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By Steven Reinberg
TUESDAY, Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) -- People who have a normal weight but have excess belly fat may have a higher risk of dying from heart disease than even obese individuals, researchers report.
In a new study, investigators found that normal-weight people who have what is called central obesity are at almost three times greater risk of dying from heart disease and two times greater risk of dying from any cause than those of normal weight with a normal waist-to-hip ratio.
"People with normal weight may be less likely to feel the need for lifestyle changes," explained lead researcher Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "But, central obesity isn't healthy even in those with normal weight."
There are several reasons why central obesity may raise the risk of death, Lopez-Jimenez said. It increases insulin resistance, and people with central obesity tend to have less fat in areas where fat might be protective, such as the hips and legs, he said. People with central obesity also tend to have less muscle mass.
For obese people, some of the risk is tempered by fat distribution, Lopez-Jiminez noted. Obese people tend to have fat in those places where it may be protective, and they tend to have more muscle mass, he explained.
For normal-weight people with central obesity, the only way to reduce the risk is to lose weight and build muscle mass, Lopez-Jimenez said, so that the weight is redistributed.
"A healthy diet and exercise are the way to treat this problem. You do both, lose weight and build muscle mass," he said.
The findings were presented Monday at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich, Germany. Research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.
For the study, Lopez-Jimenez's team collected data on more than 12,000 men and women in the United States who took part in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
As part of the survey, participants had their weight, height, waist and hip size measured. In addition, the researchers matched data from the survey with the National Death Index.
Over 14 years of follow-up, more than 2,500 people died. Of those, more than 1,100 deaths were due to cardiovascular disease.
Lopez-Jimenez's group found the risk of dying from heart disease was 2.75 times higher, and the risk of dying from any causes was 2.08 times higher among those of normal weight with central obesity, compared with people of normal weight and normal waist-to-hip ratio.
To make sure their results would reflect body type, the researchers excluded anyone in the survey who had cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They also took into account age, sex, race, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Commenting on the study, Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, explained that "central obesity is the presence of excess fat in the abdomen. In this condition, the amount of fat deposited in the abdomen is out of proportion to total body fat."
Many studies have shown that central obesity is independently associated with the increased risk of cardiovascular events, Fonarow noted.
"In some studies, waist circumference or waist-hip ratio is a better predictor of risk than body mass index," Fonarow said. Body mass index is a measurement based on a person's height and weight only.
"In this new study, men and women in the normal body mass index category, but with increased waist-hip ratio had the highest cardiovascular mortality risk, even higher than those classified as obese by body mass index. This increased cardiovascular risk remained evident after risk factor adjustment," he added.
"This study further highlights the dangers associated with excess fat in the abdomen," Fonarow said.
While the study reported an association between belly fat in normal-weight people and risk of death from heart disease, it did not prove that a cause-and-effect relationship exists.
To determine your hip-to-waist ratio, visit the University of Maryland.
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:0e3abf23-7d98-4c4b-9334-54966a1eb64d> | {
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The journal Pediatrics has published a new study: “Trends in survival among children with Down syndrome in 10 regions of the United States.” You can read the article’s abstract here. See below for a summary of the findings from this article.
Main Finding from this Study
Survival among people with Down syndrome improved in the United States over time. Importantly, the greatest improvement in survival was among babies with Down syndrome who were born with low birth weight or born with a major heart defect. Although small racial/ethnic differences in survival persist, these differences have lessened over time.
About this Study:
- What is Down syndrome?
Down syndrome is a condition in which a baby has an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are small “packages” of genes in the body. They determine how a baby’s body forms during pregnancy and how, as the baby grows in the womb and after birth, the baby’s body functions.
Most people have 46 chromosomes. Babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of one of these chromosomes, chromosome 21. This extra copy changes the body’s and brain’s development and can cause mental and physical problems for the baby.
- How common is Down syndrome?
Down syndrome remains the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States. Down syndrome affects about 1 out of every 700 infants born in the United States1.
- What is currently known on this subject?
People with Down syndrome are more likely to die at a younger age than people without Down syndrome. For example, babies born with Down syndrome are five times more likely to die in their first year of life when compared to the general population 2. Some studies have suggested that differences in survival exist between racial/ethnic groups. For example, black children with Down syndrome are more likely to die at a younger age than white children with Down syndrome2,3. But it is not well understood why these differences in survival exist, nor is it known how this increased risk of death changes over the life course.
- What were the study results?
This study used data from 10 birth defects tracking programs in the United States to look at trends in the survival of children born with Down syndrome. They also looked at what factors might impact survival of these individuals over time.
- Overall survival of people with Down syndrome improved over time.
- In this study, about 94% of the babies born with Down syndrome survived to one year of age, and in a subset of the data from regions with at least 20 years of follow-up, about 88% survived to twenty years of age.
- Certain factors affect survival of people with Down syndrome—
- Infants with Down syndrome who were born of very low birth weight (< 1500 grams) were 24 times more likely to die in the first 28 days of life compared to infants of normal birth weight.
- Infants with Down syndrome who were born with a major heart defect had a lower survival compared to those born without a major heart defect. Having a major heart defect increased the risk for death across the lifespan.
- Non-Hispanic black children with Down syndrome were twice as likely to die during childhood and adolescence compared to Non-Hispanic white children with Down syndrome.
- Why is this study important?
This was the largest population-based study on survival of people with Down syndrome. Population-based means that the researchers look at all babies born with Down syndrome who live in a defined study area, which is important to get a complete picture of what is happening within the population. This study provides estimates of survival of people with Down syndrome that are the most representative of the U.S. population to date. These estimates can serve as a benchmark and for comparison with other countries. These estimates also could be useful for determining the need for local and regional resources to address the long-term needs of people with Down syndrome. Importantly, this study also identifies certain factors, including low birth weight and the presence of a major heart defect that might increase the risk for death among babies born with Down syndrome. Increasing awareness of the risks associated with these factors can help health care providers better address medical needs and promote health among people with Down syndrome.
Down syndrome: CDC’s Activities
CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) is learning more about Down syndrome by tracking the occurrence and conducting research.
- Surveillance or disease tracking: Tracking where and when Down syndrome occurs and the individuals it affects gives us important clues about opportunities to improve outcomes and help plan for services for affected families.
- Research: To understand how Down syndrome impacts affected children and their families, CDC and its partners conduct studies on health service use, survival, and racial/ethnic disparities.
- Tools: CDC is collaborating to revise the Down syndrome growth charts, which are commonly relied on to establish growth patterns and detect when growth problems occur.
CDC and its partners continue to look at these issues to improve the lives of children and families affected by Down syndrome.
To learn more about Down syndrome, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/DownSyndrome.html
- Parker SE, Mai CT, Canfield MA, et al. Updated national birth prevalence estimates for selected birth defects in the United States, 2004-2006. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2010;88(12):1008-16.
- Shin M, Kucik JE, Correa A. Causes of death and case fatality rates among infants with Down syndrome in metropolitan Atlanta. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2007;79(11):775-80.
- Rasmussen SA, Wong LY, Correa A, Gambrell D, Friedman JM. Survival of infants with Down syndrome, Metropolitan Atlanta, 1979-1998. J Pediatr. 2006;148(6):806-12.
Reference for Key Findings Feature:
Kucik JE, Shin M, Siffel C, Marengo L, Correa A for the Congenital Anomaly Multistate Prevalence and Survival Collaborative. Trends in survival among children with Down syndrome in 10 regions of the United States. Pediatrics. 2012 [epub ahead of print]. | <urn:uuid:e8ec9fd4-9a56-4e80-b9ff-5917c1080d0f> | {
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About Communion, Communion Supplies & Protestant Holy Communion
What is Communion?
Communion celebrations in Protestant churches are most often held weekly or monthly. The most common Communion supplies used for the remembrance of Jesus’ Last Supper with the disciples are grape juice or wine and unleavened bread. Christian Communion is the sharing of a meal that remembers Jesus’ sacrifice and celebrates the redemption He gave to the world through His life, death and resurrection.
Why do we celebrate Communion?
Christians believe Christ instructed them to celebrate Communion with these words: "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 1 Corinthians 11:24
Sharing juice or wine in a chalice or in individual Communion cups and breaking unleavened bread together is a core expression of Christian faith.
Why Unleavened Bread ?
Unleavened bread has traditionally been used as part of Christian Holy Communion celebrations since Christ’s Last Supper with the Apostles. As part of the Jewish Passover, unleavened bread was a central part of the traditional Jewish holiday celebrating the liberation of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt.
Exodus 12:1-76 describes how, after the Israelites were spared from the tenth plague which killed all first born in Egypt, they were told to journey to the Promised Land. In their haste, they took dough with them before it had been leavened. In commemorating the fact that their first born were spared, or passed over, unleavened bread became a traditional part of the Passover meal or “Seder.”
It was Passover when Jesus sat down with His disciples to share the Last Supper. Unleavened bread was most certainly part of this meal.
How do we celebrate Communion?
Communion is celebrated in many different ways. Many Protestant churches use Communion cups filled with grape juice, passed or served in round Communion trays made out of brass or silver metals. A relatively new product, the Prefilled Communion Cup with Wafer is an all in one Communion cup and wafer kit that has gained favor in recent years thanks to its convenience and healthier qualities. Prefilled Communion cups with wafers are an all in one Communion cup with bread-wafer set that keeps the elements safely sealed until it is time to partake, eliminating extra handling. Still, use of a common Communion cup is the preference of some churches. In this case a cup or chalice of grape juice or wine is passed from church member to church member. Is the new all in one Communion cup with bread concept appealing to you and your church? For a limited time you can order free samples from Celebrate Communion!
When a common Communion cup is used, the faithful either take the bread or Communion wafers separately, or may dip the bread or wafer into the cup prior to partaking. This act of dipping unleavened Communion bread or wafers into a Communion cup is called “intinction.”
What else is Communion called?
While the frequency and manner in which Communion is celebrated might vary from church to church or denomination to denomination, the other terms synonymous with Communion are generally the same for all Christians. Other terms for Communion include:
• Holy Communion
• The Lord’s Supper
• The Eucharist
• Breaking of the Bread
• Sacrament of the Table
What does the Bible say about Communion?
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:26-28 (NIV)
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many." Mark 14:22-24 (NIV)
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." Luke 22:19-20 (NIV)
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (NIV)
And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 (NIV)
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:53-54 (NIV) | <urn:uuid:fc75db56-5d56-4011-92d0-23a492a3f7ed> | {
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8:04 PM EST, December 22, 2012
When most people think of crime’s cost they immediately think of stolen valuables, cops on the street and the ever spiraling fortune spent keeping large portions of the population behind bars.
But what about the burden of locking and unlocking your front door?
Centre College Economics Professor David Anderson took into account both direct and less obvious financial hardships caused by criminal activity in his attempt to put a price tag on crime in the United States each year. His estimate was staggering: $1.7 trillion.
Anderson, who has studied the economic impact of criminal activity in the past, published his article, “The Cost of Crime” earlier this year in the journal Foundations and Trends in Microeconomics. Although many reports are produced each year on what is spent for specific crime-related purposes, such as law enforcement or the court system, Anderson’s may be the most comprehensive estimate of the burden for the country as a whole.
Anderson notes the country’s expenditures on policing, corrections and the criminal justice system, for which America annually spends in excess of $113 billion, $81 and $42 billion respectively. He also cites figures that show the number of individual victimizations declined dramatically between 1995 and 2010, going from 40 million to 18.7 million.
Despite the drop in cases, Anderson found crime’s toll is often less straightforward than the amount spent on prevention or punishment. That includes everything from the loss of productive time a criminal spends planning a caper to what the value of time lost to locking and unlocking doors — or sophisticated safes, depending on your level of worry.
“The indirect costs of crime include the opportunity cost of time lost to criminal activities, incarceration, crime prevention and recovery after victimization,” Anderson writes. “The threat of crime elicits private expenditures on deterrents such as locks, safety lighting, security fences, alarm systems, anti-virus software programs and armored car services.”
Anderson’s findings also indicate some of the burden may have shifted.
He writes that crime-induced production, which are expenses that would be unnecessary in the absence of crime or the threat of crime, are about $646 billion a year. Of that, $300 billion was spent on private efforts to prevent crime.
The booming personal security industry is an indicator of what Anderson called the “environment of crime.” While the modern lament about how “no one used to lock their doors at night” in small towns across the country is one indicator of that environment, the $36 billion people spend each year on home security systems is even more striking.
The variety of crime, and the resulting necessity to stop it, were also factored in to Anderson’s estimate.
Adoption of computer systems and the ascendency of the internet have created an entire new avenue for criminals and a market for preventative software. Anderson includes figures from an FBI survey that found businesses alone spend $78.1 billion each year on computer viruses and computer security incidents.
While local or national trends may have a more sublet effect, some crimes have a sudden impact on the individual and collective psyche of Americans.
Around the time of the October vice presidential debate on Centre’s campus, Anderson had only to look out his window to see the scale of crime prevention measures brought on in large part by the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
The Newtown, Conn., school massacre last week served as heart rending example of the how even distant acts impact all parts of the country.
Anderson said events like what happened in Newtown, while uncommon, consume both time and mental and emotional energy on a broad scale.
Sensational crimes that hold the national attention also contribute to what Anderson calls the environment of crime. In the case of Newtown and other school shootings, a relatively safe place becomes one fraught with potential dangers people will try to mitigate with costly solutions.
Just as the costs of criminal activity are more diverse than theft prevention or paying for bricks and bars, Anderson believes the country as a whole needs to look at varied ways of reducing the overall impact on society.
Anderson would like to see schools create anger management lessons and other types of instruction that nurture emotional development included in curriculums. He pointed to the recurrence of costly white collar cases as evidence of the need for more ethics education in classrooms.
“I think it is important to have discussions of how you deal with anger, but also the repercussions of criminal activity,” Anderson said. “Even if it is just spray painting a building or some other kind of vandalism, there are so many costs associated with that and it is part of creating an environment of crime. I also think there is value and real importance in having people think, from a young age, about what is right and wrong.”
Copyright © 2013, AM News | <urn:uuid:33304dfd-161b-4c50-856b-4e51afcc628d> | {
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Building responsibly for future generations. Sustainable building design.
Discover how respecting nature, preserving resources and building habitats with sensitivity to the world around us is actually good business.
CertainTeed Building Science supports sustainable design in an effort to minimize the negative impact humans have on our natural surroundings, materials, and resources. It also ensures consistent high performance over the full lifecycle of the building. The overall objective of sustainability is to provide for the needs of the present without detracting from the needs of the future.
Sustainable building projects should result in an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal, and human benefits, while meeting the mission and function of the intended facility.
The Sustainable Building portion of the CertainTeed website is a robust resource covering the roots of sustainable design as well as the latest understandings in high performance products and solutions that deliver sustainability over the full lifecycle of the building.
CertainTeed supports the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and NAHB National Green Building Standard. Our resources provide information and insight into how to design and build with the standards and sustainability in mind.
Our goal is to provide the science and material solutions you need to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources and energy, minimize waste, conserve water, and create productive, healthy environments for the future.
Get more information on how CertainTeed is sustainable by visiting the CertainTeed Building Responsibly sitelette.
Building Science Home | <urn:uuid:bd4efef7-3d67-46f8-a4c5-f23e6f641402> | {
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Florida's endangered manatees have long suffered from human activity, but this year they face an especially deadly threat hidden in the waters where they swim.
An algae bloom off southwest Florida, called Florida red tide, has killed 174 manatees since January, the highest number to die from red tide in a calendar year, state wildlife officials said Monday.
A red tide is a higher than normal concentration of a microscopic algae that appears in the Gulf of Mexico. At high enough concentrations, the algae can turn the water red or brown, hence the name.
Red tides happen almost every year in southwest Florida and sometimes last just a few weeks, but this year the red tide has lingered and settled in an area of warm water where the manatees have migrated.
"It's kind of filled in an area where they've congregated and are feeding on sea grass where the toxins settle on," said Kevin Baxter, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Those toxins can affect the central nervous systems of fish and other vertebrates, causing the animals to die.
Wildlife officials and their partners have this year rescued 12 manatees suffering from the effects of red tide. They asked the public to alert them to other ailing manatees who may be showing a lack of coordination and stability in the water, muscle twitches or seizures, and difficulty lifting their heads to breathe.
Unlike other algae blooms, red tides are not caused by pollution, the wildlife service said.
"Red tides occurred in Florida long before human settlement, and severe red tides were observed in the mid-1900s before the state's coastlines were heavily developed," the commission said.
The blooms usually develop 10-40 miles offshore, away from man-made nutrient resources, it added.
Red tides were documented in the southern Gulf as far back as the 1700s and along Florida's Gulf coast in the 1840s, the commission said. "Fish kills near Tampa Bay were even mentioned in the records of Spanish explorers."
Manatees are listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Conservation efforts have led to an increase in the manatee population, the commission said, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working on a rule that would reclassify the manatee from endangered to threatened.
Most manatees die from collisions with watercraft or from "cold stress" in chilly waters, Baxter said. | <urn:uuid:d5b7dff2-b22f-4078-a77b-3361fda6b6db> | {
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Crossing and finishing with build up play
Aim - To improve understanding of build up play. To improve runs into the box. To improve finishing from crossing situations.
- 1. Good first touch for wide men and attackers.
- 2. Make sure the crosses are in the right areas for the attackers to score.
- 3. Make sure the attackers make two runs each. One to take the marker away and one to attack the ball.
- 4. Always keep eye on the ball when finishing. | <urn:uuid:b1111047-324a-4d23-a498-c765a3157ad8> | {
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Centrifugal pumps are ubiquitous at process plants but many users don't understand how to select and install them. Some strict rules apply and the devil is in the details. So, this article presents some pointers I've gleaned over the years.
Pump selection should start with the system curve. Plants that supply vendors with a system curve have addressed 80% of the pump selection process. Unfortunately, plant-supplied system curves are rare and this leads to excessive costs.
Developing the curve first requires establishing the piping lay out, allowable system pressures and flow rates. Once isometrics are drawn, you can calculate and graph the system curve. The pressure/flow rate plot should represent the changes that flow will experience over the life of the process. This plot is essential for the pump vendor to make a valid recommendation.
The only other plot needed is the range of Net Positive Suction Head Available (NPSHA) the pump can experience. Determining the total NPSHA requires calculating suction-side static, velocity and friction heads.
You should compare these plots to the pump curve the vendor supplies. The intersection of the system curve and the pump curve represents the ideal design point. Comparing the NPSHA to the Net Positive Suction Head Required (NPSHR) will indicate if the pump is a viable candidate.
When selecting between two particular pumps, try to choose the one with the greatest distance between its maximum and minimum wheel (impeller) size shown on the pump curve. Specifying a pump with a wheel diameter nears its minimum means you can't shave the impeller down to adapt to process changes. Installing the largest possible wheel means you can't debottleneck the process later by increasing the wheel diameter, and will need to purchase a new pump.
Comparing pump curves requires engineering judgment and experience. Sometimes, though, the choice is clear. For instance, Figure 1 shows curves for two pumps — one, an A-Frame, with a recommended wheel of 9.25 inches; the other, an S-Frame, with a 6.13-inch wheel. Both pumps will operate at the same flow rates when compared to the system curve. However, the larger A-Frame pump has an impeller only 0.25 inch larger than the minimum size for that pump. In contrast, the impeller for the S-Frame is about halfway between the minimum and maximum sizes. Clearly, the S-Frame Pump provides more flexibility to accommodate changes.
A smaller wheel has a higher NPSHR and lower required power draw, but is less efficient. The larger the wheel is, the more efficient the pump if you can operate near or at the Best Efficiency Point (BEP), indicated by the triangular areas on Figure 1. While you shouldn't ignore efficiency in pump selection, BEP operation, shaft length (L) and diameter (D), needed horsepower, NPSHR and process adaptability typically dominate design criteria.
Filtration is an example of a pump running across the curve during required operation. The pump starts at a high flow rate and low head. As the cake builds, discharge head increases. So, it's impossible to design a centrifugal pump to operate at the BEP in this application. This can result in vibration on both sides of the BEP and significant shaft deflection problems. | <urn:uuid:40fecccc-a901-4cb6-8324-4dbafc976f83> | {
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* Before Christ
* Till Crusades
* Post Crusades
* It's Christmas
* Catholic 1
* Catholic 2
* S. Francesco
* Pictures 1
* Pictures 2
* Pictures 3
* Pictures 4
From Justinian to the Crusaders
In 527 Justinian became Emperor of the Byzantine Empire. His reign was one of great prosperity and expansion for the churches, but not for the non-Christians. In 529 the Samaritans revolted. Spreading from Nablus, they plundered the countryside. The rising was soon quelled and the Samaritans in great part exterminated. According to a posterior source (Eutichius of Alexandria) the rebuilding of the Church in Bethlehem is attributed to this emperor. This same source says that the Emperor himself was not "satisfied" with the job carried out by his architects who had pulled the Constantinian church down, damaged during the Samaritan uprising, and built in its place a new one. The Emperor found that this new church was "dark" and he even accused the architect of wasting the Empire's money. So much was his dissatisfaction that the architect was executed! Whatever was the Emperor's judgement about this new Church remains the fact that it survived time and history and today is still standing at the site of the Nativity.
The essential form of the church has not altered since but the original plan of the Constantine edifice was modified. The atrium was raised to o higher level. The fašade retreated back about two metres. The Constantinian mosaic floor was covered up with two feet of imported soil and a new marble pavement was laid at a higher level. The lower part of the interior walls was also covered with marble and the upper parts with mosaics. It was one of these mosaic scenes that spared the Church from destruction during the Persian invasion (614 AD). This is what a ninth century greek document states: "(when the Persians) arrived at Bethlehem, they saw with awe the figures of the Persian Wise Men, star-gazers, their country folk. For the respect and love towards their ancestors they revered them as if they were still alive and spared the church. That is why it is still standing today".
The main modification to the Constantinian church plan was performed at the "sacred area" above the grotto. This was enlarged to the East, North and South in each being added an apse to create a cross-form basilica. The canopy was substituted by a "crescent shaped" (semicircular) presbytery leaving access all around it. It is at this time that the two side entrances were opened. It is also at this time that the whole grotto was vaulted in stone and an altar on the Easter side built under which the "exact birth-site of Jesus" started to be venerated.
With the occupation of Palestine by the Islamic army we assist to a gradual decline of the Christian presence. The Caliph Omar visited Bethlehem and promised that the Moslems would pray in the church as individuals only, without assembly or muezzin. At Christmas time members of both religions performed their devotions together in the church and on the whole lived on peaceful terms due to the common respect of Moslems and Christians for the birth-place of Jesus and to the money paid by the Christians as a price of peace. This probably saved the church from the orders of the Caliph Hakim in 1009.
Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, "Do you come in peace?" Samuel replied, "Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me." Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the LORD." But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The Lord has not chosen this one either." Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the Lord chosen this one." Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The Lord has not chosen these." So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest,"The arrival of the Crusaders in 1099 changed things for the better. The Crusader army under Godfrey de Bouillon was resting at Emmaus, when messengers arrived from Bethlehem requesting aid against the Saracens of the villages who were about to attack Bethlehem. Tancred with one hundred knights was dispatched and in the morning the flag of Tancred was raised over the Basilica. From that day the Normans regarded the church of the Nativity as something peculiarly their own. On Christmas Day, 1100, Baldwin the first king of the Latin Kingdom was crowned in Bethlehem. His successor Baldwin II followed his example in 1122.
The Crusaders did not have to do restoration of the Church as it seems that it was in a good state. But to the north side of the church they built a cloister and monastery which was given to the Canons of St. Augustine.
The restoration affected most of the church. The walls below the architraves were covered with white marble: above were coloured or gilt mosaics of glass and mother-of-pearl. Although time and man have destroyed much of this splendid work we can, through literary sources, know exactly what was represented. In the absidal semi-dome a dominant Virgin Mary with her son Jesus. In the absidal arch the Annunciation scene flanked by two biblical figures: Abraham and David. On the lower walls of the apse scenes from the life of Mary based on the apocryphal writings. Greek and Latin inscriptions praised the Latin crusader king Amalircus, bishop Radolfus and the Byzantine emperor Commenus. A date at the foot of this work dated the mosaic: 1169 A.D.. In the Northern transept the scenes of the bewilderment of Thomas and Ascension while in the Southern transepts scenes depicting the Transfiguration and the Entry of Jesus in Jerusalem. These scenes, parts of them still visible, had latin inscriptions. The upper part of the central nave was also decorated with this golden mosaic, of which large parts are still visible.
In the space between the windows a procession of angels, all moving towards East (as if going to adore Baby Jesus in the Holy Grotto). At the foot of one of the angels the signature of one of the artists "Basilius pictor". Under the windowsills, in very elaborate architecture compositions a synthesis, in greek, of the principal decisions of the main ecumenical and provincial councils of the Church. These Greek and Latin inscriptions in the same works reflects the short period of peace between the Latin and Greek worlds. The northern and southern frieze above the cedar wood architrave contained portraits of the ancestors of Jesus, the former based on the Gospel of Matthew (1,1-16) while the latter based on that of Luke (3,23-38). Of these medallions only the first eight on the northern frieze survived. During this period the roof of cedar wood was covered with lead. The two entrances to the holy grotto received their present monumental form.
The rosy columns of the central nave, made from the red stone of Bethlehem, were depicted with figures of our Lady, Eastern Saints (St. Macarius, St. Euthimius, St. Saba, St. Theodosius, St. George....) and Western Saints (S. Cathaldus of Taranto, S. Canutos of Denmark, St. Olaph of Norway...).
With the fall of Jerusalem, things went bad for Bethlehem. In 1192 Hubert Walter, the Bishop of Salisbury, obtained permission from Saladin for two priests and two deacons of the Latin rite to remain in Bethlehem, but now a Moslem guard sat at the door collecting fees. The treaty of 1229 between Frederick II and Sultan Kamil Mohammed restored temporarily Bethlehem to the Franks, but ten years later the church was in financial straits under the mismanagement of Bishop Giovanni Romano. His successor Godfrey de Prefetti tried to repair the losses. Godfrey had been the holder of two benefices in England, Long Kensington and Coleby and he visited France and England to get funds. He had some success and was back in Palestine in 1253. Three years later he helped to negotiate marriages between the royal families of England and Cyprus: Hugh II and Dowager Queen of Cyprus with a daughter and son of Edward I of England.
When Bibars came into power, Palestine suffered. In 1263 he ordered the destruction of Bethlehem, but the church somehow escaped. When finally the Crusaders were driven from Palestine in 1291, the Moslem rulers used the holy places for political and financial ends. Although Bethlehem was still nominally endowed, collection of revenue from the estates was impossible. In 1332 Pope John XXII wrote to Edward III of England, to David II of Scotland and to Simon of Meopham, Archbishop of Canterbury, asking them to help the bishop of Bethlehem recover his revenue and so enable him to return to Bethlehem and carry out repairs. It seems little was done! | <urn:uuid:26fdb483-24d6-41b0-827a-07e7c1df1c68> | {
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Dose Comparison of Amino Acids on Growth in Premature Neonates
Malnutrition is a common problem in the neonatal intensive care unit. Recent studies indicate that prematurely born neonates commonly develop a severe nutritional deficit during the first weeks after birth, referred to as extrauterine growth restriction. Despite an increase in growth during the second month of hospitalization, many neonates are ultimately discharged home having grown inadequately. The early nutritional deficit affects weight gain as well as growth in length and head circumference.
Growth measurements such as weight, length, and head circumference, however, are macroscopic measures of nutritional status and underestimate the physiologic consequences of prolonged nutritional deprivation. Energy and micronutrient deficiencies alter growth at a cellular and tissue level before macroscopic measures are altered. In the brain, for instance, energy is required for cell division and neuronal growth, glial cell function, and myelination. Energy deprivation may consequently alter neuronal function and growth, resulting in adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Immunocompetence also appears to be sensitive to the untoward effects of energy and nutritional deficiency. Malnourished neonates often exhibit immune deficiencies related to inadequate protein intake that compound an already immature immune system. Such immunodeficiency results in susceptibility to infectious agents that creates substantial morbidity and mortality to the course of intensive care for premature infants.
A recent study suggests that postnatal malnutrition and growth restriction are inevitable if current recommended dietary intakes are followed. Multicenter studies show that variation in dietary intake accounts for 45% of the variation in growth. Hence, efforts have focused on determining whether nutritional deficiency and the observed growth restriction of premature infants can be prevented through the use of more optimal nutritional intake. In addition, inadequate protein support may be a primary cause for growth failure.
Based on animal studies showing high in utero amino acid flux observed during the latter phase of gestation, Thureen et al have suggested the use of higher doses of amino acid supplementation in order to minimize growth restriction and improve outcomes of premature infants. However there are no large human trials that demonstrate that this approach promotes better growth or that it is safe. While small doses of amino acids may be inadequate to promote normal growth, high doses may lead to elevated serum amino acid levels and increase the occurrence of toxicity. Through the implementation of a multicenter, randomized trial and tandem mass spectrometry, the investigators propose to evaluate the effects of two distinct strategies of amino acid supplementation on serum amino acid profiles and growth of premature infants during the first 28 days of life.
|Study Design:||Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:||Randomized Control Trial Evaluating the Effect of Two Different Doses of Amino Acids on Growth and Serum Amino Acids in Premature Neonates Admitted to the NICU|
- The primary outcome is growth velocity for first 28 days of life calculated as: weight gain, head circumference, length
- Secondary outcomes include serum amino acid profiles measured on: day 7 of life, day 28 of life
|Study Start Date:||August 2005|
|Estimated Study Completion Date:||June 2006|
|United States, South Carolina|
|McLeod Regional Medical Center|
|Florence, South Carolina, United States, 29506|
|Principal Investigator:||Reese Clark, MD||Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc.| | <urn:uuid:94e1ae3f-c8e3-46be-9f01-09dcfe6667f4> | {
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US Highway 66, colloquially known as the Main Street of America, was established on November 11, 1926 as one of the original federal highways. It ran 2,448 miles from Chicago through St. Louis, Joplin MO, Oklahoma City, Amarillo TX, Albuquerque NM, and Flagstaff AZ, before ending in Los Angeles.
Route 66 served as a major path for those migrating west, especially during the Dust Bowl days of the Great Depression, and it provided major economic support to the towns through which it passed. People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive in the face of the growing threat of being bypassed by the limited access Interstate Highway System conceived in the mid-1950s. Its importance was first recognized in popular culture through Bobby Troup’s 1946 Top-40 hit Get Your Kicks on Route 66, as recorded by Nat King Cole; fifteen years later, the popular 1960-64 television show, Route 66 also did a lot to popularize the Corvette!
Route 66 was officially removed from the US Highway System on June 27, 1985, having been entirely replaced by several new routes that were part of the Interstate Highway System. Nonetheless, its lore continues, through historic preservation, museums, plaques, books, movies, documentaries, songs, websites, special events, and the dedication of thousands of energetic members of Route 66 Clubs located throughout the nation. | <urn:uuid:d8fdb4d0-73d3-4c2d-8f25-85db467a6ef2> | {
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Image and Implication
Critical Encounters: Image & Implication examines how images—visual, verbal and virtual—shape public perception and influence events and policy. Image & Implication challenges students to examine the impact of what they see, hear and read; produce arts and media that reflect and encourage civic engagement; and take action on issues of social importance.
- How are images manipulated to affect public opinion? Do people recognize that this is happening?
- What assumptions do we make about other people based on their images? What fuels those assumptions?
- How do our experiences affect our interpretation of images?
- When images desensitize us, how do we recapture empathy?
- What is visual literacy? Why does it matter?
- Can one image of anything be accurate and complete?
- What power do images have to educate and distort?
- What kinds of images foment action?
- What are our responsibilities as image-creators?
- How has the internet changed our control of images?
- What determines how people, institutions and events are portrayed?
- How do we deal with our inundation by images? | <urn:uuid:32d21ffb-11b6-4894-bc81-58438885c0ff> | {
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The 3 1/2" floppy disk format was the last mass-produced format, replacing 5 1/4" floppies by the mid-1990s. It was more durable than previous floppy formats since the packaging was rigid plastic with a sliding metal shutter. It was eventually made obsolete by CDs and flash drives.
Storage on the cheap: Floppy Disks
Magnetic hard disks transformed data storage, but were initially large and expensive. That was fine for mainframes, but personal computers needed something else. And the alternative already existed: the floppy disk.
In the 1970s and 1980s, floppy disks were the primary storage device for word processors and personal computers, and became the standard way to distribute software.
Word processing manufacturers like Wang were anxious for disks smaller than 8 inches. The design that became the popular 5¼ inch disk was inspired by the size of a cocktail napkin. Because the drive could fit in a PC, it revolutionized personal data storage.View Artifact Detail
The Floppy Disk: from Mainframe to PC
How to preserve the data when the power goes off? That was the conundrum confronting IBM engineers.
The System/370 was IBM’s first computer using read/write semiconductor memory for its microcode. But without power, its microcode disappeared and had to be reloaded. The solution, delivered in 1971, was an 8” diameter flexible Mylar disk holding 80KB.
Al Shugart left IBM to make floppy disk drives for small computers. Competition soon stimulated smaller sizes and higher capacities, and floppy disks played a critical role in the rapid growth of PCs.
The 5.25” floppy disk provided inexpensive storage and software distribution for PCs. With two drives, disks could be easily copied.View Artifact Detail
Although the IBM PC could be used with an audiocassette recorder instead of a floppy disk drive, few were sold without a floppy.View Artifact Detail
Various companies made proprietary higher-capacity floppy disks with packages similar to – but incompatible with – the 3½ inch standard. Iomega’s 100 MB ZIP disk was the most popular.View Artifact Detail
The 3 1/2" floppy disk format was the last mass-produced format, replacing 5 1/4" floppies by the mid-1990s. It was more durable than previous floppy formats since the packaging was rigid plastic with a sliding metal shutter. It was eventually made obsolete by CDs and flash drives.View Artifact Detail
The 5¼ inch floppy disk, a scaled-down version of IBM’s 8 inch disk, held about 100KB. But having the same soft jacket, they were no more robust.View Artifact Detail
The first floppy was developed in IBM’s San Jose facility, home of the original hard disk. It stored about 80KB. A key invention was the soft wipe inside the disk’s jacket to reduce wear.View Artifact Detail | <urn:uuid:39e17d63-3c44-4392-8b4c-036895862289> | {
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Reducing your risk
While colon cancer can affect anyone, it’s one cancer that is preventable. You can greatly reduce your risk of developing colon cancer by getting screened regularly and making certain healthy lifestyle choices.
Starting at age 50, be screened regularly for colon cancer. Learn more about screening options here.
If you have a personal or family history of cancer or colorectal polyps, or a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, talk to your healthcare provider about being screened earlier.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet, one that’s low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables (especially green, leafy vegetables) and whole grains, contributes to your health, and your colon’s health. A daily multi-vitamin containing .4 mg of folic acid may also be helpful in reducing your risk.
Regular exercise, at least 30 minutes four to five days a week, can reduce your risk. Even moderate exercise such as walking, gardening, or climbing supports colon health.
Smoking has been proven to increase the risk of colon cancer by 30-40%.*
If you use tobacco, quit. If you don't use tobacco, don't start.
Use Alcohol in Moderation
Drink alcohol only in moderation to lower your risk of developing colon cancer.
The power to prevent colon cancer is in your hands. Get screened and make healthy choices to keep yourself cancer-free.
*Taken from www.wdxcyber.com/coloncancer_symptoms.html
In the News View All
- Doctors perform a free service - colonoscopies to uninsured, underinsured
- Report Affirms Lifesaving Role of Colonoscopy
- Promoting cancer screening within the patient centered medical home
- Marriage improves the odds of surviving colon cancer
- Colorectal Cancer Deaths Declining, But Millions Still Aren't Getting Screened
- Fewer Americans developing and dying from colon cancer
- Colon cancer deaths down except in Mississippi
- Olympus Urges Swift Passage Of The "Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, And Treatment Act"
- Lack of sleep found to be a new risk factor for colon cancer | <urn:uuid:a3cd744a-6d1f-4b9f-b1dc-574255d1afd7> | {
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1. The unit of frequency.
4. (zoology) Lacking a tail or taillike appendage.
12. Piece of solid food for dipping in a liquid.
15. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.
16. Ornamental objects of no great value.
17. Any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all.
18. To make a mistake or be incorrect.
19. Third month of the Revolutionary calendar (November and December).
20. God of the earth.
21. (anatomy) Of or relating to the fauces.
23. (Norse mythology) One of the Aesir known for his beauty and skill with bow and skis.
24. Type genus of the Phocidae.
26. The Jewish rite of circumcision performed on a male child on the eighth day of his life.
27. A state in New England.
29. Become imbued.
31. A state in east central United States.
32. Port city of Denmark in eastern Jutland.
36. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.
37. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.
39. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element.
41. An island republic on Nauru Island.
42. A family of birds of the suborder Oscines.
46. A ballplayer who is batting.
48. An informal term for a father.
49. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.
51. Any of various young herrings (other than brislings) canned as sardines in Norway.
52. Jordan's port.
54. A city in northwestern Turkey.
55. Small cubes with 1 to 6 spots on the faces.
56. Fallow deer.
60. A hard brittle blue-white multivalent metallic element.
61. A Loloish language.
62. A fraudulent business scheme.
64. Indonesian statesman who obtained the independence of Indonesia from the Netherlands in 1949 and served as president until ousted by Suharto in a coup d'etat (1901-1970).
69. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.
71. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.
74. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).
75. (used especially of glances) Directed to one side with or as if with doubt or suspicion or envy.
78. Toward the mouth or oral region.
79. An advanced law degree.
80. A man who serves as a sailor.
81. Portuguese explorer who in 1488 was the first European to get round the Cape of Good Hope (thus establishing a sea route from the Atlantic to Asia) (1450-1500).
82. Perennial herb of East India to Polynesia and Australia cultivated for its large edible root yielding Otaheite arrowroot starch.
83. A deciduous tree of the family Ulmaceae that grows in the southeastern United States.
84. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.
1. A musical notation written on a staff indicating the pitch of the notes following it.
2. (obstetrics) The number of live-born children a woman has delivered.
3. Protective garment worn by surgeons during operations.
4. A vaguely specified concern.
5. A town in southeastern New Mexico on the Pecos River near the Mexican border.
6. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).
7. A member of the Finno-Ugric-speaking people living in eastern European Russia.
8. Method or manner of conduct in relation to others.
9. Fleshy and usually brightly colored cover of some seeds that develops from the ovule stalk and partially or entirely envelopes the seed.
10. Any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue.
11. Five-toed pachyderm.
12. Powdery starch from certain sago palms.
13. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.
14. Having nine hinged bands of bony plates.
22. United States physician who specialized in diseases of the intestines.
25. Cause to suffer.
28. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale in solmization.
30. United States writer of poems and plays about racial conflict (born in 1934).
33. Containing or characterized by a great deal of water vapor.
34. A family of Ural-Altaic languages.
35. Break apart or in two, using violence.
38. United States film actress (born in Sweden) known for her reclusiveness (1905-1990).
40. Lower in esteem.
43. Mild yellow Dutch cheese made in balls.
44. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.
45. At or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time.
47. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.
50. Cut into long thin strips.
53. A small cake leavened with yeast.
57. Used at the dining table.
58. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.
59. An Asian temple.
63. A dark region of considerable extent on the surface of the moon.
65. Large sweet juicy hybrid between tangerine and grapefruit having a thick wrinkled skin.
66. God of love and erotic desire.
67. An inclined surface or roadway that moves traffic from one level to another.
68. Long green edible beaked pods of the okra plant.
70. Type genus of the Aceraceae.
72. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion.
73. An edge tool used to cut and shape wood.
76. Belonging to or on behalf of a specified person (especially yourself).
77. A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event. | <urn:uuid:a8ab0e21-8c4e-4095-a8bd-3ba4e9d3162f> | {
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Posted by: Loren Coleman on October 21st, 2007
That is one of several questions raised by Chad Lewis in “Hidden Headlines of New York: Strange, Unusual and Bizarre Newspaper Stories of 1860-1910.”
Among the strange tales Lewis amassed about the Empire State is that of two fishermen who reported seeing a large serpent-like creature in Owasco Lake on July 7, 1889.
Fred C. Hayden and James O. Thomas noticed a dark form in the water at Buck Point, on the south end of the lake, that they initially thought was a tree trunk. As they approached it in their boat from a few yards away, they saw the form move in the waves of the lake before disappearing under the water.
“Several others whose veracity is not usually questioned claim to have seen the serpent,” it read in the July 8, 1889 Syracuse Post-Standard article.
Almost 10 years later, lakeside residents once again confronted the possibility that a prehistoric beast was lurking in Owasco Lake. During her research, Owasco Town Historian Laurel Auchampaugh discovered a May 28, 1897 article in the Auburn Daily Advertiser – taken from the Moravia Republican – that describes another encounter between two fishermen and the elusive form in the water.
The men, whose identities were withheld, described a shape that looked like an “immense log” three to four feet in diameter and more than 50 feet long. As they came closer to it, the men’s boat was nearly capsized by a “fearful splashing” near the middle of the massive object.
“They refrained from telling this occurrence, knowing that such a story would not be believed,” the article stated.
But belief in the sea serpent was far more than folie a deux. A week prior to the fishermen’s sighting, an Owasco farmer traveling to Auburn spotted the monster early one morning near the east shore.
That same week, two men reported seeing the monster “lay on the surface of the water” between Cascade and Indian Cove. As they closed in on the creature, it “glided down the lake at great speed.”
Depending on who you talked to at the time, the serpent measured somewhere between six and 100 feet in length. The hysteria reached its height when a Cascade landlord named Baker offered a $100 reward for the sea beast’s capture.
Like the Loch Ness monster myth that surrounds that Scottish lake, there is little to no scientific basis for the idea of an ancient sea beast inhabiting Owasco Lake. And there is even less evidence than the grainy photographs supporting the existence of Nessie.
Marion Balyszak, director of the Finger Lakes Institute, which tests and analyzes bodies of water in central New York, has heard no recent stories of the alleged sea serpent in Owasco Lake.
However, similar reports by boaters of strange creatures in Seneca Lake has led Balyszak to attribute such sightings to sturgeons, an old and large species of fresh water fish that can stretch up to 15 feet in length.
“They can look prehistoric-like,” she said.
The other Auburn tale Lewis dug up to feature in “Hidden Headlines” is hardly unexplainable, but still quite strange. “Born, Died and Buried on the Same Day” recounts the simultaneous birth and death of neighbors Hugh D. Crawford and Mrs. John Dates. The 1907 tale is part of the book’s selection of oddity stories.
“It runs the whole gamut of weird stories,” he said.
The New York book follows similar compilations of weird stories in Texas and Lewis’ native Wisconsin that Lewis also put together. He chose to feature New York due to the prevalence of peculiar wire stories featured in the Wisconsin newspaper archives. Lewis made it a point to focus on the entire state.
“So many books focus on New York City or the big cities, but that’s not where all the weird stuff was going on,” he said.
The tales of the sea serpent in Owasco Lake and the neighbors with identical life spans are presented as they were written in the newspaper a century ago.
“I leave it up to the person to determine whether or not they believe what they read,” Lewis said. “That’s half the fun of the book.”
“Monster in the Lake” by David Wilcox
The Citizen, Auburn, NY
Sunday, October 21, 2007. | <urn:uuid:465d8544-d2ac-4ef3-b571-e05048f5c56a> | {
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While it can't change such opinions overnight, Aerovironment is looking
to slowly warm people to wind power by providing direct solutions to the
frequent criticisms. And in the process, it hopes to transform the face of
modern cities around the world.
Aerovironment produces building-mounted
turbines, smaller than those typically
seen on wind farms. By mounting the turbine structure to the tops of
buildings, the benefits are twofold. First, the cost in resources of
building a pole to support the turbine is eliminated. Secondly, the
turbines can be elevated much higher, exposing them to stronger winds.
The nearly silent turbines snap onto the parapet of urban structures, forming a
design that Aerovironment calls ‘Architectural Wind’. The rows of
turbines not only catch cross currents, but also the frequent currents that
develop up the side of buildings. The result is a 30 percent increase in energy production and even better, a great savings in hassle, in that the
turbines are quick to snap in.
While the system is extremely well designed and efficient, many will be drawn
to its style. The system's curvy design looks more like a modern art
sculpture than a cutting edge alternative energy design. This in turn
adds to the urban appeal. Part of the structure even serves another
utilitarian use -- the large metal plate over the turbine acts as a bird
shield, in an effort to minimize avian casualties.
Aerovironment describes their product stating, "Architectural Wind is
designed to install easily onto the building parapet, operating in plain sight
as an attractive complement to the building’s architecture. Additionally, based
on its proprietary system design, Architectural Wind turbines rotate at low
wind speeds, resulting in a form of ‘kinetic architecture’ that communicates
clearly the generation of clean energy. Working alone or in tandem with other
renewable energy technologies, Architectural Wind is designed to offer an
attractive ROI and cost per kW of installed capacity."
A module weighs 200 lbs, allowing relatively easy installation, but also
ensuring that it won't blow away. They measure 4 feet tall by 4 feet
wide. Installations start at 6 kW of power production and can be scaled
up to produce much more. Almost any rooftop is suitable to the
nonintrusive installation. The product is in development, but the company
hopes to mass produce the new turbines on a large scale, making them relatively
affordable, and ensuring the systems turn a profit in energy costs.
While wind farms leave some with little to be excited about, Aerovironment's
new approach seems an intriguing fit to bring wind power to an urban atmosphere
and start cutting costs. | <urn:uuid:23fc2447-071c-4084-9420-202e2ed850ca> | {
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May 24, 2012
Currently, there are increasing suggestions that the lower levels of governments should issue joint bonds in cooperation with the central government. In Spain, so-called “hispanobonos” have been discussed for quite some time. Representatives of some – mainly fiscally weaker – German federal states have lately suggested so-called “Deutschlandbonds”. What is the main idea behind them?
The two concepts have two elements in common: on the one hand, the lower levels of government of the Federation (Germany: Länder, Spain: regions) are to be jointly liable for their debt (i.e.: jointly issued bonds). On the other, the superior government level (Germany: federal government, Spain: central government) would additionally cover this liability with explicit guarantees or even issue the total volumes of the bonds themselves. On the basis of this concept, Deutschlandbonds must therefore not be mixed up with joint Länder bonds (Jumbos): here, a number of federal states join forces and issue a joint bond with liability on a pro rata basis and one federal state functioning as paying agent.
The arguments put forward are ultimately based on the consideration that the central government may usually borrow money at lower costs (interest rates) in the capital market: the credit standing of central government is better, and the marketability should increase due to higher market liquidity. It is foreseeable that the explicit credit guarantee on bonds of subordinate levels of government would also reduce the risk premium on these bonds required by investors. An interest saving for subordinate levels of government and ultimately also the entire government thus seems possible.
The motivation for such joint borrowing in the examples available varies, however: while in Germany individual federal states are promoting the idea, central government is the decisive driver in Spain. It hopes to get better control of the budgets of subordinate levels of government, as central bank borrowing is to be linked with conditions for the regions and more influence of the central government on the budget policy of the regions.
The idea of “Deutschlandbonds” and “Hispanobonos” is often compared with the concept of eurobonds. However, this comparison holds true only at first sight. Euroland is not a fiscal federation (yet). There is no superior political governance level which by analogy to the central government could interfere in the policy and budgetary sovereignty of the Euroland countries. This is not changed by the latest bills from the European Commission (“Two Pack”), which allow closer scrutiny but no direct interference, though. Irrespective of this, it cannot be ruled out that advocates of euro bonds disregard this specification and interpret “Deutschlandbonds” as a precedent in their interest.
How is the suggestion of joint bonds and especially “Deutschlandbonds” to be assessed?
Indeed there is a lot to suggest that a pool would make possible higher issue volumes. Germany’s Länder and Spain’s regions would probably no longer have to contend with liquidity premiums (currently up to 100 bp for the German federal states and several hundred basis points in Spain). At the same time, (remaining or new) bonds without assumptions of liability would only be traded at a premium. In an environment where investors show a risk-averse attitude such a market segmentation could have the effect that bonds with assumed liability could crowd out other bonds. This would have the side effect that the possibility for subordinate levels of government to borrow on their own would be severely restricted. The influence of the central government would be increased successfully – but the budgetary autonomy of the subordinate government level would be reduced. Especially this restriction would call into question the legal admissability of Länder borrowing in Germany. For this reason, at best a voluntary participation in the model would be a solution. Due to the mentioned crowding-out effect of fiscally weaker federal states, this would automatically have the consequence that federal states under market pressure as a result of weak economic governance would have no alternative but to choose the “Deutschlandbond“ model. Their financial independence would be reduced.
A low level of interest rates for central government cannot be taken for granted, though. An explicit liability does not necessarily bring more certainty from the investor point of view. A bailout of lower levels of government – especially in Germany – was often implicitly assumed by investors, with the consequence of quite low yield premiums.
Structural problems as the reason for the debt of lower levels of government would not be solved via an assumption of liability, however: the key to the solution of structural budget problems at lower government levels would probably be the potential conditionality which could be set in the framework of an explicit assumption of liability by the central government. But it is not as simple as that: the argument that the central government, securing the financing of the Länder, controls the Länders’ finances is not totally convincing. In the federal system, superior and lower levels of government are interdependent not only in the field of fiscal policy. They depend on each other in other fields as well; for example when a central government bill requires the support of the Bundesrat. This could result in horsetrading and dampens the optimism that the greater scope for central government control will also be perceived and exercised. The German Bundesrat provides a clear demonstration of the conflicts between the central government and lower levels of government that does not stop at party boundaries.
Irrespective of this, there are funding options for the Länder and the Spanish regions besides the capital market. They may also borrow via loans of their Landesbanks or financial institutions. Currently, loans (still) account for roughly 50% of the borrowing of the Länder. This compares to roughly 55% in Spain.
These arguments suggest that “Deutschlandbonds” and “hispanobonos” are not a lasting solution to the problem of ballooning debt for sub-national levels of government but – depending on their structure – may even have a negative effect on budget discipline. For the more reliable the joint liability system, the fewer the incentives that the lower level of government has to economise. At least in this respect, the German Länder and the Spanish regions are more European than quite a few people would like.
© Copyright 2013. Deutsche Bank AG, DB Research, D-60262 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. All rights reserved. When quoting please cite “Deutsche Bank Research”.
The above information does not constitute the provision of investment, legal or tax advice. Any views expressed reflect the current views of the author, which do not necessarily correspond to the opinions of Deutsche Bank AG or its affiliates. Opinions expressed may change without notice. Opinions expressed may differ from views set out in other documents, including research, published by Deutsche Bank. The above information is provided for informational purposes only and without any obligation, whether contractual or otherwise. No warranty or representation is made as to the correctness, completeness and accuracy of the information given or the assessments made.
In Germany this information is approved and/or communicated by Deutsche Bank AG Frankfurt, authorised by Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht. In the United Kingdom this information is approved and/or communicated by Deutsche Bank AG London, a member of the London Stock Exchange regulated by the Financial Services Authority for the conduct of investment business in the UK. This information is distributed in Hong Kong by Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch, in Korea by Deutsche Securities Korea Co. and in Singapore by Deutsche Bank AG, Singapore Branch. In Japan this information is approved and/or distributed by Deutsche Securities Limited, Tokyo Branch. In Australia, retail clients should obtain a copy of a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) relating to any financial product referred to in this report and consider the PDS before making any decision about whether to acquire the product. | <urn:uuid:4f3de52b-3a18-4680-9b87-ee5648250f2e> | {
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Renewable energy is energy generated from a “renewable” source, ie a source that is replenished naturally unlike the fossil fuels coal, oil and gas which once we burn them to produce heat or electricity are gone forever.
Renewable sources include the sun, wind, water, biomass, and heat taken from the air, ground and water. Renewable energy technologies can be divided into Renewable Heat and Renewable Electricity.
Before considering generating your own energy at home it is important that you do everything you can to save energy. Generally you will save much more money and carbon dioxide by saving energy at home than you will by generating your own, for a smaller financial outlay.
When your home is fully insulated and you have done what you can to save energy, you are ready to consider generating your own energy. It is useful to be aware that approximately 80% of home energy use is for heat and hot water, and around 20% is for lights, appliances and cooking.
Grants are available for householders, public sector and charitable organisations, and community based organisations. You will need to use approved installers and approved products. | <urn:uuid:46a7cd00-b6df-4ed2-bbf4-d71f40ce42b2> | {
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Rainbow smelt, leefish, freshwater smelt, frost fish, ice fish, candy fish - there seems to be no shortage of references for these tasty, shimmering, torpedo-like creatures.
What there does seem to be these days, however, is a shortage of smelt altogether.
Interestingly, fishermen on both Lake Champlain and Lake George are reporting a significant reduction in the number of smelt caught through the ice this year.
It is a phenomenon that began a few years ago, actually, and one biologists have difficulty understanding.
On one thing biologists agree: both lakes are continually evolving, changing with the introduction of new fish and aquatic species as well as the impacts of human intervention.
Vermont Fisheries Biologist Bernie Pientka said a number of factors seem to be influencing the smelt population in Lake Champlain.
While the lake still holds a healthy population of rainbow smelt, a change in habitat along with the introduction of non-native fish like alewives has impacted where smelt congregate and where they've traditionally been caught, Pientka said.
The physical size of Lake Champlain smelt is also changing, he said, making it more difficult to achieve large catches of the fish like those seen in year's past.
In the late 1990s, studies of smelt conducted through trawling surveys showed a reduction in the overall age of smelt in the lake, Pientka said.
"We used to see a lot of four or five-year-olds, now for some reason, we are seeing more one, two and three-year-olds," he said. "The larger fish now average just five or six inches long."
While fishermen tend to blame the alewife infestation with reducing smelt populations in Lake Champlain, biologists still discount this theory, saying the fish has not been around long enough to impact smelt.
Lake Champlain Fisheries Biologist Lance Durfey said that while ice fishing catches appear to be down in recent winters, it does not appear to be caused by a "crash" in the smelt population. | <urn:uuid:45dc833f-e5d4-407a-9b7e-96509506ec8e> | {
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(Based on Ralph Winter, The Kingdom Strikes Back: Ten Epochs of Redemptive History in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement)
Phase One: 1 – 400 Romans
Possibly Paul's work in Galatia established contacts with Gauls in the West and with other peoples in the northwest of Europe.
The earliest Irish mission compounds followed a ground plan derived from the Christian centers in Egypt, not from Roman centers with their central chapel. And the earliest language of Christians in Gaul was Greek, not Latin. Thus the spread of Christianity was not only by formal, systematic expansion from a Christianized Rome, but spontaneously through natural connections, for example, of trade and extended family.
By 312 there were enough Christians in the Roman Empire (in spite of extended and terrible persecutions) that it was politically feasible and wise for Constantine to reverse his own commitments and the policy of the state. He declares himself a Christian.
There was a need of cohesiveness in the Empire and Christianity alone of all the religions had no nationalism at its root. It had no geographic center. It was not racially specific.
By 375 Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire.
But there was no great push to evangelize the northern portions of Europe, even though they knew that these peoples were without the gospel.
Phase Two 400-800 the Barbarians
During the 100 years of peace for Christianity (310 to 410) there was little official church effort to evangelize the Barbarian nations to the north. Instead, the nominalism and ease of official Christianity did little to stem the tide of inner corruption in Rome and the Empire gave way to decay and invasion from Visigoths, the Ostrogoths, the Vandals, etc.
But the upshot of this was that the Romans lost the Western half of the Empire while the barbarians, in the real sense, gained a Christian faith.
During the 400 years after the fall of Rome, the Benedictine Christian order established 1,000 mission compounds all over the Western Empire. Traveling evangelists like Colomban (Irish) and Boniface (German) should not necessarily be judged along with the worldly and legalistic monks of Luther's day.
Toward the end of the period, Charlemagne arose as a kind of second Constantine. He espoused Christian ideals, but did not reach out in earnest missionary efforts to the frontiers of the north—the Scandinavians, the Vikings.
Phase Three: Vikings
The unevangelized peoples to the north invaded the comfortable, but non-evangelizing, Empire to the south. They were seafaring Vikings and took numerous island and coastland Christian centers. Unlike the partially evangelized Barbarians who invaded Rome, these raiders were totally unreached and destroyed churches, libraries and believers.
The Northmen cease not to slay and carry into captivity the Christian people, to destroy the churches and to burn the towns. Everywhere, there is nothing but dead bodies—clergy and laymen, nobles and common people, women and children. There is no road or place where the ground is not covered with corpses. We live in distress and anguish before this spectacle of the destruction of the Christian people. (Christopher Dawson, Religion and the Rise of Western Culture, p. 87)
But once again the power of Christianity showed itself. The conquerors became the conquered. Often it was the monks sold as slaves or the Christian girls forced to be their wives and mistresses who eventually won these savages of the north. "In God's eyes, their redemption must have been more important than the harrowing tragedy of this new invasion of barbarian violence and evil which fell upon God's own people whom He loved." (Winter, p. 148)
The churches and monasteries had become opulent in the second phase, and this is why the Vikings were so attracted to them. So there was a refinement that came to the churches as the devastation spread.
The faith spread back to Scandinavia.
The phase came to an end with another very powerful Christian man, Innocent III, but there was no missions thrust to the peoples beyond Europe.
Phase Four: 1200-1600 Crusades
The friars were a new evangelistic force, but the tragedy was the repeated efforts to take the Holy Land by force—the Crusades. This was a carry-over of the Viking spirit into the church—all the crusades were led by Viking descendants.
Francis of Assisi and Raymond Lull were bright exceptions to the Crusader spirit.
Judgment came this time on the empire not by human invaders, but in 1346 from the Bubonic Plague, which lasted for forty years. One-third to one-half the population of Europe died, and the hardest hit were the best (120,000 Franciscans in Germany alone), but not the Crusaders themselves. Winter suggests that the reason is that judgment was the removal of the best messengers of truth. This was a greater judgment on those left behind than on the good who died (p. 152.1)!
The recovery led into the Reformation and a final phase that sent the gospel around the world with the ships of trade and conquest.
See p. 151 for a good summary of how the four phases of expansion were judged at the end because of sitting on their blessings and not energetically sharing them with the unreached peoples of the world.
Phase Five: 1600-2000 - To the ends of the earth
See the three eras of modern missions. | <urn:uuid:aa238c20-8068-4598-acfa-a04be02a0d6e> | {
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There are no facts, only interpretations.
- Frederich Nietzsche
When the allegation lacks substance or reality, nothing is required in response.
– Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI)
by Azra Naseem
The idea that an objective truth can exist independent of political power is a myth dating back to Plato. On the contrary, truth and political power are intricately woven together—one cannot exist without the other. Instead of an ‘objective truth’, what becomes accepted as ‘reality’ is based on what those in power are willing to include as ‘true’ and what they exclude as ‘false’ in what they say and do about a given issue. While such power/truth relations are normally hidden from surface observations and casual scrutiny, the Report of the Commission of National Inquiry, Maldives is a document that blatantly demonstrates how ‘truth’ is produced in this manner and how the truth so constructed is used to exercise power and control over society.
It is CoNI’s conclusion that there was “No coup, no duress, no mutiny” in the Maldives on 7 February 2012. To arrive at this ‘truth’, the CoNI Report excludes all information it regards as false and includes only what it deems true according to preconceived notions and beliefs. “When the allegation lacks substance or reality”, it states, “nothing is required in response.” How CoNI decided what ‘lacks substance or reality’ and, therefore, can be dismissed as not worthy of a response, is not explained. It is an arbitrary measurement, composed and set up by the Commission according to a standard that itself decided on, and which it decided not to make public.
Some statements contained in the report, however, do provide an indication as to the criteria used by CoNI to decide which of the 293 witnesses it interviewed were telling the truth, and which of them were judged as simply repeating ‘hearsay’ or enthusiastically relaying fantasies of a confused mind susceptible to suggestion.
Take, for example, the following statement:
Just as a question has no evidential value unless the person answering accepts or adopts the fact contained in the question, allegations have no evidential value just because someone has articulated them repeatedly.
What does this confused and confusing statement mean? If a question is being asked in order to establish the facts of an event, why then does the question itself contain a fact that the answer must first accept for it to be considered valid? Is CoNI saying that a decision was made from the very beginning to exclude as invalid all the answers that did not first accept ‘the fact’—as stated in CoNI’s findings—that ‘there was no coup’?
How much evidence was excluded on this basis? Is this the grounds on which the evidence of Nasheed’s wife, Laila, for instance, was given no consideration by CoNI? In an investigation of the validity of Nasheed’s claim that he resigned under duress, fearful not just of a public bloodbath but also for the safety of himself and his family, would the evidence of his wife not be essential to verifying his explanation?
It is not just Laila’s evidence that seems to have no place in CoNI’s deliberations. Although one of the appendices to the report provides a list of 49 pieces of documentary evidence submitted by various witnesses, there are only seven such documents it refers to as having ‘comprehensively reviewed by the Commission’.
Of these, what it relied on most was its own Timeline, published on 6 June 2012, over two months before it completed its deliberations. [The English translation of the Timeline published on the CoNI website on its official letterhead was copied verbatim—except for an occasional substitution of a word here and there—from Dhivehi Sitee with neither permission nor acknowledgement, or shame for that matter.]
According to the CoNI Report this Timeline, published prior to interviewing some of the most important witnesses to the events of 7 February, was the truest document of them all. There was nothing anybody could say to challenge its version of events, for it contained CoNI’s ‘truth’.
It must be noted also that despite the many alternative scenarios which have been produced internally and internationally, there has been virtually no challenge of any substance to what was recorded in the Timeline.
Indeed. Not when all evidence that was excluded from the Timeline remained excluded as unworthy of inclusion.
This is an analysis of some of the most blatant exclusions of fact the CoNI Report relied upon to construct a particular ‘truth’ about the events of 7th February 2012. It is part one in a series of in-depth analyses of the CoNI Report which, if accepted in its current form as ‘what really happened’ in the Maldives on that day, renders the 2008 Constitution of the Maldives meaningless and creates the conditions in which the illegal overthrow of a government can be deemed legal.
Exclusions that made CoNI’s ‘truth’ possible
The role of the judiciary
Crucial to the events leading to the downfall of the first democratically elected government of the Maldives is its judiciary. In 2010, authoritarian loyalists within the Judicial Service Commission—the independent body set up by the first democratic Constitution of 2008 to monitor judicial independence and ethical/professional standards of judges—conspired successfully to declare parts of the Constitution irrelevant. Article 258 required that by 7 August 2010 all individuals on the bench should possess particular standards of education and moral standing.
Authoritarian loyalists, determined since the beginning of the transition to democracy to prevent its consolidation [as Umar Naseer said], have sought to control the judiciary as part of its plan to derail the democratic project. Dismissing Article 285 as ‘symbolic’ allowed individuals to sit on the bench who had not only shockingly low levels of education (some are primary school drop-outs) and possessed long criminal records, but are also of disgustingly low moral character.
Given that CoNI regarded Nasheed’s decision to arrest Abdulla Mohamed, Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, as the catalyst of the events of 7th February, how objective is a truth that dismisses as irrelevant clear relations between the dismissal of Article 285 as ‘symbolic’, Abdulla Mohamed, and President Nasheed’s decision to forcibly remove him from the bench? This is evidence made available to CoNI in Velezinee’s witness statement and in the Nasheed government’s Dossier on the Maldivian Judiciary ‘considered comprehensively’ by CoNI.
When CoNI says Abdulla Mohamed was arrested because he ‘made a decision which deeply displeased President Nasheed and the MDP stalwarts’, it is providing a version of ‘truth’ that deliberately excludes the crucial information that Abdulla Mohamed is a criminal who is on the bench by dint of an oath administered to him unconstitutionally through the secret machinations of a group of authoritarian loyalists.
Abdulla Mohamed’s moral character is in serious doubt, having reportedly ordered two child witnesses in a sexual offence case to re-enact the alleged abuse, in open court and in front of the accused (See complaint filed against Abdulla Mohamed by Dr Hassan Saeed, currently Special Advisor to the president). Abdulla Mohamed also freed a murder suspect to ‘teach the Health Minister a lesson’ (See also The Failed Silent Coup, Aishath Velezinee, p.86).
Within three hours, the freed prisoner had killed again. When the Judicial Service Commission found him guilty of political partisanship and thus of judicial misconduct, the Civil Court overruled JSC, the oversight body appointed by the Constitution to keep the courts in check. The Majlis, the only remaining power with the authority to supervise the Judicial Service Commission, failed to do so.
Anybody considering ‘the objective truth’ about President Nasheed’s decision to arrest Judge Abdulla Mohamed must necessarily consider the context in which it occurred. CoNI did the opposite. Its Report takes Abdulla Mohamed’s arrest as entirely separate from all facts surrounding it bar those relating to actions taken by the President. To do so, it falsely claims that all evidence submitted to CoNI ‘about the unconditional behaviour of Judge Abdulla’ were submitted only by ‘MDP members’, then dismisses it all as beyond the Commission’s mandate and thus irrelevant.
It is the exclusion of evidence against Abdulla Mohamed—which explained Nasheed’s decision to arrest the man—that allows CoNI to offer as ‘the objective truth’ Abdulla Mohamed’s detention as the actions of a man willing to hold the country’s Constitution as ransom for his personal pleasure. All action that followed could thus be explained as ‘reactions’ to this unreasonable and ‘unlawful’ act.
Islamists’ incitement of hatred
It was not only the role of the judiciary in the events leading to 7 February 2012 that CoNI excluded from its deliberations. The vital role, led by Sheikh Imran Abdulla, that Islamists played in inciting public hatred against President Nasheed, indispensable for facilitating the day’s events unfold in the manner it did, is also missing from the ‘objective truth’ CoNI presents.
This is information necessary for understanding why military officers were marching on the streets of Male’, beating their chests in unison and shouting ‘God is Great!’ in defiance of their Commander in Chief. The Islamists’ (and leading opposition politicians‘) labelling of Nasheed as a heretic, and their call to an imagined Maldivian Ummah to rise up in Jihad against him is well documented in the media. Much of it was, in fact, telecast live on VTV, DhiTV and, later, on the illegally seized and renamed state-broadcaster ‘TVM’.
All of this is either glanced at perfunctorily or entirely excluded from CoNI’s truth. It only acknowledges religion had a role to play in the events of 7 February only as a thing abused, denigrated, mocked and disrespected by Mohamed Nasheed. The subversive role that Islam was made to play in the events of the day—in the form of leading Islamists’ encouragement of a public uprising and a mutiny of the armed forces as a ‘religious duty of every Maldivian Muslim’ against a blasphemous leader—is thus excluded from CoNI’s assessment of the ‘objective truth’ as presented to the public.
Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik
Although among the few documents CoNI studied comprehensively is MDP’s The Central Role of Mohamed Waheed in the Maldives Coup D’état, it glosses over Dr Waheed’s astonishing meeting with key opposition leaders at his home in the late hours of 30 January.
[At the meeting] He was asked if he “was prepared to carry out [his] legal responsibilities.” He is known to have replied in the affirmative. On the same day, the leaders of the opposition political parties held a press conference to announce their endorsement of the Vice President.
What Constitutional duty did the Vice President promise to fulfil? Strangely for a fact-finding mission, CoNI seems not to have asked.
If the President cannot fulfil his duties for any reason, the Constitution says the Vice President succeeds him. There was a democratically elected President in office at the time. Nasheed had most certainly not made any indication of an intention to resign then or any time in the future.
On what basis, therefore, were Opposition leaders visiting the Vice President’s home in the middle of the night to ask if he was willing to sit on Nasheed’s chair? On what basis did Waheed “reply in the affirmative”? Why was an announcement made by the Opposition Coalition in the small hours of the morning to ‘endorse Waheed for President’? Why were they preparing so hard to be ready for the eventuality that Nasheed would soon be out of office? Why did Waheed not fulfil his Constitutional duty to ‘assist the President in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities’ [Article 112(a)]? CoNI’s questions to Dr Waheed appear to have included none of the above.
Vital facts are thus excluded by omission, allowing CoNI to propose the ‘objective truth’ that ‘President Waheed properly succeeded President Nasheed’ as, it says, is ‘foreseen in the Constitution.’ Had the above questions been asked, and had that information been included in the Report, it is possible that the ‘truth’ arrived at would be different. The Constitution most certainly did not foresee a situation where a Vice President rightfully succeeds a President if the former was involved in wrongfully contributing to the latter’s resignation.
The Opposition Coalition
The Opposition Coalition, which came together as the 23 December Alliance under the banner of ‘Defending Islam’, was a motely crew; a diverse group of people who, for different reasons, desired the same end: the fall of President Nasheed’s government.
It comprised of Islamists angered by Nasheed’s reluctance to embrace their extreme conservatism, tourism tycoons angered by Nasheed’s new taxes, other political and monetary opportunists who saw the change as favourable to their status and pockets, and the authoritarians, those ‘lingering remnants of dictatorship’ determined to prevent the consolidation of democracy. Several of these figures were seen on television, instigating, participating in or encouraging the events of 7 February. Yet, CoNI only refers to them in order to describe them as victims of ‘baseless allegations’:
A great many names were bandied about, but with no evidential basis for the allegation. Chief among those names were the present President Dr Waheed, former President Gayoom, present Minister of Defence Retired Colonel Mohamed Nazim, present Chief of Armed Forces General Ahmed Shiyam, leader of Jumhooree Party Qasim Ibrahim, ex-Minister of Defence Tholhath Ibrahim, present State Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Fayaz, present Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz and Interim Deputy Leader of PPM Umar Naseer, and leader of the Adhaalath Party Sheikh Imran Abdulla.
Let us, for one moment, leave aside questions about ‘baseless allegations’. What about questions arising from what everyone witnessed rather than based on supposed conjecture?
What were opposition leaders doing in the Police Headquarters on 7 February during the unrest? Why were they crying tears of joy, thanking Allah, and hugging each other in celebration at the news that Nasheed was to resign? Why did Gasim Ibrahim thank God, as seen on TV, that ‘it had ended without having to resort to arms’? Why were three civilians commanding the armed forces before President Nasheed resigned? These are actions witnessed by the nation, not hearsay, not fantasy.
CoNI does not appear to have asked any of these questions from any of the above-named people, choosing instead to focus on supposed false-allegations while ignoring questions arising from facts made bare for all to see. The questions that CoNI did ask, it reports, were satisfactorily answered. CoNI’s satisfaction does not seem to have required much. As long as the answer was one that was based on its already accepted fact—‘there was no coup’—even the commonest and lamest excuse was satisfactory:
Aslam, while appearing before the Commission, read about an SMS attributed to Mr Saleem, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment. The SMS spoke of a distribution of 2.4 million Rufia to the “mutinying” policemen. The Commission summoned Mr Saleem. He debunked the message effortlessly, claiming that he did not recall sending such a message. After hearing him, the Commission would not investigate the privacy and personal affairs of all and sundry as desired by President Nasheed and his aides in the absence of minimally credible supporting evidence. (emphasis added)
Claiming not to recall an action is ‘effortlessly debunking’ any allegation that the act occurred? It is sufficient to not only stop any further investigation but also to accuse the other side of trying to invade the privacy of ‘all and sundry’?
This is an astonishing stance to take for a Commission charged with a responsibility of national importance. It is a stance, however, that allows CoNI to exclude from its inquiries any evidence that ‘Nasheed and his aides’ submitted, presenting it all as ‘baseless’, ‘belated’ and/or ‘incredible’. It then becomes easy for CoNI to dismiss the demand for such investigations as ‘naïve’, and a waste of important time.
Such allegations are very easy to make and some naively suggested that if the Commission trolled through scores of bank accounts, telephone records, SMS logs and intelligence reports, all would be revealed.
A Legal Review of CoNI’s report commissioned by MDP and carried out by a team of Sri Lankan lawyers (in the absence of any such studies undertaken by the Maldivian legal community) notes twenty-four significant occurrences relating to the events of 7 February that CoNI omitted from its deliberations. These include the unlawful activities committed by protesters in the Opposition Coalition; Umar Naseer’s role in the events leading up to and on 7 February; Nasheed’s assurances to the police that no harm would come to them; and the evidence of many key witnesses who were only called to the Commission after the first draft of the CoNI Report had been published 1
The CoNI Report was expected to tell the Maldivian people how their first democratically elected government came to an end on 7 February. It was meant to end, once and for all, the greatest rift among the Maldivian people to date: the divide between those who believe that President Mohamed Nasheed resigned voluntarily and those who believe that he was forced to resign under duress.
The CoNI Report does give a definite verdict: President Nasheed resigned voluntarily. A definitive conclusion it maybe, but it is hardly ‘the objective truth’ that CoNI claims it to be.
It is a ‘truth’ that CoNI constructed by excluding what it arbitrarily deemed irrelevant and/or false, and including what it, in the same manner, deemed relevant and factual. Given the relations between political power and truth—a truth cannot be accepted as such until those in power validate it through their words and actions—those who refuse to believe CoNI’s version of the truth are automatically labelled ‘delusional’, ‘mad’, or ‘fantasists.’
The CoNI report did not heal any rifts, it did not answer the questions that mattered, it did not provide the Maldivian people with the information they need to see the ‘truth’ on their own. Instead, it constructed an official version of events that everyone must accept as the truth or be themselves regarded as false.
- The Review also highlights how much evidence regarding the mutiny of a group of police and military personnel on 7 February—without which the change of government would not have been made possible—is missing from the CoNI Report. Given the importance of their role in the ending of the country’s first democratic government, and the increasingly powerful role that they have assumed in the Maldivian society since, CoNI’s investigation into the police and military roles deserves a separate analysis. This will be published shortly as part of this series. ↩ | <urn:uuid:ebc7f90c-8f72-4d69-b0bf-a097058cf8c6> | {
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Winton is a traditional range of oil colors made from moderately priced pigments, formulated for student and amateur artists or more accomplished painters who require large volumes of color within a moderate cost range.
Color Swatch created using heavy application/medium application/50% tint and was applied on acrylic primed canvas (7 oz) material.
iron(III)-oxide, partly hydrated
Brown Ochre provides artists with earthtones from cream to brown and is a dull, dark variety of Yellow Ochre. Its transparency varies widely from opaque shades to more transparent ones, which are valued for their use as glazes. It has good hiding power, produces a quick drying paint, and can be safely mixed with other pigments. The highest quality Brown Ochre comes from Cyprus, where it is yellow in its raw form and is roasted to get the deeper brown-red varieties that result when water is removed. (See Yellow Ochre, PY42/43.)
Brown Ochre has excellent permanence.
Brown Ochre is non-toxic.
Ochre comes from the Greek word ochros, meaning pale yellow. It has been used since prehistoric times, and evidence of its use has been found in some of the earliest known cave paintings in Lascaux, France. It has also been called Goethite, after the German philosopher and mineralogist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).
Goethite, Yellow Ochre.
Fe2O3 • H2O
Yellow Ochre provides artists with earthtones from cream to brown. It has good hiding power, produces a quick drying paint, and can be safely mixed with other pigments. Its transparency varies widely from opaque shades to more transparent ones, which are valued for their use as glazes. If gypsum is present, Yellow Ochre is not suitable for frescoing. (See Brown Ochre, PY43.) PY42 is made from synthetic iron oxides. PY43 is made from natural iron oxide.
Yellow Ochre has excellent permanence because ochres are some of the most permanent pigments available.
Yellow Ochre is non-toxic unless it contains manganese.
Ochre comes from the Greek word ochros, meaning pale yellow. It was one of the first pigments to be used by human beings, and evidence of its use has been found at 300,000 year old sites in France and the former Czechoslovakia.
Chamois, Iron Yellow, Mars Orange, Mars Yellow, Minette, Ochre, Sil, Yellow Earth, Yellow Oxide. Varieties of Yellow Ochre include Brown Ochre, Flesh Ochre, Roman Ochre, Spruce Ochre, and Transparent Gold Ochre.
™ Winsor & Newton is a trademark. | <urn:uuid:0077346b-5944-498f-9ad8-9344fb10b0a8> | {
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Cleft lip is a fissure causing a gap in the top lip and findings of a new study in American Journal of Epidemiology reveal drinking coffee during pregnancy slightly ups the risk of cleft lip or harelip. Experts compared data on 573 women who had babies with cleft lip and 763 women whose kids did not. Women drinking a daily cup of coffee during the first 3 months of pregnancy were 1.39 times more likely to have a baby with harelip and the likelihood increased to 1.59 for women who drank 3 or more cups of coffee a day; Reuters reports.
Sometimes I have a cup of coffee. Luckily I can’t get pregnant. Coffee, i.e. caffeine, isn’t healthy. Drinking coffee has been shown to double arthritis risk, raise blood pressure and disturb heart function. Caffeine is a toxin, which can cause headaches, anxiety and detox symptoms similar to coming off drugs.
Recently, a study showed women drinking more than 3 cups of coffee a day had 17% smaller breasts. Oh, and instant coffee can make you hallucinate. Far out man.
Image credit: annia316 | <urn:uuid:f62c89c6-7aef-4787-b948-72d9e9b3fa90> | {
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Mines have been in use as an anti-starship weapon since at least the 2150s - Romulans were known to use cloaked minefields at this time, leading to one incident in which significant damage was inflicted on the NX-01 when it accidentally wandered into such a field.1 Gravitic mines were in use during the 22nd century - the disabling of a civilian spacecraft by a gravitic mine formed a part of Starfleet's Kobyashi Maru test.2
Today the antimatter mine is a simple, no-frills weapon designed to be used in large numbers in order to restrict or deny an area of space to enemy forces. One of the simplest forms of mine is the command model; this consists of a matter and antimatter charge held suspended in containment fields within a small case which also holds a communications mechanism. This type of mine would be deployed within the scan radius of a controlling vessel; the ship then monitors the area for the approach of enemy vessels, detonating a mine by remote control when an enemy vessel approached it. If a long duration minefield is required a sensor drone can take the place of the ship. The Enterprise-D used such a minefield to force the surrender of a Cardassian fleet in the McAllister Nebula in 2369.3 In 2372 the Klingon Empire attempted to place a minefield around the Bajoran system to prevent the Federation reinforcements from reaching the system in the event of a Klingon invasion. The plan was only revealed when one of the mines exploded by accident, badly damaging a Klingon cruiser.4
More complex and effective mines are each fitted with their own sensor system. Although this makes the mines slightly more difficult to construct, such a minefield is not dependant on a single drone to run it and is hence more resistant to countermeasures.
The better mines are essentially tiny drone spacecraft, fitted with their own independent sensors and drive system, controlled by an artificial intelligence computer. The Federation Type 16 mine is an example of this type - it constantly surveys space around it to a radius of five light seconds, analysing anything which enters this zone and comparing it to a pre-programmed file of enemy vessel types. The entire minefield can be networked together, allowing them to share sensor information between them. If an enemy target enters the field the mines will determine which one has the best possible intercept solution; this mine will activate its micro impulse drive at the appropriate moment and track in on the target, detonating its warhead at the moment of closest approach. The Type 19 mine operates in a similar manner but the mines are fitted with a small warp engine to allow them to engage targets using warp drive. At this level the mine is essentially a photon torpedo capable of lying dormant for long periods.
The most recent development in Federation mine technology is the model developed by an engineering team on Deep Space Nine under Chief Miles O'Brien. Barely a metre in diameter this is one of the smallest mines in use by the Federation.5 It contains a photonic charge equal to several hundred grenades rather than a matter/antimatter charge, along with a micro impulse system and sensor system capable of scanning out to a radius of two thousand kilometres. The limited range and destructive capability is more than offset by the use of both a cloaking device and a replicator system on the mines; when a target is detected the mines swarm it, overwhelming the defences. Once the target is destroyed the mines in that area can replicate replacements to quickly bring the field back up to strength. This type of minefield is exceptionally difficult to clear; the use of a cloaking system on the mines means that an enemy can never be sure that every mine has been destroyed in a weapons barrage. Should only a handful survive to destroy another target, hundreds or even thousands more mines are quickly replicated and the field can be back up to full strength within hours. Such a minefield was deployed at the Bajoran Wormhole to block access by Dominion forces, triggering the Federation-Dominion war.5 The Dominion forces which captured DS9 at the outbreak of the war struggled several months to disable the minefield without success before finally managing it just before the station was retaken by allied forces.6 | <urn:uuid:89b2acd2-f979-4b75-a217-6d9da1b737eb> | {
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Off-pump coronary artery bypass; OPCAB; Beating heart surgery; Bypass surgery – heart; CABG; Coronary artery bypass graft; Coronary artery bypass surgery; Coronary bypass surgery
Definition of Heart bypass surgery
Heart bypass surgery creates a new route, called a bypass, for blood and oxygen to reach your heart.
Shabir Bhimji MD, PhD, Specializing in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland , TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 6/2/2010 | <urn:uuid:87dbc905-a6fa-4274-8c07-b125c3753328> | {
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Generalizing Statistical Results to the Entire Population
Making conclusions about a much broader population than your sample actually represents is one of the biggest no-no's in statistics. This kind of problem is called generalization, and it occurs more often than you might think. People want their results instantly; they don't want to wait for them, so well-planned surveys and experiments take a back seat to instant Web surveys and convenience samples.
For example, a researcher wants to know how cable news channels have influenced the way Americans get their news. He also happens to be a statistics professor at a large research institution and has 1,000 students in his classes. He decides that instead of taking a random sample of Americans, which would be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive, he will just put a question on his final exam to get his students' answers. His data analysis shows that only 5 percent of his students read the newspaper and/or watch network news programs anymore; the rest watch cable news. For his class, the ratio of students who exclusively watch cable news compared to those students who don't is 20 to 1. The professor reports this and sends out a press release about it. The cable news channels pick up on it and the next day are reporting, "Americans choose cable news channels over newspapers and network news by a 20-to-1 margin!"
Do you see what's wrong with this picture? The problem is that the professor's conclusions go way beyond his study, which is wrong. He used the students in his statistics class to obtain the data that serves as the basis for his entire report and the resulting headline. Yet the professor reports the results about all Americans. It's safe to say that a sample of 1,000 college students taking a statistics class at the same time at the same college doesn't represent a cross section of America.
If the professor wants to make conclusions in the end about America, he has to select a random sample of Americans to take his survey. If he uses 1,000 students from his class, then his conclusions can be made only about that class and no one else.
To avoid or detect generalization, identify the population that you're intending to make conclusions about and make sure the selected sample represents that population. If the sample represents a smaller group within that population, then the conclusions have to be downsized in scope also. | <urn:uuid:e3e8dc9a-04a4-4dec-b26a-8510b77561e9> | {
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A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: June 2012
Digital Book format: ePub (Adobe DRM)
They rowed hard, away from the battleships and the bombs. Water sprayed over them. The rowboat pitched one way and then the other. Then, before his eyes, the Arizona lifted up out of the water. That enormous battleship bounced up in the air like a rubber ball and split apart. Fire burst out of the ship. A geyser of water shot into the air and came crashing down. Adam was almost thrown out of the rowboat. He clung to the seat as it swung around. He saw blue skies and the glittering city. The boat swung back again, and he saw black clouds, and the Arizona, his father's ship, sinking beneath the water.-- from A Boy at War"He kept looking up, afraid the planes would come back. The sky was obscured by black smoke....It was all unreal: the battleships half sunk, the bullet holes in the boat, Davi and Martin in the water."December 7, 1941:On a quiet Sunday morning, while Adam and his friends are fishing near Honolulu, a surprise attack by Japanese bombers destroys the fleet at Pearl Harbor.Even as Adam struggles to survive the sudden chaos all around him, and as his friends endure the brunt of the attack, a greater concern hangs over his head: Adam's father, a navy lieutenant, was stationed on the USS Arizona when the bombs fell. During the subsequent days Adam -- not yet a man, but no longer a boy -- is caught up in the war as he desperately tries to make sense of what happened to his friends and to find news of his father.Harry Mazer, whose autobiographical novel, The Last Mission, brought the European side of World War II to vivid life, now turns to the Pacific theater and how the impact of war can alter young lives forever. | <urn:uuid:48581b41-3de3-4b2c-8451-d282960179ea> | {
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EDEN Wild Rice is hand harvested in canoes from northern Minnesota lakes by the Leech Lake band of Ojibwe. State laws distinguish authentic wild rice as Native harvested using the non-mechanized methods that have been passed on for over a thousand years. EDEN Wild Rice supports traditional culture and helps preserve this ancient harvest. It provides true wild rice experience and benefit in its light, sweet, and fluffy cooked form.
EDEN Wild Rice Zizania palutris is authentic wild rice, strikingly different from paddy grown 'wild rice'. Hybrid paddy grown 'wild rice' is usually black, very hard, and takes much longer to cook while still having tough texture. Most items labeled wild rice are paddy grown in California and not subject to laws that distinguish authentic wild rice grown in Minnesota. When people experience real Wild Rice, like Eden's, they are usually amazed that it is so soft and sweetly delicious.
EDEN Wild Rice is harvested from the end of August through early September, the time the Ojibwe call the 'rice harvest moon' or 'Manoominike Giizis.' Early in the day ricers set out in canoes to hand harvest the ripened grains. There are two people per canoe, a poler who stands in the back, and a knocker who sits in the middle. The poler guides the canoe through stands of rice using a forked pole about 20 feet long. Rice beds are too dense to paddle through. The knocker uses two cedar wood sticks resembling large drumsticks to harvest the rice. Alternating between left and right hands, he uses one stick to pull the rice stalk over the canoe and the other to tap the rice loose from the stalk into the canoe. Unripe grains stay on the stalk. Some falls off and re-seeds the lake, and some will be harvested another day. When full the canoe returns to shore and the rice is winnowed removing its chaff and then parched in a wood fired roaster to dry and protect it while imparting flavor notes.
The only indigenous North American grain, wild rice is an annual aquatic reed grass that grows to 12 feet with a 2 foot flowering panicle. Poaceae (Gramineae) or grain family, not a true rice of the Oryza genus. Used like any other grain, it is gluten free and embraced by those with sensitivity to modern wheat or other grains containing gluten.
According to Ojibwe history, they were told by the Creator to move westward from their home in the east or perish. They were told to go to the land where food grows upon the water. Upon reaching this place their migration would stop. They found this food growing upon the water and named it manoomin or 'good berry.' Much later European settlers would call it wild rice.
There are thousands of different wild rice varieties, each growing in different lakes. Water characteristics, temperature, depth, and mud composition creates the variety. Authentic wild rice is now in danger of contamination from hybrid strains that are grown close to natural stands or that have been shipped in green from other states to be processed in Minnesota. Wild rice is also in danger of contamination from future genetic modification. A bill signed into law by Congress in May 2007 requires disclosure and environmental impact statements from any company that may attempt to create genetically engineered wild rice. While this is a step in the right direction the bill fell short of an outright ban and genetic contamination of wild rice remains a disconcerting threat.
In addition to being a sacred component of Native American culture and tradition, wild rice is vital to the lakes' ecology. Rice stands provide habitat for waterfowl, fish, and other species that rely on it for food and as nesting areas and haven.
According to FDA "Diets rich in whole grain and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers," "Low fat diets rich in fiber-containing grain, fruits, and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease associated with many factors." EDEN Wild Rice is low fat, contains no saturated fat or cholesterol, and is a good source of fiber. It is very low sodium, an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of protein, niacin B3, magnesium, and zinc. Gluten free.
EDEN Wild Rice is delicious, light and fluffy whole grain. It is perfect for holidays meals and year round as a grain dish, in soups, stews, salads, grain burgers, desserts, pancakes, waffles, and bread making. It is delicious combined and cooked with other grains. Mix it with vegetables, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit for stuffing or wild rice pilaf. Cook and use leftovers during the week to make any of these dishes, as it stores well without loosing its flavor when refrigerated. | <urn:uuid:afbd276c-16e5-49cb-8e6d-88d505a3ba75> | {
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Elements of Network-Based Assessment
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Gibson, D. (2003). Elements of Network-Based Assessment. In C. Crawford et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2003 (pp. 65-71). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/17829.
Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (SITE) 2003
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Caroline Crawford, Niki Davis, Jerry Price, Roberta Weber & Dee Anna Willis
More Information on SITE
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT: This article presents an introduction to elements of a network-based assessment system based in recent advances in knowledge and practice in learning theory, assessment design and delivery, and semantic web interoperability. The envisioned architecture takes advantage of the meditating role of technology, the major elements in emerging designs for assessment systems, and how network-based processes can take advantage of these perspectives.
- Video Annotation System and Formative Assessment Tool Using Flash Media Server
- The Use of Web 2.0 Social Networking Technologies to Expedite Collaboration Both in and Out of the University Classroom
- The Development of a Pervasive Collaborative LMS 2.0
- Who We Are: Analysis of 10 Years of the ED-MEDIA Conference
- Collectives, Networks and Groups in Social Software for E-Learning
- Teaching Sustainable Yield Concepts using Flash Media Server and Adobe Flex
- A RIA-Based Collaborative Learning System for E-Learning 2.0
- Moodle vs. Facebook: Does using Facebook for Discussions in an Online Course Enhance Perceived Social Presence and Student Interaction?
- Can Microblogs and Weblogs change traditional scientific writing?
- Student-Teacher Interaction on Facebook: What Students Find Appropriate
Comments & Discussion
Comment on the paper above. You must be registered to participate. Registration is free. | <urn:uuid:18c2df37-f42c-4512-bf44-53514f2a1dad> | {
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Interdisciplinary Middle Years Multimedia Model
The Interdisciplinary Middle Years Multimedia (IMYM) model grew out of the successful curriculum-based research and development project of the same name, which was piloted in the years 1995-2001.
The IMYM model demonstrated how the infusion of information and communication technologies (ICT) with promising instructional practices such as inquiry and constructivism could add value to teaching, learning, and assessing.
IMYM was assessed internally using action research strategies and externally by a Canadian educational research company. The IMYM model was piloted in nearly 100 rural and urban schools throughout Manitoba and is still being implemented voluntarily in schools and school divisions across the province.
Since 2005, the Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum initiative carries on with the model first developed by IMYM. | <urn:uuid:53f87951-3727-4d0b-804b-a28ba9521d31> | {
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A couple of years ago Cary Huang and his brother created this interesting "interactive" visualization of the scale of the the universe. He recently updated and improved it with his Scale of the Universe 2 visual. Learn about the scale of things by zooming in and zooming out. It's certainly an improvement over the earlier version and worth looking at. I especially like the interesting assortment of universe objects that the creators selected (and the fact that you can click on them to learn more).
Clearly science teachers can use this when discussing space and molecules. I think that math teachers can take advantage of the scientific notation, too.
Depending on your internet connection it can take a second or two to load. Be patient.
If you like this one, you might like this video I shared a few months back too.
Let me know if you've come across any similar visuals. | <urn:uuid:a658776f-9ebb-4f56-b770-1dc65839a17f> | {
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Dino Eggs…And What's Inside
by Sara F. Schacter
What could be rarer than discovering the egg of a real dinosaur? How about finding the baby dinosaur still inside? In a huge dinosaur nesting ground in Argentina, scientists recently found the fossil remains of six unhatched baby dinosaurs. About a foot long and snuggled up inside eggs the size of grapefruit, these dinosaur embryos have helped solve the mystery of which dinosaurs laid the miles and miles of eggs buried in the dirt and rock.
The tiny embryos were titanosaurs—a type of sauropod, the long-necked, plant-eating dinosaurs that were among the largest land animals ever. Scientists were amazed that their delicate skulls and fragile skin had survived long enough to become fossilized. Some embryos still had tiny, sharp teeth in their mouths.
By studying the embryos' skulls, scientists are learning just how dramatically the structure of the titanosaurs' faces changed as they grew. The embryos' nostrils are at the tips of their snouts, but by the time titanosaurs were full grown, their skulls changed so that their nostrils were almost between their eyes.
In yet another amazing discovery, scientists in England have found fossilized dino vomit! Coughed up 160 million years ago by a large marine reptile called ichthyosaur, the vomit contains the undigested shells of squidlike shellfish—no doubt ichthyosaur's favorite snack. “We believe that this is the first time the existence of fossil vomit on a grand scale has been proven,” said one excited scientist.
- embryo: An animal in the earliest stage of development.
- fossil: Something that remains of a living thing from long ago.
- What kinds of things did scientists learn about the way titanosaurs reproduce?
[anno: The scientists learned that titanosaurs laid a lot of eggs over a wide area. They had a nesting ground.]
- Where was the dinosaur vomit found?
[anno: It was found in England.]
- What kind of a dinosaur made the vomit?
[anno: an ichthyosaur]
- How has the habitat of the ichthyosaur changed, from the time it lived until today? How do you know this change has happened?
[anno: When the ichthyosaur lived, its habitat was an ocean. The ichthyosaur was a marine dinosaur, so the area that is now England must have been under water.] | <urn:uuid:5fedcac0-271c-4f51-a936-a65585b0428f> | {
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Environment Commissioner and Danish Minister meet 80,000 workers at the EEA
New workers at the EEA
Keeping bees on our roof provides an excellent opportunity for the EEA to get hands-on experience of caring for the productive systems of our planet. Environmental projects like this show how social and environmental benefits often go hand-in-hand. Hopefully our positive experience can inspire other cities across Europe to start similar projects.
Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the EEA
Professor McGlade said: “Keeping bees on our roof provides an excellent opportunity for the EEA to get hands-on experience of caring for the productive systems of our planet. Environmental projects like this show how social and environmental benefits often go hand-in-hand. Hopefully our positive experience can inspire other cities across Europe to start similar projects.”
Bees are a prime example of an undervalued service that nature delivers to human society. Together with other species (mostly insects but also bats and birds) bees play a key role as pollinators – enabling reproduction of plants, wild and domesticated. One attempt to price this service estimates the contribution of insect pollinators to agricultural output may be worth up to US$ 190 billion per year.
Since the introduction of modern agricultural methods, new diseases and other environmental changes, bees have been in decline across Europe. These reasons are not fully understood and research is ongoing.
However, there is some good news - urban beekeeping is increasing. Copenhagen is one of the most recent cities to embrace beekeeping, following Paris, Berlin and Hong Kong. The bees can find plenty of pollen in the parks and gardens of cities, and the honey is generally of a very high quality. In addition, urban beekeeping can raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and contributes to urban biodiversity.
Commissioner Potočnik added: "We take bees for granted, and the same goes for many other ecosystem services – the soil, air and water that nature provides for free. But we should take more care. Bees are signal species and when we fail to respect their lifestyle, they may no longer be able to help support ours. In the Environment Council this week, we discussed the new Biodiversity Strategy for Europe, setting out objectives and targets towards 2020. I sincerely hope that we can convince enough people that everyone needs to be part of protecting biodiversity, and that is why initiatives like this one – bringing nature to city centres – are so useful."
Danish Minister of the Environment Karen Ellemann said: “My aim is to actively engage Danes in preserving all of our species. The annual value of pollination from Danish honey bees is estimated at one billion dollars, so it is therefore significant that 3.5 million bees are now being kept in Copenhagen. Urban beekeeping can raise people’s awareness of the importance of pollinators and contribute to the crucial protection of biodiversity.”
The EEA has been keeping bees on its roof since April 2011. The two hives sit on the roof of the five-storey building in central Copenhagen, and during the summer are home to approximately 80,000 bees. These hives will provide an estimated 100kgs of honey per year. The hives are managed by the Bybi (Danish for ‘City Bee’) social enterprise, which trains formerly homeless people in beekeeping.
Biodiversity is also one of the aims of the UN International Year of Forests. To mark this event in 2011, the EEA has also given over its courtyard to an artistic installation representing a forest, featuring living birch trees.
Commissioner Potočnik was visiting the EEA to discuss further collaboration between the EEA and the Commission. | <urn:uuid:77ef84ab-6965-4191-8782-3c0e0c3e5091> | {
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Since 2000, the folks at Realtime Embedded
have concentrated on helping companies develop embedded systems used in advanced products. Their four primary focus areas are FPGA, Linux, virtual hardware, and multicore processing systems. Realtime Embedded is involved in customer and financed research projects, in house and on site, spanning a wide range of industries.
Many of you may have already read my blog called How to design an FPGA from scratch
, which I started to write 2006 and which Max Maxfield wrote about in EE Times for the first time in 2007.
My latest blog describes the work I have performed at Realtime Embedded over the course of the past year. In this blog, I investigate four soft-core processors and use the same setup as in my first blog called “learning by doing.” This means that each soft processor will be implemented in an FPGA and the whole design process will be documented. Click Here
to visit my blog.Why use soft-core processors?
When designing an embedded system in a FPGA, we will most likely need some form of “controller” in our system. This controller can be a simple microcontroller or a fully-fledged microprocessor running the Linux operating system. But before we make this decision, let’s first consider the various options that are available to us.
One solution is to use an off-the-shelf (OTS) microprocessor mounted on the board and connecting to the FPGA using a standard bus like AMBA. In fact, this still appears to be the most commonly-used solution. There are times, however, where an OTS processor-based approach will not meet our requirements. An example would be an application that requires peripheral functionality that is not available in a discrete solution, or where board real estate is limited.
Another option is to embed a “hard” processor core on the chip. A hard processor core has dedicated silicon area on the FPGA. This allows it to operate with a core frequency similar to that of a discrete microprocessor. Examples of hard processor cores used in FPGAs are the PowerPC used in Virtex-4/5 and the ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core MCU used in the new Zynq-7000 All Programmable SoC from Xilinx
Unfortunately, a hard processor core does not provide the ability to adjust it to better meet the needs of the application, nor does it allow for the flexibility of adding a processor to an existing FPGA design or adding an additional processor to provide more processing capabilities.
A soft-core processor solution is one that is implemented entirely in the logic primitives of an FPGA. Because of this implementation, the processor will not operate at the same clock frequencies or have the same performance of a discrete solution. In many embedded applications, however, the high performance achieved by the previous two processing options is not required, and performance can be traded for expanded functionality, reduced cost, and flexibility.
All the major FPGA vendors have soft-core processors in their product offerings and there are also a number of companies and organizations developing soft-core processors that are platform independent and can be implemented in any FPGA design.Choosing a soft-core processor
When commencing an FPGA design project that will employ a soft-core processor, it can be hard to decide which processor to use. To help you with this decision and give you quick start guide, let’s take a closer look at four soft-core processor to see which one would be most suitable for your platform. Here are the four candidates we will investigate:
- Nios II
Our system will be built on a standard FPGA development board. We will use the CAE tools that are suggested by the processor provider and try to use license-free tools as much as possible. When there are no free tools available, we will use an evaluation license from the FPGA vendor. The system must be able to run a Linux operating system and a Real Time Operating System (RTOS). The performance of the processor cores will be measured by using the benchmark program CoreMark.CPU core benchmarking
Although it doesn’t reflect how you would use a processor in a real application, sometimes it’s important to isolate the CPU’s core from the other elements of the processor and focus on one key element. For example, you might want to have the ability to ignore memory and I/O effects and focus primarily on the pipeline operation. CoreMark (www.coremark.org
) is capable of testing a processor’s basic pipeline structure; it also provides the ability to test basic read/write operations, integer operations, and control operations.
We will use the Linux distribution recommended by the processor vendor. An embedded system that is going to run Linux must include some specific hardware blocks. In a typical system we find the following:
- CPU with memory management unit (MMU)
- Instruction and data caches
- DDR3 memory interface
- Debug module
- Interrupt controller
- Ethernet controller
- DIP switches, LEDs and push button interface
- SPI flash interface
- Clock generator and system reset logic | <urn:uuid:b1f4679c-565b-47f3-a6bb-fc668e105cee> | {
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You may think child poisoning couldn’t happen to your family, but it could. In fact, a child in the U.S. is poisoned every 30 seconds. Many household products and substances can be poisonous. Three important things you can do to keep your children safe are:
Lock up all poisonous materials out of children’s reach.
Teach your children to stay away from poisons.
Be prepared for emergencies. This includes posting the poison control number (800-222-1222) near all telephones.
Read on for more details about poisonings and how to prevent them.
Be sure to pass this sheet on to grandparents and other caregivers to help them “poison-proof” their homes. Many caregivers are not up-to-date about poison dangers and how to avoid these dangers.
Poisonings can occur for many reasons:
Young children like to explore, often by putting things in their mouths.
Children often get into things their parents didn’t think they could. For instance, kids may be able to reach items on high counters or in open cabinets.
Children often copy adult behavior. So they might try to use a product, such as medication, without knowing the dangers.
Children are attracted to bright colors and appealing scents. This can be dangerous, for instance, if a child doesn’t know that a lemon-scented floor cleaner is not something to drink.
Kids are at higher risk than adults of poisoning from the same amount of poison. This is because children are smaller and their bodies are affected more easily.
The tips below can help prevent a poisoning in your home.
Store toxic products and substances out of reach of children. Keep them in a locked cabinet.
Store products in their original containers. Never transfer products from one container to another, especially to food or beverage containers. This can confuse children. It can also cause problems in identifying the product in case of a poisoning.
Buy products in child-resistant packaging. But keep in mind that no container is childproof, even with a safety cap.
Buy products wisely. Choose the least toxic product for your purpose. For instance, avoid buying concentrates. They are far more hazardous than ready-to-use chemicals.
Never mix together cleaning products, especially those containing ammonia and bleach. This can produce dangerous fumes.
Read labels to find out what products are poisonous. And follow all safety precautions on product labels.
Don’t keep risky items in your purse, such as medications and vitamins. Kids can often get into your purse.
Following are household products that can pose a poisoning risk to children.
Medications and vitamins. Nearly half of all child poisonings involve medications.
Keep them in a locked cabinet out of reach of children.
Keep all medications out of reach, even those with a safety cap.
Always close the container and the childproof cap securely after taking medication.
Don’t leave medications where your child can reach them. Risky spots include on the counter, in your purse, and on the nightstand.
Don’t take medications in front of children.
Pay attention when giving a child medication. Read the label and make sure you’re giving the correct product and dosage.
Never allow young children to take medication themselves.
Before giving medication to a child, make sure another family member has not already given it.
Dispose of outdated medications safely. Do not toss them in the trash, flush them, or pour them down the drain. Instead, put liquid medication or pills into a sealable plastic bag (crush the pills first). Add kitty litter, coffee grounds, or other material to discourage kids or pets from eating it. Then place in the trash. For more suggestions, ask your pharmacist or local waste disposal company. Or visit www.smarxtdisposal.net.
Don’t tell kids that medications are candy. That may encourage children to eat them. This is also true for vitamins. Be especially careful with prenatal vitamins, which contain high levels of iron. Iron can be deadly to kids if they overdose on it.
Store cleaners, pest control poisons, paint, and other dangerous substances safely. Put them in a locked cabinet out of reach of children.
Take care to store dangerous substances safely in the garage as well as inside the house.
Be aware that alcohol poisoning can happen from anything that contains alcohol. This includes alcoholic drinks, mouthwash, perfumes, and even some extracts, such as almond extract.
Keep all items containing alcohol out of reach of children.
Avoid keeping houseplants that are poisonous when eaten, such as irises and daffodils. Check www.poison.org/prevent/plants.asp for more information.
If you do have poisonous plants in the home, keep them out of reach of children. And keep in mind that all plants are choking hazards for kids under age 3.
Explain to kids that plants are not food and should never be eaten.
Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Carbon monoxide is a gas that you can’t see, smell, or taste. It is a major cause of poisoning in the U.S. and it can be deadly.
Make sure fuel-burning appliances are in good repair. Carbon monoxide can be emitted from broken appliances such as gas heaters, space heaters, or ovens. Also check that fireplaces and furnaces are vented properly and inspected each year.
Be aware that carbon monoxide poisoning can cause flu-like symptoms. These include nausea, dizziness, and headache. If several members of the family have these symptoms at the same time, get out of the home and get fresh air right away. Then call 911 or emergency services.
Find out if your house has lead paint, which was often used in older houses.
If your house does have lead paint, hire professionals to remove it. Have them replace lead paint with lead-free paint.
Remove any loose pieces of paint so your child doesn’t eat them.
If you’re concerned, talk to your doctor about testing your child for lead poisoning.
Being ready for a poisoning can save valuable time. Here are tips to help you be prepared:
Have emergency contact information available at all times.
Post the national poison center phone number (800-222-1222) near every phone in your home. Also post your home address. This can be easy to forget in an emergency.
Program emergency numbers into your phone’s speed dial.
Post emergency information on the refrigerator. Emergency responders are trained to look there. Include details on long-term medications and medication allergies for each family member. Also include your family’s emergency contact phone numbers.
Teach your child about poisons and how to respond in an emergency (see box below).
In case of a poisoning, know the name of the product or substance involved in the poisoning when you call poison control. If possible, have the container of the poison with you.
Teaching your child about poisons and their dangers can help prevent a disaster. Tell your kids the following:
Certain products and substances can hurt them. Tell kids to never touch them.
All spills of chemicals or other dangerous substances should be handled by adults.
To memorize their address as soon as they can learn it.
How to call 911 or emergency services and poison control. Unplug the phone and have kids practice dialing.
For more information, visit www.poison.org. | <urn:uuid:19fba201-d3fa-4f07-9231-c7471c414095> | {
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Tim Turner, the Reliability Center Business Development Manager at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), Albany, NY, blogs about the potential of resistive memory and the reliability challenges the must be overcome.
Resistive Memory, RRAM or Memristors is a hot topic right now. RRAM has the potential for single digit nano parameters (speed as fast as 1 ns, area per bit as small as 5 square nm) and is non-volatile.
The technology is based on the formation of a small conductive filament inside an insulator. The filament is formed the first time using a high voltage. After that, set or reset transformation (conductive to non-conductive or visa versa) is accomplished by moving one or a few atoms an atomic scale distance. This can be done with a low voltage (less than a volt). This small movement gives a repeatable set or reset that can withstand many cycles.
Conduction in the filament appears to be due to oxygen vacancies existing in a percolation path through the insulator. A small electric field in the reverse direction causes the migration of these oxygen vacancies in a mechanism similar to electromigration of Al or Cu atoms in a metal line. Momentum exchange between electrons and the vacancies appears to be the driving force. The vacancies do not have to move far to open the small filament. An oxygen vacancy moves an atomic scale distance and the tiny filament opens, allowing an insulator to exist between points in the filament. Forcing a forward voltage can move the oxygen vacancy back into the area where the filament is conductive. This small movement can give a 100X change in the conduction through the dielectric. This is the state change that can be interpreted as the digital signal stored on the memory cell.
The material set used for RRAM is CMOS compatible. RRAM cells have been made out of Cu/HfOx , Al/AlOx/Pt, TiN/AlOx/Pt or even Al/AlOx/CNT (Carbon Nano Tubes). Most of the work reported to date has been on arrays where the cell is similar to a DRAM, using one transistor and one capacitor . The RRAM cell starts with a capacitor, then forms the filament in the capacitor dielectric. The advantage this technology has is the smaller size of the capacitor. There is no need for deep trenches in the silicon or for thick vertical stacks. The technology is also non-volatile, so there is no need to refresh the charge every few milliseconds.
In polycrystalline materials, the filaments appear to form along grain boundaries between crystals . For amorphous material there are no grain boundaries, but the material is reported to be able to withstand more cycles before failure .
RRAM might also be produced with a simple single resistor cross-point array (no transistor per cell required). Figure 1 shows an array where the each cell is addressed by a row and a column. The conduction in the row/column pair determines if the cell is set or reset (conductive or insulating). This arrangement has the distinct advantage of allowing the memory array to be printed on top of a logic circuit. Active circuits are required only for the address circuitry, allowing a large memory array to be added with little additional silicon area.
|Figure 1: Cross-point RRAM cell|
That is the good news. Now for the bad news. What are the technology challenges that prevent you from enjoying this technology today?
The first issue is one of measurement noise. With atomic spacing causing the difference between a set and a reset state, there is some uncertainty in the answer. Sometimes, a bit will not program. Nimal Ramaswamy of Micron reported that random bits in a large array failed any given write operation. There was an average number of failures for each write of a large array, but different bits failed each time. Every bit apparently has the same probability of failure.
Random Telegraph Noise (RTN) is another issue. The state of the bit will most likely be read by forcing voltage and measuring current. RTN is caused by trap states in the gate dielectric of a transistor that might address the bit. These traps randomly fill or emit, changing the conduction of the channel. The noise generated by this increases as the transistors are scaled. Originally, this was thought to be just the larger impact of a single trap on a smaller area gate , but Realov and Shepard showed that shorter L transistors show a greater noise than longer transistors with the same total area (below 40nm). Thus, this is a problem that will increase as the technology is scaled. There is also a chance that RTN will be generated by the movement of oxygen vacancies in the filament itself.
Degraeve et. Al. reported a highly voltage sensitive disturb in the reset state. Their RRAM cell could withstand 100 thousand disturb pulses (100ns) at -0.5 volts, but at -0.6 volts the cell could only withstand a little over 100 pulses. They also showed that the sensitivity to disturb could be reduced significantly by balancing and optimizing the set and reset pulses.
|Figure 2: Disturb in Reset State|
Optimization of the Set and reset pulses also has a strong impact on the set/reset cycling endurance of the cell. Degraeve was able to show up to 10 G set/reset pulses after optimization.
Wu et. Al showed the impact of scaling on a cross-point array. According to their model, scaling the technology from 22nm to 5 nm resulted in an increase for the parasitic word and bit line resistance from under 10 ohms to almost 100,000 ohms as the lines width and thickness are reduced. Adding to the significance of this is the variation in resistance between the closest cell in the array and the furthest call in the array. This variation could be over 4 orders of magnitude while the difference between the set and reset resistance is only 2 orders of magnitude. This issue could restrict the size of sub arrays, compromising the potential area savings using this technology.
As the metal lines are scaled to obtain higher memory densities, the filament that generates the conduction in the cell does not scale. That means the set and reset pulse currents remain about the same as the array is scaled. This results in an electromigration issue in the scaled metal lines.
|Figure 3: Oxygen Vacancy Filament Determines Set or Reset State of RRAM Memory Cell|
RRAM is certainly an appealing technology with its ability to scale the cell to tiny dimensions, good speed, CMOS compatible material set and the possibility of mounting the technology above a logic array. Unfortunately, the devil is in the details and the list of advantages is balanced by a list of problems that must be overcome before this technology can carve out a space as a memory solution.
1] Jihan Capulong, Benjamin Briggs, Seann Bishop, Michael Hovish, Richard Matyi, Nathaniel Cady, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, “Effect of Crystallinity on Endurance and Switching Behavior of HfOx based Resistive Memory Devices”, Proceedings of the International Integrated Reliability Workshop 2012
2] Yi Wu, Jiale Liang, Shimeng Yu, Ximeng Guan and H. S. Philip Wong, Stanford University, “Resistive Switching Random Access Memory – Materials, Device, Interconnects and Scaling Considerations”, Proceedings of the International Integrated Reliability Workshop, 2012
3] Nirmal Ramaswamy, Micron, “Challenges in Engineering RRAM Technology for High Density Applications”, Proceedings of the International Integrated Reliability Workshop, 2012
4] K.K. Hong, P.K Ko, Chemming Hu and Yiu Cheng, Random Telegraph Noise of Deep Sub-Micrometer MOSFETs, 1990 IEEE 1741-3106/90/0200-0090 http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~hu/PUBLICATIONS/Hu_papers/Hu_JNL/HuC_JNL_167.pdf
5] Simeon Realov and Kenneth L. Shepard, “Random telegraph noise in 45nm CMOS: Analysis Using an on-Chip Test and Measurement System, IEDM10-624, 978-1-4244-7419-6/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE, http://bioee.ee.columbia.edu/downloads/2010/S28P02.PDF
6] R. Degraeve, A. Fantini, S. Clima, B. Guvoreanu, L. Goux, Y. Y. Chen, D. J. Wouters, Ph. Rousset, G. S. Kar, G. Pourtois, S. Cosemans, J. A. kittl, G. Groeseneken, M. Jurczak, l. Altimime, IMEC, “Reliability of Low Current Filamentary HfO2 RRAM Discussed in the Framework of the Hourglass set/reset Model”, Proceedings of the Integrated Reliability Workshop, 2012.
7] Gennadi Bersuker, SEMATECH, “Origin of Conductive Filaments and Resistive Switching in HfO2 based RRAMS” Proceedings of the International Integrated Reliablity Workshop, 2012, 1.2-1 | <urn:uuid:d89151c5-4217-4547-bdb2-0cac4f8e31dd> | {
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EMF and Brain Function - L1
There has been a lot of research conducted worldwide to investigate possible health effects, including potential health effects on brain function from mobile phones. In relation to radio frequency exposures and health, the general conclusion from the World Health Organization (WHO) is;
"A large number of studies have been performed over the last two decades to assess whether mobile phones pose a potential health risk. To date, no adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile phone use."
WHO Fact Sheet 193 June 2011 - Electromagnetic fields and public health: mobile phones | <urn:uuid:b1a63ce8-78fd-4e06-a8d6-9d55710fee86> | {
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Founded in 1836, Emory and Henry is a small, private liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church and named in honor of John Emory, a Methodist bishop, and Patrick Henry, a hero of the Revolutionary War (1775–1783) and Virginia's first governor. Early on, students worked the college's farm as a way to defray the costs of tuition, and the school hired local slave labor for cooking, cleaning, and farm work. After suffering through the financial crises of the 1830s and 1840s, Emory and Henry was debt free by the 1850s. Its most famous student was Stuart, a native of Patrick County, who attended the school from 1848 until 1850 before enrolling at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
During the presidential campaign of 1860, many Emory and Henry students campaigned on behalf of the Constitutional Union Party, a political refuge for cautious border Whigs and nativists who were intent on preserving slavery but alarmed by the belligerence of fire-eating Democrats and Northern Republicans. After the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln, was elected and Virginia seceded from the Union, most students set aside their political differences and withdrew from classes in order to join the war effort. The college's president, Ephraim Emerson Wiley, served as a chaplain, ministering to wounded soldiers who were relocated to the college grounds.
Emory and Henry's location in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains kept it isolated from the military campaigns that raged across the Shenandoah Valley and the Piedmont. Still, it was threatened by periodic Union raids targeting the nearby Wytheville lead mines and the salt production facility at Saltville, the latter of which was crucial in provisioning the Confederate army. One such raid in October 1864 resulted in the Battle of Saltville, where outnumbered Confederate cavalry managed to drive back a determined assault led by Union general Stephen G. Burbridge.
Union prisoners of war, many of them wounded and belonging to the 5th U.S. Colored Cavalry, were transferred to the Emory hospital, where, according to a Union surgeon left behind to care for them, Confederate troops killed at least five to seven of the black troopers along with a white lieutenant, Elza C. Smith. Some historians, including Thomas Mays, have argued that as many as forty-six were killed that day, both on the battlefield and in the hospital. But scholar William Marvel has argued that a smaller number, anywhere from five to as many as two dozen, is more likely.
Emory and Henry College reopened in August 1865 with a few antebellum students returning to complete their degrees.
Cite This EntryAPA Citation:
First published: January 28, 2009 | Last modified: April 5, 2011 | <urn:uuid:aff451b5-c1a3-40bc-9baa-fda6863cb599> | {
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The island of Ireland has always been highly dependent on energy resources from the international markets. The Republic of Ireland (“ROI”) and Northern Ireland (“NI”) jointly import more than
€7 billion of energy each year. This equates to more than €19 million per day leaving these shores, an amount that is likely to increase annually as global oil and gas prices continue to rise. These energy imports currently act as a life-support machine for the entire island economy.
The International Energy Agency recently indicated it is likely that oil prices will increase from $100 to $150 per barrel. Current projections by the Environmental Protection Agency suggest that the ROI will miss the EU 2020 obligations by between 4.1 and 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, in a best case and worst case scenario. This could cost the ROI’s State up to the £350 million. NI, through its own obligations, has to reach a 40% renewable energy penetration to avoid penalties. Economies that grapple with the challenge of energy prices and emission prices earlier will be more competitive and will also have developed skills and services sought by other countries.
The first step for any economy is to reduce the amount of energy being consumed. Energy efficiency, building design, building retrofits and energy management are rapidly growing sectors responding to this need. If structured effectively and with the right regulatory environment, a lot of this can be financed by the private sector, create significant employment with a net economic benefit to the consumer.
The second step is to switch to more commercially and environmentally sustainable forms of energy. Over the past decade, renewable energy, particularly wind, solar and biomass has been the fastest growing area within the electricity generation sector. This provides fixed-price clean energy with no fuel costs. The introduction of biofuels, the steady shift from petrol to cleaner diesel cars and electric vehicles but to mention a few, are all areas where conscious switching of energy types in the transport sector is fundamentally changing society. NI’s plans for offshore wind and ocean energy are likely to transform entire parts of the economy, attracting supply chains, manufacturing and services, whilst also reducing dependency on gas and oil imports. This process has already begun, with Harland and Wolff and Belfast harbour attracting utility giant Dong and engineering giant Siemens to manufacture and assemble offshore turbines for offshore wind projects off the coast of England and Wales.
The third step, changing attitudes and behaviour is fundamental and is at different stages in globally. Designing a national electricity system to export renewable energy requires a fundamental shift in approach. An inter-agency and leadership focus is required to procure and fund renewable energy projects to facilitate exports or national retrofitting initiatives. Utilising state lands, assets, marine waters and entities in a centralised and co-ordinated manner is central to achieving this. Labelling product energy consumption and emissions standards informs customers and allows them to make a decision based on this information thus changing behaviour. Manufacturers and retailers have become increasingly sensitive to the energy consumed and emissions produced, resulting in changes to operational procedures.
Lastly, innovation is a consequence of the three previous steps. In 2010, $243 billion was invested in the clean energy sector, 30 % higher than 2009. This trajectory is expected to continue upwards. Investment levels in innovation in the cleantech sector are at their highest levels ever. Energy security and environmental protection are the two major global issues facing every country in the world, irrespective of location, culture and size. Funds, venture capitalists and companies around the world have responded to this, investing and helping to build companies in this sector, with a rapid rise in innovation as a consequence.
Private capital and the private sector as a whole are ready and waiting. An appropriate regulatory environment, a highly co-ordinated government-led plan and full support from policy-makers will unleash this capital and generate significant growth across the island. Achieving the triple benefits of economic development, energy security and emission reductions are entirely achievable with the right focus, plan and leadership.
Tel: +353 87 6777 665
Tags: Energy security | <urn:uuid:9079da17-132c-48fa-85dc-d01291f4deef> | {
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A Holocaust Glossary
Anschluss, "Joining together," annexation. On March 12, 1938, Hitler annexed Austria to Germany
Antisemitism, Systematic prejudice against Jews. Notice the absence of a hyphen (-); there has never been any such thing as "Semitism." The term "antisemitism" is, properly one word.
Aryan, In the Nazi ideology, the pure, superior Germanic (Nordic, Caucasian) race.
Auschwitz, The city of Auschwitz, Poland, located in southwestern Poland, was the site of one of the largest of the Nazi extermination camps. The camp was expanded in August, 1942. Camp II was named Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Babi Yar, A deep ravine outsize the Ukrainian city of Kiev, on the Dnieper River where the Einsatzgruppen killed and buried 34,000 Jews in one or two days (September 29-30, 1941).
Belzek, Death Camp located in the Lublin District of Poland. More than 600,000 Jews were gassed at Belzek between 1941 and 1943.
Blitzkrieg, "lightning war," used to describe the speed, efficiency and intensity of Germany's military attack against their opponents.
Buchenwald, concentration camp established in 1937 between Frankfurt and Leipzig in Germany. While it was not a major extermination center, it was equipped with gas chambers and crematoria. More than 100,000 prisoners died there.
Bund, a socialist movement among Jews in the Pale of Settlement in western Russia in the late 1800's. The Bundists supported Jewish linguistic and political autonomy. Their nationalism was cultural rather than territorial and, thus, they were at odds with much of the Zionist movement.
Capo, Jews who worked inside the death camps. Their tasks including transporting victims of gassing to the ovens, cleaning the gas chambers of human excrement and blood, removal of gold from the teeth of the victims, shaving the heads of those going to the gas chambers.
Chelmo, generally thought to be the first of the six death camps in Poland to become operational. At the beginning, the camp was under the direction of SS Major, Christian Wirth, formerly administrative head of the Euthanasie Programme. Located in the Wartheland. Between December 1941 and fall 1942 and again from May until August 1944 gassings by means of carbon monoxide from motor exhaust gas took place. Altogether more than 150,000 Jews as well as 5000 gypsies died at Chelmo.
Concentration Camp, Any internment camp for holding "enemies of the Third Reich." The construction of concentration camps began almost immediately after Hitler gained power in Germany. There were several kinds: labor camps, prison camps and death camps.
Dachau,a concentration camp located in Upper Bavaria, northeast of Munich. In 1942 a gas chamber was established at in connection with the medical experiments of the chief company commander of SS Dr. Rascher also a few experimental gassings were undertaken.
Death Camps, or Killing Centers, a concentration camp the distinct purpose of which was the extermination of its inmates. Almost all of the German death camps were located in Poland: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Belzek, Chelmo, Madjanek, Sobibor, Treblinka.
Death Marches, At the end of the war when it became obvious that the German army was trapped between the Soviets to the east and the advancing Allied troops from the west, the Nazis, in an attempt to prevent the liberation of camp inmates, forced them to march westward. Thousands died in these marches.
Deportation, the removal of people from their areas of residency for purposes of resettlement elsewhere. With regard to the Jews of Europe, deportation meant removal either to a ghetto or a concentration camp in preparation for yet another removal to an extermination center.
Einsatzgruppen, Mobile killing units ("task groups") under the command of Reinhard Heydrich which accompanied German Troops when they invaded Russia. Their task was to dispose of, liquidate, undesirables who posed a threat to the Reich.
Final Solution, Euphemism for the extermination of European Jewry.
fuhrerprinzip, See "leadership Principle."
General Government The Nazi-ruled state in central and eastern Poland. Headed by Governor Hans Frank.
Genocide, the systematic annihilation of a whole people or nation.
German Military Rank Provided by Richard Breitman in The Architect of Genocide: Himmler and the Final Solution. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1991
Gestapo, the German internal security police - secret police. The Gestapo was organized in 1933 to protect the regime from political opposition. Under Himmler's command after 1936.
Ghetto, a Yiddish word referring to a walled section of a city in which Jews were required to live during the Middle Ages. The concept was revived by the Nazi regime as part of the Final Solution to the Jewish Question.
Holocaust, a Hebrew word (olah) meaning "burnt offering. In the Septuagint version (translated Hebrew Bible into Greek during the reign of Ptolemy II, 3rd century B.C.), the word, olah, is consistently translated by the Greek word, holokauston, "an offering consumed by fire."
Juden, The German word for Jew.
Judenrat, Jewish community authority, appointed by the Nazis for administration within the ghetto.
Kristallnacht, "Night of broken glass," November 9, 1938, pogrom against German Jews, Jewish businesses and synagogues orchestrated by the Gestapo in retaliation for the assassination of a minor German embassy official in Paris by a 17 year-old Jewish youth named Herchel Grynzspan. 7,500 businesses and 101 synagogues were destroyed, almost 100 Jews were killed and several thousand were arrested and sent to concentration camps. The beginning of the Holocaust.
Leadership Principle, Ger. fuhrerprinzip, the ideological and administrative principle established by Hitler early in his rise to power of one vital party controlled by one, and only one, leader to whom all subjects owed absolute and unquestioning obedience.
Lebensraum, one of Hitler's motivations for invading Poland and, later, the Soviet Union, was to acquire lebensraum, or additional "living space," to be colonized by German people.
Madagascar Plan, in 1940, before the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Nazis seriously considered moving all Jews under their authority to the island of Madagascar, a French possession off the east coast of Africa.
Majdanek, located in the Lublin district, general government of Poland. The concentration camp existing since September 1941 turned into an extermination camp when between April 1942 and November 1943 mass shootings took place to which 24,000 Jews fell victim. In October 1942 also two, later three gas chambers were built. In the beginning the killings in these were done by means of carbon monoxide. Later Zyclon B was implemented. Up until the dissolution of the camp in March 1944 about 50,000 Jews have been gassed. The camp was closed in 1944 after a major inmate riot occurred and several inmates escaped.
Nazi, National Socialist German Workers' Party - the political party which emerged in Munich after World War I. The party was taken over by Adolph Hitler in the early 1920's. He created the SA (Storm Troopers, also known as "Brownshirts") in 1921 and chose the swastika as the party's symbol.
Nuremberg, a city in Germany where the Reichstag met in September, 1935 to promulgate the Nuremberg Laws. A decade later, an International Military Tribunal convened there to hold trials of Nazis accused of War Crimes in connection with the Holocaust.
Operation Barbarossa, the military code name for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union. The invasion began in June, 1941.
Operation Reinhard, the code name for the entire process of building extermination camps, deportation of Jews first to ghettos, then to the camps for extermination and incineration. The Operation was named for Rinehard Heydrich.
Pink Triangle The Nazi concentration camps developed a system of badges to be worn by inmates depending on why they were imprisoned. Those convicted of sexual deviance, primarily homosexuality, were required to wear a pink triangle. Jews were required to wear the yellow Star of David. Purple designated Jehovah's Witnesses, red for political criminals, black for asocials, including the Roma, and green for criminals.
Pogrom, A Russian word meaning devastation used to describe an organized, systematic discriminatory action against Jews.
Reichstag, the German Parliament under the Weimar Constitution. It was purely ornamental during Hitler's dictatorship.
SD, Sicherheitsdienst - The SS Security Service Sonderkommandos.
SS, originally Hitler's elite guard. Under Himmler's leadership, the SS was in charge of the death camps.
Shoah, a Hebrew word meaning "Desolation." Shoah has come to be the preferred term for the Holocaust by Jewish scholars who feel that "Holocaust" has lost much of its significance through overuse.
Sobibor, located in the Lublin District, general government where at least 200,000 Jews were murdered through carbon monoxide gas.
Third Reich, Nazi Germany from the end of the Weimar Republic to the end of World War II.
Treblinka, located in the Warschau District of the general government in eastern Poland. From the end of July, 1942 on, Treblinka had three gas chambers and at the beginning of September, 1942, installed ten larger gas chambers. Up to the dissolution of the camp in November 1943 altogether 700,000 Jews were killed there by carbon monoxide.
Vichy, France, after the Nazis conquered France, a puppet government was set up here.
Wannsee (Conference, a conference held on January 20, 1942 beside Lake Wannsee in Berlin. At this conference it was decided and made official Nazi policy that the total annihilation of European Jews was the only rational means of a "Final Solution" to the Jewish Question.
Yad Vashem, a museum in Jerusalem dedicated to the memory of Holocaust victims. The name of the Museum is taken from an Old Testament passage in Isaiah: "I will build for them a name and a memorial." (Isiah 56:5).
Zionism, The fervent desire of Jews of the Diaspora to return to their ancestral homeland of Palestine. This ideal is at least 2,500 years old, dating to the Babylonian Captivity. Its first statement is found in Psalm 137:1, "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept as we remembered Zion." Political Zionism which emerged in the 19th century and ultimately resulted in the creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948 is an outgrowth of spiritual Zionism.
Zyklon B, hydrogen cyanide, a poisonous gas originally developed as a fumigation agent to remove pesticides. In October, 1941, it was used experimentally on Soviet prisoners of war. The success of these experiments had devastating consequences for millions of Jews who were gassed in the Nazi death camps.
Return to About the Holocaust | <urn:uuid:a769167a-e1a9-435f-a055-9e80f6111435> | {
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As everybody knows, sometimes studying Phrasal verbs
is not an easy task, does it? When I was a student, it was really hard (for me
) learning and realizing what phrasal verbs were about. I bought a Dictionary about phrasal verbs, I would use them in class with my Professors & classmates, English native speakers and so on. But then, I noticed that there were some very common and very useful Phrasal verbs
to study as well as keeping in mind during an English conversation. This is my list:
(Most of these phrasal verbs have several meanings, so make sure you remember them all!)
1. Add up
a- To be added together and equal the expected or correct total.
Example: “We added up the apples: there were 12″
b-To make sense : to seem to be logical or true.
Example: “Her story didn’t add up, I think she was lying, it didn’t make sense”
2. Blow up
a- To fill (something) with air or gas
Example: “Please could you blow up those balloons?”
b- To explode or to cause (something, such as a bomb) to explode.
Example: “The building was blown up by a bomb”
c- To become very angry.
Example: “When I said I couldn’t go to her party, she blew up”
3. Bring up
a- To take care of and teach (a child who is growing up).
Example: “Their grandparents brought them up because their parents were always travelling”
b- To mention (something) when talking : to start to talk about (something).
Example: “Don’t bring up the fight again, please!”
4. Call off
a- To stop doing or planning to do (something) .
Example: “Maria called off the wedding, she decided she didn’t love him”
b- To cause or tell (a person or animal) to stop attacking, chasing, etc.
Example: “Call off your dog! He’s attacking my cat”
5. Carry on
a- To continue to do what you have been doing
Example: “Sorry I interrupted, carry on talking!”
b- To behave or speak in an excited or foolish way.
Example: “The little boy was carrying on: shouting and kicking all day long”
6. Come across
a- To seem to have a particular quality or character : to make a particular impression.
Example: “Julia came across as a bit bossy”
b- To be expressed to someone.
Example: “I tried to sound happy but it came across as over-excited”
c- To meet or find (something or someone) by chance.
Example: “Luis was leaving the fruit shop and he came across Tom, what a coincidence”
7. Come up with
a- To get or think of (something that is needed or wanted).
Example: “We finally came up with a solution to the problem!”
8. Fall apart
(Oh, listen to the song "Emotions" by Bee Gees & Samantha Sang)
a- To break into parts in usually a sudden and unexpected way,
Example: “My cake fell apart when I tried to cut it”
b- To become unable to live in a normal way because you are experiencing a lot of confusion or emotional pain
Example: “After the divorce, she fell apart”
9. Get along
a- To be or remain friendly
Example: “We’re not together anymore, but we get along great”
b- To make progress while doing something.
Example: “How are you getting along at playing the guitar?”
c- To leave a place
Example: “It was lovely to see you, but my friend has to get along, she has class”
d- To become old.
Example: “Her grandma is getting along; she’s almost 99″
10. Get away
a- To go away from a place.
Example: “I can0t wait to get away from the city”
b- To avoid being caught : to escape
Example: “The thieves managed to get away in a stolen car”
c- To not be criticized or punished for (something).
Example: “Yvonne is always lying, I can’t understand how she gets away with it”TO BE CONTINUED | <urn:uuid:5179126f-d498-4d28-8db2-dcaa0d64c5b6> | {
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Landfill & Development Co.
Mount Holly, Eastampton, and Lumberton, NJ
No meetings scheduled
EPA added the Landfill & Development Company site in Mount Holly and Eastampton, New Jersey to the Superfund National Priorities List on September 1, 1984 because hazardous chemicals were found in the soil and ground water. The 200-acre superfund site located in Burlington County was used to dispose of demolition debris, municipal garbage, industrial and commercial solid waste, and treated sewage sludge until 1986.
Ground water beneath the site was contaminated with heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are potentially harmful contaminants that can easily evaporate into the air. Sediments from Rancocas Creek and Smithville Creek contain heavy metals. Approximately 20,000 people live within two miles of the site. Fifty homes are located within 500 feet of the site.
Immediately, residences that were threatened by ground water contamination were connected to an alternate public drinking water system or provided with bottled drinking water. A liner was installed at a portion of the landfill to prevent further contaminants from flowing out of the site.
In September 2004 EPA signed a Record of Decision which called for continued maintenance of the closure system, pumping ground water, and circulating water within the landfill with air injections, enhancing the breaking down of contaminants. A water line will be installed to specific affected residences and EPA will monitor the ground water in the long-term. Buy-out of approximately half of the residences has been completed. Cleanup activities are underway that include the construction and operation of a bioreactor, which is an apparatus in which living organisms, such as bacteria, are used to increase the breakdown of harmful substances such as sewage. Under current conditions at this site, potential or actual human exposures are under control. | <urn:uuid:4eb32175-14a8-4f16-8ffe-494402d9d100> | {
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Bites may occur:
You may be bitten by:
Bites can happen when you are playing with a pet or trying to feed a wild animal. They may also happen even if you have not approached the animal.
Some animals, such as cats, have very sharp, pointy teeth that tend to cause puncture wounds. A puncture wound may not look like it is anything to worry about, but bacteria may have been pushed deep into the wound. Puncture wounds are hard to clean, so bacteria may be left in the wound. All bites can get infected, but these puncture wounds are more likely to get infected than some other kinds of animal bites.
Human bites happen more often than most people realize. Human bites are often more dangerous than animal bites because the human mouth has more bacteria in it than most animals’ mouths. It is very easy for a human bite to become infected. However, any bite that breaks the skin can become infected and should be treated by your healthcare provider.
Bites may cause:
If the bite becomes infected, signs of infection include redness, pain, swelling, and pus. You may also have swollen glands or a fever and feel sick. These symptoms often mean you have a serious infection, especially if you have red streaks on the skin around the wound.
Your healthcare provider will look at the bitten area. Your provider will ask how the bite happened to see if you need more tests. For example, your provider will ask if you knew the animal and if the animal seemed to be acting normally. If the bite is deep and your bone could have been damaged or is at risk of getting infected, you may have X-rays. Bone infections can be very serious and hard to treat.
Some animals such as snakes or spiders inject venom into the skin, which can cause illness and even death. It can be very helpful to your healthcare provider if you know what type of animal has bitten you.
Treatment depends on how you were bitten and how badly you are injured.
Follow these first aid measures for all bites that break the skin:
In all cases of animal bites, call your healthcare provider. Your provider may suggest that you:
In all cases of human bites, call your healthcare provider right away. Don’t wait a day or two to see your provider. These bites get infected even more often than animal bites and can cause serious infections.
The time it takes for wounds to heal depends on the extent of the damage and your overall state of health. If the bite is infected, the infection will usually heal in 7 to 10 days with treatment.
A deep bite may cause scarring. It might damage nearby nerves.
Be aware of how animals act before they bite. For example, they may raise or flatten their ears, show their teeth, growl, or snarl. Don’t approach or touch strange animals.
Use precautions to protect yourself from attack:
To help protect others from animal bites you can:
If you see an animal behaving strangely or foaming at the mouth or if an animal has bitten someone:
If you regularly handle animals that could have rabies, be sure to get shots of the rabies preexposure vaccine. This vaccine can help keep you from getting rabies if you are bitten.
Teach your children not to approach or touch strange animals. | <urn:uuid:d3c4d62c-b15b-4cf6-96a7-0014074b883e> | {
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Title text: I tell my children 'it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.' I'm trying to take the edge off their competitive drive to ensure that I can always beat them.
This comic is a reference to IBM's computer Watson that beat humans at Jeopardy. The IBM team created a computer that could formulate a response to a Jeopardy-style question. In case you are not familiar, Jeopardy is a game played where the contestants are given the answer to a question, and must devise the question. A question might be "The United States joined this war in 1941" to which the contestant must answer "What is World War II?". When going up against two Jeopardy champions, Watson was able to beat them both.
Megan chimes in that we are "pretty awesome at teaching" which is very true. Humans are the best (on this planet) at teaching other things to do a set of tasks. We train dogs, cats, lizards, birds, other people, and now we are getting quite good at getting a computer, a simple machine completely of our own design, to mimic our own thought patterns and make decisions similar to what we would make.
The title text makes fun of teaching our children values by suggesting we are just trying to hold on to our ability to beat them in something.
- [Cueball sits at a computer; Megan stands behind him.]
- Cueball: Wow — researchers taught a computer to beat the world's best humans at yet ANOTHER task. Does our species have ANYTHING left to be proud of?
- Megan: Well, it sounds like we're pretty awesome at teaching.
- Cueball: Huh? What good is THAT? | <urn:uuid:338aaff7-5048-45d0-9778-1841c32854f8> | {
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blockade, use of naval forces to cut off maritime communication and supply. Blockades may be used to prevent shipping from reaching enemy ports, or they may serve purposes of coercion. The term is rarely applied to land sieges. During the Napoleonic wars, both France and Great Britain attempted to control neutral commerce through blockades and embargoes which neither could enforce with sufficient rigor. The Declaration of Paris (see Paris, Declaration of) proclaimed (1856) that blockades were henceforth to be announced to all affected parties and would be legal only if effectively enforced against all neutrals. In both World Wars blockades were made more effective by the employment, in addition to naval vessels, of mines and aircraft. North Vietnamese ports were mined and blockaded by the United States during later stages of the Vietnam War. Blockades have also occasionally been employed in times of peace as threats to implement diplomacy, as in the blockade of Cuba by the United States in 1962.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
More on blockade from Fact Monster:
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Naval and Nautical Affairs | <urn:uuid:89745a82-366c-44e8-a9c2-c0d2d0670ac3> | {
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Ansky, Shloime (shloiˈmə änˈskē) [key] pseud. of Solomon Seinwil Rapoport, 1863–1920, Russian-Yiddish author. He extensively researched regional Jewish folklore and incorporated folk elements into his realistic stories of peasant life and Hasidism. His most famous work is Tsvishn Tsvey Veltn, oder der Dibuk (1916, tr. The Dybbuk, 1926), a play about demonic possession first staged by Vakhtangov in the Moscow Jewish theater (the Habimah ) and by the Vilna Troupe. It was adapted into a major expressionist film by M. Waszynski in Poland in 1938. Ansky's Destruction of Galicia (1925–27, tr. 1992) is an important account of the onslaught on the region's Jewish communities in World War I, witnessed during an aid-bringing mission.
See D. Roskies, The Dybbuk and other Writings (1992).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
More on Shloime Ansky from Fact Monster:
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Hebrew Literature: Biographies | <urn:uuid:fd317faa-92d8-486f-9d38-e4b7ee2b01fb> | {
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“O that my voice could reach the ears of those uninformed and misinformed”1
by Suzanne Armitage
It has been said by some, ‘what good will it do to hold a mass meeting?’ If it does no other good, it will be a matter of history, to be handed down to our posterity, that their mothers rose up in the dignity of their womanhood to protest against insults and indignities heaped upon them.2
Much has been published on the topic of the Latter-day Saint practice of polygamy over the past two decades; authors Danel Bachman, Todd Compton, Kathryn Daynes, Jessie Embry, B. Carmon Hardy, Carol Cornwall Madsen and Richard Van Wagoner are familiar names to those who have made the effort to learn more about it.
Polygamy–or more correctly polygyny, the marriage of more than one woman to the same man–was an important part of the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a half century. The practice began during the lifetime of Joseph Smith but became publicly and widely known during the time of Brigham Young.3
Because of the tremendous amount of historical material available in early LDS Church histories, personal diaries, journals, correspondence, newspapers and other publications, a great deal of research is necessary–oftentimes years of research–when putting together articles or books for publication on the topic of plural marriage.4 Unfortunately, historical documents are often reduced to a mere sentence or two by the authors; a quotation or two gleaned and duly footnoted–if any–depending on the author’s research topic. Some documents are ignored altogether.
One such historical document is the 91-page “Mormon” Women’s Protest: An Appeal for Freedom, Justice and Equal Rights.
My personal interest and research has been mostly centered on Helen Mar (Kimball) Whitney. It was in the process of gathering material that I came across the “Mormon” Women’s Protest to which Helen Mar contributed a speech.5 As I was reading it I made a note of several passages that I might include in an article some time in the future. But I was saddened that Helen Mar’s unabridged speech, and that of several other Latter-day Saint women whose speeches and correspondence were included in the document, would continue to go unnoticed. That these women’s voices are today silent simmered in the back of my mind and came to a boil when I read, in the document’s preface, that, “The aim of this pamphlet is to preserve in convenient form, for present use and future reference, the record of the proceedings of that memorable day…”
So instead of the usual article–with the briefest of glimpses of early Latter-day Saint women’s views of plural marriage including, generally, all too brief quotations–I thought it would be interesting to make available the entire document online along with this brief introduction, explanatory notes and an additional letter which was published in the Deseret News.
What is “Mormon” Women’s Protest: An Appeal for Freedom, Justice and Equal Rights? It is a “Full Account of Proceedings at the Great Mass Meeting, held in the Theatre”6 in Salt Lake City on the 6th of March 1886. Webster’s dictionary defines mass meeting as: a large meeting or rally of people for discussion of a public question.
The public question being discussed at this mass meeting was the same as had been discussed at previous mass meetings which had been held for many years in Utah: unrelenting anti-polygamy legislation which “put pressure on the Church by threatening members’ civil rights and Church property rights” and the enforcement of the Edmunds Act. The bill, which had been passed in 1882, barred “persons living in polygamy” from “jury service, public office, and voting;” polygamists were heavily fined and imprisoned.7
The conflict would worsen with the passage of the Edmunds-Tucker Act that was before Congress at the time this mass meeting was held. It was passed on 3 March 1887.
Over the next ten years or so, over a thousand Mormons would be convicted of unlawful cohabitation (easier to prove than polygamy), and hundreds of men, along with a handful of women, spent time in prison. Thousands of others, including many church leaders, went underground to avoid the federal authorities.8
Critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cite the journal entries and correspondence of plural wives written during this period of fear and repression as proof that plural marriages did not work without noting the historical context.
The American anti-polygamy crusade lasted well over ten years and even into the early 1890s. Even if the husbands wanted to be fully equal with their plural wives it was illegal for them to do so. They could not acknowledge in any way a plural wife, no dinners together, no visits, no support, et cetera–it was illegal–and those who did attempt it ended up incarcerated (along with a few plural wives who tried to protect them.)
For some, like Annie Clark Tanner and Ida Hunt Udall, not only did they have to hide from federal agents in order to protect their husband and sister-wives but they also had to hide to protect their father, mother and “aunts.” Annie Clark Tanner, for example, was subpoenaed in 1886 after a raid in Farmington, Utah, not to testify against her husband, Joseph Marion Tanner, but to testify against her father.
Some chose exile. After Angus M. Cannon’s second arrest for unlawful cohabitation in September 1885, his plural wife Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon left with her young infant daughter Elizabeth and traveled to England not only to protect her family but also because “she might be used as a witness against other polygamous marriage partners since she had been the physician who delivered the children in several cases. ‘Hence I am considered an important witness, and if it can be proven that these children have actually come into the world, their fathers will be sent to jail for five (5) years.’” Even after Martha’s return to Utah, she and her husband, Angus M. Cannon, “were never able to live together publicly as husband and wife.”9
This abuse by federal agents continued even after the Manifesto. Joseph Marion Tanner had to resign as president of the Utah Agricultural College (today’s Utah State University) because he was a polygamist. His options were to ‘divorce’ his plural wives and retain his position or to resign his position and move to either Canada or Mexico with his families–he resigned and moved to Alberta. Not everyone made that decision, and by then the harm had already been done. Some wives chose to remain in the U.S. and not accompany their husbands.
There was another Mormon exodus after the migration to Utah: It was the exodus of Mormon plural families leaving the United States for either Mexico or Canada.
Full reports of the women’s mass meetings were often published in the Woman’s Exponent10 and the Deseret News but, as noted earlier, historical documents are usually reduced to a sentence or two, a duly footnoted quotation, or ignored altogether. For example, in his book In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith author Todd Compton’s chapter on Helen Mar Whitney never mentions the March 6th mass meeting.
Compton is also the author of a lengthy introduction to A Widow’s Tale: The 1884-1896 Diary of Helen Mar Kimball Whitney. In his introduction, Compton reduces Helen’s many diary entries about the mass meeting to one sentence:
She attended a pro-polygamy mass meeting of women on March 6, 1886, and was asked to speak but declined.11
Although Compton is technically correct, Helen did refuse “to make a verbal speech,”12 she did agree to provide a written speech to be read at the mass meeting. This was not unusual at that time as women were unaccustomed to public speaking in front of a very large audience such as this one.13 But a speech wasn’t Helen’s only contribution. We read in her diary that a week before the mass meeting, on February 27, 1886, Helen met with Isabella Horne to help organize it:
…to talk over the subject of having a Mass meeting to protest against the outrages committed upon “Mormon” women, and insults heeped upon them in district courts etc who are the subjects of abuse from United States officials & their sneaks thieves, etc, and taking from the women the right of franchise, that they may more easily accomplish their robbing scheme. I was one of those appointed to write a speach.14
Isabella Horne was president of the Relief Society of the Salt Lake Stake; Helen Mar Whitney was her counselor.15 Notice of the meeting was published in the Deseret News and “Mrs. H.M. Whitney” is listed just below Isabella Horne’s name.16 Helen also noted in her diary that she spent several days prior to the mass meeting composing her speech. In the end, due to time constraints, Helen’s speech was not read aloud but it was published in “Mormon” Women’s Protest. On March 9th, she writes: “Spent going over my speach, adding to it, as it was cut down to suit the Mass meeting. I have gained by not having it read there.” Two days later, she handed in her “improved copy.”17
Four other plural wives of Joseph Smith participated in the mass meeting yet Todd Compton does not mention the significant participation and contributions of these women to the 1886 mass meeting in his book In Sacred Loneliness. In addition to Helen Mar Whitney we find Zina D.H. Young, the chaplain at the Great Mass Meeting, who opened the meeting with prayer (p. 7) and gave the closing benediction; Prescindia L. Kimball who delivered the opening address (p. 10); Eliza R. Snow Smith who wrote a brief letter (p. 67); and Mary Ann Pratt who also contributed a letter (p. 59).
As noted on the Title Page, this mass meeting was “to protest against the tyranny and indecency of Federal Officials in Utah, and against their own disfranchisement without cause;” “to protest against the indignities and insults heaped upon the wives and daughters of “Mormons” in the District Courts;”18 and “to memorialize Congress and the President of the United States for relief from insult and oppression at the hands of Federal officials.”19
For some time past a movement has been on foot to give the women of Utah an opportunity of expressing in some public and emphatic manner, their feelings regarding the indignities and the sufferings they are made to endure in the present crusade against the Mormon people. . . . Not only have the men, who for obeying a principle of their religion are declared to be violators of law, been made to suffer the extraordinary and unhallowed proceedings inaugurated against them under its form and in its name; but their wives, their children and their relatives have been hauled before inquisitorial grand juries, plied with shamefully indecent questions, threatened with punishment for contempt if they refused to answer, and in some cases actually imprisoned for such refusal.20
The document also includes poems written for the occasion and the Memorial which Emmeline B. Wells and Dr. Ellen B. Ferguson presented to President Grover Cleveland in Washington. “It was presented to the Senate of the United States on the 6th of April by Mr. Blair, of New Hampshire” and was “printed in the Congressional Record.”21
The women also took this opportunity to protest and refute antipolygamy activists’ misrepresentations and accusations of treason, hence the patriotism shown by several speakers. More importantly, for those of us who are interested in Latter-day Saint plural marriage, the document also includes many personal insights on the practice of plural marriage.
It was “Isabella Horne, Sarah Kimball, and Romania Pratt [who] expressed their desire to Church President John Taylor to ‘publicly protest against the indignities inflicted on plural wives in the district courts.’”22
Though some modern historians have levied criticism that LDS Church leaders manipulated both their own women and gentile suffragists in their confrontation with the government over polygamy, neither national nor local suffragists could be construed as pawns, maneuvered by the stratagem of religious leaders. Plural wives were no less committed to the Church and plural marriage than their husbands or Church leaders. Mormon women were inseparable partners in defense of what they persistently maintained was a divine mandate and a constitutional guarantee. Realistically, women had far more to lose than men if their marriages were invalidated and their children illegitimatized. Mormon women’s defense of the practice was thus fervent and personal.
. . . Mormon women were not only willing but also essential partners in this long-standing confrontation. Their presence, their petitions, their writings, their lectures all assisted in arousing public empathy, in finding allies, and in building bridges.23
The “Mormon” Women’s Protest has been reproduced in PDF format, with pagination as in the original. You can find the full document at this location:
Additional reading on this period in Utah history
Bushman, Claudia L., ed., Mormon Sisters: Women in Early Utah. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1997.
Church Educational System, Church History in the Fulness of Times (Religion 341-43) (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1989), 425-442.
Daynes, Kathryn M., More Wives Than One: Transformation of the Mormon Marriage System, 1840-1910. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2001.
Derr, Jill Mulvay, Janath Russell Cannon and Maureen Ursenbach Beecher. Women of Covenant: The Story of Relief Society. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1992.
Driggs, Ken. “The Prosecutions Begin: Defining Cohabitation in 1885” in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 21, no. 1 (Spring 1988): 109-125.
Embry, Jessie L., Mormon Polygamous Families: Life in the Principle. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1987.
Firmage, Edwin B., “The Judicial Campaign Against Polygamy and the Enduring Legal Questions” in BYU Studies 27, no. 3 (Summer 1987): 91-113.
Garr, Arnold K., Donald Q. Cannon, and Richard O. Cowan, eds. Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2000. See articles under: “Antipolygamy Movement;” “Plural Marriage,” “Underground” and “Woman Suffrage.”
Gordon, Sarah Barringer. The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth-Century America. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2002.
Iversen, Joan, The Antipolygamy Controversy in U.S. Women’s Movement, 1880-1925: A Debate on the American Home. New York and London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1997.
Larson, Gustive O., “The Crusade and the Manifesto” in Utah’s History. ed. Richard D. Poll et al. (Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1978), 257-74.
——–, The “Americanization” of Utah for Statehood. San Marino, Calif., Huntington Library, 1971.
Madsen, Carol Cornwall, An Advocate for Women: The Public Life of Emmeline B. Wells 1870-1920. Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 2006.
——–, “‘At Their Peril’: Utah Law and the Case of Plural Wives, 1850-1900″ in Western Historical Quarterly 21, no. 4 (November 1990): 425-443.
——–, ed., Battle for the Ballot: Essays on Woman Suffrage in Utah, 1870-1896. Logan: Utah State University Press, 1997.
Riess, Jana K. “Heathen in Our Fair Land”: Presbyterian Women Missionaries in Utah, 1870-90 in Journal of Mormon History 26, no. 1 (Spring 2000): 165-195. The article is drawn from Riess’ Columbia University (2000) dissertation about Protestant women missionaries in Utah in the late nineteenth century.
Van Wagoner, Richard S., Mormon Polygamy: A History. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1992.
1 Dr. Elvira S. Barney, “Mormon” Women’s Protest, 40.
2 President M. Isabella Horne in her opening remarks, “Mormon” Women’s Protest, 8.
3 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Newsroom. “Polygamy: Latter-day Saints and the Practice of Plural Marriage.” 14 July 2006. (accessed 24 October 2006).
4 One author noted that her study had “finally been completed after twelve years” of research. Joan Iversen, The Antipolygamy Controversy in U.S. Women’s Movement, 1880–1925: A Debate on the American Home (New York and London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1997), xiii.
5 See “Additional Speeches. Mrs. Helen Mar Whitney” in “Mormon” Women’s Protest: An Appeal for Freedom, Justice and Equal Rights. (Salt Lake City, Deseret News. Co., Printers, 1886) 49–53. Helen wrote about attending the meeting in her diary, see A Widows’s Tale: The 1884–1896 Diary of Helen Mar Kimball Whitney, Charles M. Hatch and Todd M. Compton, eds (Logan: Utah State University Press, 2003) 140: “The Mass-meeting is over—Theatre was crowded, speaches splended, some were applauded over & over.”
6 “Title Page” in “Mormon” Women’s Protest.
7 Encyclopedia of Mormonism (1992), s.v. “Antipolygamy Legislation.”
8 Terryl L. Givens, The Latter-day Saint Experience in America (Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2004), 43.
9 Constance L. Lieber and John Sillito, eds. Letters from Exile: The Correspondence of Martha Hughes Cannon and Angus M. Cannon, 1886–1888 (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1989), xi, xvii, xxiv.
10 The Woman’s Exponent (published semi-monthly from 1872 to 1914) “was the public voice of Latter-day Saint women . . . it offered its readers articles, poems, stories, letters, reports of women’s organizations and activities, and editorials on ‘every subject as it arises in which the women of Utah . . . are specially interested.’ (Exponent 1, 4). But its primary objective was to refute and correct anti-Mormon misrepresentations, particularly about Latter-day Saint women.” Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (2000), s.v. “Woman’s Exponent.”
11 Charles M. Hatch and Todd M. Compton, eds. A Widows’s Tale: The 1884–1896 Diary of Helen Mar Kimball Whitney (Logan: Utah State University Press, 2003), 30.
12 Hatch and Compton, A Widow’s Tale, 140.
13 In 1881, Helen Mar Whitney accompanied Emmeline B. Wells and Isabella Horne to the Fourteenth Ward Relief Society Meeting. She hoped that by sitting at the back near the door she wouldn’t be called on to speak, “I plead with Sister Horn to excuse me from rising to speak but she said any one that had had the experience that I had could say something interesting to my sisters. I told her my gift was not in speaking.” (Letter written by Helen Mar Kimball to Orson F. Whitney, December 12th, 1881, USU Manuscript Collections, MS167, Box 5, Fd 5.) A year later Helen was still uncomfortable speaking in public, “Well, I have attended the Primary & Relief Society of Farmer’s Ward . . . I was called upon but spoke only a few words and gave way for those more capable.” (Letter written by Helen Mar Kimball, August 21st, 1882, USU Manuscript Collections, MS167, Box 5, Fd7.)
14 Hatch and Compton, A Widow’s Tale, 139.
15 Augusta Joyce Crocheron. Representative Women of Deseret (Salt Lake City: J.C. Graham & Co., 1884) 115. Todd Compton was incorrect when he wrote, “On March 10, 1882, Helen was chosen by Sister M. I. Horne as second counselor in the Relief Society of the Eighteenth Ward.” Todd Compton, In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1997), 520.
16 Deseret News, 3 March 1886. The notice is included in “Mormon” Women’s Protest on page 5.
17 Hatch and Compton, A Widow’s Tale, 140.
18 “Prefatory” in “Mormon” Women’s Protest.
19 “Mormon” Women’s Protest, iv.
20 “The Ladies Mass Meeting”, Woman’s Exponent, 1 March, 1886.
21 Deseret News, 13 April 1886.
22 Carol Cornwall Madsen, An Advocate for Women: The Public Life of Emmeline B. Wells 1870–1920. (Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 2006), 221.
23 Madsen, An Advocate for Women, 228–229. | <urn:uuid:1101ed17-06d5-4643-b343-525cec9cf44d> | {
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FAO is working to assist countries implement the Global Plan on a number of fronts. These efforts are undertaken in close cooperation with the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which is charged with overseeing, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Global Plan.
In 2009, FAO released guidelines aimed at helping countries get started on implementing the Global Plan, Preparation of National Strategies and Action Plans for Animal Genetic Resources.
Now FAO is working with the Commission to prepare a series of targeted guidelines on specific aspects of the management of animal genetic resources.
These include the already published Breeding strategies for sustainable management of animal genetic resources and draft texts on surveying and monitoring, phenotypic characterization, molecular genetic characterization, cryoconservation, and the development of the institutional framework for the management of animal genetic resources.
FAO also conducted a global survey on existing arrangements for storage systems for the conservation of animal genetic resources.
And the UN agency publishes regular reports on the status of and trends in animal genetic resources.
Knowledge transfer and capacity building
A core part of FAO's work in this field is providing technical assistance and training to build capacity and support action at the country level. FAO contributed to operating or developing some 28 projects in 96 countries and to 21 regional capacity-building activities over the past two years. The Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture has collaborated with partners on coordinated research projects and conducts training sessions and workshops.
At the same time, FAO facilitates work by global and regional networks and supports intergovernmental meetings and expert workshops on management of animal genetic resources.
FAO produces Animal Genetic Resources, a tri-lingual international journal, and authored or co-authored some 48 scientific and technical papers, and conference contributions over the last two years.
Domestic Animal Diversity Information System
The Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS) is an online tool developed and maintained by FAO to support the implementation of the Global Plan. Countries use it to input and maintain their national data on animal genetic diversity, exchange of ideas and knowledge, and access key documents and information.
Focusing on small-scale farmers and pastoralists
Small-scale livestock keepers and pastoralists are custodians of much of the world's animal genetic resources. FAO produced the publication Livestock keepers - guardians of biodiversity in order to assist countries in dealing with this issue, and is also working with NGOs to test pilot "biocultural protocols" that can strengthen indigenous communities' ability to steward animal genetic resources. | <urn:uuid:4ee51704-fa41-409a-9187-ce087c8ecee1> | {
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Photo Date: 1983
Photo Number: 084 081 001
The Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant is located in south central Ohio, approximately 32 kilometers (20 miles) north of Portsmouth, Ohio, and 112 kilometers (70 miles) south of Columbus, Ohio. The site is situated on a 1,483-hectare (3,708-acre) federal reservation
approximately 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) south of the Village of Piketon. Construction of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant began in late 1952 to expand the Federal Government's gaseous diffusion program already in place at Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Paducah, Kentucky. The facility was built to increase the production of enriched uranium at rates substantially above the other two facilities because highly-enriched uranium was required for use in nuclear submarine reactors, and low-enriched uranium was needed for commercial nuclear power plants. The first process cell went online in September 1954. A gas centrifuge uranium enrichment program was initiated in the early 1980s at Portsmouth. However, full operation was never implemented for the centrifuge process. Since 1991, the plant has produced only low-enriched uranium for use as fuel in commercial nuclear power plants.
Created by John Pike
Maintained by Webmaster
Updated Tuesday, December 30, 1997 10:19:25 AM | <urn:uuid:34b2a1ea-99c1-4faa-9218-97b9d0c7d3bf> | {
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Like it or not, sickness often infects you and your friends. If a handful of people you know have the flu, chances are pretty high that you'll come down with it too. It was inevitable, then, for the social side of illness tracking to make its way onto the Internet.
The most obvious manifestation of social sickness tracking can be seen with Sickweather, a new startup that mines data from Twitter, Facebook, and user input to show which illnesses are going around in your local area--and in your friend group. The service explains, "just as Doppler radar scans the skies for indicators of bad weather, Sickweather scans social networks for indicators of illness."
Eventually, Sickweather hopes to track symptom keywords (i.e. "runny nose," and "cough"), but for now it's focusing on simpler terms like "pneumonia" and bronchitis." Illnesses are shown on a map, and in future versions, users will be able to track sicknesses via cell phone (new alert: stay away from Sarah, she's super germy!).
Social sickness tracking can also be seen with Google's Dengue Trends, a tracking tool for dengue feveroutbreaks that mines web search results from Brazil, Bolivia, India, Indonesia and Singapore to generate an early-warning system for outbreaks. Users won't be able to see who exactly is searching for dengue fever symptoms, but they will know when an outbreak is headed their way. Google's Flu Trends performs a similar purpose--and is probably more useful for people outside of dengue-heavy countries.
We can probably expect to see more initiatives like this in the future. Scientists recently discovered, for example, that weather forecasts can predict cholera outbreaks. So in the future, Google (or a service like HealthMap) could mash up weather predictions with symptom reports in cholera-prone areas for another kind of early warning system.
For now, though, tracking illness outbreaks via sites like Sickweather may be the simplest way to make sure you avoid coming down with a cold--or something worse.
[Image by Flickr user Svenstorm] | <urn:uuid:0f6d1b44-917f-4911-b904-59524846c939> | {
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The Finance Project is one of more than 100 organizations and thought leaders featured in Expanding Minds and Opportunities: Leveraging the Power of Afterschool and Summer learning for Student Success, Edited by Terry K. Peterson, Ph.D., This first of its kind compendium of studies, reports and commentaries provides seminal resources for policy makers, program leadership, practitioners, researchers and stakeholders.
The Value of Partnerships in Afterschool and Summer Learning: A National Case Study of 21st Century Community Learning Centers by Shawn Stelow Griffin and Laura Martinez provides concrete evidence of the important role partnerships play in leveraging cash and in-kind resources to sustain 21st CCLC Wisconsin, Vermont, Florida and Oregon.
Expanding Minds and Opportunities is now available online at
www.expandinglearning.org/expandingminds and through Amazon.com.
DC Education Adequacy Study Overview
The Finance Project (TFP), In September 2012, the District of Columbia Government contracted with The Finance Project (TFP) to undertake a rigorous study of the costs of providing an "adequate" pre-K through 12 education to students in DC's traditional public schools and public charter schools. Over a 12-month period, The Finance Project, in partnership with Augenblick, Palaich and Associates (APA), a Denver-based education research firm, will:
1. Develop a data-driven estimate of the cost of an "adequate" pre-K through 12 education in the District of Columbia;
2. Recommend changes to the structure and level of foundation funding in the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF), as well as the weightings for students with special learning needs that require services which entail additional costs;
3. Recommend changes to the way in which capital investments, maintenance, utilities and custodial services for school buildings and facilities are financed and managed; and
4. Develop guidance for updating the study's basic elements on a continuing periodic basis.
Using a blend of Professional Judgment Panel and Successful Schools Study methods for analyzing the costs of an adequate education, the TFP/APA study team will examine the cost of resources required for public schools and public charter schools to meet DC academic standards, including the Common Core State Standards, once they are implemented.
For more information, please read an overview of the study at: www.financeproject.org/publications/SummaryDCEducation
AdequacyStudy.pdf. For more information about the study, please contact Cara Patrick at [email protected].
. This brief aims to help policymakers, community leaders, private investors, and other stakeholders understand what is known about the opportunities and conditions for success in designing and implementing incentive-based financing strategies to take innovative evidence-based social solutions to scale. It describes the design and implementation of three broad types of innovative financing strategies that make funding contingent on specific benchmarks for success. The brief also includes examples of how state and local leaders are designing and implementing these financing strategies to respond to demands for improved outcomes. It offers considerations for stakeholders to address when determining whether, and how, these strategies could work for a community or state seeking to link funding to achievable outcomes.
. This fiscal mapping study helps Hawaiian state leaders identify the public and private funding sources available to support programs and services for at-risk Hawaiian youth, ages 13-24. The study also evaluates Hawaii's effectiveness at using funding to sustain the seventy-two state administered programs for at-risk youth in Fiscal Year 2011.
Network of Independent Charter Schools
The Network of Independent Charter Schools is designed to support teachers, administrators and trustees develop best practices and collaborate with one another and to help independent "mom and pop" charter schools succeed. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, it delivers a comprehensive and integrated array of services and resources--free of charge--to help improve the capacity of teachers, administrators and trustees at independent charter schools. The Finance Project helps develop content for the Network of Independent Charter Schools website in the areas of charter school management, financing and governance.
Online Hotline BLOG
. The following fiscal mapping tool will help leaders identify funding resources in their communities to help build a stable base of support for their work.
. A first of its kind, this guide helps state and local officials, leaders of community-based and national organizations, school leaders, and private investors find funding to strengthen and sustain grade-level reading programs and services for children from birth through third grade. It identifies more than 100 federal funding sources that can be used to address the root causes of failing to read, to help fund remediation strategies, and to build cohesive infrastructure and systems necessary to effectively train and guide professionals. It also offers users “best bet” funding sources, on-the-ground examples and allows users to search by funding purpose, eligibility and special populations.
Sustainability Planning Workbook
This workbook is the foundation for our training services and helps users clarify their vision, identify key issues in sustaining their work, and develop strategies to achieve their long-term goals. | <urn:uuid:2c756c0d-2acc-41b3-8986-f70bc07cea1c> | {
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Aerobic exercise requires the body to utilize oxygen to create energy. With anaerobic exercise, the body creates energy without extra oxygen — your body relies on its natural chemicals to create energy.
Learn the benefits of each, after the break!
Benefits of aerobic activity
When you are engaged in aerobic activities (walking, running, swimming, canoeing), you breathe heavier and use more oxygen. When this happens, your heart beats faster, and your blood flow increases, which means the oxygen going to and from your muscles increases as well. Your capillaries are what bring the oxygen to your muscles and take away the waste (carbon dioxide, lactic acid), essentially “cleaning” your muscles. Also through this process, you help build up your immune system and rid your body of toxins, which will help you ward off illnesses.
Aerobic activity three to five times a week will help strengthen your heart and help it pump blood more efficiently and help it get to and from your muscles more efficiently and effectively. Aerobic exercise is a key component in losing weight and keeping it off and reducing heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes — just to name a few.
Your body also releases endorphins, which are a natural painkiller and "mood enhancer." The release of endorphins helps reduce anxiety and stress, helps you sleep better, and can also help ward off depression.
So get movin'!
Benefits of anaerobic activity
Anaerobic means "without oxygen," and strength training is the most effective method of anaerobic exercise. Loss of lean muscle mass can begin in your early 20s if you're not careful. When you lose lean muscle mass, your metabolism slows down, your strength weakens, and your "functional fitness" can decrease, which can lead to you getting hurt while engaging in everyday activities like taking the stairs. But guess what? You can also gain the muscle back! Introduce strength training. It helps rebuild that muscle mass, strengthen not only your muscles but also your bones, increase your metabolism, and lower your body fat. The more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism, which means the more calories you burn (when you are resting and when you’re working out!)
Strength training at least twice a week also helps prevent cardiovascular disease, obesity, arthritis, lower-back pain, and type 2 diabetes.
"Strength training" is often an intimidating term, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into "heavy lifting." Strength training can be lunges with five-pound weights, squats, push-ups, whatever! You can use weights or your body weight will work as well!
To good health!
Share your own tips in our FitSugar Community, and we may feature your post on our homepage! | <urn:uuid:6685bba9-7946-4432-ac87-36223e2dd86b> | {
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Pruning Fruit Trees
Pruning fruit trees is one of the most important activities that you can do to ensure the health, long life and productivity of your home orchard. It is also one of the first outdoor activities of the new year that you will probably be doing.
I always look forward to getting out and getting the blood flowing after a winter of relative inactivity. There are five general reasons for pruning apple trees, pear, peach, plum, cherry, and other trees. Below is a short discussion of each.
Pruning Fruit Trees - Weak and Crossed Branches
Branches that cross (and touch) one another are undesirable and one of the offending branches should be removed. Generally you should remove the smaller of the two, but take a look at shape and growth pattern as well. Remove the one that is least likely to be viable and productive in the long term.
Very long spindly branches should be cut back to the point where they are more in line with the rest of the tree and are able to bear the weight of developing fruit. Pear trees are notorious for sending up a few thin weak branches that grow 6-10 feet in one year. These branches often grow close to and parallel to the main trunk of the tree. Branches like this should be removed entirely.
Pruning Fruit Trees - Low Hanging Branches
Low hanging branches that interfere with mowing and other maitenance are oportunities to damage your tree or get someone hurt. remove or cut back any that will interfere with mowing, maintenance and ease of access to the tree during the growing season. As leaves and fruit begin to develop, you will find that brances get heavier and hang lower during the summer. Take this into consideration when pruning.
If you keep a good sized area mulched under your trees, low hanging branches become less of an issue for you. It also
reduces competition from grass and weeds and helps retain soil moisture. I try to keep an area mulched under my trees that
is about the same diameter as the branches of the trees themselves. This diameter is referred to as the "Drip Line". The bigger the tree becomes over the years, the less realistic this becomes, especially if you will plant standard sized trees,
but it's still a good idea to keep an area clear and mulched beneath your trees.
Pruning Fruit Trees - Improving Air Circulation
Good air circulation in the center of a tree is very important to promote good healthy fruit growth, and to reduce the occurrence of diseases that rely on dampness to develop. Some trees grow lots and lots of small twigs (cherries for example), which seem to completely fill the space between the main branches. If you get under your tree in the summer and can't see a bit of sky here and there through the tree's canopy, it will be time to thin some of the interior branches the following spring. Never remove more than 25% of a trees branches or twigs when thinning. Usually much less will get the job done.
Trimming Fruit Trees for Balance and Appearance
On ocassion a tree will grow lopsided and you will have to remove or trim back some branches to balance the tree out. This
is particularly important if the trunk of the tree leans far to one side. Of course, it's better to never let your trees
lean that far in the first place. The appearance of a healthy fruit tree should be even all the way around. If a branch or
branches on one side grow taller or longer than on another side, you should even them up. This is important not just for the
appearance of the tree, but also for it's long term health. An unbalanced tree will be far more suceptible to wind damage,
even blowing down or breaking off. Damage can be caused by too much crop weight on one side as well. Besides that, a well
shaped fruit tree is just more pleasing to the eye than a poorly maintained one.
Pruning Fruit Trees to Remove Dead or Diseased Branches
The reasons for pruning fruit trees I have listed so far should normally be done in early spring, but if you find a branch or
limb that has died, is diseased, or has suffered some other heavy damage, it's a good idea to go ahead and remove the dead or damaged material when you find it.
Some diseases can spready quickly and should be removed right away. Fire blight on apple trees for example has to be cut out immediately so it doesn't spread further down the branches. Diseased branches risk infecting additional branches or even other trees, so make sure to move all of your trimmings well away from your orchard. If you can, I recommend burning them to assure that the diseases are destroyed. You should always clean your pruning equipment with alcohol after pruning diseased or dead branches.
NOTE: Not all diseases require pruning, some can be treated with a spraying routine. If you do have to prune diseased trees, it's a good idea to go ahead and spray as well to help control the disease from spreading further.
Pruning Old Fruit Trees
There is one additional reason for pruning fruit trees. If you own property that has mature established fruit trees that have either been neglected for years or pruned incorrectly, you will need to do some pretty heavy pruning during the first 2 to 3 years to revitalize these old timers. This kind of pruning is more like drastic surgery and you will probably have to do some of each type of pruning already mentioned. Dead, diseased and damaged limbs have to be removed, crossed limbs and low hanging branches have to go, thinning will almost certainly have to be done, and the general overall appearance of the trees will likely have to be balanced out. Years of neglect probably can't be corrected in one round of pruning. It may take 2-3 years to get these trees back to prime conditions, but stick with it and be patient - the end result will be well worth it. Mature trees will reward you with big crops for your efforts in getting them back in shape.
Pruning Fruit Trees - Equipment and Methods
Pruning fruit trees should be done using good quality, clean, sharp equipment. Depending on the size of your trees, you may need by-pass trimmers, limb loppers, a pruning saw or bowsaw, an extension trimmer, or possibly even a chain saw. Keeping equipment clean prevents diseases from spreading one tree to another, and keeping your tools sharp assure a clean cut which heals quicker and causes less stress to your trees.
Cut branches cleanly and as close to the branch junction or trunk as you can. Never use anvil type trimmers, as they do too much damage to the bark and cambium layer underneath, where nutrients and water is carried. Anvil trimmers have one blade, which cut against a flat surface called an anvil. Always use bypass trimmers, which operate like a pair of scissors and cut cleanly from both sides of the branch.
Large branches that have to be sawed off, should be under cut on the bottom side by about 1/4 of the diameter, before cutting through on the top. This prevents the bark from ripping away down the trunk as gravity pulls the branch down as you cut through.
A word about painting branch stubs when pruning fruit trees. There are two schools of thought about painting over the pruned end of a branch stub. Some folks swear that you should paint tar over the ends to protect the trees from disease, until the bark can grow over the cut. Others say that painting the cuts with tar can seal in moisture and diseases, and promote infection and rot.
I've tried it both ways and have seen little difference in overall performance of the trees. If you think you need to paint the ends, I recommend using fibered roof tar (often called roof cement) to daub on the cuts. Personally, I haven't painted
my trees after pruning for several years, and my unscientific opinion is that it isn't necessary, but...to each his own opinion.
Pruning fruit trees, when done properly, not only makes for healthier and more productive trees, but they will be visually much more attractive than if they were allowed to grow wild. Pruning your trees for the first time can be daunting, but the thing to remember is that your trees are forgiving, and will recover from nearly any pruning mistake. Just be sure to learn from those mistakes, so you don't repeat them. Your fruit trees will reward you for proper pruning by producing bigger, healthier crops, for a longer number of years. Take your time when learning to prune your fruit trees, and it will become second nature to you after a couple of years.
Return to Home Orchard Page from Pruning Fruit Trees Page
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DURHAM — On Saturday, September 29, Coach Sean McDonnell, his staff, and the UNH Wildcats joined over 10,200 other coaches in the country to participate in Coach to Cure (www.coachtocuremd.org), a partnership between the American Football Coaches Association and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, to raise funds and awareness of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the most common fatal genetic disorder of children.
On Saturday, coaches from all over America wore armbands to encourage others to learn more about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and to donate money toward finding a cure.
One reason the American Football Coaches Association was drawn to Coach To Cure MD was because of the unique parallels between Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a disorder which robs young men and boys of precious muscle strength and college football, a game where young men are at the peak of their muscle strength.
Duchenne is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed during early childhood. A progressive muscle disorder that causes loss of muscle function and independence. To date, there is no cure.
Duchenne affects approximately one out of every 3,500 boys and 20,000 babies born each year worldwide. The disorder manifests primarily in boys because the affected gene is found on the X-chromosome. Duchenne knows no other boundaries, touching all races and cultures.
On Saturday, the UNH wildcats tackled Duchenne head-on by urging spectators to text the word "cure" to 90999 to donate to Coach to Cure. And in an effort to bring the initiative closer to home, invited Lucas Currier from Newfields to participate in their practice on Friday night and to start the game off with the coin flip. Lucas is a 10-year-old avid sportsman with DMD. The Wildcats also gave Lucas an authentic UNH Wildcats shirt and a Wildcats football.
For more information or to donate to find a cure, go to www.coachtocuremd.org or www.parentprojectmd.org | <urn:uuid:6ffc6e2c-f7c1-41b8-a4c5-5f3282ce7bd2> | {
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In the 20th century, this would have been a job for James Bond.
The mission: Infiltrate the highly advanced, securely guarded enemy headquarters where scientists in the clutches of an evil master are secretly building a weapon that can destroy the world. Then render that weapon harmless and escape undetected.
But in the 21st century, Bond doesn't get the call. Instead, the job is handled by a suave and very sophisticated secret computer worm, a jumble of code called Stuxnet, which in the last year has not only crippled Iran's nuclear program but has caused a major rethinking of computer security around the globe.
Intelligence agencies, computer security companies and the nuclear industry have been trying to analyze the worm since it was discovered in June by a Belarus-based company that was doing business in Iran. And what they've all found, says Sean McGurk, the Homeland Security Department's acting director of national cyber security and communications integration, is a “game changer.”
The construction of the worm was so advanced, it was “like the arrival of an F-35 into a World War I battlefield,” says Ralph Langner, the computer expert who was the first to sound the alarm about Stuxnet. Others have called it the first “weaponized” computer virus.
Simply put, Stuxnet is an incredibly advanced, undetectable computer worm that took years to construct and was designed to jump from computer to computer until it found the specific, protected control system that it aimed to destroy: Iran’s nuclear enrichment program.
The target was seemingly impenetrable; for security reasons, it lay several stories underground and was not connected to the World Wide Web. And that meant Stuxnet had to act as sort of a computer cruise missile: As it made its passage through a set of unconnected computers, it had to grow and adapt to security measures and other changes until it reached one that could bring it into the nuclear facility.
When it ultimately found its target, it would have to secretly manipulate it until it was so compromised it ceased normal functions.
And finally, after the job was done, the worm would have to destroy itself without leaving a trace.
That is what we are learning happened at Iran's nuclear facilities -- both at Natanz, which houses the centrifuge arrays used for processing uranium into nuclear fuel, and, to a lesser extent, at Bushehr, Iran's nuclear power plant.
At Natanz, for almost 17 months, Stuxnet quietly worked its way into the system and targeted a specific component -- the frequency converters made by the German equipment manufacturer Siemens that regulated the speed of the spinning centrifuges used to create nuclear fuel. The worm then took control of the speed at which the centrifuges spun, making them turn so fast in a quick burst that they would be damaged but not destroyed. And at the same time, the worm masked that change in speed from being discovered at the centrifuges' control panel.
At Bushehr, meanwhile, a second secret set of codes, which Langner called “digital warheads,” targeted the Russian-built power plant's massive steam turbine.
Here's how it worked, according to experts who have examined the worm:
--The nuclear facility in Iran runs an “air gap” security system, meaning it has no connections to the Web, making it secure from outside penetration. Stuxnet was designed and sent into the area around Iran's Natanz nuclear power plant -- just how may never be known -- to infect a number of computers on the assumption that someone working in the plant would take work home on a flash drive, acquire the worm and then bring it back to the plant.
--Once the worm was inside the plant, the next step was to get the computer system there to trust it and allow it into the system. That was accomplished because the worm contained a “digital certificate” stolen from JMicron, a large company in an industrial park in Taiwan. (When the worm was later discovered it quickly replaced the original digital certificate with another certificate, also stolen from another company, Realtek, a few doors down in the same industrial park in Taiwan.)
--Once allowed entry, the worm contained four “Zero Day” elements in its first target, the Windows 7 operating system that controlled the overall operation of the plant. Zero Day elements are rare and extremely valuable vulnerabilities in a computer system that can be exploited only once. Two of the vulnerabilities were known, but the other two had never been discovered. Experts say no hacker would waste Zero Days in that manner.
--After penetrating the Windows operating system, the code then targeted the siemens operating system that controlled the plant. Once that was in its grip it then took over the “frequency converters” that ran the centrifuges. To do that it used specifications from the manufacturers of the converters. One was Vacon, a Finnish Company, and the other Fararo Paya, an Iranian company. What surprises experts at this step is that the Iranian company was so secret that not even the IAEA knew about it.
--The worm also knew that the complex control system that ran the centrifuges was built by Siemens, the German manufacturer, and -- remarkably -- how that system worked as well and how to mask its activities from it.
--Masking itself from the plant's security and other systems, the worm then ordered the centrifuges to rotate extremely fast, and then to slow down precipitously. This damaged the converter, the centrifuges and the bearings, and it corrupted the uranium in the tubes. It also left Iranian nuclear engineers wondering what was wrong, as computer checks showed no malfunctions in the operating system.
Estimates are that this went on for more than a year, leaving the Iranian program in chaos. And as it did, the worm grew and adapted throughout the system. As new worms entered the system, they would meet and adapt and become increasingly sophisticated.
During this time the worms reported back to two mysterious servers that had to be run by intelligence agencies, one in Denmark and one in Malaysia. The servers monitored the worms as they infiltrated Natanz. Efforts to find those servers since then have yielded no results.
This went on until June of last year, when a Belarusan company working on the Iranian power plant in Beshehr discovered it in one of its machines. It quickly put out a notice on a Web network monitored by computer security experts around the world. Ordinarily these experts would immediately begin tracing the worm and dissecting it, looking for clues about its origin and other details.
But that didn’t happen, because within minutes all the alert sites came under attack and were inoperative for 24 hours.
“I had to use e-mail to send notices but I couldn’t reach everyone. Whoever made the worm had a full day to eliminate all traces of the worm that might lead us them,” Eric Byres, a computer security expert who has examined the Stuxnet. “No hacker could have done that.”
Experts, including inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA,) say that, despite Iran's claims to the contrary, the worm was successful in its goal: causing confusion among Iran’s nuclear engineers and disabling their nuclear program.
Because of the secrecy surrounding the Iranian program, no one can be certain of the full extent of the damage. But sources inside Iran and elsewhere say that the Iranian centrifuge program has been operating far below its capacity and that the uranium enrichment program had “stagnated” during the time the worm penetrated the underground facility. Only 4,000 of the 9,000 centrifuges Iran was known to have were put into use. Some suspect that is because of the critical need to replace ones that were damaged.
And the limited number of those in use dwindled to an estimated 3,700 as problems engulfed their operation. IAEA inspectors say the sabotage better explains the slowness of the program, which they had earlier attributed to poor equipment manufacturing and management problems. As Iranians struggled with the setbacks, they began searching for signs of sabotage. From inside Iran there have been unconfirmed reports that the head of the plant was fired shortly after the worm wended its way into the system and began creating technical problems, and that some scientists who were suspected of espionage disappeared or were executed. And counter intelligence agents began monitoring all communications between scientists at the site, creating a climate of fear and paranoia.
Iran has adamantly stated that its nuclear program has not been hit by the bug. But in doing so it has backhandedly confirmed that its nuclear facilities were compromised. When Hamid Alipour, head of the nation’s Information Technology Company, announced in September that 30,000 Iranian computers had been hit by the worm but the nuclear facilities were safe, he added that among those hit were the personal computers of the scientists at the nuclear facilities. Experts say that Natanz and Bushehr could not have escaped the worm if it was in their engineers’ computers.
“We brought it into our lab to study it and even with precautions it spread everywhere at incredible speed,” Byres said.
“The worm was designed not to destroy the plants but to make them ineffective. By changing the rotation speeds, the bearings quickly wear out and the equipment has to be replaced and repaired. The speed changes also impact the quality of the uranium processed in the centrifuges creating technical problems that make the plant ineffective,” he explained.
In other words the worm was designed to allow the Iranian program to continue but never succeed, and never to know why.
One additional impact that can be attributed to the worm, according to David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Studies, is that “the lives of the scientists working in the facility have become a living hell because of counter-intelligence agents brought into the plant” to battle the breach. Ironically, even after its discovery, the worm has succeeded in slowing down Iran's reputed effort to build an atomic weapon. And Langer says that the efforts by the Iranians to cleanse Stuxnet from their system “will probably take another year to complete,” and during that time the plant will not be able to function anywhere normally.
But as the extent of the worm’s capabilities is being understood, its genius and complexity has created another perplexing question: Who did it?
Speculation on the worm’s origin initially focused on hackers or even companies trying to disrupt competitors. But as engineers tore apart the virus they learned not only the depth of the code, its complex targeting mechanism, (despite infecting more than 100,000 computers it has only done damage at Natanz,) the enormous amount of work that went into it—Microsoft estimated that it consumed 10,000 man days of labor-- and about what the worm knew, the clues narrowed the number of players that have the capabilities to create it to a handful.
“This is what nation-states build, if their only other option would be to go to war,” Joseph Wouk, an Israeli security expert wrote.
Byres is more certain. “It is a military weapon,” he said.
And much of what the worm “knew” could only have come from a consortium of Western intelligence agencies, experts who have examined the code now believe.
Originally, all eyes turned toward Israel’s intelligence agencies. Engineers examining the worm found “clues” that hinted at Israel’s involvement. In one case they found the word “Myrtus” embedded in the code and argued that it was a reference to Esther, the biblical figure who saved the ancient Jewish state from the Persians. But computer experts say "Myrtus" is more likely a common reference to “My RTUS,” or remote terminal units.
Langer argues that no single Western intelligence agency had the skills to pull this off alone. The most likely answer, he says, is that a consortium of intelligence agencies worked together to build the cyber bomb. And he says the most likely confederates are the United States, because it has the technical skills to make the virus, Germany, because reverse-engineering Siemen’s product would have taken years without it, and Russia, because of its familiarity with both the Iranian nuclear plant and Siemen’s systems.
There is one clue that was left in the code that may tell us all we need to know.
Embedded in different section of the code is another common computer language reference, but this one is misspelled. Instead of saying “DEADFOOT,” a term stolen from pilots meaning a failed engine, this one reads “DEADFOO7.”
Yes, OO7 has returned -- as a computer worm.
Stuxnet. Shaken, not stirred. | <urn:uuid:df04f521-4a8c-4593-b43b-d5e1f4433ea0> | {
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- Free Banking - http://www.freebanking.org -
Free Banking and Monetary Calculation
Posted By Steve Horwitz On June 16, 2012 @ 3:39 pm In Uncategorized | 14 Comments
In my Freeman column this week, I discussed the importance of monetary calculation in enabling entrepreneurs to know both what to produce and how to produce it. The ability to make use of money prices to formulate a forward-looking budget and to calculate backward-looking profits/losses is crucial to entrepreneurial planning and the learning process of the market. In that piece I didn't have the space to make an additional point that I'd like to note here.
For monetary calculation to be maximally effective, the monetary system matters. Specifically, the more sound that money is, the more reliable is monetary calculation. This is a point that Mises made in this 1920 article about economic calculation in the socialist commonwealth and one I developed in a HOPE paper in 1998. In an economy subject to periodic inflation and deflation, the reliability of money prices is reduced, and what we might call the "epistemic burden" on entrepreneurs is increased as they have to sort out whether a given price change is due to real or nominal factors. Where money is sound, price movements carry a less ambiguous message. They still require interpretation, but with one less major complicating factor than under inflation or deflation.
Given that different monetary regimes will be more or less likely to avoid inflation and deflation, the monetary system matters for the effectiveness of monetary calculation. If free banking is better than the alternatives at avoiding monetary disequilibria, then it is also better at creating a sound environment for monetary calculation. And, if so, it will be better at promoting economic growth.
Many of these ideas are at the core of my Microfoundations and Macroeconomics: An Austrian Perspective , which if you haven't read, you should!
Article printed from Free Banking: http://www.freebanking.org
URL to article: http://www.freebanking.org/2012/06/16/free-banking-and-monetary-calculation/
URLs in this post:
my Freeman column: http://www.thefreemanonline.org/headline/looking-forward-backward/
HOPE paper: http://myslu.stlawu.edu/~shorwitz/Papers/Mises_HOPE_1998.pdf
Microfoundations and Macroeconomics: An Austrian Perspective: http://www.amazon.com/Microfoundations-Macroeconomics-An-Austrian-Perspective/dp/0415569575/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1058132979&sr=8-1&tag=freebank07-20
: http://austrianeconomists.typepad.com/weblog/2009/09/mises-defining-inflation-the-monetary-equilibrium-way-in-1951.html
Copyright © 2013 Free Banking. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:b445cfba-aa78-4c74-adc1-0d83fc706d14> | {
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Rocky Mountain Research Station Publications
RMRS Online Publication - Journal
Articles, External Publications, and Special Reports
Trace gas and particle emissions from domestic and industrial biofuel use and garbage burning in central Mexico
Christian, T. J.; Yokelson, R. J.; Cardenas, B.; Molina, L. T.; Engling, G.; Hsu, S.-C. 2010. Trace gas and particle emissions from domestic and industrial biofuel use and garbage burning in central Mexico. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 10: 565-584.
In central Mexico during the spring of 2007 we measured the initial emissions of 12 gases and the aerosol speciation for elemental and organic carbon (EC, OC), anhydrosugars, Cl-, NO-3 , and 20 metals from 10 cooking fires, four garbage fires, three brick making kilns, three charcoal making kilns, and two crop residue fires. Global biofuel use has been estimated at over 2600 Tg/y. With several simple case studies we show that cooking fires can be a major, or the major, source of several gases and fine particles in developing countries. Insulated cook stoves with chimneys were earlier shown to reduce indoor air pollution and the fuel use per cooking task. We confirm that they also reduce the emissions of VOC pollutants per mass of fuel burned by about half. We did not detect HCN emissions from cooking fires in Mexico or Africa. Thus, if regional source attribution is based on HCN emissions typical for other types of biomass burning (BB), then biofuel use and total BB will be underestimated in much of the developing world. This is also significant because cooking fires are not detected from space.
Keywords: trace gas, particle emissions, biofuel, Mexico
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PDF File Size: 440 K
Title: RMRS Other
Publications: Trace gas and particle emissions from domestic and
industrial biofuel use and garbage burning in central Mexico
Electronic Publish Date: March 23, 2010
Last Update: March 23, 2010
RMRS Publications | Order a publication | Contact Us | <urn:uuid:e3039dd6-cf8e-49e2-bcf5-f48e90cc8fe1> | {
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What is the capital of Sri Lanka?
#26580. Asked by sushil sarda. (Jan 17 03 9:39 AM)
Depends which capital you mean. |
The capital was located in Polonnaruwa for about three centuries until persistent South Indian invasions caused its displacement in the 13th century to Dambadenia about 110 km to the south-west of here and later to Panduvasnavara close by.
Colombo is the commercial capital.
The administrative, political and state capital is Sri Jayawardenepura.
The sacred ancient city Anuradhapura is the ancient capital.
Senkadagala (Kandy) was the capital when last ruled by the King of Sri Lanka.
Colombo ceased to be the capital of Sri Lanka in 1982 with the shifting of the national parliament to the adjoining town of Sri Jayawardenapura, Kotte which is now officially the capital city.
Sri Lanka's commercial capital Colombo has become one of the world's top slum cities overtaking Calcutta in India, Sri Lanka's Housing Minister Mangala Samaraweera said Wednesday. However, Colombo continued to be the commercial centre with diplomatic missions too having their embassies here rather than at Sri Jayawardenapura, Kotte.
Find something useful here? Please help us spread the word about FunTrivia. Recommend this page below! | <urn:uuid:711978b5-3cb0-487e-b681-f0d9fcb6d81d> | {
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Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
Wolf Tracks VI - A Summary of Gray Wolf Activities and Issues
pdf version (pdf 750 kb; 6 pages)
of the Gray Wolf Reclassification/Delisting Proposal
Wolf Management Plan
Zone A is roughly the northeastern one-third of the state, and is composed of Wolf Management Zones 1-4 described in the 1992, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Plan for the Eastern Timber Wolf. About 85 percent of Minnesota's wolves live in Zone A. Zone B is the rest of the state, and is Federal Wolf Management Zone 5.
Under the Minnesota Plan anyone would be allowed to kill or injure a wolf in defense of human life, just as can be done now while wolves remain protected by the Act. The Plan would allow wolves to be harassed, but not killed or injured, if they are within 500 yards of people, buildings, or domestic animals. This non-injurious harassment would be allowed in both wolf management zones. Statewide, owners of domestic animals would also be allowed to kill wolves if the wolf is in the act of stalking, attacking, or killing the domestic animal. In the case of a wolf attacking a pet, the pet must have been under the supervision of the owner, not free-roaming, in order for this provision to apply.
In both zones, the DNR can open "depredation control areas" where wolf depredation on domestic animals is a verified problem. These areas would extend outward for one mile from a verified depredation site. The triggers for opening the depredation control areas, and the duration of the resulting depredation control actions by state-certified predator controllers, vary between the two zones. In Zone A depredation control areas can be opened only for 60 days immediately following a depredation incident. In Zone B they can be opened annually for up to 214 days if there was a verified wolf depredation anytime within the previous 5 years.
Finally, in Zone B wolves can be taken by a landowner (or by the owner's agent) on his/her land at any time to protect domestic animals. The wolf does not have to represent an immediate threat to domestic animals or humans prior to being killed under this provision of the Plan. Additionally, a State-certified predator controller can be hired to trap wolves at other locations within one mile of such lands, with the permission of the landowner.
The Plan also establishes additional state penalties for illegal wolf killing, enacts a 5-year delay on public hunting or trapping seasons, and establishes a minimum population goal of 1,600 wolves. State compensation for livestock killed by wolves was increased (effective in July of 2001) to the full market value of the animals. The plan also calls for a statewide estimate of wolf numbers in the first and fifth years after Federal delisting. Subsequent to delisting, similar estimates would be made every 5 years.
The Service is evaluating the DNR Plan to determine if it will ensure the long-term survival of wolves in Minnesota. As part of the Service's evaluation we have asked the Eastern Timber Wolf Recovery Team to review the Plan. They are compiling comments and recommendations to provide to us and the DNR. The DNR developed this management plan in preparation for Federal delisting, but it will not be implemented until after the gray wolf is removed from the protections of the Act (wolves are currently listed as federally threatened in Minnesota). If the Plan is found to assure the long-term viability of wolves in the state, all of the recovery criteria from the Eastern Timber Wolf Recovery Plan will have been met. At that point, we expect to prepare a proposal to delist the gray wolf in the western (and adjacent) Great Lakes states.
For more information on the Minnesota Wolf Management Plan, visit the DNR's website at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ or call 888-MINNDNR. A copy of the complete Plan and our summary are available at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/wgl/mn-plnsum.htm or by calling the Gray Wolf Information Line at 612-713-7337.
How Many Wild Wolves Are There in Each State?
Mountain Wolf Update
If the wolf population remains at or above 30 breeding pairs in 2001 and 2002, the numerical recovery goal will be met on December 31, 2002. If, at that time, the other provisions required for delisting are met, primarily the development of state wolf management plans that would reasonably assure that the gray wolf would not become threatened or endangered again, we would propose delisting the Rocky Mountain population. The delisting process, including extensive public involvement, could be proposed as soon as 2003.
The Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery 2000 Annual Report is available on-line at http://www.r6.fws.gov/wolf/annualrpt00/ or by contacting the Helena, Montana office (406-449-5225). The annual report, a cooperative effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nez Perce Tribe, the National Park Service, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, presents information on the status, distribution, and management of the recovering Rocky Mountain wolf population from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2000. The 2001 Annual Report is expected to be completed in January, 2002.
Wolves to the Northern Forest
The week culminated with a two day conference, Restoring Wolves to the Northern Forest. The conference, cosponsored by the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the New Hampshire Wildlife Federation, and the Vermont Natural Resources Council, featured national experts on wolf recovery, genetics, and the social and political issues surrounding this controversial topic. Nearly 200 people listened to presentations on topics including the ecological niche of wolves in the northern forest, wolf-elk interaction in Yellowstone National Park, the status of wolf recovery, and the use of citizen groups in recovering predatory species. | <urn:uuid:8bae9876-9a66-49f6-9c7a-e67a96bfe006> | {
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Gray Wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains
From: Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, Helena, MT 9/4/98
Subject: Status of Gray Wolf Recovery, Weeks of 8/22-9/4, 1998
Packs in the Yellowstone, central Idaho, and NW Montana areas appear to be in their normal home ranges.
The Rose Creek pack of 17 was seen standing around a grizzly bear laying on an elk carcass which it probably took from the wolves. Brave bear. Chief Joseph was in the SW corner of th Pack. Druid was in Pelican Valley testing bison.
The one radioed Washakie wolf still can't be found and the other is still in the SE corner of Yellowstone National Park. An unradioed black and a gray wolf were seen in the Dunoir Valley in late September. A Service field crew found tracks of 2-3 wolves in the area but no radios could be heard. If possible trapping will be attempted to radio a group member. The wolves could be one or both of the uncollared Washakie yearlings and/or one or two of the 9 or so missing uncollared Yellowstone wolves, or uncollared members of the Soda Butte and Thorofare packs. As time passes more and more wolves will disperse and many of those will be uncollared. Public reports of wolves will become important, just as they are in NW Montana.
In Idaho, the ten wolf packs that produced pups are staying in their normal territories.
Trapping by Service field crews in NW Montana placed a radio on an adult male wolf and an adult female wolf in the newly located pack between the Pleasant Valley and Murphy Lake packs. The newly confirmed pack consists of several adults and this year's pups. It has been named the Little Wolf Creek pack.
Observations by agency biologists and the public indicate there may be several wolves in the Idaho Panhandle, north of the experimental area. Up to 3 black wolves have been repeatedly seen. The Service's MT field crew will investigate as soon as they are able.
Service, Wildlife Services and Blackfeet tribal biologists were unable to locate any wolves in the area of suspected depredations on Blackfeet Tribal lands. To date no other problems have been reported.
Wolves from the Moyer pack killed several calves in the area west of Salmon.
Five ewes were killed by a pair of wolves (the adult male is uncollared) with 9 pups south of Stanley Idaho. Control was attempted but the wolves were constantly moving making capture difficult. At this point in time, other control efforts such as livestock guard animals or aversive conditioning are being evaluated as possible solutions.
On 8/19 a black wolf reportedly had a calf cornered before a rancher drove her off near Red Rocks Lake Refuge. A flight was done next morning and female black wolf number #67 from the Nez Perce area was found north of Red Rocks Lake Refuge in Montana. She was chasing a calf when located on 8/22. She was then killed because of several previous depredations and so she would not lead other pack members to this area. Apparently her 1998 pups are being cared for by other Nez Perce pack members. They have moved even farther into the interior of the Park. No livestock depredations were located so she apparently had not killed anymore livestock. Wildlife Service (Graham McDougal in particular)deserves credit for immediately reporting the sightings and quickly responding to the Service's request to resolve the issue as had been promised to local residents.
Nothing new to report.
Please help with wolf monitoring efforts by reporting suspected wolf observations. Reclassification, and the resulting increased management flexibility that would result from a threatened status depends upon the number of documented breeding pairs. PLEASE REPORT WOLF SIGHTINGS ASAP. THANKS!!
Nez Perce Project biologists made presentations at the Challis Stewardship meeting in Challis, and the Sawtooth Wildlife Council at the Red Fish Lodge in Stanley.
Bangs gave a presentation to about 50 biologists with the Wildlife Division of Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks in Kalispell on the 11th. On the 3rd, Bangs participated in a workshop on Governance and Natural Resources: New Models for the 21st Century. The Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative conducted the workshop which looked at several case studies, including wolf management.
The Service's two wolf biologists positions in Lander, WY have closed. Because of the volume of applications, selections will likely not be made until November 1998. The two Helena, Montana positions, GS-9 biologist and GS-7 technician should be advertised by the week of September 8th. Separate applications must be submitted for jobs in MT. Information will be mailed to those who inquired about the WY jobs.
Bangs, Fontaine (USFWS), and (USDA, WS) Niemeyer, R. Phillips, and M. Nelson and countless attorneys were in Casper, WY for the Diamond G Ranch court hearing on August 25. The case still wasn't completed and final oral agruments will be heard September 9th. A decision is expected shortly thereafter.
Bangs and Niemeyer travelled to Dubois on the 26th to look over the area so a field crew could be most effective. They drove down Long Creek Road but it had just rained and the closed Forest Service Road was too muddy to use. A field crew was send to the area on Sept 1. They found sign of 2-3 wolves (no radioed wolves are in the area) and if a promising area can be located trapping and radio-collaring will be attempted.
Bangs gave a presentations at the Seattle Zoo/REI on Sept. 21st and the National Assoc. of Zoo Docents on the 22nd. About 350 people attended. Niemeyer and Bangs gave presentations in Yellowstone on the 28th to a Defnders of Wildlife Group.
The Service's weekly wolf report can now be viewed at the Service's Region 6 web site at http://www.r6.fws.gov/wolf in addition to the regular distribution.
Contact: Ed Bangs (406)449-5225 x204 or [email protected]
Contact Us: [email protected] | <urn:uuid:331fb4af-6c7a-46a2-89b9-809537aad453> | {
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The activities in the GAPS related to area of Assitive Technologies are focused on the development of software (applications) and hardware (devices and gadgets) which could be useful for assisting teachers related to Special Education. In order to get our objectives we have the valuable advise of several specialized centers as:
If you are interested in our work or you want to collaborate with us, please, contact with Luis Hernández Gómez
In our research group we have been developing an educational application called "Aprendiendo" ("Learning" in spanish). This application was implemented with the advising of Colegio Público de Educación Especial Infanta Elena de Madrid and thanks to the work of several students through their Master Thesis projects.
Currently we are preparing different researches and evaluations about this application. Our objective is find out the benefits that "Aprendiendo" could have in the learning process of the children.
For knowing more detaisl about this project you could read this article (in spanish) "Aprendiendo”: Uso de la tecnología de agentes conversacionales personificados en el ámbito de la educación especial which was presented in the Simposio Nacional de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones en la Educación in 2007. If you are interested in and you don't know spanish, please, contact with us.
- Building of push buttons (in Spanish):
- Push button and connection box: PDF
- How to build a switchboard PDF | <urn:uuid:e937da3e-043e-4691-b881-5154d8a837e5> | {
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|‘Life in 1810’ is topic of program offered at County Museum on September 8|
|Written by George Browning|
|Tuesday, 04 September 2012 00:00|
A veteran speaker and re-enactor will bring to life one of his favorite topics, “Pioneer Life in 1810,” at the Scott County Heritage Center and Museum on Saturday, September 8.
The free event at 2 p.m. that day is offered as part of Pigeon Roost Remembered Day, an observance of the 200th anniversary of the Pigeon Roost Massacre in which 24 men, women and children were killed by Indians on September 3, 1812.
Kevin Stonerock has brought history to life for thousands of children, young people and adults. His living history program will be performed in authentic period clothing in the first-person style. His “Hoosier pioneer” is a character compiled from several different historical accounts of the period from 1770 to 1810. It centers around the life of Andrew Amonett, a frontiersman of the Indiana Territory.
Complete with tall tales, Stonerock’s presentation deals with various aspects of frontier life and dangers faced in the Indiana Territory just before the start of the War of 1812. Topics include trapping, militia service, Indian affairs, tools, weapons and frontier clothing.
Stonerock has performed for 30 years and presented over 3,500 programs. He wrote, directed and performed in “Plum Creek Anthology,” which is presented annually in Vevay.
There is no charge for attending his program at the museum. Visitors are asked to bring lawn chairs to enjoy the performance in comfort on the museum’s front steps. | <urn:uuid:0686b84e-a2cc-455b-9938-82e9e7e8ee53> | {
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Related Tags: password generator(27), screensaver generator(3), character generator(3), image watermark(5), batch watermark(4), report generator(7), thumbnail generator(5), barcode generator(9), photo watermark(6), watermark creator(3), code generator(19), texture generator(3), random number generator(3),
"Digital watermarking" Definition:
Digital watermarking is the process of embedding information into a digital signal. The signal may be audio, pictures or video, for example. If the signal is copied, then the information is also carried in the copy.
In visible watermarking, the information is visible in the picture or video. Typically, the information is text or a logo which identifies the owner of the media. The image on the right has a visible watermark. When a television broadcaster adds its logo to the corner of transmitted video, this is also a visible watermark.
(This definition is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Digital watermarking".)
|Index||Software Name / Developer / Description||Download||Buy Now| | <urn:uuid:429457d3-1881-42e9-9f6d-f7ceba5fae0a> | {
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Higher volumetric productivity is contributing to smaller scale manufacturing. In addition, noted Whitford, volume demand is decreasing, with emerging products such as personalized medicines with companion diagnostics targeted to screened populations, and cancer vaccines generally required in substantially smaller amounts.
Another trend described by Whitford is “scaling out” instead of scaling up, also known as distributed manufacturing. Instead of running one 10,000 L batch, a company might opt to run five 2,000 L reactors in parallel.
Among values inherent in this flexibility, this minimizes the potential loss if one batch were to become contaminated or unusable for some other reason. Single-use systems also simplify geographic distribution of manufacturing capacity. To duplicate a facility in another location would require only purchase of the same devices and transfer of the process, whether to an adjacent building or another country.
Manufacturers of single-use devices are pursuing R&D to create new, cleaner materials for single-use products and new ways of producing these materials. For example, Paul Killian, Ph.D., senior scientist at EMD Millipore, described research under way on new methods for sterilizing single-use materials that would reduce the amount of leachables created. At present, most single-use systems are gamma-irradiated, a process that generates small oxygenated compounds that contribute to the leachables load.
Raising the ceiling for “large-scale” processing in single-use bioreactors from 1,000 L vessels to the new generation of 2,000 L vessels has expanded the utility of single-use systems for commercial-scale batch production. Sartorius Stedim Biotech plans to introduce a 2,000 L scale single-use bioreactor in 2013. Davy De Wilde, director of marketing for fermentation technologies for the company does not anticipate any volume increase beyond that.
“Improved cell strains, media, and process conditions have led over the past years to a significant increase in product yields per volume,” he says. “This enables the industry today to reach their required product volumes already at 1,000 L or 2,000 L scale, while previously required bioreactor volumes were up to five times higher.”
This is helping to drive uptake of single-use systems overall, according to Alison Rees-Manley, fermentation application specialist at Sartorius Stedim Biotech.
Other factors contributing to the increase in adoption of single-use bioreactors, in De Wilde’s view, are reduced cost of ownership and increased flexibility, thus allowing users to switch more easily between processes and to increase capacity rapidly due to reduced lead times and utility requirements.
User needs are a critical driver of technology and product development, and in response Sartorius Stedim Biotech plans to introduce a point-of-use integrity test for single-use bioreactor bags, beginning with a test for its bioreactors up to the 200 L system by the end of 2012 and shortly followed by tests for bags up to 1,000 L.
Need for Standardization
The issues and uncertainty surrounding extractables and leachables from single-use systems remain an ongoing topic of discussion. “The risks change depending on where the material is used,” said Dr. Killian.
An overall lack of standardization and regulatory guidance continues to present an obstacle to more rapid adoption of single-use technology.
“The regulatory agencies still put the onus on drug companies to demonstrate that there is no or low risk to the patients,” continued Dr. Killian. With increased use, confidence in the materials is growing among biopharmaceuticals producers.
As the industry has matured, companies have used their experience to modify their approach to performing extractables and leachables studies and evaluating the data.
For example, whereas before companies might have carried out leachable studies across all single-use devices—an expensive and challenging task—now they might take an extractables-to-leachables approach in which they would perform leachable studies only on devices identified as high-risk, explained Dr. Killian.
Similarly, they may be able to limit the scope of the studies required by comparing the results of some initial tests to established standards and use these quick evaluations to define what areas require more extensive data collection and analysis.
Downstream Adoption Is Looking Up
Unlike for the single-use bag systems developed for upstream buffer preparation, mixing, and storage, and designed to replace conventional glass and stainless steel bioreactors and fermentors, when it comes to downstream processing systems, “single-use” may not mean intended for disposal after a single run.
“We like to call it ‘single-use, batch-dedicated,’ or ‘single-batch,’” explained Makowiecki.
“Prepacked does not mean single-use,” emphasized Paul Lynch, production manager for Life Technologies' prepacked Poros® chromatography resins. The main advantage of prepacked columns is time savings, as they are ready to be dropped into a process without the need for validation.
“They save about 80% of the set-up time,” Lynch said, as well as the associated overhead of personnel needed to pack and validate the column.
At the June conference in San Francisco, Richard Garretson, business development manager at Life Technologies, led a workshop in which he described the advantages of the company’s GoPure™ columns prepacked with POROS chromatography resins.
Garretson compared prepacked columns to disposable membrane absorbers, which can be used in place of anion exchange chromatography, for flow-through polishing of monoclonal antibody preparations to remove DNA, viruses, and host-cell proteins. The high mass transfer capability of the POROS prepacked resin allows for high flow rates, short bed lengths, and small column sizes.
“The resin has the same sort of mass transfer profile as a membrane absorber,” said Garretson. Once users have selected the ideal column bed length for the separation they want to achieve, they can then increase or decrease the diameter of the column as desired for scale-up or scale-down, Garretson explained.
In contrast, scale-down—for process modeling, process characterization, and viral clearance studies, for example—is “problematic with filters,” he added, due to more limited availability of membrane sizes.
In terms of single-use capability, the prepacked chromatography resin, like a traditional self-packed column, can be re-used multiple times or replaced after a single use. It would typically be used for a single production campaign. In contrast, a functionalized filter is a consummable product intended to be disposed of after one use.
Producing relatively small drug batches or material for toxicology studies or clinical trials can mean switching product streams, and thus chromatography columns, more frequently. In this scenario, the use of prepacked columns can save time and money, contended Michael Killeen, business development manager, GE Healthcare.
Killeen’s presentation in San Francisco was entitled “‘Out of the Box’ Thinking for Process Chromatography.” The company’s ReadyToProcess™ prepacked columns can be used for multiple runs; however, the resins cannot be removed and repacked and are intended for use in a single campaign.
When combined with GE Healthcare’s ÄKTA™ ready disposable chromatography flow path, there is no need to clean or validate the system before use, pointed out Killeen. With flow rates up to 510 L/h, the systems are appropriate for pilot to small batch production.
A side-by-side analysis that compares the cost of processing one batch with a prepacked versus traditional column at pilot scale “can show significant savings,” added Killeen. “If you can get ten molecules produced instead of eight,” that is a good value proposition for the customer.”
Editor’s Note: As GEN went to press Eppendorf North America reported the release of the first single-use vessel to incorporate New Brunswick’s proprietary packed-bed impeller system. The New Brunswick CelliGen® BLU 5L comes pre-loaded with 150 g of Fibra-Cel® disks. | <urn:uuid:162eb292-7baa-4ef7-8b9f-269a6b04a725> | {
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About This GigaPanToggle
- Taken by
- Dennis vanEngelsdorp
- Explore score
- 0.14 Gigapixels
- Date added
- July 06, 2009
- Date taken
- June 26, 2009
Image by Mike Andree. Annotation by Mike Andree and Dennis vanEngelsdorp.
This particular Gigapan image captures a comb of brood from a diseased honey bee colony in a way not previously available to the general public. For those new to beekeeping, or apprehensive about opening up a hive, this panorama, and others like it, can be used to teach beekeepers disease identification and bee biology.
This panorama was taken at a quarantined apiary managed near Newport, Pennsylvania to study honey bee diseases. The frame depicted in the panorama comes from one of several unhealthy honey bee colonies in that apiary (Red Hill Apiary). The diseased hives were donated by a commercial beekeeper based in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, who was to donate several of his unhealthiest colonies in late spring so that the colonies could be monitored as they developed over the season. In all, 7 of the 8 colonies monitored died before the winter. The surviving colony died over the winter.
The studied colonies were assessed every two weeks over the summer. Researchers would take various measures of colony health – including estimating the adult honey bee population, the amount of brood (or young immature bees) contained in the colony, the status of the queen, and the presence of honey bee adult and brood diseases. Samples of adult bees were taken at each sampling point to quantify the number of parasitic mites and pathogens (such as Nosema disease) in the population.
While taking Gigapan image’s of the honey bee frames at the Red Hill Apiary did not directly assist with our documenting of colony decline, it did provide a unique and interactive tool by which bee biology and brood disease identification could be delivered. On this frame there are many examples of both healthy and unhealthy brood, and properly tagged individual diseased larvae can serve as a revolutionary educational tool.
GigaPan Stitcher version 0.4.3864 (Windows)
Panorama size: 137 megapixels (15264 x 9003 pixels)
Input images: 50 (10 columns by 5 rows)
Field of view: 24.8 degrees wide by 14.6 degrees high (top=2.1, bottom=-12.5)
All default settings
Original image properties:
Camera make: Canon
Camera model: Canon PowerShot SX110 IS
Image size: 3456x2592 (9.0 megapixels)
Capture time: 2009-06-26 12:26:15 - 2009-06-26 12:29:10
Exposure time: 0.0333333
Focal length (35mm equiv.): 357.6 mm
Digital zoom: off
White balance: Fixed
Exposure mode: Manual
Horizontal overlap: 63.0 to 72.8 percent
Vertical overlap: 47.4 to 48.2 percent
Computer stats: 2045.54 MB RAM, 2 CPUs
Total time 2:23:48 (2:52 per picture)
Alignment: 18:02, Projection: 7:10, Blending: 1:58:35 | <urn:uuid:2540020d-f5d5-4d5a-bbaf-dd12fe2b2f57> | {
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The 3D Scientific Graph Control is capable of producing a wide variety
of charts. These include Surfaces (WireFrame, Solid, Shaded Solid, Contoured
Solid, and Pixel), 3D Bar (WireFrame, Solid, and Shaded Solid), 3D Scatter
(Points, Lines, Points + Lines, and Area Layers producing a Waterfall
chart), and 3D Object (via a polygon data interface in WireFrame, Solid,
and Shaded Solid styles). The property PolyMode
is used to control which type of image you need to produce. All types
support rotation and viewing height adjustment. There is also an automatic
rotation feature which will animate the rotation of an image. There are
two shading algorithms, one shades to white and the other shades to the
objects color. 3D Surface charts can have a bottom or top 2D contour
included in the image. This contour can be in lines or colors. See ShowContour. Within the demo, see example
400 which shows how to create a simple 3D Wireframe.
3D Surface charts are produced from XData,
YData, and ZData.
Generally, X-Data and Z-Data are equally spaced but this is not mandatory.
Once you supply this data, the component will construct a list of polygons
which will produce a surface plot of the data. The process of creating
3D charts is further discussed in Chapter 4 as well as in the included
example code. Within
the demo, see example 402.
The 3D Bar chart is generally used to show categorized data along 2
axes. Where a 2D Bar chart places multiple subsets next to each other,
the 3D Bar places multiple subsets at different z locations. Similar to
the Graph component, the 3D Bar chart only needs YData.
XData and ZData
are not used in this mode. Subsets
defines how many rows are along z axis and Points
defines how many columns are along x axis. SubsetLabels
and PointLabels are used to
label rows and columns. SubsetColors
is used to control colors of subset bars. Within the demo, see example
The 3D scatter chart is much like a 2D scatter chart with the addition
of ZData. Each data point thus has its own XData, YData,
and ZData coordinates. Possible plotting methods are points, lines,
and points plus lines. Theres also an Area plotting method which will
produce area layers along the z axis. This can be used to construct a
Waterfall chart. Comparison Subsets are supported in this mode to allow
for combining of plotting methods. See PlottingMethod,
and PlottingMethodII, and
ComparisonSubsets. Within the demo, see example 404.
The 3D Polygon data interface (PEP_structPOLYDATA)
allows the developer to supply their own list of polygons to be rendered.
WireFrame, Solid, and Shaded Solid images can be produced from this data.
Its important that polygon vertices are ordered properly. The polygon
vertices must be ordered in a counter-clockwise order as viewed from outside
of the object. This is only necessary for hidden line removal and shading
purposes. If you are only producing a wireframe image, the ordering of
vertices is not critical. AddSkirts
should be set to TRUE if the polygon data forms an enclosed surface and
you want to produce a surface or shaded surface image.
More than one object can be placed into 3D space, however, the objects
should not intersect. Within
the demo, see example 406.
The 3D component can be rotated in several ways. Either by dragging the
thumb-tags on the horizontal and vertical scrollbars, or by invoking the
auto-rotation feature by double-clicking or using the popup menu. While
rotating, you may want to limit the image detail to just a wireframe to
speed rotation of complex images with many polygons. Producing rotated
text is also pretty slow, so there's another option to just plot the Plotting
Method without the axes, grid numbers, and axis labels. If the image is
simple, you can rotate in full detail.
See AutoRotation and RotationDetail.
The Plotting Method list will change based upon the PolyMode
setting. You can also control the possible entries with properties such
as AllowWireFrame and AllowSurface.
This same control of plotting methods is also available for the other
While the component is auto-rotating (AutoRotation),
you can control the degree direction and increment between each image.
When PlottingMethod is set
to Surface with Shading, this feature controls whether the brightest polygons
will be bright white or the brightest shade of color. See ShadingStyle.
When PolyMode is set to SURFACEPOLYGONS,
there is an option to place a 2D contour above or below the surface plot.
This contour can be in the form of lines or colors. If a color contour
is added, then a legend is also added unless explicitly disabled by the
developer with ShowContourLegends
set to False. See ShowContour.
Within the demo, see example 401. | <urn:uuid:f48b77af-487c-47c7-b85e-1deb0ebcbae2> | {
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A centuries-old market in Aleppo is the latest casualty of the 18-month civil war that has rocked Syria and left more than 30,000 people dead. Fighting between government and rebel forces caused the fire in Aleppo's souk, and damaged doors, stone stalls and passageways.
Aleppo's souk — comprised of narrow passages lined with thousands of shops — was once a tourist attraction, and the old city of Aleppo is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The conflict has damaged at least a half-dozen well-known Syrian cultural sites.
"The damage to one of the best-preserved old souks in the Middle East was the worst yet to a UNESCO World Heritage site in Syria," the Associated Press reported. "Across the country, looters have broken into a historic castle, stolen artifacts from museums and damaged ruins in the ancient city of Palmyra."
Here are images of the Aleppo souk before and after the violence, the ruins of Palmyra, the old city of Damascus, a damaged church in Homs and a rebel fighting in the Crac des Chevaliers, a crusader castle.
More from GlobalPost: Inside Syria | <urn:uuid:dd62289f-ddde-47a6-9696-0baa7d704eee> | {
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This article should, by rights, be an entire book: the consequences of agricultural commoditization are profound and far-reaching. By necessity, I am concentrating on a few key points.
Where’s The Real Food?
One of the largest movements in 20th century agriculture was the commoditization of food.
In 1900, 41% of the US workforce was directly employed in agriculture, and each farm produced over five different crops for sale—not counting food consumed on the farm or sold locally, outside the commodity system. Furthermore, 60% of Americans lived in rural areas. (Source: USDA.) This means that the majority of Americans either grew their own food, or had direct access to the producers of the food they ate.
In 2000, just 1.9% of Americans were employed in agriculture, farms produced an average of just over one crop for sale, and less than 1 out of 4 Americans lived in rural areas. The number of farms has fallen 63%, while the average farm size has risen 67%.
All charts above from the USDA Economic Research Service:
The 20th Century Transformation of U.S. Agriculture and Farm Policy
by Carolyn Dimitri, Anne Effland, and Neilson Conklin
Economic Information Bulletin No. (EIB-3) 17 pp, June 2005
In other words, we no longer have direct access to the food we eat. How did this happen?
As usual, the answer is simple: follow the money.
A Silly and Far-Fetched Scenario
Let’s consider a silly and far-fetched scenario for a moment.
The US government decides that Hollywood’s dominance of the world entertainment industry should be encouraged at the creative end as well as the financial end, and offers the following incentive:
“We will pay $100 for every new song of two minutes or longer, recorded in English by an American citizen in America, upon registration with the Copyright Office.”
(Subject to a raft of rules and red tape, of course.)
Right away we can see the problem: there is no incentive to write a song that anyone else wants to hear! The only incentive is to write lots and lots of ‘songs’…and it would probably take about six hours for enterprising programmers to write song-generation programs that put together random chord progressions and random sentences off the Internet, automatically play them with a synthesizer, and send them into the Copyright Office as quickly as they could record the vocals.
In other words, such an incentive would not result in more entertainment: it would result in a tsunami of unlistenable crap.
Commoditization: What Does “Fungible” Mean?
The definition of a commodity is “a good supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market.” This property is called “fungibility”.
Sadly, the term “fungible” has nothing to do with either fungi or dirigibles. A fungible good is capable of mutual substitution: one unit is defined to be just as good as any other.
We can see that fungibility is a necessary property of money. If I loan you 100 dollars, I don’t expect to get the same $100 back I loaned to you…any $100 will do, because dollars are fungible.
Similarly, we can see that fungibility is a necessary property of commodities. If I contract to deliver you 1000 pounds of copper in March of next year, you shouldn’t have to care where the copper comes from.
Fungibility also applies to agricultural commodities: if I contract to deliver 100 bushels of corn in September of next year for a set price, it’s clearly impossible for you to inspect or evaluate corn that I haven’t even grown yet! So certain minimum standards for delivery are defined—and beyond that, all corn is the same.
Like most commodities, grains are mixed without regard to source: the producers sell their corn, whereupon it’s transferred via an elevator to a silo and mingled with all the other corn from the area, and anyone who buys corn simply gets whatever comes out of the elevator first.
We can see that an attempt to make non-fungible creations (songs) into a fungible commodity, as in the silly example above, would result in both an oversupply of unlistenable songs and an economic catastrophe.
Problem #1: Real Food Is Not Fungible
The alert reader will see several problems with this “fungible food” scenario right away. The first problem is that real food is not fungible.
For instance, when we go to buy onions, tomatoes, melons, or other produce, we don’t just choose them at random. We choose the variety that will taste best in our recipe, and from that, we choose the ripest, least damaged, best-looking, best-smelling ones available. We may even reject all the choices as unsuitable and visit a different store…or the farmer’s market.Unfortunately, when a food becomes commoditized, we no longer have that choice. There’s no such thing as artisanal corn syrup, soybean oil, or textured vegetable protein: they’re made from commodity crops, and you’ll get whatever came out of the grain elevator.
Problem #2: Fungibility Begets Mediocrity
The second problem, which is a consequence of the first, is that fungibility begets mediocrity.
Consider: if you are a farmer, and the only standard for corn is that there be as many bushels of it as you contracted to deliver, are you going to care about nutrition? About taste? About pesticide contamination?
No. You’re not going to care about anything but producing the maximum quantity possible for the least cost, because it doesn’t matter. You can produce the most nutritious corn in the world…but you won’t be paid any more for it than your neighbor who’s just trying to cut costs.
Furthermore, we can see that agricultural price supports make this problem far worse. Think back to the songwriting example above: if you’re absolutely guaranteed to get paid by Uncle Sam as long as your ‘song’ is two minutes or greater, why bother creating anything meaningful? You’ll make far more money by creating unlistenable crap as quickly as you can.
Similarly, if you’re growing a crop (such as corn, wheat, cotton, or soybeans) that receives price supports, you’re not going to care about taste, nutrition, or any other measure of quality—let alone topsoil depletion or groundwater contamination. You’re paid by the bushel, and all that matters is how many bushels you can grow.
Is it any wonder that these “commodity crops” are so devoid of nutrients that products made from them must, by law, be “fortified” with vitamins and minerals in order to avoid massive outbreaks of deficiency disease?
Follow the money. We get what we reward.
Problem #3: Fungibility Impoverishes Farmers And Enriches Middlemen
The next problem I’ll discuss here is a consequence of the first two. It’s less obvious, but more far-reaching: turning a crop into a fungible commodity impoverishes farmers and consumers, while enriching middlemen.When selling your goods outside the commodity system, you can receive a better price for goods of better quality. To choose an extreme example, the highest grades and best cuts of Wagyū beef sell for well over $100/pound in Japan. More realistically, grass-finished beef sells for a 1.5-3x premium over feedlot beef, so individual producers can make a living selling quality meats.
However, if you’re forced into the commodity system, where you receive the same price for your crop regardless of quality, that means you can no longer differentiate your crop from anyone else…
…which means that you’re competing directly with everyone else, and your profit margins drop to nearly zero.
Processors and other middlemen benefit dramatically from this arrangement: they use these cheap commodity crops as raw materials to produce a bewildering variety of packaged pseudo-foods, which they differentiate and sell at the markup that used to belong to producers of actual food.
Furthermore, this allows the financial industry to profit by “making the market” (inserting themselves as middlemen in all transactions, e.g. “futures”), taking another slice of income out of the farmer’s remaining profit margin, and increasing prices to us at the supermarket.
Here’s an illustrative example: since eggs are not completely fungible, an egg farmer—even a giant industrial egg farmer—makes over fifty cents per dollar of eggs sold. A corn farmer makes about four cents per dollar of corn syrup.
Problem #4: Fungibility Causes Environmental Devastation
The final problem I’ll discuss here is the environmental devastation wrought by commodity agriculture.
When commoditization prevents anyone from earning a margin on their crops by differentiating theirs from everyone else’s, and the market is further distorted by artificial incentives to produce as much as possible without regard to quality, we can expect that an unsustainable exploitation of resources will quickly result.
This is, in fact, the case. As I previously wrote in this article:
…Industrial grain production impoverishes our farmers, destroys our soil and our water, and leaves barren land, salt flats, and dead ocean deltas in its wake. It demands unimaginable amounts of fossil fuels to create nitrogen fertilizer, toxic herbicides and pesticides, and giant sowing and harvesting machines, and to transport the grain from the Midwest to where people actually live. It demands giant, river-killing dams to fill irrigation canals. It strip-mines fossil water, pumped from underground aquifiers that took millions of years to fill—all to grow corn, wheat, and soybeans on land best suited for grazing livestock on perennial grasses. And 3-5% of world natural gas production—1-2% of the entire world energy supply—is required just to make ammonium nitrate fertilizer.
In short, industrial agriculture is an unmitigated environmental catastrophe.
(Follow the links for more information about each issue.)
Conclusion: Eat Food, Not Commodities
Unfortunately my silly and far-fetched example above isn’t far-fetched at all: it’s become the foundation of our nation’s food policy.
The problems of industrial agriculture are primarily caused by a combination of commoditization and the broken farm policy that subsidizes it, leading to massive overproduction of corn, wheat, and soybeans that generates profits for middlemen and the financial industry at the direct expense of farmers and the consumer…
…and our farm policy has steadily become crazier and more destructive throughout both Democratic and Republican administrations.
While our tax dollars will most likely continue to subsidize the cheap grain-based packaged foods that are making us fat and diabetic, we can always take action at an individual level by buying and eating real, nutritious, delicious food…
Live in freedom, live in beauty, eat like a predator.
This article only begins the discussion of agricultural commoditization. Richard Manning’s “Against The Grain: How Agriculture Has Hijacked Civilization” not only covers these issues in depth—it goes much farther into the consequences of agriculture in general, not just the modern industrialized version. I highly recommend it. | <urn:uuid:1f7a08f2-5339-4d7d-a36e-5de7d18befff> | {
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Personally, I am not sure white sugar is quite as evil as its critics make it out to be, but clearly our society suffers from rising numbers of adults and children with obesity and other health related issues.
Recently I read that on average Americans consume 72 pounds of sugar a year; that’s 22 teaspoons a day and is more than 2 times what our grandparents ate. At first I thought, no way, not my family! But then I examined and gave some thought to the diet of most kids, including mine, special candy on every holiday, Shabbos food, Shabbos cereal (as we call it), treats in school, yogurts and granola bars all loaded with extra sweets, coffee with sweeteners, and more.
I am not suggesting a world without sweets but thought it might be appropriate to make a few suggestions about refined sugar. Try alternatives like honey, molasses, maple syrup, and agave instead of white sugar or brown sugar (which is essentially white sugar with a little molasses added for flavor and color). While these minimally processed sweeteners do count as added sugar and should still be used sparingly, they provide antioxidants and essential minerals and don’t cause as big a spike in blood sugar as refined sweeteners do.
Each has its own distinct flavor, which adds an extra dimension to food and beverages.
Honey is a go-to sweetener for yogurt, teas, challah, as well as compotes, fruit crisps, and cobblers. It’s filled with antioxidants. The darker the color the more it contains.
Maple syrup is especially good in granola, oatmeal, and some cakes. It’s rich in zinc and manganese so they help boost the immune system.
Molasses have an intense flavor that works perfectly in barbecue sauces and marinades. It has the highest nutritional value of all the sweeteners but the strongest and distinctive flavor.
Agave has the mildest flavor of the bunch; it dissolves easily, so it’s great in cold drinks and coffee. It has a low glycemic index and therefore a more moderate effect on blood sugar.
You can bake with all of these alternative sweeteners too; they tend to make baked goods very soft and moist. Depending on the recipe, you might need to experiment with the amount you use. Start by substituting 3/4 cup honey, maple syrup, or molasses for each cup of sugar, and reduce the liquid by 3 tablespoons. To substitute agave, use 2/3 cup agave nectar for each cup of sugar ( I often use it in my challah recipe) and reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup. Also, since these sweeteners will speed the browning process (the form of sugar they contain reacts more readily to heat), reduce the baking temperature by 25°F. Check for doneness at the usual time, but you may have to increase the baking time slightly.
Try some of these recipes that contain white sugar alternatives: | <urn:uuid:73c647aa-a001-4052-8575-285c56cab693> | {
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Dementia may be defined as a progressive and largely irreversible clinical syndrome that is characterized by global deterioration in intellectual function,
behaviour and personality in the presence of normal consciousness and perception (1).
Many patients have preserved positive personality traits and personal attributes but the following features may become evident as the disease progresses:
- memory loss, language impairment, disorientation, changes in personality, difficulty in carrying out daily activities, self-neglect
- psychiatric symptoms - apathy, depression or psychosis
- unusual behaviour - aggression, sleep disturbance or disinhibited sexual behaviour (1)
Dementia can be divided into:
- young-onset dementia – formerly known as “pre-senile dementia”, refers to patients who develop dementia before the age of 65 years
- late-onset dementia – previously known as “senile dementia”, refers to patients who develop dementia after the age of 65 years (1)
Several risk factors responsible for the development of dementia have been recognized (1).
- non modifiable risk factors
- age – advancing age is the most important risk factor in developing dementia
- learning disabilities – in people with Down’s syndrome, dementia develops 30–40 years earlier than in a normal person
- gender – rate of dementia is higher in women than in men (specially for Alzheimers disease)
- genetic factors
- modifiable risk factors
- alcohol consumption
- smoking – particulary for Alzheimers
- head injury
- education and mental stimulation (1)
The most common causes of dementia are age-related neurodegenerative processes.
Dementia is becoming an increasing problem as the population ages. | <urn:uuid:addab407-7dcb-4a36-9527-236762bef572> | {
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The man stopped the machine he was riding and stepped off it to take a look. When he discovered the snake was in two pieces, he reached to grab the tail end to keep, perhaps as a souvenir. While gripping the rattle section of the snake, the other half, which included the creature’s head, struck, biting the farmer on the arm.
The man, knowing the danger, and feeling the sting of the venom, ran back toward his farmhouse, seeking help from neighbors. But, the effect of the venom took him fast. Even with the assistance of neighbors, any help was to no avail. The farmer died as a result of the snake’s poison.
While rattlesnake fatalities are rare in western Michigan, another occurred 18 years later. On Sept. 9, 1909, Hudsonville farmer Thomas Damm was bitten in the arm by a rattlesnake, and died the following day. The snake laid underneath a wood pile where Damm was working.
On Sept. 27, 1954, a West Olive girl suffered a rattlesnake bite on the leg while playing with friends near her home. She made a full recovery at the Holland Hospital. The “serpent killers” likely were all a breed known as a Massasauga rattlesnake. The eastern Massasauga rattlesnake is Michigan’s only venomous snake, and is a rare sight for state residents.
In recent years, a Burmese python in Ottawa County made headline news. On Aug. 19, 2008, a Michigan state trooper shot and killed the nearly 7-foot long snake after it slithered onto a West Olive road frightening passing motorists. Authorities were concerned the python might attack children in the area and suspected the python was a released or an escaped pet.
Most of historical Massasauga sightings on record originate in Oakland, Livingston, Jackson and Washtenaw counties in southeast Michigan and in Allegan, Barry and Kalamazoo counties in southwest Michigan.
While the unfortunate Ottawa County victims had no protection from the Massasauga, the creature became protected under Michigan law in 1988. | <urn:uuid:f1717f45-056e-46f5-82ca-2890a27934c1> | {
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The use of simplified small sided games in training.
Posted by Chris on 01 April, 2011
Players love playing football. Take any group of players, the first thing they will do is make two goals, select sides and have a game. Football is fun, the concept of using simplified small sided games as an integral aspect of training is to provide players with an opportunity to do what they enjoy doing the most, playing a game.
During the process of playing a game players are constantly faced with observing, analysing and solving a succession of quick moving problems. As the game ebbs and flows, their ability to react and deal with constantly changing situations is always being tested.
Whilst technical and skill practices have their role to play in training players, with an emphasis on their “how things are done” repetitive mantra, they don’t always take into account the “when to” and “why” of playing football. Simplified small sided games challenge players to make decisions on the “when to” and “why”. The decisions players are forced to make in simplified small sided games develop improved technical performance in all aspects of the game, players having lots more touches of the ball and greater participation in the game, a better understanding of working and co – operating in units of players, quick transition between attacking to defending and defending to attacking, an appreciation of finding and creating space for themselves and others, vital communication skills, greater fitness and most importantly of all FUN.
What are simplified small sided games?
- Invasion games. Games that have goals or targets, objectives and outcomes
- Games that have a reduced number of players, 2 v 2, 3 v 3, 4 v 4 etc
- Smaller playing areas
- Simple and flexible rules that are adaptable to the structure of the game
- Fewer structured stops and starts, free kicks, corners, throw ins etc
- Opportunities for players to have a greater participation and to have more touches of the ball.
- Lots of opportunities to repeatedly practice a range of technical skills
- Less reliance on players playing in specific positions.
- Lots of opportunities for players to be exposed to game situations that involve the ball, opponents and team mates. Which will improve their decision making process as they progress to more complex games, 7 v 7 upwards.
- Greater communication and co – operation between players.
- Greater freedom of play, more rotation of positions, developing more complete and intelligent players
From a coaching perspective, simplified smaller sided games can be structured or conditioned to achieve a specific training objective, for example passing and support, running with the ball, recovery runs when defending etc.
This can be achieved by structuring and conditioning the small sided game, for example:
- Add floating players who can play for the team in possession, which results in an overload situation for the team in possession and can assist in greater success for the team with the ball.
- Using targets, instead of goals, for example to improve running with the ball, the team must run the ball into a target area.
- By conditioning the game. If the team in possession can score a goal by completing five successive passes as well as by scoring in the traditional way, then this will encourage passing and support and keeping possession of the ball.
- By making the pitch smaller, so that for finishing games, the ball is always in an area where a shot might be taken.
In this blog, we have put together a simplified small sided game that can help with switching play as well as defending. | <urn:uuid:ab1083e8-80e2-432b-8d5d-e4851ad3b023> | {
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Assistive technology for kids with LD: An overview
If your child has a learning disability, she may benefit from assistive technology tools that play to her strengths and work around her challenges.
By Marshall Raskind, Ph.D. , Kristin Stanberry
Assistive technology (AT) is available to help individuals with many types of disabilities — from cognitive problems to physical impairment. This article will focus specifically on AT for individuals with learning disabilities (LD).
The use of technology to enhance learning is an effective approach for many children. Additionally, students with LD often experience greater success when they are allowed to use their abilities (strengths) to work around their disabilities (challenges). AT tools combine the best of both of these practices.
This article will introduce parents to the role of AT in helping their children with LD. The better informed you are about AT, the greater the chances your child will experience success in school, in recreation and, eventually, at work. You will also want to learn how to choose AT tools that are reliable and to select technology that is tailored to your child's individual needs, abilities, and experience.
What is assistive technology for LD?
AT for kids with LD is defined as any device, piece of equipment or system that helps bypass, work around or compensate for an individual's specific learning deficits. Over the past decade, a number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of AT for individuals with LD. 1 AT doesn't cure or eliminate learning difficulties, but it can help your child reach her potential because it allows her to capitalize on her strengths and bypass areas of difficulty. For example, a student who struggles with reading but who has good listening skills might benefit from listening to audio books.
In general, AT compensates for a student's skills deficits or area(s) of disability. However, utilizing AT does not mean that a child can't also receive remedial instruction aimed at alleviating deficits (such as software designed to improve poor phonic skills). A student could use remedial reading software as well as listen to audio books. In fact, research has shown that AT can improve certain skill deficits (e.g., reading and spelling).2,3
AT can increase a child's self-reliance and sense of independence. Kids who struggle in school are often overly dependent on parents, siblings, friends and teachers for help with assignments. By using AT, kids can experience success with working independently.
What types of learning problems does assistive technology address?
AT can address many types of learning difficulties. A student who has difficulty writing can compose a school report by dictating it and having it converted to text by special software. A child who struggles with math can use a hand-held calculator to keep score while playing a game with a friend. And a teenager with dyslexia may benefit from AT that will read aloud his employer's online training manual. There are AT tools to help students who struggle with:
What kinds of assistive technology tools are available?
The term "assistive technology" has usually been applied to computer hardware and software and electronic devices. However, many AT tools are now available on the Internet. AT tools that support kids with LD include:
- Abbreviation expanders
- Alternative keyboards
- Audio books and publications
- Electronic math work sheets
- Freeform database software
- Graphic organizers and outlining
- Information/data managers
- Optical character recognition
- Personal FM listening systems
- Portable word processors
- Proofreading programs
- Speech-recognition programs
- Speech synthesizers/screen readers
- Talking calculators
- Talking spell checkers and electronic dictionaries
- Variable-speed tape recorders
- Word-prediction programs | <urn:uuid:0fdbc7a0-419f-4f74-afe2-df37afdef365> | {
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A single application of Rootgrow will support a plant for its entire lifetime.
How do mycorrhizal fungi benefit plants?
In its simplest sense mycorrhizal fungi do everything plant roots do, just better.
When new plants are planted with Rootgrow it takes only 2-4 weeks under normal conditions for these fungi to start benefiting plants. In that time they attach themselves to the plant's root system and grow out rapidly into the soil, searching for nutrients and water. They essentially become part of the plant's own root system.
The benefits to plants are; Better nutrient uptake. These fungi are so much thinner and finer than the plant's own roots they can therefore find nutrients in the soil far more efficiently than the plant's own coarse roots. They are especially good at finding nutrients responsible for flowering and fruiting such as Phosphorus and Potassium. As they can explore a much greater amount of soil than the plant's own roots they are also far more likely to find trace elements and the rare nutrients that all plants need to grow well.
Mycorrhizal fungi are an essential part of a plant's ability to combat drought. Leaves and stems have developed mechanisms to combat drought such as silver leaves, waxy leaves and hairy leaves but these adaptations on their own aren't enough if the plant doesn't have its friendly fungal partner on its roots.
Mycorrhizal fungi hold onto water in soils like a sponge.
Establishment in difficult soils
Mycorrhizal fungi will enable plants to establish and thrive even in difficult soils. In poor sandy soils the mycorrhizal fungi will be able to find scarce nutrients and hold onto water. In clay soils these fungi will be able to unlock nutrients from the soil acting like a clay breaker.
How much do I need?
As a quick guideline, the amount of rootgrow needed usually works out to approximately 10% of the value of the plants purchased. i.e. spend £100 on plants and you will need 1x 360gram pouch to treat all of them.
For grass seed, you will approximately require 10 to 15 per cent of the volume (i.e. a 2.5kg bag of grass would required 250g-375g of rootgrow)
Available in a variety of sizes.
The 360g GEL variant is designed to treat bare rooted plants ONLY. Use on plants such as hedging, fruit canes, roses and trees.
It is a two step process, mixing sachet of powder to create the gel and then add rootgrow and dip roots into solution. One pouch will treat up to 150 bare root whips. | <urn:uuid:e65d04d8-984f-4554-9a3b-60546ad05546> | {
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The participants, aged between 18 and 30 years, will examine the environmental, cultural and socio-economic impacts of climate change on the Wadden Sea ecosystem, and use their experiences and acquired knowledge to encourage their peers to become environmentally responsible citizens.
The training, organized by the British Council in collaboration with experts from GRID-Arendal and with the support of Youth in Action, is taking place on Langeness, a low-lying island in the Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer National Park (Germany). By visiting the mudflats, saltmarshes and other ecosystems of the island and surrounding areas, the participants will learn about the challenges facing the Wadden Sea and sustainable development in this complex region.
A major emphasis of the training is peer-to-peer learning and networking. Together, the participants will share and develop ideas to respond to the complex issues and communicate their experiences through social media, newspapers and film. Participants will be encouraged to develop projects under the EU’s Youth in Action programme, which will be implemented locally after their return. They will also become part of the British Council’s global Climate Generation network, which empowers young people to bring about change locally and build the global movement towards a safer future.
The participants and trainers will be visiting the Multimar Wattforum (http://www.multimar-wattforum.de/) from approximately 10 am to 4pm on Friday 27 April, and welcome visits by journalists or other individuals interested in this training. Please take contact beforehand with Julia (see below).
Björn Alfthan, Project Officer – Polar Programme, GRID-Arendal
T +47 907 34432, E [email protected]
Julia Rawlins, Head of Partnerships and Networks, British Council
T +49 30 311099 75, E [email protected]
Further info: GRID-Arendal delivers experiential, place-based trainings to youth and other groups, using sustianable tourism as a means for inspiring and educating people about issues affecting a particular region and the linkages to the rest of the world. Please visit http://www.grida.no/tourism/product-service-detail.aspx?id=5100 for further information.
The Wadden Sea is one of the most important inter-tidal zones of the world, playing host to millions of migratory birds each year. The effects of climate change are already being felt on this ecosystem. Credit: Peter Prokosch | <urn:uuid:0a09da7d-7bb4-43e4-b13d-bf3b6113ef74> | {
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Millions of people enjoyed “Finding Nemo,” the animated Disney film that premiered in 2003, and can still recall the plot: A timid clownfish embarks on an adventurous search for his son, Nemo, who was captured by scuba divers and taken to Australia’s Sydney Harbor. But what many may not be aware of is that the real-life Nemos of the world, along with other small fish that are equally dependent on healthy reef systems, are in serious trouble because of climate change.
The Center for Biological Diversity on Monday filed a petition with the National Marine Fisheries Service to place orange clownfish–more commonly known to children as Nemo fish–and seven other reef fish species under protection of the Endangered Species Act.
“We risk losing the striking fish that inspired ‘Finding Nemo’ forever if we don’t put the brakes on global warming and ocean acidification,” Shaye Wolf, the Center’s climate science director, stated in a news release. “Carbon pollution harms these fish and destroys their coral reef homes. If we want these beautiful animals to survive in the wild, not just in a movie, we have to protect them under the Endangered Species Act.”
In “Finding Nemo,” the over-protective father (Marlin) learned during his adventure to take risks and to be more trusting of his son.
There were many risks and struggles along the way.
So it is with orange clownfish trying to survive with coral reefs around the world–including the Great Barrier Reef, which was Nemo’s home–in a state of decline, and while ocean acidification is on the rise.
Warming seas and acidification, caused by the oceans’ absorption of carbon-dioxide poisoning, pose a threat to reefs and to clownfish and damselfish.
“Coral reefs are the rainforests of the ocean, but carbon pollution will bulldoze their biodiversity,” Wolf said. “The longer we wait to provide Endangered Species Act protection and reduce the greenhouse gases harming reef fish and destroying their homes, the harder it’s going to be to save these unique creatures.”
Another danger, as Nemo came to know, is the aquarium trade. Orange clownfish and several species of damselfish are immensely popular aquarium pets, and the United States is the largest importer of ornamental marine fish.
Listed on the petition sent to NMFS include the orange clownfish, which spends nearly its entire life protected within anemones on coral reefs, and seven species of damselfish that occur in U.S. waters, and are dependent on corals vulnerable to climate change threats.
They are the yellowtail damselfish that inhabit waters in Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean; the Hawaiian dascyllus and blue-eye damselfish, which inhabit Hawaiian waters; and the black-axil chromis, Dick’s damselfish, reticulated damselfish, and blue-green damselfish that live in the Indo-Pacific, including U.S. territorial waters in American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.”
NMFS will consider the petition but it will require lots of time before any action is taken.
– Images are courtesy of the Center for Biological Diversity
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PHOTOS – Tornado of fire sweeps through Australia’s Outback | <urn:uuid:779c657c-ba4c-4f56-9d08-a51ddc43b5ca> | {
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NAVIGATING YOGA > Vrkasana, a.k.a Tree Pose
This week’s yoga pose, Tree Pose, is one of my favorites to teach—it is always a great way to introduce balancing exercises, as it focuses on engaging your body from the ground up.
To begin, root down through your feet. While standing with your feet apart, press your weight into your heels and relax your toes. Engage your left leg by flexing those muscles, not so tight that you lock your knee, but enough to feel those muscles work. Begin to stand on that leg by lifting your right heel to your left ankle. Balance at that point. Focus your gaze on a particular spot in front of you that is not moving. Engage your core by bringing your belly button to your spine, and drop your tailbone underneath you so that you are balancing from your center rather than from your lower back. When you’re feeling balanced, you can start to inch that heel up a little higher up your left leg. If you’re feeling really balanced, reach down with your right hand to grab a hold of your right ankle, draw the foot up to place the sole of your foot against your inner thigh. Engage your hips by squeezing your inner thighs together and bring your right knee inward slightly so that you’re not hyper extending your hips or your low back.
When you think of a tree, you undoubtedly think of roots and a trunk reaching skyward. When you’re practicing this posture, think about rooting down through your feet to engage your lower body, allowing your entire body to lengthen skyward from your toes to your heart center and ultimately through the crown of your head for a straight spine. When lifting your arms up overhead, think about your arms as your branches springing high as if they can reach forever. Let this action extend you a little taller out of your waist. Remember to engage your belly, pulling your navel to your spine and rolling your tailbone underneath you to take pressure off your lower back. We engage our belly to balance in yoga so that we’re not relying on our lower lumbar spine to balance.
If you’re feeling really balanced, close your eyes. With your eyes closed, bring that gaze inward to focus on your breath. Taking an internal scan of your body with your breath, breath into any areas of tension, any areas of anxiety. Begin to slowly let the fear of falling drift away. If you feel like you’re going to fall, engage your center by activating your abdominal muscles and find that breath once again. When you fall off the path in life, you continue to breathe, move on, and try again. The same goes for life on the yoga mat: when we begin to feel ourselves sway and lose balance, it’s important to keep your intention—to remind yourself why you’re practicing yoga. Keeping balance in your practice is about finding balance within yourself. Stay in this posture for five intentional breaths and silently affirm, “I move through life, anchored within myself.”
To release from this posture, bring your hands down to your heart in prayer position; maybe repeat that affirmation once again to keep the positive vibes flowing. Press your feet together and bow your chin to your chest, thinking of ways to balance your life off of the mat as well as on. Breathe, relax, restore. Namaste.
|< Prev||Next >| | <urn:uuid:f5ca4d99-738e-4daf-8bb7-6d80aa419ae8> | {
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Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) - An intervention which aims to develop an individual’s ability to participate in authentic emotional relationships by exposing the individual to those relationships in a gradual, systematic way.
Regression - Process in which children appear to develop normal language and social skills but then lose these.
Regressive Autism - Form of autism in which children appear to develop normal language and social skills but then lose these with the onset of autism before age 3. Some forms of regressive autism are severe enough to be classed as Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
Receptive Language Delay - Difficulty understanding language. Symptoms may include difficulty following directions, decreased comprehension of "yes/no" and "wh" questions, limited vocabulary, poor understanding of grammatical markers (i.e. verb tenses, possessives) and syntax and difficulty attending to spoken language.
Rett Syndrome - A complex neurological disorder which is genetic in origin. It affects mainly girls. Although present at birth, it becomes more evident during the second year.
Rotation Diet - Diet which involves eating different things at different times.
Salicylates - A plant hormone found in leafy vegetables and fruit. Some people advocate a low salicylate diet.
Sara’s Diet - A lutein-free, soy-protein free and casein/gluten-restricted diet which also restricts or removes some artificial additives.
Secretin - Gastrointestinal hormone that helps promote digestion of food.
Seizures - Sudden changes in behavior due to an excessive electrical activity in the brain.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Enhancer - A class of anti-depressant drugs that enhance the reuptake of serotonin instead of inhibiting it.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) - A class of drugs that works by stopping (inhibiting) the uptake (loss) of serotonin, which means that more serotonin is available to help pass on messages between nerve cells. SSRIs are used to treat a variety of conditions including depression and anxiety. Some people believe that they can also be used to treat people with autism who have other problems, such as repetitive behaviors or social deficits.
Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder - Condition characterized by good grammatical language but lack of ability to use language in a socially appropriate manner.
Sensory Deprivation Therapy - An intervention based around sensory deprivation i.e. minimizing sensory inputs such as sound, lights and smells.
Sensory Integration - The capacity of an individual to receive and process information provided by the senses.
Sensory Integration Therapy - Intervention that is designed to mitigate abnormal behaviors caused by sensory sensitivity.
Sensory Integrative Function - Condition characterized by unusual reactions or sensitivity to sensations such as sound, light or touch.
Sensory Processing Disorder - Disorder of the brain which makes people misinterpret everyday sensory information, such as touch, sound, and movement. This can lead to behavioral problems, difficulties with coordination, and many other issues.
Small Intestine (Small Bowel) - Its primary function is to digest (break down) food and absorb nutrients (vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats).
Smith Magenis Syndrome - A genetic disorder where common characteristics include some degree of self-injury, sleep, disturbance, developmental delay, short stature, decreased sensitivity to pain, hyperactivity and destructive or aggressive behavior.
Social Skills Groups - Social skills groups provide an opportunity for individuals with autism to practice and improve their social skills in a safe, supportive environment.
Social Stories™ - Short stories for children on the autism spectrum designed to aid their understanding of social situations.
Son-Rise Program® - An intensive training program based on the idea that the best way to help a child with autism is to follow the child’s lead. The program is a home-based, one-to-one approach, typically implemented by the parents, often with the assistance of a team of volunteers.
Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) - A strict, complex and restrictive diet which excludes complex carbohydrates, such as those found in rice and potatoes. These carbohydrates are replaced with simple carbohydrates.
Speech and Language Therapy - An intervention in which a therapist works with individuals to help them develop their communication skills using a range of techniques.
Steatorrhea - Stool that is frothy, foul-smelling and floats because of a high fat content. It is common in malabsorption syndromes. This may be the result of the lower small intestine unable to absorb fats, or simply too much fat for even normal digestion to handle. Sometimes this can indicate liver, gall bladder or lipid metabolism diseases.
Stimming - Any kind of repetitive or stereotypic behavior.
Stomach - The function of the stomach is to begin digestion by physically breaking down food received from the esophagus. The stomach mucosa contains cells which secrete hydrochloric acid and this in turn activates the other gastric enzymes pepsin and rennin.
Sulfation - The process of adding sulphate to the body.
T Cells - Control the B cells. When a harmless substance enters the body, the T cells signal the B cells to suppress antibody production, yet when a dangerous substance enters and must be eliminated, the T cells allow antibody production at a controlled rate and only until no more are needed. T cells can be programmed through vaccination or immunization to allow antibody production to previously unfamiliar but harmful antigens such as smallpox or polio. Conversely, allergy shots or other immunostimulation techniques can program T cells to recognize harmless antigens and to suppress production of their antibodies. (act like soldiers on the front line of the body’s defense against disease.)
Teaching Interaction - 10-step procedure designed to help students learn appropriate social and school-related behaviors.
Testosterone - Main male sex hormone, a steroid which controls the growth and functioning of the male sex organs. Believed by some to reduce the effectiveness of chelation, a chemical intervention used to treat autism.
Therapeutic Listening Program - Training program which includes a form of auditory integration training
Therapy Dog - A dog that has been specially trained to act as a companion to the person with autism.
Thimerasol - A mercury-containing preservative. Widely used as a preservative in a number of biological and drug products, including many vaccines.
Tic - Condition in which a part of the body moves repeatedly, quickly, suddenly and uncontrollably. Tics can occur in any body part, such as the face, shoulders, hands or legs.
Toe Walking - Walking on toes, a common symptomatic problem in some children with autism
Tomatis Method - Auditory training method, similar to auditory integration training, in which a person with autism listens to a selection of music which has been modified.
Total Communicaton - Approach that makes use of a number of modes of communication such as signed, oral, auditory, written and visual aids, depending on the particular needs and abilities of the individual
Tourette’s Syndrome - Condition characterized by multiple tics characteristically involving the face and head.
Transfer Factor - Polypeptide secreted by lymphocytes that is capable of transferring immunity from one cell or individual to another
Trichuris Suis Ova (Pig Whipworm Larvae) - Sometimes used as a treatment for gastro-intestinal and immune problems.
Triglycerides - The main form of fat found in foods and the human body. Containing three fatty acids and one unit of glycerol, triglycerides are stored in adipose cells in the body, which, when broken down, release fatty acids into the blood. Triglycerides are fat storage molecules and are the major lipid component of the diet.
Tuberous Sclerosis - Rare genetic disease that causes benign tumors to grow on vital organs. It commonly affects the central nervous system.
Turner's Syndrome - Rare chromosomal condition affecting girls where the second X chromosome is absent or abnormal. More common in girls with autism.
Sources: Canadian Autism Intervention Research Network | <urn:uuid:d7fc8b0d-7bcd-4730-900a-866d2bd6f929> | {
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For Immediate Release: Aug. 8, 2012
Media Contact: Communication Office
Vermont Department of Health
BURLINGTON – The Vermont Department of Health has noted an increase in the number of people who are reporting bats (mostly big brown bats) flying through open windows and doors and getting trapped inside homes and camps this summer.
The Health Department recommends if a bat is found in a room with someone who was sleeping soundly, or if a bat is found in the same room as an unattended child, safely collect the bat for rabies testing. Call the rabies hotline (800-472-2437) for help on determining if a worrisome exposure occurred.
“The string of hot weather, bugs, and open doors and windows might explain what we are seeing,” said Robert Johnson, public health veterinarian. “Bats are an important part of the ecosystem, but we don’t want people sharing a room with them overnight without knowing they are negative for rabies.”
Only four of the 65 bats tested so far this year have been positive for rabies, but because rabies can be fatal if not treated, it is important to have the bat tested if an exposure could have occurred.
Rabies is found mainly in wildlife (especially raccoons, foxes, bats, and skunks) and can infect domestic animals and humans. There has never been a human case of rabies reported to the Vermont Department of Health, but people can become infected if bitten or scratched by an infected animal. It is important to avoid handling wildlife, especially animals that may be infected with rabies.
If a person is exposed, anti-rabies shots to fight off the disease need to be given as soon as possible after a bite has occurred, before symptoms appear.
A total of 31 animals have tested positive for rabies so far in 2012.
For more information on rabies prevention efforts and how to safely collect a bat for testing visit: http://healthvermont.gov/prevent/rabies/Rabies.aspx.
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Musa acuminata and Musa paradisiac are two types of bananas adapted to warm and humid tropical climate, needing more than 2,000 mm of rainfall per year and rich soils to grow. Bananas have been present in our diets since long time ago, they are rich in potassium, a mineral that plays a very important role in mass bone formation and regulation of blood pressure, magnesium, selenium, phosphorous, iron, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc (very important to regulate sleep cycles and enhance male reproductive functions)...etc. Image: Bananas by Kevin Connors via Morgue File.
In spite most of us believe in the health benefits and multiple properties of Kela fruit (Bananas), not many people knows about their most valuable active constituent, a lectin named BanLec (from Banana Lectin), that is known to exert anti-cancer and anti-HIV properties and that has been recently the subject of scientific study for its potential pharmaceutical use in future medicines. Image: Banana tree by Melvin "Buddy" Baker under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).
Common name: Banana.
The image above has been taken with a 5 megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ3S, with a CCD chip that captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints, has a 6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 2.0-inch LCD display, playback of 9, 16, and 25 images is possible on a multi-split screen, Consecutive shooting feature lets you take up to five shots per second. The camera stores images on SD memory cards.
CURIOSITY: Kela fruit (Bananas) are naturally radioactive
due to the fact that they contain a relatively high amount of potassium, more precisely potassium-40
, a radioactive isotope of potassium, however the amount of potassium per banana is marginal, being only 0,036 mg or radioactive Potassium-40 out of the 300 mg or potassium that we find on each banana .
BANLEC LECTIN FROM BANANA
BanLec is a jacalin-related lectin, a kind of sugar-binding protein, isolated from the fruit of bananas found in the Musa acuminata bananas among other banana species . Lectins play a very important role in plants, where they are mainly used during germination , but their most important attribute is played in viral infections, where some viruses use lectins to attach themselves to the cells of the host organism during infection . This property has been used by scientists to hypothesize about the possibility to use this function to inhibit certain viruses. Image right: Peachyqueen via morguefile.
As the BanLec lectin from Musa paradisiac binds to high mannose carbohydrate structures including those found on viruses containing certain particular envelope proteins such as human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1), scientist hypothesized that BanLec might inhibit HIV-1 through binding of the HIV-1 envelope protein, gp120 . Well, the results of this study show that BanLec possesses potent anti-HIV activity BanLec is able to block HIV-1 cellular entry in the presence of BanLec. BanLec inhibits HIV-1 infection by binding to the glycosylated viral envelope and blocking cellular entry .
The relative anti-HIV activity of BanLec could be compared to other anti-HIV lectins, such as snowdrop lectin and Griffithsin, and to T-20 and maraviroc, two anti-HIV drugs currently in clinical use. BanLec is therefore a potential component for an anti-viral microbicide that could be used to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV-1 .
Additionally to the already mentioned BanLec lectin identified in the predominant proteins in the pulp of ripe bananas (Musa acuminata L.), another study identified a lectin present in plantains (Musa spp.), the plantain agglutinin was called PlanLec .
BANLEC LECTIN AND T-CELL PROLIFERATION
A specific lectin (BanLec-I) from banana (Musa paradisiac), was found able to stimulated T-cell proliferation .
In a study done in murine models using the Banana genus Musa acuminata, it was determined that it is possible that the banana lectin could be developed into a useful anti-HIV, immunopotentiating and antitumor agent . In the study the lectin was capable of eliciting a mitogenic response in murine splenocytes and inducing the expression of the cytokines interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-2 in splenocytes .
Tumor Necrosis Factor primary role is the regulation of immune cells, but it is also able to induce fever, apoptotic cell death (natural cell death), sepsis, cachexia, inflammation, and to inhibit tumorigenesis and viral replication .
Isolation and characterization of BanLec-I, a mannoside-binding lectin from Musa paradisiac (banana).
V L Koshte, W van Dijk, M E van der Stelt, and R C Aalberse
A lectin isolated from bananas is a potent inhibitor of HIV replication.
Swanson MD, Winter HC, Goldstein IJ, Markovitz DM.
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
Fruit-specific lectins from banana and plantain.
Peumans WJ, Zhang W, Barre A, Houlès Astoul C, Balint-Kurti PJ, Rovira P, Rougé P, May GD, Van Leuven F, Truffa-Bachi P, Van Damme EJ.
Laboratory of Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
Musa acuminata (Del Monte banana) lectin is a fructose-binding lectin with cytokine-inducing activity.
Cheung AH, Wong JH, Ng TB.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
Plant names: Porcher Michel H. et al. 1995 - 2020, Sorting Anthemis Names. Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (M.M.P.N.D) - A Work in Progress. School of Agriculture and Food Systems. Faculty of Land & Food Resources. The University of Melbourne. Australia. < http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au >
Chemistry: The Practical Science by Paul B. Kelter, Michael D. Mosher ,Andrew Scot, pag. 903 | <urn:uuid:f7d6db69-b255-47d8-8d62-1e28259a4327> | {
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George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham, had become very powerful under both James I and Charles I. Villiers had promoted many of his supporters to high office – and had financially benefited from doing this – but he had also made many enemies. On a visit to Portsmouth in August 1628, the favourite of Charles I was murdered. A letter written to Henrietta Maria, the wife of the king, gave a graphic description of what occurred that day.
‘This day between nine and ten of the clock in the morning, the Duke of Buckingham, then coming out of a parlour, into a hall, was by one (John) Felton (a Lieutenant of this Army) slain at one blow, with a dagger-knife. As the Duke staggered, he turned about, uttering only this word, “Villain!” and never spoke a word more. But, presently plucking out the knife from himself, before he fell to the ground, he made towards the traitor two or three paces, and then fell against a table.
While he (Fenton) was in our custody I asked him several questions, which he answered. He said he was Protestant in religion. He also said he was partly discontented for want of eighty pounds pay, and that although he was a lieutenant of a company of foot, the company was given over his head unto another. Yet, he said that that did not move him to act. It was on reading the complaint of the Houses of Parliament it came into his mind that in committing the act of killing the Duke, he should do his country great good service.
But to return to the screeches made at the fatal blow given, the Duchess of Buckingham and the Countess of Anglesey came out into a gallery which looked into a hall where they might see the blood of their dearest Lord gushing from him. Ah, poor ladies, such was their screechings, tears and distractions, that I never in my life heard the like before, and hope never to hear the like again.” | <urn:uuid:eb46ca68-11d5-4fb6-ab91-609e068211db> | {
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The SCARY Crawl Space
We build crawl spaces because they are cheaper than basements. But controlling moisture can be a challenge, depending on the climate zone.
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Depending on where you live, critters from snakes and rodents to spiders, bugs, and armadillos may have taken up residence in your crawl space. Add a little water—or even a lot when flooding occurs—and mold and rot create indoor air quality (IAQ) problems and structural deterioration. Oh, and did I mention that soil gases like radon or methane can find their way into your house through the crawl space? Research has shown that whenever it’s warmer inside your house than outside, the buoyancy of the rising warm air in the house sucks air into your home from the crawl space. In heating-dominated climates, 40% or more of the air you breathe in your home originated in your crawl space. Definitely scary—and it’s dark down there.
We build crawl spaces because they are cheaper to build than basements, or because ground conditions make building a basement impractical. A crawl space can also provide service access for plumbing, electrical, and heating-and-cooling systems.
Which Crawl Spaces Work Where?
In recent years, Building America and others have done a lot of research around the country on crawl spaces. By looking at this research, we can learn a lot about which crawl space configuration works where.
Historically, most crawl spaces have been vented to the exterior (see “Definitions” and “Codes”). In some climates—especially with the introduction of central A/C—this can cause problems. In climates with extended periods of hot-humid weather—this includes the Southeast and most of the Northeast and Midwest—closed crawl spaces are the best option. Under hot-humid conditions, warm, moist air enters the vented crawl space from outside and can condense on the cooler surfaces. These cooler surfaces are created within the crawl space by the shade provided by the building and the moderating effect of the contact between the crawl space and the ground. Even when condensation doesn’t take place, relative humidity (RH) above 80% for an extended period can support mold growth and eventually rot wooden structural materials. Add A/C to the house, and the floor above the crawl space becomes even cooler—and any ductwork in the crawl space creates an added risk of condensation.
In closed conditioned crawl spaces, insulation is normally placed around the perimeter and not in the floor. With perimeter insulation, the house is coupled to the cooler temperatures of the ground, and this can reduce the overall amount of A/C needed to cool the house. When closed conditioned crawls are used in heating-dominated climates, this same ground coupling can actually increase the heating load of a house, but that may cost very little compared to the cost of damage done by moisture brought in by venting.
Crawl spaces can be vented or closed. Crawl spaces without venting are usually referred to as unvented, closed, or sealed. In this article I use “closed” to refer to any crawl space without passive vents from the crawl to the exterior.
Vented crawl spaces have the air and vapor barriers and the thermal boundary of the house in the floor assembly above the crawl space and provide passive venting from the crawl to the exterior. Most codes require a minimum of 1 square foot of net free vent area for each 150 square feet of crawl space; they also require that vents be placed to provide cross-ventilation.
Closed (unvented) crawl spaces come in a variety of configurations. Some are actively conditioned; some have an intentional passive connection to the conditioned part of the house; and in extreme cases, some have an active dehumidification system (see “Dehumidifier Metering Study,” p. 44). Insulation is normally at the perimeter of the crawl with a continuous air and vapor barrier on the ground and running up the perimeter wall to the sill plate or to a termite inspection strip, where required.
Closed power-vented crawl spaces generally look like closed unconditioned crawl spaces but include an exhaust fan to draw air from the crawl space to the exterior. The primary advantage of this system is its ability to reverse the stack effect and decouple the air in the house from the crawl—especially during the heating season. Codes generally require 1 CFM of power venting for every 50 square feet of crawl space area.
In the drier regions of the West, and even—surprisingly—in the marine climates of the Northwest, vented crawl spaces work acceptably most of the time. The hot-dry conditions in summer and the cold-moist conditions in winter do not cause the same problems that hot-humid conditions cause in the rest of the country. In a vented crawl, the insulation should be placed in the floor above the crawl space, properly supported, and in contact with the floor above. There should be no air space between the insulation and the floor.
In colder climates, where basements are traditionally the norm, closed conditioned crawl spaces may be the best option to protect freeze-sensitive plumbing systems.
Ducts in Crawl Spaces
HVAC ductwork can have a significant impact on the crawl space environment. From an energy perspective, well-insulated, well-sealed ducts work best in a vented crawl space. While sealing and insulating ducts in a vented crawl is always beneficial in terms of energy savings, there can be unintended consequences that may increase the risk of condensation in heating-dominated climates. In this climate, heat loss to the crawl may help prevent condensation by maintaining higher and more stable temperatures. In cooling climates, properly sealed and insulated ducts—including a vapor barrier—can reduce the risk of condensation on cold supply ducts.
In closed crawl spaces, where the air and vapor barriers and the thermal boundary are maintained at the crawl perimeter, the energy benefits of sealing and insulating ductwork are minimal.
Insulation Materials and Proper Alignment of Air and Vapor Barriers
Walls get wet—especially in below-grade crawl spaces. Below-grade walls cannot dry to the exterior, so to avoid problems, they must dry to the interior. Vapor barriers on the interior side of batt insulation can create real problems. Figure 1 shows the RH inside a fiberglass batt on the interior of a crawl space perimeter wall. The batt in the figure has a vapor barrier on the interior surface that traps moisture. In the summer, the assembly is continuously at the dew point, or 100% RH. In the winter, the RH drops, but it is still above 90% almost the entire time. Totally unacceptable!
Removing the interior vapor barrier from the insulation allows drying to the interior of the crawl space, but this may also allow additional condensation on the cold surfaces of the perimeter wall. The best solution in the Figure 1 example is to use rigid-foam insulation with sealed seams, or to use spray foam. This provides a continuous air and vapor barrier with a material that isn’t susceptible to moisture damage. The insulation thickness should be determined by the amount of insulation required for thermal performance.
Do Vented Crawl Spaces Ever Really Work?
The results of tests conducted in cold-dry West and Northwest marine climates suggest that vented crawl spaces can work. The Washington State University Extension Energy Program (WSU-EEP), as part of its work for Building America, monitored four test houses in Vancouver and Moses Lake, Washington, for over a year and found that the vented crawls rarely, if ever, reached dew point and that they remained above 80% RH only for brief periods of time. Monitoring of wood moisture content in the crawls showed no moisture buildup, and while the vented crawl spaces in the test houses did maintain higher RH levels on average than found in closed crawl spaces, the RH levels were not a problem. See Figures 2 and 3.
In any crawl space, site water must be properly managed. Vented crawls should be considered only where there is little risk of condensation and no prolonged periods of high RH. Where the average ground temperature is above the average seasonal outdoor dew point, crawl temperatures should be above dew point most of the time, and moisture introduced by venting shouldn’t be a major problem (see Figure 5).
Risks in Closed Crawl Spaces
WSU-EEP conducted tracer gas testing in vented and closed power-vented crawl spaces in a marine climate (Vancouver, Washington) in December 2006. The results showed that vented crawls provide a significantly higher air change rate with the exterior than closed crawls. Vented crawls averaged about 3.5 ACH, while the closed power-vented crawls averaged about 1 ACH. Additional radon testing showed that radon levels in the closed crawls—with a relatively low dilution rate—were roughly 10 times the levels measured in the vented crawls. The tracer gas testing also showed that roughly 40% of the air in the homes with vented crawl spaces that we tested originated in the crawl space. In the closed power-vented crawls that we tested, the stack effect was substantially offset by the venting—less than 5% of the house air originated in the crawl spaces. Because the power venting had substantially decoupled the house from the crawl, radon levels within the living area of the homes were still below EPA action levels.
Reversing the stack effect with power venting should improve indoor air quality (IAQ) by decoupling the house from the crawl space. The price of decoupling is the added cost of running and maintaining the crawl space exhaust fan. In closed crawls without power venting, or if the exhaust fan fails, the lower dilution rate creates the risk of a higher concentration of pollutants entering the house from the crawl.
Taming the Beast
Here are some general tips for taming the beast:
- If the crawl space has a dirt floor, always maintain a continuous vapor barrier on the floor. Use 6-mil black polyethylene sheeting or better.
- If there is a high water table or periodic flooding, make sure that the crawl space is sloped to drain to a sump, which can be drained or pumped to daylight.
- Make sure the outside grade slopes away from the building and that gutter downspouts take water away from the foundation. Don’t water your crawl space when you water your landscaping.
- Maintain the perimeter of the crawl space to prevent access by critters; seal holes, penetrations, and access points and screen all vents.
- Clean it up. Remove construction debris—especially wood, cardboard, or other organic material in contact with the ground.
- Don’t vent dryers or other appliances into the crawl; make sure that any ductwork is well sealed and well supported and that the ducts terminate outside the crawl space.
- Don’t use your crawl space for storage.
- Use radon-resistive building practices in radon-risk areas, as recommended by EPA on their web site.
From the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC), the applicable sections on vented and closed crawl spaces are Section R408.2 Openings for under floor ventilation, and Section R408.3 Unvented crawl space.
The 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) includes requirements for insulation levels on crawl space walls based on climate zone. See Section 402.2.9 Crawl space walls.
The IRC does not require crawl space ventilation if all of the following conditions are met:
- A ground cover is provided. This ground cover must include a class 1 vapor retarder with lapped sealed seams, extending at least 6 inches up the stem wall and attached to the wall.
- The crawl space is conditioned. Conditioning is direct if the crawl space is supplied with conditioned air at the rate of 1 CFM per 50 ft2 of crawl area. Conditioning is induced if the crawl space air is power vented to the exterior at 1 CFM per 50 ft2 of crawl area and draws conditioned air from the house to the crawl through a transfer grill or duct.
- The perimeter walls are insulated (according to section N1102.2.9 of the IRC).
For closed conditioned crawl spaces:
- Insulate the perimeter walls to the level suggested for above-grade walls in your climate.
- Exterior perimeter wall insulation is a good option to consider, especially in new construction. It eliminates the problems of moisture management associated with interior wall insulation and provides the possible benefits of additional thermal mass within the structure. The downside is you have to protect the insulation from termites and the above- grade portion of the insulation from deterioration caused by weather exposure.
- When insulating a crawl from the interior, you should protect rim joists from condensation with foam insulation.
- Use water-resistant insulating materials, such as rigid-foam board or spray foam properly protected to meet fire ratings. Avoid using air-permeable insulation, such as fiberglass batts or spray-on cellulose.
- Power venting a sealed crawl space to the exterior can reduce the movement of air from the crawl space into the house. This can improve IAQ, but at the added cost of operating and maintaining the exhaust fan.
For vented crawl spaces:
- Insulate the floor above the crawl space to between R-30 and R-38.
- Provide adequate venting (1 square foot net free area venting per 150 square feet of crawl space).
- Arrange vents to provide cross-ventilation.
- Insulate the ductwork for any heating or cooling system to at least R-8.
- Maintain a continuous air and vapor barrier on duct insulation where there is a risk of condensation.
- Protect plumbing pipes from freezing. Insulate the pipes and shelter them from excessive air movement near vents. Well-insulated and sheltered pipes shouldn’t require the additional use of heat tapes for freeze protection. Heat tapes can use large amounts of electricity, and improperly installed heat tapes may be a fire hazard.
Conventional wisdom on crawl spaces over the years has ranged from always vent to always seal. As with many things, it’s not that simple. It really depends on local conditions. Properly designed and installed closed crawl spaces can be made to work well almost everywhere. On the other hand, vented crawl spaces are not suited for hot-humid regions where there is a risk of condensation. Closed crawls also come with some risks. Without venting there is a smaller dilution factor and the possibility of higher pollutant concentrations. If you power-vent a crawl space the fan must be used and maintained. In heating-dominated climates, there may be an increased heating load in a closed crawl.
When working with a crawl space, always consider local conditions. Evaluate what has worked in your community and remember that the best crawl space design won’t make up for poor water management on the site.
David Hales is an experienced contractor, building scientist, and technical trainer. He is currently a building systems and energy specialist at Washington State University and provides technical support for the Energy Star Homes Northwest Program, Building America, and utility-based programs in the Pacific Northwest.
For more information:
To learn more about conditioned crawl spaces, go to www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11480. and www.energycodes.gov/rc/Vol3_BasementInsulation.pdf.
To learn more about radon, go to www.epa.gov/radon/ and www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/buildradonout.pdf.
The research discussed in the article will be published in the transactions of the 2010 Building Thermal Envelope Conference: Hales, Lubliner and Gordon; Vented and Conditioned Crawlspace Performance in Marine and Cold Climates of the Pacific Northwest.
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Making Horse Training Equipment
How to Make Simple Horse Training Equipment
Wednesday 20 January 2010
Horses have been trained to be ridden for thousands of years. Consequently many different methods and equipment has been developed. As to be expected, some are now considered to be outdated whilst others are still in use. The horse training equipment used is mostly the same regardless of whether you are training a horse for Western or English style riding. All horse training equipment have the same attributes, such as being durable and strong as well as being flexible; this doesn’t mean it has to be expensive though. This guide will teach you how you can make some of the horse training equipment that you will need.
Finding Materials to Make Horse Training Equipment
• When first starting to make horse training equipment, it is best to formulate a list and categorise the equipment depending on the horse training methods that it will be used for and the strength needed for those methods.
• You should consider that any horse training equipment that will be in direct contact with horse will need to be durable and waterproof. One of the most important materials you need when training horses is rope. By lengths of .25” double braided nylon rope. This can be cut to any length required.
• You will need to consider the size of the horse when you start buying materials and constructing your horse training equipment. When making a halter, measure from above the nose but below the cheekbone. This will tell you how much rope you will need. A measurement of 24” will require 22’ of rope, while a measurement of 20” will require 18’ of rope.
Making a Halter for Training Horses
The Halter is one of the most fundamental and important pieces of horse training equipment. It is also not very difficult to make.
• Begin by making a loop that is half an inch larger than the measurement of the horse’s nose. Tie two double overhand knots and place them half the distance of the horse’s nose away from each other. The rope should now be doubled with two equal lengths or ropes hanging downward from each side.
• Establish whereabouts on the base of the horse’s throat the nose loop will sit and measure the distance from here to the nose loop. Use an overhand knot to fasten two pieces of rope here. Below the right ear, tie another knot and connect a piece of rope between the nose loop and throat latch. Do the same on the opposite side.
• The next step is to hold the two pieces of rope from the knot on the right ear and tie them to the left knot with a latch knot. To ensure that the rope doesn’t fray, you can braid or twist the remaining rope together.
Making a Lunge Line
Another piece of essential horse training equipment, the lunge line, can be homemade very easily, saving you valuable money.
• Take a piece of the nylon rope that you bought and cut it into a length of between 25 to 30 feet (7.6m to 9.1m). At one end, attach a brass clip that is used to attach the lunge line to the horse. It is important that this is sturdy, especially when horse training as you must have control over the horse at all times. To make sure it is secure, braid the rope.
• When training horses, it is important to always be in control, this means knowing how much rope you have left in your hand so you know how much you can give the horse. A very simple way of doing this is to tie knots at intermediate lengths. Measure 10 feet from the brass clip and tie a double knot. Measure another 10 feet and tie another double knot. to let you know when you are nearing the end of the rope, tie a knot at 5 feet from the end, then another at one foot. | <urn:uuid:1bf93029-38ea-4d8a-b882-18df3127533c> | {
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How to Draw > How to draw a goatThey aren't the first animal you would think of for comic interest, but goats can be a treasure-trove of amusement. They have the unusual mix of being kind of dumb in some ways, but endlessly inventive and persistent in others. If you have ever owned a goat, or know someone who has owned a goat, they will confirm this strongly, and may even tell you with a few stories of the unbelievable things their goat did over the years.
What does this have to do with drawing? A heck of a lot -- and it has everything to do with cartooning. Any art benefits from interest, and funny art sells. Goats are funny. If you can capture their adventures and misadventures properly, people will buy it (especially in rural areas or vacation towns). But if you are a budding cartoonist, you really, really need to know how to draw a good goat.
There are a lot of similarities between goats and horses, and the similarities increase between goats and young horses, known as colts. Goat bodies are slighter, thinner than horses. Goats also have cloven feet, unlike horses, and, or course, they have horns. Do note, though, that not all goats have horns, and not all goats have goatees (the shaggy tuft of hair that comes out below their chin).
Practice how to draw a goat here:
Another way to draw a goat.
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Level RTI: Rajasthan
Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) spearheaded the right to information
movement in Rajasthan - and subsequently, throughout India. MKSS
famously used the right to information as tool to draw attention
to the underpayment of daily wage earners and farmers on government
projects, and more generally, to expose corruption in government
expenditure. Initially, MKSS lobbied government to obtain information
such as muster rolls (employment and payment records) and bills
and vouchers relating to purchase and transportation of materials.
This information was then crosschecked at Jan
Sunwais (public hearings) against actual testimonies of workers.
The public hearings were incredibly successful in drawing attention
to corruption and exposing leakages in the system. They were particularly
significant because of their use of hard documentary evidence to
support the claims of villagers.
time, the media and the government paid increasing attention to
the results of the Jan Sunwais. Consequently, greater attention
was focused on the importance of the right to information as a means
for increasing transparency and accountability, as well as empowering
poor people. Although MKSS was able to obtain some information from
Government during the early 1990s, it was not easy. The difficulties
experienced by MKSS in trying to access information reinforced the
importance of a comprehensive right to information law for Rajasthan.
5 April 1995, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan announced in the Legislative
Assembly that his Government would be the first in the country to
provide access to information to citizens on all local developmental
works. However, no action was taken for months. Exactly a year later
on 6 April 1996, MKSS started an indefinite Dharna (protest demonstration)
in Bewar town. Their immediate demand was that the State Government
pass Executive Orders to provide a limited right to information
in relation to local development expenditure. The government responded
by issuing Orders to inspect relevant documents on payment of fees.
However, the Order was rejected by civil society as ineffective
because it did not allow taking photocopies of documents.
6 May 1996, one month later, the Dharna was extended to Jaipur,
the state capital. The Dharna was strongly supported by the people
of the State. On 14 May 1996, the Government responded, announcing
the establishment of a committee to look into the practical aspects
of implementing right to information within two months. In response,
MKSS called off the Dharna. Unfortunately, Government interest again
lapsed, such that in May 1997 another series of Dharnas commenced,
which continued for 52 long days. At the end of this time, the Government
announced that the Government had already notified the right to
receive photocopies relating to local level government functions
six months earlier! Civil society was taken by surprise - through
all their discussions with Government it was the first time they
had been told about the order providing access to information to
1998, during the State elections the Opposition Party promised in
its election manifesto to enact a law on right to information if
it came to power. Following their election, the Party appointed
a committee of bureaucrats, headed by Mr P.N. Bhandari, a Secretary
of the Rajasthan Government, to draft a bill on the right to information.
As the Committee was comprised only bureaucrats, stong objections
were raised by civil society organisations, following which the
members of MKSS and National Campaign for Peoples Right to Information
were invited to assist in drafting the bill.
and NCPRI conducted a host of consultations in each divisional headquarters
of the State. Drawing on the input from these consultations, a draft
civil society Right to Information Bill was prepared, which was
then submitted to the Committee. The Committee drew on the citizens
draft Bill for its recommendations, but refused to accept the Bill
Right to Information Act 2000 was eventually passed on 11 May
2000, but only came into force on 26 January 2001 - after the rules
were framed. The Act in its final form retained many of the suggestions
of the RTI movement, but diluted others. Activists in the state
have stated that it is stronger that some state Acts, like Tamil
Nadu, but lags behind those of Goa, Karnataka and Delhi.
any case, in May 2005, the national Right
to Information Act 2005 was passed by Parliament. The RTI Act
2005 received Presidential assent on 15 June and came fully into
force on 12 October 2005. (For more information on the passage of
the Act and implementation at the national level, click here.)
The RTI Act 2005 covers all Central, State and local government
bodies and will apply to public authorities in Rajasthan. The Government
has issued the Rajasthan
Right to Information Rules 2005.
is not clear at this time whether the Rajasthan RTI Act will be
repealed to make way for the national RTI Act.
a list of Public Information Officers and Appellate Authorities
designated by the State Government, click here.
of Fee & Costs
against receipt/ demand draft/bank cheque
2 per page
and printed form
Price so fixed or Rs 2 per page photocopy
Inspection of records
Free for first hour, Rs 5 for each 15 minutes
or a fraction thereof
Second Appeals and complaints against non-disclosure of information
may be filed with the Rajasthan State Information Commission.
Mr. M. D. Kaurani
State Chief Information Commissioner
State Information Commission
H.C.M Rajasthan State Instititute of Public Administration (O.T.S)
Jawaharlal Nehru Marg,
Off: 0141-2700645 / 2702342
Activities & Advocacy
Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) is a workers and farmers solidarity
group, which is dedicated to ensuring fair working conditions
and daily wages for daily wage earners and farmers. MKSS has
famously used the method of Jan
Sunwai (public hearing) to raise awareness of the practical
value of the right to information for poor people. MKSS has
been a leader in the national campaign for right to information
and continues to use the right to information to empower local
people to root out corruption and hold their government representatives
For further information:
Contact MKSS at Village Devdungri Post Barar, District Rajsamand-313341,
Rajasthan, Tel: 91-2909-243254. Tele Fax: 91-2909-250180. Mobile:
09414007305. E-Mail: [email protected],
- CHRI (2005) Forwarding Information Requests and
Appeals: A Step by Step Guide for Assistant Public Information
Officers under the Right to Information Act 2005, prepared by
Mr Venkatesh Nayak.
- CHRI (2005) Processing Information Requests:
A Step by Step Guide for Assistant Public Information Officers
under the Right to Information Act 2005, prepared by Mr Venkatesh
- For CHRI's posters on RTI click here.
- Dinesh Gehlot (2004) A
Critique of the Rajasthan Right to Information Act 2001, Rajasthan
Patrika, 5 August (Hindi).
- Dinesh Sharma (2004) Rajasthan's
desert Robin Hoods make corrupt repay victims, IANS,
- Nistulla Hebbar (2004) Paper
Tiger Act Awaits Action, 27 March, Times of India.
- Rama Lakshmi (2004) Opening Files, Indians Find
Scams Freedom of Information Laws Slowly Change a Culture of
Secrecy, 9 March, The Washington Post.
- Richard Calland (2004) Opening Up Rural India,
20 February, Mail & Guardian Newspaper (South Africa).
- Neelabh Mishra, (2003) People's
right to Information Movement: Lessons from Rajasthan, Discussion
Paper Series - 4, Human Development Resource Center, UNDP,
- Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, The
Right to Information: Facilitating People's Participation and
- Aruna Roy, (2001), Chasing
a Right, 13 March - 13 April, India server.com
- Harsh Mander, Abha Singhal Joshi, (1999) The
Movement for Right to Information in India People's Power for
the Control of Corruption, CHRI.
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Aviation safety is at the core of ICAO’s fundamental Objectives. The organization is constantly striving, in close collaboration with the entire air transport community, to further improve aviation’s successful safety performance while maintaining a high level of efficiency. This is achieved through:
The development of global strategies contained in the Global Aviation Safety Plan and the Global Air Navigation Plan;
- The development and maintenance of Standards, Recommended Practices and Procedures applicable to international civil aviation activities which are contained in 16 Annexes and 4 PANS (Procedures for Air Navigation Services). These standards are complemented by more than 50 Manuals and Circulars which are providing guidance on their implementation.
- The monitoring of safety trends and indicators. ICAO audits the implementation of its Standard, Recommended Practices and Procedures through its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme. It has also developed sophisticated tools to collects and analyse a vast array of safety data which allows to identify existing and emerging risks
- The implementation of targeted safety programmes to address safety and infrastructure deficiencies; and
- An effective response to disruption of the aviation system created by natural disasters, conflicts or other causes.
In all of its highly coordinated safety activities, ICAO strives to implement practical and achievable measures to improve safety and efficiency in all sectors of the air transportation system. This approach ensures that aviation’s complimentary achievements of a remarkably safe and efficient air transport network continue to serve a fundamental role in supporting global social and economic priorities. | <urn:uuid:91565d64-33bf-4716-ba4b-bc70ebe4ad68> | {
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There are some benefits that apply to almost all forms of mobile network sharing . Network-sharing agreements generally benefit operators and the general public from a cost perspective. Network sharing helps operators to attain more efficient coverage, since operators may choose to use only those sites that provide deeper and better coverage, decommissioning sites with poor coverage possibilities. Operators can then reinvest those savings in upgrading their networks and providing better coverage and services to end users.
Passive infrastructure sharing is usually encouraged. Wireless communication masts and antennas can be unsightly and local communities may object to the construction of new sites because of the visual impact or because of the fear of public exposure to electromagnetic fields around masts and antennas. Site sharing can limit such concerns and potential negative effects. Another beneficial aspect of site sharing is the amount of energy that can be saved when operators share electrical power, which is often in limited supply in developing countries.
Site sharing can also speed up network deployment and make it less expensive. In the European Union, for example, 2G networks were deployed in the 900 megahertz (MHz) spectrum band, while 3G licenses were assigned in the 1900-2100 MHz band. Because spectrum generally has a shorter range at higher frequencies, 3G networks require more base stations (and therefore more sites) – a significant transition expense for 2G operators. However, if those 2G operators can co-locate 3G equipment on each other’s existing 2G towers, they can enjoy significant savings as a result.
Active mobile infrastructure sharing may not be permitted under the licensing regimes of some countries. This is the case in India, for example, where the licensing regime for mobile telecommunications does not permit active sharing. Other regulatory agencies may allow active sharing only with strict conditions, in the belief that competing operators should utilize their own infrastructure independently.
Box 6.9: Ofcom’s concerns with infrastructure sharing
“Network sharing could also have undesirable consequences for competition. For example, [mobile network operators] could collaborate on network development and gain information about each other’s costs and plans, which may have a chilling effect on competition in the retail market. Dynamic efficiency may also be lower with fewer networks able to provide high quality mobile broadband services. End-to-end competition, i.e. at both the network and service level, could lead to greater innovation, which could bring significant benefits for consumers. We note that the competition concerns would be amplified if the 900 MHz operators were themselves to decide to share a single UMTS 900 network in response to the actions of their competitors. While it is difficult to quantify the potential impact of these effects, Ofcom’s initial view is that there is a significant risk that both competitive intensity and innovation in mobile broadband services would be weakened, with potentially serious impacts on consumer welfare.”
With the merger of Orange and T-Mobile (Box 2.10) as Everything Everywhere, the number of national mobile operators dropped from 5 to 4 (the others are Telefónica, Vodafone and H3G). To ensure that this number does not drop any further, Ofcom is proposing to structure spectrum auctions to guarantee 4 competing national networks.
Sources: Ofcom, Application of spectrum liberalization and trading to the mobile sector, 20 September, 2007 and
Ofcom’s second consultation on assessment of future mobile competition and proposals for the award of 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum and related issues, 12 January 2012
Generally speaking, network sharing is a useful tool for regulators and policy makers who want to encourage network deployment in unserved or under-served areas. Several instruments can be used to promote network sharing. National roaming arrangements are probably the most simple and effective arrangements. While roaming leads to a certain level of uniformity among operators’ offerings, this does not necessarily restrict competition significantly. National regulatory authorities that have anti-competitive concerns may allow network sharing for a limited period (for example, one or two years) in order to promote roll-out of initial phases of network deployment. After that, operators could be required to provide coverage using their own networks.
A more complex form of sharing is the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). The types of MVNO range from resale to bulk buying:
· The resale end of the market buys the existing suite of products and services off the provider at a small discount and resells them under their own name. It is little more than a rebadging exercise and does nothing beyond raising the MVNO's profile in the mobile market segment.
· The true MVNOs buy minutes, texts and data in bulk and provides its own SIM card to its customers. The level of investment required by the true MVNO is much higher - they need to hire a product team and have billing capability for instance - but the rewards are also much greater. They get more control and they should get a better margin.
MVNOs first appeared in Denmark, Hong Kong, Finland and the UK and today exist in over 50 countries, including most of Europe, United States, Canada, Australia and parts of Asia, and account for approximately 10% of all mobile phone subscribers around the world.
The key reference document for mobile infrastructure sharing is GSR 2008 Mobile Network Sharing, by Camila Borba Lefèvre
The passive elements of a mobile telecommunications network are the physical components of the radio access network that may not necessarily have to be managed or controlled by the operator after their installation. These elements include electrical or fiber optic cables, masts and pylons, physical space on the ground, towers, roof tops as well as shelter and support cabinets containing power supply, air conditioning, alarm installation and other passive equipment. The assembly of passive equipment in one structure is generally referred to as a ‘site’.
But, because antennas generally have to be separated from each other by a minimum distance in order to avoid interference, mast sharing usually requires taller (and more visually disruptive) masts. Local planning authorities actually may prefer several small towers to one large one. More discrete (or disguised) structures reduce visual intrusion, but cannot support more than one operator’s antenna.
The active elements of a wireless network are those elements are managed by operators, such as antennas, antenna systems, transmission systems, channel elements and others. | <urn:uuid:20221425-0aeb-4144-a82f-c257beb61a04> | {
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A Very Early Conception of a Solid State Device
Invented at Bell Telephone Laboratories between 1945 and 1948, many consider the transistor to be one of the most important inventions in 20th century technology. The story of the first working transistor underscores the power modern industrial laboratories have had to coordinate scientific discovery in the pursuit of technological breakthroughs. It is about great intellectual leaps and driving ambition. But while the story has been told and retold to scientists and engineers for years, only a small circle of history buffs and scholars know that the pursuit of the solid-state amplifier has an even longer history than the transistor. This quest dates back to 1924–1925, and the work of Julius Edgar Lilienfeld.
The Dawn of the Electronics Age
Though Karl Braun’s cathode ray tube (1897) and Ambrose Fleming’s vacuum tube rectifier (1904) marked the beginning of the electronics age, Lee de Forest’s triode actually propelled electronics forward. By placing a wire “grid” between the cathode and anode, de Forest transformed Fleming’s rectifier into an amplifier. With amplification, radio communications blossomed and long-distance telephony became a reality.
The very success of the triode, however, brought out its long-term limitations. It was a fragile device that consumed a lot of power. And so in the mid-1920s, with an eye on radio technology, Julius Edgar Lilienfeld set out to find a solid-state replacement for the thermionic triode.
Lilienfeld Follows His Intuition
In patent applications to Canada in 1925 and to the United States in 1926, Lilienfeld claimed that his solid-state amplifier “relates to a method of and apparatus for controlling the flow of an electrical current between two terminals of an electrically conducting solid by establishing a third potential between said terminals.” He filed two more U.S. patent applications in 1928. In his 28 March U.S. patent application, Lilienfeld was more explicit about what he was after: “the provision of a simple, compact and substantial device which withal shall be inexpensive to construct.” Offering an alternative to thermionic principles, Lilienfeld argued that his novel device “[could] be operated under much lower voltage conditions than heretofore.”
No one really knows whether Lilienfeld ever tried to build his device. Even if he did, the device would not have worked well, if at all, since the production of high-quality semiconductor materials was still decades away. Thus, in the 1920s and 1930s, Lilienfeld’s solid-state amplifier ideas had no practical value to the radio industry.
Like so many patents, Lilienfeld’s went into obscurity. Nevertheless, his ideas embody the principles of the modern-day, field-effect transistor (FET).
History is Sketchy
Little is known of the intellectual journey that led Lilienfeld to his field-effect approach to solid-state amplification. Even the details of his life are sketchy. Like so many pioneers in solid-state electronics, Lilienfeld was an accomplished physicist. Born in Poland in 1881, he obtained his Ph.D. in 1905 at the University of Berlin. In 1910, he became a physics professor at the University of Leipzig. His early interests seem to have focused on cryogenics.
In 1911, Lilienfeld filed a U.S. patent for separating gas mixtures. He also worked with Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin on designing hydrogen-filled dirigibles. From 1914 through the early 1920s, Lilienfeld made important contributions to x-ray tube design, receiving six U.S. patents. In 1927, Lilienfeld left Germany to escape the rising tide of anti-Semitism, immigrating to the United States. Here, while head of an industrial research laboratory, he patented several contributions to capacitor technology, including the first solid-state electrolytic capacitor. It could be that work on capacitors led him to conceive of the solid-state amplifier through the framework of electric field effects.
From the Grave to the Forefront
For nearly two decades, Lilienfeld’s field-effect approach lay buried and forgotten. Then, in 1947, it reached out from the grave to shape Bell Telephone Laboratories’ (BTL) patent strategy on the transistor. In the process, it frustrated William Shockley’s grand ambition. Although the vacuum tube had made long distance telephony possible, Bell Telephone was keenly aware of the tube’s limitations. In the late 1930s, Shockley began looking for a solid-state version of the triode, but with little success. At the end of World War II, he was in charge of a group pursuing a solid state-amplifying device.
Shockley now focused his attention on using an electric field as the “valve” to control the flow of electrons through a semiconductor. His theoretical analysis convinced him and others that it should work. Shockley’s solid-state group, which included John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, struggled to turn the field-effect, semiconductor amplifier into a working prototype, but they failed. Along the way, Bardeen and Brattain developed new theoretical insights and a different design — the point-contact transistor or “bipolar transistor,” as it became known.
The moment Bardeen and Brattain had proven the point-contact transistor to Bell senior management, BTL drew up a patent application. Then, out of the blue, Shockley summoned Bardeen and Brattain separately to his office.
According to Lillian Hoddeson and Vicki Daitch, authors of a recent biography of John Bardeen, Shockley informed each of them individually “that he could write a patent — starting with the field effect — on the whole thing,” adding that “sometimes the people who do the work don’t get the credit for it.” Bardeen and Brattain were stunned. Shockley believed that the first BTL patent for a solid-state amplifier should be based on the conceptual model of the field-effect that he had developed and that he should be named the inventor. BTL lawyers balked at Shockley’s request, having unearthed Julius Edgar Lilienfeld’s patents. The idea of using an electric field as a “grid” was not new. Shockley had not been the first to suggest using a field-effect approach. However, in Bardeen and Brattain’s prototype it was the “holes” that acted as a kind of grid, and that was new. So BTL’s first patent went with the point-contact transistor.
Lilienfeld’s Work Dominates Modern Electronics
The events that followed Bardeen and Brattain’s invention of the bipolar, point-contact transistor took many unexpected twists and turns. Shockley did not put all his eggs in the field-effect basket. Not to be outdone by Bardeen and Brattain, Shockley secretly worked on a different bipolar device. Within a short time, his patent for the bipolar junction transistor had wiped out all commercial interest in the point-contact transistor. Shockley remained committed to the value of his field-effect theory, but was unable to make a go of it. More than 15 years of material technology advances would be needed before the first practical FET appeared. Today, 75 years after Lilienfeld’s work, Metal-Oxide Silicon (MOS) transistors, which are built around field-effect principles, dominate semiconductor electronics.
Lilienfield Acknowledged As Pioneer
In an address to the American Institute of Physics in 1988, Bardeen acknowledged the great credit due Lilienfeld for his pioneering efforts to make the semiconductor amplifier. In the 1920s, Lilienfeld could not have understood the physics of the field-effect semiconductor amplifier, as the quantum theory of solids was still several years away. Nevertheless, he had a good intuitive feel for a new approach to electronics. In Bardeen’s own words, “Lilienfeld had the basic concept of controlling the flow of current in a semiconductor to make an amplifying device. It took many years of theory development and material technology to make his dream a reality.” | <urn:uuid:187c5f5e-f7ab-434f-a736-041d8a6c6e5a> | {
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Early Applications of Electricity
Early Applications of Electricity
- Page created by SHH, 9 September 2008
- Contributors: SHH x3, Nbrewer x10, Nmolnar x1, Administrator1 x4, Rnarayan x5
- Last modified by Administrator1, 11 January 2012
Making Electricity Work: Putting Theory into Practice
When people realized what electricity and magnetism were they took the first steps towards putting them to work. The very first machines hardly seem useful compared to the stuff we use today, but 200 years ago, when the industrial revolution was getting under way in Europe, they were major breakthroughs. In the 19th century inventors began looking for ways to use electromagnetism to run machines, which was being done at that time by steam engines, water wheels, horses, or even people.
One of the first to think about using electricity for practical purposes was the American Joseph Henry. In 1829 he used a large battery to build a powerful electromagnet. It was not just a scientific instrument—it could do heavy work, such as lifting hundreds of pounds of metal. With his demonstration, Henry really began to transform electricity into something that people could use every day.
Those interested in using electricity also found new ways to produce electric current. Inventors tried to improve the basic idea of electromagnetic induction and used magnets to create a flow of current in wires. One of the first to invent such a machine was Frenchman Hippolyte Pixii in 1832. Pixii’s machine generated what would today be called an alternating current. It flowed first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Belgian Floris Nollet improved Pixii’s electromagnetic generator around 1850, and his design was capable of producing about 50 volts. The Nollet generator was the first to be produced in large numbers by a manufacturing firm. They were used in electroplating, the first industrial operation to employ electricity. The Electrical Age was truly under way.
Along with the generator came much more powerful ways to put electricity to work. A key technology was the electric motor. By the 1800 inventors had already harnessed the power of steam to run locomotives and factory machines. Many thought that electricity could be tapped to do the same kind of work, especially after Michael Faraday demonstrated a tiny electric motor. In 1834 Thomas Davenport designed a motor that was strong enough to run a small printing press. He patented the motor in 1837. But progress was slow—it wasn’t until almost 50 years later that electric motors were used commercially. Davenport also used his motor (which was powered by batteries) to move a small railroad car around a track. Unfortunately, commercial railroad cars were large, and so many batteries were needed that an electric railroad was not practical. But inventors used batteries and motors to power small automobiles beginning in the 1880s. In fact, in 1900 electric automobiles outsold gasoline-powered cars. Today, of course, most cars use gas, but electric cars continue to be developed. Since they do not produce exhaust gas and are easier on the environment than gasoline, they continue to attract interest. Electricity was also put to work at an early age in the field of medicine. Just three years after the invention of the Leyden jar in 1745, doctors in Geneva began to treat patients with electric shocks. A Swiss physician reported that victims of paralysis could sometimes be cured by repeated shocks to their muscles. When Luigi Galvani announced the discovery of “animal electricity,” doctors were encouraged to continue their experiments. Doctors such as Guillaume-Benjamin Duchenne, the “father of electrotherapy,” believed that shocking people with electricity might even cure their ailments. Unfortunately, this type of medicine did not prove effective and became much less common by the early 20th century. But there were many other uses of electricity in medicine that succeeded. The first detection of the electric currents emanating from the brain was made in 1875, and the x-ray machine was introduced in 1895. However, the most successful practical early use of electricity in the 19th century was the telegraph. This new form of communication ushered in the era of electrical communication and brought electricity to the forefront of the public’s attention.
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For immediate release, April 1, 2010
For information: Alice Tibbetts, 612-625-3889
The chocolate headline appeared in a newspaper in 2005 and was based on a study involving only 14 people. Results from more current studies are in the news again, just in time for the Easter candy season. How do we determine if such health claims are credible? How do we interpret the statistics behind headlines? When are statistics manipulated to further an agenda?
Nancy Reid, a professor of statistics at the University of Toronto, will speak to these questions at a public lecture, Thursday, April 22, 2010 in 175 Willey Hall, 225 19th Avenue South at the University of Minnesota. She is the final speaker in this season's free lecture series sponsored by the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications (IMA).
When the media presents findings as definitive, the public is misinformed, she said. "Statistics are not black and white. In reality, there is a lot of nuance, and in the most complex problems, there is ambiguity. One number won't tell you anything important about climate change or cancer. Instead, we have to ask: Where did the number come from? How can we find more data to better inform us? What could have gone wrong? Data is just the beginning of the conversation."
Reid will discuss the statistics behind current news stories, including: chocolate's impact on health, whether girls are really less capable in math than boys, the Netflix Grand Prize for movie recommendations, and the use of new on-line visuals to explain large data sets, such as how stimulus money is being spent.
For updates on future public lectures: http://www.ima.umn.edu/public-lecture.
The IMA brings together the best minds in math and the sciences to solve pressing problems facing our society, our industries, and our planet. It receives major funding from the National Science Foundation and the University of Minnesota. | <urn:uuid:e7deccef-13d1-4554-9b22-3af78c3c272f> | {
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Political Science | Politics of the European Union
Y350 | 15352 | Sissenich
In 1945, Europe was completely devastated as a result of WWII. More
than sixty years later, 27 European countries are bound together in
the European Union. They share economic and monetary policy,
agricultural and environmental policy, asylum guidelines, and
countless other policy areas traditionally controlled by national
governments. Meanwhile, the EU and the US are each other’s most
important trade partners. We will examine the following questions:
What drives European integration? What explains the complex
institutional structures that we find in the EU? Are there
comparable cases of regional integration elsewhere in the world? Why
does European integration evolve more easily in some policy areas
than others? What is the role of law in integration? What does
European integration mean for democracy?
The course proceeds in three parts: 1) history and theories of
integration; 2) EU institutions; and 3) EU policies. Policies to be
covered include: the single market, economic and monetary union,
agriculture, environment, enlargement, security, and justice and
While neither a political science nor an economics background is a
prerequisite for this course, students must be willing to engage
arguments from both of these fields.
1) a group project consisting of an analysis of EU newspaper
coverage of a particular issue in different countries and languages;
2) a midterm focusing on history and institutions of the EU
3) a cumulative final focusing on policy-making in the EU
4) weekly readings of ca. 50 pp. of fairly dense legal,
political, and economic texts
5) participation in classroom discussion.
At the end of this course, students should be able to
1) Understand the institutional set-up of the European Union.
2) Understand how the EU and its member-states make decisions
and implement them.
3) Place their knowledge about EU institutions and policies in
a broader context of concepts about regional integration and
4) Assess the close connection between the US and the EU (and
between Indiana and the EU!) on a range of political-economic issues.
5) Evaluate news reports from a range of sources for
ideological leanings and policy preferences.
6) Deploy their existing knowledge of one or more foreign
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The wide south-east swath of land of the Indonesian part of the island of Papua comprises flat plains overgrown with mangrove forests serrated by many rivers. These plains lie so low that at high tide during the rainy season, sea water penetrates some two kilometers inland and flows back out to two km to sea at low tide. During low tide the plains are muddy and impassable. This is the largest alluvial swamp in the world, a low-lying territory of bog forest and meandering rivers emptying into the Arafura Sea.
Here is the habitat of crocodiles, gray nurse sharks, sea snakes, fresh water dolphins, shrimp, and crabs, while living along the banks are huge lizards. The forests contain palms, ironwood, merak wood and mangroves and are home to the crown pigeons, hornbills and cockatoos. There are grass meadows, and orchids do bloom here.
In such inhospitable landscape the Asmat have made this their home, next to the Marind-Anim and the Mimika tribes.
Among these, the Asmat are the best known, or the most infamous. They are fierce warriors who in the past practiced head-hunting following their culture and belief. But through their complex culture, they have also created some of the world’s most outstanding wood sculptures, exemplified by strong lines and design, most coveted by art collectors around the world.
Despite prized among the world’s finest primitive arts, nonetheless, to the Asmat themselves, their woodcarving is inextricably linked with the spirit world, and therefore, are not principally considered as aesthetic objects. Much of the highly original art of the Asmat is symbolic of warfare, headhunting, and warrior-ancestor veneration. For centuries the Asmat, preoccupied with the necessity of appeasing ancestral spirits, produced a wealth of superbly designed shields, canoes, sculptured figures, and drums.
Many of these masterpieces are today on display at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The Asmat region shot into world spotlight when in 1961 Michael Rockefeller, son of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller disappeared here on his second expedition to New Guinea. This time the expedition was to the Asmat region itself to purchase as many woodcarvings as possible.
On his first visit Michael had been deeply impressed by the Asmat sculptures, and planned to display these at an exhibition in the United States. On this fatal trip, accompanied by a Dutch art expert, the two hired an outboard-powered catamaran, but on this journey the boat capsized pushed by the rushing incoming tide. Impatient, Michael swam to shore never to be seen or heard of again. Whether he was dragged down by the tide, was ripped by crocodiles or hunted down by the Asmat remains a moot question.
The name “Asmat” most probably comes from the words As Akat, which according to the Asmat means: "the right man". Others say that that the word Asmat derives from the word Osamat meaning "man from tree". Asmat's neighbors to the west, - the Mimika- , however, claim that the name is derived from their word for the tribe - "manue", meaning "man eater".
The indigenous people in the region are divided into two main groups; those living along the coasts, and those in the interior. They differ in dialect, way of life, social structure, and ceremonies. The coastal river areas are further divided into two groups, the Bisman, living between the Sinesty and the Nin River, and the Simai.
Around 70,000 Asmat, the largest tribe in the area, are scattered in 100 villages in a territory of roughly 27,000 square km living in this huge tidal swamp land. The tribe was untouched by civilization until recent times. Dutch outposts, missionary settlements, and foreign expeditions finally made inroads into this isolated community only in the 1950’s and 60's.
Formerly, entire tribal families lived together in houses of up to 28 meters long called yeus. Yeus are still in use today, but are only occupied by men for rituals where unmarried men sleep. Upriver, the Asmat still live in longhouses, while the Kombai and Korowai Asmat still live in houses constructed in treetops.
The Asmat live on sago, their staple diet, as well as on mussels, snails, and fat insect larvae collected from decaying stumps of sago palms. These are eaten to the accompaniment of throbbing drums and ritual dances. Larvae feasts can last up to two weeks. The Asmat also gather forest products such as rattan, and catch fish and shrimp in large hoop nets.
The Asmat are semi-nomads, their life depending on conditions on the river which is their sole means of transport and their source of food.
Today in the village of Agats, raised walkways form a network above the muddy ground. The walkways link the village landmarks – churches, mosque, schools, Catholic mission offices, post office, police station and several government offices and a few shops selling basic goods. At high tide, small canoes and outboard motor dugouts weave through a small network of canals.
The Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress houses some of the best carvings and artifacts collected from all over the region.
Once a year the Asmat Cultural Festival is held in October (See Calendar of Events), dedicated to the development of Asmat art and culture. The main attractions are the carvings and dances performed by villages around Agats. The best carvings in the festival will be placed at the Asmat Museum, while the rest are sold through action on the festival site. | <urn:uuid:d94c85db-b486-46f5-8251-dd0239e662e2> | {
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IntroductionKiribati (kĭrˌĭbăsˈ) [key], officially Republic of Kiribati (2005 est. pop. 103,000), 342 sq mi (886 sq km), consisting of 33 islands scattered across 2,400 mi (3,860 km) of the Pacific Ocean near the equator. It includes 8 of the 11 Line Islands, including Kiritimati (formerly Christmas Island), as well as the Gilbert and Phoenix groups and Banaba (formerly Ocean Island). Tarawa is the capital. The population is nearly all Micronesian, with about 30% concentrated on Tarawa. English is the official language, and Kiribati, a Micronesian language, is also spoken. Some 50% of the inhabitants are Roman Catholic, while 40% are Protestant.
Fishing and the growing of coconuts, taro, breadfruit, and sweet potatoes form the basis of the mainly subsistence economy. The mining of Banaba's once thick phosphate deposits ended in 1979. Copra, coconuts, seaweed, and fish are the chief exports; foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, manufactured goods, and fuel are imported. Australia, Japan, Fiji, and the Unites States are the main trading partners.
A member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the nation is a republic governed under the constitution of 1979. The president, who is both head of state and head of government, is elected by popular vote for a four-year term and is eligible for two more terms. The unicameral House of Parliament has 42 members, most elected by popular vote, who serve four-year terms. Administratively the country is divided into three units (the Gilbert, Line, and Phoenix islands), and subdivided into six districts. There are also 21 island councils, one for each of the inhabited islands.
Sections in this article:
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Pacific Islands Political Geography | <urn:uuid:e2c891b4-e6f2-44ad-80fc-527ee0a0f828> | {
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Can breast cancer be prevented? According to the latest data from the American Cancer Society, there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer.
Regular mammograms are recommended for early detection, and strategies that may help prevent breast cancer include: Avoiding weight gain and obesity. Engaging in regular physical activity. Minimizing alcohol intake. Women who choose to breastfeed for an extended period of time (studies suggest a year or more) may also reduce their breast cancer risk. Women should consider the increased risk of breast cancer associated with the use of estrogen and progestin when evaluating treatment options for menopausal symptoms. | <urn:uuid:22b7a7cf-1b9a-4733-8624-90c18bbdc7db> | {
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| ||Medical Myths || |
Sleep: What's Going on Behind That Shut-Eye?
Last reviewed on January 13, 2011
By Robert H. Shmerling, M.D.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Have you ever watched someone sleep and wondered what he or she was dreaming? The persons outward appearance would never give it away: slow breathing, eyes occasionally fluttering, but mostly the very picture of peace and stillness. But, appearances can be deceiving. When people sleep, theres a lot more going on than meets the eye. The notion of sleep as the bodys ultimate down time has some truth to it, but sleep is also an active process, in which the brain can be remarkably busy, even if the body remains (mostly) immobile.
Whats Going On During Sleep?
There is much about sleep that remains mysterious, but experts divide it into two main categories, based on observations of sleeping persons and recordings of the brains electrical activity during sleep:
- Non-REM sleep This is divided into four stages, with Stage 1 the lightest and Stage 4 the deepest.
- Rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep During REM sleep, dreaming is common, muscles (other than the eyes) are inactive, and electrical activity in the brain is similar to that of an awake person. The blood pressure and heart and breathing rates may suddenly increase for short periods of time, just as they do during wakefulness
During a typical eight-hour period of sleep, a person drifts from wakefulness to Stage 1 non-REM sleep, through Stages 2, 3 and 4 and finally REM sleep over the first several hours. During the last half of the night, REM sleep and Stage 2 sleep alternate for 90 to 120 minutes each. As we age, brief awakenings increase in frequency, while deeper stages of non-REM sleep decrease.
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Why Do We Sleep?
The function of sleep is not entirely clear, but researchers believe that REM sleep is important for solidifying memories, and perhaps for even more critical functions. Rodents completely deprived of REM sleep die after a few weeks. Non-REM sleep, meanwhile, seems to be important in providing a sense of restored energy and ability to concentrate during the day. A number of theories about sleep attempt to explain its role or roles: a restorative for the mind and body in preparation for the day ahead; or a way of reducing energy consumption, to save energy for activities occurring during the day. Some scientists believe that sleep is evolutions way of improving survival by preventing animals from preying on each other 24 hours a day.
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Consequence of Sleep Deprivation
It is hard to define just how much sleep is normal; different people seem to need different amounts. Sleep experts define enough sleep as how long a person would sleep if there were no alarm clocks; that is, left to decide entirely on your own, how long would you sleep? The other way to define it is how long one needs to sleep in order to feel alert and rested the next day. However, duration of sleep is not the only thing that matters the quality of sleep also matters.
Too little sleep or poor-quality sleep can cause a number of problems, including difficulty with short-term memory, concentration, depression, anxiety, irritability, poor energy and reduced libido. In short, quality of life at work and at home may suffer terribly due to insufficient or poor sleep. All of these problems may resolve when sleep duration increases or sleep quality improves.
One problem related to sleep deprivation deserves particular emphasis: Automobile and truck accidents attributed to sleepy drivers account for thousands of deaths each year.
Although the impact is uncertain in humans, sleep-deprived rodents have reduced immune function and higher susceptibility to infection.
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There are more than 80 individual sleep disorders, but they are divided into 4 main categories:
- Dyssomnias, in which there is insomnia (difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep), sleepiness during the day, and abnormal sleep-wake timing; examples include sleep apnea and the effects of medications or alcohol.
- Parasomnias, in which there is abnormal behavior around sleep, but without excessive sleepiness or insomnia; examples include sleepwalking or night terrors.
- Medical-psychiatric sleep disorders, in which a condition that causes other problems disrupts or impairs sleep; examples include anxiety, depression, Parkinsons disease, dementia or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
- Sleep problems that cannot be clearly separated from normal variation, or for which there is no consensus among experts; examples include pregnancy-associated sleep disorder and sleep hyperhidrosis (excessive and unexplained sweating during sleep).
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Getting a Good Nights Sleep
There are changes you can make to improve your chances of getting a good nights sleep. Sleep experts call this sleep hygiene, and these measures are routinely recommended for almost anyone complaining of sleep trouble. Some are just common sense, but, unfortunately, many people for whom sleep is a problem do not recognize their importance. Here are some general guidelines to follow:
- Establish a schedule and stick to it; sleep when you are sleepy but try to get up and go to bed each day at about the same time.
- Use a fan or other means of creating a steady, soothing sound to drown out other noises.
- Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake; avoid caffeine after noon and dont use alcohol as a sedative before bed.
- Get heavy curtains or shades to block out bright light early in the morning if you are awakening earlier than youd like.
- Check your medication list. Because some medicines can interfere with sleep, ask your doctor or pharmacist about the medicines you take.
- Do not exercise vigorously within several hours of bedtime.
- Avoid heavy meals or excessive fluids within an hour or two of bedtime.
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The Bottom Line
The importance of sleep is self-evident, yet much remains unknown or uncertain about how we sleep, why we sleep and how to improve sleep. One thing is certain, however: Sleep is not a passive process or a complete shut down of the body many stages of sleep are as active for the mind as being awake. So, the next time you see someone sleeping, keep in mind that though the body may look quiet and peaceful, there is much more to the story.
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Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., is associate physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. He has been a practicing rheumatologist for over 20 years at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is an active teacher in the Internal Medicine Residency Program, serving as the Robinson Firm Chief. He is also a teacher in the Rheumatology Fellowship Program. | <urn:uuid:aedc3701-40df-4faa-894c-550a7cdad2c8> | {
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Though Apple designed the iPhone, iPod and iPad to be very user friendly and intuitive devices, they do take some adjusting to especially as they move further into roles computers have held - email, word processing, spread sheet, powerpoint, etc and are becoming more common in business, and educational functions.
Analogies are comparisons that point out relationships between two or more different things. For example: cat : kitten as dog : puppy. By providing your child with practice in correctly identifying analogies, you’ll not only help him improve his IQ and placement test scores, but you'll also improve his analytical thinking, problem solving, perception, spatial skills, memory and creativity.
Go grab iStart Spanish now (deadline Sep 30, 2010)--you can learn Spanish, and enter to win a 16GB Apple iPad!! Contest terms and conditions are clearly explained in the app, and the winner will be announced on 3 Oct, 2010. This contest is not related in any way to iphonelife.com promotions or giveaways.
As a dabbler of a few languages, I admit that I am not a natural learner. My English is not that good, and it's my native tongue! Anyhoo, I took Spanish in high school, but never could quite get the hang of the tricky rolling r sounds, the masculine and feminine forms, etc. With iStart Spanish on my iPod, I may finally be able to make some progress, and understand some of my wife's favorite TV shows.
Charles Peattie's Animal Alphabet is bound to be a favorite with young and old alike.
Are you looking for a way to entertain your preschooler? Teach him or her the letters of the alphabet? Either way, here’s an app to do it, and you’ll discover that you’ll be entertained as well!
For you history buffs, check out the history apps available from
…making learning fun again!
Last year our school district was fortunate to receive a $12,000 grant to fund a handheld computing project. We chose the iPod touch (a.k.a., "iTouch") as our handheld solution for a variety of reasons. The iTouch is fast and portable. The students stay on task because we can control the apps they are using. There are apps available in all subject areas that focus on specific classroom objectives. We purchased 18 iTouch units for our high school and 30 units for our middle school, grades 5-8. They were implemented as "portable labs" (15 to 20 units in a small bag that can be used by any of the classroom teachers). With many different teachers using the iTouch sets, we learned a lot about using them in the classroom.
Integrating the iPod Touch into a 3rd grade classroom
"If we teach today as we taught yesterday; we rob our children of tomorrow." – John Dewey
Every 3rd grade student in Juliana Pearson and Kent Jacobson's classroom has an iPod touch (iTouch) to use as an integrated classroom learning tool. Travel with them through a typical school day. | <urn:uuid:22e81239-9c1d-4914-a31c-8a05148df678> | {
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The man who saves turtles
04 April 2011 | News story
Dr Nicolas Pilcher - Malaysia
Nick saves sea turtles. In a nutshell that’s what he does. But he has to look far beyond their nesting grounds to make it work.
Nick has a PhD in turtle biology, but he says it did not prepare him for the real-world challenges of turtle conservation.
|“Knowing their biology may be one thing, but working with communities, fishermen and industry to make conservation happen is a whole different story,” he says.|
After an early career in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Palau as a marine biologist, Nick settled down in north Borneo and established his own non-governmental organization, the Marine Research Foundation (MRF), a non-profit entity geared to saving marine life across various countries and facing differing threats. MRF, an IUCN Member, now serves as a base from which Nick addresses turtle conservation at various levels, and with an ever-growing diversity of people.
Thank the turtles!
In Papua New Guinea Nick has brought together seven communities who all share one special thing in common: their beaches are nesting grounds for the Critically Endangered leatherback sea turtle. This community-based conservation project employs villagers to serve as rangers and protect the turtles, their eggs and their hatchlings.
But conservation in Papua New Guinea is tricky because natural resources are owned by the people and reaching consensus about conservation issues is a massive challenge. One of the greatest problems was that there were not enough ranger jobs to satisfy everyone in each village and the benefits of conserving turtles, rather than eating them, were not being felt by the entire community.
To overcome this problem, Nick provides a fixed lump sum ‘grant’ to each community to be used for village development or ‘legacy projects’ as he calls them, so that everyone benefits from having turtles around. These small projects range from repairing school roofs, organizing new church furniture, to the expansion of the fresh water system. And even if one does not get to be a ranger each season, at least there are benefits which all can enjoy.
Nick tells the communities to thank the turtles – and not the project – each time they pass by the new elementary school building, for it is they who bring them benefits. Judging by the continued involvement of all of the communities six years on, it appears to be a winning formula.
No head-butting with business
In India, Nick worked with the industry to get it right. Not more than 15km away from a proposed site for the development of a large port was a beach where hundreds of thousands of turtles nest in a wonderful natural phenomenon called an arribada.
But the Port needed to dredge a long channel for the ships to navigate safely, and lights were a concern as they could disturb nesting females and disorient the emerging hatchlings. Nick developed a plan with the Port authorities and the help of many IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group members (of which he, incidentally, is Co-Chair) to devise strategies to counter these potential threats. These were developed at an initial stage of port development, and so they did not cost the Port any major financial or time losses.
Nick and his team developed ways to stop the dredgers from ever sucking up any turtles, and designed a lighting scheme to overcome the concerns over light pollution. They even helped the port develop a world-class environmental management plan to address all kinds of other concerns and risks, so that the surrounding ecosystems upon which the local villagers depend are well protected long into the future.
|“Working with industry, rather than against them, and understanding that although industries have their own needs, much of what is needed for conservation can often be built into their plans, is a much more practical approach to conservation than continually butting heads with them,” says Nick.|
The fisherman's friend
In Malaysia, Nick helps fishermen keep turtles out of their nets. Shrimp trawlers often fish in areas where turtles feed, and the turtles drown accidentally in the nets. But the use of a simple metal grid and an escape flap called a Turtle Excluder Device can save the turtles and allow the fishers to continue to earn a living.
But convincing a fisherman to put a hole in his net for turtles to escape is not easy, as he fears he will also lose his catch. So Nick spends many days at sea with them, and shows them how to use the devices correctly, and showing that he is also concerned that they don’t lose any of their catch. Sitting on the back of a boat fixing nets and sewing in the grids makes Nick part of the fishing community, and allows him to gain their trust. Today this project is gaining momentum and spreading wings to Pakistan and even India.
The list of projects Nick has been involved with is long and the list of problems he has helped to solve – even longer. But he says that it is all worth it:
|“I look back on the projects I have been lucky to help with, and think of all the wonderful people that are now part of the solution when once they were the cause of the problem, and I am convinced we have to be optimistic. I certainly am!”|
Nick can be contacted at [email protected] | <urn:uuid:c4b33aa3-2dd2-4723-b575-a77bfe5a79af> | {
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Outside a small town in Gifu Prefecture is a little-known scientific research establishment engaged in a project to “create a sun on the Earth.” If successful, this venture will profoundly affect the lives of most people in the world.
The National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) is a collection of buildings on the tree-covered hillsides surrounding the town of Toki.
It houses the Large Helical Device (LHD), which cost ¥50 billion to make and is the only one of its kind in the world. The machine is designed to replicate fusion, the nuclear reaction that powers the sun. Once this is achieved, it will herald the end of humanity’s dependence on fossil fuels and begin an era of cheap and limitless energy.
The current Democratic Party of Japan administration is cutting back on big, expensive projects, and large-scale scientific organizations such as the LHD are under budgetary pressure. But it is worthwhile work according to Denis Humbert, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) scientist from France, who recently spent three months researching at the NIFS.
“The budget for this project is actually very small — $18 billion over the next 20 years. Fusion research has implications of great interest to many other fields such as research into new materials and the nanosciences. And most important, if it works, it will bring a solution to the planet’s energy problem.”
Hiroshi Yamada, executive director of research at the NIFS, gave The Japan Times a tour of the facility in July. We put on hard hats, climbed ladders and crossed metal gangways in a huge, cavernous building that measures 40 meters high, 75 meters long and 45 meters wide. The space houses the LHD — an enormous sprouting of pipes and coils all wrapped around a giant metal tube. Your reporter was invited to put on protective gear, crawl into a small space and stand upright to peer through a head-size hole, right into the silvery innards of the beast.
If I were to stand in the same spot a few months down the road, I thought, this thing would vaporize me in an instant.
Weighing 1,500 tons and measuring 13.5 meters long and 9.1 meters wide, the LHD is shaped somewhat like a vast twisted snake swallowing its own tail. It is the world’s largest superconductor and the only one of its type in the world. It costs the government ¥5 billion a year to run.
The technology started with secret military research in the Soviet Union and, separately, the United States and Great Britain, just after World War II. Until today, the most dramatic demonstration of fusion power the world has seen has been purely destructive: the testing of hydrogen bombs set off by atomic bombs and, of course, the nuclear weapons used against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
Nuclear fission splits nuclei to create energy and nuclear fusion joins them to do the same thing.
The first fusion device made for peaceful purposes was the Tokamak, which was invented by Leonid Zakharov in Russia in 1951.
Nuclear fission for peaceful use began in 1958 after a United Nations conference in Geneva on peaceful uses of atomic energy.
Since then, Japan, the European Union and the United States have made great efforts to modify and improve the machine. The Tokamak is still widely regarded as the most promising fusion device, but there are other similar devices in the world, including one in Naka, Ibaraki Prefecture, and at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy near Oxford, England. The Tokamak has reached temperatures of 500 million degrees Celsius in experiments, more than 30 times hotter than the sun.
Nuclear power for peaceful use has developed rapidly and there are now 400 nuclear fission power plants around the world. By contrast, the aim of constructing fusion reactors to generate electricity is still in the research and development phase.
“Replicating the fusion of helium and hydrogen that powers the sun, in earthly conditions, means generating temperatures beyond 100 million degrees Celsius,” explains Yamada. “This creates plasma, the fourth state of matter after solids, liquids and gases.”
All stars, our sun included, are made of plasma. Flashes of lightning are natural plasma and so too are the spectacular Northern Lights. Artificial plasma, at much lower pressure, is present inside neon lights and plasma television screens.
“The extreme temperatures inside the LHD mean the plasma must not be allowed to touch the walls of the device. If it did, (the walls) would melt.”
Herein lies the main difficulty with the LHD. Researchers must create materials strong enough to withstand fusion at temperatures many times hotter than the sun. Plasma at extremely high temperatures creates wild, unstable reactions and would irreparably damage any machine made to contain it that uses existing materials.
Yamada demonstrates this process by heating a circular fluorescent tube inside a microwave oven in a NIFS display area. When he takes it out, it casts a purplish glow and is warm to the touch. He says, “The glass walls of the tube cool the plasma. When a similar reaction occurs inside the sun, its vast gravitational pull keeps the plasma from shooting in all directions.
“Once new materials have been invented, the way will be open to constructing fusion reactors able to generate electricity, using easily obtained resources that will never run out. The raw materials needed for creating plasma in fusion reactions, are lithium and deuterium, which can be extracted from seawater.”
One widespread modern use of lithium, is in mobile phones. The amount commonly used in each phone is about 0.3 grams. Together with the deuterium taken from 3 liters of seawater, a fusion reaction equivalent to 22,000 kilowatt-hours of electric power could be created. This amount of electricity would supply a typical family in a developed country for a couple of years. Or to put it another way, one liter of seawater contains enough deuterium to provide the energy content, when fused with tritium, of more than 500 liters of petroleum.
Fusion power plants of the future, producing a million kilowatts, would need about a tenth of a ton of deuterium and 10 tons of lithium a year as fuel. Seawater covers over 70 percent of our planet and rates of extraction for hundreds of fusion reactors around the globe would never exhaust supplies.
Plasma inside the LHD is prevented from touching the walls by a magnetic field created inside the sinuous innards of the machine. It is done by means of a twisting, orange-hued metal alloy, wound 450 times and coiling round the outer walls of the giant tube. The coil is exposed to an electromagnetic force reaching 1,000 tons per meter. Beforehand the coil and supporting structure are cooled to minus 270 C. When cooled the structure typically shrinks 2 mm. The machine is built to tolerate a shrinkage of 2 cm.
Hydrogen gas is heated and injected into the machine. After reaching 10,000 C, the hydrogen molecules disintegrate into atoms. Then the parts of the atoms, the positive nucleus and the tiny negative electrons spinning around it, are unbound and create plasma.
Yamada explains how the process works: “Atoms that have lost electrons become ions and are 2,000 times heavier than electrons. The ions are trapped and rotated along the magnetic field and the electrons are sent in an opposite motion. This is the means by which plasma many times the temperature of the sun is kept from destroying the LHD. The sun’s temperature is only 15 million degrees. Its vastness — it is 100 times the size of the Earth — allows fusion to occur at a much less fierce heat than inside the LHD.”
When being readied for experiments, the LHD is cooled for a month. Usually from October to February each year it makes plasma four days a week. Last year, however, the machine was switched on only between Oct. 11 and the end of December, due to budget cuts. When the experiment ends and the LHD is switched off, it takes another month to warm up again.
Although at the moment the Toki LHD is the only one of its type in the world, another device will be built in Germany in 2015. After that, the next big development in fusion science will be the ITER project (originally the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), when a Tokamak 10 times bigger than Toki’s LHD will be built in Cadarache, France, in 2019. It is expected to be operational around 2027, when plasma will be ignited for the first time. Forty-five percent of the cost will be funded by the European Union, while Japan, China, India, Russia, the United States and South Korea will each contribute around 9 percent.
A demonstration reactor is expected to start producing electrical power from fusion energy in the 2030s. Then the next phase will be construction a new generation of fusion reactors. They are expected to start generating electric power, in place of current technologies, around the middle of this century.
Yamada defends the fusion process as a lot safer than conventional nuclear power.
“Radioactive materials used in fusion do not have to be moved off-site. Waste also does not have to be stored for thousands of years, as is the case with spent uranium at conventional nuclear power stations. Fusion waste could be reused after cooling off for 100 years.”
As regards local politics, the NIFS is seen by Toki’s municipal government as a valuable asset to the area. A couple of local politicians oppose it, however, fearing “industrial accidents.”
“But the LHD is for studying plasma at high temperatures,” says Yamada. “Not creating fusion. So the dangers of radioactive waste are not the same in Toki as they would be at the site of a real fusion reactor.”
As all the scientists analyzing the LHD experiments cannot be physically present in the control room, the results are studied by linking computer systems at eight universities around Japan. NIFS also attracts participating scientists from all over the world.
The Deputy Director General of NIFS, professor Osamu Kaneko, believes the educational function of the institute is very important.
“Since it will take 20 or more years to make fusion reactors a reality, it is necessary to educate young people as successors to our research. NIFS has a physical sciences department at the Graduate University of Advanced Studies in Kanagawa Prefecture. Thirty students from Japan and abroad study for their PhDs in Toki, at the forefront of nuclear fusion research,” says Kaneko.
This big science project is, in a sense, reaching for Utopia. It heralds the end of dependence on fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas, along with all their attendant ills: environmental degradation, global warming and the unstable geopolitics of oil. The many unsolved problems associated with atomic fission power would also end.
Toki’s LHD is a project looking for results in the long term — extremely long term — explains Akio Komori, director general of the NIFS.
“Our era is the longest known period between ice ages,” Komori says. The occurrence of another ice age, despite the current fear of global warming, is an overwhelming likelihood. In that distant future, when the world is again covered in ice, fusion plants, creating ‘suns’ all over the globe, would allow life on Earth to flourish for another 5 billion years, until the sun in the sky finally burns out.” | <urn:uuid:b2ef4a0a-02b2-4877-8e3a-e6c0d48ee689> | {
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March 11, 2008
By Aaron Wittenberg, MD
Aaron Wittenberg, MD
More than 1.5 million Americans develop blood clots in the veins which run deep within the legs, a condition called deep vein thrombosis — or "DVT" for short. If untreated, a piece of the blood clot can break loose from the leg and travel to the lungs, where it's called a pulmonary embolism and can cause death. DVT can also cause ulcers and varicose veins.
The good news is that today there is a treatment for DVT that can be done on an outpatient basis and carries much less risk of internal bleeding that accompanied traditional treatment methods.
What are the main causes of deep vein thrombosis? DVT develops as a result of extended sedentary behavior such as prolonged bed rest due to illness or recovery from surgery or trauma. Sitting on an airplane for six or more hours without moving around, as many of us did over the recent holidays, can also lead to DVT.
People who are pregnant, taking oral contraceptives or incurring other hormonal changes are at risk for DVT, as are people who have had injury to their veins as a result of trauma, athletic accidents or surgery.
Other people at risk for DVT are those with a personal or family medical history of DVT, those who smoke or are significantly overweight or obese.
DVT develops because blood pressure is relatively low in the veins which return blood to the heart. If a person is not moving around, so muscles help the blood keep moving, blood tends to pool and clot at the lowest part of the body.
It's easy for someone to know they have a problem, even if they've never heard of DVT, because it causes leg pain and swelling and/or skin discoloration or redness. Frequently, DVT symptoms will affect just one leg. It is not uncommon for air travelers to notice one leg is swollen or painful after a long flight.
Traditionally, DVT has been treated with blood thinners like Heparin, Coumadin or Warfarin, which prevent new clots from forming while the body dissolves the old clot over time. However, blood thinners carry a high risk of serious internal bleeding, a risk which often outweighs their benefit.
That's why our new procedure for eliminating DVT is so exciting. Specially trained interventional radiologists can perform a minimally invasive low-risk procedure with a device called the Possis AngioJet to break up and suction the clot out of the deep vein.
They do this, while the patient is under local anesthetic, by running a flexible wire down the vein. They can then run a specialized catheter along the wire to the site of the clot. Tiny balloons on each side of the clot prevent it from breaking away and traveling to a lung.
Then a combination of a clot-dissolving drug and a miniature vacuum cleaner break up the clot and clean out the vein. The clot debris is then suctioned out through the catheter. Sometimes a mechanical stent is installed to prevent the stressed vein from collapsing and prevent future clot development at the site.
I usually follow up with my patients in one week, one month and 90 days to be sure there are no rare post-surgical complications. At six months, we perform an ultrasound to be sure no new clots are forming.
The benefits of this low-risk treatment for DVT are many. Hospitalization is reduced because it can usually be done on an outpatient basis. Exposure to blood-thinning drugs is lower so there is reduced risk of internal bleeding and decreased long term vein damage.
DVT symptoms are relieved much more rapidly. Pain usually diminishes overnight and swelling is almost always gone in a week to 10 days.
About Dr. Wittenberg
Aaron Wittenberg, MD, is a board-certified radiologist who specializes in diagnostic and interventional radiology at John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital's Deep Vein Thrombosis Program, located at 19829 N. 27th Ave., in Phoenix, AZ 85024.
For more information, visit www.JCL.com/dvt or call 602-943-1111.
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