 30s and got discovered in 1935 by Louis Leplee, the owner of a Parisian nightclub.
Nicknamed “môme Piaf” (little sparrow) as she was a very small woman, Edith Piaf became very popular not only in France, but also in the world. Her tragic car accident in the 50s resulted in a lifelong addiction to morphine, one year after her true love boxer Marcel Cerdan had died in a tragic accident.
She died of cancer in 1963 and was buried in Père Lachaise Cemeteray in Paris.
« La Vie en Rose, » « Hymne à L’Amour, » « Les Trois Cloches, » and « Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien » are her most famous songs.
After the Second World War (la deuxième guerre mondiale) the Japanese were very fond of the French writers and the French culture that was considered as very elitist. The Japanese were really interested in French existentialism, structuralism and post-modernism (existentialisme, structuralisme et post-modernisme) and the golden age of their love for the French lasted until the 70s. Their favorite writers were Albert Camus who wrote L’étranger, Jean-Paul Sartre and Saint-Exupéry (Le petit prince) and their favorite singers were Piaf, Montand, Aznavour, Brel, M.Mathieu…. Their interest in the French culture and the Press was also the result of the anti-Americanism of the Japanese society and the French community.
By the 80s, France remained the symbol of luxury products (produits de luxe) and the best cuisine in the world, but the lack of patience of its governments was an obstacle to the investments in Japan by the French companies, even if the opening of the French high-speed train (TGV) was a blow to the Japanese Shinkansen high speed train. | <urn:uuid:dc68f2b7-01c4-442e-9560-25371aa7d60a> | {
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Commercial tracking software often secretly records where users go on the Internet. If businesses don't set their own clear, simple privacy standards, government may need to step in with a 'do not track' option.
The ease and speed with which people can share information over the Internet is perhaps the marvel of this era. The way they live and work is changing rapidly, posing new opportunities and new hazards.
One area undergoing massive change is personal privacy. Fluid exchanges of information mean that more knowledge about people’s lives can be shared than they realize or desire. Facebook and Google are two Web giants that have recently faced criticism for playing fast and loose with information about their users.
A significant number of apps – small software applications that users download onto their iPhones or other smart phones – have been shown to be surreptitiously collecting information on their users, such as the person’s location or their list of contacts.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia say they will curtail the use of BlackBerry phones for the opposite reason – their texts and e-mails are encrypted and difficult to intercept and decipher. The UAE claims this privacy feature is a threat to its national security.
The development of computerized data banks – such as those storing credit-card information, medical records, or store “loyalty card” buying habits – continues to erode personal privacy.
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Financial statements are the backbone of a complete financial report. In fact, a financial report is not complete if the three primary financial statements are not included. but a financial report is much more than just those statements. A financial report requires disclosures. This term refers to additional information provided in a financial report. Therefore, any comprehensive and ethical financial report must include not only the primary financial statements, but disclosures as well.
The chief executive of a business (usually the CEO in a publicly held corporation) has the primary responsibility to make sure that the financial statements have been prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and the financial report provides adequate disclosures. He or she works with the chief financial officer or controller of the business to make sure that the financial report meets the standard of adequate disclosures.
Some common methods of disclosures include:
–Footnotes that provide information about the basic figures. Nearly all financial statements require footnotes to provide additional information for several of the account balances in the financial statements.
–Supplementary financial schedules and tables that provide more details than can be included in the body of the financial statements.
–Other information may be required if the business is a public corporation subject to federal regulations regarding financial reporting to its stockholders. Other information is voluntary and not strictly required legally or according to GAAP.
Some disclosures are required by various governing boards and agencies. These include:
–The financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has designated many standards. Its dictate regarding disclosure of the effects of stock options is one such standard.
–The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) mandates disclosure of a broad range of information for publicly held companies.
–International businesses have to abide by disclosure standards adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board.
There are wide varieties of business opportunities that allow you work at home. In fact a work at home business is not a new concept. There are number of old home based businesses, like a child day care, candle making, catering and much more. However the advent of internet improves the home based business options.
You can consider starting a home based business if you really have passion for it. You need to have the ability to work hard, dedication and effort would provide you reward once your home business is up and running.
Though work at home business requires hard work, you can also enjoy the freedom and fun of working at home. You can also spend splenty of time with your family.
Before starting a work at home business, plan well what type of home based business would suit you. Remember what seems perfect for your neighbor or friend may not suit you.
Starting work at home business is not an easy task. You need to consider whether there are any risks in that business. You need to consider whether the business requires huge investment. You also need to seek the help of a mentor who can guide you well to get sure success in home based business.
Some essentials for starting a work at home business:
Once you have decided to start a home based business, you need to organize it properly so that unnecessary delays can be avoided. The following things are essential for home business success:
1. A phone with unlimited long distance calling option, caller Id, Voice mail, call forwarding and anonymous call rejection.
2. You must have a calendar. You can also use a online calendar like Google, outlook or yahoo calendar.
3. Computer software tools, high speed internet connection, flash player, Adobe reader and Java script etc are also important. You can use email software like outlook or outlook express for business email.
4. A good filing system is extremely important so that you can do work most efficiently. Organize business mails, faxes, training materials etc in separate folders.
5. You can use Instant messenger service which allows you to communicate with your online contacts and getting your questions answered since your phone line needs to be opened for incoming calls from prospects.
6. You can use any room in your home for business purposes. But organize the room well so that you can work peacefully.
These simple steps can help you start home business and run it successfully. | <urn:uuid:245fb5f4-188d-4a2e-af65-ff679de1a474> | {
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That the field of medicine and health care includes significant and ongoing changes is a concept readily apparent to all. Such change requires its practitioners to be aware of new diseases, new treatments and modifications of practice required in contemporary medicine. Physicians in Minnesota are required to attend 75 hours of "classroom-type education" every three years to maintain their license to practice; similar requirements exist in other professional fields.
Last Friday, I attended an excellent conference presented by the staffs of the University of Minnesota Medical School, the Minnesota Department of Health, and the Mayo Clinic titled "Emerging Infections."About 270 physicians, nurses, laboratory professionals, and public health staff spent the day being advised about the "emerging" (and ongoing) infections pertinent to our environment.
As expected, the very serious outbreak of fungal meningitis related to the injection of contaminated steroid medication was thoroughly discussed. Diseases due to contaminated infant formulae, the spread of tick-borne diseases, and the significant epidemic of West Nile Virus infection were reviewed.
However, the increasing importance of a relatively new disease, Hepatitis C, was a noteworthy subject of discussion.
The viral diseases affecting the liver causing hepatitis (inflammation) and serious life-threatening conditions have an alphabetical spectrum. Hepatitis A is the disease associated with food-borne illness, contaminated water supplies, and travel. Hepatitis B is usually associated with perinatal transmission, blood transfusions, intravenous drug use, and sharing of body fluids, often resulting in serious acute and chronic illness.
Hepatitis C was "discovered" in 1989 following the examination of patients with hepatitis uncharacteristic of Hepatitis A or B, and thus called "Non-A, non-B hepatitis." The disease occurs only in humans and chimpanzees and is found throughout the world, mainly in South America, East Africa and China. One hundred and seventy million people are affected; about 4 million people carry the disease in the U.S. More than 150,000 patients are affected each year here at a cost of treatment of a billion dollars per year. Unfortunately, there is no preventive therapy (vaccine) for Hepatitis C.
Patients at high risk for Hepatitis C include persons with intravenous drug use, cocaine snorting, tattoos, multiple sexual partners, and children with infected mothers. Only 5-50 percent of infected patients know they are infected since they may have no symptoms.
Persons who are at risk and who should be tested (screened) for infection with Hepatitis C include intravenous drug users, those persons who had a blood transfusion before 1991, men who have sex with men, and persons who have a tattoo! This year public health authorities have recommended that all persons born between 1945 and 1965 be screened for Hepatitis C. The "baby boomers" may have been exposed to conditions conducive to infection with Hepatitis C.
Much like the "silent" epidemic of undiagnosed and untreated high blood pressure, the epidemic of Hepatitis C must be recognized and treated. Generalized routine screening and behavioral changes are part of the solutions for these serious public health challenges. | <urn:uuid:9f19093d-56d4-4261-809f-643d82c09ffc> | {
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Step 4: Complete the evaluation plan.
Why should you evaluate professional development? Your evaluation should address two basic questions: Did the activity, including all of the components, take place as planned? Did the activity achieve the intended outcomes for teachers and for students? Answers to the first question will tell you whether the plan you are developing now was implemented and, if not, where and why implementation fell short. This information can help avoid problems in the future. Answers to the second question will help you learn about the extent to which the activity resulted in the intended changes in teacher knowledge, skills, and performance and in the intended improvements in student learning. These evaluation results can also help pinpoint areas where additional professional development and support may be necessary. In addition, because professional development is a critical component of school improvement, evaluation results can help determine if these efforts are on track or if mid-course corrections are necessary.
Planning Tip 11: Evaluations that focus solely on participant satisfaction and ratings of quality have limited value in assessing the impact of professional development on participants’ knowledge, skills, and performance or the impact on student learning.
Planning Tip 12: Consider seeking help from an evaluator.
Planning Tip 13: Consider using products and artifacts from learning activities and follow up as evaluation data.
Planning Tip 14: Elements of your evaluation plan that focus on outcomes for teachers and for students should explicitly reflect your assumptions about the pace and sequence of change.
(NEXT PAGE) (PREVIOUS PAGE) | <urn:uuid:95cfe58e-69a9-43ac-aed3-701055f370f3> | {
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THE QUALITY OF MERCY
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) of Stratford-upon-Avon is England's, and the world's, most noted playwright. Shakespeare lived during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth l (1558-1603) and King James l (1603-1625), who commissioned the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, published in 1611.
William was born to John and Mary Shakespeare, one of eight children. The only record available is his baptism at Holy Trinity Church on April 26, 1564. It is evident from his plays that he was moved by his studies of Greek and Latin classics. He married Anne Hathaway at age eighteen, and they had three children, Susanna, and the twins Hamnet and Judith. The death of his only son Hamnet at age eleven was devastating for Shakespeare, and proved a powerful influence on his Tragedy Hamlet.
Shakespeare's popularity rests on his perceptive understanding of human nature. The 36 plays published in the First Folio are generally divided into Tragedies, such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Antony and Cleopatra; Comedies, as The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer's Night Dream, Love's Labour Lost, As You Like It, All's Well That Ends Well, Much Ado about Nothing, and the Taming of the Shrew; the Comedies known as Romances such as The Winter's Tale and one of his last plays The Tempest, one of the themes being the painful necessity of a father letting his daughter go; and Histories, such as King Henry V, King Richard the Second, the Life and Death of King John, All Is True (on Henry VIII), and King Henry IV, noted for the comical character Falstaff. He is also noted for his 154 Sonnets, A Lover's Complaint, and other poems.
This beautiful piece on mercy is from The Merchant of Venice, first performed in 1596 and published in 1600, when Portia speaks to Shylock in Act IV, Scene I.
The Quality of Mercy
The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute of God himself;
And earthly power doth then show like God's
When mercy seasons justice. | <urn:uuid:673973c2-3317-4350-9e7e-6889e9b534c9> | {
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Length of metal strips produced by a machine are normally distributed with mean length of 150 cm and a standard deviation of 10 cm. Find the probability that the length of a randomly selected strip is
i/ Shorter than 165 cm?
ii/ Longer than 170 cm?
iii/ Between 145 cm and 155 cm? | <urn:uuid:b1c81644-32dd-49d4-ba08-7b8c59cdda58> | {
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The nurse shortage and the doctor shortage have caused an evolution in the medical profession. Many states now permit nurse practitioners to function independently of physicians. They are permitted to practice on their own.
The decline in primary care MD’s has caused the increase in nurse practitioners in underserved areas. Today’s medical students are opting to specialize at a greater rate. There are higher profits in specialties such as dermatology, oncology and other specialties than in the traditional fields such as family practice or pediatrics. With this shortage of primary care physicians, nurses have taken the reigns and become the primary care givers in many areas.
Nurse practitioners are permitted to prescribe medications, order tests and perform other tasks that have been designated to physicians in the past. They are also expected to consult with a health care provider if the patient’s condition is beyond their personal expertise. Many have private practices in rural communities.
Nurse practitioners have at least a Masters degree. It is projected that in time, they will be required to hold a doctorate before being accepted into a nurse practitioner program. They have also followed the path of many physicians and have chosen to specialize in a specific area of medicine. Some are practicing women’s health, psychology, pediatrics or other areas of the field.
Nurse practitioners receive lower fees than medical doctors. Insurance companies will reimburse between sixty and eighty-five percent of the doctors fee for exactly the same care. Rarely will they receive one hundred percent reimbursement.
This however, does not stop the trend to further education and receive the degree of NP. They serve their purpose in many different areas. Patients often prefer the NP because they are not as rushed as doctors and have the time to give the attention that used to be given in the general practitioners office.
With the medical field specializing in many shortages, it should be obvious that the NP is serving a need that doctors may not be able to fulfill in their areas. | <urn:uuid:93486dff-faef-4006-a652-b15b486c01c7> | {
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Welcome to MedLibrary.org. For best results, we recommend beginning with the navigation links at the top of the page, which can guide you through our collection of over 14,000 medication labels and package inserts. For additional information on other topics which are not covered by our database of medications, just enter your topic in the search box below:
He co-founded the Centre de documentation juive contemporaine, established to collate documentation relating to the persecution of Jews during World War II. He also assisted Edgar Faure at the Nuremberg Trial. Poliakov went on to serve as director of research at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) from 1954 until 1971.
According to historian Jos Sanchez, Poliakov was the first scholar to critically assess the disposition of Pope Pius XII toward various issues connected to the Holocaust. In November 1950, Poliakov wrote "The Vatican and the 'Jewish Question' - The Record of the Hitler Period-And After," in the influential Jewish journal Commentary. While this article was the first to consider the attitude of the papacy during World War II and the Holocaust, it was not until 1963, when German playwright Rolf Hochhuth published his play Der Stellvertreter that discussion of Poliakov's initial investigations in this area took on worldwide significance.
- L'étoile jaune - La situation des Juifs en France sous l'Occupation - Les législations nazie et vichyssoise (Editions Grancher, October 1999 - three texts: a book of 1949, an article in Historia magazine in 1968 and a text of 1980) ISBN 2-7339-0642-9 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]
- Harvest of Hate: The Nazi Program for the Destruction of Jews in Europe 1956
- The History of Anti-Semitism: From the Time of Christ to the Court Jews (orig. 1955; this tr. 1966; repr. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003) ISBN 0-8122-1863-9 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]
- The History of Anti-Semitism: From Mohammed to the Marranos (orig. 1961; tr. 1973; repr. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003) ISBN 0-8122-1864-7 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK], ISBN 0-8122-3767-6 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]
- The History of Anti-Semitism: From Voltaire to Wagner (orig. 1968; tr. 1975; repr. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003) [preview at Google Books ISBN 0-8122-1865-5 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]
- The History of Anti-Semitism: Suicidal Europe. 1870-1933 (orig. 1977; tr. 1984; repr. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003) [preview at Google Books ISBN 0-8122-3769-2 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]
- The Aryan Myth: A History of Racist and Nationalistic Ideas In Europe (Barnes & Noble Books (1996)) ISBN 0-7607-0034-6 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]
- Jews Under the Italian Occupation (coauthored with Jacques Sabille) (Howard Fertig; 1st American ed edition (December, 1983)) ISBN 0-86527-344-8 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]
- «Moscou, troisième Rome» Moscow, The third Rome
- «L`Auberge des musiciens» (memoir)
- «L`envers du Destin» (autobiography)
- "De l'antisionisme à l'antisémitisme" (1969)
- Kirkup, James (11 December 1997). "Obituary: Leon Poliakov". The Independent. Retrieved 5 May 2011. | <urn:uuid:e375140c-f41a-483c-aaf8-ef0098320e91> | {
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An enterocutaneous fistula is an abnormal connection between the intestines and the skin. Intestinal or stomach contents can leak through this connection. The contents may leak into another part of the body or outside of the body.
Most enterocutaneous fistulas develop as a complication of bowel surgery. Other causes include:
Factors that may increase your chance of enterocutaneous fistula include:
- History of radiation
- Poor nutrition
If you have any of these symptoms, do not assume it is due to a fistula. These symptoms may be caused by other conditions.
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. You may be referred to a colon and rectal surgeon.
Images may be taken of your bodily structures. This can be done with:
A fistula may be able to heal on its own over 2-8 weeks. Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Treatment options include the following:
Nutritional support may be needed while the fistula is healing:
- You may need to drink and eat high energy food for a while.
- Nutrition may need to be delivered through a tube connected to your stomach or intestine.
- If your bowels needs to rest, nutrition may be given through your vein.
- Antibiotics may be prescribed to help prevent or control infection.
- A drain may be attached to your wound to collect leakage from the fistula.
- If the fistulas do not heal, then part of the intestine may need to be removed.
- Reviewer: Marcin Chwistek, MD
- Review Date: 03/2013 -
- Update Date: 00/31/2013 - | <urn:uuid:4e698362-c33b-4281-82e3-abbfa21ed252> | {
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Previously known as manic-depressive disease, bipolar disorder is a relatively common mental health condition manifested in its classic form by alternating periods of mania—extreme high energy—and deep depression. In the "up" or manic phase, people may sleep little, talk fast, develop grand and unworkable plans, and sometimes behave bizarrely—for example, giving away all their money overnight. In the "down" phase, they may contemplate suicide. In many people with this disorder, the "down" phase predominates, and for that reason, the diagnosis may be missed. Other, more subtle versions of the condition also exist.
Bipolar disorder is dangerous unless treated, leading to a high rate of suicide and injury. The mineral
has been shown to dramatically improve symptoms of mania and reduce the rate of suicide. Various antiseizure medications also appear to help against mania.
Proposed Natural Treatments for Bipolar Disorder
: There are no natural treatments that can substitute for medications in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
However, some might help enhance the effectiveness of standard treatment.
study, 30 people with bipolar disorder took either
capsules or placebo for 4 months, in addition to their regular medications.
Those taking fish oil had longer symptom-free periods than those taking placebo. The researchers used five different standardized tests to measure symptoms, examining levels of depression, mania, and overall progress. The people taking fish oil proved emotionally healthier than those taking placebo on all but one of these tests. Another study found that ethyl-EPA (a modified form of a constituent of fish oil) was helpful along with standard treatment for the depressed phase of bipolar disorder.
However, ethyl-EPA does not appear to offer benefits for rapid cycling bipolar disorder.
Researchers pooling the results of 10 randomized trials involving 329 patients found that omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish oil) improved depressive symptoms in patient with either bipolar disorder or major depression compared to placebo.
In a subsequent systematic review, researchers pooled the results of 5 trials involving 291 patients with bipolar disorder only and found that those in the omega-3 group experienced a modest improvement in their symptoms of depression (but not of mania) compared to placebo.
The same researchers who conducted the fish oil study have also experimented with
for bipolar disorder.
Flaxseed oil contains alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid related to the fatty acids in fish oil. In the researchers' informal observations of 22 people with bipolar disorder, all but four appeared to benefit from flaxseed oil. However, lacking a double-blind study, these results can't be taken as meaningful. When a double-blind study is finally performed, flaxseed oil may turn out not to be helpful at all.
One somewhat questionable study reported that an herbal combination utilized in
traditional Chinese medicine
("Free and Easy Wanderer") may augment the effectiveness of carbamazepine treatment for bipolar disorder.
Very weak evidence suggests possible benefits with
Inositol may also reduce psoriasis symptoms caused by lithium.
(However, caution is advised with inositol. See
Herbs and Supplements to Use Only With Caution
A special form of
called rTMS, has shown some promise for bipolar disorder.
Interestingly, use of an anion generator (an air ionizer that produces negative ions) has shown promise for mitigating the symptoms of acute mania.
Various supplements may help reduce side-effects of antiseizure drugs. For more information, see the articles on
Despite promising preliminary indications,
a double-blind study failed to find that
enhances the effect of the drug
Lithium is sometimes sold as a mineral supplement for treating bipolar disorder. However, this proposed use is based on a misunderstanding. When lithium is used medically as treatment for bipolar disorder, it is taken at doses far above any possible nutritional need. No researcher has seriously suggested that lithium
causes bipolar symptoms, and low doses of lithium are unlikely to have any effect at all.
Herbs and Supplements to Use Only With Caution
Antidepressant drugs may cause manic episodes in people with bipolar disorder. For this reason, herbs and supplements with antidepressant properties might also be risky. Case reports suggest that
16,17,18St. John's Wort
can indeed trigger manic episodes.
, while not normally considered to have antidepressant properties, has reportedly triggered episodes of mania in two people not previously known to have bipolar disorder.
product has also been associated with an episode of mania.
is often sold in the form of chromium picolinate. Picolinate can alter levels of neurotransmitters.
This has led to concern among some experts that chromium picolinate might be harmful to people with bipolar disorder.
It has been suggested that the drug lithium works, in part, by reducing the body's level of
For this reason, it might be advisable for people with bipolar disorder to avoid using supplements that contain vanadium.
Finally, numerous herbs and supplements may interact adversely with drugs used to prevent or treat bipolar disorder. For example, people who use
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Hybrid vehicles keep getting bigger: first there were tiny experimental cars, then hybrid SUVs began to appear on the road. And now some of Delta’s next-generation Boeing 737 aircraft (like the one pictured above) will be equipped with Wheeltug hybrid motors for taxiing on the ground. These motors will improve efficiency and safety while planes maneuver around the tarmac, reducing fuel use and maintenance requirements.
A substantial amount of a typical airliner’s fuel usage and engine wear occurs while the plane is still on the ground. Its jet engines are used to propel it to and from runways, and it requires towing vehicles for precise positioning at the gate.
Using the Wheeltug system, however, an aircraft can propel itself forward or backward via a pair of Chorus Meshcon electric motors that drive the front wheels. Electric power comes from the plane’s existing auxiliary power unit, which is a much smaller gas-powered unit and requires much less fuel than the primary engines.
The Wheeltug system requires no modifications to the airframe aside from additional wiring, and the joystick steering control doesn’t interfere with existing cockpit designs. The manufacturer estimates that a Wheeltug-equipped 737 aircraft could save nearly 100,000 gallons of fuel per year, while avoiding the safety and maintenance concerns of jet engine use on the ground. And as airports become busier and more crowded, the system could speed turn-around times by eliminating the need for tug vehicles to position planes at their gates.
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"U. S. Picks Estrella for Base: 1200-Acre Tract To Be Site For Marine Corps Air Field" So read a headline in the 27 August 1942 Paso Robles Press when the government negotiated proceedings to acquire 1,249 acres of land in the Estrella area, some six miles northeast of the city, for a planned Marine Corps Air Station.
Four months previous, government civil engineers were surveying the selected lands without explaining the reason to owners. Rumors were rampant, but none of them was correct. Finally, when Pacific Gas & Electric Company signed a contract to provide service by the end of the year, it became known that a Navy airfield, to be known as Naval Auxilary Air Station, Paso Robles, was in the works, to be built on properties owned by A M Boyer, Otto Kuehl, George Matthew, John Moore, the Padian Estate, William Radloff, Tillie Schlecker, and Lillie Tuley.
A contract was awarded to Doudell Construction Company of San Jose, and within four hours of its signing, men and machinery were on their way to the site. On 3 September, 2,000 construction workers moved in to work two shifts to complete the first stage of the project by 8 April 1943. The new airfield then had two 4,700' runways laid out in a "V," with fuel facilities, but no hangars or maintenance buildings. A housing, administration, and storage facility was also completed across the road south of the runways, with 43 buildings and underground utilities.
That same day the Navy, favoring tstations in the San Joaquin Valley, handed everything over to the Army Air Forces, who named it Estrella Army Air Field and placed it under the jurisdiction of the Santa Maria Army Air Field, to be used to train pilots in night flying. Initial staff consisted of two officers, Lieutenants Raymond J Goetting and Edgar J McCullough, and 28 enlisted men. By Christmas 1943, some 1,550 military personnel were stationed at Estrella and the Navy auxiliary airfield southeast of Paso Robles, Sherwood Field. These troops participated in large regional military maneuvers early in 1944.
An interesting occasion was later related by Lieutenant McCullogh, who told of the time when two Bell P-59s landed at Estrella AAF. Those were America's first military jets, and at the time were cloaked in secrecy, but everybody wanted to see the new airplanes that flew without propellers. McCullogh walked towards one of them, but was ordered by one of the pilots to keep away. He then identified himself as the base's provost marshal (which he wasn't), and not only got to see the planes up close, but was also told that they were being used in experimental training to combat the German V-2 rockets that were creating havoc in England. The next day, a local farmer mentioned to him that a couple of planes had come over his field so low and fast that they blew his hay off the stacks.
The airfield was inactivated on 15 October 1944, and on 27 November base commander Capt Roger F Powell announced that the facility might be turned over to the county. County officials considered the proposal and, in mid-December, the board of supervisors endorsed a feasibility study, finally agreeing to accept the property. However, it wasn't until 29 August 1947, that the War Assets Administration transferred the specific 966.8 acres and its attendant structures and improvements with a quitclaim deed to the County of San Luis Obispo, with the stipulation that it be used as a public airport.
A second quitclaim deed to the State on 5 August 1948 added another 90.04 acres, where the buildings would be used for a boys' school. Then in 1973, the county, in an effort to rid its rolls of excess property, sold the air base to the City of Paso Robles for $1.00, and the Estrella Army Air Force Base officially became the town's municipal airport. | <urn:uuid:6d9fbb7b-788d-431d-912a-f86662a324d1> | {
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|We seem to form our picture of reality based on a pattern matching algorithm. It doesn't really matter if you consider that a function of neurology or as a deeper metaphysical principle, the result it about the same.
If "enough" pieces of a reality are assembled and they are recognizable and familiar to us, we assume that the remaining details are probably also in place and that we're dealing with a "real" reality.
It is perfectly possible to fool people into accepting a scenario as reality that really isn't, if you put enough familiar elements into place. Most candid camera episodes are built on that kind of principle. An environment is set up so that it looks like you've been hired for a new job, and there's a real office and other employees and everything. And then a surprise element is thrown in, like the arrival of a stripping telegram, or the need to handle some impossible problem, like your desk falling apart. And the "employee" accepts it as real, because everything else looked right.
Or how about experiments that were done where a comedian managed to get up in front of a medical convention and give a speech in complete giberish without anybody noticing. Because he looked right, and sounded right, and even though the attendees where highly educated M.D.s they were also used to not having to understand all the details of what everybody was saying, and they were used to displaying a certain respect towards their peers. The Emperor's New Clothes. We're all trying to act normal, unwilling to admit we don't understand everything.
Conversely, we can also create an invisible reality, if it is constructed of elements that are so unfamiliar and unexpected that we just can't see it. A stage magician is usually quite adept at that. You don't see what he's really doing because you're not attuned to the patterns he's using.
It is said that when Captain Cook's ship first approached the island of Tahiti in the South Pacific, the inhabitants could literally not see it coming. Even when Cook and his crew got out and pointed out their ship to the Tahitians, and explained how they arrived, the natives couldn't see the ship at first. Because it was totally unfamiliar and they didn't have any belief that included the possibility that somebody could arrive from the ocean in a large sailing vessel.
In our modern society we tend to walk around believing that we're very rational and observant and we've got a pretty good grip on what is reality. Science tends to create that picture. But yet, science, however useful it is, is just a systematic way of agreeing on what a certain reality is, and how to get predictable results with it, and it tends to stay within the boundaries of those codified agreements, often ignoring anything that doesn't fit. Science only very cautiously and gradually will expand that area.
If you master these principles, and you have sufficient resources at your disposal, it is entirely possible to both create fake realities that large numbers of people will accept as the truth, as well as to create realities that are invisible to the general population.
Think for example of a black project that has access to sufficiently advanced principles and technologies that have been kept out of the public knowledge, out of scientific text books, and out out of the educational system. Say, teleportation or time travel. You don't even have to worry much about leaks, because they will pretty much be self-healing. If somebody puts out a story about secret time travel experiments, it is very easy to ridicule them, and you don't even have to do it yourself, as there will be plenty of respectable scientists and good citizens who'll stand up and say that it of course is impossible and complete nonsense. Somebody could even write a book with all the details and you could pick it up in the UFO section of your local bookstore, but it wouldn't sink into the public awareness as anything real.
You can keep very big things very secret if you just make sure that enough of the components and participants are far enough removed from what is normal and expected, and the facts are generally so hard to get to, and so hard to piece together, that the whole thing becomes invisible to most people.
Single secrets hidden by known people can fairly easily be discovered. But complex secrets, put together from many individually incredible elements, those are much harder to bring to the light.
Conversely, you can make fake stories appear very real and accepted if you just make sure that you provide enough components of normal reality. Like, pictures, sound, stories, information, and lots of it, and repetitive delivery of it. And that the people presenting it look like the right kind of people to do so. Reporters, scientists, government officials, etc.
I'm not really even talking about conspiracy theory particularly. A bigger view than that. Conspiracies are usually imagined as something the known and accepted players are doing when you aren't looking. Like, does George Bush and Tom Brokaw and Kenneth Lay and everybody else you see on the news have secret meetings where they plan out how they'll fool everybody? Well, maybe they do, but that's probably not where it is really at. Whatever specific things they do will quite likely come to light sooner or later and would be too hard to hide. What matters is not what they did, but what reality we end up accepting, and which realities we'll ignore. The real secret stuff would probably be going on in places you don't even know to look at, and would be done by people you've never heard of. And the people you are looking at on the news are quite likely thinking they're just doing the best they can with what's available to them. Because they probably live in a manufactured reality as well.
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Experts from across the board joined together recently to discuss the effects that oil and natural gas drilling will have in Columbiana and Mahoning counties, the state, and even the nation.
The experts, representing Youngstown State University, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Environmental Council, and Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program, spoke during a seminar at the university.
The purpose of the seminar was to generate more understanding about the drilling process and topics covered included its history-which dates back to the early 1900s, whether injection wells are related to earthquakes, whether enough water is available to continue the hydraulic fracturing process, and how the process affects the environment and economy.
University Professor Dr. Jeffrey Dick, who specializes in engineering geology, hydrogeology, geophysics, and petroleum geology, said drilling has only recently "skyrocketed" over the last two years.
He said there have been more than 270,000 natural gas and crude oil wells drilled in Ohio, and of those, 64,000 are currently active.
In what he called the Eastern Ohio Utica Fairway, there are 367 wells permitted and 137 wells already drilled. Of those, 33 are producing and 30 are still in the drilling stage.
Columbiana County is included in that fairway, and according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), one well is currently producing in Knox Township.
Dick said the big issue isn't necessarily hydraulic fracturing, but what will become of the brine once the fracking is completed. Fracking is a process used in drilling in which water, sand and other fluids are injected into the shale to extract the oil and gas stored there. The force of the injection causes the rock to break up, or fracture, releasing the oil and gas.
Dick said that due to the extent of wells being drilled the state is looking at "billions of gallons of brine and throwback" - the fluids left over as a result of fracking a natural gas well. The fluids are treated as wastewater and stored in injection wells, which have gained considerable attention from those who believe the wells have been linked to earthquakes, including those that occurred in Youngstown in late 2011.
He said there are approximately 190 injection wells in the state and doesn't believe the well in Youngstown caused the local earthquakes but did play a role in triggering them.
The underground disposal well owned by Northstar Disposal Services was shut down by the ODNR shortly after two earthquakes happened within 24 hours. The 4.0 earthquake was the 11th to occur there since March of 2011, and the shut down was requested so officials could analyze data and see if a link existed.
"You shut off a well and the earthquakes stop, you gotta think" there could be a link, Dick said.
He pointed out that Ohio receives billions of gallons of brine and flowback from Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The states have bans on the wastewater recycling or disposal, despite having operational class 2 injection wells.
"Ohio has been a no risk dumping ground for a lot of stuff, including demolition and debris," Trent Dougherty, director of legal affairs for the Ohio Environmental Council, said.
Dick said that, in his opinion, class 2 injection disposal will be more difficult in the future. He said technology already exists for brine treatment facilities but the money is lacking.
With regard to fracking, he said there have been no cases in which the process was found to have caused water contamination. Surface spills, however, could cause contamination.
"Several fluids are dangerous and you are looking at potential spills. Spills are major environmental issues. A spill is going to happen," he said.
Senate Bill 315 enacted by Gov. John Kasich this summer allowed for more safeguards for the disposal of the fluids, he noted.
Rhonda Reda, executive director of the state's oil and gas energy education program, said the Utica Shale play in Ohio is bigger than that found in Saudi Arabia.
By 2015, the program expects output sales of oil and gas to be at nearly $23 billion. Most of the activity will occur in 2014 and 2015, and royalties paid on oil and gas are expected to reach $1.6 billion in 2015.
"We are drilling smarter and we are drilling better wells," she said.
She cautioned that the state, and the nation, should not rely solely on one energy source, however.
In 2009, the world used 100 quadrillion British thermal units of energy. By 2030, that is expected to jump to 124 quadrillion, she said.
She explained that a "large chunk" of the energy being used can be traced back to technology such as laptops, iPads, and other items.
"All these things require energy and our energy consumption is absolutely enormous," she said.
The state is currently the fourth largest energy consumer in the nation, she added.
University Professor Michael Costarell, who specializes in civil and mechanical engineering and is a certified energy manager, said that although alternatives exist, or are in the preliminary stages, people continue to use what is convenient.
He explained that a 40-minute drive in a car would take longer in a solar-powered vehicle that needs to be charged after every so many miles. He said that it would take 18 hours of charge time for a natural gas car to reach the same distance as a car on eight gallons of fuel.
Dougherty said there should be less dependence on fossil fuels.
As for how much water is being used in the drilling process, Dick said that six million gallons were used by oil and gas exploration company Chesapeake Energy on one well in Carroll County. Three-hundred tons of sand were also used with the water in the fracking process on that well.
Although water use is significant, Dick doesn't believe water sources will run dry as a result of the drilling.
Dougherty said that although there are risks to drilling, he didn't necessarily want to see it stopped.
"Our hope is we get more enforcement dollars to make sure this is done correctly," he said.
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Exhibition Features 36 Accidental Mummies
They were miners, fathers, soldiers, farmers and children. They are revered by their descendents and have been visited by millions. They are rare, shocking…and completely accidental. Now, for the first time ever, they are coming to the United States in an all-new touring exhibition, The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato.
The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato is a 10,000 square-foot exhibition that will debut at the Detroit Science Center in October 2009 before touring six other U.S. destinations from 2010-2012.
Featuring 36 accidental mummies on loan from the Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato, the exhibition combines science, history and cultural anthropology to immerse the visitor in the world of a Mexican city over 100 years ago where deceased residents naturally mummified in their crypts. This will be the very first time these mummies have been seen outside of Mexico
“Death has been part of the culture of Mexico, and in particular of Guanajuato for centuries. Our Mummy Museum represents our way of acknowledging the every day citizens that once walked our streets, whose bodies have transcended generations because of a natural process,” said Dr. Eduardo Romero Hicks, Mayor of the city of Guanajuato, Mexico. “This presentation for the first time in the U.S. provides the opportunity for these mummies to tell their story, to show the way they lived, and in some instances the way they died. In this global world that we live in, we want to make sure that their story is heard beyond our borders.”
“These mummies have attracted millions of visitors to Guanajuato and it is an honor to bring them to the United States,” said Kevin Prihod, President & CEO of the Detroit Science Center. “This exhibition will present a unique look into Mexican culture, forensic science and the very lives of these amazing mummies. It is an experience not to be missed.”
Only 1 in 100 bodies buried in Guanajuato experiences this rare and mysterious process of natural mummification. Unlike bodies that were “artificially” mummified through an embalming and wrapping process, accidental mummies form only in certain climates and conditions.
Local legend held that the bodies in Guanajuato became mummified because the area’s water is rich in minerals and sulfur. However researchers believe that the hot weather warmed the crypts and dried out the bodies. The Guanajuato collection is believed to be the largest group of mummies anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.
Visitors to the exhibition will meet some of these accidental mummies, learn about life in their thriving community, discover the modern-day forensic technology that helps scientists analyze them, and explore a culture that reveres and celebrates them. Each mummy will tell his or her own story, with facial reconstructions completed by a forensic artist to give insight into their lives.
“Through full-body CT scans at Oakwood Imaging Center (Dearborn, Mich.), along with recent x-rays and endoscopic examinations conducted by mummy experts Jerry Conlogue and Ronald Beckett of Quinnipiac University, we are making new and exciting discoveries about the mummies featured in the exhibition. We look forward to sharing our findings with our visitors,” said Vivian Henoch, Medical Science Content Developer for the exhibition.
The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato is a highly educational exhibition, meeting multiple objectives found in the National Science Education Standards for grades 5-12. A complete educational guide including classroom activities, historical fun facts, a glossary and more will be available to school groups visiting the exhibition.
The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato is produced by Eekstein’s Workshop, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Detroit Science Center that creates captivating, durable, engaging exhibits and displays for museum and corporate clients, in association with Accidental Mummies Touring Company LLC. | <urn:uuid:40b4051b-f480-40fa-b767-a84bd256ce68> | {
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Building Database Projects by Using SQL Server Management Studio
A database script project is an organized set of scripts, connection information, and templates that are all associated with a database or one part of a database. Microsoft SQL Server provides the SQL Server Management Studio for administering and designing SQL Server databases within the context of a script project. SQL Server Management Studio includes designers, editors, guides and wizards to assist users in developing, deploying and maintaining databases.
SQL Server Management Studio is a suite of administrative tools for managing the components belonging to SQL Server. This integrated environment allows users to perform a variety of tasks, such as backing up data, editing queries, and automating common functions within a single interface.
SQL Server Management Studio includes the following tools:
Code Editor is a rich script editor for writing and editing scripts. The Code Editor replaces the Query Analyzer included in previous releases of SQL Server. SQL Server Management Studio provides four versions of the Code Editor; the SQL Query Editor, MDX Query Editor, XML Query Editor, and SQL Server Compact 3.5 SP2 Query Editor.
Object Explorer for locating, modifying, scripting or running objects belonging to instances of SQL Server.
Template Explorer for locating and scripting templates.
Solution Explorer for organizing and storing related scripts as parts of a project.
Properties Window for displaying the current properties of selected objects.
SQL Server Management Studio supports efficient work processes by providing:
Disconnected access. You can write and edit scripts without connecting to an instance of SQL Server.
Scripting from any dialog box. You can create a script from any dialog box so that you can read, modify, store and reuse the scripts after you create them.
Nonmodal dialog boxes. When you access a UI dialog box you can browse other resources in SQL Server Management Studio without closing the dialog box.
Solution Explorer is a utility to store and reopen database solutions. Solutions organize related script projects and files. Script projects store SQL Server script files, SQL templates, connection information and other miscellaneous files. When a script is saved in a script project, users are able to:
Maintain version control on scripts.
Store results options with a script.
Organize related scripts in a single script project.
Save connection information with scripts.
Solution Explorer is a tool for developers who are creating and reusing scripts that are related to the same project. If a similar task is required later, you can use group of scripts that were stored in a project. If you have created applications by using Microsoft Visual Studio, you will find Solution Explorer very familiar.
A solution consists of one or more script projects. A project consists of one or more scripts or connections. A project may also include nonscript files. | <urn:uuid:61da9008-bb72-42ef-8ab2-a00d738c9571> | {
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Rose Marie Pinon was a 19-year-old, well-educated, middle class girl when she married the 35-year-old Louis in 1814. In September 1817 she joined her husband on the Uranie disguised as a man until they left port. She was the first woman to complete an account of the three-year circumnavigation in a ‘series of intimate letters which took the form of a diary’. Rose recorded life aboard ship, observations of the people and places they visited, scientific work of the expedition, relationships between men and women, and the work of artist Jacques Arago. She had a keen eye for detail and created vivid descriptions of the strange and exotic places they visited.
Rose and her ‘diary’ survived the dangers of the voyage and the shipwreck in the Falkland Islands. Her life was tragically cut short when she died of cholera in 1834, aged 38 years, after nursing Louis through the same illness.
It was not until 1927 that an account of her journey appeared in a French publication of her letters, with the first English translation in 1962. | <urn:uuid:425af3f7-6d12-4232-83a6-c202aae202fc> | {
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The Thick-tailed Gecko, Underwoodisaurus milii, can be recognised by its large head and colour pattern of dark background with numerous yellowish spots. The original tail is narrow at the base, then broadens and tapers over its length. It has a snout vent length of around 100 mm.
Photographer: Peter Robertson / Source: Wildlife Profiles Pty. Ltd.
Distribution and habitat
The Thick-tailed Gecko is widespread across the northwest of the state southwards to the Castlemaine area. It often lives in holes in the ground, although is also common in rocky outcrops in north central Victoria, where it hides under rocks.
A terrestrial species, its diet mainly consists of small invertebrates. Females of this species lay 2 eggs per clutch.
Cogger, H. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed Books.
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. 2003. Reptiles of Australia. Princeton University Press. | <urn:uuid:4d95045a-0c50-49d9-8b05-40e98f162c7c> | {
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English form of a common biblical name (meaning ‘who is like God?’ in Hebrew) borne by one of the archangels, the protector of the ancient Hebrews, who is also regarded as a saint of the Catholic Church. In the Middle Ages, Michael was regarded as captain of the heavenly host (see Revelation 12:7–9), symbol of the Church Militant, and patron of soldiers. He was often depicted bearing a flaming sword. The name is also borne by a Persian prince and ally of Belshazzar mentioned in the Book of Daniel. Since the early 1900s it has been one of the most enduringly popular boys' names in the English-speaking world. See also Michal. | <urn:uuid:30e201d0-fe25-4da1-a2c2-57b26ee5e4ee> | {
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'Bed-Of-Nails' Breast Implant Deters Cancer Cells
One in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer. Of those, many will undergo surgery to remove the tumor and will require some kind of breast reconstruction afterward, often involving implants. Cancer is an elusive target, though, and malignant cells return for as many as one-fifth of women originally diagnosed. But a new type of implant developed by researchers at Brown University may be able to deter breast cancer cell regrowth. Made from a common federally approved polymer, the implant is the first to be modified at the nanoscale in a way that causes a reduction in the blood-vessel architecture that breast cancer tumors depend upon, while also attracting healthy cells into breast tissue.
Thomas Webster and graduate student Lijuan Zhang conducted this study. They published their results in the journal Nanotechnology.
Zhang and Webster created an implant with a "bed-of-nails" surface at the nanoscale that deters cancer cells from dwelling and thriving. This is the first such implant, say the Brown investigators, with modifications at the nanoscale that cause a reduction in the blood-vessel architecture on which breast cancer tumors depend. Equally as important, the nanoscale features on the implant's surface are hospitable to healthy cells, which means that the implant would not impede healing after surgery.
Webster and members of his lab have been modifying various implant surfaces to promote the regeneration of bone, cartilage, skin, and other cells. In this work, he and Zhang sought to reshape an implant that could be used in breast reconstruction surgery that would not only attract healthy cells but also repel any lingering breast-cancer cells. The duo created a cast on a glass plate using 23-nanometer-diameter polystyrene beads and polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), a biodegradable polymer approved by the FDA and used widely in clinical settings, such as stitches. The result is an implant whose surface was covered with adjoining, 23-nanometer-high pimples. The pair also created PLGA implant surfaces with 300-nanometer and 400-nanometer peaks for comparison.
In lab tests after one day, the 23-nanometer-peak surfaces showed a 15-percent decrease in the production of a protein (VEGF) upon which endothelial breast-cancer cells depend, compared to an implant surface with no surface modification. The 23-nanometer surface showed greater reduction in VEGF concentration when compared to the 300-nanometer and 400-nanometer-modified implants as well.
While it is unclear why the 23-nanoneter surface appears to work best at deterring breast-cancer cells, Webster thinks it may have to do something with the stiffness of malignant breast cells. When they come into contact with the bumpy surface, they are unable to fully wrap themselves around the rounded contours, depriving them of the ability to ingest the life-sustaining nutrients that permeate the surface. He likened the peak-covered surface to a bed-of-nails to cancer cells. The researchers hypothesize that even smaller surface peaks would work better at repelling cancer cells. Somewhat to their surprise, Webster and Zhang found that that the 23-nanometer semispherical surface yielded 15 percent more healthy endothelial breast cells compared to normal surface after one day of lab tests.
This work is detailed in a paper titled, "Poly-lactic-glycolic acid surface nanotopographies selectively decrease breast adenocarcinoma cell functions." An abstract of this paper is available at the journal's website. | <urn:uuid:1318a7d2-4be3-489a-8dec-2aba4f508627> | {
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A large segment of popular consumer electronic devices (personal computers, cellular phones, personal digital assistants, etc.) have microprocessors acting as brains. These microprocessors consume a large amount of power and must be actively cooled in order to function reliably. The currently available heat sinking equipment needed to cool the electronics is bulky, inefficient, and costly. The TMT MicroSink E-Team developed low cost, high performance heat removal technology that blows air through a microscale heat sink without the use of moving parts, allowing large amounts of heat to be removed cheaply and efficiently. The new technology enables the development of chip-coolers that are considerably smaller, lighter, and quieter than currently available heat sink-fan combinations.
The E-Team included two doctoral students specializing in physics, mechanical engineering, and energy engineering. A faculty advisor with expertise in mechanical engineering supported the students along with two industry experts. | <urn:uuid:97ed1b90-11e2-4cae-aea1-0c1f31805164> | {
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On Sunday morning, England joins the rest of the UK in banning smoking inside most public spaces - from bars to clubs, restaurants, shops, offices and factories.
Smokers will have to head outdoors for a cigarette - or stay at home
Anyone wanting to light up will have to stay at home, brave the elements, or travel to the last remaining bastions of smoking in the British Isles - Alderney, Sark or the Isle of Man.
It's a move that affects most Britons, from the non-smokers happy to leave the pub without smelling of cigarettes, to the millions of puffers whose habits will have to change.
HOW MANY PEOPLE SMOKE?
About 10 million people in the UK smoke cigarettes, according to anti-smoking charity Ash. It says a further two million - the vast majority of them men - smoke cigars, pipes or both.
In 1948, when surveys were first conducted, eight out of 10 British men smoked - the highest level recorded. Among women the peak was almost five out of 10, in 1966.
The proportion of smokers fell rapidly during the 70s and 80s and continues to decline steadily.
About one in four Britons over the age of 16 now smokes, with the rate slightly higher among men than women.
Sweden, where fewer than one in five people partakes, has the EU's lowest smoking rate. Greece, where almost half the adult population smokes, has the highest.
A person's age, whether they visit pubs and even their marital status is closely connected to the likelihood that they smoke.
By age group, it is 20- to 24-year-olds who are most likely to light up, with about a third considered smokers. As people get older they become less likely to smoke, with the rate falling to 14% for the over 60s.
About four out of 10 people who visit pubs smoke, and there is a strong link between smoking and social group, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Manual workers and their families are almost twice as likely to smoke as those with a managerial or professional background (31% compared with 17%). And people living together are twice as likely to smoke as those who are married (35% compared with 18%).
Across the country, the greatest proportion of smokers is found in the North East (30%).
Many smokers start early in the morning. About one third of people who get through more than 20 cigarettes a day light up within five minutes of waking.
Among this group, eight out of 10 people say they would struggle to go 24 hours without a cigarette. Among all smokers, more than half would find the task a challenge.
Nevertheless, seven out of 10 smokers say they would like to quit. The proportion wanting to stop is highest among those who smoke 10 to 19 cigarettes a day. It is suggested many heavy smokers believe stopping would be too difficult.
The average male smoker is thought to get through 14 cigarettes a day, while women smoke 13.
SMOKING AND HEALTH
Hundreds of thousands of deaths could be prevented by England's smoking ban, medical expert Sir Richard Peto said shortly before its introduction.
Anti-smoking campaigns repeatedly highlight the health risks
"Half of all smokers are going to be killed by tobacco. If a million people stop smoking who wouldn't otherwise have done so then maybe you'll prevent half a million deaths."
According to the charity Cancer Research, 50,000 cancer deaths and a further 70,000 deaths from heart disease and strokes are caused by smoking each year. It estimates that six million people have been killed in the past 50 years.
Supporters of a ban argue that it will protect many non-smokers from the effects of passive smoking.
But it has also been suggested that many children will be more likely to be exposed to smoke, as their parents will light up at home instead.
UP IN SMOKE
Smoking is good news for the Treasury, with about £4.10 of the £5.50 cost of a packet of cigarettes taken in taxes.
UK'S BEST-SELLING CIGARETTES
1) Lambert & Butler King Size - 13.5% (Imperial)
2) Benson & Hedges Gold - 7.3% (Gallaher)
3) Mayfair King Size - 7.1% (Gallaher)
4) Richmond Superkings - 6.6% (Imperial)
5) Richmond King Size - 4.9% (Imperial)
6) Marlboro Gold King Size - 4.4% (Philip Morris)
7) Regal King Size - 3.5% (Imperial)
8) Royals King Size Red - 3.4% (BAT)
9) Superkings - 3.3% (Imperial)
10) Silk Cut Purple - 3.2% (Gallaher)
Figures for 2004. Source: Ash
Excluding VAT, this earned the Treasury more than £8bn in 2004-5, Ash says.
Treating diseases caused by smoking is costly, however. The campaign group says the NHS spends £1.5bn a year, including hospital admissions, GP consultations and prescriptions. There are further costs in the form of benefits.
It is thought that about 3,000 people are employed by the tobacco industry in the UK, which is home to three of the five biggest tobacco companies in the world.
While it has been suggested that the smoking ban will hit manufacturers hard, others point out that cigarette prices have already been put up to offset any fall in sales.
"Smokers will continue to choose to smoke," said Imperial Tobacco ahead of the ban. | <urn:uuid:aec3bb3f-eb00-474a-92dc-f1c3f04e1632> | {
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August 03, 2011
Using its rapid deforestation detection system INPE found 312.7 square kilometers were cleared in June. Nearly 40 percent of deforestation occurred in the state of Pará. The states of Mato Grosso (26 percent), Rondonia (21 percent), and Amazonas (13 percent) also saw significant forest loss.
Entering the peak deforestation months — July through September/October — deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon in 2011 is so far outpacing last year's rate, which was the lowest since annual record-keeping began in the late 1980s.
Most observers expected to see an increase in deforestation this year due to higher commodity prices and anticipation of changes to Brazil's Forest Code, which requires private landowners to maintain forest cover on the majority of their holdings. Another contributing factor is continuing dry conditions across much of the Amazon basin, which increase the risk of fires spreading from agricultural areas into forest zones.
Brazilian government: Amazon deforestation rising
(06/30/2011) Satellite data released today by the Brazilian government confirmed a rise in Amazon deforestation over this time last year.
Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon continues to rise; clearing highest near Belo Monte dam site
(06/17/2011) Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon continued to rise as Brazil's Congress weighed a bill that would weaken the country's Forest Code, according to new analysis by Imazon.
Brazil confirms big jump in Amazon deforestation
(05/18/2011) New data from the Brazilian government seems to confirm environmentalists' fears that farmers and ranchers are clearing rainforest in anticipation of a weakening of the country's rules governing forest protection. Wednesday, Brazil's National Space Research Agency (INPE) announced a sharp rise in deforestation in March and April relative to the same period last year. INPE's rapid deforestation detection system (DETER) recorded 593 square kilometers of forest clearing during the past two months, a 473 percent increase over the 103.5 sq km chopped down from March-April 2010.
Huge surge in Amazon deforestation
(05/17/2011) Analysis by Imazon, a research institute, has confirmed a huge surge in deforestation in a critical part of the Brazilian Amazon.
Brazil's forest code debate may determine fate of the Amazon rainforest
(05/05/2011) Brazil's forest code may be about to get an overhaul. The federal code, which presently requires landowners in the Amazon to keep 80 percent of their land forest (20-35% in the cerrado), is widely flouted, but has been used in recent years as a lever by the government to go after deforesters. For example, the forest code served as the basis for the "blacklists" which restricted funds for municipalities where deforestation has been particularly high. To get off the blacklist, and thereby regain access to finance and markets, a municipality must demonstrate its landowners are in compliance with environmental laws. | <urn:uuid:49f0d674-fb24-429b-9579-fe225211bc31> | {
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With the tragic events that have unfolded in Japan following the catastrophic earthquake off the country's coast, some have raised the idea of using robotics to aid human efforts within disaster zones.
According to Antonio Espingardeiro, a robotics expert at the IEEE, more could have and should be done to use the possibilities offered by robots to help limit the effects of the Japanese disaster and the effects of the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
“In this situation, if there was better preparation with the appropriate technology then perhaps circumstances could already be improved,” he told TechEye.
Espingardeiro believes that risks could be lowered through the increased use of robots such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which can, for example, be equipped with radiation sensors for the purposes of monitoring and analysing air quality.
However it is a predominantly human crew that is working in the radioactive atmosphere to deal with the disaster, although preparations are being made to introduce more robotic devices for tasks such as inspecting underwater infrastructure.
“More needs to be done in the future to ensure that the relevant robotic technologies are available in disaster zones such as that of Japan,” said Espingardeiro.
“Japan has had to call for international help in order to provide appropriate robotics that can be used in the situation, with the US providing the main supply of hardware with its thermal imaging UAVs and other robotic technology.”
According to Espingardeiro, it is up to governments across the world to put more emphasis on the use of robotics in such situations to mitigate risks in the future.
“There is certainly a culture of change within views towards the use of robotics, but there needs to be more done to ensure that the relevant quality and quantity of hardware is available when it is needed.
“Many governments are just starting to realise the potential of robotics in such situations.”
Espingardeiro believes that the problem lies in the lack of suitable equipment available, alongside a lack of investment in the relevant training of personnel in the operation of robots on a large scale.
One of the stumbling blocks lies in the fact that the majority of cutting edge robotics technologies are the sole preserve of militaries, which account for large numbers of the hardware.
“While there are maybe 10-15 units in use in the Japanese disaster, there were for example 6,000 robots used in the Iraq war,” he said.
Espingardeiro thinks it's necessary that production is moved away from the military sphere so that commercialisation will allow current technologies to become more cost effective and not just for the defence budget-backed militaries.
“It is natural that technologies are more expensive initially, for example a number of years ago GPS was only used by the military, but I expect that robotics technology will also become more easily accessible.
“This will mean that rather than having a small number of units available in a particular situation which may cost over a million dollars, you might have one hundred.
“Therefore the inherent dangers that can be found in an environment such as in Japan, which could easily damage the cameras or sensors of a robot, would not cause any hesitation in use of a robot for a specific task.
"But it is very difficult to get your hands on a robot currently, even if you have the money."
Of course as Espingardeiro notes, the reduction in costing is something that will gradually come down due to market prices for relevant chips, sensors and motors, but with more investment in direct development of robotics technologies he believes that the timescale for the next generation of robots could be reduced from the expected ten to fifteen years.
In the longer term this will enable the use of significantly more sophisticated technology which would mean improved effectiveness in high risk situations.
“There are already examples of robots that have greatly increased dexterity compared to the gripper mechanisms of the current robots which are used in search and rescue missions,” he says.
One example Espingardeiro points to is NASA’s ‘Robonaut’ which utilises highly sophisticated dexterous touch that would enable precise control far away from dangerous areas, with particular use in the Japanese case.
Again, while this remote technology is available to some degree, more research needs to be done to solve bug problems and to make it more attainable.
As another longer term contingency plan, Espingardeiro believes that future nuclear reactors should place much more emphasis in their design on facilitating the use of robots.
The ideas can't be implemented in immediate or even short term time scales, but Espingardeiro says that as governments begin to fully realise the potential for robotics in disaster situations more can be done to use the technology to save lives - by sending in the robots straight away. | <urn:uuid:ab600739-b6b0-485d-8bd6-c986b5c538b8> | {
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A Great American Historical Moment Is Auctioned
Bidder Pays $2.1 Million for a Pivotal U.S. Document
By Jay Zimmer
There were 48 original copies of the great Emancipation Proclamation, all signed by President Abraham Lincoln in the closing months of 1862. The Civil War was raging, and at that point in the conflict, things were not going well for the Union forces.
Lincoln’s proclamation stated that as of the first day of 1863, all slaves in states then in rebellion were free, and that all offices of the United States including the federal government and the military were mandated to protect that freedom. It was pivotal in American history. Politically, Lincoln had no authority in the South; those states in rebellion had declared their own government, much as the original 13 colonies had done “fourscore and seven years” before.
Lincoln’s action was meant to sting and unsettle the Confederate government, concentrate their forces on finding and returning slaves who would run away upon hearing of the measure, and become an irritant to the South’s ability to wage war. Eventually it would lead to Army companies composed of African American troops who would fight their former masters in the blue uniform of the United States.
A hundred years later – almost exactly – another president, Lyndon Johnson, invoked the power of his predecessor’s proclamation saying that equality between the races was still an unfulfilled promise, as he sent his proposed the Voting Rights Act to Congress.
The Emancipation Proclamation was Lincoln’s defining moment, much as the firing of the air traffic controllers was for Reagan, the Cuban Missile Crisis for Kennedy, the China trip for Nixon, the Camp David Accord for Carter.
The forty-eight original copies were given by Lincoln to the Sanitary Commission, which later morphed into the Red Cross. The Commission sold the documents privately and used the money to care for Union soldiers during the war.
About half of those original copies survive, including one that was owned by the late Senator Robert Kennedy, which was auctioned by his family several years ago.
This latest copy was purchased for $2.1 million dollars by David Rubenstein, a managing director of the investment firm, The Carlyle Group. The seller’s name was not disclosed. The price paid was the second highest (after the $3.8 million paid for Kennedy’s copy) ever paid for a copy of this document. | <urn:uuid:b45e553a-f400-4c95-a5db-b921833374bb> | {
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Transforming scar tissue into beating heart muscle may help repair cardiac damage
Washington, Apr 19 (ANI): Researchers including one of Indian origin have declared a research breakthrough in mice that shows promise to restore hearts damaged by heart attacks-by converting scar-forming cardiac cells into beating heart muscle.
Gladstone Institutes scientists previously transformed such cells into cardiac muscle-like cells in petri dishes.
But Gladstone postdoctoral scholar Li Qian, PhD, along with researchers in the laboratory of Deepak Srivastava, MD, has now accomplished this transformation in living animals-and with even greater success.
The results may have broad human-health implications.
"The damage from a heart attack is typically permanent because heart-muscle cells-deprived of oxygen during the attack-die and scar tissue forms," said Dr. Srivastava, who directs cardiovascular and stem cell research at Gladstone, an independent and nonprofit biomedical-research institution.
"But our experiments in mice are a proof of concept that we can reprogram non-beating cells directly into fully functional, beating heart cells-offering an innovative and less invasive way to restore heart function after a heart attack."
In laboratory experiments with mice that had experienced a heart attack, Drs. Qian and Srivastava delivered three genes that normally guide embryonic heart development-together known as GMT-directly into the damaged region.
Within a month, non-beating cells that normally form scar tissue transformed into beating heart-muscle cells. Within three months, the hearts were beating even stronger and pumping more blood.
"These findings could have a significant impact on heart-failure patients-whose damaged hearts make it difficult for them to engage in normal activities like walking up a flight of stairs," said Dr. Qian, who is also a California Institute for Regenerative Medicine postdoctoral scholar and a Roddenberry Fellow.
"This research may result in a much-needed alternative to heart transplants-for which donors are extremely limited. And because we are reprogramming cells directly in the heart, we eliminate the need to surgically implant cells that were created in a petri dish."
"Our next goal is to replicate these experiments and test their safety in larger mammals, such as pigs, before considering clinical trials in humans," said Dr. Srivastava, who is also a professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), with which Gladstone is affiliated.
"We hope that our research will lay the foundation for initiating cardiac repair soon after a heart attack-perhaps even when the patient arrives in the emergency room," Dr. Srivastava added.
The study has been published in the journal Nature. (ANI)
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MONEY SPINNING IPL SHOULD BE BANNED - PASWAN
May 18, 2013 at 9:44 PM
CBI SUPERINTENDENT SENT TO THREE DAY POLICE REMAND
May 18, 2013 at 9:42 PM
SIDDARAMAIAH EXPANDS CABINET, ENSURES NO WATER CRISIS
May 18, 2013 at 9:41 PM | <urn:uuid:c33059e3-366c-41a6-9ea2-d66bfeabfbdb> | {
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Excessive use may make bird flu drug useless
Washington, Jan 8 (IANS) Overuse of cheap and popular drugs like Tamiflu may make the avian flu virus resistant to it. Scientists in the US have warned against their use after their failure to stop the flu virus in Asia.
The scientists say that excessive antiviral drug can accelerate drug resistance in viruses, and that resistance can spread rapidly. The results should serve as a warning to those who consider Tamiflu the great antiviral medication, researchers warned.
Researchers analysed almost 700 genome sequences of avian influenza strains to document where and when the virus developed resistance to a class of antiviral drugs called adamantanes and how far the resistance spread.
In order to prepare for a long-feared pandemic flu outbreak, especially in the event that avian flu mutates enough to infect and be easily transmitted among humans, Tamiflu has become a standard to avoid it.
'We can't necessarily say what we've seen in adamantanes is predictive of what will happen with Tamiflu. But in the larger dynamic, perhaps it serves as a cautionary tale,' said Daniel Janies, study co-author and an associate professor of biomedical informatics at Ohio State University.
Seasonal Influenza in Asia had developed resistance against the antiviral drug adamantanes and this was discovered in 2002 but by 2006 the drug was declared worthless as a treatment for the flu because more than 90 percent of the strains had developed a resistance to the drugs, said an Ohio release.
Janies analysed hundreds of avian flu genomes isolated from avian, feline and human hosts between 1996 and 2007 and found that every third of the samples carried mutations enabling the virus strains to resist the effects of adamantane drugs.
Read More: Charkhari State | Sarila State | Badrinath Seasonal | Bampa Seasonal | Malari Seasonal | Kumaon University Nainital | Mahdaiya State | Gorakhpur University | Agra University | Ayurvedic University | Bundelkhand University So | Mds University Ajmer Dtso | Bhopal University | University | Jiwaji University | State Bank Of Hyderabad | State Bank Of India | State Bank Of Mysore Colony | State Bank Colony | State Farm Colony
MONEY SPINNING IPL SHOULD BE BANNED - PASWAN
May 18, 2013 at 9:44 PM
CBI SUPERINTENDENT SENT TO THREE DAY POLICE REMAND
May 18, 2013 at 9:42 PM
SIDDARAMAIAH EXPANDS CABINET, ENSURES NO WATER CRISIS
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Did you miss our G+ Hangout with a National Geographic inventor? Watch our video, then check out TH Culhane’s blog for detailed instructions on how to make your own motor and generator!
What could you make with a scouring pad, a paper towel, drain cleaner, and an aluminum can tab?
How about enough electricity to power a flashlight?
Join us for our next Google+ Hangout with NG Explorer and Google Science Fair judge TH Culhane at his laboratory in Germany for a do-it-yourself build-along event! In support of Girlstart’s DeSTEMber focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, we’re building an electric motor, a lemon battery, and a soda can tab that produces electricity with materials mostly found at home. The best part? You can build along with TH!
Here is the list of what you will need to get beforehand:
Safety First… Gloves and goggles!
1. Super Simple Electric Motor
C cell battery (any battery will do, AA, or AAA or D, but C is easy to hold)
A dry wall screw
A round neodymium magnet (get the big one, splurge, they only cost 3 bucks but they spin better)
A piece of wire
2. Lemon Battery
A penny (for copper)
A nail (for zinc)
Various low voltage LEDs
3. Joule Thief
A Blue or White LED (Other colors are fine, too)
2N3904 Transistor or equivalent
1k Resistor (Brown-Black-Red)
Thin wire, two colors (magnet wire works, .6mm)
Alligator clips and/or a breadboard
4. Electricity From a Soda Can Tab
Aluminum can tab (or aluminum foil)
Stainless steel scouring pad
A paper towel or a thin cleaning sponge to separate the stainless steel and the aluminum
Some drain cleaner | <urn:uuid:3d306bd8-adeb-42dc-a62d-e9f3f042f7cd> | {
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Creature Feature: The Bald Eagle!
If you've ever seen a bald eagle, you'll have probably noticed something a little bit strange - they aren't bald! This is because the name actually comes from an old English word, "balde", meaning white.
Bald Eagles are found in North America, and have been the national symbol of the United States since 1782. But did you know that these beautiful birds were once on the brink of extinction because of hunting and pollution? Luckily, laws created almost 50 years ago have helped protect them, and they've made a comeback. Yeah!
One of the most awesome sights in nature is a bald eagle swooping down from the sky to grab a fish. They can soar over a 3,048m high (that's over nine times the height of the Eiffel tower!), and their great eyesight lets them see fish up to 1.6km away. When they attack, they drop down, glide just above the water, snag a fish with their feet, and fly off to eat it.
Babies, called eaglets, are born light grey then turn brown as they get older. When they are four to five years old, they develop their normal white heads and tails.
Eagle nests are called aeries. Bald eagles build their nests at the very top of tall trees so the eggs will be safe. Some parents come back year after year to the same nest, adding more sticks, twigs and grass each time.
- These carnivorous birds can only lift about half their body weight. If they catch a fish that weighs more than that, they might hang onto it with their claws and "swim" to shore using their huge wings.
- The average female bald eagle has a wingspan of 1.8m to 2.4m, and weighs 4kg.
- In the wild, bald eagles can live up to 35 years old.
- Female bald eagles are larger than males. Their bodies can grow up to 1m long, and their wingspan can be up to 2.4m across (that's about the distance from the floor to the ceiling!).
Adapted from text by Scot Hoffman.
Images: Getty Images UK. | <urn:uuid:e8b2bb9c-0b9e-4743-986d-6fe629794932> | {
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Subsequent smaller folds would include the assumptions associated with the theory. The finished object might resemble a silhouette of two people connected to one another, alluding to the ongoing nurse and client interaction required for deliberative care to effectively take place.
Dynamic Nurse-Patient Relationship
Know the THEORIST
Distinguish the THEORY
“Nurse, can you give me my morphine,” cried out Mrs. So. “Can you tell how painful it is using the 0 ‐10 pain scale, where 0 being not painful and 10 being severely painful?”replied the nurse. “Ummm... I think it’s about 7. Can I have my morphine now?” “Mrs. So, I think something is bothering you besides your pain. Am I correct?” Mrs. So cried and said, “I can’t help it. I’m so worried about my 3 boys. I’m not sure how they are or who’s been taking care of them. They’re still so young to be left alone. My husband is in Yemen right now and he won’t be back until next month.” “Why don’t we make a phone call to your house so you could check out on your boys?” Mrs. So phoned his sons. “Thank you nurse. I don’t think I still need that morphine. My boys are fine. Our neighbour, Mrs. Yee, she’s watching over my boys right now.”
The focus of Orlando’s paradigm hubs the context of a dynamic nurse-patient phenomenon constructively realized through highlighting the key concepts such as : Patient Behavior, Nurse Reaction , Nurse Action.
1. The nursing process is set in motion by the Patient Behavior. All patient behavior, verbal ( a patient’s use of language ) or non-verbal ( includes physiological symptoms, motor activity, and nonverbal communication) , no matter how insignificant, must be considered an expression of a need for help and needs to be validated . If a patient’s behavior does not effectively assessed by the nurse then a major problem in giving care would rise leading to a nurse-patient relationship failure. Overtime . the more it is difficult to establish rapport to the patient once behavior is not determined. Communicating effectively is vital to achieve patient’s cooperation in achieving health.
Remember : When a patient has a need for help that cannot be resolved without the help of another, helplessness results
2. The Patient behavior stimulates a Nurse Reaction . In this part, the beginning of the nurse-patient relationship takes place. It is important to correctly evaluate the behavior of the patient using the nurse reactions steps to achieve positive feedback response from the patient. The steps are as follows:
The nurse perceives behavior through any of the senses -> The perception leads to automatic thought -> The thought produces an automatic feeling ->The nurse shares reactions with the patient to ascertain whether perceptions are accurate or inaccurate -> The nurse consciously deliberates about personal reactions and patient input in order to produce professional deliberative actions based on mindful assessment rather than automatic reactions.
Remember : Exploration with the patient helps validate the patient’s behavior.
3. Critically considering one or two ways in implementing Nurse Action. When providing care, nursing action can be done either automatic or deliberative.
Automatic reactions stem from nursing behaviors that are performed to satisfy a directive other than the patient’s need for help.
For example, the nurse who gives a sleeping pill to a patient every evening because it is ordered by the physician, without first discussing the need for the medication with the patient, is engaging in automatic, non-deliberative behavior. This is because the reason for giving the pill has more to do with following medical orders (automatically) than with the patient’s immediate expressed need for help.
Deliberative reaction is a “disciplined professional response” It can be argued that all nursing actions are meant to help the client and should be considered deliberative. However, correct identification of actions from the nurse’s assessment should be determined to achieve reciprocal help between nurse and patient’s health. The following criterias should be considered.
- Deliberative actions result from the correct identification of patient needs by validation of the nurses’s reaction to patient behavior.
- The nurse explores the meaning of the action with the patient and its relevance to meeting his need.
- The nurse validates the action’s effectiveness immediately after compelling it.
- The nurse is free of stimuli unrelated to the patient’s need (when action is taken).
Remember : for an action to have been truly deliberative, it must undergo reflective evaluation to determine if the action helped the client by addressing the need as determined by the nurse and the client in the immediate situation.
Learn more about the THEORYMETAPARADIGM CONCEPTS
Human/Person An individual in need. Unique individual behaving verbally or nonverbally. Assumption is that individuals are at times able to meet their own needs and at other times unable to do so.
Health Assumption is that being without emotional or physical discomfort and having a sense of well-being contribute to a healthy state. She further assumed that freedom from mental or physical discomfort and feelings of adequacy and well being contribute to health. she also noted that repeated experiences of having been helped undoubtedly culminate over periods of time in greater degrees of improvement
Environment Orlando assumes it as a nursing situation that occurs when there is a nurse-patient contact and that both nurse and patient perceive, think, feel and act in the immediate situation. any aspect of the environment, even though its designed for therapeutic and helpful purposes, can cause the patient to become distressed. She stressed out that when a nurse observes a patient behavior, it should be perceived as a signal of distress.
Nursing A distinct profession "Providing direct assistance to individuals in whatever setting they are found for he purpose of avoiding, relieving, diminishing, or curing the individual's sense of helplessness" (Orlando, 1972, p. 22). Professional nursing is conceptualized as finding out and meeting the client’s immediate need for help.
Cite the Applications of the THEORY
In Nursing Research
in Nursing Education
- In a Veterans Administration (VA) ambulatory psychiatric practice in
Providence, RIShea, McBride, Gavin, and Bauer (1987) used ’s theoretical model with patients having a bipolar disorder.Their research results indicate that there were: higher patient retention, reduction of emergency services, decreased hospital stay, and increased satisfaction. They recommended its use throughout the VA system.Currently Orlando ’s model is being used in a multi-million dollar research study of patients with a bipolar disorder at 12 sites in the VA system (McBride, Telephone interview, July, 2000). McBride and colleagues continue its use in practice and research at the Orlando Veteran Administration Hospitalin . Providence, RI
- In a pilot study, Potter and Bockenhauer (2000) found positive results after implementing
’s theory. These included:positive, patient-centered outcomes, a model for staff to use to approach patients, and a decrease in patient’s immediate distress. The study provides variable measurements that might be used in other research studies. Orlando
in Nursing Practice
's theory has a continuing influence on nursing education. Through e-mail communication it was found that the Orlando Midwestern State Universi tyin Wichita Falls, Texas, is using 's theory for teaching entering nursing students. According to Greene (e-mail communication, June, 2000) she became aware, when taking a doctoral course about nursing theories, that it was Orlando theory used by its school. Orlando
- Through networking the author found that for over 10 years South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD has been using Haggerty’s (1985) description of the communication based on Orlando’s theory for entering nursing students as well as re-enforcing it in their junior year (e-mail communication, (J. Fjelland, June, 2000). Joyce Fjelland, MS, RN. After working with Schmieding at
Boston City Hospital, Lois Haggerty used Orlando’s theory in her teaching of students and in conducting a research study of students’ responses to distressed patients at Boston Collegein . Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
From an ICU nurse: “Patients have an initial ability to communicate their need for help”. Consider a case of an immediate post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) patient. Once relieved from the effects of anesthetic sedation, though intubated, you would realize his excruciating retort from the sternotomy incisional pain through implicit cues. Morphine Sulfate 1 to 2 mg To be given via slow IV push every 1 to 2 hours or Ketorolac 15 mg IV every 6 hours is the typical pro re nata (PRN) order of a cardiac intensivist to relieve the client from pain. Automatic response of a nurse is to calm the client and encourage relaxation through deep breathing while splinting the chest with a pillow. Being Deliberate in your actions include knowing the pharmacokinetics of an ordered drug in relation to the client’s physiologic standing. If the creatinine level were elevated, would you administer ketorolac? If the client is on respiratory precaution, would you administer Morphine? You would ask yourself, what other alternatives do I have to ease my client from pain? “The client’s behavior is meaningful”. If such “need” would be fittingly dealt with, the intervention is thriving. “When patient’s needs are not met, they become distressed.”Analyze the THEORY
A relative of a patient at the emergency room went to the nurse’s station and began complaining in a loud shouting voice that their patient being a charity case is not being given the same quality of care as that of the other patients who are under private consultants. He claimed that their patient who was hyperventilating and was complanining of difficulty of breathing due to neurocirculatory astheinia was just forced to sit in the cubicle, while the rich-looking patient was a gomey.
How will you handle this kind of situation and avoid conflict? How can
’s dynamic nurse-patient interaction theory be utilized in this type of situation? Orlando
This Group Blog is Submitted to Ms. Sheila Bonito, FIC,
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in N207.
Manager: Aux Lizares
Editor: Maria Mae Juanich
Katrina Anne Limos
Ginno Paulo Maglaya
Diana Jasmin Lee
AcknowledgmentWe would like to acknowledge the following people: Ma’am Shiela Bonito, for coming up with this group work which really challenged not only our knowledge, understanding and creativity but also our ability to stay connected despite the distance, Ms. Aux Lizares, for diligently sorting out the articles, Ms. Maria Mae Juanich, for organizing the articles into a working blog, and for Ms. Katrina Anne Limos, Mr. Gino Paulo Maglaya, and Ms. Diana Jasmin Lee, for tirelessly contributing their thoughts, ideas, and resources. Without all of you, this blog would have never been possible. Thank you very much!!!
Let us learn together. Have we done justice to Ida J. Orlando in presenting her theory this way? We would like to invite you to share with us your thoughts, feelings, comments or reactions on our blog entitled, “Understanding Ida Jean Orlando-Pelletier’sDynamic Nurse-Patient Relationship.” Thank you for your participation!Regards,
I.J. (1972). The discipline and teaching of nursing process: An evaluative study. : G. P. Putnam. New York
George, J.B. (2002). Nursing Process Discipline: Ida Jean Orlando. In George, J.B. (Ed.). Nursing Theories: the Base for professional nursing practice (5th Ed.).
: Prentice Hall, pp. 189-208. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey (2002). Ida Jean Orlando (Pelletier): Nursing Process Theory. In Tomey, A.M., & Alligood, M.R.. Nurse theorists and their work (5th Ed.). St. Louis: Mosby, pp. 399-417. Schmieding, N.J.
Orlando, I.J. (1961). The dynamic nurse-patient relationship, function, process and principles. New York: G. P. Putnam.]
Haggerty, L.A. (1985). A theoretical model for developing students’ communication skills. Journal of Nursing Education, 24(7), 296-298.
Haggerty, L.A. (1987). An analysis of senior nursing students’ immediate responses to distressed patients.. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 12, 451-461.
Nancy M. Shea, Linda McBride, Christopher Gavin, and Mark Bauer
Bauer, M. S. (2001). The collaborative practice model for bipolar disorder-Design and implementation in a multisite randomized controlled trial. Bipolar Disorders 3(5), 233-244. Bauer, M.S., & McBride, L.(2002). Structured group psychotherapy for bipolar disorder (2nd Ed). New York: Springer Publishing Co. Shea, N. M., McBride, L. Gavin, C., & Bauer, M. (1997). The effects of ambulatory collaboration practice model on process and outcome of care for bipolar disorder. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association 3(2), 49-57. Mertie. L. Potter, ND, ARNP, CS and Barbara Jo Bockenhauer, MS, RNC
Potter, M.L. & Bockenhauer, B.J. (2000). Implementing Orlando’s nursing process theory: A pilot study. Journa
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Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Acoel Flatworm Waminoa species
The diminutive acoel flatworms look like colored spots on the bubble coral on which they live. Their ultra-thin bodies glide over the coral surface as they graze, probably eating organic debris trapped by coral mucus. Acoel flatworms have no eyes and instead of a gut, they have a network of digestive cells. They are able to reproduce by fragmentation, each piece forming a new individual. The genus is difficult to identify to species level and the distribution of acoel flatworms is uncertain. | <urn:uuid:7f445df0-7be3-4499-90a1-236dec70c805> | {
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is Concept Attainment?
Attainment is an indirect instructional strategy that uses a structured
inquiry process. It is based on the work of Jerome Bruner. In concept
attainment, students figure out the attributes of a group or category
that has already been formed by the teacher. To do so, students
compare and contrast examples that contain the attributes of the
concept with examples that do not contain those attributes. They
then separate them into two groups. Concept attainment, then, is
the search for and identification of attributes that can be used
to distinguish examples of a given group or category from non-examples.
is its purpose?
attainment is designed to clarify ideas and to introduce aspects
of content. It engages students into formulating a concept through
the use of illustrations, word cards or specimens called examples.
Students who catch onto the idea before others are able to resolve
the concept and then are invited to suggest their own examples,
while other students are still trying to form the concept. For this
reason, concept attainment is well suited to classroom use because
all thinking abilities can be challenged throughout the activity.
With experience, children become skilled at identifying relationships
in the word cards or specimens. With carefully chosen examples,
it is possible to use concept attainment to teach almost any concept
in all subjects.
make connections between what students know and what they will
how to examine a concept from a number of perspectives
how to sort out relevant information
their knowledge of a concept by classifying more than one example
of that concept
go beyond merely associating a key term with a definition
concept is learned more thoroughly and retention is improved
do I do it?
of Concept Attainment:
and define a concept
positive and negative examples
the process to the students
the examples and list the attributes
a concept definition
the process with the class
the teacher chooses a concept to developed. (i.e. Math facts that
by making list of both positive "yes" and negative "
no" examples: The examples are put onto sheets of paper or
Examples: (Positive examples contain attributes of the concept
to be taught) i.e. 5+5, 11-1, 10X1, 3+4+4, 12-2, 15-5, (4X2)+2,
Examples: (for examples choose facts that do not have 10 as
the answer) i.e. 6+6, 3+3, 12-4, 3X3, 4X4, 16-5, 6X2, 3+4+6, 2+(2X3),
one area of the chalkboard for the positive examples and one area
for negative examples. A chart could be set up at the front of
the room with two columns - one marked YES and the other marked
the first card by saying, "This is a YES." Place it
under the appropriate column. i.e. 5+5 is a YES
the next card and say, "This is a NO." Place it under
the NO column. i.e. 6+6 is a NO
this process until there are three examples under each column.
the class to look at the three examples under the YES column and
discuss how they are alike. (i.e. 5+5, 11-1, 2X5) Ask "What
do they have in common?"
the next tree examples under each column, ask the students to
decide if the examples go under YES or NO.
this point, there are 6 examples under each column. Several students
will have identified the concept but it is important that they
not tell it out loud to the class. They can however show
that they have caught on by giving an example of their own for
each column. At this point, the examples are student-generated.
Ask the class if anyone else has the concept in mind. Students
who have not yet defined the concept are still busy trying to
see the similarities of the YES examples. Place at least three
more examples under each column that are student-generated.
the process with the class. Once most students have caught on,
they can define the concept. Once they have pointed out that everything
under the YES column has an answer of 10, then print a new heading
at the top of the column (10 Facts). The print a new heading for
the NO column (Not 10 Facts).
can I adapt it?
activity can be done on the chalkboard, chart paper or overhead
projector to a large or small group. It also works well as one-on-one
work. Rather than starting with the teacher's concept, use a student's
concept. Concept attainment can be used to introduce or conclude
a unit of study.
on the Concept Attainment Model
all of the positive examples to the students at once and have
them determine the essential attributes.
all of the positive and negative examples to the students without
labeling them as such. Have them group the examples into the two
categories and determine the essential attributes.
the students define, identify the essential attributes of, and
choose positive examples for a concept already learned in class.
the model as a group activity.
and Evaluation Considerations
write the definition from memory.
positive and negative examples from a given group.
their own examples of the concept.
a learning log
an oral presentation
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- Linking behaviour and physiology of female bonobos (Pan paniscus) (2005)
- The present study investigates sexual behaviour and the importance of dominance in female bonobos. Detailed behavioural studies were carried out on four mixed-sex captive bonobo groups; morphological data and faecal samples were collected to allow non-invasive assessment of physiological parameters. First, I addressed the background for the variability in patterns of menstrual and swelling cycles in bonobos. The duration of menstrual intervals was influenced by reproductive history. Menstrual cycles and phases of maximum tumescence of the sexual swelling lasted longer in lactating females. Parity did not influence cycle patterns. Further, the variability of the duration of intermenstrual intervals was found to be mainly caused by variability in follicular phase length. The luteal phase, contrastingly, was much less variable and did not influence the length of intermenstrual intervals. This raises the question whether sexual swellings serve as a reliable indicator of ovulation in bonobos. Hormone analyses showed that the day of ovulation could not be predicted from the onset of maximum tumescence. Also detumescence of the swelling was no clear sign that ovulation had occurred. Nonetheless, sexual interactions were found to vary according to the degree of tumescence, being most frequent at maximum tumescence. The frequency of sexual interactions did not change in the peri-ovulatory phase and no difference between was seen between follicular and luteal phase. This indicates that sexual swellings are not a reliable signal of ovulation. Rather, they could be a graded signal that advertises the probability of ovulation which allows females to follow a mixed strategy of confusing and biasing paternity. Next, the context and function of same-sex sexual interactions among female bonobos were investigated. Genital rubbing took place more often between non-related than between related females. Females were able to get hold of and defend monopolisable food items without the help of other females in feeding experiments. No relationship between genital rubbing and food sharing was found and no female-female coalitions were formed during these experiments. Interventions in conflicts outside the feeding experiments were observed mainly in heterosexual conflicts but females supported each other irrespective of preferences for genital rubbing. The frequency of genital rubbing did not vary in dependence of the degree of genital swelling and the solicitation of genital rubbing was not asymmetric in dependence of the relative degree of swelling of the two partners. The degree of tumescence did not influence the frequency of received or overall aggression for a female. Although most female dyads were involved in same-sex conflicts, genital rubbing was observed in less than half of the dyads after the conflict. No increase of gg rubbing occurred 15 minutes after a conflict compared to 15 minutes before. High-ranking females took the male position during genital rubbing significantly more often than low ranking ones. The direction of initiation of genital rubbing was not influenced by social status. The data do no support the hypothesis that genial rubbing serves to form or maintain alliances, to reduce competition among females or to reconcile former opponents. However, genital rubbing may be a display of social status or may serve to reduce tension. Finally, the correlation of physiological parameters and social status in female bonobos was studied. I investigated whether females differ in their excretion pattern of the glucocorticoid 11-ketoetiocholanolone (DOA) in dependence of their social status. Based on displacements, females were categorised to either high or low social status. During the feeding experiments carried out on one group, high social status transferred in access to monopolisable food, the low ranking female was not successful in monopolising the food item. However, female social status was not reflected in the faecal excretion pattern of glucocorticoid metabolites in any of the three groups analysed. In two groups the high-ranking individuals had higher levels of iDOA than low-ranking individuals, in the other group it was vice versa. The fourth group did not allow this investigation as the high ranking individual was pregnant and pregnancy was found to result in elevated glucocorticoid levels. The results indicate that also in bonobo females, high social status translates into better access to monopolizable resources. Status dependent differences in cortisol excretion may not exist in bonobos or may become obvious only during periods of social instability. Alternatively, social status may not influence adrenocortical function but other physiological parameters of the so-called stress axes. Taken together, this study provides an interdisciplinary view on bonobo female behaviour and physiology helping to better understand the adaptive significance of a species’ social and mating system. | <urn:uuid:ab0f4f72-67d4-4b23-8bf9-3bf28c987cc1> | {
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Early foragers and farmers made wine from wild grapes or other fruits. According to archaeological evidence, by 6000 BC grape wine was being made in the Caucasus, and by 3200 BC domesticated grapes had become abundant in the entire Near East. In Mesopotamia, wine was imported from the cooler northern regions, and so came to be known as ‘liquor of the mountains’. In Egypt as in Mesopotamia, wine was for nobles and priests, and mostly reserved for religious or medicinal purposes. The Egyptians fermented grape juice in amphorae which they covered with cloth or leather lids and then sealed up with mud from the Nile. By biblical times, wine had acquired some less dignified purposes. According to the Old Testament, Noah planted a vineyard, and ‘drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent’ (Genesis 9:21). Skip to the New Testament and here is Jesus employed as a wine consultant: ‘And no man putteth new wine into old wineskins: else the wine bursts the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins: but new wine must be put into new skins’ (Mark 2:22).
Many of the grape varieties that are cultivated in modern Greece are similar or identical to those cultivated there in Ancient times. Wine played a central role in Ancient Greek culture, and the vine—which, as in the Near East, had been domesticated by the Early Bronze Age—was widely cultivated. The Minoans, who flourished on the island of Crete from c.2700 to c.1450 BC, imported and exported different wines, which they used not only for recreational but also for religious and ritual purposes. Wine played a similarly important role for the later Myceneans, who flourished on mainland Greece from c.1600 to 1100 BC. In fact, wine was so important to the Greeks as to be personified by a major deity, Dionysus or Bacchus, and honoured with a number of annual festivals. One such festival was the Anthesteria, which, held in February each year, celebrated the opening of wine jars to test the new wine. Active in the 9th century BC, the poet Homer often sung of wine, famously alluding to the Aegean as the ‘wine dark sea’. In the Odyssey, he says that ‘wine can of their wits the wise beguile/ Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile’. In the Works and Days, the poet Hesiod, who lived in the 7th or 8th century BC, speaks of pruning and even of drying the grapes prior to fermentation. The Greeks plainly understood that no two wines are the same, and held the wines of Thassos, Lesbos, Chios, and Mende in especially high regard; Theophrastus, a contemporary and close friend of Aristotle, even demonstrated some pretty clear notions of terroir.
In Ancient Greece, vines were left to their own devices, supported on forked props, or trained up trees. In his Natural History, Pliny the Elder describes the Ancient Greek practice of using partly dehydrated gypsum prior to fermentation, and some type of lime after fermentation, to remove acidity—but this was no doubt a relatively recent or infrequent practice. The wine was neither racked nor fined, and it was not uncommon for the drinker to want to pass it through a sieve or strainer. Additives such as aromatic herbs, spice, honey, or a small part of seawater were often added both to improve and preserve the wine—which could also be concentrated by boiling. Finished wine was stored in amphorae lined with resin or pitch, both substances that imparted some additional and characteristic flavour. Generally speaking, wine was sweeter then than it is today, reflecting not only prevalent tastes, but also the ripeness of the grapes, the use of natural yeasts in fermentation, and the lack of temperature control during fermentation. At the same time, wine did come in a wide variety of styles, some of which were markedly austere. To drink undiluted wine was considered a bad and barbarian practice—almost as bad as drinking beer like the Babylonian or Egyptian peasant classes. Wine was diluted with two or three parts of water to produce a beverage with an alcoholic strength of around 3-5%. The comedian Hermippus, who flourished in the golden age of Athens, described the best vintage wines as having a nose of violets, roses, and hyacinths; however, most wine would have turned sour within a year and specific vintages are never mentioned.
Together with the sea-faring Phoenicians, the Ancient Greeks disseminated the vine throughout the Mediterranean, and even named southern Italy Oenotria or ‘Land of Vines’. If wine was important to the Greeks, it was even more so to the Romans, who thought of it as a daily necessity of life and democratized its drinking. They established a great number of Western Europe’s major wine producing regions, not only to provide steady supplies for their soldiers and colonists, but also to trade with native tribes and convert them to the Roman cause. In particular, the trade of Hispanic wines surpassed that even of Italian wines, with Hispanic amphorae having been unearthed as far as Britain and the limes Germanicus or German frontier. In his Geographica (7 BC), Strabo states that the vineyards of Hispania Beatica (which roughly corresponds to modern Andalucia) were famous for their great beauty. The area of Pompeii produced a great deal of wine, much of it destined for the city of Rome, and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD led to a dramatic shortage. The people of Rome panicked, uprooting food crops to plant vineyards. This led to a food shortage and wine glut, which in 92 AD compelled the emperor Domitian to issue an edict banning the planting of vineyards in Rome.
The Romans left behind a number of agricultural treatises that provide a wealth of information on Roman viticulture and winemaking. In particular, Cato the Elder’s De Agri Cultura (c. 160 BC) served as the Roman textbook of winemaking for several centuries. In De Re Rustica, Columella surveyed the main grape varieties, which he divided into three main groups: noble varieties for great Italian wines, high yielding varieties that can nonetheless produce age-worthy wines, and prolific varieties for ordinary table wine. Pliny the Elder, who also surveyed the main grape varieties, claimed that ‘classic wines can only be produced from vines grown on trees’, and it is true that the greatest wines of Campania, such as Caecuban and Falernian, nearly all came from vines trained on trees—often elms or poplars. Both Caecuban and Falernian were white sweet wines, although there also existed a dry style of Falernian. Undiluted Falernian contained a high degree of alcohol; so high that a candle flame could set it alight. It was deemed best to drink Falernian at about 15-20 years old, and another classed growth called Surrentine at 25 years old or more. The Opimian vintage of 121 BC, named after the consul in that year Lucius Opimius, acquired legendary fame, with some examples still being drunk more than 100 years later.
The best wines were made from the initial and highly prized free-run juice obtained from the treading of the grapes. At the other end of the spectrum were posca, a mixture of water and sour wine that had not yet turned to vinegar, and lora, a thin drink or piquette produced from a third pressing of grape skins. Following the Greek invention of the screw, screw presses became common on Roman villas. Grape juice was fermented in large clay vessels called dolia, which were often partially sunk into the ground. The wine was then racked into amphorae for storing and shipping. Barrels invented by the Gauls and, later still, glass bottles invented by the Syrians vied as alternatives to amphorae. As in Ancient Greece, additives were common: chalk or marble to neutralize excess acid; and boiled must, herbs, spice, honey, resin, or seawater to improve and preserve thin offerings. Maderization was common and sought after; at the same time, rooms destined for wine storage were sometimes built so as to face north and away from the sun. Following the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Church perpetuated the knowledge of viticulture and winemaking, first and foremost to provide the blood of Christ for the celebration of Mass. | <urn:uuid:65751155-e387-4f5b-a091-2071a5160eb5> | {
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Members of the Department of Paleobiology have
been leading vertebrate paleontology expeditions since before the
museum was built. The first dinosaur expeditions were led by
Othniel Marsh, then at Yale University , who collected most of the
dinosaurs on display in the main exhibit hall. He was followed by
Charles Gilmore, who served as Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians
for more than 20 years. His expeditions added dinosaurs such as
Brachyceratops tour collections.
A long hiatus in dinosaur collecting followed
Gilmore’s death in 1945, which would not end until Dr. Michael
Brett-Surman began his field work in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming
in 1992. Today the work of finding and collecting new dinosaurs
continues, with the addition of a new Curator of Dinosaurs, Dr.
Matthew Carrano. We invite you to take a tour of some of our recent | <urn:uuid:2f5cc2c3-1d9e-4be4-bb3f-457d51ce60ba> | {
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Q. I can’t get my teenage son or daughter to really talk to me about their lives. I want to help them. What can I do to encourage communication?
A. You are not alone. It is often difficult for parents and teens to communicate effectively. Many of us have forgotten the angst of our teen years, and we unintentionally invalidate our children’s feelings or attempt to solve their problems when we should be listening and empathizing.
When you observe your teens in distress, like most parents, you are eager to help them resolve emotional pain. If you can get them to talk, avoid using statements that disparage their feelings. Remove from your vocabulary phrases such as “you’ll get over it,” “don’t be so sensitive,” or “I don’t know why something like this would upset you.” Most teens are very emotional. Give them room and permission to have those emotions.
When they do talk, teenagers often just need to vent. While it is natural for parents to want to help with their problems or fix situations, avoid doing that. Try simply listening, not offering an opinion unless asked, and empathizing with them.
Avoid asking your teens questions that are too broad. When they come home from a night out, don’t ask, “How was your night?” Most young people will say “fine” and head toward their room or the refrigerator. Instead try asking, “What did you think about the movie?” or “What did you have for dinner?” These questions often start a conversation.
For more ideas on increasing communications with your teens, I highly recommend Teenage as a Second Language by Barbara Greenberg and Jennifer Powell-Lunder.
Q. I think my 16-year-old daughter is sexually active, but I’m uncertain. I don’t want to encourage her, but I don’t want her to be unprotected?
A. Once a young person reaches a certain age, parents are no longer the decision maker about sexual activity regardless of how much control one attempts to assert or how strong a parent’s personal beliefs. The best one can hope for is that young adults will be ready in all emotional and practical aspects when they decide to become sexually active.
Since you suspect that your daughter is having sex, you should have an honest conversation with her to be certain that she is knowledgeable about protection and the risks of unsafe sex. Hopefully, you had that conversation long ago. If not, it is now time.
Your daughter and all teenagers should be informed about the dangers of unprotected sex. Every year about 25 percent of sexually active teens contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD). According to the Center for Disease Control, 38.9 percent of teens did not use a condom during their last encounter. Many teens believe that if they use a condom it means they planned to have sex. In their minds, unplanned sex is somehow less “wrong” than if the sexual encounter was planned. At that point, they are not worried about diseases.
One of the most devastating risks of unprotected sex for teens is the danger of being infected with the AIDS virus. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2009, over 20 percent of people diagnosed with AIDS were 13 to 24. The rate of teens infected with AIDS has increased over 50 percent since the late 1980’s. One of the reasons for this increase is that many teens still have the belief that AIDS is only a homosexual disease and cannot be contracted through heterosexual contact.
Assure your daughter that she has many years to be sexually active. The teen years are not a time one should have to worry about protection, pregnancy, or diseases.
• • •
Nancy Ryburn holds a doctorate degree in psychology from Yeshiva University in New York City where she maintained a private practice for several years. If you have questions, e-mail them to [email protected]. The questions will not be answered personally, but could appear in a future column. There will be no identifying information and all e-mails remain confidential. | <urn:uuid:76f05829-c851-45c4-b0ed-5d1569b73500> | {
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US Fish and Wildlife Service has designated more than 187,000 square miles in the Arctic as critical habitat for polar bears under the Endangered Species Act.
On Nov 4 a US District Court judge ruled that the decision to list polar bears as "Threatened" and not "Endangered" in May 2008 must be reconsidered or defended.
May 28 the Government of Nunavut stated that they think polar bears are thriving, and thus they oppose the proposed uplisting of polar bears as a species of Special Concern under the Canadian Species at Risk Act.
The status table and reviews discussed and decided upon in Copenhagen in 2009 are finally available on the website.
Approximately half the members of the PBSG met in Oslo February 8-10, 2010, to meet the request from the Parties to the 1973 Agreement for input to national action plans.
The PBSG guidelines have been reviewed and all members except one have been appointed. The new guidelines and list of members have been published on the website. | <urn:uuid:39b96d9e-bd31-4944-9302-28e8bb134f18> | {
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(PhysOrg.com) -- 'Fossil viruses' preserved inside the DNA of mammals and insects suggest that all viruses, including relatives of HIV and Ebola, could potentially be stowaways transmitted from generation to generation for millions of years, according to new research.
A team from Oxford University and the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center built on earlier work at Oxford that discovered the fossilised remains of an ancient HIV-like virus in the genomes of animals including sloths, lemurs and rabbits.
The teams new research, reported in this weeks PLoS Genetics, shows that many more different types of viruses are endogenous capable of being transmitted from generation to generation with fossil viruses turning up in the genomes of creatures as different as mosquitoes, wallabies, and humans.
Many of these viruses, such as the ancestors of Ebola, are far more ancient and spread across many more animal groups than anyone ever suspected, said Dr Aris Katzourakis of Oxford Universitys Department of Zoology, an author of the report. Weve demonstrated that viruses have been integrating within animal genomes for at least 100 million years.
Weve also shown that, in some cases, viral genes have been domesticated by their hosts, and put to use by the hosts for their own purposes, demonstrating that captured viral sequences may have played a larger than expected role in animal evolution.
Understanding the historical conflict between viruses and animal immune systems could lead to new approaches to combating existing viruses such as HIV and Ebola. It could also help scientists to decide which viruses that cross species are likely to cause dangerous pandemics in the future.
These viruses represent the tip of the iceberg of endogenous viral diversity, said Dr Katzourakis. We have discovered a large and diverse set of virus sequences preserved in animal genomes, which together include representatives of all known viral groups. This demonstrates a potential for endogenisation for any virus, and illustrates that viral fossil records may be uncovered for many elusive viral groups.
Explore further: New formula invented for microscope viewing, substitutes for federally controlled drug | <urn:uuid:71c0ad1a-5dbd-4c52-b4c8-e379a50094d8> | {
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The prevalence of mild sleep-disordered breathing in young children may fluctuate seasonally, suggests a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
Results indicate that in summer and fall the prevalence of mild sleep-disordered breathing in elementary-school children increased steadily from June (21.6 percent) through September (37.2 percent) and then decreased from September through November (6.3 percent). Controlling for potential confounders such as age, body mass index, gender and race showed that the odds of mild sleep-disordered breathing in every month was significantly lower than in September.
"What surprised us most was the dramatic impact that season had on the prevalence of SDB," said principle investigator Edward Bixler, PhD, professor and vice chair for research in the department of psychiatry at Penn State University in Hershey, Pa. "The results are significant because they underscore the importance of evaluating a child's sensitivity to seasonal allergies when diagnosing and treating a child for SDB."
The study involved a random sample of 687 children in grades K-5. Their parents completed a brief questionnaire, and each child was evaluated between June and November during an overnight sleep study in the sleep laboratory. Mild sleep-disordered breathing was defined as having an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of one to five breathing pauses per hour of sleep.
In a study published in the June 2009 issue of the journal SLEEP, Bixler and his research team reported that nasal problems such as chronic sinusitis and rhinitis are significant risk factors for mild sleep-disordered breathing in children. However, the extent to which allergies may promote a seasonal variation in sleep-disordered breathing still needs to be determined.
The researchers added that the results may have implications for the development of pharmacologic treatment strategies for mild sleep-disordered breathing in children.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that approximately two percent of otherwise healthy young children have obstructive sleep apnea, a common form of SDB that occurs when soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and blocks the airway during sleep. Most children with OSA have a history of snoring that tends to be loud and may include obvious pauses in breathing and gasps for breath. Parents often notice that the child seems to be working hard to breathe during sleep.
Explore further: New case of SARS-like virus in Saudi: ministry | <urn:uuid:5c371c3f-45ee-40a1-a7ef-066925a1153e> | {
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Newton's first law states that an object will keep doing what it is doing if left alone, in other words - The natural state of an object is static - unchanging - motion.
Newton's second law clarifies the first. Acceleration, or any change in motion, is an unnatural state for an arbitrary object left to its laurels, however it is a state that clearly exists all around us. Newton defines the "thing" that forces an object to change its state of being - a force.
In this most rigorous sense, a force is defined to be that which causes a change in motion.
The observation of a change in momentum necessitates that there is some force driving that change, so in this sense the two are equivalent (there is an equals sign there after all) - wherever you see a (net) force you will see an acceleration, wherever you see an acceleration you will find a force responsible for it. However, going back to the first law, acceleration is a change in the (kinetic) state of an object, an objects natural tendency is to statically maintain its state. The observation of an unnatural state of being would logically imply that there is a cause.
Intuitively it seems unnatural that accelerations would happen spontaneously and that the universe will invent a force just to balance the books if you will. | <urn:uuid:9653235f-f275-4ae2-8e05-52f71a5a082d> | {
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Contrary to popular belief, astronauts still have weight while they are orbiting the earth. In fact, Shuttle astronauts weigh almost as much in space as they do on the earth's surface. But these astronauts are in free fall, together with their ship, and their downward accelerations prevents them from measuring their weights directly.
Instead, astronauts make a different type of measurement—one that accurately determines how much of them there is: they measure their masses. Your weight is the force that the earth's gravity exerts on you; your mass is the measure of your inertia, how hard it is to make you accelerate. For deep and interesting reasons, weight and mass are proportional to one another at a given location, so measuring one quantity allows you to determine the other. Instead of weighing themselves, astronauts measure their masses.
They make these mass measurements with the help of a shaking device. They strap themselves onto a machine that gently jiggles them back and forth to see how much inertia they have. By measuring how much force it takes to cause a particular acceleration, the machine is able to compute the mass of its occupant.
Answered by Lou A. Bloomfield of the University of Virginia | <urn:uuid:5696a8c8-21e4-4bdc-a7a2-5523499690d2> | {
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Defects combine to make perfect devices
Jun 26, 2002
Faulty components are usually rejected in the manufacture of computers and other high-tech devices. However, Damien Challet and Neil Johnson of Oxford University say that this need not be the case. They have used statistical physics to show that the errors from defective electronic components or other imperfect objects can be combined to create near perfect devices (D Challet and N Johnson 2002 Phys. Rev. Lett. 89 028701).
Most computers are built to withstand the faults that develop in some of their components over the course of the computer’s lifetime, although these components initially contain no defects. However, many emerging nano- and microscale technologies will be inherently susceptible to defects. For example, no two quantum dots manufactured by self-assembly will be identical. Each will contain a time-independent systematic defect compared to the original design.
Historically, sailors have had to cope with a similar problem – the inaccuracy in their clocks. To get round this they often took the average time of several clocks so that the errors in their clocks would more or less cancel out.
Similarly, Challet and Johnson consider a set of N components, each with a certain systematic error – for example the difference between the actual and registered current in a nanoscale transistor at a given applied voltage. They calculated the effect of combining the components and found that the best way to minimize the error is to select a well-chosen subset of the N components. They worked out that the optimum size of this subset for large numbers of devices should equal N/2.
On this basis, the researchers say that it should be possible to generate a continuous output of useful devices using only defective components. To find the optimum subset from each batch of defective devices, all of the defects can be measured individually and the minimum calculated with a computer. Alternatively, components can be combined through trial and error until the aggregate error is minimized. Once the optimum subset has been selected, fresh components can be added to replenish the original batch and the cycle started over again.
Challet and Johnson point out that this process and the wiring together of the components will add to the overall cost of making the device. But they believe that these extra costs are likely to be outweighed by the fact that defective components can be produced cheaply en masse. Hewlett Packard, for example, has already built a supercomputer – known as Teramac – from partially defective conventional components using adaptive wiring.
“Our scheme implies that the ‘quality’ of a component is not determined solely by its own intrinsic error,” write the researchers. “Instead, error becomes a collective property, which is determined by the ‘environment’ corresponding to the other defective components.”
About the author
Edwin Cartlidge is News Editor of Physics World | <urn:uuid:7ed1dcb4-7e35-4561-bffe-329002b7a93d> | {
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Early Teaching Experiences at PhysTEC Sites
Ball State University
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
Florida International University
Seattle Pacific University
University of Arizona
University of Arkansas
University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Minnesota
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Western Michigan University
Give students an opportunity to teach their peers. Several PhysTEC schools have created successful Learning Assistant programs that allow students to collaborate with faculty to make physics and physical science classes more interactive and engaging. Students may find peer teaching to be less pressure and less of a commitment than practice classroom teaching, without sacrificing the rewarding experience of helping someone learn something new.
Expose student teachers to multiple grade levels. Students may not know what grade level they want to teach, or may think they know and then change their minds.
Use early teaching experiences to prepare your pre-service teachers for student teaching. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s “Project 2061,” “first-hand experiences in schools, teaching and mentoring experiences, and fieldwork with scientists must come early in the teacher education program. These experiences prepare prospective teachers for the content of their education courses and serve as living laboratories for formal course work.” Arizona faculty report that teacher preparation program provides pre-service teachers with “150 hours of classroom work (both targeted observations and teaching) prior to student teaching, [which makes] their transition to student teaching…much smoother. Our mentor teachers comment that our student teachers are much better prepared for student teaching than those from other programs.”
Invite practicing teachers to participate in the design of your program. Who knows better than actual teachers what preservice teachers need? Arizona reports that “Involving secondary teachers in developing curricula for the field experiences has resulted in a rich set of classroom tasks that enhance the field experiences.”
Use a Teacher in Residence or Master Teacher to coordinate early teaching experiences. Teachers In Residence are ideal early teaching experience coordinators, because they are exceptionally knowledgeable about the realities of the classroom and what preservice teachers need. In addition, they can mentor preservice teachers who are doing their student teaching, and they can sometimes use their connections with the local school district to secure excellent placements for student teachers in your program. A Ball State TIR, now back in the classroom, was able to do this for Ball State student teachers. | <urn:uuid:8f5d6a39-399c-42a1-97e2-753def6cc7f9> | {
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What is concrete written language? It is writing that is full of words that represent things we can see, hear, taste, touch and smell. We can see clouds. We can hear sirens. We can taste beer. We can touch the skin. We can smell perfume. See what I mean?
Concrete language is the opposite of vague language.
When a writer uses too much vague language, the writing loses impact. This is why it is better to show emotion then it is to tell the reader what emotion one or more characters are feeling.
If a character is in love, don’t tell the reader that the character is in love. Show that the character is in love. And how does a writer show that a character is in love? There are several ways. Through the character’s mannerisms, actions and dialogue. And when a writer does this, that writer’s character will come alive for the reader because the reader will be able to see and hear that the character is in love.
That is much more satisfying for a reader than the writer telling the reader that the character is in love. Concrete language = show don’t tell writing.
My Ebook of show don’t tell fiction is ready for download on the Home Page of this blog. | <urn:uuid:88fbdac4-9a1d-412f-bec8-2ebffc0860a7> | {
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Individual differences |
Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |
"Social style" is the behavior that one exhibits when interacting with others. Being aware of your own social style helps a person develop relationships, particularly at work.
"Social Styles" is the name of a particular psychometric instrument that helps people to better understand and work with others through appreciation of their basic decision making and control needs.
Originally, Social Styles was determined by having respondents say "yes" or "no" to 150 adjectives measuring three scales: Assertiveness, Responsiveness, and Versatility.
Assertiveness: The effort a person makes to influence the thinking and actions of others. Or - the measure of whether a person appears to ask or tell in interactions with others.
Responsiveness: The extent to which a person reacts readily to influence or stimulation with a display of feelings.
Versatility: A type of social endorsement based, in part, on the extent to which others see the individual as competent, adaptable, and behaving appropriately. Versatility measures the extent to which a person appears to be working to make relationships mutually productive.
The first two trace back to Robert R. Blake and Jane Mouton's Managerial Grid Model. The two Social Style scales revealed that by combining the two dimensions, Assertiveness and Responsiveness, four patters of behavior, or "Social Styles", can be identified.
Driving: (Tell Assertive + Control Responsive) These individuals are seen as strong willed and more emotionally controlled.
Expressive: (Tell Assertive + Emote Responsive) These individuals are described as outgoing and more dramatic.
Amiable: (Ask Assertive + Emote Responsive) These individuals are seen as easy going and supportive.
Analytical: (Ask Assertive + Control Responsive) These individuals are described as serious and more exacting.
In 1964 Dr. David W Merrill and Roger Reid began research to create a model that could predict the success in selling and management careers . What the partners ended up discovering was that people's behaviors and actions are consistent. The original Social Style model was worked on by Dr. James W. Taylor, who at the time was a staff psychologist at Martin Corporation (later Martin Marietta) in Denver. Dr. Merrill obtained the rights to use the Social Styles ModelTM (whose rights are now owned by The TRACOM Group, a workplace performance company specializing in Interpersonal Skills Training and Performance Consulting, formerly a division of Reed Business Information, whose parent company is Reed Elsevier).
New Developments Edit
In 2004 The TRACOM Group created a new survey that used behavior-based statements instead of an adjective checklist - because it proved to be more valid and reliable. It continues to use the Assertiveness, Responsiveness and Versatility scales but can now provide an even greater depth of information about an individual's behavior - especially his/her Versatility - and is much more accurate, especially when translated into a variety of languages.
Robert Bolton, and Dorothy Grover Bolton (President and vice president of Ridge Consultants) wrote on and expanded upon the Social Style model, and introduced four subtypes for each style, which are blends with other styles ("Amiable-Analytical", etc.) This results in 16 types that closely match the 16 types of the MBTI.
There are a number of other similar "four type" instruments, using the same two factors of expressiveness and task/people orientation. One is The Platinum Rule Personality or "Behavioral Styles" of Dr. Tony Alessandra. Its two factors are "Indirect/Direct", corresponding to assertiveness, and "Open/Guarded" corresponding to responsiveness. The resulting four types are "the Director", "the Socializer", "the Relater", and "the Thinker". (Alessandra also similarly blended the styles into 16 types).
Another is the Interaction Styles of Dr. Linda V. Berens, PhD: "In Charge", "Get Things Going", Behind the Scenes", and "Chart the Course". These are mapped to the MBTI 16-types model by pairing Introversion and Extroversion with a factor called "Informing and Directing" which loosely corresponds to Thinking and Feeling, and also indicates people vs. task focus.
Others include FIRO-B and a Five Temperaments theory based on it. Both use scales of "expressed" and "wanted" or "responsive" behavior, but the two factors span three areas, called Inclusion, Control and Affection. Both five-temperament theory and Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (which also uses the "assertiveness" scale along with "cooperativeness") add an additional "moderate" score in both dimensions, creating a fifth behavioral or personality type.
- ↑ Reid, Roger H. and Merril, David, W. Personal Styles & Effective Performance. ISBN 0-8019-6899
- ↑ Alessandra, Tony. The Platinum Rule
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Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |
A word is a unit of language that carries meaning and consists of one or more morphemes which are linked more or less tightly together. Typically a word will consist of a root or stem and zero or more affixes. Words can be combined to create phrases, clauses and sentences. A word consisting of two or more stems joined together is called a compound.
Difficulty in defining the term Edit
The precise definition of what a word is depends on which language the definition is for, and the dividing line between words and phrases is not always clear. In most writing systems, a word is usually marked out in the text by interword separation such as spaces or word dividers used in some languages such as Amharic. In other languages such as Chinese and Japanese, and in many ancient languages such as Sanskrit, word boundaries are not shown.
Even in writing systems that use interword separation, word boundaries are not always clear; for example, even though ice cream is written like two words, it is a single compound because it cannot be separated by another morpheme or rephrased like iced cream or cream of ice. Likewise, a proper noun is a word, however long it is. A space may not be even the main morpheme boundary in a word; the word New Yorker is a compound of New York and -er, not of New and Yorker. In English, many common words have historically progressed from being written as two separate words (e.g. to day) to hyphenated (to-day) to a single word (today), a process which is still ongoing, as in the common spelling of all right as alright.
Words in different classes of languages Edit
In synthetic languages, a single word stem (for example, love) may have a number of different forms (for example, loves, loving, and loved). However, these are not usually considered to be different words, but different forms of the same word. In these languages, words may be considered to be constructed from a number of morphemes (such as love and -s).
In polysynthetic languages, the number of morphemes per word can become so large that the word performs the same grammatical role as a phrase or clause in less synthetic languages (for example, in Yupik, angyaghllangyugtuq means "he wants to acquire a big boat"). These large-construction words are still single words, because they contain only one content word; the other morphemes are grammatical bound morphemes, which cannot stand alone.
Matters seem easier for analytic languages. For these languages, a word usually consists of only a root morpheme, which is often single-syllable. However, it is common even in those languages to combine roots into a compound stem.
Complexity of word boundaries in speech Edit
In spoken language, the distinction of individual words is even more complex: short words are often run together, and long words are often broken up. Spoken French has some of the features of a polysynthetic language: je ne le sais pas ("I do not know it") tends towards /ʒənələsepa/. As the majority of the world's languages are not written, the scientific determination of word boundaries becomes important.
Determining word boundaries Edit
There are five ways to determine where the word boundaries of spoken language should be placed:
- Potential pause
- A speaker is told to repeat a given sentence slowly, allowing for pauses. The speaker will tend to insert pauses at the word boundaries. However, this method is not foolproof: the speaker could easily break up polysyllabic words.
- A speaker is told to say a sentence out loud, and then is told to say the sentence again with extra words added to it. Thus, I have lived in this village for ten years might become I and my family have lived in this little village for about ten or so years. These extra words will tend to be added in the word boundaries of the original sentence. However, some languages have infixes, which are put inside a word. Similarly, some have separable affixes; in the German sentence "Ich komme gut zu Hause an," the verb ankommen is separated.
- Minimal free forms
- This concept was proposed by Leonard Bloomfield. Words are thought of as the smallest meaningful unit of speech that can stand by themselves. This correlates phonemes (units of sound) to lexemes (units of meaning). However, some written words are not minimal free forms, as they make no sense by themselves (for example, the and of).
- Phonetic boundaries
- Some languages have particular rules of pronunciation that make it easy to spot where a word boundary should be. For example, in a language that regularly stresses the last syllable of a word (like Hebrew), a word boundary is likely to fall after each stressed syllable. Another example can be seen in a language that has vowel harmony (like Turkish): the vowels within a given word share the same quality, so a word boundary is likely to occur whenever the vowel quality changes. However, not all languages have such convenient phonetic rules, and even those that do present the occasional exceptions.
- Semantic units
- Much like the abovementioned minimal free forms, this method breaks down a sentence into its smallest semantic units. However, language often contains words that have little semantic value (and often play a more grammatical role), or semantic units that are compound words.
In practice, linguists apply a mixture of all these methods to determine the word boundaries of any given sentence. Even with the careful application of these methods, the exact definition of a word is often still elusive.
- Function word
- Lexical access
- Lexical decision
- Morphology (language)
- Nonsense word
- Word recognition
- Word meaning
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The poems translated here belong to the category of padams —short musical compositions of a light classical nature, intended to be sung and, often, danced. Originally, they belonged to the professional caste of dancers and singers, devadasis or vesyas (and their male counterparts, the nattuvanar musicians), who were associated with both temples and royal courts in late medieval South India. Padams were composed throughout India, early examples in Sanskrit occurring in Jayadeva's famous devotional poem, the Gitagovinda (twelfth century). In South India the genre assumed a standardized form in the second half of the fifteenth century with the Telugu padams composed by the great temple-poet Tallapaka Annamacarya, also known by the popular name Annamayya, at Tirupati. This form includes an opening line called pallavi that functions as a refrain, often in conjunction with the second line, anupallavi . This refrain is repeated after each of the (usually three) caranam verses. Padams have been and are still being composed in the major languages of South India: Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada. However, the padam tradition reached its expressive peak in Telugu, the primary language for South Indian classical music, during the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries in southern Andhra and the Tamil region.
In general, Telugu padams are devotional in character and thus find their place within the wider corpus of South Indian
bhakti poetry. The early examples by Annamayya are wholly located within the context of temple worship and are directed toward the deity Venkatesvara and his consort, Alamelumanga, at the Tirupati shrine. Later poets, such as Ksetrayya, the central figure in this volume, seem to have composed their songs outside the temples, but they nevertheless usually mention the deity as the male protagonist of the poem. Indeed, the god's title—Muvva Gopala for Ksetrayya, Venugopala for his successor Sarangapani—serves as an identifying "signature," a mudra , for each of these poets. The god assumes here the role of a lover, seen, for the most part, through the eyes of one of his courtesans, mistresses, or wives, whose persona the poet adopts. These are, then, devotional works of an erotic cast, composed by male poets using a feminine voice and performed by women. As such, they articulate the relationship between the devotee and his god in terms of an intensely imagined erotic experience, expressed in bold but also delicately nuanced tones. Their devotional character notwithstanding, one can also read them as simple love poems. Indeed, one often feels that, for Ksetrayya at least, the devotional component, with its suggestive ironies, is overshadowed by the emotional and sensual immediacy of the material.
The Three Major Poets of the Padam Tradition
Tallapaka Annamacarya (1424-1503), a Telugu Brahmin, represents to perfection the Telugu temple-poet. Legend, filling out his image, claims he refused to sing before one of the Vijayanagara kings, Saluva Narasimharaya, so exclusively was his devotion focused upon the god. Apparently supported by the temple estab-
lishment at Tirupati, located on the boundary between the Telugu and Tamil regions, Annamayya composed over fourteen thousand padams to the god Venkatesvara. The poems were engraved on copperplates and kept in the temple, where they were rediscovered, hidden in a locked room, in the second decade of this century. Colophons on the copperplates divide Annamayya's poems into two major types—srngarasankirtanalu , those of an erotic nature, and adhyatmasankirtanalu , "metaphysical" poems. Annamayya's sons and grandsons continued to compose devotional works at Tirupati, creating a Tallapaka corpus of truly enormous scope. His grandson Cinatirumalacarya even wrote a sastra -like normative grammar for padam poems, the Sankirtanalaksanamu .
We know next to nothing about the most versatile and central of the Telugu padam poets, Ksetrayya (or Ksetraya). His god is Muvva Gopala, the Cowherd of Muvva (or, alternatively, Gopala of the Jingling Bells), and he mentions a village called Muvvapuri in some of his poems. This has led scholars to locate his birthplace in the village of Muvva or Movva, near Kucipudi (the center of the Kucipudi dance tradition), in Krishna district. There is a temple in this village to Krishna as the cowherd (gopala ). Still, the association of Ksetrayya with Muvva is far from certain, and even if that village was indeed the poet's first home, he is most clearly associated with places far to the south, in Tamil Nadu of the Nayaka period. A famous padam by this poet tells us he sang two thousand padams for King Tirumala Nayaka of Madurai, a thousand for Vijayaraghava, the last Nayaka king of Tanjavur, and fifteen hundred, composed in forty days, before the Padshah of Golconda. This dates him securely to the mid-seventeenth century. Of these thousands of poems, less than four hundred survive. In addition to
Muvva Gopala, the poet sometimes mentions other deities or human patrons (the two categories having merged in Nayaka times). Thus we have poems on the gods Adivaraha, Kañci Varada, Cevvandi Lingadu, Tilla Govindaraja, Kadapa Venkatesa, Hemadrisvami, Yadugiri Celuvarayadu, Vedanarayana, Palagiri Cennudu, Tiruvalluri Viraraghava, Sri Rangesa, Madhurapurisa, Satyapuri Vasudeva, and Sri Nagasaila Mallikarjuna, as well as on the kings Vijayaraghava Nayaka and Tupakula Venkatakrsna. The range of deities is sometimes used to explain this poet's name—Ksetrayya or, in Sanskritized form, Ksetrajna, "one who knows sacred places"—so that he becomes yet another peripatetic bhakti poetsaint, singing his way from temple to temple. But this explanation smacks of popular etymology and certainly distorts the poet's image. Despite the modern stories and improvised legends about him current today in South India, Ksetrayya belongs less to the temple than to the courtesans' quarters of the Nayaka royal towns. We see him as a poet composing for, and with the assumed persona of, the sophisticated and cultured courtesans who performed before gods and kings. This community of highly literate performers, the natural consumers of Ksetrayya's works, provides an entirely different cultural context than Annamayya's temple-setting. Ksetrayya thus gives voice, in rather realistic vignettes taken from the ambience of the South Indian courtesans he knew, to a major shift in the development of the Telugu padam .
If Ksetrayya perhaps marks the padam tradition at its most subtle and refined, Sarangapani, in the early eighteenth century, shows us its further evolution in the direction of a yet more concrete, imaginative, and sometimes coarse eroticism. He is linked with the little kingdom of Karvetinagaram in the Chittoor district of
southern Andhra and with the minor ruler Makaraju Venkata Perumal Raju (d. 1732). Only some two hundred padams by this poet survive in print, nearly all of them addressed to the god Venugopala of Karvetinagaram. A few of the poems attributed to Sarangapani also appear in the Ksetrayya collections, despite the palpable difference in tone between the two poets.
These names by no means exhaust the list of padam composers in Telugu. The Maratha kings of Tanjavur figure as the patron-lovers in a rich literature of padams composed at their court. Similar works were sung in the palaces of zamindars throughout South India right up to modern times. With the abolition of the devadasi tradition by the British, padams , like other genres proper to this community, made their way to the concert stage. They still comprise a major part of the repertoire of classical vocal music and dance, alongside related forms such as the kirttanam (which is never danced).
A Note on the Translation
We have selected the poems that follow largely on the basis of our own tastes, from the large collections of padams by Annamayya, Ksetrayya, and Sarangapani. We have also included a translation of Kandukuri Rudrakavi's Janardanastakamu , a poem dating from the early sixteenth century and linked thematically (but not formally) with the emerging padam tradition. An anonymous padam addressed to Konkanesvara closes the translation. To some extent, we were also guided by a list prepared by T. Visvanathan, of Wesleyan University, of padams current in his own family tradition. Some of the poems included here are among the most popu-
lar in current performances in South India; others were chosen because they seemed to us representative of the poets, or simply because of their lyrical and expressive qualities.
In general, we have adhered closely to the literal force of the Telugu text and to the order of its sentences. At times, though, because of the colloquial and popular character of some of these texts, we have allowed ourselves to paraphrase slightly, using an English idiom or expression. We have also frequently removed, as tedious in translation, the repeated vocatives that dot the verses—as when the courtesan speaks to her friend, who is habitually referred to by conventional epithets such as vanajaksiro , "woman with lotus-eyes," or komaliro , "delicate lady." Telugu is graced with a truly remarkable number of nouns meaning "woman," and these are amply represented in our texts. The heroine is sometimes referred to by stylized titles such as kanakangi , "having a golden body," epithets that could also be interpreted as proper names. For the most part, this wealth of feminine reference, so beautifully evocative in the original, finds only pale and reductive equivalents in the English.
The format we have adopted seeks to mirror the essential features of the original, above all the division into stanzas and the role of the pallavi refrain. While we have always translated both pallavi and anupallavi in full, we have usually chosen only some part of these two lines—sometimes in connection with a later phrase—for our refrains. We hope this will suggest something of the expressive force of the pallavi and, in some cases at least, its syntactic linkage with the stanzas, while eliminating lengthy repetition. The headings provide simple contexts for the poems. We have attempted to avoid heavy annotation in the translations, preferring to let the
poems speak for themselves. Where a note seemed necessary, we have signaled its existence by placing an asterisk in the text. The source for each poem, as well as its opening phrase in Telugu and the raga in which it is sung, appear beneath the translation.
Editions Used as Base Texts
P. T. Jagannatha Ravu, ed., Srngara sankirtanalu (annamacarya viracitamulu ), vol. 18 of Sritallapakavari geyaracanalu . Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Press, 1964.
Gauripeddi Ramasubbasarma, ed., Srngara sankirtanalu (annamacarya viracitamulu ), vol. 12 of Tallapaka padasahityamu . Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Press, 1976. (Cited as GR.)
Vissa Apparavu, ed., Ksetrayya padamulu . 2d ed. Rajahmundry: Saraswati Power Press, 1963. (Unless otherwise noted, all the Ksetrayya texts are taken from this edition.)
Mancala Jagannatha Ravu, ed., Ksetrayya padamulu . Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Sangita Nataka Akadami, 1978.
Gidugu Venkata Sitapati, ed., Ksetraya padamulu . Madras: Kubera Printers Ltd., 1952. (Cited as GVS.)
Srinivasacakravarti, ed., Ksetrayya padalu . Vijayavada: Jayanti Pablikesansu, 1966.
Veturi Prabhakara Sastri, ed., Catupadyamanimanjari . Hyderabad: Veturi Prabhakara Sastri Memorial Trust, 1988 .
Nedunuri Gangadharam, ed., Sarangapani padamulu . Rajahmundry: Saraswati Power Press, 1963. | <urn:uuid:70d40630-32d0-4c82-81b6-682ac7a6f42f> | {
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• SetFree[dropcon, options] builds a FreeSystem object containing the mathematical equations required to find equilibrium conditions of the current model. The dropcon argument is used to specify the constraint(s) that are dropped to make the system underconstrained.
• The format of dropcon is identical to that used by the Constraints function.
• The FreeSystem object is solved with SolveFree.
• The following options can be given:
• If InitialGuess or InitialCondition is unspecified, SetFree uses the current model initial guesses, as obtained from LastSolve.
• InitialCondition can also be specified in SolveFree.
• If Solution->Static is given, the model must have some nonzero applied loads for a static equilibrium position to exist.
• If Solution->Kinematic is given, the model must have velocity-dependent loads applied, or no equilibrium velocity can exist.
• If Solution->Dynamic is given, the model must have nonzero masses applied to at least one moving body with SetBodies.
• See also: SetCouple.
Load the Modeler2D package and define a simple model.
Here we build a FreeSystem object that can be used to simulate the underconstrained motion of the help model when the constraint that controls the rotation of the crank has been removed. Before calling SetFree, a velocity solution is generated with SolveMech so that initial conditions for the location and velocity of each body will be available.
Because the help model has only one body with nonzero mass and one applied load (the link body has a 10-unit mass and a 10-unit applied load in the X direction), the instantaneous free acceleration is somewhat predictable. The X acceleration of the link body, X3dd, is equal to 1.0.
Here we integrate the free acceleration of the help model with respect to time for four seconds.
Here is a plot of the X position of the link. The link is initially decelerating until its X coordinate reaches a local minimum, and then it accelerates the other way. | <urn:uuid:45c7dc79-1d33-4fbd-a4b1-3598e9952123> | {
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Photo by Eddie Adams
“And she struggles to pay that first loan and then the second installment due the following week. And when she has paid completely, she can say, ‘I did it!’ It’s not just a monetary transaction that has been completed, it is nothing less than the transformation of that person."
Founder of the Grameen Bank, the world’s largest and most successful microcredit institution, Muhammad Yunus was born in one of the poorest places on earth, the country (then part of Pakistan) of Bangladesh. As a professor of economics, he was struck by the discrepancy between the economic theory taught in universities and the abject poverty around him. Recognizing the poor remained poor because they had no access to capital, no collateral for loans, and borrowing requirements so modest that it was not cost-effective for large banks to process their needs, Yunus started experimenting with small collateral-free loans to landless rural peasants and impoverished women. In 1983, he founded the Grameen Bank. Its rules were strict and tough. Clients find four friends to borrow with. If any of the five default, all are held accountable, building commitment and providing community support. Initial loans are as little as ten dollars, and must be repaid with 20 percent interest. Nearly twenty years later, this revolutionary bank is flourishing, with more than 1,050 branches serving 35,000 villages and two million customers, 94 percent of them women. Ninety-eight percent of Grameen’s borrowers repay their loans in full, a rate of return far higher than that of the rich and powerful. More importantly, the clients are transforming their lives: from powerless and dependent to self-sufficient, independent, and politically astute. The real transformation will be felt by the next generation: a generation with better food, education, medication, and the firsthand satisfaction of taking control of their lives, thanks to Yunus’s vision, creativity, and confidence.
Among many awards, Dr. Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 and the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Together with Nelson Mandela, fellow Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu and select other prominent statesmen, human rights leaders and public figures, Yunus is a member of the “Global Elders” group.
When I started the Grameen program to provide access to credit for the poor, I came upon two major obstacles. First, commercial banks were institutionally biased against women. Secondly, they had absolutely blocked credit to the poor by demanding something no poor person has access to: namely, collateral.
After overcoming the second issue, I addressed the first. I wanted half of the borrowers from banks in my program to be women—a challenge. At first, women were reluctant to accept loans. They said, "No, no, I have never touched money in my life. You must go to my husband. He understands money. Give the money to him." So I would try to explain why a loan would benefit her family. But the more I tried to approach women, the more they ran away from me. My colleagues and I worked hard to come up with a way we could build trust in women so that they would accept loans from men. We slowed down our work just to include more women, since this trust-building took time.
Six years later, proud that half our loans were to women, we began to see something very remarkable. Money that went to families through women helped the families much more than the same amount of money going to men. Unlike men, women were very cautious with money and passed benefits on to their children immediately. They had learned how to manage with scarce resources. And women had a longer vision; they could see a way out of poverty and had the discipline to carry out their plans. Perhaps because women suffer so much more from poverty than men, they are more motivated to escape it.
In contrast, men were looser with money. They wanted to enjoy it right away, not wait for tomorrow. Women were always building up things for the future, for themselves, their children, their families. We saw a number of such differences between men and women.
We decided to make a concerted effort to attract women clients because we got much more mileage out of the same amount of money. So I created incentives for our loan officers because they had such a hard time convincing women to borrow money from the bank. Today, 94 percent of our loans go to women.
It has worked in ways we never anticipated. For instance, women borrowers decided to commit themselves to a set of promises that they called the "sixteen decisions." These are commitments to improve the welfare of the borrowers and their families above and beyond the loans. They agreed to send their children to school, they decided to maintain discipline, to create unity, to act with courage, and to work hard in all their endeavors. They agreed to keep their families small, to send their children to school, to plant as many seedlings as possible, even to eat vegetables. These are some of the resolutions created by the women, not imposed by the bank. These aspirations were critical to their lives. Listening to them, you see what a difference women make.
A typical initial loan is something like thirty-five dollars. The night before a woman is going to accept that money from the bank, she will be tossing and turning to decide whether she is really ready for it. She is scared that maybe something terrible will happen to her. And finally in the morning her friends will come over and they will try to persuade her: "Let’s go through with it. If you don’t go, we can’t. We can’t always worry. It was not easy coming to this point. Let’s go." And finally, with their encouragement, she will come to the bank.
When she holds that money, it is such a huge amount in her hands, it is like holding the hope and treasure that she never dreamt she would achieve. She will tremble, tears will roll down her cheeks, and she won’t believe we would trust her with such a large sum. And she promises that she will pay back this money, because the money is the symbol of the trust put in her and she does not want to betray that trust.
And then she struggles to pay that first loan, that first installment, which is due the following week, and the second installment, which is payable the following week, and this goes on for fifty weeks in sequence, and every time that she repays another installment she is braver! And when she finishes her fiftieth installment, the last one, and she has now paid in full, she can say, "I did it!" She wants to celebrate. It’s not just a monetary transaction that has been completed, it is nothing less than a transformation of that person. In the beginning of it all, she was trembling, she was tossing and turning, she felt she was nobody and she really did not exist. Now she is a woman who feels like she is somebody. Now she can almost stand up and challenge the whole world, shouting, "I can do it, I can make it on my own." So it’s a process of transformation and finding self-worth, self-esteem. Proving that she can take care of herself.
You see, if you only look at the lending program of Grameen, you have missed most of its impact. Grameen is involved in a process of transformation. The sixteen decisions is an example: we found that Grameen children attend school in record numbers because their mothers really take that commitment seriously. And now many of the children are continuing in colleges, universities, going on to medical schools, and so on. It is really striking to see young boys and girls go on to higher levels of education. The program has been so successful that we now foresee a big wave of students needing loans, so we recently came up with another loan product to finance higher education for all Grameen children in professional schools. Now they don’t have to worry about whether their parents will be able to pay for their higher education when tuition is so expensive.
A recent study in Bangladesh showed that children in Grameen families are healthier than non-Grameen children. Scientific American did a study of population growth in Bangladesh showing that the average number of children per family twenty years back was seven, but now it has been reduced to three. What happened? Why did it happen? Scientific American has spurred controversy by claiming the change is due to our program. As women become empowered, they look at themselves and at what they can do. They are making economic progress and alongside that, making decisions about their personal lives and how many children they choose to have. And of course Article 16, Decision 1, says that we should keep our families small. So this is an important part of the equation. At the population summit in Cairo all the sessions spoke of the Grameen model, because the adoption of family planning practices of women in our program is twice as high as the national average. Now, we are not a population program, but this is a beneficial side effect.
There are other side effects. Starting seven years back we encouraged Grameen borrowers to participate in the political process by voting. Their first reaction was negative. They said, "The candidates are all devils, so why should we vote for them?" It was very depressing that people looked at their electoral process in that way.
So we replied, "Okay, yes, they are all devils, but if you don’t go and vote, the worst devil will get elected. So go sit down in your centers, discuss who could be the worst, what could happen if he gets elected, and if you find this prospect terrible, then you have an opportunity to choose among all the devils, the least evil." People immediately got excited, and we had almost 100 percent participation in that first election.
It was very well organized. All the Grameen families met the morning of the elections, and went to the voting place together, so the politicians would take note of their large numbers, so that they were taken seriously. In the next elections we organized Grameen families to vote themselves and also to bring their friends and neighbors to vote, particularly the women.
The result was that in the 1996 election in Bangladesh voter participation was 73 percent, the highest percentage ever. And what shocked everybody was that across the board more women voted than men. In fact, women waited for hours, because when the voting arrangements were made, the authorities had expected only half the number to show up.
The outcome changed the political landscape. In the previous parliament, the fundamentalist religious party had seventeen seats; in the 1996 election, their number was reduced to three, because women found nothing interesting in the fundamentalist party’s program. So that was very empowering, very empowering indeed.
Then, in last year’s local elections, we were shocked to see that many Grameen members themselves got elected. So I went around and talked to those people, and asked why they chose to run for office. They said, "You told us to select the least of the devils, and we tried, but it was such an ugly job that we got fed up, and we started looking at each other, thinking, ‘Why are we looking for the least devil, when we are good people here? Why don’t we run ourselves?" And that started the snowball effect which ended with more than four thousand Grameen members elected into local office. That’s amazing. And the way they talk is completely different. I never heard women in Bangladesh talking like this. They are challenging the government. They say, "The government can’t tell us how to vote. We made commitments to our electorate." This is the kind of thing that happens. So in health care, in political participation, in the relationship between mother and child and between husband and wife, there are transformations of society.
Now you can open up, you can do things, you can discover your own talent and ability and look at the world in a very different way than you looked at before. Because Grameen offers a chance to become part of an institution, with some financial support to do your own thing. Our customers are in a kind of business relationship, but one that makes such a difference to their lives.
Of course there is resistance. The first resistance came from the husbands who felt insulted, humiliated, threatened that their wives were given a loan and they were not. The tension within the family structure sometimes led to violence against the women. So we paused for a while and then came up with an idea. We started meeting with the husbands and explaining the program in a way where they could see it would be beneficial to their family. And we made sure to meet with husbands and wives together so everyone understood what was expected. So that reduced a lot of initial resistance by the husbands.
Neighborhood men also raised objections, and cloaked the fact that they felt threatened by women’s empowerment in religious trappings. We carefully examined whether our program was in some way antireligious. But they were hiding behind religion instead of admitting that they felt bypassed. It was the male ego speaking in religious terms.
Our best counterargument was just to give it time. It soon became clear that our borrowers were still attending to their religious duties, at the same time earning money and becoming confident. Women started confronting the religious people. They said, "You think taking money from Grameen Bank is a bad idea? Okay, we won’t take any more—if you give the money yourself. We don’t care who gives it to us, but without money we cannot do anything." And of course the religious advocates said, "No, no, we can’t give you money." So that was the end of that.
We also received criticism from development professionals who insisted that giving tiny loans to women who do not have knowledge and skill does not bring about structural change in the country or the village and therefore is not true development at all. They said development involves multimillion dollar loans for enormous infrastructure projects. We never expected opposition from the development quarter, but it happened, and became controversial. Because what we do is not in their book. They cannot categorize us, whether right, left, conservative, or liberal. We talk free market, but at the same time we are pro-poor. They are totally confused.
But if you are in a classroom situation, you wander around your abstract world, and decide microcredit programs are silly because they don’t fit into your theoretical universe. But I work with real people in the real world. So whenever academics or professionals try to draw those conclusions, I get upset and go back and work with my borrowers—and then I know who is right.
The biggest smile is from one of those women who has just changed her existence. The excitement she experienced with her children, moving from one class to another, is so touching, so real that you forget what the debate was in the ballroom of the hotel with all the international experts, telling you that this is nothing. So that’s how I’ve got the strength—from people.
Grameen Bank is now all over Bangladesh, with 2.4 million families. Even in hard times, like this year’s terrible flood, people are willingly paying and we’re getting really good loans. That demonstrated the basic ability of the people to do something that they believe in, no matter what others say. People ask, what is the reason that we succeeded, that we could do it, when everybody said it couldn’t be done. I keep saying that I was stubborn. So when you ask if it took courage, I would instead say it took stubbornness. No matter what kind of beautiful explanation you give, that’s what it takes to make it happen.
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Last week, our children and youth as well as some of you participated in an intergenerational service and shared stories about the births of three individuals - - Buddha, Confucius, and Jesus. This week, I want to delve a little more deeply into the story of the birth of Jesus.
Before I get too far, though, let’s get a few things straight. We don’t have to take this story literally to take it seriously. Modern day biblical scholarship tells us the historical Jesus probably was most likely born in or near Nazareth, not Bethlehem. He was probably born in a house, not in a manger. I would say that the chances that he was born on December 25 are about 1 in 365. There were most likely no shepherds, magi, or little boys playing drums while cattle lowed. But the biblical writers of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke weren’t trying to write history. What were they trying to tell us? I think it’s like this…
Before, during, and after Jesus’s lifetime, the Jewish people were having a very difficult time. They were being violently oppressed and exploited by the Roman Empire. They were waiting for a leader, someone who would united the Jewish people and lead them in a military rebellion against their Roman oppressors. They didn’t use the word “leader” though. They used the title “anointed one.” Or in Hebrew, messiah. Or in Greek, christos. Someone who had been anointed by God to lead the Jewish people toward a better way of life.
But when Jesus came around, most people reacted the same way a lot of Republican primary voters are reacting to the current crop of presidential candidates - - “You’ve gotta be kidding me! Can’t we do any better than this?” After all, Jesus looked more like a homeless person than a future king - - probably because he was a homeless person - - and he talked more about love and forgiveness than the violent overthrow of the government. To put it bluntly, he wasn’t the kind of guy most people were expecting.
Many years after Jesus died, when the writers of the gospels of Luke and Matthew sat down to write his “backstory,” so to speak, they wrote these stories to make the point that the world sometimes doesn’t work in the way we expect it to work, that life sometimes surprises us, and that sometimes hope for our own lives and for our world comes in the most unlikely of times and the most unlikely of places and in the most unlikely of ways.
After all, nobody expected a savior to his people to be born to such poor parents in such humble beginnings. Nobody expected such an auspicious event to be announced to shepherds, people of the lowest stature in first century Jewish society. And nobody expected a baby, born during a time of oppression, exploitation, and violence, would grow up to practice and preach a gospel of love, justice, and peace. The biblical stories about Jesus’s birth are all about the reversals of expectations. More than reminding us of some literal truth about Jesus, their purpose is to remind us of that possibility in our own lives and in our own world.
As your minister, though, I know that even during the month of December, I can only make so many biblical references with Unitarian Universalists before your eyes start to glaze over so they look like the frosting on Christmas cookies. So let me tell another story, a much more recent story about much more recent events. It’s a bit of a convoluted story, but it begins like this…
In October 2007, a young man named Bradley Manning, originally from a small town in Oklahoma, joined the U.S. Army. He trained as an intelligence analyst and was eventually sent to Iraq in 2009. Manning, though, was a troubled young man in many ways. He didn’t support the U.S. military’s mission in Iraq. He also says he was harassed and bullied for being gay.
Within a few months of being sent to Iraq, Manning allegedly downloaded thousands of classified documents to his personal computer and eventually provided them to Wikileaks, an organization that publishes leaked documents on the Internet. Among the documents Manning allegedly provided to Wikileaks were 250,000 U.S. State Department cables, some of which documented both rampant corruption and opulent spending by government leaders in the northeastern African nation of Tunisia.
The spread of news within Tunisia about this rampant corruption and opulent spending was at least a contributing factor, if not a major factor, in the overthrow of that nation’s government in January 2011 - - less than a year ago, and the overthrow of the government of Tunisia was the beginning of what has come to be known as the Arab Spring, the
the popular uprisings in the Arab world that have so far toppled governments in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya during the past year.
In July of this year, staff at the Adbuster’s Foundation, a Canadian-based organization best known for its anti-consumerist magazine Adbusters, were inspired by the events of the Arab Spring, so much so that in a blog post, they proposed a peaceful occupation of Wall Street and suggested the establishment of a presidential commission “to separate money from politics.”
The blogpost went viral and led to the start of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, which led to the start of the “Occupy Seattle” movement, which led even to the start of the “Occupy Federal Way” movement. The growing inequalities of wealth and the inequities of power in this country have been apparent to anybody paying attention for the past 30 years, but somewhat miraculously, people in this country are talking about it more than every before in the past 100 years.
Where will all of this lead?
Will the Arab Spring eventually lead to more democracy in the Middle East, more freedom, equality, and peace for millions of people, or will it lead to the rise of more Islamic fundamentalism in those countries and the oppression and exploitation of women?
I don’t know. I think it’s too soon to tell.
Will the “Occupy” protests in this country continue to sizzle and bring about needed limits on corporate power and the unjust influence of money on politics, or will the protests fizzle as protesters are evicted from parks and the weather turns cold?
I don’t know. I think it’s too soon to tell.
What’s my point in telling this convoluted story? It’s not to make Bradley Manning into any kind of a hero. I don’t think he is one. It’s not to point out how interconnected everything in the world is, though this is certainly true.
My point - - similar to the gospel writers’ point, I suppose - - is that despite how much we say we know about everything, despite how boringly predictable our lives and the world in which we live sometimes seems, I want to suggest that our lives and our world are a little less predictable than we imagine. To the very best of my knowledge, I don’t remember any predictions about anything like the Arab Spring or Occupy Wall Street. I especially don’t remember anybody making any predictions about the way all of this would happen.
To be fair, some of you may have questions about the way I’ve told this story. If Bradley Manning hadn’t been harassed for his sexual orientation, would he have leaked the secret documents? If he hadn’t leaked the secret documents, would the revolution in Tunisia and the rest of the Arab Spring still happened? If the Arab Spring hadn’t happened, would the Occupy Wall Street protests have occurred? I don’t know the answer to these questions either.
Here’s what I do know though…in ancient Greek, there are two words for time - - chronos and kairos. Chronos is regular, linear, predictable time. It’s the root of the English word “chronology.” Kairos, though, refers to special time. To use more traditional theological language, it’s when the power of the divine breaks into history to bring about something new and totally unexpected. To use less traditional language, it’s when the events of the universe, the events of history, the events of life, serendipitously conspire to bring about something totally new and totally unexpected in our lives, often in a totally unexpected way, and sometimes even something good.
What I want to suggest for your consideration this morning is that too often, I suspect most of us live our lives according to a chronos mentality rather than living with a kairos mentality.
The biblical stories of Jesus’ birth were originally written to inspire us toward a kairos mentality - - but in our 21st century culture these stories are usually not understood too literally, but even among skeptics, the stories have become so familiar to us that they’ve lost their power to jar and jolt us out of a chronos mentality. “That’s the way, it was supposed to happen!” we say when we hear a story about a baby being born in a manger growing up to change the world.
Many of the events of 2011 seem to help me think with more of kairos mentality, which is why I shared them with you this morning. Just to be clear, I’m not arguing for a world view in which divine providence pulls our strings like a master puppeteer, but as I said, a world view in which life sometimes serendipitously conspires to bring about something new and totally unexpected in our lives, often in a totally unexpected way.
But why is this important? What’s wrong with a chronos mentality? What’s so important about a kairos mentality? For me, it’s like this..
Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” I think there is a lot of wisdom in these words, but ultimately, I think Einstein was wrong.
Sometimes we do the same thing over and over again - - and we do the same thing over and over again because it’s the best thing we know how to do and because we’re doing it the best we can - - and we get the same results over and over again. Following Einstein’s thinking, we’re tempted to give in to despair and adopt the motto of unhappy people everywhere - - “I’m no good. My world is bleak. My future is hopeless.”
But we shouldn’t give in to that temptation because sometimes we do the same thing over again, and every once in a while, somehow, something different happens.
I think of the person who has been out of work for a long time and send outs hundreds or even thousands of resumes and is rejected time after time after time. Or even worse is not even rejected, but indifferently ignored, but one day life serendipitously conspires and the person is offered the job that he or she has always dreamed of.
I think of my wife’s best friend from high school and college. She was a bridesmaid in our wedding 15 years ago. She’s a wonderful, sensitive, funny, and beautiful woman but has been unlucky in her relationships. After being married and divorced once and having several unsuccessful relationships, she began to wonder if she would ever find somebody to love and who would love her. Then this past year, life serendipitously conspired and she did. She and her husband were married in November and she seems happier than she has ever been.
I think of everything [my wife] and I did to become parents. For about seven years we tried becoming parents by the old-fashioned way and by some of the new-fangled ways made possible by medical science. For seven years, none of our efforts were successful. Then we decided to adopt. We were told it would take about one year, but after one year, we were still childless. After two years, we were still childless. It was only after waiting nearly three years that life serendipitously conspired and we received a referral for a healthy 15-month-old boy from Medellin, Colombia. [my son]is five now, and [my wife] and I couldn’t be any happier with how our lives have turned out.
This past week, I had a conversation with Mark Miloscia. As some of you know, Mark represents Federal Way in the state legislature and is now running for state auditor. I like Mark because he has been one of the champion’s of campaign finance reform in our state, an issue that’s important to me. Every year for many years now, Mark has introduced a campaign finance reform bill, and it has failed, but will it always, or one day will life serendipitously conspire so that enough people realize everyone should have an equal voice in making important decisions about our country.
In Christian scripture, whenever anybody asks Jesus when the Kingdom of God will arrive, he says that nobody except God knows and one shouldn’t believe anybody who says he or she knows. Instead, Jesus says, always be ready for it.
I don’t interpret Jesus’ words to be a doomsday prediction about the end times but an expression of an existential truth about human existence - - that none of us knows when or where or how life is going to serendipitously conspire to bring about something new and different and unexpected in our lives but that we should live in anticipation, in preparation, in readiness, in openness to possibility.
I think the poet Emily Dickinson was saying much the same thing when she wrote, “Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door.”
One of the reasons I’m always excited when we welcome new members into this congregation is that I never know life is going to serendipitously conspire so that your participation in this congregation may lead to something totally unexpected and totally new in our shared lives together.
I recently read about a man who saw a woman stopped along the side of the road. The woman was trying to change the tire on her car and was having trouble. He stopped to help. After helping her, he got back in his car and kept on driving. A few miles down the road he had a heart attack. Then the same woman stopped her car, called for help, and performed CPR on him until an ambulance arrived, saving his life.
This morning we’re selling items in the Welcoming Room to raise funds for another microbank. If we’re able to fund another bank, that bank may be able to make a small loan to a woman trying to run her own business. Then that woman may be able to afford to send a child to school. Then that child may grow up to make an incredible contribution to his community, to her nation, or even to humanity as a whole, perhaps even doing something that will save the life of somebody in this congregation. Do I have any guarantees of that? Absolutely none at all. But as I’ve been saying, none of us knows when, where, or how life may serendipitously conspire to bring about something totally unexpected and totally new. The most any of us can do is be ready, play our part, and not refuse to do the something we can do.
My friends, not knowing when the dawn will come, let us open every door. Now and always, let us live with hope, courage, perseverance, patience, and faith in the goodness of things yet to come. Let us live in anticipation that somewhere, something incredible is waiting to happen, in our own lives and in the world. And if there is a time in any of our individual lives when our own hope wanes, when our own flame flickers, may it be renewed here in this religious community we share with one another.
So may it be. Amen. | <urn:uuid:827be1f8-e696-40a7-82c6-d7b60d7a3af2> | {
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WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the launch of a website, DOepatents, which allows search and retrieval of information from a collection of more than 20,000 patent records. The database represents a growing collection of patents resulting from R&D supported by DOE and demonstrates the Department’s considerable contribution to scientific progress from the 1940s to the present.
“From helping the blind to see again to identifying hidden weapons through holographic computerized imaging technology, the U.S. Department of Energy has supported and will continue to support research addressing some of the world’s most pressing scientific challenges,” Under Secretary for Science Dr. Raymond L. Orbach said. “Content within DOepatents represents a truly impressive demonstration of DOE research and development and technological innovation.”
Highlighted at DOepatents is a compilation of noteworthy DOE innovations from the past few decades. These technologies have improved quality of life and provided national economic, health and environmental benefits. One such invention is the Artificial Retina, a collaborative research project between DOE national laboratories, universities and the private sector aimed at restoring vision to millions of people blinded by retinal disease. Another invention is the DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s pioneering multi-junction solar cell. A cell based on this design set a world efficiency record in converting sunlight to electricity. The DOepatents database also includes inventions of Nobel Laureates associated with DOE or its predecessors such as Enrico Fermi, Glenn Seaborg and Luis Alvarez, along with other distinguished scientists.
patents consists of bibliographic records, with full text where available via either a PDF file or an HTML link to the record at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The DOepatents database is updated quarterly with new patent records. The website is updated on a regular basis with news and information about significant and recent inventions. Resource links for inventors are included at the site, as well as Recent Inventions and Patent News pages. DOepatents was developed by the DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) and may be viewed at http://www.osti.gov/doepatents/.
OSTI, a part of the DOE Office of Science, accelerates discovery by making research results rapidly available to scientists and to the public. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the nation.
Jeff Sherwood, DOE, (202) 586-5806
Cathey Daniels, OSTI, (865) 576-9539 | <urn:uuid:d8e7ee42-2942-4f4e-bc3f-b0ba6d06cc68> | {
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Launch Date: December 02, 1997
Mission Project Home Page - http://www.mpe-garching.mpg.de/EQS/eqs_home.html
EQUATOR-S was a low-cost mission designed to study the Earth's equatorial magnetosphere out to distances of 67000 km. It formed an element of the closely-coordinated fleet of satellites that compose the IASTP program. Based on a simple spacecraft design, it carries a science payload comprising advanced instruments that were developed for other IASTP missions.
Unique features of EQUATOR-S were its nearly equatorial orbit and its high spin rate. It was launched as an auxiliary payload on an Ariane-4, December 2nd, 1997. The mission was intended for a two-year lifetime but stopped transmitting data on May 1, 1998.
The idea of an equatorial satellite dates back to NASA's GGS (Global Geospace Science) program, originally conceived in 1980. The equatorial element of the program was abandoned in 1986 and several subsequent attempts to rescue the mission failed, leaving a significant gap in both NASA's GSS and the international IASTP programs.
The Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik (MPE) decided to fill this gap because of its interest in GSS and the opportunity for a test of an advanced instrument to measure electric fields with dual electron beams. In addition to MPE-internal funds and personnel, the realization of EQUATOR-S was possible through a 1994 grant from the German Space Agency DARA (meanwhile part of DLR). | <urn:uuid:08b61c80-8adc-4d5c-92e2-9ac587918416> | {
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More on those rorquals: part I is required reading. To those who have seen this stuff before: sorry, am going through a busy phase and no time for new material (blame dinosaurs and azhdarchoid pterosaurs… and baby girls). Oh, incidentally, I recently registered Tet Zoo with ResearchBlogging: I haven’t done this before because ‘blogging on peer-reviewed research’ is the norm at Tet Zoo, not the exception. It seems to take ages for posts to be uploaded to ResearchBlogging – like, hours. Is this normal? Anyway…
This time we look at the basics of rorqual morphology and at their feeding behaviour. The rostrum in rorquals is long and tapers to a point (though it is comparatively broad in blue whales) and, in contrast to other mysticetes, a stout finger-like extension of the maxillary bone extends posteriorly, overlapping the nasals and abutting the supraoccipital (the shield-like plate that forms the rear margin of the skull). The dorsal surfaces of the frontals (on the top of the skull) possess large depressions while the ventral surfaces of the zygomatic processes (the structures that project laterally from the cheek regions) are strongly concave, again unlike the condition in other mysticetes [painting above by Valter Fogato].
Rorqual lower jaws are gigantic, beam-like bones that bow outwards along their length. The symphyseal area (the region where the jaw tips meet) is unfused, as is the case in all mysticetes (even the most basal ones) but not other cetaceans, meaning that the two halves of the jaw can stretch apart at their tips somewhat. Exceeding 7 m in blue whales, rorqual lower jaws are the largest single bones in history (ha! Take that Sauropoda).
A section of blue whale jaw was once ‘discovered’ at Loch Ness and misidentified as the femur of a gigantic, hitherto undiscovered tetrapod. Occasionally rorqual skulls have been discovered in which the long lower jaws have been stuck wedged inside various of the skull openings and with their tips protruding like tusks. People unfamiliar with cetacean skulls have then naively assumed that the skull belonged to some sort of tusked prehistoric sea monster. Ben Roesch once discussed the case of the Ataka carcass of 1956: a giant beached animal possessing divergent ‘tusks’ that are in fact the separated halves of a rorqual’s lower jaw (see adjacent image).
I’ve come across another case of this sort of thing. The accompanying newspaper piece, from The Telegraph of June 29th 1908, features a skull trawled up by the Aberdeen vessel Balmedie (sailing out of Grimsby), and thought by the article’s writer to be that of ‘some prehistoric monster’, apparently with tongue preserved. It’s clearly a rorqual skull, and the pointed, narrow rostrum and posterior widening of the mesorostral gutter indicates that it’s a minke whale skull [for other cases in which whale carcasses have been mistaken for 'sea monsters' see the Tecolutla monster article].
Moving back to the morphology of the rorqual lower jaw, a tall, well-developed coronoid process – way larger than that of any other mysticete – projects from each jaw bone and forms the attachment site for a tendinous part of the temporalis muscle, termed the frontomandibular stay.
All of these unusual features are linked to the remarkable feeding style used by rorquals. How do they feed? Predominantly by lunge-feeding (also known as engulfment feeding): by opening their mouths to full gape (c. 90º), and then lunging into a mass of prey. Those depressed areas on the frontals and zygomatic processes house particularly large temporalis and masseter muscles, the muscles involved in closing the jaw. The frontomandibular stay provides a strong mechanical linkage between the lower jaw and skull and primarily serves to amplify the mechanical advantage of the temporalis muscles.
As a rorqual lunge-feeds, a huge quantity of water (hopefully containing prey) is engulfed within the buccal pouch, transforming the whale from ‘a cigar shape to the shape of an elongated, bloated tadpole’ (Orton & Brodie 1987, p. 2898). While a rorqual uses its muscles to open its jaws, the energy that powers the expansion of the buccal pouch is essentially provided by the whale’s forward motion, and not by the jaw muscles. In other words, the engulfing process is powered solely by the speed of swimming. Orton & Brodie (1987) noted that the engulfed water ‘is not displaced forward or moved backward by internal suction, but is simply enveloped with highly compliant material’ (p. 2905). Rorquals do not, therefore, set up a bow wave as they engulf (UPDATE: by complete coincidence, Paul Brodie told me in a recent email [28th Feb 2009] that he’s just completing a long-in-the-pipeline manuscript containing field data on Sei whale. Wow, I really look forward to seeing this).
A rorqual may engulf nearly 70% of its total body weight in water and prey during this action, which in an adult blue whale amounts to about 70 tons (Pivorunas 1979). In order to cope with this, the tissues of the buccal pouch must be highly extensible and able to cope with massive distortion. The ventral surface of the pouch is covered by grooved blubber, on which the 50-90 grooves extend from the jaw tips to as far posteriorly as the umbilicus. The ventral grooves can be extended to 4 times their resting width, and to 1.5 times their resting length. Internal to the grooved blubber is the muscle tissue of the buccal pouch, and this is unique, containing large amounts of elastin, and consisting of an inner layer of longitudinally arranged muscle bands and an outer layer where the bands are obliquely oriented (Pivorunas 1977).
When a rorqual lunges, delicate timing is needed, otherwise the buccal pouch will rapidly fill with seawater and not with prey. How then do rorquals get their timing just right? It seems that rorquals possess batteries of sensory organs within and around the buccal pouch: there are laminated corpuscles closely associated with the ventral grooves that might serve a sensory function, and located around the edges of the jaws, and at their tips, are a number of short (12.5 mm) vibrissae. Long assumed to be vestiges from the time when whale ancestors had body hair, it now seems that these structures have a role in sensing vibrations.
Once a mass of prey is engulfed, a rorqual then has to squeeze the water out through its baleen plates while at the same time retaining the prey. Rorqual baleen plates number between 219 to 475 in each side of the jaw (the number of plates is highly variable within species, with sei whales alone having between 219 and 402), and each plate ranges in length from 20 cm (in the minkes) to 1 m (in the blue). As the whale stops lunging forward, the pressure drops off, allowing deflation of the buccal pouch. Passive contraction of the blubber grooves and active contraction of the muscle layer within the buccal pouch also occurs at this time [adjacent image, showing engulfment process in Fin whale, by Jeremy Goldbogen and Nicholas Pyenson and taken from the UC Berkeley news site. Goldbogen et al.'s research is discussed in the next article. See also Pyenson's site and Goldbogen's site].
For an outstanding sequence of photos illustrating engulfment in action, see Randy Morse’s photos of a feeding blue whale.
So that’s the basics. But there’s so much more to the subject than this. How is it that, during lunge feeding, agile, highly reactive prey remain within the mouth cavity prior to the mouth’s closure? Why do some rorquals make loud noises during lunge-feeding? Why, given their giant size and theoretical high aerobic dive limit, do big rorquals not spend more time lunge-feeding beneath the surface? Why do some rorquals exhibit strongly asymmetrical patterns of pigmentation? And don’t forget that not all rorquals lunge-feed. More on these issues in the following post.
Refs – -
Orton, L. S., Brodie, P. F. (1987). Engulfing mechanisms of fin whales Canadian Journal of Zoology, 65, 2898-2907
Pivorunas, A. 1977. The fibrocartilage skeleton and related structures of the ventral pouch of balaenopterid whales. Journal of Morphology 151, 299-314.
- . 1979. The feeding mechanisms of baleen whales. American Scientist 67, 432-440. | <urn:uuid:8f2f560b-dae5-475c-97cf-fc3c37678e04> | {
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Günter Archenhold is forced out of office due to his Jewish origin by the Nazis.
The family is also ousted from the observatory, their life's work, under the most shameful of circumstances. The observatory was transferred without compensation to the possession of the city of Berlin and subordinated to the school administration.
A civil servant became administrative chairman, who was completely unacquainted with astronomy. The observatory was closed due to construction work.
Up till then, the observatory had a total number of 2,666,567 visitors, since its opening.
F.S. Archenhold died in Berlin on the 14th of October, 1939. Archenhold’s wife Alice and their daughter Hilde died in the concentration camp Theresienstadt. The sons Günter and Horst found refuge and were able to emigrate to England. | <urn:uuid:0d05e295-c84f-4eec-9c0a-d3c15cc0f46b> | {
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PHP is considered an insecure language to develop in not because of secret backdoors put in by the PHP language developers, but because it was initially developed without security as a major concern and compared to other languages/web frameworks its difficult to develop securely in it.
E.g., if you develop a LAMP/LAPP (linux+apache+mysql/postgresql+PHP) web app, you have to manually code in input/output sanitation to prevent SQL injection/XSS/CSRF, make sure there are no subtle calls to
eval user-supplied code (like in
preg_replace with a '/e' ending the regexp argument), safely deal with file uploads, make sure user passwords are securely hashed (not plaintext), authentication cookies are unguessable, secure (https) and http-only, etc.
Most modern web-frameworks simplify many of these issues by doing most of these things in a secure fashion (or initially doing them insecurely and then getting secure updates).
The risk of there being a secret backdoor in an open-source PHP is small; and the risk is present in every piece of software (windows/linux/apache/nginx/IIS/postgresql/oracle) you use -- both open-source and closed-source. The open-source ones at least have the benefit that many independent eyes look at it all the time and you could examine it if you wanted.
Also note in principle, even after fully examining the source code and finding no backdoors and fully examining the source code of your compiler (finding no backdoors), if you then recompile your compiler (bootstrap by using some untrusted existing compiler) and then compile the safe source code with your newly compiled "safe" compiler, your executable code could still have backdoors brought in from using the untrusted existing compiler to compile the new compiler. See Ken Thompson's Reflections on Trusting Trust. (The way this is defended against in practice is by using many independent and obscure compilers from multiple sources to compile any new compiler and then compare the output). | <urn:uuid:9f5695bc-5609-4c4f-ad0d-a28ed7a4e1d1> | {
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The Bigger Picture: Visual Archives and the Smithsonian
Now Open to the Public (in 1922) - Museum of the American Indian
On November 14, 1922, George Gustav Heye opened to the public the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation in New York City to display his collection of Native American artifacts. Heye, a mining engineer, began collecting Native American artifacts while working in Arizona in 1896. The museum, founded in 1916, was located at Audubon Terrace and there was also a research branch in the Bronx where collections were available for research and study.
After Heye's death in 1957, the future of the museum was in doubt. Some thoughts were to transfer the collection to the American Museum of Natural History in New York or possibly for it to be purchased by businessman, H. Ross Perrot. Neither of these options came to pass.
It was not until the 1980s when discussions began with the Smithsonian that a home would be found for the Museum of the American Indian. On November 18, 1989, President George H. W. Bush signed legislation creating the National Museum of the American Indian as part of the Smithsonian. Today the museum consists of the George Gustave Heye Center in New York City (unfortunately because of Hurricane Sandy the Heye Center is temporarily closed), the Cultural Resources Center facility in Maryland, and the museum on the Mall in Washington, D.C.
- History of the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution Archives | <urn:uuid:76969e3e-def1-4ecc-bfed-53c04719a216> | {
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