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Term 4 RFF
Teacher: Mrs C Dodman (Banda)
Exploring Wet and Dry Environments with Stage 1
EARTHQUAKE EXPLORERS IN STAGE 3!
In stage 3, students' recently engaged in a fun task which involved creating a replica of an earthquake using sponges as the building and play dough to represent tectonic plates colliding. Then, students' observed and explained what occurred before, during and after.
Another rich task that Stage 3 engaged in was making a seismograph and testing it out!
While one student abruptly shook the table, another student pulled and another student freely moved the texta along the page. This was a fantastic experience as students got to make their own seismograph.
Hope you enjoyed reading: TERM 4 RFF!
-Mrs C. Dodman (Banda) | <urn:uuid:4039070e-1860-42e7-8b40-2f2a2c4e3e73> | {
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Kangaroo Island is a large island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of southern Australia. The island is under the national authority of Australia and within the state of South Australia. Ecologically it is within the Mount Lofty woodlands ecoregion, which has a mainland component as well. Flinders Chase National Park, on the extreme west coast of the island, comprises a significant part of Kangaroo Island. There are at least 36 endemic taxa present on Kangaroo Island. Approximately one third of the natural habitat on the island can be considered intact.
Kangaroo Island exhibits a mediterranean climate, influenced by southwesterly humid winds arriving over the Indian Ocean. Underlying strata date to the Late Cambrian period, and bear important fossil content. The biodiversity is enhanced since the island is situated at the boundary of the western arid region and the southeastern wetter region of Australia, and hence the flora has elements of both biogeographical realms. The resident human population of the island was 4259 as of the 2006 census. Significant wildfires ravaged the island in 2007, but the woodlands are recovering at the current time.
Indian Ocean, has a land area of approximately 4406 square kilometres. The island is about thirteen kilometres from Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula, which is the nearest point to the island on mainland Australia.Kangaroo Island, situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Saint Vincent in the
The total coastline of the island measures 540 kilometres and the east-west length of the island is about 150 kilometres; Kangaroo Island is the third largest island belonging to Australia. The highest elevation on the island is Prospect Hill, 307 metres above mean sea level.
Geology and soils
limestone level landscape of Dudley Peninsula on the eastern drier side of the island, where KIngscote Mallee (Eucalyptus rugosa) and Soap Mallee (E. diversifolia) are dominant plants. The northeastern part of the island is dominated by ironstone solinised soils, a relatively flat terrain that hosts some very interesting scrub and grassland assemblies; the scrub communities are dominated by Kangaroo Island Narrow-leaf Mallee (Eucalyptus cneorifolia) and Broombush (Melaleuca uncinata); this substrate can also be found on the northern east-central portion of the island. The Beyeria Conservation Park on the Dudley Peninsula offers an excellent glimpse of well preserved Mallee/Broombush scrub.A major soils association is the skeletal (shallow)
A smaller unit of sandy soil substrate lies along the southern coast of the Dudley Peninsula, where plant communities were dominated by Eucalyptus rugosa, prior to massive agricultural conversion of the early 19th century.
Kangaroo Island's north coast manifests significant fossil-bearing deposits including Emu Bay Shale of the late Botomian (approximately 517 million years before present), within the late Lower Cambrian. A gamut of primordial marine arthropods have fossilised remains in this Burgess shale type unit.
The island is part of a region of South Australia that boasts a mediterranean climate, influenced by southwesterly humid winds arriving over the Indian Ocean. Austral winter (June to September) is typically the period of highest rainfall, and mild in temperature; conversely, the austal summer is normally warmer and more arid. Moderated by Indian Ocean influence, the peak maximum temperature usually is below 35 degrees Celsius (C), with average temperatures in the warmest month (February) ranging between 20 and 25 degrees C. Annual rainfall is lowest at Kingscote with around 45 centimetres, and highest atop the central plateau near Roo Lagoon with approximately 90 centimetres per annum.
Kangaroo Island manifests a range of vegetation types including sclerophyll woodlands, riparian woodland, chaparral and grassland. White Mallee (Eucalyptus diversifolia) is a prominent element of the mallee eucalypt woodlands.
endemism of plant species on Kangaroo Island, with approximately five percent of the taxa occurring nowhere else. Some of the prominent endemic vascular flora include Kangaroo Island Mallee Ash (Eucalyptus remota), Woolly Bush (Adenanthos sericeus), Kangaroo Island Conesticks (Petrophile multisecta) and the near-endemic Gland Flower (Adenanthos terminalis).There is a pronounced
The Beyeria Conservation Park features an assembly of rare plants that thrive on the laterite soils in this location. Important endemics here include the Kangaroo Island Turpentine Bush (Beyeria subtecta), Rough Spider Flower (Grevillea muricata), Small-flowered Daisy-bush (Olearia microdisca), and the Kangaroo Island Spider Orchid (Caladenia ovata).
The western end of Kangaroo Island manifests more undulating terrain and is recipient of the highest precipitation on the island. The vegetation is chiefly dominated by a blend of open forest and woodlands. Vegetation communities feature stands of Sugar Gum (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) and Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata), along with other mixed eucalypt woodlands.
Sminthopsis aitkeni), which is found only in the west of the island in Eucalyptus remota/E. cosmophylla open low mallee, E. baxteri low woodland or E. baxteri/E. remota low open woodland. The Common Brush-tailed Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is a widespread folivore native to Australia.The most notable mammal present is the endemic Kangaroo Island Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus), for whom the island was named upon European discovery in 1802. A smaller marsupial present on the island is the Tammar Wallaby (Macropus eugenii). An endemic dasyurid is the Critically Endangered Kangaroo Island Dunnart (
Monotremes are also represented on the island. There is also an introduced population of the Duck-billed Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) in the western part of the island in Flinders Chase National Park. The Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is also found moderately widespread on Kangaroo Island.
Chiroptera species on Kangaroo Island include the Yellow-bellied Pouched Bat (Saccolaimus flaviventris), which species is rather widespread in Australia and also occurs in Papua New Guinea. Australia's largest molossid, the White-striped Free-tail Bat (Tadarida australis) is found on Kangaroo Island. Another bat found on the island is the Southern Forest Bat (Eptesicus regulus), a species endemic to southern Australia (including Tasmania).
Several anuran species are found on Kangaroo island: Brown Tree Frog (Litoria ewingii), Spotted Marsh Frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis), Painted Spadefoot Frog (Neobatrachus pictus), Brown Toadlet (Pseudophryne bibroni) and Brown Froglet (Crinia signifera).
The Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi ) is a lizard that grows up to a metre in length, preying on smaller reptiles, juvenile birds and eggs; it is frequently observed on warmer days basking in the sunlight or scavenging on roadkill. The Black Tiger Snake (Notechis ater) is found on Kangaroo Island. Another reptile particularly associated with this locale is the Kangaroo Island Copperhead (Austrelaps labialis).
The Glossy Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) is found on the island, especially in the western part, where its preferred food, fruit of the Drooping Sheoak, is abundant. The Kangaroo Island Emu (Dromaius baudinianus) became extinct during the 1820s from over-hunting and habitat destruction due to burning.
Marine mammals that are observed on the island include the Australian Sea Lion (Neophoca cinerea) and New Zealand Fur Seal (Arctocephalus forsteri), each species of which is native to Kangaroo Island, and abundant at Admiral's Arch as well as at Seal Bay.
Kangaroo Island is not so adversely impacted by alien species grazers as parts of the mainland. No rabbit species are present on the island, and introduced (but escaped) Domestic Goats (Capra hircus) and pigs (Sus scrofa) have generated only minor issues. However, a Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) population introduced to the island in the 1920s has caused significant damage to certain woodland communities, especially to Manna Gum trees.
The earliest agriculture practised in the European settlement era was sheep farming commencing in the early 1800s, chiefly for wool production. In the early nineteenth century settlers cleared the native scrub and woodland but cutting and burning to make way for introduced domesticated sheep. As cropping technology improved, eventually soil amendments were added to make the land suitable for grain production, notably barley. In 1885 the first colony of Ligurian Honey Bees was introduced. Presently production of honey from this variety of bee is an important commercial agricultural activity on the island. Wine production began on the island in 1985, and currently there are 28 vineyard operations under cultivation.
Aboriginal peoples inhabited Kangaroo Island at least as early as 16,000 years before present, as evidenced by stone tools and shell middens left on the island; however, sea level rise accompanying glacial melt inundated the connection to the Australian mainland, and sometime during the middle Holocene, human habitation ceased, possibly as late as the first millennium BC. The island also bears the aborigine name Karta, meaning island of the dead. Not until European discovery in 1802 did human presence begin anew with the arrival of European settlers.
There are a number of protected areas on the island, the largest being Flinders Chase National Park at the western end. Additionally, there are other smaller conservation areas, especially to preserve specialised plant assemblies such as the Beyeria Conservation Park on the Dudley Peninsula, established to protect a numerous rare plant taxa adapted to the ironstone soils. In 2007, major wildfires occurred in the west of the island, mainly within Flinders Chase National Park; these lightning generated events severely damages the woodlands of the west, although at current time, these habitats are slowly recovering.
Other key protected areas on the island are:
- Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park
- Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area
- Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area
- Seal Bay Conservation Park
- Barrett. 2010. The Immigrant Bees, Volume 5. Caloundra, Queensland
- N.C.W. Beadle. 1981. The Vegetation of Australia. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom. ISBN: 0521241952
- R. J. P. Davies. 1992. Threatened plant species of the Murray Mallee, Mount Lofty Ranges, and Kangaroo Island regions of South Australia. Nature Conservation Society of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
- M.F. Glaessner. 1979. Lower Cambrian Crustacea and annelid worms from Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Alcheringa: an Australasian Journal of Palaeontology (Taylor & Francis) 3 (1): 21–31
- J.M. Oades. 1986. Water and soils. pp. 44-53 in H.R.Wallace, ed. The ecology of the forests and woodlands of South Australia. Woolman Goverment Printer, Adelaide, Australia.
- S.Parker. 1984. The extinct Kangaroo Island Emu, a hitherto-unrecognised species. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 104: 19–22.
- Rebe Taylor. 2002. Unearthed: The Aboriginal Tasmanians of Kangaroo Island. Kent Town. Wakefield Press. ISBN 1-86254-552-9.
- World Wildlife Fund. 2007. Mount Lofty woodlands. | <urn:uuid:dbb74023-31ec-4517-b002-8935f2bf1e0a> | {
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For some, 3D printing might seem childish and toy-like. After all, what can you print in a 3D printer? A whistle or a figurine of a video game character, right? In fact, 3D printing is a powerful technology which is already providing significant savings to companies. Its future is even more promising.
3D printing is taking more and more branches of the economy by storm. Up until recently it has been used only experimentally by universities and large corporations. Today, thanks to companies such as Zortrax, it’s readily available. Just order a 3D printer online today and tomorrow you will be able to enjoy your new device.
On the other hand, the question that’s often asked is: why 3D printing, what can this technology be used for? Pessimists like to show examples of minor, simple 3D printed items which could have easily been manufactured with a different method and maybe would’ve even been cheaper. However; 3D printing is very useful when you know how to utilize it and what you want to achieve. The technology has a wide range of prospects, therefore more and more universities are establishing departments focused on 3D printing and skills related to 3D printing are valued by many companies. Experts in the field of 3D printing are in high demand.
Multitude of Useful Applications
3D printing technology is utilized in many fields. One of them is medicine. 3D printers such as the Zortrax M200 create models of hearts and other organs as training aids for surgeons. Such a printer was also used to create the first winch that facilitates the procedure of varicose vein removal. These are just a handful of examples from one field. Another field which is aware of the potential of 3D printing is the automotive industry. The technology allows for rapid prototyping of not only elements of the body, but also of individual components. The future of 3D printing in manufacturing cars is looking brighter and brighter. Experts predict that it will be possible to easily print spare parts, personalize your car and increase the speed of production.
A 3D printers can also be the basis of significant economizing in manufacturing plants. Bosch uses Zortrax 3D printers in its plant to create spare parts for machines as well as solutions which facilitate work. 3D printing is becoming indispensable in R&D departments and design departments. Wherever the technology is introduced, it accelerates work and cuts down costs.
3D printing is useful to architects for creating mockups and to mechanics for creating tools. It has found a place in media houses for manufacturing personalized promo gadgets. It’s also a wonderful tool for start-ups when they need to create prototypes of casing or even the casings themselves in low-volume production. 3D printing offers a chance to people who want to start their own business as well. You can use it as a basis and build your business around it: make 3D printed models on demand or earn money through printing specific projects.
We’re still at the very first stages of the development of 3D printers. The technology is evolving rapidly, new, larger devices, such as the Zortrax M300 3D printer, are being introduced, new materials are appearing and people are coming up with new ideas of how to use a 3D printer. Nowadays, desktop 3D printing is mainly a hobby, but soon you’ll likely be able to print items that you happen to lack at the moment you need them. In many fields of the economy, however, development without 3D printing is almost unimaginable. 3D printing is an innovation which fuels more innovation. 3D printing is inexpensive prosthetics, creating spare parts, rapid prototyping, creating personalized items and manufacturing with minimum waste. The technology is useful and thanks to its widespread availability as well as further development will be even more useful in the future. | <urn:uuid:08685846-70e0-433a-af2b-323058aec1bf> | {
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Is Sex Education Necessary in School?
By: Zainul Jum’ah
Introducing sex education in the schools of India is an important issue. A 2007 ministry of women and child development study shows that over 50 percent of children are sexually abused. Sex is still considered a taboo in India. Parents feel embarrassed to talk openly with their children in this regard. Due to the ignorance of sex education they fall victim to AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Many NGOs are trying to create awareness on AIDS. Sex education can help people to take decisions regarding health and sexuality. It is high time for sex-education to the introduced in schools for the benefit of the youth of the country. Introducing sex-education in the schools of India is an important issue. Recommendations of the National curriculum frame work 2000 focus on cultivating a proper understanding of sex related issues with special focus on teenage pregnancies, drug addiction and adolescent education. A 2007 Ministry of women and child development study shows that over 50 percent of our children are sexually abused. In half of these cases, the abuse is perpetrated by persons in positions of trust and a majority of the children do not report it due to fear. Sex education has become a debatable issue. Many people feel that these kind of delicate issues should be left to the parents. Parents feel embarrassed to talk openly with their children in this regard. Sex is still considered a taboo in the Indian society. It is considered that teaching our children about their sexuality can break down pre-existing notions of modesty and tear the moral fabric of our society. But with the alarming increase of AIDS, unwanted / unplanned / unwed pregnancies and other diseases related to sex, it is important that sex-education should be given importance in schools and colleges. Physical and mental changes in children start appearing with puberty. Sexual development begins much earlier than that. Many children...
Please join StudyMode to read the full document | <urn:uuid:2f4fee3f-e094-48cd-8d9f-f144229a02c1> | {
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Autism affects nearly 1 in 88 children
(Centers for Disease Control)
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation has funded nearly $300 million in NARSAD Research Grants to understand the causes and improve treatments for mental illness. Researchers funded by NARSAD Grants utilize the latest in new technologies to understand the brain and work to develop diagnostic tools, early intervention techniques and the next generation of therapies.
Funding work across a broad range of psychiatric disorders, $8 million in grant funding since 1990 has been dedicated to autism research. More than 119 researchers have been supported with NARSAD Grants to improve the lives of those with autism.
|Courtney Benton is an autistic artist who lives in Michigan. She draws and creates fairies to help people with special needs. She created the Autism Fairy to help the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation defeat autism.|
- Early detection and intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
- Discovering the causes of ASD
- Development of brain atlas to aid study of brain development in ASD
- Identification of genetic “mutation hotspots” that elevate the risk for developing ASD
- “GPS-type” toolkit to identify and track a vital group of brain cells linked to ASD
- Discovery of which brain dysfunctions cause Fragile X Syndrome and how to possibly correct them
- Work to develop an ‘epigenetic risk map’ for autism
Foundation recognized two leading autism experts with 2012 Ruane Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research:
|Dr. Matthew State of UCSF:||Dr. Daniel Geschwind of UCLA:|
Dr. State represents a rare combination of a clinically trained child psychiatrist who also has received a Ph.D. in genetics. His research centers on the search to discover genes related to neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood and is recognized as one of the most outstanding scientists in the discovery of rare genetic variants as risk factors for autism. Applying rapidly evolving technologies of molecular genetics, his work is helping to illuminate the molecular and neurobiological underpinnings of these disorders toward the goal of translating research findings into new and more effective treatments.
Matthew State, M.D., Ph.D.
In addition to his fundamental quest to understand the genetic basis of human higher cognition, Dr. Geschwind is working to develop effective, targeted therapeutics for brain and behavior disorders such as autism.
Dr. Geschwind will also be one of the speakers at the 2012 Discovery to Recovery: A Path to Healthy Minds Mental Health Conference in Los Angeles on April 30, 2013. Learn more about the conference.
Daniel Geschwind, M.D.
Peter G. Enticott, Ph.D., Monash University (Australia)
In this project, Dr. Enticott will work with a sample group of adults with ASD who will receive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), either active or placebo, directed at a brain region involved in understanding others' thoughts and feelings. They will be assessed over various time intervals to determine whether rTMS has improved their social relating ability, and whether improvements can be maintained over time.
Irina Voineagu, M.D., Ph.D., Riken Omics Science Center, Japan
In a recent study, Dr. Voineagu demonstrated there are shared abnormalities in a large subset of ASD cases, at the level of gene expression. Using a next-generation RNA sequencing approach to analyze postmortem brain tissue from ASD cases and matched controls, she hopes to identify specific gene expression dysregulation in the ASD brain. This finding would contribute significantly to the design of targeted therapeutic approaches for ASD.
Kelly Anne, Ph.D., National Institute of Mental Health
Functional connectivity MRI is a technique that examines the coupling between neural activity in different brain regions. Such coupling is atypical in ASD, and measures of functional connectivity correlate with differences in symptom expression. Dr. Barnes will use functional connectivity MRI data to predict subsequent measures of symptom expression and adaptive behaviors, and to establish guidelines to provide a detailed understanding of the relationship between neural circuitry and long-term outcomes in ASD. She hopes to identify those patients who might benefit from interventions.
Mikail Rubinov, Ph.D., University of Cambridge, England
Dr. Rubinov will use cutting-edge neuroimaging and data analysis methods to accurately reconstruct complex brain networks, or connectomes, and to detect abnormalities of these networks in adolescent patients with autism and in their siblings. The detection of such abnormalities could result in objective diagnostic markers of autism. Objective markers should play an important role in providing individuals with more accurate information about their disease outcomes and may inform the choice of autism treatments in the future.
Stephanie L. Barrow, Ph.D., University of California, Davis
Dr. Barrow is exploring the convergence of immune and genetic signaling pathways in ASD and schizophrenia. The identification of a common pathway affected in both disorders as a result of genetic mutations and environmental exposures could have significant implications for the treatment of both disorders.
Shu-Ling Chiu, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
Autistic-like behavior was observed in mice in which the GRIP1 gene, important for regulating synaptic transmission, was ‘knocked out,’ or deleted, and mutations similar to GRIP1 were found in autistic patients. GRIP1 is allied with another gene called GRASP1 and Dr. Chiu’s research will explore how GRASP1 works in the GRIP complex to affect synaptic transmission and the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorders.
Zhanyan Fu, Ph.D., Duke University
Shank3 mutant mice are mouse models of ASD. Dr. Fu will test the hypothesis that Shank3 disruption has differential effects on certain glutamatergic synapses. The goal is to generate a novel mouse model of ASD harboring the deleterious Shank3 mutations from human patients with ASD, in order to yield clinically relevant insights into the underlying mechanism of human ASD and related disorders.
Daniel P. Kennedy, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology
In an initial exploration of anatomical features that underlie altered brain activity in autism, Dr. Kennedy will investigate, from a whole- brain perspective, whether communication across the cerebral hemispheres is disrupted as compared to communication within a hemisphere, and also whether those brain regions with altered connectivity are the ones that do not function properly in autism.
Isabelle Souliéres, Ph.D., Hospital Riviere-des-Prairies, University of Montreal, Canada
Dr. Souliéres intends to examine the neural network involved in visuo-spatial expertise in autistic individuals, assess the coordination of neural activity among the regions included in this neural network and investigate the integrity of white matter connections between regions involved in visuo-spatial processes in autistic and non-autistic individuals.
Natalia V. de Marco Garcia, Ph.D., New York University
Recent research strongly implicates abnormal glutamate function in schizophrenia. Using a mouse model, Dr. de Marco Garcia will look into the role of a particular receptor called NMDA, which is associated with the system that regulates the glutamate neurotransmitter system. The project will also assess how a blockade in signaling through the NMDA receptor may give rise to schizophrenia-like symptoms.
Mark Christian Eldaief, M.D., Harvard University
Dr. Eldaief and team will compare repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)-induced effects in people with ASD and healthy controls. They have shown that rTMS can change the strength of connections in neural networks that shape learning and memory. This research could advance understanding of ASD mechanisms, which could help diagnose disease and possibly pave the way for rTMS use to correct ASD network abnormalities.
Avniel S. Ghuman, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
Reduced long-distance brain connectivity in ASD is believed to contribute to cognitive pathologies. Dr. Ghuman will use magnetoencephalography to examine the dynamics of connectivity between critical regions of networks involved in sensory and auditory processing, and assess how this may relate to social and cognitive impairments in ASD.
Yun Li, Ph.D., Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Using the newly-developed TALEN technology, Dr. Yi has generated novel stem cell models of Rett and Fragile X syndromes (FXS) in human cells. Neural and glial cell types will be subjected to extensive phenotypic characterization with respect to structure, electrophysiology, transcription, translation and intracellular signaling. Findings may provide critical insights into the pathogenic mechanism of Rett and FXS in human cells, and could serve as a platform for future therapeutic identification efforts that could lead to treatments.
Michael E. Talkowski, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University
A striking number of genes associated with a spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders (NPD) were found to be disrupted in subjects with ASD and related neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Employing innovations in sequencing and bioinformatics developed during his postdoctoral research, Dr. Talkowski seeks to prove that careful genomic approaches can elucidate locations at which some genetic changes confer risk for NPD and NDD.
Michael J. Higley, M.D., Ph.D., Yale University
Using optogenetics, Dr. Higley will measure the actions of inter- neurons on their synaptic targets to find out how synaptic inhibition is modulated by dopamine and how its dysregulation may be an important factor in schizophrenia. He will also examine dopamine and inhibition in synaptic plasticity—a disruption of which likely represents a key pathology associated with schizophrenia.
Devanand S. Manoli, M.D., Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco
Pioneering work in the prairie vole has identified Oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide and hormone, as a critical mediator of pair bonding. Strikingly, OT and OXTR, the human OT receptor, have also been implicated in social-attachment-type behaviors in humans. Disruptions in the OT axis have been correlated with numerous psychiatric disorders. Dr. Manoli plans to test the genetic requirement of OTR (a target gene) in pair bonding in voles.
Sergiu P. Pasca, M.D., Stanford University
Dr. Pasca and his team have generated pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a cohort of patients with chromosome 22 (22q11.2) deletion syndrome (22q11DS), with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or autism, and with no psychiatric diagnosis. In prior work they have generated neurons from some of these cells and identified defects in dopamine signaling. They will now extend this initial characterization by studying other aspects of neuronal development and signaling in 22q11DS neurons and by characterizing dopamine signaling in neurons from additional 22q11DS patients. The goal of this project is to develop in vitro models of psychiatric disease and to identify new therapeutic targets.
Heather E. Ross, Ph.D., Emory University
22q11DS, also known as DiGeorge syndrome, is the second most common childhood genetic disorder after Down syndrome. Dr. Ross seeks to determine several fundamental characteristics of 22q11DS including fully characterizing the immune dysfunction outcomes and examining how immune changes contribute to structural and functional brain abnormalities as well as atypical behavioral development. | <urn:uuid:2454311c-bdae-4015-9a68-6f46916a1224> | {
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The UNEP field mission visited 11 of the 112 sites that were identified as being targeted by ordnance containing depleted uranium, including five in the Italian sector (MNB (W)) and six in the German sector (MNB (S)).
The work was carried out in close cooperation with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR), which assisted with logistics, accommodation, transport and security. The UNEP team, consisting of 14 scientists from several countries, collected soil, water, and vegetation samples and conducted smear tests on buildings, destroyed army vehicles, and DU penetrators.
Remnants of DU ammunition were found at eight sites. Altogether, 340 samples are being analyzed, including 247 soil samples, 45 water samples, 30 vegetation samples, 10 smear tests, five sabots, two penetrators, and one penetrator fragment. (Penetrators and sabots are specialized parts of ordnance.)
"When we finalized the Balkans Task Force report on the environmental effects of the Kosovo conflict last year, there was insufficient data available to address the issue of depleted uranium," said Klaus Toepfer, UNEP's Executive Director. "In response to a request from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and UNEP, NATO provided us in mid-2000 with the exact coordinates of the target sites, enabling our team to make proper measurements of DU sites in Kosovo," he said. "UNEP's aim is to determine whether the use of DU during the conflict may pose health or environmental risks - either now or in the future," concluded Mr. Toepfer.
The samples are being analyzed for both radioactivity and toxicity by the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute (SSI) in Stockholm; AC Laboratorium-Spiez in Switzerland; Bristol University's Department of Earth Sciences in the UK; the International Atomic Energy Agency Laboratories (IAEA) in Seibersdorf, Austria; and the Italian National Environmental Protection Agency (ANPA) in Rome, Italy.
The assessment work on depleted uranium has been financed by the Government of Switzerland. The results of the tests will be ready in early March 2001, when UNEP will publish a full report of its findings. In addition, UNEP has been in contact with authorities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in order to plan a similar field mission to Serbia and Montenegro, where a number of the 112 NATO-identified DU sites are located. This mission is being planned for the coming spring.
UNEP recommends precautionary action "Out of the 11 sites visited, the team found three sites with no signs of higher radioactivity, nor any remnants of DU ammunition. At eight sites, the team found either slightly higher amounts of Beta-radiation immediately at or around the holes left by DU ammunition, or pieces and remnants of ammunition, such as sabots and penetrators," said Pekka Haavisto, chairman of the UNEP DU Assessment Team and former Environment Minister of Finland. "For the UNEP team it was surprising to find remnants of DU ammunition just lying on the ground, one-and-a-half years after the conflict," Mr. Haavisto noted. "Also, the ground directly beneath the DU ammunition was slightly contaminated. For this reason, we paid special attention to the risks that uranium toxicity might pose to the ground waters around the sites."
Although the final conclusions of the scientific assessment can only be made after the laboratory results are available, the UNEP team believes that its preliminary findings call for precautions to be taken when dealing with penetrators and sabots found at the identified sites and near other locations where such ammunition might be present. A number of such precautionary recommendations are spelled out in the Depleted Uranium Desk Assessment, published in October 1999.
The final report due in March 2001 will contain more detailed recommendations.
Note to journalists: For more information, please contact:
UNEP Spokesperson Mr. Tore Brevik at 00254-2-623292,
the Chairman of the UNEP Depleted Uranium Assessment Team, Mr. Pekka Haavisto,
at +358-40-588 4720
Henrik Slotte, UNEP Balkans Unit, at +41-22-9178598
Michael Williams at +41-22-9178242
See also http://balkans.unep.ch | <urn:uuid:fb50031d-7b41-47bc-b8aa-38c96d983bad> | {
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Global Cyber Executive Briefing
Telecom companies are a big target for cyber-attacks because they build, control and operate critical infrastructure that is widely used to communicate and store large amounts of sensitive data.
- Case - 1: State-sponsored hackers launch privacy attack
- Case - 2: False claims do real damage to a major ISP
- Case - 3: Thief steals a laptop containing sensitive customer information
Government agencies are increasingly attacking telecom operators’ infrastructure and applications to establish covert surveillance (case #1). These sophisticated actors typically use very advanced persistent threats (APT) that can operate undetected for long periods of time. Communication channels targeted for covert surveillance include everything from phone lines and online chat to mobile phone data. There have even been cases where one nation’s cyber-attack prevented another nation’s leaders from communicating on their mobile devices.
Given that telecom companies control critical infrastructure, the impact of an attack can be very high and far-reaching. In fact, even the false claim of an attack can force a telecom company to shut down critical services that consumers and businesses rely on (case #2).
Customer data is another popular high impact target. Telecom organizations typically store personal information -- such as names, addresses and financial data – about all of their customers. This sensitive data is a compelling target for cyber-criminals or insiders looking to blackmail customers, conduct identity theft, steal money or launch further attacks. Information can be lost in a variety of ways that may be as simple as a stolen laptop (case #3). Of course, laptops can be lost or stolen in any sector; however, the problem tends to be worse in telecom because employees in this sector often serve customers as part of a call center or help desk function and may have large amounts of sensitive customer data stored on their laptops.
One critical threat unique to the telecommunications sector is the attack of leased infrastructure equipment, such as home routers from Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Once the equipment has been compromised, hackers can use it to steal data, launch other attacks anonymously, store exfiltrated data, or access expensive services such as international phone calls. To avoid upsetting customers, telecom companies generally refund any charges associated with such attacks, often resulting in significant lost revenue.
State-sponsored hackers launch privacy attack
A very large international mobile phone provider.
Cyber spies gained access to mobile communication channels for surveillance purposes by incorporating malicious software on a spoofed social media page of privileged users within the company.
Attackers and motivation
The attackers were associated with a government agency that wanted to spy on large groups of mobile phone users.
The attack was an extremely sophisticated combination of several techniques. The attackers first spoofed the personal social media pages of privileged users within the company. The spoofed pages then installed malicious software on the users’ computers, taking advantage of their elevated system privileges to penetrate deeply into the company’s network. This ultimately allowed the attackers to access mobile communication data for surveillance purposes.
The size and scope of the attack did significant damage to the organization’s reputation and confidentiality of the infrastructure. It also fueled customer concerns about privacy, which is a major issue for the entire telecom sector.
False claims do real damage to a major ISP
A large internet service provider (ISP), hosting a nation’s critical infrastructure.
A teenage hacker gained access to hundreds of the ISP’s servers and then published a list of user names and passwords he claimed to have stolen from them. This forced the company to temporarily suspend the email accounts of all affected users. It later turned out the data was obtained from a different company and not the ISP.
Attackers and motivation
The attacker was an individual teenager who was hacking for fun and ego gratification, bragging about his accomplishments in online forums.
A vulnerability in a website not related to the affected company was exploited to export data from the database containing customer information. The attacker then selected all users having email addresses from the ISP’s domain in order to make the public (and the ISP itself) believe the ISP had been compromised.
The ISP did not have the proper processes in place to determine if it had been compromised or not, and thus had to assume the published data had been stolen from its systems. In response, it was forced to suspend all affected email accounts, which angered a lot of customers and prompted many to switch to another email provider. Also, the fact that the ISP could not conclusively determine if the leaked data had actually originated from its systems gave the impression the company did not have a very good handle on security breaches.
Thief steals a laptop containing sensitive customer information
A very large cable service provider that offers television, internet and mobile telephony services.
One of the organization’s employees – in violation of company policy -- had stored a lot of sensitive customer information on his laptop. The laptop was an older model and the data was stored unencrypted. Personal information for 40,000 customers was lost, including client numbers, names, email-addresses, postal codes, genders and parts of bank account numbers.
Attackers and motivation
The attacker was a petty thief who was interested in the laptop, not the data. In fact, it’s likely he didn’t even know the data was there.
Although the technique of stealing a physical laptop was not sophisticated or specifically relevant for the Telecommunications sector, the type of data that resided on it was.
It’s unclear whether the stolen data was used maliciously since the thief may not have even realized it was there. However, all affected customers had to be informed of the incident, leading to loss of trust. Also, extensive media coverage caused significant embarrassment and reputation damage for the company. | <urn:uuid:f602e9ff-d851-4ed9-81ca-bf69cb32c7b0> | {
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r. Carl Eisdorfer, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, has a succinct explanation for the Universitys ever-growing research on aging: Being old is something we all aspire to. But being old also presents an ever-growing raft of complications. And many diseases strike 70-year-old patients in vastly different form than they strike 30-year-olds, requiring specially designed approaches by physicians to ensure that the conditions are properly identified and treated. UM researchers in such disciplines as psychiatry and neurology, studying conditions ranging from epilepsy to spinal cord injury to HIV infection, are discovering new clues to diagnosis and treatment that can lead to significant improvement in quality of life for elderly patients. High on Dr. Eisdorfers list of conditions that need special interpretation in older people is depression. Its not recognized, its often not treatedand its lethal, he says. Elderly patients may describe what they are feeling not as depression but as emptiness. And their loved ones may consider that loneliness or isolation an unavoidable consequence of growing old. We dont see it as depression, we see it as a natural state, says Eisdorfer, M.D., Ph.D. Thats not unlike the view society used to take of dementia, or Alzheimers diseasethat it was a normal part of aging. Not until it was categorized as a disease did physicians begin to find medications that can slow it down and improve the patients quality of life.
Dr. Eisdorfer estimates that only about 20 percent of mental health problems are diagnosed. The Center on Adult Development and Aging, the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement, and other initiatives at the School of Medicine are exploring depression in the elderly and their caregivers, the use of computers and other technology to enhance well-being and support, and the incidence and prevention of suicide in older people.
Spiritual care also has been shown to have tremendous impact. Weve known about this in cancer and terminal illness for awhile, says Dr. Eisdorfer, who is a strong proponent of expanding the universal definition of health care to include mental health. Were talking about raising the index of suspicion that part of a patients problem is mental health. The result, he is convinced, would be hefty cost savings and a significant improvement in overall health.
nother dramatic example of a disease going severely under-diagnosed in the elderly is epilepsy. R. Eugene Ramsay, M.D., chief of the Department of Neurologys International Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, has found that the incidence of epilepsy in the elderly is six to eight times higher than in any other age group.
Seizures in our senior citizens are very frequent and under-recognized, Dr. Ramsay says. Patients and even many doctors dont recognize them because they dont look like the seizures that occur in younger people.
A convulsion is hard to ignore, Dr. Ramsay says. The patient falls down, jerks all over, and is usually taken to the emergency room. But an elderly person having a seizure may just stop what hes doing and stare into space.
Its not as overt, but it has some tremendously terrible aftereffects, he says. The confusion and disorientation may last days, even a week. Coordination is impaired, which often leads to falls and debilitating injuries such as fractures of the hip or leg.
Because these manifestations of seizures havent been appreciated, when somebody comes in with a memory disorder, its attributed to the aging process or to Alzheimers, he adds. So the right questions are not asked and the patient may not end up with the proper medication to stop or at least reduce the suffering.
Dr. Ramsay is involved in a 17-center Veterans Administration study to figure out which seizure medications are best tolerated in the elderly. Other studies have shown that side effects in older patients are two to three times higher than in younger people, at least in part because they take so many other medications.
One way researchers found patients for the VA study was by scrounging through the wards, Dr. Ramsay says. Three-fourths of the doctors who saw these patients originally were not thinking epilepsy at all.
Epilepsy results from scarring of the brain, which can be caused by a head injury or stroke in the elderly. Cells on the brains surface lose their normal function, resulting in excessive electrical activity that Dr. Ramsay calls brainstorms. In many cases an EEG, or electroencephalogram, shows the damage.
James Crossman joined the study after suffering a seizure three years ago that was blamed on low sodium. I was dropping everything, says Crossman, 65. While he was registering at the VA Medical Center for treatment, he passed out.
When doctors determined his sodium was low, Crossman was put on eight medications. After suffering a few more seizures in which he would just go blank, he was referred to Dr. Ramsay.
Crossman says he began feeling better when he stopped taking the eight original pills and started one of the study medications.
The study is comparing the anticonvulsant drug carbamazepine, marketed as Tegretol and fairly widely prescribed for seizures in the elderly, with two newer drugs: gabapentin (brand name Neurontin) and lamotrigine (brand name Lamictal). If we can find a drug they can tolerate, most seizures can be controlled, Ramsay says. Weve had tremendously good results.
A growing and similarly under-recognized problem in older people, particularly in South Florida, is HIV infection. Nationally, 11 percent of people with AIDS are over age 50; in South Florida the percentage climbs to 14.
The rate of infection is increasing in older people for two reasons, says Karl Goodkin, M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. The first is that because of the effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs and other therapy, people with the disease are living longer than ever before. The other is that people over age 50 are becoming infected at a higher rate.
Older people have not deemed themselves at-risk and therefore have not been following precautions, Dr. Goodkin says. Likewise, doctors have not deemed older people at-risk and have not screened them. They get diagnosed far too lateand at an alarming rate in the month prior to death.
Despite the growing number of older people infected with HIV, relatively little research has been done on the effects of age on HIV symptoms and disease progression. The absence of information concerns Dr. Goodkin and others because the time from HIV infection to the development of full-blown AIDS appears to be much shorter5.5 years compared to 9.8 yearsin older people than in younger patients.
Dr. Goodkin is conducting a study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health with the support of the National Institute on Aging, of cognitive disorders in older HIV patients. Early findings of the study, which will enroll 286 participants, are showing that HIV-positive patients are more prone to have symptoms of minor cognitive-motor disorder: mental slowing, impaired memory, motor slowing, incoordination, irritability, difficulty concentrating, unstable moods, and personality changes.
Dr. Goodkin has found differences in immune function in older HIV patients as well. They have been shown to have a lower CD4 cell countthe helper cells destroyed by the viruswhich means the patient will be more prone to illness due to immunosuppression. There also appears to be a higher CD8 cell count in older people, which probably reflects a higher viral antigenic burden.
t UMs Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Marca L. Sipski, M.D., and colleagues are exploring the added stress of aging on people who already are disabled.
We all have cumulative trauma as we age, but its a lot worse with spinal cord injury, says Dr. Sipski, who is project director for the South Florida Spinal Cord Injury Model System. Last summer the UM/VA affiliation also was designated a Center for Excellence in Functional Recovery in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury, one of 11 VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Centers of Excellence.
A wealth of projects is under way to develop treatment for the pain and spasticity of spinal cord injury, to improve bowel and bladder function, to build muscle mass, and to reduce the elevated risk of cardiac disease that comes with such an injury. Those problems naturally have escalated as the life expectancy of injured patients has increased.
People with spinal cord injury age more quickly, Dr. Sipski says. The problems that develop can be related to overuse or underuse: Arms, for example, are not built to bear as much weight as they must for patients with spinal cord injury. The result can be carpal tunnel syndrome and other musculoskeletal complications.
Research is targeting the changes in lipid profiles that develop with spinal cord injury, raising the risk of heart disease. The incidence of diabetes is higher as well, and the skin problems that go along with the injury become repetitive with aging. Some of the problems are secondary effects of the treatment patients receivefor instance, catheters can cause infections. And there is a higher risk of bladder problems, including bladder cancer and renal failure. Other researchers are studying cultural differences in the function of patients with spinal cord injury.
We really have to look at this population in terms of what can be done to help them maintain function as much as possible, Dr. Sipski says. We want to keep them out of nursing homes.
Christine Morris is executive director of media relations for the School of Medicine.
Illustration by Polly Becker. Photography by Donna Victor and John Zillioux. | <urn:uuid:8abe030b-0b35-4afe-9ab3-7aa3b2548005> | {
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There are many ways to experience the world around us. Especially offline, we can make use of our different senses to collect information, interpret our environment and make judgments.
On the Web, however, our senses are more limited. As designers, we need to present information carefully to make sure our users think, feel and do the right thing.
A great way to help your users understand abstract content, create a sense of familiarity, trigger emotions, draw attention and motivate action are metaphors.
"The way we think, what we experience, and what we do every day is very much a matter of metaphor."
- Lakoff and Johnson
In their frequently cited book, Metaphors We Live By, Lakoff and Johnson demonstrate the important role of metaphors in our language and in our everyday lives. Our conceptual system is largely metaphorical, which means that we use metaphors to reason and understand the world.
Let’s look at how you can use metaphors to add to the user experience on your website. Below are five reasons why metaphors can improve the user experience.
1. Metaphors Can Put Abstract Concepts in Concrete Terms
Metaphors are a great tool to help your users understand abstract or unfamiliar content. By linking abstract information to a concrete concept, it becomes easier for people to understand the information.
Let’s start off with the most basic and common use of metaphors on the Web: Icons. These little symbols help users grasp a concept quickly. Icons usually refer to something that we know from the physical world and that we can somehow relate to an abstract concept on the Web.
For example, on the site Startups, This Is How Design Works, you can see how a light bulb icon is used to denote the word "innovation", a wrench icon to refer to making a product useful (utility), and a paintbrush icon to represent the word "aesthetic":
Metaphors can be used creatively to explain complex or uncommon concepts. For example, take a look at Huw Wilkins’s 404 error page on his blog:
Many Web users don’t know what a 404 error is, and generic 404 error pages may be intimidating to them. Instead of giving a technical explanation of why the requested page is not available, the user gets a humorous image of a running ninja who stole the page being requested.
Metaphors can also be used to explain a process. Datashift shows an imaginary machine that turns different social media icons into statistics that can be displayed on your screen:
Of course, the machine isn’t real and the process is way more abstract than what’s displayed in the image, but it becomes very clear what kind of service they offer.
2. Metaphors Create Familiarity
We love to recognize things. Whenever we can’t recognize something, our brain tries its best to make sense of whatever we’re looking at. (That’s why Gestalt principles can be applied to our design work.)
In his article Brains Agree: The Case for Website Usability Guidelines, Todd Follansbee explains that we use patterns to get an idea of what to expect. Recognizing mental patterns helps us to accept and understand the unfamiliar.
The user interface of Paper, a drawing app for the iPad, makes use of a sketchbook metaphor to create familiarity:
The app is designed to look and work like a sketchbook. You can easily bring sketches onto paper, choose between different pens and colors, flip through the pages and show your creations to friends by sharing them on social media. By applying familiar features to a digital tool, interactions become very intuitive and easy to learn.
Not only does the name promise us that they’re a down-to-earth company, it also sounds familiar. Even someone who has never heard of the agency before will most likely have some fun and positive memories that stem from the company’s name.
3. Metaphors Can Trigger Emotions
You can use metaphors to trigger emotions. Emotions not only make your design appealing to people, but also more effective, pleasurable and memorable.
As mentioned before, icons help us grasp abstract concepts. However, if exaggerated and designed with personality, like on the site of Eye Bridge, they can also trigger emotions:
While we associate the abstract icon of a coffee cup with a certain meaning or function, a detailed picture makes us think of yummy, hot coffee at the same time.
The Roambi app works with a metaphor to trigger emotions as part of their marketing strategy:
Of course, a business doesn’t have a pulse and taking a pulse into your hand is not physically possible either. However, the idea of doing so anyways is very attractive.
4. Metaphors Can Draw the Attention of Users
Numerous techniques can make certain elements of a web design more distinctive than others, and the use of metaphors is among them. Metaphors can be used to draw attention to a website in general or to very specific elements within a web page. Things we recognize draw our attention, just like when we recognize familiar faces in a big crowd of unfamiliar people.
For example, we associate nametags with events and social gatherings, such as conferences and workshops. A nametag means that you are a registered member, a paying attendee, or entitled to things people without a nametag are not entitled to. So a nametag metaphor was used in the following login web form concept by Meng To to make an otherwise plain web form more attractive:
Flourish decided to use a tree illustration to explain what they do, along with the tagline "We plant Web sites that flourish in the harshest climates." They show a big flourishing tree in the middle of a desert to denote the power of their services. The illustration and metaphor is eye-catching and memorable.
5. Metaphors Can Motivate Users into Action
Another interesting aspect of metaphors is that they can influence people’s actions. By translating interactions that we know from the real world to the Web, we can also transfer our knowledge to the screen. This way, metaphors can be very engaging and actionable because we intuitively know what to do.
Users can brew their own content by adding different proportions of content categories. It is quite creative how this navigation menu grabs your attention and makes you check out the content just to see what happens if you change the brewing proportions.
Another great way to trigger users to register for beta access is this countdown clock on Minute Race:
There is no indication of what happens if the time has run out, but still, I felt a strong urge to register as quickly as possible. Also, making it sound like a competition adds to my motivation to register immediately.
Metaphors can be a powerful tool for improving the user experience. Metaphors can:
- explain abstract or complex concepts
- create a sense of familiarity
- trigger emotions
- draw attention to your site or certain components of it
- motivate users to take action
How do you use metaphors in your designs? Have you seen other great examples of how metaphors are used on the Web?
- Human Behavior Theories That Can be Applied to Web Design
- How Cognitive Biases Shape User Experience
- Becoming a Better Web Designer
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For more than a month small trucks laden with chipped bark or wood chips have been scurrying around, unloading piles of mulch. Mulch (from the rich dark color of Mississippi mud to the orange hues of your grandmother's pumpkin pie) has been spread over flower beds and piled high against the trunk of trees. It will hold down weeds and keep in moisture. But using mulch can have a downside, too. Let me explain.
It is important, if you are using a wood-based mulch, to put on a layer of an appropriate thickness. You shouldn't just add a new layer of that pumpkin-colored mulch to last year's mulch just because it's dirty or the color has started to fade. You need to rake off the old mulch before applying a new layer. A gentle spring rain will not penetrate a 4-6 inch layer of mulch, and eventually the soil will dry out.
Next, there is the question of how mulch is applied near trees. Some landscapers favor the "volcano" look. While it is true that a 12-inch volcano of mulch will keep grass from growing up around your favorite crab apple tree, the mulch will eventually lead to bark rot, a compromised cambium layer, and a slow death. (Except for blueberries, which seem to thrive on mulch or sawdust piled right up to their stems).
Any wood-based, chipped mulch will eventually be host to fungi that break it down. Those same fungi will work on the bark of your tree and eventually break it down, too. Because it takes 6-12 years for a tree to decline and die from compromised bark, the cause and effect is not obvious. You can avoid the problem by leaving a doughnut hole around the tree — 6 inches of clear space between the trunk and the ring — the doughnut — of mulch.
Then there is the question of what is in your wood mulch?
As a landscaper and garden designer I have occasionally needed to buy a few bags of wood mulch, even though I prefer to buy in bulk from a family-run business that makes its own. But when I do need to buy mulch, I read the label. If the mulch has been dyed with a chemical, I avoid it and go elsewhere to buy good mulch. Why? Because I am an organic gardener. It's true that most gardeners only use wood-based mulch on flower gardens. Still, I don't want chemicals introduced to my environment, or that of my clients.
Some years ago I visited radio personality Ray Magliozzi (of NPR's Car Talk program) at his home in a Boston suburb. Ray was a late-comer to the organic movement. He became an organic gardener after his beloved collie died of cancer. He realized that the lawn jockeys he hired were spreading weed and fungus killers, along with their mowing and fertilizing. He questioned if there was a relationship between his dog's illness and the chemicals.
The same question could be asked about the chemical dye in mulch. What is it? How does it affect us? So what are the alternatives to commercial wood-based mulch? My choice? Chopped leaves. Leaves run over by the lawnmower and saved last fall for use now. Trees mine minerals from the soil, and then shed their bounty to share with us each fall. Once wet, they don't tend to blow away.
What about cocoa or buckwheat hulls? They are very tidy to look at and I've tried both, but they are very expensive to buy. Cocoa hulls, freshly applied, smell like chocolate chip cookies to me — and some dogs. I have heard that dogs can be sickened (or worse) by ingesting cocoa mulch (chocolate can be poisonous to dogs). That may be part urban myth, of course, but I tend to stay on the safe side. Cocoa hulls also tend to develop a slippery mold layer for a week or so, though it disappears eventually.
I use a layer of 4-6 sheets of newspaper covered with hay or straw in the walkways of my vegetable garden and around large plants, and it is effective at keeping down weeds. The inks are now soy-based and safe to use (in the old days the inks had heavy metals). I soak the papers overnight in a plastic bin first and drain the water in the driveway to get rid of any soluble chemicals in the papers.
Landscape fabric comes in many kinds. The good stuff is tough enough you can't tear it with your hands; it allows rain to pass through, but little sunshine for hopeful weeds. My feed-n-grain store sells it by the foot, cutting it off a large wide roll, which is handy. It looks best with a thin layer of mulch on top. Black plastic is used by some in the vegetable garden, but it breaks down after a year and needs to go to the landfill. I avoid it.
Nature's most persistent mulch is, of course, stone. I like small stones for walkways or occasionally in a flower bed. In either case, a layer of landscape fabric will do wonders for inhibiting weed growth.
So take a look around. If you see bark mulch being piled up on a tree trunk, make a citizen's arrest. Or hand the culprit this article.
Henry Homeyer is a life-long organic gardener, gardening consultant, and UNH Master Gardener. His Web site is www.Gardening-guy.com.
Click image to enlarge
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Today Sikhs all over the world are celebrating the birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of their religion. He was born in 1469, in the Punjab and from an early age exhibited signs of mysticism. One morning shortly after his thirtieth birthday he disappeared. His elder sister and husband, who had organised a search, found his clothes on the banks of a fast-moving stream. His boss, the governor of Lahore, had it dredged. No body was found. Three days later Nanak mysteriously reappeared safe and sound. He would not answer any questions as to where he had been. In fact he didn’t speak at all. For a whole day! Then he told everyone that he had been transported to God’s court where he was offered nectar in a cup.
God said to the young Nanak. “This is the cup of the adoration of God’s name. Drink it. I am with you. I bless you and raise you up. Whoever remembers you will enjoy my favour. Go, rejoice of my name and teach others to do so. I have bestowed the gift of my name upon you. Let this be your calling.”
It was the beginning of Sikhism, the fifth largest organised religion in the world, a faith based on the ideal of social reform and justice for all. There are many stories about Guru Nanak, both folk-accounts about his childhood as well as true-life fables from his adult years. They all tend to be short, with a moral at the end, perfect for school assemblies.
My favourite is the one about the flying carpet. It tells how Guru Nanak and two of his companions, the musicians Mardana and Bala travelled to the city of Sri Nagar in Kashmir. There they were received by the locals with joy and respect. Now in this city lived a learned man, Brahm Das, who had learnt to do feats of magic. He was very clever but also lonely because he had no one to share his life with.
‘People are making a lot of fuss about this guru,’ thought Brahm Das, ‘but I’m sure I am more impressive than him. I shall go to him when he is talking to the crowds and I’ll prove to be the grandest of the two.’
The brahmin got on his flying carpet and soared through the air to the main square, where Guru Nanak was talking to the crowds. But when he got there he could see people sitting around an empty space, he spotted two strangers he took to be the guru’s famous companions but, of Guru Nanak he could see no sign.
‘Where is he?’ he asked the people.
‘He’s there, talking to the children,’ replied an old woman, pointing to the empty space in the middle of the crowd.
Brahm Das peered again but still could not see Guru Nanak. The crowd thought this really funny and started laughing. And to make matters worse, the flying carpet wilted and the brahmin tumbled to the ground. He picked himself up and, red-faced, hurried back home.
The next morning, just as the sun was coming up, the brahmin hurried back to the square and there, sitting under a tree, was Guru Nanak. ‘Why could I not see you yesterday?’
‘You can’t see people in the dark, can you?’ replied Guru Nanak.
‘But it was mid-afternoon when I arrived at the square,’ said the brahmin. ‘The sun was shining.’
‘You swooped in a cloud of pride,’ answered Guru Nanak. ‘And pride is like darkness. It stops you from seeing the truth. You think you are special because you can fly but any bird can fly, any insect can. You have a lot of knowledge, you can do magic, but happiness and fulfilment lie in simple things.’
The brahmin learnt a big lesson that day. He stopped doing things to impress people, to gain respect from others, and started looking for joy in the simple things of life!
Perhaps it’s something we can all try do!
Related festival posts: | <urn:uuid:6b2dd9ca-27aa-402e-bdb1-821b6bccb3a0> | {
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J. John Sepkoski, Jr., was a fossil-hunter who did most of his digging in the library, sifting through the literature of paleontology to build a detailed, quantitative timeline of life on earth. Focusing on marine animals, he recorded the earliest and the latest known appearances of thousands of ancient organisms. The final edition of his compendium, published in 2002 (three years after his death at age 50), lists dates for more than 36,000 genera.
A few years ago I had a chance to get closely acquainted with Sepkoski’s compendium, when I needed a machine-readable version of the timeline. The listings were published on CD-ROM (remember those?), but the files were merely unstructured plain text. I needed something I could compute with, and so I spent a week or two reformatting the records and importing them into a database. (Others have done the same thing. Shanan Peters of the University of Wisconsin–Madison maintains an online version.)
Here is the summary graph that was the goal of my data-conversion project; it shows the number of extant genera as a function of time, according to Sepkoski’s tally of comings and goings:
My brief hands-on experience with Sepkoski’s compilation gave me a sense of how much care went into its preparation. Getting any large data collection into a computer tends to be a fiddly process. Irregularities that a human reader would hardly notice are sand in the gears of automated text processing. Sepkoski’s data files caused less trouble than I expected. The problems I encountered were mainly trivial typographic anomalies—missing punctuation, erratic spacing—and even those were surprisingly rare. The only hints of potentially meaningful errors were a dozen pairs of duplicated entries, where the same genus appeared twice in the listings. It’s easy to see how that would happen in a project that went on for almost three decades; indeed, it’s amazing there weren’t more duplicates.
In any case, I came away from this project with great respect for Sepkoski’s accomplishment, but that doesn’t mean that the curve reproduced above represents the final word on the history of life. It’s not even clear that the main features of the curve and its overall shape give an accurate portrait of changes in global biodiversity.
In constructing any such historical time series, certain biases and distortions are hard to overcome. Of particular importance in this case, fossils from more recent intervals are more likely to survive and to be discovered than those from more ancient times. This “pull of the recent” effect raises questions about the steep upward trend that dominates the Sepkoski curve from the Cretaceous to the present. Has evolution really been going crazy with innovation throughout the past 150 million years, or is that hockey-stick curve an artifact of preservational and sampling bias?
A newly completed analysis of another big fossil database addresses this question (and others). The data source for the new analysis is the Paleobiology Database, a large collaborative project coordinated by John Alroy of the University of California–Santa Barbara. The Paleobiology Database might be called a metacompilation: It brings together statistical and descriptive information from thousands of more-specialized fossil collections (83,444 at the latest count). Initial work on the database began a decade ago (Sepkoski was an early contributor), but it has shown a recent growth spurt.
Of course the new database is vulnerable to the same kinds of systematic bias that Sepkoski had to confront. There’s no avoiding the fact that, on the whole, younger geological strata are more accessible and better studied, and younger fossils are better preserved. But by organizing the data differently and retaining more information about each taxonomic group, Alroy and his colleagues see an opportunity to correct or compensate for some of the biases. Of particular note, whereas Sepkoski recorded only the first and last known appearance of each genus, Alroy et al. attempt to keep track of every occurrence of an organism. This extra information allows sampling bias to be estimated and corrected.
Consider these hypothetical fossil records, where each dot represents a single occurrence of a fossil organism in one of nine labeled intervals:
In both cases Sepkoski’s protocol would merely indicate that the taxonomic group originated in period 3 and became extinct in or after period 8. The new database records each time unit in which the fossil was found and, whenever possible, the number of occurrences per interval. This data might seem like superfluous detail. After all, if an organism was alive in periods 3 and 8, we can safely infer that it must have existed in periods 4, 5, 6 and 7 as well, whether or not fossil evidence has come to light. But it turns out that recording occurrences rather than just chronological ranges allows for some helpful statistical magic.
As I understand it, the scheme works something like this. Suppose we could gather together all the fossils ever collected by paleontologists, and sort them into bins according to age. Because of the various sampling and preservational biases, the bins for fairly recent periods (say 50 million years ago, in the Tertiary) would be much fuller than the bins for earlier times (say 400 million years ago, in the Devonian). Any bin with more specimens would be likely to exhibit more diversity as well, simply because rare organisms have a better chance of showing up at least once in a larger sample. But we can control for this bias through a simple subsampling procedure: Draw a fixed number of specimens from each bin, making each selection at random and with replacement. The counts of genera in the subsamples should reflect the true diversity of the biota in each bin.
In practice it gets more complicated than that, because we can’t actually sample the entire fossil record at the level of individual specimens; the best we can do is to randomly choose collections of fossils or the publications that describe them. And the publications vary greatly in how much quantitative data they include; some are just lists of species observed.
After many adjustments, refinements and calibrations, Alroy and 34 co-authors have published a diversity curve based on the subsampling technique:
The Sepkoski and the Alroy graphs are twins separated at birth—widely separated. The overall upward trend still exists in the newer graph, but it is much less dramatic, especially in the past 100 million years. Some of the famous mass-extinction events, such as those at the end of the Permian (P) and at the end of the Cretaceous (K), are visible in the new graph but are altered in character; instead of a sudden crash after a sustained build-up, we see something more like a return to normal after a brief, sharp spike in diversity. (Alroy elaborates on the dynamics of mass extinctions in a second recent article, this one in PNAS.)
Looking at the two curves, I arrive at this question: How is the interested but nonexpert reader to evaluate these contrasting views of our planetary past? I want to emphasize that the question animating me is not “Who is right?” but “How can we know who is right?” Is there some way that the ordinary, scientifically literate outsider can form a reasoned judgment about such competing claims to truth?
It was questions like these that got me in trouble the last time I wandered into this area. In 2005 Richard A. Muller of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Robert A. Rohde, a graduate student at UC Berkeley, published a report in Nature claiming to detect periodic cycles of rising and falling diversity in the Sepkoski data. Applying Fourier analysis to the time series, they reported finding a strong signal at a period of 62 million years and a weaker one at 140 million years. The claim was controversial from the start, and I decided to take a do-it-yourself approach to understanding the issue. I went back to the original data, reimplemented the analytic methods and tried to assess the robustness of the conclusion. I told the story in an American Scientist column.
The column pleased no one. It certainly didn’t please Muller and Rohde, who objected that I was out of my depth in my amateur attempt to replicate their work. It didn’t please the critics of the Muller-Rohde hypothesis, who thought my focus on certain narrow technical issues deflected attention from deeper conceptual flaws in the argument. And it didn’t please me, because I agreed with the criticisms from both sides.
I should also mention that my column had zero impact on the controversy, which not only continues to rage but has also been extended to the new database. Alroy writes in the PNAS article that some of the peaks and valleys forming the supposed cycles fail to materialize in the new data set. On the other hand, a preprint from Adrian L. Melott of the University of Kansas argues that cycles with periods of 62 and 150 million years emerge from the Paleobiology Database with higher statistical significance than they had in the Sepkoski collection.
All in all, I think I’ll sit this one out. I’ve been itching to get my hands on some records from the new database and implement the subsampling algorithm (which sounds both intriguing and readily accessible). It would be fun to play with these ideas. But I’ll let someone else have the fun this time.
Science builds its credibility on the bedrock idea that experiments and other kinds of results are subject to independent confirmation or refutation. And the advent of computational science has made this egalitarian ideal much more practical than it used to be. Although experiments in high-energy physics remain beyond the means of most amateurs, anything done with a computer rather than a particle accelerator is pretty much fair game these days. Still, there are bounds. If every reader set out to replicate every experiment, the world wouldn’t make much progress. | <urn:uuid:871b4262-374b-42c7-8075-1ddfd95f1d53> | {
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Publications by Chris Lintott
We present a new catalogue of 5,106 infrared bubbles created through visual classification via the online citizen science website 'The Milky Way Project'. Bubbles in the new catalogue have been independently measured by at least 5 individuals, producing consensus parameters for their position, radius, thickness, eccentricity and position angle. Citizen scientists - volunteers recruited online and taking part in this research - have independently rediscovered the locations of at least 86% of three widely-used catalogues of bubbles and H ii regions whilst finding an order of magnitude more objects. 29% of the Milky Way Project catalogue bubbles lie on the rim of a larger bubble, or have smaller bubbles located within them, opening up the possibility of better statistical studies of triggered star formation. Also outlined is the creation of a 'heat map' of star-formation activity in the Galactic plane. This online resource provides a crowd-sourced map of bubbles and arcs in the Milky Way, and will enable better statistical analysis of Galactic star-formation sites.
Show full publication list | <urn:uuid:d4aa3c5e-6412-493b-8e4f-b992e8a7a082> | {
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Moderator: Mahavihara moderator
from paccaya (condition)
(2) Object-condition (ārammana-paccaya) is called something which, as object, forms the condition for consciousness and mental phenomena. Thus, the physical object of sight consisting [maybe "appearing" is better] in colour and light ('light-wave'), is the necessary condition and the sine qua non for the arising of eye-consciousness (cakkhu-viññāna), etc.; sound ('sound wave') for ear-consciousness (sotā-viññāna), etc.; further, any object arising in the mind is the condition for mind-consciousness (mano-viññāna). The mind-object may be anything whatever, corporeal or mental, past, present or future, real or imaginary.
"And why do you call it 'perception'? Because it perceives, thus it is called 'perception.' What does it perceive? It perceives blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. Because it perceives, it is called perception.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
reflection wrote:Light is really particles called photons, not waves.
DAWN wrote:reflection wrote:Light is really particles called photons, not waves.
Buddha said that all it's a wave.
All is energy, all dhamma is energy.
Light is pure energy.
To get energy we must have an mouvement from 0 to +1 from +1 to 0, from 0 to -1 and from -1 to 0.
We must have a burn, arise, decline and death. It's a wave mouvement.
There is no atta, there is no particles.
Some one said that : "In this world, there are no nouns, there are only verbs."
Light is composed by primary colors : red green and blue, and after he decline on rainbow and other varieties. So we have all in one. Light have not any color, but he have all colors at the same time.
If there are particles, the light must be composed by all of particules for each color, that an object can obsorb or reflect.
It's not like this.
All light is reflecled by dhammas. Sun-light shows us material objects, mind-light show us mental objects.
But why it is reflected?
It's reflected because it's not absorbed, it's not absorbed because it's have not the same nature, is different. For example water can absorb water, but water can't absorb a stone, a stone will not be deluded by water, so he is reflected by the water.
Reflection arise from duality
The Buddha said that all dhamma is mind, also Buddha said that "Buddha's light is unsurpased".
So we can understand that light (phisical or mental) is the concsiousness, that apears between 0 and 1, between Budhha and dhamma, Buddha is not any dhamma, but Buddha is all dhammas at the same time. 0 is no 1, but all numbers take their place relatively 0, all mathematics re constructed on 0, all dhammas are constructed on Buddha, thats why Buddha is not any dhamma, Buddha is all dhammas at the same time, Buddha is the Non-duality, no conscisousness.
It's consciousness will determinate wich form will take a dhamma.
Consciosness apears when there is duality
Light apears when there is duality
So there is no color and no rupa,
Just consciousness, just a light of Buddha
I hope somebody will understand this heretic reply.
Hanzze wrote:I guess here one must be carefull not to end as a counciousnessless being or a formless being. What ever he might reject, forgetting the other (or better the whole wheel of co-depending origin).
reflection wrote:Now I agree that everything is in the mind. And the Buddha was a perfect teacher for understanding this reality from an inside point of view, but scientific understanding of the 'outside' world at his time was very limited. So be careful mixing the two up. I just wanted to correct some statements made in this topic about the physical properties of light, not because I think it is important for understanding the Dhamma - not at all - but just because of some obvious errors - at least when compared to the current scientific understanding. And I think people should be careful to not make statements about things they haven't really studied, it creates a very imcomprehensible read - and may even affect the overal credibility of this forum. Now I don't want to go into details and I also admit I don't know it all, but you can use google (or better a good physics book) to catch up on the theories to see where some statements made here are obviously incorrect.
Hanzze wrote:Have you ever observed rupa that has a color?
Hanzze wrote:What about a color-blind? Mabye color (thinking on the different waves) is related with "fire". Color it self, I would regard more as a mental construct. I guess it's not easy to draw a sharp line, but that is good so.
"And why do you call it 'perception'? Because it perceives, thus it is called 'perception.' What does it perceive? It perceives blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. Because it perceives, it is called perception. SN22.79
DAWN wrote:Hanzze wrote:I guess here one must be carefull not to end as a counciousnessless being or a formless being. What ever he might reject, forgetting the other (or better the whole wheel of co-depending origin).
Internet is alrady a formless loka.
Hanzze wrote:DAWN wrote:Hanzze wrote:I guess here one must be carefull not to end as a counciousnessless being or a formless being. What ever he might reject, forgetting the other (or better the whole wheel of co-depending origin).
Internet is alrady a formless loka.
So here we are and still much colors
Maybe just the fine material world. Would there be the perception of color in the formless realms?
Know, Perceive, Conceive, and View
To know that it is "that form (rupa)" is a delusion of mind (citta).
To perceive that it is that form is a delusion of perception (saññā).
To conceive that it is that form is a delusion of conceit (māna).
To view it as that form is a delusion of view (ditthi).
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The Tramways of
Valencia is the capital of Carabobo state and, with 1.5 million inhabitants, is the third-largest city in Venezuela (after Caracas and Maracaibo). Like Caracas, 150 km to the east, Valencia sprawls atop a mountain range, in this case at about 500 m (1,640 ft). It is 50 km from Puerto Cabello on the Caribbean. The Ferrocarril de Puerto Cabello a Valencia, which included a 4-km rack section, reached Valencia's Camoruco station in 1888 [see map]. The Gran Ferrocarril de Venezuela, the line from Caracas, arrived at San Blas station in 1894. Both steam railroads used the same 1067 mm (42 in) gauge and a track connection was eventually built across town between them.
In anticipation of the arrival of the railroad from Puerto Cabello, and because Camoruco station is 3 km from the city center, plans for a tramway connection to Plaza Bolívar began in 1884 [see map]. The first franchise was awarded that year to Onofre B. Basalo. Rafael Romero Gonzalo signed another contract in 1886, ordered tramcars from John Stephenson Co. in New York, and inaugurated Valencia's first rail transport on 13 June 1887. Tracks were soon extended south along Av. Constitución to Palotal and east on Calle Colombia. The Stephenson Collection at the Museum of The City of New York has an undated photograph of a horsecar lettered "TRANVIAS DE VALENCIA - PLAZA BOLIVAR - PALOTAL".
The postcard below, from about 1900, shows a scene on Calle Colombia on the east side of town. The photographer is facing west toward Plaza Bolívar, which is hidden by the cathedral [see map]. Morillo bridge in the foreground crosses Río Cabriales. The tram rails turning north go to the San Blas railroad station [col. AM]:
The image reproduced on the second postcard was also captured on Calle Colombia, in approximately the same place as the first, but in this case the photographer was facing the other way – toward the end of the tramway line. The tram is headed west, toward Plaza Bolívar [see map] [col. AM]:
At some point the name of the tramway company was changed to Tranvía de Camoruco, as inscribed on car 8 in this picture. These cars are similar to the Belgian model that was operated by Tranvía Bolívar in Caracas. Since Belgian records do not show any tram orders for Valencia, it is possible that the vehicles were purchased from Caracas after it electrified its tram lines in 1907 [col. Carlos Eduardo Misle]:
The early development of Compañía Anónima Tranvías Eléctricos de Valencia is unclear. The 1916 Memoria of the Ministerio de Obras Públicas [see BIBLIOGRAPHY] states that the company was organized by Ernesto Branger, a well-known local industrialist. R. S. Guerra wrote in 1960 that the company was founded by Juan Schwark. José Murguey Gutiérrez stated in a 1997 study that its founder was Carlos Stelling. In any case, TEV ordered four 8-bench electric trams from J. G. Brill Co. in Philadelphia on 25 February 1915. The photograph below was taken at the factory a few months later [Brill Magazine]:
The city's first electric tram service, between Camoruco station and Plaza Bolívar [see map], was inaugurated in December 1915. Track gauge was 1067 mm (42 in), the same used by the steam railroads that connected Valencia with Puerto Cabello and Caracas. As noted in the description, Valencia trams, like most trams in Venezuela, were only about 5 ft – 1.5 m – wide. The postcard view below shows one of them on the northern part of Av. Bolívar, which was called Av. Camoruco at that time [col. Haridas Mederos]:
In 1918 TEV ordered another 8-bench tram from Brill, which it numbered 5, but then made no further purchases from Brill for six years. There was still only one tram line in operation, between Camoruco railroad station on the north and San Blas railroad station on the east [see map]. The tram depot was located on Av. Bolívar at Calle Arismendi, near the Cedeño terminus of today's metro. The postcard view below shows Av. Bolívar again, on the north side of the city [col. AM]:
A tramway historian in Germany found the photograph below, which shows a tram built for Valencia in 1923 by Waggonfabrik A.G. vorm. Busch in Bautzen, a small industrial city near Dresden. Except for the flimsy seats, the car is similar in design and size to the Brill model shown above [col. Ralf Wilke]:
It is not known why TEV ordered a vehicle from that distant place – shipment through Germany, then across the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean would have been costly. But it is not certain that car 6 went to Venezuela. TEV ordered four more 8-bench trams from Brill in the period 1924-1927, which were numbered 7-10. In 1930 it purchased electric motors from English Electric in Preston, England, and built six trams in its workshops, which it numbered 11-16. New electric tram lines opened west on Calles 100 Colombia and 94 Cantaura and south on Av. 100 Bolívar Sur [see map]. This photograph of tram 16 was taken in Valencia in the 1930s [col. Carlos Eduardo Misle]:
Both the 1933 and 1936 editions of the World Survey of Foreign Railways [see BIBLIOGRAPHY] report 8 km of track and 15 passenger cars on the tramway system in Valencia, Venezuela. Since the vehicle above is numbered 16, which tram was missing? Number 6? Or was a tram simply scrapped?
In 1940 Tranvías Eléctricos de Valencia built a 5 km trolleybus line along Av. 100, between the mercado (market) at Calle 98 Comercio and Calle 155 [see map]. A depot for the vehicles was established at Calle 123 and at Calle 130, just beyond Camoruco station, the trolleybus line crossed the tracks of the Ferrocarril de Puerto Cabello a Valencia. The Valencia trolleybus project imitated the system that had been operating since 1937 in Caracas and, like Caracas, Valencia built its own trolleybuses out of General Motors bus chasses [see Trolleybus Pioneers]. Valencia's trolleybus line is believed to have operated between 1941 and at least 1947, yet is unrecorded (until now) in world trolleybus literature and is ignored in Valencia city histories. No illustrations of the vehicles were found.
Transport historian Luis Cordero Velásquez [see BIBLIOGRAPHY] claims that the Valencia tramway closed on 31 March 1947 (five months before the system in Caracas). He does not mention trolleybuses. The steam railroad to Puerto Cabello closed in 1957, the railroad to Caracas in 1966.
The inauguration of the metro in Caracas in 1983 inspired plans for rapid transit in Valencia as well. C.A. Metro de Valencia was founded in 1991, construction began in 1997 and 12 articulated trains, assembled at the Siemens plant in Sacramento, California, USA, arrived at Puerto Cabello in 2000. President Hugo Chávez conducted a symbolic inauguration of the new metro in 2006 and full commercial service along the 6.2 km line, all underground, began on 18 November 2007. After an absence of 60 years, rails had returned to Valencia's main street [see map].
Photographs and information about the tramways and trolleybuses of Valencia are obscure. This is one of the most elusive and frustrating places to research in South America. City histories, all of them, ignore urban transportation – and the fact that modern Valencia would not exist without it. Had it not been for news items published in English transport journals in 1940 and 1941 [see BIBLIOGRAPHY], the author would never have suspected that Valencia had a trolleybus system. (Since the vehicles were home made, there are no clues in the records of trolleybus manufacturers.) However, no further information or confirmation of the service could be found. The author mentioned this mystery in the first version of this webpage and received an email from Sr. Hans Klein in Caracas, who had ridden trolleybuses to school when he lived in Valencia as a boy. With his extraordinary memory and special interest in electric technology, Sr. Klein recalled every detail of the operation – the route, the vehicles, the location of the depot, even the fares that were charged! The author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to Sr. Hans Klein of Caracas for the information that he so kindly provided about the trolleybuses that ran in Valencia, Venezuela, 60 years ago.
"Open Cars for Valencia, Venezuela" in Brill Magazine (Philadelphia), August 1915, pp. 249-250. Description of the electric trams built for Valencia. Article includes the photograph of car 4 that is reproduced above.
Venezuela. Ministerio de Obras Públicas. Memoria of 1916, vol. 1, pp. 121-122; and vol. 2, p. 200. Chapters entitled "Tranvías de Valencia" describe early horsecar development and the formation of the electric tramway company.
"Eight-bench Open Cars for Venezuela" in Brill Magazine (Philadelphia), August 1925, p. 313. Short article about the model built for Caracas and Valencia. Picture of car 56 sent to Caracas.
U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Bureau of Foreign & Domestic Commerce. World Survey of Foreign Railways. Washington, 1933 and 1936. Both editions of the survey briefly describe the Valencia tramway system.
"Replacement of Caracas Tramways" in Modern Transport (London), 22 June 1940, p. 11. Article about the reconstruction of gas buses as trolleybuses mentions eight vehicles planned for another city (which must be Valencia).
Passenger Transport Journal Directory & Year Book. London. Paragraphs about Valencia on p. 31 of the 1940 edition and p. xxxiii of the 1941 edition mention "5 km of trolleybus route under construction".
[No author or publisher indicated] "Plano de la Ciudad de Valencia, Capital Del Estado Carabobo", scale 1:4,000. Valencia, . Large street map shows the track layout of the tramway system and marks the location of the "T. E. de V." depot.
Venezuela. Ministerio de Obras Públicas. Cartografía Nacional. "Valencia" street map, scale 1:10,000. Caracas, 1948. Railroad detail.
R. S. [Rafael Saturno] Guerra. Recado Histórico sobre Valencia. Valencia, 1960. Several untitled paragraphs on pp. 152-153 sketch tramway development and name the electric tram routes.
Luis Cordero Velásquez. La Venezuela del Viejo Ferrocarril. Caracas, 1990. Chapter XXXIV entitled "Los Tranvías de la Urbe del Cabriales", pp. 257-258, states that Valencia's last tram ran on 31 March 1947.
José Murguey Gutiérrez. Construcción, Ocaso y Desaparición de los Ferrocarriles en Venezuela. Mérida, 1997. Chapter 9 on pp. 287-295 is entitled "Los Tranvías en Venezuela" but is concerned principally with corporate history of the lines in Caracas. Footnote 340 on p. 295 says that Valencia's electric tramway company was founded by Carlos Stelling.
Guillermo Mujica Sevilla. Desde el Solar Valenciano V. Valencia, 2000. The chapter entitled "Carbón y Ferrocarril" on pp. 17-19 describes the rack railway from Puerto Cabello and reproduces two small photographs from 1923 which show electric trams 4 and 5.
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How Mothering Sunday became Mother's Day
Children across the country honour their mothers by sending them a card or giving them a bunch of flowers on the fourth Sunday in Lent. But do you know how the arrival of American servicemen in East Anglia helped to revive the centuries-old festival of Mothering Sunday?
Mothering Sunday is the day when children give presents, flowers, and home-made cards to their mothers as a token of thanks for their love and care.
It is always held on the fourth Sunday of Lent and, as the dates of Easter and Lent vary, the actual date chosen to celebrate Mothering Sunday also differs. The Epistle reading from the Book of Common Prayer for this festival gives a special place to the theme of maternal love. Galatians 4:26 states that "Jerusalem which is above is free; which is Mother of us all."
Traditionally, Mothering Sunday was the occasion when English children who had gone to work as apprentices and domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mothers and families.
Although it is often called Mother's Day, its origin is different from the American festival of that name and it is observed on another day.
At the outset Mothering Sunday and Mother’s Day were two distinct festivals with entirely different beginnings. Mothering Sunday originated in seventeenth-century British culture; Mother’s Day was an American innovation in 1913.
Over the years the customs connected with Mothering Sunday have changed and today the sentiments in both countries are similar.
So how did Mothering Sunday become confused with Mother’s Day? The answer has its roots in East Anglia’s local history.
Centuries ago it was considered important for people to return to their home or “mother” church at least once a year. So each year, in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their “mother” church, or the main church or cathedral of the area.
Most historians think that it was this annual Lenten theme that led
to the custom of working children being given the day off to visit their
family. At that time it was quite normal for children to leave home for
work once they reached ten years of age.
As they walked back home along the country lanes on Mothering Sunday, children would pick wild flowers or primroses to take to church or give to their mothers.
Often they brought a gift with them, a “mothering cake” – a kind of fruitcake with two layers of marzipan, known as simnel cake.
Mothering Sunday was also called Refreshment Sunday, because the fasting rules for Lent were relaxed that day. But, by the nineteenth century, the holiday was dying out, and by the 1930s the keeping of many of the old Mothering Sunday customs had lapsed in many English parishes.
Its revival was brought about just a decade later through the influence of the American servicemen stationed in East Anglia during the Second World War.
A new festival to honour mothers had emerged in the United States of America at the start of the twentieth century. Mother’s Day was introduced by Anna Jarvis, a young woman whose mother died in May 1906. A year later, Anna told a friend that she wished the day could be set aside to pay tribute to all mothers.
The idea began to spread and gain wide support. The governor of Anna’s state, Philadelphia, proclaimed the second Sunday in May to be Mother’s Day.
The festival continued to gain popularity and, in 1913, the US Senate and House of Representatives officially dedicated the day to the memory of “the best mother in the world – your mother”.
Nearly thirty years later in December 1941 the United States entered the war and by the second half of 1942 American servicemen began to arrive in East Anglia in large numbers.
Many more airfields were needed and East Anglia’s flat landscape was perfect for runways and new airbases. It was here that the Allied forces launched their air power to raid and severely weaken the German stronghold on the Continent.
Thousands upon thousands of American airmen – many of them outside the United States for the first time – called East Anglia their second home. Altogether nearly half a million American servicemen passed through the region.
Away from their families, these young men were surprised to find the English did not have a Mother's Day. They often regarded their English hostess as a kind of foster-mother and each year on the second Sunday in May they did what they would have done for their own mothers – gave her presents and flowers to thank her for her kindness and care.
British sons and daughters caught on to the idea and, after the Americans had returned home at the end of the war, they continued the practice, reverting back to marking it on the fourth Sunday in Lent.
Thus the Americans based in East Anglia helped to revive the centuries-old tradition of paying homage to mothers with a bunch of flowers.
I hope you've found this article of interest. You can mention it to your friends by going back to the top of the page and clicking on the Facebook Recommend button. If you'd like to discuss it further, please email me.
My website was first published in 1999. Since then I have had tens of thousands of visitors from around the world:
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Biological catalysts: speed up reactions in living things, this allows them to occur more often and easily.
Enzymes are chemical molecules made up of proteins,
Each enzyme has a particular shape and inside that shape there is an active site, and this is where the chemical reactions occur.
What enzymes do?
Some enzymes break down large molecules, others build small molecules in to large ones and mostly they change one enzyme in to another. The fastest enzyme is known as the catalase.
The catalase enzyme breaks hydrogen down in to water and oxygen.Catalase is found in all the cells and protects them all from the dangerous waste chemical.Catalase are always on the move along with hydrogen peroxide and every now and again the substrate( bit that fits in the active site) collides with catalase and they fit together just like a lock and key.This is when a reaction takes place however, it does not get used up through… | <urn:uuid:f4a67ceb-122a-41d7-9e76-6d0fe3b4f92e> | {
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Three-quarters of 3-6 year-old children in the U.S. spend time in childcare; many spend most of their waking hours in these settings. Daily physical activity offers numerous health benefits, but activity levels vary widely across centers. This study was undertaken to explore reasons why physical activity levels may vary. The purpose of this paper is to summarize an unexpected finding that child-care providers cited was a key barrier to children's physical activity.
Nine focus groups with 49 child-care providers (55% black) from 34 centers (including inner-city, suburban, Head Start and Montessori) were conducted in Cincinnati, OH. Three independent raters analyzed verbatim transcripts for themes. Several techniques were used to increase credibility of findings, including interviews with 13 caregivers.
Two major themes about clothing were: 1) children's clothing was a barrier to children's physical activity in child-care, and 2) clothing choices were a significant source of conflict between parents and child-care providers. Inappropriate clothing items included: no coat/hat/gloves in the wintertime, flip flops or sandals, dress/expensive clothes, jewelry, and clothes that were either too loose or too tight. Child-care providers explained that unless there were enough extra coats at the center, a single child without a coat could prevent the entire class from going outside. Caregivers suggested several reasons why parents may dress their child inappropriately, including forgetfulness, a rushed morning routine, limited income to buy clothes, a child's preference for a favorite item, and parents not understanding the importance of outdoor play. Several child-care providers favored specific policies prohibiting inappropriate clothing, as many reported limited success with verbal or written reminders to bring appropriate clothing.
Inappropriate clothing may be an important barrier to children's physical activity in child-care settings, particularly if the clothing of a few children preclude physical activity for the remaining children. Center directors and policy makers should consider devising clear and specific policies for the types of clothing that will be permitted in these settings so that children's active play opportunities are not curtailed. To enhance compliance, parents may need education about the importance and benefits of active play for children's development.
Three-fourths of U.S. children aged 3 to 6 years are in some form of non-parental child care; 57% are enrolled in child-care centers, nursery schools, or preschools . Many children spend most of their waking hours in child care . Daily physical activity is essential for healthy childhood growth and development [3-6], and confers numerous health, cognitive, and mood benefits to young children [7-9]. And yet, many children in child care are not meeting daily recommendations for physical activity as recent studies found that children spend most of their time in child care being sedentary [11,12]. Furthermore, the amount of physical activity that children obtain in child-care varies widely across different centers [11-13].
Given the large number of children in child-care and the numerous benefits to physical activity, policy-makers and researchers in physical activity and public health have turned their attention towards child-care centers as a potential venue for health promotion and childhood obesity prevention [14,15] These reports called for more detail about the problems and potential solutions in order to inform strategies to increase children's physical activity in child care.
Recent quantitative studies have investigated reasons why physical activity levels may vary among centers, including differences in the physical environment including fixed and portable play equipment (e.g., balls) [16,17], the center's policy related to active and inactive time, and supporting physical activity [17,18] the educational quality of the child-care center [16,18], and teacher training and education [17,18]. Since time spent outdoors has been found to be associated with activity levels [19-21], several investigators have sought to determine if increasing the amount of time scheduled for outdoor play could predict higher physical activity levels [16-18,22]. In two of four studies, [16,22] increased time spent outdoors was not associated with increased levels of physical activity. None of these quantitative studies considered that a child's clothing might restrict physical activity in spite of ample outdoor play equipment and time scheduled for outdoor play, or that a center's policies dictating what types of clothing may be worn might have an effect on children's physical activity; as these potential issues have not been widely reported in the physical activity literature.
Experts in child-care physical activity have categorized the field as still being in its infancy, and have called for innovative and out-of-the box approaches . In new fields of inquiry, qualitative research can be helpful in: identification of salient themes and constructs, understanding the meaning and context of new constructs, identification of unanticipated phenomena or influences, and development of causal explanations of quantitatively observed phenomena .
The larger study, of which this paper is a part, was designed to employ these benefits of qualitative inquiry to explore reasons why physical activity levels may vary across different child-care centers. The purpose of this paper is to describe two major themes from our findings that that were unexpected based on our review of the relevant literature: 1) that child care providers cited children's clothing as an important barrier to children's physical activity, and 2) children's clothing contributes to considerable conflict between parents and child-care providers.
Qualitative research methods were chosen to explore child-care providers' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to children's physical activity in child-care centers. Focus groups were chosen as this method promotes spontaneous discussions and interaction among group members, and is particularly effective in eliciting normative beliefs [25-27]. We used one-on-one interviews to confirm the credibility of our focus group findings ("member-checks"), and to explore more sensitive topics that focus group participants may not have felt comfortable discussing in a group setting. We conducted nine focus groups with child-care providers between August 2006 and June 2007 and 13 one-on-one interviews in the spring of 2008; nine interviews were member-checks with former focus group participants, 4 interviews were with individuals who were selected in the original sample for the focus groups but were unable to attend any of the sessions. These were approved by the institutional review board (IRB) at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center,
Participants were eligible to participate if they had worked, in the past three years, as a child-care provider or teacher for a full-day child-care center or preschool in Hamilton County, Ohio (Cincinnati area). No more than one participant per child-care center was eligible to attend each focus group, so that there was heterogeneity of experiences. This also minimized the chances that certain focus group members knew one another, which could make other focus group members feel uncomfortable and hamper the free-flow of ideas
Maximum variation sampling[25,28] was used to select purposively a heterogeneous sample of child care teachers, thereby securing a small sample of great diversity. The strength of this strategy is that identification and description of emerging themes takes on greater importance as it cuts across greater variety of participants. A limitation of this method is that it potentially takes longer to reach saturation of themes. Specifically, we targeted recruitment of teachers from different ethnic backgrounds and with a range of years of experience. Moreover, we recruited those who worked in both suburban and urban centers, those which served both low-income and upper-income children, and incorporated a range of philosophies and affiliations (e.g., Montessori, Head Start, church-affiliated, YMCA, worksite- or University-affiliated, and corporate/for-profit centers). To accomplish this, we enlisted the help of several local agencies devoted to child-care continuing education, quality, and safety: the local child care resource and referral agency 4C, the Cincinnati Association for the Education of Young Children, Cincinnati Community Action Agency (Head Start), the United Way, three local universities with early education programs, and the American Academy of Pediatrics Healthy Child Care Ohio program. Respective agencies posted announcements on their websites, in their offices, in their written and electronic newsletters, and also distributed personal invitations to participate. A minimum expected sample size was specified at the outset of data collection, and we continued to sample to the point of "theoretical saturation,"[25,27] when no new information was forthcoming from participants in additional focus groups. Determination of thematic saturation was reached by consensus, and recruitment for additional focus groups was suspended.
Seventy-two child-care providers responded to the various recruitment methods (the majority had seen a flier or had heard about the study through the local resource and referral agency). Four were ineligible to participate (because they provided care in their own homes), three were unable to be scheduled in any focus group or interview, three later indicated they were not interested, three were lost to follow-up (no working phone number), six cancelled, and four were no-shows; leaving 49 participants in nine focus groups.
All focus groups were held in a private conference room in Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the early evening. The focus groups averaged 1.5 hours in duration, and were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. All focus groups were moderated by one of the investigators (S.N.S), an experienced focus group facilitator. The principal investigator (K.A.C) attended all focus groups to take notes and record non-verbal cues (body language, etc.). All participants provided verbal informed consent to participate and completed an anonymous brief demographic questionnaire. Light refreshments were served and all participants received $25 reimbursement for their time.
The focus group topic guide used broad, open-ended questions designed to elicit child-care providers' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to children's physical activity in child-care settings. Examples of the questions and probes used that elicited the themes presented in this manuscript are in the Appendix. Broad questions were followed up by more specific probe questions as necessary. The attendance of two study investigators at each session allowed for preliminary data analysis concurrent to data collection , which was useful both for knowing when to suspend recruitment for focus groups and for making necessary adjustments to the topic guide. The topic guide was modified slightly over time in an iterative process to accommodate new issues raised by participants, and to clarify issues brought up in earlier groups. After the ninth focus group, two investigators (KAC and SNS) reached a consensus that no new information or themes were emerging from discussions ("theoretical saturation" [25,27]), so recruitment for focus groups was terminated as originally planned.
One-on-one interviews were conducted in April 2008 with 9 focus group participants and 4 new participants who had been selected as part of the initial sample but were unable to attend any of the sessions. The audio-taped sessions took place in either the interviewee's home or private office at a child-care center and lasted approximately 1 hour. The interviewer reviewed with the interviewee an expanded version of the code framework that had been derived from analysis of focus group transcripts (see next section on data analysis) and outlined the major themes identified by the research team. Interviewees were given an opportunity to expand on or differ with this listing of themes. All interviewees provided written informed consent to participate and received $25 for their time.
We used an inductive approach whereby we looked for patterns, themes and categories in our data, without applying any pre-conceived constructs, hypotheses, or theories to the process of interpretation. Thus we identified, categorized, coded and labeled the primary patterns of ideas that emerged from the verbatim comments contained in the transcripts of our focus groups. Using an organizing style of analysis, 3 investigators (KAC, SNS, CAK) each independently read transcripts thoroughly, and generated a set of initial codes or categories of ideas. Next, the group used focused coding to identify, describe and prioritize the repeating ideas and patterns of ideas as major themes. A coding framework (or codebook) was developed which contained individual codes for each of the themes identified by the team. In the next step each of the coders used the codebook to independently code a representative transcript. The group met once again to resolve problems that arose in applying the codebook and to make revisions as needed. The three investigators continued to independently code the remaining transcripts, meeting after each one to resolve any differences in coding by consensus. Any discrepancies were resolved by another reader. NVivo 7 software (QSR International) was used to manage the qualitative data.
None of the interview participants who had participated in focus groups (member checks), nor the four interview participants who had not previously participated, disagreed with the team's identification and analysis of the major themes of the study (including the two main themes presented in this paper). Furthermore, no new major themes emerged from the one-on-one interviews. Interview subjects provided additional insights and supporting experiences, which were used to assist in the interpretation and analysis of our data.
Our research design which included maximum variation sampling, multiple data collection methods and our diverse team of investigators enhanced the credibility of the data analysis [28,30]. Our sampling strategy enabled us to identify and recruit participants with a wide variety of experiences who represented a cross-section of types and locations (suburban vs. urban) of child care centers. Our team was composed of multiple investigators with different types of academic training (pediatrics, nutritional epidemiology, social science research, and psychology), and one (CAK) had experience working in a child-care center. By using a collaborative approach, multiple perspectives were voiced and discussed throughout the analysis phase. Coding occurred independently, and all final codes were agreed upon by group consensus. Member checking was carried out through one-on-one interviews with participants and non-participants of prior focus groups. Member checking provided an opportunity to obtain new information that might not have been forthcoming in a group setting and it enabled us to verify the information already collected as well as clarify and crystallize our interpretation and data analysis. Finally, further triangulation of our data collection and analysis occurred in an unplanned method: preliminary results of this study were reported at a scientific meeting in May 2008 and covered electronically in a wellness blog in The New York Times(Tara Parker-Pope, May 6, 2008) . All 132 blog postings posted within 1 week were reviewed by the authors, but revealed no new themes or comments that had not already been mentioned by focus group and interview participants.
The demographic characteristics of the 49 focus groups participants and 13 interviewees were reflective of an inner-city American child-care work force (Table (Table1).1). All but one of the participants were female; most had at least some college education. Roughly half of participants identified themselves as black/African-American. Level of experience in the field varied from less than one year to 37 years. While most participants currently worked with preschool-aged children, 26% reported primarily working with infants and toddlers under the age of 3, and the remainder primarily worked with school-aged children (8%), floated between different age-groups (6%), or currently served in a supervisory role (6%). Three focus group participants and four interviewees were center directors.
Focus group participants came from 34 centers that were well-distributed geographically throughout the county including 12 centers located outside the city limits and 13 centers located in low-income U.S. Census tracts (median income is less than 50% of median income for Cincinnati's metropolitan statistical area (CMSA)). The types of child-care centers were also diverse, including five Montessori, six Head Start, two church-affiliated, two YMCA, four worksite- or University-affiliated, and three corporate/for-profit centers. The four interview participants who had not been able to participate in the focus groups came from three additional centers.
When asked to describe what barriers existed in child-care centers to prevent children's physical activity, virtually all participants cited barriers related to children's clothing (Table (Table2).2). Other barriers were also mentioned and will be presented in a separate paper. Inappropriate clothing and conflict resulting from this clothing were determined to be major themes for two reasons. First, discussions about inappropriate clothing and conflict related to clothing resulted spontaneously from general questions about barriers (e.g., "What keeps children from being active?") and non-specific probes (e.g. "Tell me more about that"). Second, these discussions about clothing issues were mentioned by virtually all participants. These major themes will be presented in four sections: 1) a listing of categories of inappropriate clothing items, 2) suggested reasons for inappropriate clothing, 3) teacher-parent conflict related to clothing, and lastly 4) possible solutions to conflict and clothing barriers. Inappropriate clothing items are presented in order of most commonly to least commonly mentioned during the focus groups: weather-related, flip-flops and other footwear, dress clothes, jewelry, and ill-fitting clothes.
Clothes ill-suited for the weather comprised the most frequently encountered clothing issue. In the winter, teachers reported often having children arrive without coats, hats, gloves and/or boots.
¶1 "If they don't have a hat and gloves, then it would impede them from going outside."
¶2 "You have the times where it's cold and they might come in sandals or all the other kids have on hats and gloves and big coats, and they have on a windbreaker."
In the wintertime a single child's inappropriate clothing could cause problems for the entire class. Participants noted they could leave the child inside with another teacher or director while taking the rest of the class outside but only if they had adequate staff. Otherwise only a few children dressed improperly can prevent the entire class from going outside.
¶3 "Since I don't have anybody to watch the children who aren't dressed properly, I can't take the class out and leave one child" [that's dressed improperly]
¶4 "If you have some that can't go out, then none can go out."
But moderate temperatures also presented problems at some centers as participants stated many centers have policies that the child must wear every layer of clothing the parent sent with them. Others stated that they would interpret a parent bringing a coat as implicit orders for their child to wear the coat. Thus children could be over-dressed for the temperature, which could impede their ability to participate in physical activities.
¶5 "I have one child ... He came to school with an undershirt a thermal shirt and a sweat shirt all winter and a coat zipped up and maybe some type of sweater. You know, I think she had him over dressed. And he would come in [he says] 'I I I I take off my shirt?' I can't let you take off your shirt. 'I so hot.' I say I understand."
¶6 "We have Parents that, it's 65 degrees outside and they have hats and mittens. And we're like 'Why?' They still have their winter coats on. And we're like,. 'I hate putting this on you'."
¶7 "'You have to.' I always say, 'What your mom sent you in, that's what you are going to wear.' I sit there and sweat with them."
The next most commonly mentioned problem clothing item was inappropriate footwear, including flip flops and sandals and shoes with slippery soles. Teachers explained that these shoes did not provide adequate support for running and climbing activities. Additionally, teachers found that flip flops could come off easily when running or walking briskly.
¶8 "We like them to wear gym shoes because of the activity level, you know, playing and stuff. Even in the summer, we ask them, 'Don't wear sandals and flip flops and stuff cuz they come off their feet and they're just not very safe'."
9¶"When they're running, the flip flop either comes off or that foot ends up going over the top and scraping the ground."
¶10 "Field trips, you know ... They don't say nothing for a while and you look back and they're crying, (we ask) 'Why are you crying?' [The child says] 'My shoe (is) way back there'."
Participants also explained that flip flops did not provide adequate protection against common playground surfaces such as mulch and gravel.
¶11 "They wear them in the rocks and every 2 seconds you're taking the shoes off... It hurts. It really is detrimental to the children because they can't play like they should be playing."
¶12 " [Parents will] bring them in flip-flops and we have a mulch playground too and they're--the children are constantly, 'I have mulch in my shoes.' So, they're always taking their shoes off and dumping the mulch out. Five minutes later it is back in their shoes."
Despite the commonly-understood problems that flip flops presented to children's physical activity, only a few teachers reported center policies restricting the use of flip flops, and usually these policies only applied to days with field trips. Many wished their centers prohibited flip flops at all times.
Another type of clothing that participants saw as a barrier to children's physical activity was a "nice" or special outfit in which the parent instructed the child or the teacher not to get dirty.
¶13 "I've had problems with parents telling the kids, 'Don't get dirty!' because of what they have on. So that's I guess a pet peeve of mine... They're going outside. They are going to play. They are going to be on the floor. They are going to be, you know, children."
¶14 "One of the parents ... she sent her child first time wearing shoes and from the scooter, she had two holes in her brand new shoes. I tried to explain to her that we can't pay for them. What do you want us to tell her, 'You can't get on the bike?' She said, 'Yes, let her cry."'
¶15 "We sometimes have children who when they go outside they will sit on the bench and when you ask them why they're sitting there, they say, 'My mommy said I couldn't get dirty."'
Several participants characterized jewelry as a potential barrier to children's physical activity, because it could get caught in equipment, or if lost it could pose a choking hazard to younger children. Many participants reported having policies that expressly prohibited wearing jewelry, yet several found children would still arrive with prohibited items. A child arriving at school wearing jewelry and the implicit parental request to teachers to keep track of this jewelry was a significant source of conflict between parents and child-care providers.
¶16 "I even have kids come with chains, necklaces, bracelets. I don't like that. The little gum ball rings. Because with the toddlers in the center, if you drop that ring in the muscle room and then the toddlers come in after us, and they're putting that in their mouth....There is no reason for him to have on a gold watch. It's no place for it."
¶17 "Bangles, they got bracelets all the way up to here, getting caught in hair...... One little kid was wearing this long gold chain and the other kids were choking him by the neck--bling, bling--I was like, 'Daddy, could you please, I know you like your son to look nice but this is for the weekend not for school.' Most of them be pretty nice about it but sometimes they still come with the earrings and bracelets and stuff."
¶18 " [We say] 'Please, do not send your child here with $300 chain on his neck he's 3, 4, 5!' You know, I said I am not gonna be responsible for keeping up their jewelry. Most of them [parents] listen and say 'OK, we won't,' but, why would you send your child to preschool with a $500 chain on?! I don't understand that!"
Lastly, participants mentioned that ill-fitting clothing could impair physical activity. For instance, long flowing skirts could get caught in climbing equipment; loose-fitting pants and shoes could hamper a child's ability to run. Excessively tight-fitting clothing could also restrict a child's activity.
¶19 "A skirt and long dresses they wear when they're climbing, they're taking a step and their foot gets caught. It's really dangerous."
¶20 "We really deal with the clothing and stuff. You are starting to see more and more children, like wearing the big pants. They can't run and play, not only outside but inside either. I think it's really stopping them from doing things."
¶21 "We have had children come to school with pants hanging down, too big. Boys' pants hanging down, too big, no belts. Shirts and stuff that look like big brother's shirt or something too big, they're way too big. They are too big to maneuver on the climber."
¶22 "The very tight skirts and very, very short skirts. Those poor little girls sit there and they don't want to play, you know."
Teachers speculated several reasons why children in this age group might come to school inappropriately dressed. Explanations included: a rushed morning routine, a "car culture," the child's clothing preferences, practical difficulties finding clothes that fit in rapidly growing preschoolers, first-time parents concerned with their child's appearance, insufficient income to afford proper clothes, or deliberate parent clothing choices.
Teachers acknowledged that parents may simply forget to bring appropriate winter clothes in the rush to get out the door.
¶23 "Sometimes parents are in a rush in the morning and in the cold weather they don't send mittens or a hat. You know, and that's discouraging."
¶24 Participant: "At my center the parents forget the jackets."
Another participant in response: "We have had that. They forget the gloves."
¶25 "It's just up to the teachers kind of to send notes home and just ask them not to wear them [flip flops]. But, the kids get it in their head that that's what they want to wear too and I'm sure the parents are dealing with whatever they need to deal with in the morning to get them going."
A few hypothesized that the American "car-culture," in which children spend most of their day indoors or being transported from place to place inside a vehicle, may contribute to this.
¶26 "There is another thing about children in the 'car culture' that sometimes they are not dressed appropriately for outside. They go from their heated house to their heated garage in their heated car (laughter) and get carried into school, sometimes they even...it's like, [the parents say upon arrival] "Oh! I didn't know he didn't even have his shoes on!!"
¶27 "Sometimes they don't have one [a coat] and sometimes they are in a car so they don't think that you are supposed to have a jacket. They're just coming in the building and when they pick them up, they're just going back in the car. So that's how they'll do."
¶28 "A lot of parents feel it's too cold outside anyway [to go outdoors to play]. They're just getting out the car and going in the building. They don't have to be too clothed and then there goes the argument."
In some cases, participants speculated the flip-flops or the ill-fitting clothing item could be what is in fashion or one of the child's favorites (e.g., a big-brother's shirt), or an item they can put on themselves.
¶29 "Maybe it's the child who dressed themselves that day and they want to wear their fancy shoes."
¶30 "I had one little boy who wore his cousin's shoes, like loafers, but they were like three sizes too big and his mom said, 'Well, you know he loves them, da da da...' I said, 'Well, you know he can't walk in them. And he can't go out without shoes. I am just telling you, he's in the muscle room and he's falling down.' So make a choice. Either tell your child that he has shoes for school and he can't wear those, you know, or something."
A few participants also noted some developmental or age-specific reasons why preschoolers' clothes may be over-sized. It may be difficult to find clothes that fit properly for very thin preschool-aged children with "no hips." They added that belts may be impractical for children at this age who are still mastering self-toileting skills.
¶31 "I totally hear you with the belts--But if there is no belt and they're running and their pants are heading south! (laughter, agreement). That's so frustrating for these poor little girls and boys who have absolutely no hips. It's just, their pants are just falling down. In the preschool age, you want exactly what you said, you want easy access for the bathroom. Cuz if they're newly potty trained, they don't have any time, but...if they are dressed appropriately for the potty training, sometimes that's inappropriate for the outside."
As for children who come to school in dress clothes instead of play clothes, one teacher found this to be more of an issue among first-time parents, who were more likely to be concerned with preserving a new outfit.
¶32 "Usually it's first time, anxious parents who think their kids need to look a certain way all the time."
Several participants added that lower-income parents may not own enough clothes to leave extra clothes at the center. These parents may not be able to afford coats--much less snow pants or boots that may only be used a few days out of the year.
¶33 "We ask them to have extra clothes but there are many families that are just struggling to put the clothes on the children's back in the first place that can't have the extra clothes. So if they were to go out when it was raining, we wouldn't have anything to change them into for the rest of the day."
¶34 "The dressing the children, because we're from a low income [neighborhood], we work very hard to find every child a coat, hat and gloves. If they don't have a hat and gloves, then it would impede them from going outside. But when I was little, we used to have snow pants so even when it snowed, you could go outside. Children just don't seem to have snow pants anymore so if there is snow outside, then they can't go cuz no matter what the temperature, cuz they would be getting wet."
While teachers acknowledged several irreproachable and pragmatic reasons why children may arrive at the center in inappropriate clothing, some suspected that parents' ostensible forgetfulness may indicate an underlying failure to recognize the value of physical activity and outdoor time.
¶35 "The parents who don't see physical play as appropriate send them in inappropriate shoes, and flip flops, the stiletto 4 year old sandals."
¶36 "The parents don't really say anything until their child comes home. He didn't have that extra pair of clothes for whatever reason and they're all muddy. I am a teacher that likes to get down in the mud and work with some of the kids. I have had those parents who were kind of like, 'Oh, you're all muddy!' (said with sarcastic and fake enthusiasm). And it stinks because it's a good learning experience. There is so much you can talk about: living creatures, worms. It's hard when the kids can't get muddy because they don't have an extra pair of clothes or the parents don't want to deal with washing clothes."
Some participants had witnessed and others suspected that parents intentionally took their child's coat with them to prevent outdoor play.
¶37 "I had an experience with parents when they bring the child in with a coat but take the coat with them when they go to work!"
Moderator: Do you ask them why they do that?
" [The parents say] 'Oh it was just in my hand and I forgot I had it.' [I say] 'Well, why didn't you bring it back when you realized you still had it in your hand?' ... They come up with some excuses."
¶38 "Our parents will take their child's coat with them if they don't want their child to go outside! I had two parents that took their child's coat because they didn't want them to be outside. I had a surprise for them because I keep extra coats! (laughter) So they will be outside."
In discussions about inappropriate clothing and jewelry, there was a recurring theme of tension between parents and teachers. Inappropriate clothing items seemed to act as a lightning rod for drawing out sparks of conflict between parent and teachers.
¶39 "It's like, How did you not notice? It's winter out here! There's snow, it's cold! How did you not notice he didn't have on his coat? Oh, he left it in the car or "oh, he left it at the house. How? You have your coat on. Why can't he have his coat on?! So it's like, you know, some parents are kind of like... I don't know!"
¶40 "We had a problem with jewelry. We have little girls and they would bring in necklaces. And I'm like, 'We are gonna go on the climber so why would you put [that on your child]? We are gonna get on the bike, why would you put?' I will be working in the toddler room most of the time so therefore there are a lot of little toddlers and they just want to touch. When her necklace gets broke, they're like 'Well I paid this much' And I'm like 'Well, then you should not have put it on her to come here.' That's all I can say about it! We had an incident where a little boy took off his earring and dropped it down in the heater! (laughter) So the mother is mad at the teacher and she wants to fight the teacher because she thinks the teacher dropped the earring. (laughter) Why would she drop the earring down in there?!"
Participants occasionally questioned parents' wardrobe decisions and resented parents' requests to be responsible for changing the child into play clothes so that the nice clothes could be preserved unharmed.
¶41 "We had a little girl two weeks ago in corduroy. It's 93 degrees outside. Corduroy and a tank top! What are you thinking? And Sandals? Anytime you can wear sandals, that means you don't need corduroy! (laughter) One might think."
¶42 "I've had a parent--and it was crazy--but I had a parent who brought play shoes! For when we went outside--we're gonna have to switch shoes!! (much laughter). You know, he came in the good shoes and she brought the play shoes so the good shoes wouldn't get messed up. So that was like, Really? You might as well just send him in the play shoes! (agreement) It's just weird, I guess it's just like parent's preferences. When it comes to people's kids, it's like you can't really tell them too much. It's like 'This is my child'!"
Seemingly unreasonable parent requests led another teacher to describe why she appreciates state licensing guidelines for child care:
¶43 "Mostly, it [the guidelines] allows us to be able to let the parents know we have limits. Bottom line. Because they ask us to do the strangest things. Yeah, That's the biggest thing for me, letting them know that we have limits to what we are allowed to do, just like you do on your job. They look at us like we are babysitters. To them, a lot of them. But I have to tell them, No, I'm an educator."
The discussions about children's clothing brought out some of the most heated sentiments among participants about parents. The following comments were elicited by a discussion about children arriving in flip flops, without coats, and a parent's request to preserve a new outfit.
¶44 "That's the biggest issue, for real. The parents are the biggest issue! They are worse than the kids!"
¶45 "You can tell which parents are gonna be like that because they come to the door. They put that vibe out to you. And you're like, OK, that's going to be a tough one! You can pick up on them."
In light of the amount of conflict that clothing issues could incite between teachers and parents, participants offered several pragmatic solutions that involved minimal to no contact with parents. (Table (Table2).2). Many teachers kept extra coats and/or gloves at the center that children could borrow as needed. In centers with muscle rooms or gross motor rooms (about half of focus group participants reported having these), teachers could do physical activities indoors on days that children were dressed inappropriately for the weather.
¶46 "If it snows, sometimes I will take a bucket outside and get a bunch of snow and put the snow on the water table. Just like the sand, they will bury things in the snow. You can kind of bring the outside in."
Yet most solutions required some form of interaction with the parents, since participants acknowledged that it was the parents who were ultimately responsible for assuring that their child was appropriately dressed each day. Participants discussed putting up signs or sending home written reminders to dress children appropriately, a tactic that would require minimal interface with the parents about potentially contentious issues. Yet if teachers did not explain why appropriate clothes were necessary, these requests were often met with equally minimal success.
¶47 "Um, during the cold, we would get outside twice a week. You send notes home. 'Please dress your child properly, they need blah, blah, blah,' but it doesn't happen."
¶48 "You send notes home [that say] 'Please put gym shoes on,' [but] it does no good."
One participant described her success with a more passive-aggressive approach:
¶49 "I have an issue of going out without boots. It's snowy, they are gonna get wet. One day I send them home with wet, cold gym shoes. I got boots the next day!"
Others recounted successes in conveying their messages through the children, and in encouraging parents to talk directly with their children about going outside and the clothing necessary.
¶50 "When I have group I say, 'Would you share this with your parents when you get home because we are definitely going [outside]?' Then you have them excited and they'll come in all ready. 'See I got my gloves and everything'."
¶51 The following quote was what a participant said to a mother who had requested that the teacher not take her child outside: "'Think about your child. How's it gonna make your child feel, all of her friends are outside and she's inside?' [The parent had responded] 'I don't think she wants to go out because I don't take her outside.' [The teacher replied] 'Listen, let's talk to your child'."
Because participants felt that often times the inappropriate clothing items stemmed from a lack of parent awareness and understanding about the importance of outdoor play, several participants discussed the importance of parent education as an effective solution to clothing barriers.
¶52 "The disadvantage is when parents don't understand that kids get dirty. The parents are upset because they come home and their new clothes are dirty or they have leaves in their hair. But I consider that as an opportunity for parent education. I am not gonna quit doing it. We are not gonna quit using paint. I send home flyers and talk about what they're learning. I use it as an opportunity for parent education."
¶53 "You have to come back to the parent. This week our theme is community so we are going to be walking. This week our theme was snow. That was our science activity. You have to be able to give them the language to let them know you do understand why you did this. A lot of them appreciate that too."
In addition to educating parents about the many learning benefits of outdoor and active play, participants also found that if they could connect with the child's parents around a shared concern for the child's safety, they were more likely to be successful in encouraging parents to dress children appropriately.
¶54 "I have quite often asked parents to, not just with flip flops, maybe shoes with really slippery shoes. 'Your child is going to be climbing outside and they need some shoes that they can run and play safely.' Most parents just don't think about it."
¶55 "I once had a little girl in my class that she dressed so cute, adorable everyday, everything matching. She had these cute little flip flops and I hesitated to say something to her mom but I needed to for her safety. I said, 'I am really concerned about your child's safety. I don't want her to fall or get injured because she does a lot of climbing.' And so, she started sending her in gym shoes. So I think that was a positive thing for me to say that I was concerned."
¶56 "Some of my parents let their little girls wear hoops like this. I take upon myself I ask them, 'We do a lot of playing outside. Can you put on tiny studs?' And I haven't had any problem with parents doing that without having the policies."
Most teachers found parents receptive to their suggestions if teachers were able to explain why it was important for their child to be dressed to play and learn. In essence, teachers found that the most successful strategy for overcoming clothing barriers was to develop a positive rapport with parents. Most felt that this rapport and parental trust were essential for dealing with clothing issues.
¶57 "Acknowledge their feelings... 'I understand it is really upsetting. It's a new outfit, and it's upsetting. But If you remember, we talked about-- you might want to send old clothes'. Give out handouts about the benefit of active play, how much they're learning, the brain development and social development and every other kind of development, and that it's worth doing, even though it is a little bit of a hassle."
¶58 "So after a while, once you get a rapport with the parent, that does work and they usually will come around. Usually!!"
They achieved this rapport through handouts, highlighting areas of shared concern for the child's learning and safety, and multiple daily encounters over time. Participants also acknowledged that many parents became more relaxed and less over-protective as the child got older.
¶59 "I find that the younger--we have from 18 months to 36 months in my room--I find that when they come in at 18 months, they are very, very protective. If you go outside--- [parents will say] 'Well, it's only 25 degrees.' [in response] 'Well, yes, we go outside. We only stay out for 15 minutes but they do need to be outside.' They [parents] are not so receptive to that but as they get older, I don't know if it's just that the child is getting older or because they are not winning this battle. They're going outside so we might as well send them with everything they need. I don't know if we just wear them down or if they let go a little bit."
¶60 "I think when they're younger, especially the parents of a first child, they are learning too and they don't know that it's OK. Just that trust thing. A trusting relationship with the parent. When they first come to your center, it's like, [parent asks] 'You are taking them outside when it's only 25°? What are you talking about?' Once they trust you, and by the time they trust you their kid is older and preschool age."
Two major themes were expressed by virtually all participants: 1) children's clothing could serve as a barrier to their physical activity and 2) this clothing elicited conflict or tension between child-care providers and the children's parents, whom the providers felt were ultimately responsible for these clothing choices. These themes were unexpected, as they had not been widely reported particularly in the physical-activity literature.
Two recent qualitative studies[33,34], both from Australia, each briefly mentioned that the way children are dressed may impact their physical activity, although both provided minimal details as clothing was listed as one of many themes. O'Connor et al was a study of family child-care home providers (not centers), and was published in the early education literature. Dwyer et al was a study of child-care centers, but the clothing theme was classified as a "gender" issue, because participants mentioned it only as an issue for some Chinese and Middle Eastern parents of girls. Our findings would suggest that these practices are more widespread--both across different genders and cultural groups--as well as outside Australia. Furthermore, given that virtually all participants brought up clothing issues in response to general questions about barriers to children's physical activity, our findings would suggest that clothing issues may be a more important barrier than previously considered by policy makers and health researchers. Notably, because clothing issues have not been widely reported, they have not been considered either in recent studies[16-18,22] of environmental influences on children's physical activity in child care centers or in recent reviews [35,36] of the correlates of preschool-aged children's physical activity.
The purpose of our study was to explore reasons why physical activity levels may vary across different centers, and to use a methodology that applied no pre-conceived constructs, so that we could learn from those who were on the "front line" of children's activities in child-care settings. While it cannot be known to what extent these clothing items such as flip flops, dress clothes, and no coat truly impede children's physical activity, our findings suggest this questions warrants further study.
We were surprised by the pervasiveness of inappropriate clothing issues, as almost each participant provided anecdotes of one or a few children who consistently dressed inappropriately for play. We were especially surprised by stories of parents intentionally taking the child's coat to keep their child from going outside. While these may seem to be isolated issues with minimal impact, the importance of these seemingly minor factors may be profound. Inappropriate clothing may serve to limit physical activity even when children are given the opportunity to be outside. Similarly, only one or two children who are not dressed appropriately for cold weather may restrict daily the physical activity opportunities of the entire class if the teacher is unable to find warm clothing to loan, or another teacher to watch the child(ren) who are improperly dressed. This is particularly concerning because the default activities in child care centers appear to be primarily sedentary [11,12], as they present no safety hazards to children regardless of their dress. Differences in clothing practices may partly explain recent conflicting findings [16-18,22] about whether or not providing increased outdoor time can increase children's physical activity in child care. Specifically, if children are dressed in a way that impairs their activity, increasing their amount of exposure to the outdoors will not be able to overcome this impediment.
The deep level of tension between parents and child-care providers that these clothing discussions elicited was also somewhat surprising. When talking about parents, child-care providers ranged from empathetic, to skeptical/dubious, to almost hostile. Child-care providers displayed the most empathy when discussing how some parents of low socio-economic status may not be able to afford to leave a change of clothes in the center or proper winter clothing. Of note, the current wage of many assistant teachers (U.S.$8.39/hr) would place them in the bottom quintile for U.S. household income. Several participants could relate to the difficulties of helping children get dressed for school in the morning, as 76% reported having children of their own and over half had used child care for their own children. Yet some expressed questions about why a parent would allow their child to wear jewelry or nice clothes to school, where getting dirty is an essential part of play and learning. Still others expressed almost veiled hostility for being asked to change a child's shoes in preparation to go outdoors, and being held responsible for lost jewelry. Conflict between parents and teachers has been reported previously, in that child-care providers felt parents would be the greatest barrier to implement new health promotion activities . Our findings about the salience and ubiquity of these conflicts around clothing, and the limited success with which child-care providers have been able to change parents behaviors regarding children's attire, supports this assertion.
Our findings have a number of implications for both child-care providers and policy makers wishing to increase children's physical activity levels in child care. First, because participants expressed greater comfort with externally-imposed standards and policies to which they could refer parents and thus avoid a direct or personal confrontation, clear and specific policies about children's clothing should be developed and implemented. Ideally these policies would be grounded in state licensing or national best practice manuals, such as Caring for our Children Health and Safety Standards for Out-of-Home Child Care , as the center directors also appreciated having externally-imposed guidelines to back up their center practices. Centers should require that children come to school dressed appropriately for active play. Clothing should permit easy movement (not too loose and not too tight) and footwear should provide adequate support for running and climbing. Appropriate clothing would include:
1. gym shoes or sturdy gym-shoe-equivalent (no flip flops or other types of shoes that can come off while running, or that provide insufficient support for climbing);
2. no "dress clothes" or special outfits or that are not allowed to get dirty; and
3. appropriate clothes for the weather, including heavy coat, hat, and mittens in the winter, raincoat and/or boots for the rain, and layered clothes for climates in which the temperature can vary dramatically on a daily basis.
Directors should consider outlining the importance and benefits of outdoor play for children's development in the parent handbook, and referring to these benefits frequently in discussions with parents. A policy prohibiting large and/or expensive jewelry would also seem reasonable, both for safety and liability reasons.
The issues related to adequate coats, hats, and gloves in cold temperatures may be more difficult to overcome, as parents may inevitably continue to forget, and some low-income parents may not be able to afford proper clothing for all temperatures. Center directors should be aware of how the "car culture" may contribute to parents' forgetfulness and be sensitive to these issues when addressing this with parents. Directors should also consider keeping extra hats, gloves, and coats available to loan on cold days. On rainy days, directors should consider using or constructing covered areas to the playground, or providing raincoats and boots. Centers with gross-motor-rooms or muscle rooms could use these rooms on days when weather or improper dress does not permit play outdoors. Directors may also find that parents may respond to more specific guidelines, e.g., "Children will be taken outside every day for at least 15 minutes when the temperature exceeds 21°F; please provide hat and gloves for all temperatures below 50°F; and a coat or jacket for all temperatures below 60°F." Such specific guidelines would take the guesswork out of dressing the child in the morning, and would make it more likely that all children are dressed to go outside. As for children who come overdressed, the fact that some centers require that all children wear all layers of clothing was a surprise. This practice may not be common in other areas where the temperature can vary 30-40°F in a single day. Nevertheless, centers that have these policies may need to consider revising them and allowing the teacher and child to use their best judgment.
Although we tried to recruit participants with a range of experiences and perspectives, participation was voluntary and there may have been a selection bias; people who elected to participate all seemed relatively interested in children's physical activity opportunities. The prevalence of reported perceptions about clothing barriers and the frequency of these clothing practices cannot be determined from a qualitative study. However, the content of international blog posts on the New York Times website reporting the study findings suggested these clothing practices are also seen in other parts of the country and world. A strength of undertaking this study in Cincinnati is that the city is located in a temperate zone with distinct seasons that require different types of clothes. Previous studies in more moderate climates such as in coastal California may not have been able to determine the potential effect of inappropriate clothing. Nearly all of the participants were female, but this is reflective of the child-care work force . Participants were either Caucasian/white or African-American/black, with no other ethnic/racial groups represented, consistent with the predominant ethnic/racial groups in Hamilton County. Future studies are needed to better understand barriers to children's physical activity that may be particular to certain U.S. and non-U.S. cultural groups that were not well represented in this study including Latinos, Asians, and American Indians.
This is the first study to thoroughly examine and identify as a major theme children wearing inappropriate clothing as potential barrier to their physical activity in child care. Child-care providers in these focus groups reported that children commonly wear inappropriate clothing such as flip flops, no coat/hat/gloves in winter, and dress clothes with instructions not to get them dirty. We found that these clothing issues were a significant source of tension between parents and child-care providers. With three-quarters of children in some form of child care, and increasing evidence that young children spend very little (2-3%) of their time in these settings in moderate or vigorous physical activity , it is imperative to understand what barriers exist in these settings to limit children's physical activity. Our findings suggest that inappropriate clothing is a salient--and possibly considerable--barrier to children's physical activity. More research is needed to determine the prevalence of these clothing practices, and the extent to which they may influence children's physical activity. Specifically, researchers may want to examine if a child wearing flip flops is less active than when wearing gym shoes, or alternatively if centers that permit the wearing of flip flops or dress clothes have significantly lower physical activity levels than those that do not, other things being equal. Our findings suggest that center directors and policy makers should consider devising clear and specific policies for the types of clothing that will be permitted in these settings so that children's active play opportunities are not curtailed. To ensure compliance with these policies, some parents may need further education about the importance and benefits of outdoor play for children's development. Centers may also consider employing pragmatic solutions to clothing issues, such as keeping extra coats or hats to loan, or employing the use of indoor spaces that can be customized to permit vigorous play.
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
KAC conducted and supervised the study, attended all focus groups, conducted half of the interviews, assisted with thematic analysis, and drafted the paper. SNS facilitated all focus groups, conducted half of the interviews, assisted with thematic analysis, and contributed to the drafting of the paper. CAK assisted with thematic analysis, editing the transcripts, and edited the paper. BES was involved in the design of the study and contributed to drafting the paper. HKK was involved in the design of the study, provided guidance in conducting the study and in data analysis, and contributed to the drafting of the paper. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
KAC is an academic general pediatrician with experience conducting health-related research in child care settings. SNS is a consultant with expertise in qualitative and survey methods, and experience conducting obesity-related research. CAK is a research assistant with a Bachelor's degree in psychology and experience working in a child care center. BES is a research psychologist with experience in obesity-related research and the built environment. HJK is a nutritional epidemiologist with research experience in children's physical activity, dietary intake and bone health.
1. How are outside games different than inside games?
Which do you enjoy more? Why?
How are outside rules different from inside rules?
2. What are some possible benefits to children being outside?
3. What are some possible disadvantages to children being outside?
4. What are some things you like/dislike about your playground? What about the children, what do they like/dislike about the playground?
5. What types of things keep you from using your playground sometimes? Probe on the following in whatever order the participants mention them
What types of weather keep children from going outside or using your playground?
What about the parents?
Additional probes if needed:
• Have parents ever discouraged you from going outside or using the playground?
How do you handle that?
How do you feel about that?
• Do parents ever encourage you to take their children outside?
6. What kind of policies does your center have about using the playground, including weather conditions, playground schedule?
In later focus groups the following additional questions were asked, only after the participants brought up clothing issues:
What sort of policies does your center have about children wearing flip flops? Jewelry? Any other clothing that restricts activity?
What does your center do when children are not properly dressed for the weather?
* For each of the questions, non-specific and non-leading probes were used to follow up on any ideas expressed. Examples of these probes were "Tell me more about that," or "Can you provide an example?"
This research was supported by the Dean's Scholar Program at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, a grant under The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Physician Faculty Scholars Program, and a Career Development Award (K23HL0880531) from the National Heart Lung, & Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health. The authors would like to thank Leslie Kemper, who assisted with recruitment and scheduling of focus groups. We are also grateful to all of the directors and teachers who contributed their time and thoughtful comments to this study. | <urn:uuid:0fc42f7d-7353-4c41-a595-3d51d4e30fac> | {
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Robert Mills (August 12 1781 – March 3, 1855) is sometimes called the first native born American to become a professional architect, though Charles Bulfinch perhaps has a clearer claim to this honor. Mills studied in Charleston, South Carolina as a student of Irish-born architect James Hoban who later designed the White House which became the official home of US presidents. Both Hoban and Mills were Freemasons.
In 1812, Mills designed the Monumental Church in Virginia which was built to commemorate the death of several people in a nearby theater. This incident sparked his later interest in fireproofing measures.
Moving to Baltimore, he designed St. John's Episcopal Church, the Maryland House of Industry, and the Maryland Club. He is noted for designing the nation's first Washington Monument, in Baltimore, which began construction in 1815.
In 1820, he was appointed as acting commissioner of the Board of Public Works in South Carolina. In 1823, Mills was the superintendent of public buildings. In the next few years, he designed numerous buildings in South Carolina including court houses, the campus of the University of South Carolina, jails, and the Fireproof Building in Charleston. In 1825, he authored an Atlas of the State of South Carolina. One year later, he published Statistics of South Carolina.
In 1836 he won the competition for the design of the Washington Monument which is his best known work.
He also designed the Department of Treasury building and several other federal buildings in Washington, D. C. including the U.S. Patent Office Building. In South Carolina, he designed county courthouses in at least 18 counties, some of the public buildings in Columbia, and a few private homes. He also designed portions of the Landsford Canal, Chester County, on the Catawba River in South Carolina.
Mills was an early advocate of buildings designed to include fireproof materials. A fire in Kingstree, South Carolina destroyed much of the upper floor of a courthouse called the Fireproof Building which had been designed by Mills, but the county records on the first floor were protected due to his fireproofing measures. A fire also destroyed much of the Lancaster County, South Carolina Courthouse in August of 2008.
He died in Washington, D.C. in 1855 and was buried at the Congressional Cemetery.
Apart from stylistic movements in architecture going on in the world at his time, Robert Mills was involved in the more local context of building in the Mid-Atlantic States. There, and especially in Washington D.C., were many figures contributing architecture of high quality. To build as Mills did on what is now the National Mall, he had to contend with the planning strictures of Pierre Charles L'Enfant, as well as Andrew and Joseph Ellicott. Being an architect of the now Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area he was also undoubtedly influenced by Thomas Jefferson and Jeffersonian architecture. Mills, with Jefferson and others, was able to create a distinctive federal style of architecture. | <urn:uuid:1288e566-fddb-41c1-9473-48549f659854> | {
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IUCN leads international cooperation to combat the growing "bushmeat" problem
27 July 2001 | News story
Gland, Switzerland (IUCN) 27.07.01. IUCN is taking the lead on international cooperation to combat the unsustainable use of wild meat that is having a devastating effect on wildlife populations and threatening food security for many local communities.
The unsustainable use of wild meat (meat from wild animals killed for human consumption, commonly known as bushmeat) is one of the world's most pressing conservation problems. Wild meat is a source of protein for people throughout many parts of Africa, Asia, Central and South America and eastern Europe. Local communities see it as one of the most beneficial wildlife resources available for food and trade to support their livelihoods.
Growing poverty means that traditional taboos restricting the consumption of certain species are increasingly being ignored. With growing human populations, demand for wild meat is high, and rising prices are stimulating trade.
Although unsustainable use of wild meat is a global issue, trade is particularly significant within Africa. Many people believe that the problem is largely restricted to tropical forests and charismatic species such as gorillas and chimpanzees. Yet a vast range of species are affected from birds and small mammals such as the duiker and flying fox to the larger animals such as deer, hippo, buffalo and elephant.
The bushmeat issue has attracted much attention and activity, including the formation of a Bushmeat Crisis Task Force (BCTF) - a consortium of more than 25 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as a working group under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Several individual NGOs are also involved in this issue but their activities are not formally linked to the policy-making or development communities.
To establish a framework to address this, IUCN through its Species Survival Commission (SSC) is coordinating a workshop entitled "Links between Biodiversity Conservation, Livelihoods and Food Security: The Sustainable Use of Wild Meat" in Cameroon, 17-21 September 2001. The workshop will forge working links between the species conservation, food security/community development, and private sector stakeholders.
With critical input and expertise from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on food security and livelihoods, the workshop will bring together the major players from the development sector such as the World Bank, the UK Department for International Development, and USAID, alongside the key humanitarian relief services. Results of the workshop will be used to form a plan of action outlining individual and shared responsibilities.
"The workshop aims to get the conservation, development, and policy-making communities working together to tackle the food security and alternative livelihood issues, as well as species conservation and sustainable use. We will be looking at the effectiveness of existing measures, as well as exploring future options," said Head of IUCN's Species Programme, Dr Sue Mainka.
With its international networks, IUCN is ideally place to tackle the bushmeat problem on a global level. The workshop will involve SSC Specialist Groups, the SSC Wildlife Trade Programme, IUCN's wildlife trade monitoring programme TRAFFIC, the Socio-economics Unit, Biodiversity Policy Coordination Division, the Environmental Law Centre, and the Forest and Wetlands programmes, as well as Regional and Country offices.
For more information contact:
Dr Sue Mainka - Head of IUCN's Species Programme Officer; Tel: +41 (0)22 999 0152; Email: [email protected]
Dr Alison Rosser - SSC Wildlife Trade Programme Officer; Tel: +44 (0)1223 277966; Email: [email protected]
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Tax System and social system in
The Italian Tax System
It is a good idea to have a handle on the tax system of the
country where you have chosen to live, at least for a period.
This section will give you an overview, with an emphasis on
the areas where you personally have to take action.
All modern western countries have complex tax systems that baffle
the average citizen and the average citizen is rarely very keen
on paying their taxes. Italy is no exception. Sure, there is
probably a higher rate of tax evasion in Italy than in your
country, but it's only a matter of degree, not of black and
white. Here it may appear to be a national sport, but only because
it is talked about more often. Historically, Italians disliked
paying taxes because for centuries they had to be paid to a
foreign overlord. Since 1870, when Italy became a united country,
this is no longer an excuse, but some habits die hard. Nowadays,
the combination of a lack of political will to fight tax evasion
to the hilt, especially in the south, and tax rates that are
too high in comparison with many other European countries, far
less the United States, ensures that many people still choose
to hide a slice of their income so as to reduce their effective
tax rate to a level that they consider fair.
Types of tax
The Italian legislator seems to have been inspired in the past
by three guiding principles, none of which is fairness:
the shotgun approach: spray them with lots of silly little taxes
- something is bound to hit.
the tangible versus intangible approach: collecting income tax
is difficult because income tends to be invisible. So identify
tangible, visible assets - particularly ones that Italians are
unlikely to want to do without (house, car, petrol, even cigarettes)
- and tax them to the hilt.
the fixed versus flexible approach: even better if you can hit them with a
fixed amount (e.g. bollo auto, canone RAI) rather than an amount
that it is up to the taxpayer to decide.
These principles led to a proliferation of taxes which frankly
became absurd. Every month there was something to pay. Then
in the late '90s, "simplification" became the buzz-word. This
entailed incorporating a number of taxes into a new one (particularly
the elimination of ILOR and ICIAP, both local business taxes,
TSS or tassa sulla salute, i.e. health contributions, and various
other minor taxes, and the creation of IRAP, a regional business
tax). Admittedly, this process of "simplification" often meant
issuing acres of instructions to explain the new monster, but
at least there are now fewer taxes to pay.
Taxes in Italy are generally referred
to by their acronym. These change over time, but you will often
find Italians - or even expats - referring to them by their
old name, so we will explain them too:
IRPEG (Imposta sui Redditi delle Persone Giuridiche): this is
corporation tax on the income of limited liability and joint-stock
companies. So you will only encounter this if you set up an
S.r.l. (Societ?con responsabilit?limitata) or an S.p.A. (Societ?
IRAP (Imposta Regionale sulle Attivit?Produttive): this is
the relatively new tax that incorporated various other ones,
as explained above. It is a bit of an oddity because it is not
based on pre-tax profit, but on a figure that for simplicity's
sake we'll call "profit plus personnel costs" which is then
taxed, generally at 4% (the rate is decided by each region).
You will have to pay this if you have your own business, of
whatever kind. It includes health contributions, which means
that your business pays for the health cover of yourself, any
partners, and your employees (full-time, part-time, those on
IVA (Imposta sul Valore Aggiunta):
this is value-added tax and functions much the same as any European
VAT system. Note that VAT is different from US-type sales tax,
which is only charged to the end-customer at the retail end
of the chain. VAT is charged at every step of the chain, so
businesses involved in the chain charge VAT to the next business
in line and then deduct all of the VAT that they have been charged
by other businesses during the tax period, paying over the difference
to the government on a monthly or quarterly basis, depending
on the size of the business. The total cost is borne by the
end-customer, while the individual business only ends up paying
on the value that it has added to the goods or services in question,
which is why it is called "value-added" tax. One of the major
decisions to be made if you decide to work freelance in Italy
is whether or not to register for IVA. If you essentially work
for one client, you are probably best to push for a contratto
di collaborazione. If you then do the odd job (lavoro occasionale)
for other clients, they can be billed using a ricevuta fiscale
from which income tax is withheld at 20%. If, on the other hand,
you have or plan to have several clients, and especially if
you expect to have a variety of tax-deductible costs (computer,
rent, electricity, telephone, car, travel, office stationery,
etc) it is almost certainly worth your while signing up for
IVA. There is a bit of extra hassle involved (basic bookkeeping,
monthly or quarterly returns, and almost certainly the cost
of a commercialista (accountant, tax adviser) to keep you on
the strait and narrow), but financially you should be better
off, especially the more you earn. See Professional Advisers
Note that we have lots of detailed articles in our archives,
while The Informer, our monthly online publication, will give
you regular updates on any changes in Italian tax law. Access
to both The Informer and to our archives are by subscription
only. Subscribers also have free access to Lifeline, our exclusive
on-line advisory service.
IRPEF (Imposta sui Redditi delle Persone
Fisiche): this is personal income tax and is the one that you
will come across most frequently as it the one that will take
away the biggest slice of your income. Again, you don't have
to be a tax expert, but you would be wise to gain a smattering
of how personal income tax is calculated (above all what expenses
you can deduct) and when/how it has to be paid.
The most logical way of splitting this section is into "Employees"
and the "Self-employed", as the procedures vary quite considerably.
As employees, the bulk of the work is with your employer. Italy
has a sort of pay-as-you-earn system (generally referred to
as 730 after the form used) which incorporates various personal
deductions. You will be asked by your employer to provide information
on your family status (if you have a dependent spouse and/or
children), if you are making deductible mortgage payments, life
insurance premiums or supplementary pension contributions, if
you have other deductibles such as medical expenses, or if you
have other income needing to be declared. Make sure that you
keep your company up to date with any changes in these situations.
If you would prefer not to let your employer know about certain
situations - say other sources of income that you would prefer
to keep secret - then you can use an outside CAF (centro di
assistenza fiscale) or a commercialista when it comes to filing
your tax return.
In straight-forward situations, all of your income tax payment
and filing requirements will be fulfilled through the 730 system.
The company will deduct each month an amount of tax that is
one-twelfth (assuming 12 monthly payments) of the total tax
expected to be due for the year. There will then be an equalisation
(conguaglio) at the end of the year, which usually affects your
In more complicated situations, you may have to file a separate
tax return (dichiarazione dei redditi), which is now called
a Modello Unico, though it used to be called - and many people
still refer to it as - the 740 (pronounced Sette Quaranta).
In theory, Italy (like the USA, but unlike the UK) taxes you
- if you are tax-resident in Italy - on your worldwide income.
This does not mean, however, that you should start telling the
Italian taxman all about your investments, real estate, bank
accounts etc. abroad. One thing is what you earn during your
period in Italy; what you accumulated before coming here is
quite another matter.
Note that we have lots of detailed articles in our archives,
while The Informer, our monthly publication, will give you regular
updates on any changes in Italian tax law, including deadlines.
Access to both The Informer and to our archives are by subscription
only. Subscribers also have free access to Lifeline, our exclusive
on-line advisory service. Which means that if there are tax
matters that you do not understand, you can ask us and we will
do our best to point you in the right direction.
Being self-employed puts a far greater burden on you in terms
of compliance compared with an employee. You would be best to
choose a commercialista early on to ensure that you start off
your business on the right footing. Even if you speak reasonable
Italian, it is probably best to have a commercialista who already
has other expat clients so that they are aware of the particular
situations that expats tend to find themselves in (e.g. awareness
of international tax and social security treaties).
The situation is simplest if you work as a collaboratore, because
from 2001 you are considered more or less as an employee for
tax purposes. This means that you are included in the 730 system,
with tax deductions taking into account your actual level of
income and tax-deductibles, instead of a flat 20% withholding
as in the past (often leading to vast overpayments that were
hard to reclaim).
If you only do odd jobs, or to start with before you have found
a definitive way of operating, you can take the lavoro occasionale
route. Once you have finished a particular project, you (or
the client company) can issue a ricevuta fiscale (a tax receipt
which is simpler than an invoice) which only shows the amount
due less 20% income tax - no IVA and no social contributions.
The drawback is that you cannot carry on using this system indefinitely.
As the word says, it is only for "occasional" (casual) work.
What's the limit? There is no specific guideline, but most people
agree that you should not issue more than 3 ricevute in a year.
The next step up is to work as a libero professionista. This
can mean that you have an "official" profession (architect,
doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc) in which case you have the
additional obstacle of obtaining reciprocal recognition of your
qualification. Even within Europe, this is not a simple matter
and the problem should not be underrated. Because without formal
recognition, you cannot practice legally in Italy. This is a
matter that The Informer follows, so we will not go into further
On the other hand, libero professionista is often used in a
wider sense of someone who is self-employed, working freelance
or on a so-called "consultancy" basis. As mentioned earlier,
in this case you are obliged to register for IVA (VAT) purposes,
issue invoices and keep accounting records of your costs and
revenues. Your invoices will show (among other things) a 20%
withholding for income tax, which amount will be paid over to
the tax authorities on your behalf. Your clients will then issue
you with a certificate at the end of the year stating how much
tax they have deducted and paid over for you. So when it comes
to filing your tax return, all of these amounts paid in advance
are deducted from the total tax due for the year and all you
have to pay is the net amount. Depending on your income, you
may even be in credit, in which case you can apply for a rebate.
And as we shall see below, the freelancer's invoices also include
a 4% extra for pension contributions.
Lastly, you may be classed as an entrepreneur. This would be
the case if instead of working on your own, you set up a partnership
(Societ?in nome collettivo or Snc). So it is not so much a
question of the type of work you do, but the way that the business
is organised. In this case, it is the business or partnership
rather than the individual that is registered for IVA purposes.
The business issues invoices that include IVA, but there is
no withholding tax (which helps your cash flow) and no 4% extra
for pension contributions (unfortunately). In this situation,
you have to bear in mind two deadlines for income tax purposes:
31 May and 30 November. 31 May is the deadline by which you
(usually) have to pay the balance of any income tax due for
the previous year (though this is often extended), as well as
the first advance payment for the current year. 30 November
is the deadline for the second advance payment for the current
year, with the balance being paid by 31 May of the following
Bear in mind that you will have to provide your accountant not
only with all of the purchase and sale invoices and any other
documentation pertaining to the business, but also any other
expenses that may be deductible for tax purposes (car purchase
and running costs, medical expenses, mortgage payments, life
insurance, pension contributions, etc).
In any case, The Informer follows these matters systematically,
with requirements and deadlines, and above all any changes in
the law, spelt out in English so that you can discuss things
with your commercialista from a relatively informed point of
view. But note that these monthly updates and the ability to
access our Lifeline advisory service are only available by subscription.
As we have said on various occasions, you will need professional
assistance to set up and run a business in Italy. Professional
Advisers with some experience of expatriates are listed at the
bottom of the page.
As we said earlier, Italy is the land of the thousand taxes,
so be aware that you will probably have to pay one or more of
the following taxes, usually once a year. They may be payable
to central, regional, provincial or local government. How and
where they have to be paid is explained elsewhere on the site
or in our monthly updates (available by subscription).
Car tax (bollo auto), which now includes the tax on your car
radio and the stamp duty on your Italian driving licence
Motorbike tax (bollo moto)
Scooter tax (bollo motorino)
TV tax (canone RAI)
Refuse tax (tassa rifiuti)
Municipal property tax (Imposta Comunale sugli Immobili - ICI)
Social security covers a multitude of things, but the key benefits
are Health Care and Pensions. Health care is dealt with in another
section. Suffice to say here that, for most people, access to
the national health system is provided on the basis of the health
contributions which are now paid as part of IRAP, as explained
above. So anyone who is working should be covered that way.
Those who are registered as unemployed have free access to the
health system. Those who are not working, but who can't be considered
unemployed (e.g. pensioners) have to decide if they want to
join the national health system (probably worthwhile), in which
case they have to pay voluntary contributions (min. L. 750,000
per year) or buy private health insurance.
Social security also includes unemployment benefit, but it is
minimal in Italy and only lasts for 6 months. So we will not
discuss it here.
The major topic of this section is therefore...
This is a monumental topic, one that can and does fill books.
What we will provide here is an overview of the various ways
that you can or have to contribute to the system. We will then
briefly mention the question of Totalisation and the particular
situation of American freelancers who are obliged to pay US
As an employee, you needn't worry too much about your pension
contributions as they are automatically deducted and paid over
on your behalf. Just make sure that you receive an annual certificate
from your employer detailing the payments that they have made
on your behalf to INPS or some other pension institution.
If you have anything to think about, it's what to do about a
supplementary pension (pensione integrativa), given that state
pensions are likely to be reduced over the coming decades. The
current debate concerns the extent to which your TFR (Trattamento
Fine Rapporto or severance indemnity) should be reallocated
for this purpose. Those in first-time employment will be obliged
to allocate their TFR to a pension fund, while others will have
Professionisti (with an IVA number) have to pay 12% of their
earnings to INPS as pension contributions. One-third of this
they can "claw-back" from their customers. Which is why their
invoices show an additional 4%. (Note that IVA and withholding
tax have to be paid on the total amount: fee + 4%).
Collaboratori pay a certain percentage of their earnings (currently
13% but due to rise over time to 19%) to INPS as pension contributions,
of which they pay 1/3 and the employer/client pays 2/3.
Entrepreneurs, partners and other business people have only
recently (1998) been obliged to join some specific state pension
scheme or another. Most service companies, for example, have
been lumped in with shopkeepers (commercianti), even if the
type of business is very different. The idea is to make everyone
contribute to the pot. In this case, the individual has to bear
the entire cost of the contributions, which are payable quarterly
on the basis of bollettini from INPS. The amount is approximately
16% of the income declared the previous year. Note that such
contributions, being obligatory, are tax-deductible in their
There are certain situations where an individual may be missing
just a few years' contributions to ensure a pension but find
themselves no longer in employment. The solution here is voluntary
contributions (contributi volontari), but generally speaking,
la volontaria is to be avoided, firstly because it is very expensive,
as there is no employer to pay the bulk of the contributions;
and secondly, because the contributions may not be tax-deductible
in their entirety. Not being obligatory, they fall under the
same heading as life insurance premiums, for which the deductible
limit appears to be still 2.5 mn per year. A pittance. (Addendum:
this was the situation up to the end of 2000; from 2001 voluntary
contributions are fully deductible).
The whole question of international pensions and social security
treaties is extremely complicated, but totalisation is one concept
that is quite easy to understand. All EU member nations and
the other countries with which Italy has a social security treaty
apply totalisation. Put simply, this means that all of the years'
contributions paid into the pension systems of qualifying countries
can be taken into consideration to decide if an individual is
due a pension or not.
For example, Italy will soon require a minimum of 20 years'
contributions to earn an earnings-related (as opposed to a basic,
old-age) pension. If you have paid 15 years in Italy, 6 in the
UK and 5 in France, then you have a total of 26 years, amply
qualifying for a pension, even if it won't be up to the maximum
(35-40 years needed). Then, if you choose to retire in Italy,
it will be up to INPS to contact the benefits agencies in the
UK and France, informing them of the situation. They will not
transfer "your" cash to INPS, but they will pay their share
of your pension. In other words, Italy will pay 15/26ths, the
UK will pay 6/26ths and France will pay 5/26ths.
And how much will that add up to? you may ask. That's impossible
to say, because it depends on a number of variables, essentially
what your average salary has been for the last n years (n is
rising steadily in an attempt to lower the average). However,
most pension systems, even INPS, are now equipped to give you
a forward estimate of your pension situation.
Bear in mind that those paying 10/13% pension contributions
are subject to separate rules. You are paying into a separate
pot and the money you pay in is identifiably "yours", rather
than being lost in the mare magnum of INPS. On the other hand,
the rules say that your pension will be based on the amount
you paid in over the years, not what you earned in the years
prior to retirement. This system is likely to render far lower
returns than Italy traditional pension system, essentially because
less is being paid in by you or on your behalf, but at least
it's something. It is therefore even more important that you
provide separately for a private supplementary pension.
US Self-Employment Tax
Interestingly, the Americans are quite blatant about it and
call this a tax, even if in Europe we would call it social contributions,
because it is definitely designed to pay you some sort of pension.
Most young Americans have few illusions about the sort of pension
they are likely to receive, but that need not concern us here.
The point is that, if you are American and working freelance
anywhere in the world, you are obliged to pay this 15% self-employment
tax to the States. Being an obligatory social security cost,
it ought to fall under the definition of a deductible expense
for Italian tax purposes. Italian tax inspectors contest this,
based on the fact that it is not an EU tax. The point is still
open to discussion, though the situation now (2003) looks less
optimistic than it once did.
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I found a beautiful swallowtail butterfly in the yard – dead, but perfect. I looked it up on the iPhone and think it might be the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. These pictures were taken with the phone and this post is being done entirely with the iphone. Yes I am a tech geek!
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is a species of swallowtail butterfly native to North America. It is one of the most familiar butterflies in the eastern United States.
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail was once considered to be a single species, but is now divided into three species; the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis), the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and the Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio appalachiensis). These three species are very similar to one another, and can be hard to tell apart. The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail has a wingspan of 7.9 to 14 centimeters (3 to 5.5 inches). The adult male is yellow, with black “tiger stripes”. There are two morphs of adult females, a yellow one and a dark one. The yellow one is similar to the male, except there is a patch of blue on the hind wing. In the dark morph, the yellow areas are replaced by dark gray or black. | <urn:uuid:63c608ce-aa8f-4820-a629-91e826fd8476> | {
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Fewer than half of Ontario’s elementary schools have a health and physical-education teacher, raising questions about efforts to stem rising obesity rates among schoolchildren.
In a survey of elementary and high-school principals released Monday, advocacy group People for Education found than only 45 per cent of elementary schools have a specialist health and physical-education teacher, and the majority of them are part-time. At the same time, educators say they are struggling to fit 20 minutes of daily physical activity, as mandated by the province for Grades 1 to 8, into a packed school day.
“We’re doing really well getting the marks up, but not so well on the health and well-being front,” said executive director Annie Kidder.
Schools are the ideal place to promote physical activity and healthy eating. Many have started serving healthier foods in cafeterias, and bolstered their physical education curriculum. Yet, obesity rates are still climbing: One in three school-aged children is overweight or obese, according to Statistics Canada.
Ms. Kidder said Ontario has many programs in place to encourage healthy lifestyles among children, but there’s a lack of co-ordination and specialization. “It’s one thing to just have curriculum and say ‘Here, everybody deliver this.’ It’s another to really, truly have the expertise to think about kids’ health and understand all of the components of health,” she said.
The People for Education report noted a study of students in the Toronto District School Board that found fewer than half of them were provided with daily physical activity every day and none were receiving the full 20 minutes.
Mark Tremblay, director of healthy active living and obesity research at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, said there are huge discrepancies around physical education between provinces. Manitoba is the only province with mandatory physical education through to the end of high school. Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario have daily physical activity policies.
Dr. Tremblay said that as a former chair of the parent school advisory committee in New Brunswick, he saw many schools raise money to hire a physical-education teacher.
“We never do that for math teachers or language-arts teachers or even the librarian. Who decided that physical and health education is a basement dweller?” Dr. Tremblay asked. “It seems particularly misaligned given the world in which we live in and the trends that we’re all aware of.”
Dr. Tremblay said physical education should be a high priority. “You can think there isn’t room in the curriculum for it, but the evidence suggests that if you do that daily physical activity and if you do quality physical education, your kids are going to benefit not only physically, but in their academic scores,” he said.
The People for Education report also found that a quarter of elementary and high-school students don’t have access to mental-health services.
The full survey, which will be released in May, was distributed across Ontario and saw a return rate of just over 20 per cent, or about 1,000 elementary and secondary schools. | <urn:uuid:15680e73-611f-4e61-9125-c7fb37d1b824> | {
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Here’s something interesting. This periodic table has the elements used in automotive manufacture marked off in colors to denote where the element is used. An amazing number of elements are used, for example, to make paint or structural parts while others are almost entirely used just for one or two smaller items on a car.
The chart was commissioned by GMB North America, an auto parts manufacturer.
“Every new vehicle has thousands of parts, from individual nuts and bolts to plastic trim and body panels,” says Sarah Porter, Marketing Manager at GMB North America. “While a lot of these parts are made from the same groups of elements, there are some surprises. We thought it would be fun to show how various elements are used by the auto industry in a familiar format.”
Here are some of the highlighted elements and their uses in automotive manufacturing:
- Aluminum– Aluminum is used extensively in the modern automobile. The obvious uses are body panels and alloy wheels. However, it’s also used to reduce the weight of numerous components, from engine blocks and cylinder heads to control arms and battery cables.
- Bismuth– The pearl pigment of bismuth oxychloride was used in automobile paint for a short time, between 1998 and 2000. It went the way of lead and uranium, both once used in automobile paint. Nowadays, some free-cutting steel is being produced with bismuth, and that steel is used in engine parts.
- Calcium– Calcium carbide is an important mineral in the production of steel.
- Carbon– Carbon is used in countless ways in a modern automobile, with the most visible use being carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is used for everything from decoration to vehicle frames and body panels.
- Chlorine– Chlorine is used to make PVC, which is used for moldings, trim parts, and also as an underbody coating. It’s also used to make hydrochloric acid, which is used in a variety of industrial processes.
- Gold– Gold is often used in vital electrical system components, such as the circuitry that fires airbags.
- Helium– Many auto parts and assemblies are leak tested using helium. Additionally, helium is often used in controlled atmosphere brazing, a manufacturing process for many automotive components.
- Magnesium– Magnesium alloys are commonly used in subframes, rear-link arms, oil pans, hoods, trunks, and lift gates, often to reduce weight.
- Platinum– Platinum is a key component in catalytic converters because of its natural resistance to heat and corrosion. In the US, the auto industry uses more platinum than any other industry.
Latest posts by Aaron Turpen (see all)
- Does the Nissan Leaf Compare at All to Any of the Tesla Vehicles? - March 23, 2019
- 2019 Volvo XC40: Don’t Let Its Good Looks Fool You - March 20, 2019 | <urn:uuid:62c56a92-049e-4269-823d-7150343478b2> | {
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Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke, , at sacred-texts.com
God informs Noah that within seven days he shall send a rain upon the earth, that shall continue for forty days and nights; and therefore commands him to take his family, with the different clean and unclean animals, and enter the ark, Gen 7:1-4. This command punctually obeyed, Gen 7:5-9. In the seventeenth day of the second month, in the six hundredth year of Noah's life, the waters, from the opened windows of heaven, and the broken up fountains of the great deep, were poured out upon the earth, Gen 7:10-12. The different quadrupeds, fowls, and reptiles come unto Noah, and the Lord shuts him and them in, Gen 7:13-16. The waters increase, and the ark floats, Gen 7:17. The whole earth is covered with water fifteen cubits above the highest mountains, Gen 7:18-20. All terrestrial animals die, Gen 7:21-23. And the waters prevail one hundred and fifty days, Gen 7:24.
Thee have I seen righteous - See the note on Gen 6:8
Of every clean beast - So we find the distinction between clean and unclean animals existed long before the Mosaic law. This distinction seems to have been originally designed to mark those animals which were proper for sacrifice and food, from those that were not. See Leviticus 11.
For yet seven days - God spoke these words probably on the seventh or Sabbath day, and the days of the ensuing week were employed in entering the ark, in embarking the mighty troop, for whose reception ample provision had been already made.
Forty days - This period became afterwards sacred, and was considered a proper space for humiliation. Moses fasted forty days, Deu 9:9, Deu 9:11; so did Elijah, Kg1 19:8; so did our Lord, Mat 4:2. Forty days' respite were given to the Ninevites that they might repent, Jon 3:4; and thrice forty (one hundred and twenty) years were given to the old world for the same gracious purpose, Gen 6:3. The forty days of Lent, in commemoration of our Lord's fasting, have a reference to the same thing; as each of these seems to be deduced from this primitive judgment.
In the six hundredth year, etc. - This must have been in the beginning of the six hundredth year of his life; for he was a year in the ark, Gen 8:13; and lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood, and died nine hundred and fifty years old, Gen 9:29; so it is evident that, when the flood commenced, he had just entered on his six hundredth year.
Second month - The first month was Tisri, which answers to the latter half of September, and first half of October; and the second was Marcheshvan, which answers to part of October and part of November. After the deliverance from Egypt, the beginning of the year was changed from Marcheshvan to Nisan, which answers to a part of our March and April. But it is not likely that this reckoning obtained before the flood. Dr. Lightfoot very probably conjectures that Methuselah was alive in the first month of this year. And it appears, says he, how clearly the Spirit of prophecy foretold of things to come, when it directed his father Enoch almost a thousand years before to name him Methuselah, which signifies they die by a dart; or, he dieth, and then is the dart; or, he dieth, end then it is sent. And thus Adam and Methuselah had measured the whole time between the creation and the flood, and lived above two hundred and forty years together. See Genesis 5 at the end, Gen 5:32 (note).
Were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened - It appears that an immense quantity of waters occupied the center of the antediluvian earth; and as these burst forth, by the order of God, the circumambient strata must sink, in order to fill up the vacuum occasioned by the elevated waters. This is probably what is meant by breaking up the fountains of the great deep. These waters, with the seas on the earth's surface, might be deemed sufficient to drown the whole globe, as the waters now on its surface are nearly three-fourths of the whole, as has been accurately ascertained by Dr. Long. See the note on Gen 1:10.
By the opening of the windows of heaven is probably meant the precipitating all the aqueous vapours which were suspended in the whole atmosphere, so that, as Moses expresses it, Gen 1:7, the waters that were above the firmament were again united to the waters which were below the firmament, from which on the second day of creation they had been separated. A multitude of facts have proved that water itself is composed of two airs, oxygen and hydrogen; and that 85 parts of the first and 15 of the last, making 100 in the whole, will produce exactly 100 parts of water. And thus it is found that these two airs form the constituent parts of water in the above proportions. The electric spark, which is the same as lightning, passing through these airs, decomposes them and converts them to water. And to this cause we may probably attribute the rain which immediately follows the flash of lightning and peal of thunder. God therefore, by the means of lightning, might have converted the whole atmosphere into water, for the purpose of drowning the globe, had there not been a sufficiency of merely aqueous vapours suspended in the atmosphere on the second day of creation. And if the electric fluid were used on this occasion for the production of water, the incessant glare of lightning, and the continual peals of thunder, must have added indescribable horrors to the scene. See the note on Gen 8:1. These two causes concurring were amply sufficient, not only to overflow the earth, but probably to dissolve the whole terrene fabric, as some judicious naturalists have supposed: indeed, this seems determined by the word מבול mabbul, translated flood, which is derived from בל bal בלל or balal, to mix, mingle, confound, confuse, because the aqueous and terrene parts of the globe were then mixed and confounded together; and when the supernatural cause that produced this mighty change suspended its operations, the different particles of matter would settle according to their specific gravities, and thus form the various strata or beds of which the earth appears to be internally constructed. Some naturalists have controverted this sentiment, because in some cases the internal structure of the earth does not appear to justify the opinion that the various portions of matter had settled according to their specific gravities; but these anomalies may easily be accounted for, from the great changes that have taken place in different parts of the earth since the flood, by volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, etc. Some very eminent philosophers are of the opinion "that, by the breaking up of the fountains of the great deep, we are to understand an eruption of waters from the Southern Ocean." Mr. Kirwan supposes "that this is pretty evident from such animals as the elephant and rhinoceros being found in great masses in Siberia, mixed with different marine substances; whereas no animals or other substances belonging to the northern regions have been ever found in southern climates. Had these animals died natural deaths in their proper climate, their bodies would not have been found in such masses. But that they were carried no farther northward than Siberia, is evident from there being no remains of any animals besides those of whales found in the mountains of Greenland. That this great rush of waters was from the south or south-east is farther evident, he thinks, from the south and south-east sides of almost all great mountains being much steeper than their north or north-west sides, as they necessarily would be if the force of a great body of water fell upon them in that direction." On a subject like this men may innocently differ. Many think the first opinion accords best with the Hebrew text and with the phenomena of nature, for mountains do not always present the above appearance.
The rain was upon the earth - Dr. Lightfoot supposes that the rain began on the 18th day of the second month, or Marcheshvan, and that it ceased on the 28th of the third month, Cisleu.
And they went in, etc. - It was physically impossible for Noah to have collected such a vast number of tame and ferocious animals, nor could they have been retained in their wards by mere natural means. How then were they brought from various distances to the ark and preserved there? Only by the power of God. He who first miraculously brought them to Adam that he might give them their names, now brings them to Noah that he may preserve their lives. And now we may reasonably suppose that their natural enmity was so far removed or suspended that the lion might dwell with the lamb, and the wolf lie down with the kid, though each might still require his peculiar aliment. This can be no difficulty to the power of God, without the immediate interposition of which neither the deluge nor the concomitant circumstances could have taken place.
The Lord shut him in - This seems to imply that God took him under his especial protection, and as he shut Him in, so he shut the Others out. God had waited one hundred and twenty years upon that generation; they did not repent; they filled up the measure of their iniquities, and then wrath came upon them to the uttermost.
Fifteen cubits upward - Should any person object to the universality of the deluge because he may imagine there is not water sufficient to drown the whole globe in the manner here related, he may find a most satisfactory answer to all the objections he can raise on this ground in Mr. Ray's Physico-theological Discourses, 2d edit., 8vo., 1693.
Of all that was in the dry land - From this we may conclude that such animals only as could not live in the water were preserved in the ark.
And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days - The breaking up of the fountains of the great deep, and the raining forty days and nights, had raised the waters fifteen cubits above the highest mountains; after which forty days it appears to have continued at this height for one hundred and fifty days more. "So," says Dr. Lightfoot, "these two sums are to be reckoned distinct, and not the forty days included in the one hundred and fifty; so that when the one hundred and fifty days were ended, there were six months and ten days of the flood past." For an improvement of this awful judgment, see the conclusion of the following chapter, Gen 8:22 (note). | <urn:uuid:1e4a3966-f6ab-4862-bf87-9b673354f54d> | {
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Champions of the Wild: Orangutans
The world's largest tree-dwelling primate, the endangered orangutan has been the victim of poaching, the ape trade and habitat destruction.
Dr. Biruté Galdikas has lived for over 35 years in the gruelling jungles of Borneo and Sumatra, fighting to save the orangutan. At first a passive observer, she soon became an activist researcher, rescuing orphaned victims of the ape trade, re-introducing captured orangutans into the wild and lobbying the Indonesian government to help protect these close relatives of humanity.
1998, 25 min 27 s
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Summer offers a horn plenty of nutritious foods, including berries (loaded with antioxidants), tomatoes, sweet bell peppers (good vitamin C source), and protein-filled grilled fish.
When we select the right ones, we add to our daily diet strategies that help prevent or reduce common summer afflictions:
Dry or Damaged Skin
Main causes: We sweat more in the summer so our skin becomes more dehydrated and is less supple. When we introduce saltwater from the ocean or chlorine from the pool we have an added drying effect. Coupled with dry skin, harmful sun rays and bug bites are also wreak havoc with our healthy skin.
What to eat: The berry family, such as raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, which are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C help heal weathered skin. Protein from lean meats, beans, nuts, and seeds, is also very helpful. Drinking lots of water (8-10 cups) of water is also key to preventing dehydration. Since the body’s calcium and magnesium are also frequently lost through sweating, it's a good idea to replace them by eating low-fat dairy products like skim milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese.
Main causes: Relaxing is fun but doing it in a wet bathing suit provides a perfect environment for yeast overgrowth.
What to eat: Reducing sugary foods helps create conditions less desirable for yeast to find an unwanted home on your body.
Main causes: Exposure to sun, wind, saltwater, and chlorine.
What to eat: Protein-rich meals because our hair consists of protein fibers called keratin. Eating foods rich in vitamin B-5 (found in yogurt and California avocados), vitamin B-8 (in liver and cooked eggs), folic acid (in fortified cereals and beans), calcium (in milk and yogurt), and zinc (in meat and fish) can reduce hair loss and replace dull hair with shiny hair.
Main causes: Muscle cramps result from exertion of our muscles coupled with dehydration and loss of key electrolytes. When we lose fluid in our system, it often leads to an electrolyte imbalance of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium causing our muscles to cramp up.
What to eat: Replenish electrolytes with fresh fruits and salads and drink plenty of water.
Main causes: Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss and blindness in people over the age of 55. This occurs when the central part of the retina (macula) becomes damaged and our eyes see blurred objects.
What to eat: The retina is actually made up of vitamin A so foods rich in this vitamin -- along with beta-carotene, zinc, and Vitamins C and E -- are beneficial to the eyes. Good sources are dark green vegetables like kale, chard, and mustard greens, plus bell peppers, carrots, and blueberries. Eat eggs and tomatoes for their high dose of lutein, an important antioxidant that also helps prevent eye damage.
Main causes: The stress of sun exposure often triggers cold sores in people who are prone to them.
What to eat: The amino acid L-lysine has been shown in some small studies to help. A deficiency in B vitamins and riboflavin can make us susceptible to cold sores. Eating fortified cereals and bread or taking a B-complex vitamin helps. | <urn:uuid:0fe8f773-0ce0-41c4-bea6-596aa4c66f02> | {
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Is construct validity a helpful term when it comes to psychological experience?
Construct validity is a term that is used when attempting to test the validity of a psychological diagnosis, but how useful and accurate is it to think in these terms?
How do you verify the sense of internal experience?
Is it a case that certain constructs and diagnoses are developed which then become more widely reported?
When a condition such as ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) becomes identified there tends to be a rise in the number of cases reported.
Construct validity – How helpful is a diagnosis?
Frequently in my practice a client will be referred who has been told they are depressed, or suffering from a particular type of depression or anxiety. They explain that they are not sure if the diagnosis is correct.
In my experience of working with people, of understanding more about the symptoms and experience they are describing it often seems that the diagnosis they are speaking of may:
a. not be very helpful in terms of helping them to think about their experience
b. stop them seeing the links between their current emotional experience and their personal histories
c. not help them to find a way of engaging in a more satisfying way with their emotions and states of mind
Testing the construct validity – a case example
A 40 year old man was referred to me who explained that he had been told he was suffering from a type of depression. His depression he explained was difficult to treat and had been referred to as resistant depression. This had been confirmed to him by his psychiatrist. It was not obvious that the diagnosis was helping him.
In psychotherapy one of the particular features of the man’s life that stood out concerned his exposure to early trauma and traumatic experience. It was not clear that enough attention had been paid to this early experience, the diagnosis of resistant depression was taking all of the attention.
He remained under the care of his GP and consultant at hospital but in his sessions with me the more we considered the impact of the early traumas the more he seemed to come alive.
It is often my experience that psychotherapy coincides with all kinds of improvements when compared to the original presenting situation.
In this case, the man was going through a difficult separation from his wife and there were all manner of custody implications for their small children. But, as he worked with me and talked through his early experiences, he reported that there were less problems in the day-to-day relationship with his wife. It was evident that a considerable amount of the anxiety symptoms that he reported and lived with were lessening and life was becoming more manageable.
It is often the case that PTSD and CPTSD underlie diagnoses of depression
If someone has gone through early and ignored trauma there are often profound consequences. It is likely that their engagement in school will have been significantly disrupted. PTSD creates problems with things like concentrating and concentration. It makes school and education difficult and has implications for learning, exams and achievements as well disrupting social life.
It is not uncommon for people who have gone through trauma to have become disorganised and disconnected from ordinary social interactions.
If these things are left unacknowledged then in time it is common that the symptoms that develop out of the experience become the things that end up being diagnosed and treated. In this way the underlying issues become obscured. But it is often the case that it is the underlying condition that needs the attention if the problem is going to be properly addressed.
Particular constructs of illness, particular diagnoses and treatment models tend to go through cycles of popularity.
We see this with the interest in CBT, or when Mindfulness is treated as the answer to all problems. Similarly with prescription medicines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have become the appropriate medication for anyone speaking of anxiety or depression. It may be that these medicines or treatments are helpful, but in the longer term being more able to consider the whole life of the person, not just their presenting symptom is more useful.
Being prepared to think outside the construct validity is necessary when trying to help someone find a way of transforming their experience.
Contact me to arrange a free telephone consultation to discuss how my work might help you. | <urn:uuid:a69cb2f0-fd8e-4c52-ada8-fddf01e7172c> | {
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The Education Commission was set up last September to help the world develop a plan for achieving the ambitious Sustainable Development Goal on Education (SDG 4) which calls on the world to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” This is an enormous challenge. More than 124 million children and youth do not have access to primary and secondary schools. And of the roughly 590 million that are in school, some 250 million—roughly two in five—are failing to learn the basics of reading, writing and math.
The Commission asked young people around the world to help define their vision.
The Education Youth Video Challenge invited young people ages 13-30 to create a video of 30 seconds or less that answers one or both of these questions:
How can education best prepare you for your future?
What would your ideal school of the future look like?
June 30, 2016 (11:59 pm EST, New York City time)
Young people from around the world ages 13-30*
*Participants under the age of 18 will need to submit a release form signed by a parent/legal guardian; details available on the competition link
The top three videos will be selected by the Education Commission’s Youth Panel, co-chaired by Kennedy Odede (Kenya) and Rosemarie Ramitt (Guyana) alongside Special Jury Members Beth Garrod, Viacom’s Director of International Social Responsibility, and Ahmad Alhendawi, United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth. See full list of Youth Panel Members ›
A People’s Choice Award will also be given to the video that receives the most public votes. | <urn:uuid:18c35bf9-eecc-4027-b635-9dbabe9c77fd> | {
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Depression is one of the most common psychological problems of this century. Depression is something you feel lonely, depress, mood changes, sleeplessness. In depression, people face two weeks of mood changes episodes. In these episodes, they want to harm themselves. Their aggressive behavior is the major reason behind such activity. They show anger toward their friends, family, siblings, and the people surrounding them.
The total duration for the diagnosis is 12 months most limit. At least the person is facing this problem last 6 months. In a week, the duration of crying spell is about 3 day per week. They stop talking, stop eating, lying in bed all the day. They face insomnia and hypersomnia problem. They cannot sleep if they are least interested in work. Hypersomnia is due to hyperactive and anxiety they cannot sleep over the night.
People who are suffering from depression, combine with different other disorders. They mostly show symptoms of hyperactivity, conduct disorder, autism spectrum, and selective mitism. They are going through manic and hypomania episode. In mania there is total duration is about one year. 6 months for children is the minimum criteria. In adults, total duration is 2 years. For adults should cover or show symptoms in complete one year.
People diagnose with depression doctor prescribe them anti-depressant. They work on the serotonin level. Serotonin level is released in excessive amount. The anti-depressant effects their brain function. According to research that shows, 4 percent of women, and 8 percent of the women are suffering from depression every year. The depression is the most evolving problem in the 21st century. People who get motivated and give a reason to live will cope with depression.
Depression needs proper medical care and treatment. People who are suffering from depression not only be treated with medications but also the therapies or home remedies. Few people start different natural treatments like yoga, meditation or avoid such situation, which causes depression. Natural things will affect more than the medication. In depressive people, lack of motivation is the major issue.
There are some natural or home base ways you can treat depression simply.
Over 350 million people all around the world suffer from depression. To treat depression psychologist use cannabinoid substances. Until now, researches are conducting to verify the use of cannabinoid substances. In depression, that caused by stress can treat with this natural occurring medicine. It carries chemical that is beneficial for treatment. It controls the motor coordination, mood swings, mood disorders, panic attacks, sleeplessness, and other major issues in the body. According to a research, reporting in journal clearly says that cannabinoid is used in reducing joint problem; stop the unnecessary inflammation of cells, seizures and brain dysfunctions. It is not effective on the serious patients who are suffering from different disorders like schizophrenia and OCD. 71 percent of the depressive patients reported no side effects of this substance but 6 percent reported some problems like fever, coughing, and vomit. | <urn:uuid:aea14fe1-4936-4730-81d8-42ecb260c6a5> | {
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The World Bank last week released a report on Indian marine fisheries titled India marine fisheries : Issues, opportunities and transitions for sustainable development
The study represents a collaborative initiative by the World Bank and the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, to review the marine fisheries sub-sector, within a broader sector that also includes aquaculture and inland fisheries.
Download World Bank Report on Indian Marine Fisheries
at the link below – Right click and choose ” Save Target As” or ” Save link as “
The policy note provides a major step forward in understanding current issues and future opportunities facing the marine fisheries sub-sector. The marine fishing sub-sector accounts for approximately one percent of national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but forms an important component of the rural coastal economy, generating income, employment, livelihoods, and food security for an estimated 3.52 million people along the 8,118 km Indian coastline, who depend on fishing for their livelihoods.
The study represents an initial analytical review of the Indian marine sub-sector with special emphasis on inshore waters, which faces the greatest challenges for management and sustainable development.
The main objectives of the study are to:
- Appraise the general structure, conduct and performance of the marine fisheries sub-sector in India with particular focus on the role that marine fishery plays in rural livelihoods for coastal communities;
- Identify the main constraints in the marine sub-sector that are impacting on biological sustainability and economically healthy fisheries;
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Britain, by 1997, had undergone rapid cultural and social change in recent decades. Much of this was necessary and good. Rigid class divisions and old-fashioned prejudices were holding Britain back. But some social change had damaging and unforeseen consequences.
Family ties were weakened. Communities were more fractured, sometimes as a result of desirable objectives like social mobility or diversity, sometimes as the consequence of mass unemployment and failed economic policies. Civil institutions such as the church declined in importance. At the start of the 20th century, communities shared a strong moral code. By the end of the century this was no longer as true.
As society changed, so do did the nature of crime. There was an explosion in crime and, in particular, violence fuelled by drug abuse. There were far more guns in circulation and far less reluctance to use them. We saw the growth of new crimes such as people trafficking, computer fraud and mobile phone theft. Organised crime became a major international operation.
But while the world had moved on, the criminal justice system was stuck. By 1997, it was failing every reasonable test that could be applied. Crime had doubled. Trials were ineffective, witness protection was poor and the courts were very inefficient. There were huge delays, for example, between young criminals being charged and coming to court.
We thus inherited a system which was increasingly unable to deal with the problems it faced. Anti-social behaviour was becoming a very serious problem on some estates but the courts were too cumbersome a process to deal with it expeditiously. The system was failing.
The choice was stark; either we accepted that nothing could be done, that we would allow the rights of victims routinely to be trampled on, or we granted new powers to local authorities and the police. This was, and is, the rationale for all the so-called summary powers that we have introduced.
These powers have a strong philosophical justification, from within the Labour tradition. Social democratic thought was always the application of morality to political philosophy. One of the basic insights of the left, one of its distinguishing features, is to caution against too excessive an individualism. People must live together and one of the basic tasks of government is to facilitate this living together, to ensure that the many can live without fear of the few.
That was why it was important that rights were coupled once again with responsibilities. As Tawney once put it: 'what we have been witnessing ... is the breakdown of society on the basis of rights divorced from obligations'.
On the left, by the 1980s, we had bent our argument too far in the opposite direction. We had come to be associated with the belief that the causes of crime are entirely structural. In defiance of our own traditions of thought we had eliminated individual responsibility from the account. We had lost sight, too, of the fact that it was those who depended most on a Labour Government to improve their lives who suffered most from crime and anti-social behaviour and were most insistent that we do more to help them.
This, of course, did not mean we could ignore the divisions in our country. Instead of record unemployment, we now have record numbers of people in work. Sustained investment in schools is improving education for all. The New Deal has helped one million youngsters off the scrapheap and into work. Sure Start and the New Deal for Communities are making huge differences to the most deprived neighbourhoods.
However, it wasn't just a question of matching legal rights with legal responsibilities. It was about changing the legal processes by which such rights and responsibilities are determined. Traditional court processes and laws simply could not and did not protect people against the random violence and low-level disorder that affected their lives. Yes, you could, with Herculean application, remove the drug dealer living in the street. But the reality was, because of the Herculean effort required, it wasn't done. Now, by giving more so-called summary powers, it can be.
We have provided new tools including Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, acceptable behaviour contracts and dispersal orders and will enable them to take tough action against the pubs and clubs fostering drunken violence.
Police have further tools such as fixed penalty notices and penalty notices to tackle disorder. Where these new powers are being used effectively they are making a big difference and restoring public confidence that the criminal justice system is supporting the law-abiding majority.
These measures are already starting to work. Tomorrow I will unveil some new research that shows the progress that we have made. We will continue by providing a uniformed presence in every community through neighbourhood policing. The 'Respect' action plan which will be published in January will set out in more detail the new suite of powers and policies to go further and faster to tackle the problems. We will continue to review powers available for the Serious Crime Agency to ensure maximum disruption for those engaged in organised criminality. There will be a stronger focus on re-offending with sentence plans for offenders. We will have renewed focus on the most persistent drug users.
Our critics, who usually do not live in the communities most affected by crime and anti-social behaviour, often describe these measures as overly punitive and a threat to basic legal principles. We are criticised for introducing rough justice and removing courts from the sentencing process. In fact, we are very sensitive to the need to preserve accountability. Authority always has to be exercised with due restraint. We will ensure that good appeals processes are always built into new structures. The powers we have extended to the authorities can, and do, come under legal challenge.
But this is not a debate between those who value liberty and those who do not. It is an argument about the types of liberties that need to be protected given the changing nature of the crimes that violate them. And it is an attempt to protect the most fundamental liberty of all - freedom from harm by others.
Critics of our response need to face the following question squarely. If the criminal justice system was failing people, as it clearly was, what ought to be done about it? To do nothing is one option. But surely it is to do better by the British people to devise relevant powers, limited by the right of appeal, to ensure that communities do not have to live with unacceptable levels of fear and intimidation. The basic liberties of the law-abiding citizen should come first.
· To email the Prime Minister go to Pm.gov.uk | <urn:uuid:0689bd62-0d22-48c1-8fd8-759a1eb8d045> | {
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In west-central Florida, sections of the Upper Floridan aquifer system range in character from confined to leaky to unconfined. The confining unit is the Hawthorn Formation, a clay-rich sequence. The presence or absence of the Hawthorn Formation affects the geochemical evolution of the ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer system. Mass-balance and mass-transfer models suggest that, in unconfined areas, the geochemical reactions are dolomite dissolution, ion exchange (Mg for Na, K), sulfate reduction, calcite dissolution, and CO2 exchange. In the areas in which the Hawthorn Formation is leaky, the evolution of the ground water is accounted for by ion exchange, sulfate reduction, calcite dissolution, and CO2 exchange. In the confined areas, no ion exchange and only limited sulfate reduction occur, and the chemical character of the ground water is consistent with dolomite and gypsum dissolution, calcite precipitation, and CO2 ingassing. The Hawthorn Formation acts both as a physical barrier to the transport of CO2 and organic matter and as a source of ion-exchange sites, but the carbonate-mineral reactions are largely unaffected by the extent of confinement of the Upper Floridan aquifer. ?? 1994.
Additional publication details
The effect of a confining unit on the geochemical evolution of ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer system | <urn:uuid:b44cd131-0210-474f-afff-59e7e8b7c533> | {
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Internet safety is not easy.
The internet is important to us all for business and to make contact with our friends and family
The only way to be completely safe on-line is to not use it at all but as that's impossible there are ways to reduce your risk. As our Safe Center develops more and Jane's Teams grow, we will add new tips and ideas on our website so please check back often.
Think about it!
If you met someone you do not know do you give them your photograph and photographs of your family together with their names, date of birth? How about your home address and telephone numbers, your bank password. Do you sign up for something that is free? Of course you would not do this but somehow most people give away everything to anyone who knows how to look. Criminals know how to fool people. We must make sure that our children know about internet safety
Our children learn how to cross a busy road safely. In the same way your child needs time, practice and careful guidance from you and other trusted people on how to get the very best out of the internet. It is not that long ago when students had to go to a public library to obtain information but now our computer, portable phones, tablet, TV and other devices bring the whole world into our family lives – the best and the worst of what’s out there.
Just in case you wonder how we protect ourselves against people who damage our website here is the specialist team that we use. Contact them and you will feel so glad you did. (By the way we don't get any commission from them) They are good people.
i-SAFE is all about internet safety.i-SAFE: Social media danger i-SAFE: Public WiFi i-SAFE: Credit Card Theft i-SAFE: Identity Theft i-SAFE: Cyber bullying i-SAFE: CHILD ABUSE i-SAFE: Sexting
If you need more information on internet safety please send us a message or make comment. | <urn:uuid:3643a301-af26-42a8-b87c-d27deaa48a68> | {
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Archive - New Contact Information
Thursday, September 27, 2007, 12:00 p.m. EDT
New National Study Links Asthma to Allergies
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have found that more than 50 percent of the current asthma cases in the country can be attributed to allergies, with approximately 30 percent of those cases attributed to cat allergy.
"It has long been debated whether people who develop asthma have a genetic propensity to develop allergies, or atopy," said Darryl C. Zeldin, M.D., a senior investigator at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). "This new research shows that 56.3 percent of asthma cases are attributed to atopy." Atopy is a condition that results from gene-environment interactions and can be measured by a positive skin test to allergens (or allergy causing substances in the environment).
The study, available online today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, was conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, both parts of the NIH. The data come from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a nationally representative sample of the population of the United States.
"Sensitization to cat appears to be a strong risk factor for asthma in this study," said Zeldin. Zeldin and his co-authors, however, point out that some research shows that exposure to cats, particularly early in life, may be a protective factor. "We are not advocating parents get rid of pets, but if you suspect that you or your child might have cat allergies or get asthmatic-like symptoms, you should consult with a physician about the best course of action for your family," added Zeldin.
The NIH researchers looked at skin test data for ten allergens. A positive skin test reaction to cat allergens accounted for 29.3 percent of the asthma cases, followed by the fungus Alternaria at 21.1 percent and white oak at 20.9 percent. "Each of 10 allergen-specific skin tests was strongly associated with asthma; however, after adjustment by a variety of subject characteristics and all the allergens, only skin tests to cat, Alternaria and white oak were independently and positively associated with asthma," said Peter Gergen, M.D., M.P.H, of NIAID's Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation, a co-author on the paper.
Other allergens tested include: Ragweed, dustmites, Russian thistle, Bermuda grass, peanuts, perennial rye and german cockroach. Approximately 10,500 individuals participated in the skin testing. During these tests, skin was exposed to allergy-causing substances (allergens) and a positive test was determined by the size of the reaction on the skin.
"This study tells us that allergy is a major factor in asthma," Gergen said. "But this study also tells us is that there are many people who get asthma who don’t have allergies. We need to do more research to understand what is causing the asthma that is not related to allergies."
"This study confirms that the environment plays a major role in the development of asthma," said Zeldin. "Given the complexity of this disease it won’t be easy, but if we can prevent, block or reverse atopy, we could reduce a large proportion of asthma cases."
NIAID is a component of the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIAID supports basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose and treat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria and illness from potential agents of bioterrorism. NIAID also supports research on transplantation and immune-related illnesses, including autoimmune disorders, asthma and allergies. | <urn:uuid:0f6bf3fc-e63d-4ca3-8958-a49d54e29a7c> | {
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The flashcards below were created by user
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Red osier dogwood
- Cornus stolonifera
- Opposite oval leaves. 5-7 prominent parallel veins. Latex strands in the veins.
- Stems often bright red.
- White berries and flowers.
- (Rosaceae) Rosa nutkana
- Leaves: alternate, deciduous, compound with 5-7 toothed leaflets.
- Hard spines.
- Large pink flowers.
- Rosa gymnocarpa
- Leaves: 5-9 alternate toothed leaflets.
- Soft straight prickles.
- Small pink flowers.
- Typha latifolia
- Leaves: alternate, flat, long and narrow.
- Found in wet marshy places.
Yellow pond lily
Round floating leaves
- (Rosaceae) Holodiscus discolor
- Cascading cluster of white flowers.
- Up to 4m tall. Old stems have peeling bark.
- Symphoricarpos albus.
- Leaves: opposite, elliptical to oval.
- Up to 2m tall
- Fruits: clusters of white, poisonous berries.
Hardhack or Steeplebush
"have nodes that are easily found"
- Leaves are whorled, linear pointed. Found in shallow ponds, lakeshore, streamsides.
- Common: thin stem.
- Giant: thick stem.
- Vaccinium membranaceum
- Leaves: Alternate, tough, serrated leaves.
- Fruits: deep purplish-black.
- (Betulaceae) Corylus cornuta
- 1-4m tall.
- Leaves: Alternate, elliptical to oval. Double serrated.
- Small catkins.
- (Ericaceae) Vaccinium parvifolium.
- Leaves: alternate, oval, not toothed. Green stems.
- Fruits: bright red.
- Acer circinatum.
- Up to 7m tall. Small tree.
- Leaves: maple leaves. Opposite. 7-11 lobes, toothed, hairy on under and over side.
- Fruits: winged in a straight line, like the helicopter tree at fw house.
- Leaves: alternate, simple elliptical to oblong leaves.
- Edible berries, tea from bark.
- Sambucus racemosa.
- Leaves: opposite, 5-7 large compound leaflets. Pointed, sharply toothed.
- Fruits: berries only edible when cooked.
- (Rosaceae) Rubus parviflorus
- Leaves: alternate, large maple leaf shaped. Soft, fuzzy on both sides.
- Fruits: raspberry-like clusters of red, delicious berries.
- (Rosaceae) Rubus spectabilis
- Leaves: alternate, usually with 3 leaflets, sharply toothed.
- Edible fruit.
- (Rosaceae) Ribes sanguineum
- Leaves: alternate, 3 to 5-lobed, hairy under surface.
- Flowers: pink to deep red in color, large bundles.
- (Ericaceae) Gaultheria shallon
- Leaves: evergreen, alternate, leathery, thick, sharply and finely toothed.
- Up to 5m tall with hairy, branched stems. Delicious dark red/blue berries.
Tall oregon grape
- (berberidaceae) Mahonia aquifolium
- Leaves: 5-9 leaflets. Glossy above, one central vein. Spiny. Flatter than holly.
Dull or Dwarf oregon grape
- (berberidaceae) Mahonia nervosa
- Leaves: alternate, 9-19 leaflets. 3 central veins. Spiny. Shiny on both sides.
- Evergreen, once pinnate.
- alternating pinnae. Leaflets taper off before base
- Evergreen, Once pinnate.
- Smaller than deer fern. Leaflets all the way to base.
2 to 3 times pinnate. Triangular blades.
Twice pinnate. Tapering at both ends (diamond shaped)
Once pinnate. Epiphytic.
- Smells bad. Leaves used as wax paper for storing items like berries, etc.
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The Genealogy of the Piano-forte.—The Harpsichord its Immediate Predecessor.—Supposed Invention of the Piano-forte.—Silbermann the First Maker.—Anecdote of Frederick the Great.—The Piano-forte only slowly makes its Way as against the Clavichord and Harpsichord.—Emanuel Bach, the First Composer of Sonatas for the Piano-forte.—His Views of playing on the New Instrument.—Haydn and Mozart as Players.—Muzio Clementi, the Earliest Virtuoso, strictly speaking, as a Pianist.—Born in Rome in 1752.—Scion of an Artistic Family.—First Musical Training.—Rapid Development of his Talents.—Composes Contrapuntal Works at the Age of Fourteen.—Early Studies of the Organ and Harpsichord.—Goes to England to complete his Studies.—Creates an Unequaled Furore in London.—John Christian Bach’s Opinion of Clementi.—Clementi’s Musical Tour.—His Duel with Mozart before the Emperor.—Tenor of Clementi’s Life in England.—Clementi’s Pupils.—Trip to St. Petersburg.—Sphor’s Anecdote of Him.—Mercantile and Manufacturing Interest in the Piano as Partner of Collard.—The Players and Composers trained under Clementi.—His Composition.—Status as a Player.—Character and Influence as an Artist.—Development of the Technique of the Piano, culminating in Clementi.
Before touching the life of Clementi, the first of the great virtuosos who may be considered distinctively composers for and players on the pianoforte, it is indispensable to a clear understanding of the theme involved that the reader should turn back for a brief glance at the history of the piano and piano-playing prior to his time. Before the piano-forte came the harpsichord, prior to the latter the spinet, then the virginal, the clavichord, and monochord; before these, the clavieytherium. Before these instruments, which bring us down to modern civilized times, and constitute the genealogy of the piano-forte, we have the dulcimer and psaltery, and all the Egyptian, Grecian, and Roman harps and lyres which were struck with a quill or plectrum. No product of human ingenuity has been the outcome of a steady and systematic growth from age to age by more demonstrable stages than this most remarkable of musical instruments. As it is not the intention to offer an essay on the piano, but only to make clearer the conditions under which a great school of players began to appear, the antiquities of the topic are not necessary to be touched.
The modern piano-forte had as its immediate predecessor the harpsichord, the instrument on which the heroines of the novels of Fielding, Smollett, Richardson, and their contemporaries were wont to discourse sweet music, and for which Haydn and Mozart composed some delightful minor works. In the harpsichord the strings were set in vibration by points of quill or hard leather. One of these instruments looked like a piano, only it was provided with two keyboards, one above the other, related to each other as the | <urn:uuid:fda84d36-97d2-4f5d-8e12-c8b9d197c8a1> | {
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Living with the Future in Mind
New Jersey Supreme Court ordered that educational funding for 30 poor urban
districts must be assured at the level of the property-rich districts; that
such funding could not depend on the ability of local school districts to
tax but must instead be guaranteed by the State; and that the level of funding
must also provide for their special educational needs to achieve the constitutionally
required thorough and efficient education.
Agenda 21: The non-binding agreement signed by world nations at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (see Earth Summit). Agenda 21 sets out conditions and recommendations for achieving global sustainability.
Benchmark: A quantitative reference point that will be officially adopted through the Sustainable State public process for each indicator, which will operationalize the goal and against which indicators can be compared in any given year. Often confused with Indicator and Target.
Biodiversity: The variety of living organisms in an Ecosystem. (See also Diversity.)
Brundtland Commission: Officially, the World Commission on Environment and Development, charted by the United Nations and chaired by Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland. From 1984-87 it studied global environmental, economic, and social trends, and published its recommendations in the 1987 report Our Common Future, which set a global agenda for sustainability.
BTU: "British Thermal Unit," a measure of energy. Specifically, one BTU is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. One BTU = 0.293 watt hours = 1054 joules.
Community Water System: A water system that regularly serves at least 15 service connections or 25 year-round residents. Examples of community water systems include cities, towns, and mobile home parks.
Culture: An integrated pattern of human beliefs, values, behaviors, and institutions shared by a distinct group, the inhabitants of a region, or the citizens of a nation. Used in some contexts as a synonym for the arts and other forms of social expression.
Development: "To evolve the possibilities of" (Websterís New Collegiate Dictionary). A process of growth or change. Often used in the phrases "economic development," connoting an expansion of economic opportunities and jobs, and "sustainable development," referring to economic and social changes that promote human prosperity and quality of life without causing ecological or social damage. Sometimes confused with Growth.
Diversity: Difference and variety. Diversity is an essential component of sustainable cultural, ecological, and economic systems because it makes them more resilient and adaptable to changes.
Earth Summit: The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, or UNCED (the "Earth Summit") held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. The Earth Summit was the largest gathering of heads of state in world history.
Economic Development: See Development.
Economy: Originally, the "management of a household." More commonly today, the system of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services in the larger scale.
Ecosystem: An ecological system, a natural unit of living and nonliving components that interact to form a system in which a cyclic interchange of materials takes place between living and nonliving units. (from Dictionary of Biology, Edwin Steen)
Efficiency: The most standard definition is the ratio of effective or useful output to the total input of any system, whether this is the energy delivered to run a machine or the natural resources consumed to produce products. Economists have taken a different tack and define "efficiency" as socially optimal resource allocation.
Endangered Species: Species whose populations and habitat have declined to the point where extinction is imminent, requiring significant human intervention to protect habitat to preserve them (as defined by the Endangered Species Act). (See also Species.)
Environment: "The circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded" (Websterís). Often used to refer only to natural Ecosystems apart from human settlement. Environment is more accurately understood to include other natural and human-made physical conditions.
Equity: The dictionary defines equity as fairness, freedom from bias, or favoritism. However, one must keep in mind that a fair process can yield unequal results.
Global Forum: The 1992 meeting of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Rio de Janeiro, which ran parallel to the meeting of governments at the Earth Summit. NGO participants signed a set of "Citizen Treaties" that went far beyond the agreements made by governments in Agenda 21.
Growth: Increase or expansion. Used in the phrase "economic growth" to mean an expansion in production, jobs, and revenue. Often confused with Development, which does not necessarily include the idea of physical increase in size.
Indicator: A measurement that reflects the status of a system. Examples: the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the number of spotted owls in a forest ecosystem, an oil pressure gauge on an engine.
NEPPS: National Environmental Performance Partnership System. State-Federal partnership system designed to foster identification of state environmental priorities and goals and to allow states to better direct federal resources to address those priorities through the use of environmental indicators as measures of progress in environmental quality. New Jersey was one of the first states in the nation to implement this environmental management system and is currently engaged in its third plan with the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Noncommunity water system: Noncommunity water systems do not serve permanent residents. There are two types of these systems: transient noncommunity systems and nontransient noncommunity systems. A transient noncommunity water system serves at least 25 people per day, but the people are different each day (e.g., highway rest stop, motel). A nontransient noncommunity water system serves at least 25 of the same persons over 6 months a year (i.e., office building, school).
Non-renewable: Finite in quantity. Fossil fuels like gasoline are considered "non-renewable resources" because they exist only in limited amounts and their disappearance is essentially permanent. (See also Resources and Renewable.)
Our Common Future: The report of the Brundtland Commission, which linked economic development to alleviate poverty with environmental protection to prevent ecological catastrophe. The report defined Sustainable Development as that which "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
Particulate matter: Particulate matter is the general term used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. These particles originate from many different stationary and mobile sources as well as from natural sources. They range in size from about 0.005 micrometers to 50-100 micrometers in diameter (a human hair is approximately 70 micrometers in diameter). Particles smaller than 10 micrometers (PM10) can be inhaled into the lungs and particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM 2.5) are thought to have the greatest impact on human health.
Per Capita: Latin for "by heads." A measurement that is presented in terms of units per person, as opposed to a total or aggregate figure.
Renewable: Able to be continually replenished. Rainwater, solar and hydro-electricity, and human creativity are all considered to be Renewable Resources. (See also Resources and Non-renewable.)
Resources: "A source of supply or support; available means" (Websterís). The energy and materials used to support an Economy and fulfill human needs and desires. (See also Renewable and Nonrenewable).
Riparian: Refers to land adjacent to a river, watercourse, or body of water.
Society: From a Latin root meaning "companion." Society in the broadest sense refers to the entirety of a community, the whole web of living relationships among people, their Culture, and their Environment.
Species: A biological classification referring to a group of organisms that share similar traits and genetic codes and that are capable of interbreeding.
Sustainability: "Long-term health and vitality: economic, environmental, and social" (New Jersey Futureís definition). Achieving and maintaining sustainability is the implicit goal of every human society.
Sustainable: Able to endure over time. A sustainable society is one that is just, healthy, vital, resilient, and able to creatively adapt to changing conditions over the long term. (See also Development and Our Common Future.)
System: A set of actors or entities bound together by a set of rules and relationships into a unified whole. A systemís health is dependent on the health of the whole pattern, which can sometimes be reflected (and thus measured) in the status of a key part of the system (See Indicator).
Target: A desired level of achievement. In this report, some of the indicator pages include quantitative targets adopted by state agencies through public processes; these are considered ambitious yet achievable performance levels.
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): A unit to measure vehicle travel made by a private vehicle, such as an automobile, van, pickup truck, or motorcycle. Each mile traveled is counted as one vehicle mile regardless of the number of persons in the vehicle.
Watershed: A geographical area whose boundaries are determined by the flows of water following gravity to a principal tributary, river, or body of water. Watersheds may be of many different scales, from relatively small to very large.
Wetlands Loss: In this report, wetlands loss is defined as conversion of wetlands to other land types. | <urn:uuid:885f0c52-56c1-4a64-be05-414e23620fe5> | {
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Careful, this hack might foster doubts about the level of fun you’re having at you own Computer Science department. Last weekend a group of students at MIT pulled off a hack of great scale by turning a building into a Tetris game board.
The structure in question is the Green Building on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Campus. It houses the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Departments, but was chose based on the size and regularity of the grid formed by the windows on one side. The group hasn’t provided much in the way of details yet, but the video after the break shows the game play and start-up screen. The middle portion of the building is used as a scrolling marquee to display the word “Tetris” before the game pieces start falling. We’re only guessing (and we hope you will add your conjecture in the comments section) but we’d bet they assembled a set of wireless RGB LED lamps and set one on the sill of each window. There does seem to be a number of ‘dead’ pixels, but it doesn’t diminish the fun of the overall effect.
If you don’t have your own building to play on, you should go small-scale and implement Tetris on a character display.
[Thanks via BostInno] | <urn:uuid:4bdf207b-f7a7-47ff-82e4-89eb24733f96> | {
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Members of the public are being given the opportunity to learn more about wildlife rescue in a series of courses run by East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS).
"There are many calls which we receive from the public where they think that the behaviour of a wild animal or bird means it is sick or injured when in fact it just the animal resting or to do with them mating. But also there are many situations where the public do not realise how serious or life threatening a situation the casualty is in and doesn't get the help or support it needs until it is too late" said Trevor Weeks founder of WRAS, "we hope that these courses will help people to respond and handle wildlife rescue situations better as a result and know when to call for help and how their actions at the beginning make cause unnecessary stress and fear to a wildlife animal which they may not notice."
There are two courses being run this month one titled 'An introduction to Wildlife Rescue' and the other is titled 'Waterfowl Awareness Course'.
The Introduction course mainly looks at the aims and objective of wildlife rescue the roles and responsibilities of the wildlife rescuers, wildlife hospital and the working relationship with the veterinary profession. Some of the main legal issues are covered as well as looking at some of the common incidents and issues which need to be taken into consideration when getting involved with helping a wildlife casualty, when casualties need to be euthanased, how to priorities what needs help and how urgent an injury really is.
The Waterfowl course is a fun course looking at the main species of waterfowl which visit our ponds, lake and rivers and their behaviour, habits and common incidents plus how to help deal with some of the more common incidents whilst waiting for rescuers to arrive.
Both courses are good for members of the public with a general interest but also for those studying animal welfare at college or university or those looking for a career change and want to know more.
The courses take place at their Casualty Care Centre on the A22 at Whitesmith between Hailsham and Uckfield. The 'Introduction to Wildlife Rescue' course costs £15 per person and the 'Waterfowl Awareness course' costs £10 per person although a £5 discount will be given to those attending both courses. The money raised from these courses will help WRAS rescue, treat and release even more casualties. Booking is necessary in advance via Trevor Weeks by email or phone 01825 873003.
An Introduction to Wildlife Rescue
7th Feb 2011 - 18:30 till 21:30
11th Feb 2011 - 13:30 till 16:30
20th Feb 2011 - 2pm till 5pm
Waterfowl Awareness Course
17th Feb 2011 - 18:30 till 21:30,
22nd Feb 2011 - 18:30 till 21:30
27th Feb 2011 - 2pm till 5pm
- END -
Press Contact: Trevor Weeks, Director, East Sussex WRAS, 07931 523958Share this! | <urn:uuid:7cac39e9-76cc-4115-b988-c31211c36e3b> | {
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Music can often make or break a day. It can change your mood, amp you up for exercise, and help you recover from injury. But how does it work exactly, and how can you use it to your advantage?
Photo by JT Theriot.
Recently, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords used music therapy to help her learn to talk again. The still unproven theory revolves around the idea that music is represented in multiple parts of the brain and therefore accesses deeper pathways between neurons. Music then helps patients connect the stored knowledge of words through songs and helps create the new connections needed for speech. This same idea has been used for stroke victims in the past, and has been referred to as the Kenny Rogers Effect.
You don't need to have suffer from brain damage to get the benefits though, lets take a look at how music affects the brain in a more casual sense, and how you can use it to enhance your day-to-day.
You might remember reports back in the 1990s that said that studying while listening to Mozart increases the likelihood of performing well on a test, but that has been disproven in some studies, and in turn, studies have shown some music has a negative affect on fact retention if you're studying numbers or lists. Still, performing music has been proven to increase memory and language skills, but for listeners, it's better used as a means to recall memories. It has been shown in Alzheimer's patients to help with memory recall, and even restore cognitive function. It works for Alzheimer's patients in the same way it works in everyone else.
When you listen to music you know, it stimulates the hippocampus, which handles long-term storage in the brain. Doing so can also bring out relevant memories you made while listening to a particular song. So, even though the Mozart-effect has essentially been disproven, the idea that forming a new memory with music, and then using the same music again later to recall the memory still appears to be a sound idea. If you're having trouble remembering something, you might have better luck if you play the same music you were listening to when you first made the thought.
Photo by David Mican.
Boost Your Immune System
The idea that listening to music can boost your immune system might sound a little crazy on the surface, but the science backs it up. Soothing music is known to decrease stress, and when it does that, it decreases the level of the stress hormone cortisol. It's not just soothing music though, even upbeat dance music is known to increase the level of antibodies in your system. Dr. Ronny Enk, who lead the recent research about music's effect on the immune system suggests, "We think the pleasant state that can be induced by music leads to special physiological changes which eventually lead to stress reduction or direct immune enhancement."
Now the cold season has set in, it's a good idea to keep this in mind throughout the day. If you're feeling stressed out or if you're starting to feel ill, listening to music might be the extra help you need to stay well. If you're having trouble finding something soothing to listen to, our collection of work sounds are a good place to start. If you prefer the upbeat method, any fast and upbeat dance song will do the trick.
Photo by sunshinecity.
Enhance Your Exercising
As we've previously covered, music has a positive effect on exercising. In a recent study, researchers found a positive correlation between fast paced music and exercise. While it's nothing too surprising, music works to increase exercising strength by distracting attention and pushing the heart and muscles to work at a faster pace. Not much is known about how or why it works, but it's thought it eases exercise.
The best music to listen to is between 120-140 beats per minute, which also happens to be the standard tempo for upbeat dance music, meaning you'll be increasing your immune system and helping you exercise at the same time.
Keep Yourself from Choking Under Pressure
We've heard before that humming a tune decreases anxiety and the same goes to prevent choking. In a study of basketball players who were prone to failing at the free throw line, researchers found they could improve the player's percentage if they first listened to catchy, upbeat music. Listening to the Monty Python song, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," caused the basketball players to lose focus and execute their free throws with minimal involvement from the prefrontal cortex.
If you're prone to getting anxious, worried, or choking in meetings or presentations, throwing on a humorous, light-hearted song before you go in might help distract your brain enough to keep you from failing. The above mentioned "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," is a great example, but we're sure tracks from the likes of Jonathan Coulton, They Might Be Giants, Weird Al Yankovic, or any other comedy focused song will work just as well.
Photo by Ludie Cochran.
Fight Fatigue and Increase Productivity
The effect of using music to increase productivity is still inconclusive, even though a few studies were done on the subject. Regardless, it certainly doesn't hurt, and it seems the best option might be to use music without words so it doesn't have affect the language parts of your brain. The theory is similar to the exercise one above, faster music might keep you and your brain working hard.
That said, if you have a monotonous job, music is a great way to increase your mood while performing boring work. For the same reasoning it helps with exercising, it can also help with fighting fatigue, especially if you change up the music often. Studies have also shown that almost all music increases your mood, because it causes a release of dopamine, so if you're feeling tired, bored, or depressed, a good pop song might be the cure you need.
Music is a motivator and a great means to keep yourself in your good mood, and while a number of the effects are still unproven, listening to music certainly doesn't hurt. Do you have a particular song that always puts you in a good or productive mood? | <urn:uuid:6fb1376b-9be0-41d0-b09c-18360b0a5734> | {
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During the month of January 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracked 102 cases of measles reported across 14 states. This measles outbreak is a cause for concern because so many cases were reported in such a short time compared to previous years. In 2014, a record 644 cases of measles were recorded from 27 states. That was the greatest number of cases since the year 2000.
The fear of a severe outbreak has reignited the vaccination debate and the question of personal choice in the use of vaccines. As the story continues to unfold, it makes for a good research paper topic. Read more | <urn:uuid:6e90baa8-880f-4bc3-9886-9f47e5936cd2> | {
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Gutzon Borglum, the carving's first chief sculptor, designed the
coin for the government, working and reworking his design until he satisfied the federal mint.
The head side of the coin depicted Lee and Jackson in
their famous last meeting at Chancellorsville, before
Jackson was shot down by a misdirected corps from South Carolina. The tail side of the coin depicts an American eagle in the
foreground, with the message, "Memorial to the Valor of the Soldier of the South" in bold print.
Jefferson Davis, the third member of the carving's central group,
appears nowhere on the coin. Perhaps Borglum left Davis off for spatial considerations, or
perhaps he was responding sensitively to the public's disenchantment with the Confederate
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Below you will find more information about Crigler Najjar Syndrome from Medigest. If you believe that you are suffering from any of the symptoms of Crigler Najjar Syndrome it is important that you obtain an accurate diagnosis from a medical professional to ensure that you obtain the correct medication or treatment for your condition. There are medical conditions that carry similar symptoms associated with Crigler Najjar Syndrome and therefore the information provided by Medigest is offered as a guideline only and should never be used in preference to seeking professional medical advice. The information relating to Crigler Najjar Syndrome comes from a third party source and Medigest will not be held liable for any inaccuracies relating to the information shown.
Crigler Najjar Syndrome (CNS) is a serious disorder that interferes with the metabolism of bilirubin, a chemical formed from the breakdown of blood, usually afflicting new borns. This causes an inherited form of non-hemolytic jaundice, which may often result to brain damage in infants.
Babies suspected with CNS should be tested with bile analysis or genetic testing.
The only treatment that cures CNS is total or partial liver transplant, an operation that needs to be proceeded with long-term use of drugs that weakens the immune system, allowing the patient to be more susceptible to other illnesses.
Symptoms and Signs
The high levels of blood and skin biliburin levels causes CNS patients to have persistent orange or yellow skin. The whites of the eyes also appear yellow. Dangerous complications such as brain damage may also arise when the condition is left untreated.
CNS is caused by possible defects on copies of a gene that produces the liver enzyme glucuronyl transferase essential for the normal method of removing bilirubin from the blood. The normal method of taking out bilirubin will fail if both both copies are defective, causing the blood bilirubin levels to increase at rates related to the level of active enzyme present. It may also be genetic.Discuss Crigler Najjar Syndrome in our forums
Discuss Crigler Najjar Syndrome with other members of Medigest in our forums. | <urn:uuid:ae567e4c-8e98-4092-af07-cd140d34d7fd> | {
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Fitness corner: The science of iron
Pumping Iron is a 1977 documentary about bodybuilding. It features Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Lou Ferrigno, aka The Hulk. There is lots of big hair, big collars, polyester, disco music, funny Long Island and Austrian accents, and knee high socks with short shorts. It’s a hilarious and entertaining look at tremendous egos, and the body’s capabilities.
But where does the expression “pumping iron” come from?
The “pump” refers to the tremendous increase in blood flow entering the muscles. This can make the muscles look much larger in the short term, and also remain larger over the long haul. As we exercise, our muscles need a constant replenishment of nutrients to keep the contractions going, and proteins to build more muscle. The blood also removes the waste or by products of the contractions so that the muscles can keep working.
Why do we pump iron and not other materials? Iron has a relatively higher density and therefore inertia. Iron is relatively plentiful and cheap, and easy to form shapes for weightlifting. There are denser materials, like lead, but that would be dangerous. In the Hulk article we talked about recruiting as many muscle fibers as possible. When we try to move an object that is dense, it requires more force to overcome it’s inertia. Thus we recruit more muscle fibers for the job.
The disadvantages to iron include diffulty to transport, room needed for storage, and greater cost. Let’s compare iron to the other exercise mediums.
You can take rubber bands with you almost anywhere. Rubber bands require very little force initially, and have very little inertia. Their force is greatest at the end of the pull or push. Rubber bands can be better for smaller muscle groups, rehab, and beginners, as they might be safer. The “flex” machines use rods, but are basically giant rubber band machines, that don’t have the same gratifiying finishing muscle contraction that iron does. It is ironic that one of these manufacturers has the sound of iron plates in the background of their commercial.
Body weight exercises include push ups, pull ups, dips, squats, lunges, and planks. Some of these tend to be very difficult for beginners. These exercises cost nothing, require little space, and can be done almost anywhere. The biggest advantage is that they require trunk stabilization to perform, so you will have to use your trunk muscles to hold these positions.
Machines might help the beginner with better form, but are more expensive. If you sit down at a machine, you have decreased your need to use trunk muscles for stability.
What’s the best medium for exercising? Iron usually recruits the most work out of the muscles, however variety over the course of a year is best. People start to plateau in progress from the same workouts after 3-4 months. Switching mediums and exercises can create new progress.
Next: A look at the vulnerability of the shoulder to injury.
Mike Nelson is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and personal trainer in Lincoln County. He can be reached at 575-937-7030 or [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:b8c54e1d-0439-4c08-8451-6deffb2928ac> | {
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The Port of Parnu lies on the banks of the Parnu River on the eastern shores of the Gulf of Riga off the Baltic Sea in southwestern Estonia. It is a popular tourist destination and beach resort served by many restaurants and fine hotels. It is also a center for light industries producing food, wood products, and leather. Known as “Estonia’s Summer Capital,” about 44 thousand people lived there in 2004.
The Port of Parnu is an important regional harbor serving the southwestern Estonia hinterlands, which provide much of the raw materials exported through Estonian ports. Parnu Sadam AS is the port authority that owns the basic infrastructure of the port and manages ocean-going traffic. Parnu Bay is ice-bound in the winter, and ice-breakers are used to keep the port open.
There is evidence of human habitation in the area at the mouth of the Parnu River as early as 8500 BC, and there was a human settlement there in 7000 BC. By 1000 AD, there was a “modern” settlement at the mouth of the Reiu River. The Port of Parnu was first mentioned in historical records in 1241 AD, and the dome church of the Episcopal Osilian Diocese was opened in 1251. The village was destroyed in 1263 by the Lithuanians, and then the new Parnu was established on the Parnu River in 1265 by the master of the Teutonic Order.
It was controlled by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1560 to 1617. In the early 16th Century during the reformation movement, churches were taken over by the local town council, ultimately leading to a civil war. 1560 saw the beginning of an era of wars that lasted until 1617 when the Swedes occupied the town. By 1696, the town had doubled in size, and the town wall was finished. In 1710, the Swedes surrendered to Russian armies, and the Black Plague hit the town.
In 1779, the construction of sailing ships started at Heinrich Harder & Co. In the early 19th Century, the first bathing establishment was opened in the village, and the first regular newspaper soon followed.
In 1837, local businessmen opened a bathing establishment from an old tavern near the beach. Opened the next year, the spa had bathrooms where visitors could have baths in hot seawater in the summer and saunas in the winter. Today’s stone Parnu Mud Baths was erected on that site in 1927, and wings were added for more baths and a pool. | <urn:uuid:65779d37-0248-4798-803d-c2ce8d306b71> | {
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MRSA infections can be passed from one drug user to another through the sharing of needles, straws and other items when using street drugs. A side effect of crystal methamphetamine, in particular (however you use it), is a creepy-crawly sensation under the skin. Scratching can break the skin, which can easily become infected with MRSA.
PREVENTION OF MRSA SKIN INFECTIONS FOR DRUG USERS
Sharing isn't caring:
Don't share drug-using equipment such as straws, cottons, cookers, works, needles, syringes or rigs. These items may carry bits of infected skin or body fluids. Sharing these items increases the risk of MRSA and other infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.
Don't share personal items such as towels, razors and unwashed clothes.
Keep wounds covered
If you have a MRSA infection, keep cuts or wounds dry and covered, especially those that are actively draining. This will help prevent others from becoming infected.
Wash your hands:
Frequent hand washing is a good way to prevent many infections, including MRSA.
Wash your hands often if you have an infection, especially after changing bandages or touching the infected area.
See your doctor:
See a doctor if you have a wound or abscess that isn’t healing properly. Don't pick at it or try to drain it yourself. The infection may spread and become more serious.
If cut or wound is red, swollen, painful, and not healing or getting worse, and especially if you develop a fever, you should see a doctor. An untreated infection can move to other parts of your body, such as your lungs, and become more serious, even fatal. | <urn:uuid:63e5432f-04c2-45b7-a92b-dd8735368193> | {
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The Government of the Northwest Territories (Government, GNWT) has commenced a public consultation on the subject of raising its revenues in order to address a projected budget shortfall. This report discusses the government’s two consultation documents: the Revenue Options Paper and the Revenue Options Summary. It then examines the tax proposals discussed in those documents.
Non-fiscal policy goals - tax bads, not goods
In addition to raising revenues, the tax system can be used to address a wide range of public policy goals: promoting economic growth, redistributing income among people and regions, promoting some activities, and discouraging others. Reducing the price of "goods" (e.g. education and personal savings) will increase the supply of them, while increasing the price of "bads" (e.g. tobacco and alcohol use, pollution) will discourage them. Internalizing non-market costs and benefits ("externalities") also helps to boost economic efficiency and equity. While the Revenue Options Paper provides a good listing of public policy goals that can be addressed through the tax system, other government communications seem to downplay or ignore goals other than promoting economic activity, growth and savings.
Taxes are, of course, necessary to provide essential public goods and services; they are the "price we pay for civilization." Thus, an anti-tax bias should have no place in a public consultation about taxes.
Unfortunately, it appears that the Revenue Options Summary has just such a bias. In a number of places it asserts the negative impacts of taxes without providing any support for those assertions, while ignoring the downsides of lower taxes, such as deficits or program cuts.
Unfortunately, being the shorter of the two, it is the document that will be read by more people.
The Revenue Options Paper is a more balanced document, but it makes the mistake of suggesting that tax cuts can sometimes pay for themselves through increased economic activity. This argument has been debunked and is not supported by serious economists. It should not have found its way into the Paper.
Because of the anti-tax bias in these key documents, which is likely to sway public input, this report recommends that the current round of consultations be ended, and the documents withdrawn. A new round of consultations should be commenced, based on balanced documents and communications.
Growing the base vs. raising taxes
The Paper and Summary propose two main options for raising net revenues: growing the tax base and increasing tax rates. On the former point, they fail to quantify the revenues that could be raised, or the costs that would be incurred, by growing either the population or the economy.
Furthermore, they fail to clearly explain how fiscal policy would accomplish either population growth or economic growth to the extent needed to raise net revenues significantly. Thus, it is difficult to treat growing the tax base as a serious option.
Unfortunately, the other option presented — increasing tax rates — is undercut by an apparent anti-tax bias, as noted above. The documents further imply that the two are incompatible options, with no supporting evidence for this.
Taxation changes needed
A number of changes to the tax system could be made in order to further social, environmental and economic goals, while raising revenues.
Corporate and resource income taxes, and savings
The NWT is unlikely to obtain royalty collection powers any time soon, nor would it do so without a reduction in federal transfer payments. This said, rents (a.k.a. supernormal, windfall or excess profits) from natural resources development could also be collected via a resource income tax, as outlined in the Revenue Options Paper. Such a tax should be implemented, and would raise on the order of hundreds of millions of dollars per year.
Such a tax would obviate the need for any increase in general corporate income taxes.
However, the GNWT should work with other jurisdictions to stop the "race to the bottom" of corporate income tax cuts.
Rents arising from the extraction of natural capital (non-renewable resources) should not be spent on regular government operations, but should be converted to other forms of capital. In the future, when non-renewable resources are depleted, the NWT will be reliant on such investments. The GNWT should establish a Territorial Trust Fund to collect resource income tax revenues and make investments that will pay off in future when the resource economy dwindles.
Some corporations are able to avoid paying income tax by using accounting techniques to hide income. In order to capture some of this revenue leakage, a capital tax should be phased in over two years, raising $12.6 million per year.
Personal income taxes
Despite high and rising average incomes, inequality and poverty are serious problems in the NWT. The lowest income bracket tax rate should be reduced by 3%, the next lowest by 2%, and the next by 1%. Further annual 1% reductions for each bracket should be carried out for another three years, meaning that no income tax would be paid on the first $35,986 earned by anyone in the NWT. This would reduce revenues by $40 million by the fourth year.
The GNWT loses on the order of $12 million dollars per year due to some people earning incomes in the NWT but claiming a residence and paying taxes elsewhere. A payroll tax would help reduce this leakage, which occurs mainly in the upper ranges of incomes. Payroll taxes should be increased from 2% to 2.5% for wages and salaries above the 75th percentile of today's income distribution, and reduced for lower amounts so that the total net revenue impact is zero.
Hotel tax and airport departure tax
A hotel tax and an airport departure tax also would help address the loss of revenue caused by people working in the NWT but living and paying taxes elsewhere. Such taxes are unlikely to affect tourism, considering their small proportion of overall travel costs. A hotel tax of 8% and an airport departure tax of $40 per flight should be instituted immediately, raising about $8.7 million per year.
Tobacco is the number one preventable cause of death in the country, killing over 40,000 Canadians per year, and the NWT smoking rate is more than double the national rate. Taxation has been proven effective at reducing tobacco consumption, particularly among teenagers, and NWT tobacco taxes haven't been raised in five years. Tobacco taxes should be increased to the current limit set in legislation, raising approximately $1.3 million per year, and by similar amounts in following years. There is little evidence to suggest that smuggling is an issue, but if it became one it should be addressed by law enforcement rather than by making tobacco cheaper.
Alcohol consumption costs Canada $14.6 billion per year in health impacts, lost productivity and law enforcement costs. The incidence of heavy drinking in the NWT is three to four times that of Canada as a whole. Alcohol price increases reduce consumption, yet the NWT liquor markup hasn't been increased in five years. The markup should be increased by 40% over two years, which would raise prices of beer, wine and spirits by roughly 15% or less, and would raise about $4.8 million in annual revenues.
Commercial freight toll
The true costs of road transport include not only road building and maintenance, but also air pollution, CO2 emissions and a host of other costs that create economic distortions. In the NWT, fuel taxes not only fail to cover the full costs of road use, they fail to cover even the financial costs. A toll of five cents per tonne-kilometre on non-local, commercial trucking should be phased in over two years, and would raise $15 million per year.
Fuel taxes and a carbon tax
Fuel taxes can help to reduce carbon emissions and conserve non-renewable fossil fuel resources. Transportation fuel taxes in the NWT are "among the lowest in Canada" and significantly below the national average. The Government has failed to allow fuel taxes to increase since 1997, letting them slip significantly against total fuel prices.
Transportation fuel taxes should be restored to 1997 values over two years, and heating fuel taxes over four years. This would raise $17.8 million per year, and should be used to finance an intensive program of home energy efficiency retrofits over the next four years.
Climate change is a serious problem, especially for northerners, who have every reason to urge the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, their credibility is compromised when northern governments fail to take serious action on climate change emissions. Serious action means putting a price on emissions. Carbon taxes are now supported by a wide range of stakeholders, and several Canadian jurisdictions are moving toward them. A modest carbon tax, along the lines of the one instituted in BC, should be adopted and phased in over four years, thus raising on the order of $41 million per year.
Taxes that don't need to be changed
The Revenue Options Paper discusses several other taxes, but they are not necessary to serve important public policy goals, and the other taxes revenues. Some of these other tax options do deserve further brief comment.
A sales tax would be regressive, and would need to be offset by income supports, tax adjustments, and exemptions for necessities. It would encourage personal savings and investment, but other, targeted consumption taxes (e.g. tobacco, fuel, alcohol) will also serve that goal.
Use-based premiums would discourage prevention and early treatment, thus potentially costing the system more. They also move the healthcare system closer to US-style private system, which delivers worse health outcomes and at a far higher cost.
Cost of living tax credit
Given the income supports and income tax reductions mentioned earlier, increasing this credit should not be necessary. If it were to be adjusted, it should be raised for lower and middle income earners and made even across the board.
The recommendations in this report include both increases and decreases in tax rates as part of an integral package of tax system reforms. This package would raise revenues, while at the same time advancing important public policy goals such as equity, health promotion, resource conservation, and environmental protection.
This package would add $23 million to general revenues in the first year and $62 million by year four (about 2%-5% of total revenues, or 9%-22% of own-source revenues). These revenues could be used for important initiatives such as preventing and treating substance addictions, home energy efficiency retrofits, increases to social assistance, job training and education, or reversing the spending cuts that were announced without public consultation in early 2008.
It would also establish and quickly grow a Territorial Trust Fund that would ensure fiscal stability for the NWT in the future when non-renewable resource revenues dwindle. | <urn:uuid:706edc34-2136-4e18-9d93-f4c13b4bc729> | {
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Summary of NCTET Event on Using Technology in the Classroom
NCTET DISCUSSES TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
Stephanie Lovell ([email protected])
November 11, 2010
On Wednesday, the National Coalition for Technology in Education and Training (NCTET) held an event on, “21st Educators: Using Technology to Improve Student Achievement,” to highlight the use of technology in schools and to raise awareness that America needs an influx of long-term, dedicated teachers. Hillary Goldman, NCTET Board Member and Director of Government Affairs at the International Society for Technology in Education, welcomed the panel and explained that this is a timely conversation as Secretary of Education Arne Duncan released the U.S. Department of Education's plan for transforming American education through technology on Tuesday.
• Kristen Orndoff, 5th Grade Teacher, T.S. Colley Elementary Magnet School, Lake Charles, LA
• Eric Sheninger, Principal, New Milford High School, New Millford, NJ
• Tom Carroll, President, National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future
Kristen Orndoff began her presentation by detailing her approach to teaching. She values teaching to standards rather than to tests and believes that knowledge gained and ability to synthesize information should be the focus of assessment instead of demonstrating retention of facts. Orndoff’s school has received an Enhancing Education through Technology grant for the past few years which gives Orndoff the opportunity to provide technological devices and products, such as computers and camcorders, to her students. She spoke about the need to “inspire students,” and the instrumental role technology plays in doing so. Orndoff underscored the importance of connecting class work to the “real world,” and stated that it is important that students are not expected to abandon their native technology prior to entering school. Technology “opens doors” and allows for students to become producers who will be better prepared to join the workforce after graduation. She argued that technology should begin to be utilized by the youngest Americans and offered that Head Start programs would be an excellent place to start.
Eric Sheninger spoke about the frustration of understanding that technology is key to the success of 21st century educators and learners but also experiencing a lack of funding to provide access to new technology. He stated that his goal as a principal is to “change the learning culture of the entire school,” so that everyone embraces technology and uses it to the fullest potential. In his school, Sheninger focuses on introducing free technology, such as Facebook, Twitter, GoogleDocs and Poll Everywhere, to teachers. He works hard to provide funds to motivated teachers who best utilize technology in the classroom in order to encourage the educators to be 21st century teachers. He echoed Orndoff in saying that technology inspires students and creates a connection to the real world. Sheninger also meets with students once a month to find out what ideas they would like see implemented within the school. He advocated for educators who need support from administration, modeling of new technology uses and flexibility to implement new ideas in their classrooms in order to promote 21st century learning.
The final panelist, Tom Carroll, declared “We are in a learning age, where all jobs require continuous learning, and students and educators are learning from and teaching each other.” He emphasized that it is necessary to transition from viewing schools as places of teaching to places of learning. He also agreed that the education system should emulate the real world that students will encounter after graduation. Carroll raised the concern that 1.8 million American teachers are approaching retirement, and there are not enough teachers to replace them. He indicated individuals who have joined the teacher workforce since 2001 are likely to remain in the profession for three years or less, which has led to a dramatic decrease in the number of teachers in the field. He urged that longevity is necessary to promote an “open learning ecology” that will lead students to become successful adults in college and beyond.
For more information, visit http://www.nctet.org/. | <urn:uuid:0bff4bed-5893-4c17-ac24-f31c7ad36646> | {
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Recall that in response to Jesus’ prediction that the temple would be utterly destroyed, His disciples had asked “when will these things happen?” (Mat 24:3). What does Jesus say in Mat 24:34 in answer to this question? What event whose significance cannot be overstated happened within a generation of 40 years that can be understood as a literal fulfillment of His words in Mat 24:34? What then does the plain reading of this verse teach us about the primary fulfillment of the events described in Matthew 24? In this light, what is the significance that Jesus said all these things would take place before that generation passed away? I.e., should we believe that some things did not actually take place, such as the powers of the heavens being shaken, the sign of the Son of Man shining in the heavens, the tribes of the earth mourning as they saw the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and great glory, and Jesus sending forth His angels with a great trumpet to gather into His kingdom from the four winds choice subjects (Mat 24:29-31)? Or should we understand that the spiritual language Jesus has used in Matthew 24 describes spiritual realities that were in fact fulfilled exactly according to His word within the generation He predicted? In what way is this similar to the fulfilment of the promises God first made to Israel about delivering them from their bondage in Egypt and giving them the land of promise that He had sworn to their fathers? See Jos 21:43-45. Shall we then necessarily suppose that the events Jesus predicted in Mat 24 have not yet happened so that we should expect some future fulfillment that is different from what has already happened—a fulfillment that better meets our expectations? Or is it possible that the fulfillment we are expecting is mistaken, as it was for so many who saw their primary fulfillment?
On the other hand, although there was a primary literal fulfillment within a generation of the events Jesus has described in the Olivet Discourse, does that mean that His words here have no further meaning beyond what has already happened, any more than God’s words to Israel had no further meaning beyond a physical land of promise? See Mat 24:35 and consider that the book of Revelation that was written after the primary fulfillment of Christ’s words spoken here in Mat 24 clearly indicates that this is so. In this sense, what generation will not pass away until the final fulfillment of all the things Christ has spoken? See Mat 12:39, 16:4, 17:17, Mar 8:38, Act 2:40, Phil 2:15. But again, while we expect some future and even greater fulfillment of Christ’s words spoken in Mat 24, as the prophetic word is sure throughout all generations, should we expect that its fulfillment in any generation, including our own, or its final fulfillment will somehow be different than it was in its primary fulfillment? What words of Jesus in Mat 24:35 indicate that there will be a final fulfillment and consummation not only to the prophetic narrative in Matthew 24 but to all of Scripture? Cf. 2Pe 3:7,10,13, Rev 21:1.
As the feasts of Passover at which Christ was crucified and First fruits when He was resurrected occur in the spring and indicate that summer and its season of growth is near, what season does the Feast of Tabernacles at the end of the growing season when the crops have been gathered in and the days are growing short indicate is near? In what way did the destruction of the Jewish nation within a generation mark an end to their summer and an approaching winter in regard to the harvest of Jews into God’s kingdom? Cf. Jer 8:13, Mat 21:19,40-41, 22:2-7. Over the past almost 2000 years we have seen a harvest of Gentiles come into God’s kingdom; what signs do we see that perhaps the times of the Gentiles have been fulfilled and that their fullness has come in so that the time of their harvest is coming to an end and the days are growing short? See Luk 21:24, Rom 11:25, 2Th 2:3, 2Ti 3:1-5. What do such signs portend about an end to summer and the approaching season for the Gentiles? Why should that be of concern to us? Cf. Mar 13:18 and think: after summer has ended, the harvest has been gathered in, and the doors to the Lord’s barn have been shut, will there be any more opportunity to enter into His kingdom as a part of His harvest? See Mat 25:10, Luk 13:23-25, and again 2Co 6:1-2. Is it possible that as the Jews experienced a long winter of hardened hearts against the gospel of their true salvation after rejecting Christ as their Messiah, a similar winter awaits those Gentiles who have now done the same? Consider that the culture of our western civilization, which was hugely influenced and shaped by the gospel is now described as post-Christian, having been replaced by modern, and now post-modern culture. What does this remind us about the danger of hardening our hearts against the truth? Cf. Heb 3:7-8,15, 4:7. | <urn:uuid:61ebd492-ffaf-470f-9751-1a0bc71be812> | {
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Lord William Montagu Douglas Scott
|This article does not cite any references or sources. (February 2008)|
Lieutenant-Colonel Lord William Walter Montagu Douglas Scott MC (17 January 1896 – 30 January 1958) was a Scottish aristocrat and politician.
The 2nd son of John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch, he was educated at Eton College and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned into the 10th Hussars. Promoted Lieutenant in 1915, he won the Military Cross in 1918 and was shortly afterwards promoted Captain. From 1925 to 1926 he was ADC to the Governor-General of Canada. He retired in 1927. He rejoined the Army in the Second World War, serving in Italy and reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
In 1937 he married Lady Rachel Douglas Home (10 April 1910 – 4 Apr 1996), younger daughter of Charles Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home. The couple had one son and four daughters, and lived at Eildon Hall, St Boswells, Roxburghshire.
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Lord William Montagu Douglas Scott
|Parliament of the United Kingdom|
Earl of Dalkeith
|Member of Parliament for Roxburgh and Selkirk
Archibald James Florence Macdonald
|This article about a Conservative Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom born in the 1890s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.| | <urn:uuid:11dcd776-647a-4f77-93ee-e87fb46ab878> | {
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The Wild About Denmark – in short.
Nature and wildlife.
Denmark occupies 43,094 square kilometers (16,621 square miles) and is the smallest of the Nordic countries. The landscape of Denmark is formed by the movement and melting of Ice Age glaciers thousands of years ago.
Denmark is situated between the Atlantic region and the European continent, between the saline North Sea and the brackish waters of the Baltic Sea. Because of the very changeable climate with considerable regional differences, wildlife in Denmark is plentiful and multifarious as Danish nature is the natural home for a large number of plants and animals – estimated around 40,000 species in total according to DanBIF – Danish Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Copenhagen.
Denmark consists of the peninsula of Jutland, north of Germany, and more than 400 islands, about 80 of which are inhabited. Zealand is the largest and most populated island in Denmark. Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is located partly on the eastern shore of Zealand and partly on the island of Amager.
The Danish coastline is all together about 8750 kilometers long with beaches, islands, marshland, mudflats, inlets and coastal meadows.
Unlike many other countries, it is normally not allowed to build on the seashore in Denmark. This means that Denmark’s coasts and beaches are preserved mostly free from constructions, hotels etc.
A flat fertile country.
With the highest natural point in Denmark, about 170 metres above sea level, Denmark is a flat but very fertile country where more than 60 percent of the land is cultivated. Only about 14 percent of the country is covered by forests.
Considering the size of the country and the high percentage of intensive agricultural land (one of the highest in the world), Denmark still leaves space for a rich and diverse wildlife.
Among wolves, beavers, red deers, wild boars and golden eagles.
In more remote areas the Danish Wildlife includes wolves, migrating Golden Jackals, breeding eagles, Beavers and Red Deers. Wild boars are these years migrating into Denmark from Germany.
88 mammal species have been recorded in Denmark including the whale species in the surrounding Danish sea areas.
Denmark is also home to an impressive number of species of birds that vary from residents, that stay all year around, to breeding birds, that spend a good part of the summer season in Denmark. The list of birds of Denmark includes 458 species. About 180 species are breeding birds.
The climate in Denmark is tempered and fairly distinct in four annual seasons.
Sources: birdlist.org, Dansk Pattedyratlas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Allearter.dk. | <urn:uuid:3239d6d3-6b4e-44d0-9836-285c82c6c078> | {
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Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has made communication fast and easy. Security issues seem to drawback the vast gains this has brought in connection. Security is the bedrock of any initiative in this century due to the increase in evil in society. Necessity has prompted efforts to counter the situations. Various measures are made daily to improve the situation. A significant attempt towards achieving safe communication worldwide is the End-to-end encryption (E2EE). It is a milestone, and more extensive steps towards the ideal interface are now in the vicinity. Let us discuss what this savior is in totality.
What is end-to-end encryption?
As at present, E2EE is the most secure way of having a conversation online. If you desire to have a private discussion, then you should consider E2EE. End-to-end encryption is a form of communication that bars third parties from accessing your messages. Usually, during the conversation, a word gets to a server then forwarded. E2EE encrypts messages from the originator and decrypts at the receiving point. Encoding enhances security during transmission as perpetrators cannot interpret the information. Decryption at the endpoint is crucial for information interpretation.
This form of security prevents hackers from accessing information intended to another user. While using E2EE, the message gets coded in a way that doesn’t make sense. At the authentic receiver’s end, we decode to allow for interpretation. One may intercept your communication, but this will not harm you in any way. During transit, the information is in a form that is not useful at all. You don’t have to worry about people monitoring your communication network. Yes, they can access your communication, but they won’t be able to read it. Only the specific recipient can decode the message.
Development of end-to-end encryption
For a long time, the safety of data during communication relied on the integrity of the server. Assessing credibility and honesty can sometimes be difficult since human factors get manipulated. Very few people will acknowledge that E2EE has been with us for over 4000 years. In the early times, people could write messages in codes and pass them through couriers. As such, sensitive words could reach the intended recipient without alterations.
Well, use of E2EE is a new thing in the tech world and is gaining popularity day by day due to its proven effectiveness. Many service providers are now integrating E2EE in their apps. In End-to-end encryption, the decryption key only lies with the user thus outstanding. This is in contrast to other encryption methods where the service provider has access. Neither the government nor the hackers can have a clue about your communication. E2EE is exhibiting great capability and capacity of creating a secure connection. Yet, some critical platforms have not integrated its use. For instance, some emailing apps don’t have end-to-end encryption compromising with security.
Use of end-to-end encryption
E2EE is proving to be an essential utility in communication. End-to-end encryption is as old as the internet, and you may be unaware that you are using it. The use of E2EE is increasing globally especially now that cyber- insecurity is tormenting us.E2EE use manifest through different VoIP apps like WhatsApp and Signal. Every user of VoIP services will encounter E2EE at some point. It is the most secure encryption technique. E2EE will remain relevant in communication as long as insecurity persist. Implementing this technique will help you appreciate why it is essential.
How does end-to-end encryption work?
Encryption involves netting your data such that any unauthorized person cannot read it. On reaching the legitimate recipient, the scrambled data is repackaged and made available. E2EE offers security by preventing any intermediary intercepting your communication form reading your data. They cannot understand, interpret and make sense of information in the message. Two components are critical to E2EE. Encrypting which conceals the signal from the unintended person. Decrypting allows the ultimate user to access the word thus remain relevant.
Earlier known as cryptography, encryption now creates cipher text using encryption algorithm. As such, the message gets designed for a user and cannot divert to a different direction. The encryption key is used together with the algorithm to code the signal in a manner that is unique. Only the designated user has the key to decrypt this message. Usually, a random key is generated to lock the word at the start. The recipient should also have a cryptographic key to unlock the message. Such keys are usually long and not easy to predict or generate while the user’s device automatically creates them.
Benefits of using end-to-end encryption
Advantages of E2EE as portrayed by Mailfence which uses it includes the following
- E2EE offers optimal security; Safety is guaranteed as fewer people can access your data. Even if one gains access to your communication, they can’t decrypt the information since they don’t have the key.
- It is an easy way of providing security since you don’t have to remember the keys. Also, self-generation of keys assures further safety and convenience.
E2EE conveniently provides confidentiality to users. This has seen its use increase among various groups. Currently, most of the VoIP use these services to protect their clients from invasion.
Challenges of end-to-end encryption
Although E2EE is witnessing tremendous gains in use worldwide, limitations still exist. Is end encryption safe? Some will find E2EE useful while others may lament over it. Achieving complete end-to-end protection is not easy, and this is what makes the outcry in E2EE. If the ideal were to be met, E2EE could get perfect and offer the highest privacy. It is still possible to tap into one’s conversation at the endpoint after decoding. Even though one may not interpret the message on an interception, they can alter the same. Besides, there is a question of the role of E2EE in deterring government’s efforts in fighting terrorism and cybercrime.
End-to-end encryption is a brilliant invention that when adequately deployed can secure communication. Strategies needed to combat challenges are essential. | <urn:uuid:334484e6-18b3-4ae5-bb23-f823449767c5> | {
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When George Goodwin traveled to the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge to help educate landowners at the 2010 Longleaf Alliance Conference last week, he had no idea the foresters would name a longleaf pine after him. What follows is a brief synopsis of an article by Jack Culpepper, Refuge Forester, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Call for the full article.
“George, the tree, was 322 years old! He was tapped for turpentine in the early 1900’s, but given a reprieve from logging when the Wildlife Refuge was established in 1939 during the Roosevelt Administration to conserve rare places for future generations of Americans. George served the forest inhabitants in a variety of ways. People, plants and animals had a lasting relationship with George and the forest for centuries.
“George finally succumbed to a fire, one of the critical elements to longleaf ecosystem diversity, in March of 2010. He thought it was all over when he was being sawn for timber as a demonstration for the Longleaf Alliance Conference.
“Then George overheard the foresters talking about how his timber would be used to teach skilled woodcraft at a college in Charleston, SC. What bliss George felt as he realized that life and service doesn’t end, it only changes forms.”
Thanks Jack. We love you too. George Goodwin | <urn:uuid:278a68f7-6b95-4ee3-98cc-85389407a9e4> | {
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Secondary Characters are characters that are utilized to improve the flow of a story along while being impactful to the plot and storyline. Pearl, a key character in the Scarlet Letter functions as a secondary character by being a symbol for the plot of love and sin. Pearl’s character works throughout the story by bringing out different emotions and feelings from other characters. In Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter, Pearl’s function is to be a significant role in blossoming the traits of certain characters, Pearl’s identity becomes distinct in the growth of her own character which produces the development of the story and development of other characters by serving as a reminder of sin and strength. Throughout the Scarlet Letter, Pearl symbolizes the sins that Hester had done and serves as a reminder of Hester’s transgressions and is similar to the qualities of sin which she represents. Pearl’s life and behaviors point towards the unacceptable and extraordinary nature of Hester’s sin of adultery. Hester is constantly haunted with not only the letter “A”, but she has produced a child from her affair who also serves as a reminder alongside the scarlet “A”. Ultimately, Hester is able to persevere through the shame that coexists with the Scarlet letter and turn something negative into a positive by creating the most of a family for herself and Pearl. The relationship between Pearl and Hester is crucial to the theme of the novel and the key developments of its characters. “From that epoch, except when the child was asleep, Hester had never felt a moment’s safety; not a moment’s calm enjoyment of her” (Hawthorne, 67). Hester shows that she couldn’t be satisfied with the normal parent relationship with her daughter because of the shameful symbol “A” on her chest. Hawthorne authors, “Weeks, it is true, would sometimes elapse, during which Pearl’s gaze might never once be fixed upon the scarlet letter; but then, again, it would come at unawares, like the stroke of sudden death, and always with that peculiar smile, and odd expression of the eyes” (Hawthorne, 67). Hester learns that Pearl’s unorthodox expression was her own learning of the significance of the scarlet letter and Pearl herself.As the story progresses, Pearl, at age three, is possessed with the meaning of her mother’s decorative symbol of sin. Hawthorne writes, “… she amused herself with gathering handfuls of wildflowers, and flinging them, one by one, at her mother’s bosom; dancing up and down, like a little elf, whenever she hit the scarlet letter.” (Hawthorne, 67). Pearl, with the assistance of the letter, played with the emotions of her mother as if it were a game and continued to give it attention for personal amusement. Hester witnessed “little Pearl’s wild eyes”; which is the same expression that she had seen when Pearl was a baby (Hawthorne 67). Pearl is a character that is complex and expressed greatly throughout the novel. Pearl is the daughter of Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne, a daughter of love and sin. As stated throughout the novel Pearl’s parents know that she is a very outgoing individual who keeps growing and changing depending on the situation she is presented upon. “On the prevailing circumstances in order to survive and to also help in bringing out clearly the message that the writer wanted to pass when he was writing the book.” (Mary, 99) The citizens of the society furthermore shun not only Hester, but Pearl as well because of her mother’s sin. Pearl serves as the constant reminder of Hester’s sin of adultery. Pearl’s living conditions also play a role in her character as she lived on the outskirts of Boston with her mother in which they avoided the humiliation and embarrassment from the other villagers. Pearl is described to be an “Infant whose guiltless life was the product of inscrutable decree of Providence.” (Mary, 133) Hawthorn refers to her as lovely and a flower that is immoral and does not realize the guilty that led to its existence. (Hawthorne, 81)From birth, Pearl is seen and treated as a punishment, an outcome of sin that every soul with any type dignity should take heed and avoid at all times. This negative treatment affects Pearl and she cleary is not regular compared to the citizens of her society. Pearl’s only safe haven is nature around her which seems to have connection with her and always treats her nicely in a way her community did not. Another point is that Pearl grows into a gorgeous girl through the book. On page 81 and 82 Hawthorne describes her beauty very clearly. Compared to the other girls, she had bright skin, eyes that had the intensity of glow and depth, and beautiful deep brown glowing hair. Another key trait of Pearl in the story is her clothing choices. She always wore elaborate dresses that intensified her beauty and caused envy among the Puritan society, therefore giving them the notion to label her as abnormal. Pearl wore clothing that made her stand out and did not follow the same traditional clothing that the other Puritan children wore, therefore causing the society to outcast her. This treatment created a hatred in Pearl towards the other children and in the book we read that she would pick up stones and throw it at them. These actions showed the boldness of Pearl and her mental strength of not backing down and conforming. Characteristically, Pearl demonstrates that she is a strong girl and looks for the her advantage in situations. The fact of the other children not accepting causes her to turn to nature which automatically accepts her and does not criticize or ridicule her. On page 168 Hawthorne talks about the light that happily lingers about the child that is lonely as if it is glad to have found such a loving playing mate. The nature becomes the only playmate and safe place for Pearl as she matures through the story and learns about herself and her mother. Unfortunately, due to the separation from other children, Pearl does not fit the norm and is looked upon as a mysterious and unearthly child. The story informs us as Pearl being a character that was missing reference and she could not relate to the people in the society she brought into. Pearl had no influence from the Puritan life and only lived by the influence of nature. She had been casted out from her society, and therefore turned to the beauty of nature which accepted her with open hands. The general population of her general public perspectives her as not just an odd and bizarre child conceived out of a corrupt demonstration, they additionally consider and see her in exceptionally blended emotions. Many individuals don’t fathom her. A decent illustration is the place Hester discloses to Dimmesdale that she scarcely comprehends this tyke however she will love her to the end by and by. She goes on and states that occasionally she fears little Pearl. To Dimmesdale, he is extremely befuddled in that he truly adores the child and in truth, he needs to make peace with her and know her better however this isn’t conceivable in light of the fact that he isn’t set up to lose his political and societal position by recognizing her out in the open.Pearl is an exceptionally delicate and curious kid. These qualities are achieved by the way that she had an exceptionally detailed and confounding history. She is raised without a father and she doesn’t know who her dad is. The main individual who she can uninhibitedly relate to is her mom and even she is alienated from the group also. For this reasons, she develops to be an extremely delicate and an inquisitive child. She is dependably in her mom’s case needing to comprehend what Hester would rather not advise her. She needs to know who her dad is and why they experience both of them and not with their dad like huge numbers of alternate families in the general public.Imagery is utilized exceptionally much in this novel. All through the entirety novel, numerous of the characters speak to other thoughts. Nathaniel Hawthorne intentionally employments imagery so as to upgrade the topics of the novel. Pearl is one of the most misconstrued characters in the novel is utilized to progress diverse subjects. Pearl all through the book, creates into a image that is exceptionally energetic. It is exceptionally vital to note that pearl all through the novel symbolizes fiendish. She symbolizes fiendish in the sense that she is born through sin and subsequently she speaks to the discipline that God dispenses on Hester’s double-crossing act. Pearl moreover symbolizes the blame that her parents are encountering. She resists the Puritans’ law by being cheerful when she is partner with nature instep of enduring. Another way in which pearl symbolizes discipline is the reality that she keeps irritating and bothering her mother. All through this novel, it is exceptionally vital for the peruser to note how taunting and bothering her mother, one may get the feeling that he is a witch infant send out to torment her mother. In numerous cases, babies are a delight to their moms but in Pearl’s case she was fair the inverse and in this, the creator clearly and viably utilized imagery in Pearl’s case to represent discipline and enduring. It is too imperative to note that the Pearl has solid feelings and she too has a awful mood with a capacity to do fiendish deeds. These characteristics guarantee that Hester’s life is full of wretchedness and she once inquired God what kind of being she had brought on the soil. Her girl continually annoys her over the red A that she was wearing and in time Hester was the subject of a parcel of deride from the individuals of the society and indeed her possess girl and when this got to be difficult to bear she fair chosen to live on seclusion.Pearl as a individual symbolizes the sins of both Hester and Dimmesdale. This child is the coordinate impact and comes about of the sin of infidelity. She too speaks to the sin of lying. One has to take note the way; Hester and Dimmesdale keep on lying to the society approximately the undertaking that driven to the birth of Pearl. These two keep on dodging telling the truth almost the organic father of the Pearl. Indeed Pearl herself did not have a clue who truly was her father and this influenced her life. We can too see the way Dimmesdale is experiencing a parcel of inner torment in that He truly needs to appear his girl cherish but the circumstance in which this young lady was conceived makes it exceptionally difficult for him to let the individuals of the society know that he is the genuine father of pearl. It is exceptionally vital to too note that the Dimmesdale did not commit the sin of infidelity but as it were the sin of concealing the truth that he was party to the act that brought Pearl to this world. It is exceptionally vital to note that Pearl was a exceptionally intelligent child. She could examined her encompassing and other people’s behavior to get it the things that she was not assumed to get it. A great case is where she was exceptionally annoyed by the behavior of Dimmesdale when he put his hand on his chest fair where his heart was. Pearl appeared to associate this to Hester’s scarlet letter and know that something was not appropriate. She is so shrewd to an degree that her mother considers that she is not a genuine human being.Hawthorn moreover utilized imagery in that he employments pearl to speak to the red letter. We are told that indeed when she was a infant she was pulled in to the red letter. This is affirmed on page 90 where we are told that her newborn child eyes could not take off the glinting portion of the gold weaving. When she is a small bit more seasoned, Hester tosses the letter on the ground and Pearl responds exceptionally strangely when she shouts requesting that the “A” be picked up. It is moreover critical to note that the “A” is the as it were way that the colonialists select to wrongdoing and discipline to the offenders in the society. The capacities of Pearl in the novel are extraordinary. The reason for this is that she is the character that makes a difference and guides the peruser to truly know what is happening in the story. There are a few covered up implications in the book and she too makes a difference the peruser to choose up these focuses so that they can truly get it what the book is talking around. She helps the reader with her commentaries, her thought prepare, and her curious questions that she inquires all through the novel. We can say that Pearl is an irreplaceable character to the readerthat makes a difference him to get it the subjects that are being put forward by the creator. One has to take note the way Pearl is distinctive from the other children of her possess age. She did not make any companions in the society. In truth, any child that attempted to make companion with were met with a grouchy child that favored to play alone and as it were associated with the common things. Being a forlorn kid Pearl picks to communicate with her possess reflection and this moreover makes a difference the peruser to know what is happening in the book. For her age, Pearl is able to communicate viably with grown-ups like her guardians. She relates to them in a exceptionally complicated way that other children her claim age cannot do and through this we see he inquiring her parent’s exceptionally difficult questions. This characteristic makes a difference the creator to pass over the subjects that he planning to pass when he was composing the novel like sin discipline and blame. Pearl in the Red Letter capacities as a auxiliary character by being a image of the plot of adore and sin. Pearl as a character works all through the storyline by bringing out diverse feelings and sentiments from other characters. In Hawthorne’s Red Letter, Pearl plays a noteworthy part in blooming the characteristics of certain characters, Pearl’s personality gets to be particular through the development of her possess character which leads to the advancement of the story and other characters by serving as a update of sin and quality. | <urn:uuid:47f0ff7b-11fa-4bf6-aef1-132008e9b93f> | {
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People all around the world celebrate their independence day in their own style that reflects the picture of their cultural traditions.
Every year on 14th of August people of Pakistan all around the world celebrate their Independence Day in their own national style. This day reminds us the efforts of our national heroes who freed Pakistan from British rule and make it an independent state.
People celebrate Independence Day by hoisting flags on their houses, painting their vehicles, pasting flags on them, playing national anthem and organizing special cultural events to make this day etched in their mind.
We always felt a special enthusiasm among the youth of Pakistan on Independence Day. Car and bike racing and drifting are becoming the common practices in which youth is indulging on Independence Day that becomes fatal. We should enjoy this event but avoid tainting it with the colour of death.
Independence Day is full of life and colours especially in Lahore that gives a picture of vivacity of citizens of Lahore especially of the Walled city where life seems to fully bloom on these festivals. Feasts are cooked and musical parties are also arranged to ad to the festive occasion. Different cultural shows and programmes reflecting our heritage are also organized by the government on this occasion that reflects the culture of Pakistan.
14th august is a day that reminds us that Pakistanis all around the world are bind in one relation of nathionalism. On independence day we got free Pakistan to live freely where we have all basic rights.
Make this Independence Day more special by mixing its celebrations with traditional trends and style.
Every year you spend this national holiday in your own style but this year make it special by doing something different. Make your Independence Day special by cooking some special traditional food of your country and have a small get together with your family. If you can’t go out to see the fireworks, make your own Independence Day celebration at home.
This Independence Day must be in such a style that evokes a spirit of nationalism in every Pakistani. | <urn:uuid:ed21690d-790a-4a33-88b9-28fa1e65d4a5> | {
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The classification of mesocycles
1) Basic mesocycle
- Used at the beginning of the preparatory period.
- Training load in this cycle is relatively low;
- Increases in load are only the result of the increase of training volume.
This kind of mesocycle is used also after the injury or after longer period without trainings.
2) Preparatory mesocycle
- Mostly used during the preparatory period where the adaptation of the main organ systems is of high importance.
During the beginning of the preparatory period the used structure of the microcycle is usually 4 + 1 or 3 + 1 depending of the level of the athlete then at the end of the preparatory period the structure changes to 3 + 1 and 2 + 1, respectively.
This change is due to the increase training intensities towards the end of the training period and therefore proportionally more recovery is needed.
3) Shock mesocycle
- Training load would be taken to the highest possible level to induce a high stress in the body to evoke maximal supercompensation after following revocery.
- Such kind of mesocycles can be done only 2-3 during the preparatory period.
4) Precompetition mesocycle
- Can be characterized as a loading process for the upcoming competition(s);
- Within this mesocycle different microcycles can be used to further improve the sportspecific condition of the athlete.
Here’s how athletes’ training cycles look like in Sportlyzer. Click to see larger.
5) Competition mesocycle
The number of those mesocycles is characterized by:
- the nature of the sport discipline;
- the level of the athlete;
- the competition calendar.
For example, in cyclic sports the competitive period can last from 1 to 4, even to 5 months and one or two competitive mesocycles can be planned accordingly. In ball games, competitive season may even last longer, fom 6-10 months and therefore 5-6 mesocycles can be planned, that usually alternate with preparatory mesocycle.
6) Recovery mesocycle
- Is used during the trainsition period;
- Is characterized by a low training volume and intensity;
- Main focus is on active recovery and nonspecific workouts.
Figure 1. An examples of 4 + 1 preparatory mesocycle(upper panel) and 3 + 1 shock mesocycle (ower panel). Mcycle – microcycle
Where to fit a mesocycle?
Usually there are longer mesocycles (4-6 weeks) during the preparataory phase and shorter during the competitive phase. The main criteria for considering a length of the mesocycle depends on the time necessary to develop a certain ability or technical elment. Try to fit a mesocycles into annual plan in a way that there will be a competition or special testing at the end of the cycle, so the coach can immediatedly evaluate the impact of that particular mesocycle.
Reference: Bompa T. Periodization. Theory and methodology of training. Human Kinetics, Chicago, IL. 1999.
Plan your athletes annual training plan at Sportlyzer – try it out for FREE! | <urn:uuid:6a05c15b-c6b1-48e5-9d42-ff2313044d92> | {
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As a mother or father, it can be so tempting to spoil your kids, at least a little bit, especially during the holidays. Sure, it is okay to regale them with gifts every so often, it is also essential they learn to appreciate what they have already. Being grateful is very important character feature, that is why we made this little list, to help you raise a grateful children.
Any child can easily see if you are thankful for the things that come into your life and whether you share that thanks with the people who brought it into your life. Everyone knows parents are the main role models in children’s lives so you need to be sure you are grateful yourself.
Try introducing gratefulness as a game. Focus on small things, ask your children to say at least one thing they are grateful for per day. It is like a simple game you can play during long drives and also there are so many ways to play this game, just use your imagination. Perhaps even the little ones will think of some new rules. By making gratefulness a game, you are allowing your children to learn about all the things they can be grateful for while not making it to serious.
Be sure to focus on the reason why we are or should be grateful. It is one thing to say that we are grateful for a warm weather and the other to dig a little deeper, like acknowledging we are grateful for the sun shining because it makes us smile. Are you grateful simply because of things that happen or have you been made grateful at the core of who you are? Quite a difference, is not it?
Everything has some benefits
Gratefulness should not cherish only the good things. If you are teaching your toddler to be grateful, then do not miss the chance to express gratefulness when things are less pleasant. Have you ever thought you can be grateful after a car accident in which no one was hurt or maybe a little simpler example, you can be grateful for a rainy day only because crops need the rain to grow? You can apply this to any situation, so be sure to teach this your children too.
Introducing children to gratitude is quite difficult. You might want to begin with teaching children to say 'thank you' for the nice things that others do for them and surely for the gifts he receives. Perhaps you will want to thank for the food you have on the table before the meal. You could point out that the vegetables or bread you eat come from seeds planted, nurtured, watered, harvested, packaged, transported and sold by store keepers, which means, the process involved plenty of people who worked really hard to put food on your table.
Of course you know you will not raise a grateful child in a day. This process will require a lot of time and patience. After all, the work you will be completed will surely pay off. | <urn:uuid:19ce6040-e5cd-41ec-99d9-3a7322d7fcfd> | {
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Fink got a mention in a great article in The Telegraph today.
The article is about children’s friendships and makes some great points.
From the article –
Psychologist Emma Citron believes it would help if all children were taught more about friendship…
‘It’s true that some children pick up social skills just like anything else, like spelling. Some need to have unpacked and explained in order for them to get it. I would love to see more friendship education in schools.’
“it’s always been assumed that making friends is just something youngsters have to learn to do by themselves. However, a ground-breaking approach from the US is treating social difficulties in the playground in the same way as any other learning difficulty.”
The article makes some very good points about how children learn about friendships and what we can parents can do to help. In the article Tanith Carey gives parents 4 tips on how to help their children make friends. I am delighted to see she suggested Healthy Friendship Fink Cards.
Talk about friendship: The shrinking of today’s playtime, excessive after school activities and screen time are two means many children are missing out on ‘friendship practice’. In response, Becky Goddard-Hill, a trained psychotherapist, created Fink Friendship cards (finkcards.co.uk). | <urn:uuid:d2ac622d-d9af-4f9b-be92-05c54c541785> | {
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I had actually figured out there was some sort of syntax error with the "not equals" operator. I simply changed the syntax to read "equals" (obviously altering the program slightly) but it functions now. I am familiar with c and java so this is slightly different .
Do you happen to know how to use the print() function to handle multiple data types (idk how to explain this)
for instance in java i would say | System.out.println("You have: " + t + "attempts."); to execute a print string where t is a calculated value
or in c++ i would say | cout << "You have: " << t << "attempts." << endl;
i would like to do the same thing with this.
Let's say a = 1 and we wanted to print text with that. The symbol used to separate different data types/variables is actually just '..', so all you have to do is:
Hey, I've been playing around with ComputerCraft the last couple days, but in one of my projects I have found the need to be able to put variables in variable names, for a login server. For example, I would like to do something like this:
id, message rednet.receive()
id = tonumber(idn)
if message = "login "..id.." "..(idn.."pass") and (idn.."logged") = false then
(idn.."logged") = true
rednet.send(0, "Logged in. Welcome, "..id)
Is there a way to do this? I've googled it but I can't find anything on it.
EDIT: Nevermind, figured out a better way to make my login system.
Hi, I'm just wondering if you can access your programs on disks or computers outside of game if you made them on a tekkit server, I'm trying to write a program and I want to be able to work on it and not have to be on the server, I am the server admin, so I can access the server through FTP if needed.
Could you add onto your tutorial it helped alot but not to the extent that I need :3, BUT I really appreciate this tutorial really helped. It would be cool to teach how to do "startup" programs or how to work with outputs and other types of things.
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Can anyone help me?
Im trying to set my rule board up with monitors and I havent a clue how to program with lua.
if anyone could help me translate this
1) No griefing*, if you are caught griefing you will be banned.
2) No client hacks or mods*.
3) Do not argue with, lie to or otherwise disrespect staff members.
4) No offensive behaviour*, swearing, talking in all caps, skins or usernames.
5) Do not ask staff members to give you anything.
6) Do not engage in exploitative behaviour.
7) Do not engage in general misbehaviour.
8) Don’t hide behind the rules.
9) Do not advertise other servers, or advertise our server to others without consent.
10) Leaking machines will be destroyed.
Full list of rules with explanations and definitions are viewable at
Thanks for the great article, very helpful, ver well-written. Unfortunately, I just can't understand even the simplest coding. It's not your fault, it's just me. I'm not stupid, or anything, it's just computers confuse me. *sigh*...
im making my first program ever, and ive ran into a problem, i keep getting a "attempt to call nill" with this code
if redstone.chekcOutput("back", true) then
input = read()
input = "back to left"
input = "back to right"
input = "back to bottom"
input = "bottom to top"
input = "shutdown"
if input == ("back to left") then
print("Diverting from BACK to LEFT...")
if input == "back to top" then
print("Diverting from BACK to TOP...")
if input == "back to bottom"
print("Diverting from BACK to BOTTOM...")
if input == "back to right"
print("Diverting from BACK to RIGHT...")
if input == "shutdown"
any help is great. i should mention this is my first programming language im learning, so cut me some slack if i did something retarded. thanks!
Ok, im a crazy mod person. Now that we have established that, i have a question.
is there any way to connect the computer to bundled cable and have it output say only to green wires connected to that bundled cable (im talking redpower cable and alloy wires) and if so, what are the commands? also can u make it respond to a green wire signal from a bundled cable? if so, what are the commands? another question - is it possible to set variables with 1 program, but have a completely seperate program (on the same computer) access that variable? if so, how?
-- this will really help me out dude
also A+ on ur tutorial
Edit: sorry about the "dude" if ur a girl then change that to "dudett"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I came up with the idea for Mo' Armor, a mod being developed by CORE modders.
When I type cd rom/programs/custom ,it tells me "Not a directory". I've put the folder and the file exactly where you instructed us to put it and it gives me that message. Do you know what the problem is? | <urn:uuid:720f1235-5fcd-435c-8118-e2c96dc4eb2f> | {
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How do you keep the crisis of HIV/Aids in the public eye? That's the dilemma among the agencies tasked with combating the disease. Aids is now a familiar story and they worry that attention has been shifting to other priorities, such as maternal health. Combine that with tightening government budgets and there is widespread anxiety that funding is falling sharply.
What is badly needed is evidence that HIV/Aids programmes are working. Many donors – particularly those in Washington and London – are putting great emphasis on value for money. They want evidence of results.
This is where the World Bank comes in. Last summer at the international conference on HIV/Aids in Vienna, the bank announced that two pilot projects in Tanzania and Malawi involving cash transfers had been very successful in reducing infection rates. My colleague Sarah Boseley wrote about the projects.
Now, to coincide with World Aids Day today, the World Bank is promoting these studies as evidence that "innovative HIV prevention strategies" can work, and there is a lot of interest. Cash transfers are attracting considerable attention – I wrote about how they work in Brazil recently. The World Bank describes on its website how in Malawi, girls were given cash transfers on condition they stayed in school. The idea was to reduce the "transactional sex" that exposes many young girls to infection from older men. There was a sharp drop of 60% in HIV infection rates.
But there is no detail here about the Tanzanian project, which followed a very different design.
In Tanzania 3,000 participants aged between 18 and 30 were enrolled in the project and were given cash payments on condition that they didn't undertake "risky sexual behaviour". If they tested positive for sexually transmitted infections this was judged as evidence of risky sexual behaviour and they lost the cash payment. It has led to a 25% fall in sexually transmitted infections. This was the proxy measure for the real aim of the project, which was HIV infections.
The concern raised by Dr Sophie Harman, of City University, is that the Tanzanian project poses serious ethical problems. It exacerbates the problems of stigma – already one of the biggest problems in tackling HIV/Aids. In the Tanzanian project, as soon as you have contracted a sexually transmitted disease, you have the added penalty of losing the cash transfer. It also distorts wider prevention programmes, undermining the ethics of personal responsibility and introducing a concept of financial incentive for doing what you should be doing anyway. Besides, there is another aspect to this: how sustainable can such programmes be? Do its benefits only last as long as the cash transfers, perhaps only a few years or even less?
Conditional cash transfers may have a role to play, argues Harman. In some projects they can work effectively, but the key issue is what is the conditionality? Staying on at school, as in the case of Malawi, works well, but Harman claims that Tanzania sets a dangerous precedent, confusing many messages about personal responsibility and sexual behaviour - quite apart from penalising the very people most likely to need medical help. She is worried that given the popularity of cash transfers and the urgent need to show results, there is a real danger of donors latching on to what can be a dangerous idea. | <urn:uuid:1806a182-87bd-4e94-9cd2-383278bde2ec> | {
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A new on-farm technology opportunity is the Soil Moisture Active-Passive (SMAP) system from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This satellite, positioned 426 miles above Earth, measures the amount of water in the top layer of soil anywhere on the planet.
The SMAP technology has been around for several years, but USDA is now utilizing the new data from SMAP to monitor U.S. cropland and make commodity forecasts. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), a branch of the USDA, hosts information on their Crop Explorer website that shares global soil data such as soil moisture, temperature, precipitation, vegetation health and more. By incorporating SMAP data onto this website, agriculture analysts can more accurately predict where there could be too little, or too much, water in the soil to support crops. This helps keep an eye on possible drought, flooding, or any other soil moisture issues that farmers would not have the data identify on their own.
Personally, SMAP data has affected my life already. I work part time at our local Watershed Office and we had a student who used the NASA satellite imagery to explain why a predicted flood in 2013 didn’t actually happen. His research led him to a theory that tile drainage alleviated the flooding, and that it is also resulting in warmer soil temperatures in the spring and cooler soil temperatures in the summer. This information is very complimentary to agricultural crop needs.
SMAP information is also available on Google Earth Engine, where researchers, farmers, and others can access to improve crop management and create a better product.
To read the full story, click here. | <urn:uuid:a2d064b4-698a-414a-a6a3-7e9503c59616> | {
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Aster guiradonis (A.Gray) Kuntze
Solidago guiradonis is an uncommon species of goldenrod known by the common name Guirado goldenrod. It is native to the Central California Coast Ranges of central California, in San Benito, San Luis Obispo, and Fresno Counties. There are also reports of isolated populations in the Sierra Nevada in Plumas and Tulare Counties.
Solidago guiradonis is a perennial herb growing from a woody caudex, sometimes reaching heights well over one meter (40 inches). The leaves are up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) long near the base of the plant but shorter farther up. They are linear to lance-shaped and have winged petioles that expand to nearly sheath the stem at the bases. The herbage is mostly hairless.
The inflorescence is a cluster of sometimes as many as 190 small flower heads in a branching, elongated array. Each flower head contains 10-21 yellow disc florets surrounded by up to 8-10 narrow yellow ray florets each 1 or 2 millimeters long.
- The Plant List, Solidago guiradonis A.Gray
- "Solidago guiradonis". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- Calflora taxon report, University of California, Solidago guiradonis A. Gray, Guirado goldenrod, Guirado's goldenrod
- Flora of North America, A. Gray, 1865. Guirado’s goldenrod
- Jepson Manual Treatment: Solidago guiradonis
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile
- Solidago guiradonis — Calphotos Photo gallery, University of California
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DC Motors Video
Twist Your Armature
A Brush with the Laws of Electromagnetism
Watch physicists Becky Thompson-Flagg and Ted Hodapp trade quips as they show how to take apart a small DC motor and find out how it works. They get the armature of the motor spinning with just a battery, a few wires, and a permanent magnet. The experiment in this video is the same one described in the DC Motor Annotated Activity Handout. | <urn:uuid:e7dfbe79-6a10-4d78-868f-3b8b38b5858e> | {
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XML DOM Node Tree
The XML DOM views an XML document as a node-tree.
All the nodes in the tree have a relationship to each other.
The XML DOM Node Tree
The XML DOM views an XML document as a tree-structure. The tree structure is called a node-tree.
All nodes can be accessed through the tree. Their contents can be modified or deleted, and new elements can be created.
The node tree shows the set of nodes, and the connections between them. The tree starts at the root node and branches out to the text nodes at the lowest level of the tree:
The image above represents the XML file books.xml.
Node Parents, Children, and Siblings
The nodes in the node tree have a hierarchical relationship to each other.
The terms parent, child, and sibling are used to describe the relationships. Parent nodes have children. Children on the same level are called siblings (brothers or sisters).
- In a node tree, the top node is called the root
- Every node, except the root, has exactly one parent node
- A node can have any number of children
- A leaf is a node with no children
- Siblings are nodes with the same parent
The following image illustrates a part of the node tree and the relationship between the nodes:
Because the XML data is structured in a tree form, it can be traversed without knowing the exact structure of the tree and without knowing the type of data contained within.
You will learn more about traversing the node tree in a later chapter of this tutorial.
First Child - Last Child
Look at the following XML fragment:
<title lang="en">Everyday Italian</title>
<author>Giada De Laurentiis</author>
In the XML above, the <title> element is the first child of the <book> element, and the <price> element is the last child of the <book> element.
Furthermore, the <book> element is the parent node of the <title>, <author>, <year>, and <price> elements.
Thank You For Helping Us!
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There's a reason why seasoned parents tell you to enjoy this time while your child is young. For busy parents, the concept of mindfulness is sometimes hard to grasp. However, practicing mindful parenting can help you strengthen your relationship with your child.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the art of living in and enjoying the present moment without getting caught in the fray of thoughts and feelings that aren't part of that moment. This concept is at the heart of Buddhist meditation and gives you the opportunity to experience life more fully by being aware of what's happening in the present and examining it objectively.
The Struggle with Being Mindful
According to Scott Rogers, Director of the Institute for Mindfulness Studies, parents don't spend enough time in the present. "We have this tendency to think about the future and worry about what might or might not happen and regret the past and the mistakes we think we made," says Rogers. Being a mindful parent means finding ways to be more in the present moment where frustration, worry, and anxiety don't exist. Those types of emotions come from thinking of what's to come, not what's happening.
Applying Mindfulness to Parenting
It isn't easy to be a mindful parent. In their book, Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting, Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn, suggest that the simplest way to begin is to ask yourself what's really important. Once you figure that out, you can learn how to respond to your child rather than react to them. Responding means taking a breather to sort through your thoughts and make an active choice about what to say or do in that moment. It could be as difficult as recognizing their need for comfort and compassion instead of letting your anger take over. Or, it could be as simple as realizing that what's important at this moment is to play with your child.
Ways to Be a More Mindful Parent
Being a mindful parent takes work and, like anything, you need to practice to get better at it. You can start by trying these exercises:
- Look at the world from your child's point view--not from what you think their point of view may be. Ask them to describe the way things appear or sound to them.
- Review your expectations of your child to assess whether or not they're realistic.
- Try hard to be a balanced parent, one who is neither too protective or indulgent, too controlling or inflexible.
- Be fallible. It's okay to let your child know when you're unsure about something or to apologize when you're wrong.
When you're able to take the time to simply be with your child without trying to change them or tell them what to do, you're not only being mindful, you're letting your child know you accept them for who they are. | <urn:uuid:92cf1594-c875-4b4c-a053-294bed138b54> | {
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Why use the ANOVA over a t-test?
March 25, 2012
The point of conducting an experiment is to find a significant effect between the stimuli being tested. To do this various statistical tests are used, the 2 being discussed in this blog will be the ANOVA and the t-test. In a psychology experiment an independent variable and dependant variable are the stimuli being manipulated and the behaviour being measured. Statistical tests are carried out to confirm if the behaviour occurring is more than chance.
The t-test compares the means between 2 samples and is simple to conduct, but if there is more than 2 conditions in an experiment a ANOVA is required. The fact the ANOVA can test more than one treatment is a major advantage over other statistical analysis such as the t-test, it opens up many testing capabilities but it certainly doesn’t help with mathematical headaches. It is important to know that when looking at the analysis of variance an IV is called a factor, the treatment conditions or groups in an experiment are called the levels of the factor. ANOVA’s use an F-ratio as its significance statistic which is variance because it is impossible to calculate the sample means difference with more than two samples.
T-tests are easier to conduct, so why not conduct a t-test for the possible interactions in the experiment? A Type I error is the answer because the more hypothesis tests you use the more you risk making a type I error and the less power a test has. There is no disputing the t-test changed statistics with its ability to find significance with a small sample, but as previously mentioned the ANOVA allowed for testing more than 2 means. ANOVA’s are used a lot professionally when testing pharmaceuticals and therapies.
The ANOVA is an important test because it enables us to see for example how effective two different types of treatment are and how durable they are. Effectively a ANOVA can tell us how well a treatment work, how long it lasts and how budget friendly it will be an example being intensive early behavioural intervention (EIBI) for autistic children which lasts a long time with a lot hour, has amazing results but costs a lot of money. The ANOVA is able to tell us if another therapy can do the same task in shorter amount of time and therefor costing less and making the treatment more accessible. Conducting this test would also help establish concurrent validity for the therapy against EIBI. The F-ratio tells the researcher how big of a difference there is between the conditions and the effect is more than just chance. ANOVA test assumes three things:
- The population sample must be normal
- The observations must be independent in each sample
- The population the samples are selected from have equal variance a.k.a. homogeneity of variance.
These requirements are the same for a paired and a repeated measures t-test and these measured are solved in the same way for the t-test and the ANOVA. The population sample is assumed to be normal anyway, the independent samples is achieved with the design of the experiment, if the variance is not correct then normally more data (participants) is needed in the experiment.
In conclusion it is necessary to use the ANOVA when the design of a study has more than 2 condition to compare. The t-test is simple and less daunting especially when you see a 2x4x5 factorial ANOVA is needed, but the risk of committing a type I error is not worth it. The time you spent conducting the experiment only to have it declared obsolete because the right statistical test wasn’t conducted would be a waste of time and resources, statistical tests should be used correctly for this reason. | <urn:uuid:d353262a-6939-43f9-9d0f-c979548c7869> | {
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During World War II 4,000 Italian, German and Japanese POWs were detained at Murchison. Those who died at Murchison were buried in the local cemetery but floods in 1956 did major damage to the graves.
The Italian families in the municipality were persuaded by Luigi Gigliotti to pay for the building of a mausoleum – the Ossario. Luigi also convinced authorities to bury all the Italian POWs and detainees who died in Australian prison camps in the mausoleum. The Ossario is a fitting tribute to those Italians who were never to return home from Australia and each year on Remembrance Day there is a mass and service in recognition of these men.
The Ossario, as is shown below, is also the final resting place of the five Italians who died in Queensland: Giovanni Ciccocioppo (Q1 Stanthorpe); Nicola Evangelista (Q2 Nambour); Agostino Naibo (Q3 Gympie); Francesco Leone (Q4 Gayndah) and Francesco Primiano (Q7 Kenilworth). They were reburied at the Ossario on 6 September 1961. (National Archives of Australia NAA: A8234, 13A, 1915-1961)
(Murchison and District Historical Society Inc., 2014)
A special thank you to Kay Ball from Murchison and District Historical Society. Kay lay the wreath for the Evangelista family from Cassino Italy at the ceremony and service 11th November 2018.
Kay Ball Murchison: Laying Wreath for the Evangelista Family
(photo courtesy of Kay Ball) | <urn:uuid:86dc0d53-ed83-4644-8cca-ca41e32b7426> | {
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Posted on April 22, 2018 by Merika Andrade
Water is one of our most precious resources. With floods, hurricanes, and droughts occurring more frequently, people are becoming more aware of the fragile planet we live on and taking action to lessen their environmental impact. Urban agriculture has become a popular solution and positive tool that can be used to not only strengthen Lincoln’s […]
Posted on July 6, 2015 by Emma Brinley Buckley
While staring at the Platte River this past week, I grappled with the severity of the drought in California and the mandatory restrictions of water use there. It was intangible, a concept I just couldn’t grasp while watching the girth of surface water flooding Nebraska this year. California farmers are losing crops because there isn’t […]
Posted on January 20, 2015 by Ariana Brocious
Water loss through porous canals and ditches has always been an issue for irrigators, so districts and farmers alike have lined or sealed the waterways to reduce loss. “We can’t afford to lose a whole lot of water out of the canal,” Busch said, but “sealing a canal is a catch-22 because that water that comes out of them canals does replenish our groundwater system.”
Posted on May 13, 2013 by Sierra Harris
Across the semi-arid landscape of the Nebraska Sandhills, ranchers have utilized the power of wind since the settlement period more than a century ago. Windmills are used to pump groundwater from the underlying aquifer to the surface where it is stored in stock tanks for livestock. | <urn:uuid:d2c5599b-43c0-4549-bb80-e1d295d54802> | {
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Product Life Cycle Analysis
How good or how bad is a product from a green carbon footprint point of view? Several well known corporations like Airbus, Levi Strauss & Co., 3M, DuPont, and Kraft Foods are volunteering to road test a full life cycle greenhouse gas analysis on a wide range of products from blue jeans to manufactured steel.
A life cycle analysis studies all the potential contributions to a carbon footprint and includes supplier, transportation, production and disposal. This concept is also related to environmental sustainability.
The Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard and the Scope 3 (Corporate Value Chain) Accounting and Reporting Standard, provides innovative methods to measure a product's full life cycle emissions is the planned method to be used. In all sixty corporations have been chosen to participate.
The standard was developed with a multi-stakeholder, consensus based process to develop greenhouse gas accounting and reporting standards with participation from businesses, government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and academic institutions from around the world. This draft standard was developed between January and October 2009 by two technical working groups collectively comprised of over 70 members from a diversity of businesses, government agencies, NGOs, and academic institutions.
"We are encouraged by the overwhelming response from the private sector seeking to road test the new standards. There were more than 120 applications across a broad array of sectors and regions worldwide. The road testing will provide critical input in ensuring that the standards generate credible and meaningful data for business and government decision makers, while considering the practical challenges that businesses and programs will face during implementation," said Jonathan Lash in a press release. Lash is president of the World Resources Institute, which developed the standards along with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
The new standards will also allow companies to look at the greenhouse gas emissions of their full corporate value chain, including supplier manufacturing, outsourced activities, and the products' ultimate consumption.
The goal of life cycle analysis is to compare the full range of environmental and social damages assignable to products and services, and then to be able to choose the least burdensome one. At present it is a way to account for the effects of the cascade of technologies responsible for goods and services.
The term life cycle refers to the notion that a fair, holistic assessment requires the assessment of raw material production, manufacture, distribution, use and disposal including all intervening transportation steps necessary or caused by the product's existence. The sum of all those steps is the life cycle of the product. The concept also can be used to optimize the environmental performance of a single product.
Common categories of assessed damages are global warming (greenhouse gases), acidification, smog, ozone layer depletion, eutrophication, eco-toxicological and human-toxicological pollutants, habitat destruction, desertification, land use as well as depletion of minerals and fossil fuels.
The procedures of life cycle assessment are also part of the ISO 14000 environmental management standards.
The whole list of the companies doing the present testing include: 3M Company; Acer Inc.; Airbus S.A.S.; AkzoNobel; Alcan Packaging; Alcoa; Autodesk, Inc.; Baoshan Iron & Steel Co. Ltd.; BASF SE; Belkin International; Bloomberg LP; BT Plc; CA, Inc.; Coca-Cola Entfrischungsgetränke AG; Colors Fruit SA (Pty) Ltd.; Deutsche Post AG; DuPont; Eclipse Networks (Pty) Ltd.; Ecolab; The Estee Lauder Company; Ford Motor Company; General Electric; U.S. General Services Administration; Highways Agency (UK); Hydro Tasmania; IBM; IKEA; Italcementi Group; JohnsonDiversey, Inc.; Kraft Foods; Lenovo Corporation; Levi Strauss & Co.; Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation; National Grid; Natura Cosméticos; New Belgium Brewing Co.; Otarian; Pinchin Environmental Ltd.; PricewaterhouseCoopers (Hong Kong); Procter & Gamble Eurocor; Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc.; Rogers Communications, Inc.; SC Johnson; Shanghai Zidan Food Packaging & Printing Co., Ltd.; Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd; Swire Beverages (Coca-Cola Bottling Partner); TAL Apparel Limited; Tech-Front (Shanghai) Computer Co., Ltd./Quanta Shanghai Manufacturing City; Tennant Company; Veolia Water; VT Group Plc; Webcor Builders and WorldAutoSteel.
For further information: http://www.wri.org/stories/2008/11/measuring-ghg-emissions-up-and-down-supply-chain or http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0120-hance_lifecycle.html | <urn:uuid:51f93d79-5984-49ac-9274-cd40880573af> | {
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Today nearly half of all people in the Middle East are under the age of fifteen. Yet little is known about the new generation of boys and girls who are growing up in a world vastly different from that of their parents, a generation who will be the leaders of tomorrow. This groundbreaking anthology is an attempt to look at the current situation of children by presenting materials by both Middle Eastern and Western scholars. Many of the works have been translated from Arabic, Persian, and French.
The forty-one pieces are organized into sections on the history of childhood, growing up, health, work, education, politics and war, and play and the arts. They are presented in many forms: essays in history and social science, poems, proverbs, lullabies, games, and short stories. Countries represented are Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Israel/West Bank, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Lebanon, Turkey, Yemen, and Afghanistan.
This book complements Elizabeth Fernea's earlier works, Women and the Family in the Middle East and Middle Eastern Muslim Women Speak (coedited with Basima Bezirgan). Like them, it will be important reading for everyone interested in the Middle East and in women's and children's issues. | <urn:uuid:4964f16c-190d-46b4-b11a-3d93e0683fa4> | {
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5 Non-Exercise Related Weight Loss Pointers
Tired of doing cardio until the point of exhaustion with little to nothing to show?
Traditionally, we are told if we eat fewer calories than we burn, we will lose weight. Unfortunately, we are not strictly a chemistry set, and therefore, do not adhere to the laws of thermodynamics. If this is the case, then what is it that we should focus on for sustained health, wellness, weight loss, increased energy and overall fitness?
Humans are incredibly complicated systems. To consider only one aspect of the human without the others is archaic and outdated. If we eat the same number of calories in sugar versus corn syrup, we will not weigh the same in the end. If we try to follow a diet when we have been taught to derive pleasure from certain foods, then we will most likely not have the willpower to overcome our cravings. If our diet and exercise programs do not conform to our social lives, the pressures from feeling like an outsider can quickly push us toward throwing in the towel.
To create sustained and long-lasting change, one must focus on several key aspects. We are involved, interrelated systems of cells, organisms, structures, thoughts, and emotions. We are chemical, biological, psychological, social and spiritual. The rest of this article is broken into these critical aspects that impact the human condition and therefore weight loss.
Our bodies consist of countless chemical reactions. These have a tremendous effect on our mindset and everyday experience. They help to determine how much we are compelled to eat at any given time. If for example, we stress out at work, we release cortisol. This hormone helps to store fat around the waistline.
By the first law of thermodynamics, any closed system must have a conserved amount of energy. That is to say that our bodies will either use, store or excrete calories. By this pure definition, if we eat more than we burn, we will store the calories. This is true to some extent but is modified by the composition of the calories consumed and the type of exercise that is conducted. Someone who takes in large amounts of fat and protein, along with an exercise regime of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) such as sprinting or weight training, will be leaner and have increased muscle mass. This is just because your body responds to stressors. Food and exercise are stressors. Each different type of diet and training is a different stressor which produces a different result.
If the food that we take in has such a tremendous impact on our physical well being, perhaps it would behoove us to explore what it is. Food is a combination of compounds and chemicals. Foods can be split up into two main categories, artificial and natural. Here, artificial means anything derived, synthesized, or created by man, usually in a lab. There is the flip side, or natural, meaning anything that comes directly from the earth (Ie. spinach, apples, meat, nuts, berries, etc.). The point of bringing this up is that “natural” foods have all of the chemicals and compounds necessary for your body to break down and utilize the nutrients within the food. There is also the notion that many man-made chemicals are either indigestible or unrecognizable by the human body. This is why artificial sweeteners have no calories, your body does not recognize that substance as a calorie and therefore passes it straight through. It does, however, give the brain the false notion that there are a significant amount of calories entering the system. This is why people who ingest a substantial amount of artificial sweeteners will notice an increase in appetite. Your body thinks it’s getting calories, it’s not, and then it wants them.
The type of each calorie that we take in determines how our body will handle it. For example, it takes much more energy to break down one gram of protein as opposed to one gram of fat. It is also known that certain types of pure fat cannot be stored as body fat. This is tricky because often you are not only ingesting pure fat. The last part here is carbohydrate. Most people take in far too much to burn in a single day. They lead sedentary lives, and their bodies cannot utilize all of the bread and refined carbohydrate that they take in. This has an adverse long-term effect on insulin sensitivity. If your blood sugar is getting spiked at every meal with a load of refined carbohydrate, your body gets very good at depositing fat, and your pancreas gets very tired of secreting insulin. These are the makings of a diabetic.
There is also a known “gut to brain connection.” That is to say that depending on the state and composition of your gut flora (bacteria), they will have either a positive or negative effect on how you think. Many artificial foods wreak havoc on the gut biome. If your gut bacteria is weak or of the wrong composition, it is difficult if not impossible for your body to derive the nutrients that it needs out of the food that you consume. So, not only are we taking in foods devoid of nutritional value, when we do take in nutrients, our bodies cannot absorb them. This means that often our bodies are starving for nutrition.
The amount we eat and exercise has a tremendous amount to do with our psychological state or our mental well being. If we sit at a job that we dislike all day and stress out, we are likely to be too tired when we get home to exercise (thanks, cortisol!). There is a chance that we eat to deal with some past or present trauma, pain, boredom, etc. instead of getting at the cause of this suffering. This becomes like a band-aid, treating the symptoms and not the reason. We must train ourselves to realize that when we come home from work tired and stressed out, the very thing we want to do least is what we need to do most. Implementing an exercise plan and following it regardless of how tired you seem to be is essential. It is highly likely you will feel an overall improved mindset and energy level after conducting a tough workout session.
We are inherently social creatures. We rely on social structures to survive. So if we live in a social hierarchy, it might behoove us to tell other people of our goals. That way we are held accountable by the group and not only ourselves. It is often much more powerful for an individual to be held responsible by another or an entire team than just oneself. This is why people hire coaches.
Another critical action here is to surround yourself only with positive and supportive people. If people do not support your goals, remember: 1) that is their issue or insecurity, not yours and 2) they are not your friend. If you want to thrive and not just survive, you need to form a supportive group of friends, colleagues, and family. After all, we become the culmination of the people that we surround ourselves with.
As Pierre Teilhard de Chardin so elegantly put it, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." Therefore, we must ensure that we have a solid spiritual practice in place. This will vary significantly person to person. However, in general, it will allow us to understand our feelings and thoughts from a profound and fundamental place within ourselves. This is a place much like deep in the ocean during a storm. It is a place of stillness. To go to such a situation, we must practice methods of mindfulness and meditation. By being mindful we can determine when it is that we are famished and need nourishment, as opposed to eating out of boredom, stress, or loneliness. Mindfulness can also be helpful for dealing and healing past traumas that may have not previously been addressed.
From the above, we can realize that we are very involved beings. To think that just counting calories is a sustainable route to lasting health, wellness, weight loss and fitness is not a reasonable assertion. We must look at our life from an overall flowing and changing system.
The number one thing to recognize is that you are not your body. The mainstream media puts so much effort on how we should look. Genetics is a real thing, and some people will never have an effortless six pack or be six feet tall. We must work on this attachment to being vain. We are far more complex social, psychological and intellectual beings. Our pursuits are much better spent not fixated on the vain and superficial.
It is important to consider exercise and diet regimes that fit into your lifestyle. There are benefits and pitfalls to every method. As for an actual approach, you must start to try things as methodically as you can. Keep a journal, keep track of what it is that you are doing and trying. Make a note of what works and what doesn't. Perhaps more importantly, keep track of how you feel, how you look and how your inner mental state is. Leading a life that is as happy, fulfilling and energetic in every moment of every day is the best possible marker for success. So, if you think that a strict vegan diet will do that for you, then go for it. Most people just need some balance. More fruits and vegetables, less alcohol and sugar along with an increased awareness of your thoughts. This will ensure you are eating when you are hungry and moving your body as much as possible. The important thing is to try to take as many small steps as possible. Track the changes and pat yourself on the back when you look back in your journal and see all of the progress that you have made. | <urn:uuid:9045603d-69d0-4241-951a-93a47d707538> | {
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I'm Never Wrong
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Respect for the Institution
“And all of your servants will come to me, bow and say, “Leave!” You together with the nation that is with you, and then we will leave.” – Exodus 11:8
Pharaoh Remains Steadfast in His Opposition to G-d
From the first time that Moses appeared in his court, Pharaoh’s attitude had been, “Who is this G-d that I should listen to him?” Time after time, Pharaoh insulted G-d and Moses.
Now, G-d is sending Moses on the final mission: “Tell Pharaoh if he remains in his wickedness, all of the first born in Egypt will be killed.” The stakes were raised.
Moses Changes the Message
Why treat such a king with respect?
Rashi tells us that when Moses spoke to Pharaoh, he modified the message. Moses knew that in the end Pharaoh himself would come running back to him and beg him to take the Jews out of Egypt. However, since it wasn’t respectful to mention that the king would come running, Moses changed the wording to, “Your servants will come running.” Rashi explains that this was done out of respect for the monarchy.
This concept becomes difficult to understand when we take into account what Pharaoh’s government stood for and who he was as an individual.
A Wicked Government
It would be difficult to imagine a government more evil than Pharaoh’s. Official policy was enslavement and oppression of the Jews – not as a tolerated social ill, but by government mandate.
State law denied Jews all rights – ownership of property, freedom of speech, the right of public assembly. They were treated as chattel, owned by the Egyptians. More than that, Jews didn’t even have the right to live. As the Jewish people continued to thrive, infanticide became state policy.
Furthermore, Pharaoh himself was a butcher. When he contracted leprosy, his wise men offered the cure – bathe in human blood. So Pharaoh bathed in the blood of Jewish babies every day. However, he needed a bath in the evening as well, and heaven forefend to use stale blood, so each morning and evening he would have 150 innocent Jewish souls slaughtered – for his personal comfort.
Why should Moses treat such a king with respect?
Respect for the Institution, Not the Individual
Our Sages said: “Without fear of government, a man would swallow his friend alive.” Anyone who has lived through a period of lawlessness can attest to the primal fear he felt as he helplessly watched rioting, looting, and mob behavior.
Ask a recent émigré from South Africa what it is like when a group of thugs appears at his backyard picnic and begins indiscriminately shooting up his family. South Africa is a country where carjackings, muggings, and armed holdups are the norm, and there is no one to talk to, not because people there are indifferent, but because the respect for authority has melted.
It seems that the answer to this question is the distinction between respecting the institution and respecting the individual.
For the proper running of society, and therefore for the good of mankind, there needs to be a system of leadership and a hierarchy of authority, what we know as government. For government to be effective, it must wield power, and its citizens must respect its authority. One of the obligations of any member of a society is to obey and respect its leaders. It is a correct and proper manner of behavior. Without it, society itself cannot function.
As the king occupies the position of leadership of the country, it is the obligation of all to respect him. That is basic to the good of society. It is the right way to act, and it is the way that G-d wants us to act. This respect has nothing to do with the individual; it has to do with the position. I may recognize that a leader as an individual is a lout, and I may feel that way about him privately, but as long as he maintains his position, I am obligated to respect him.
Moses was doing what was right and proper. Despite the fact that Pharaoh was wicked, he held the position of king, so Moses showed respect for the institution of leadership. Even though that institution was now being used to pursue wicked ends, the institution itself was still worthy of respect, and therefore Moses acted accordingly.
What this Means to Us
This message is particularly relevant in our times. Historically, kings viewed their populations as sources of taxes and foot soldiers – vehicles by which to expand their fame and fortune. Rare was the king who actually ruled for the good of his people.
We find ourselves in very different conditions, a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Whether we agree with every policy or not, it is an unprecedented advance for the good of man, where rule of law benefits the citizens of that land.
To us as Jews, this is especially poignant. For almost two thousand years, we wandered from county to country, oppression to oppression, expulsion to expulsion. We now find ourselves welcome members of the American society, citizens with all the rights of any other citizen. We are allowed to operate our own schools in the manner that we see fit. We are allowed to worship in the way that we feel appropriate. We are allowed to conduct our lives in the way that we so choose. The only request made upon us is to abide by the laws of the land.
In the history of our long exile, we have never had it this good. And, therefore, it is especially incumbent upon us to respect this land, obey its laws, pay homage to its leaders, and appreciate the great blessing that we enjoy in living in this country.
“The Shmuz”, an engaging and motivating Torah lecture that deals with real life issues is available for FREE at www.TheShmuz.com. The new Shmuz on Life Book entitled: Stop Surviving and Start Living, is available at sefarim stores, or at the Shmuz.com. | <urn:uuid:8e883c53-b09e-456a-afca-133ec1e16c4a> | {
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World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
The following is a description of each of the Five Cs goal areas and its related Standards. For a brief history of the Standards, go to About the Library.
Communication: Communicate effectively in more than one language in order to function in a variety of situations and for multiple purposes
Learners interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed, or written conversations to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions.
Learners understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
Learners present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate on a variety of topics using appropriate media and adapting to various audiences of listeners, readers, or viewers.
Cultures: Interact with cultural competence and understanding
Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives
Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures studied.
Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives
Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship between the products and perspectives of the cultures studied.
Connections: Connect with other disciplines and acquire information and diverse perspectives in order to use the language to function in academic and career-related situations
Learners build, reinforce, and expand their knowledge of other disciplines while using the language to develop critical thinking and to solve problems creatively.
Acquiring Information and Diverse Perspectives
Learners access and evaluate information and diverse perspectives that are available through the language and its cultures.
Comparisons: Develop insight into the nature of language and culture in order to interact with cultural competence
Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
Communities: Communicate and interact with cultural competence in order to participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world
School and Global Communities
Learners use the language both within and beyond the classroom to interact and collaborate in their community and the globalized world.
Learners set goals and reflect on their progress in using languages for enjoyment, enrichment, and advancement. | <urn:uuid:811abdd7-ab50-4426-8d3d-9fed8375a8d1> | {
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Conservation groups intervened in the lawsuit filed by the bottom trawlers to defend the federal bycatch regulation. The conservation groups told the court that the federal government is right to mandate a decrease in the amount of fish bottom trawlers are currently throwing overboard. The boats are discarding fish deemed uneconomic due to wrong sex, size, or species. Hundreds of millions of pounds of wasted fish and other marine life are thrown over the side of bottom trawl vessels every year. The trawlers typically fish for rock sole, yellowfin sole, flathead sole, and Atka mackerel and dump more bycatch overboard than any other segment of the North Pacific groundfish fishery.
"The court has ruled that these companies will not be allowed to continue wasting public resources," said Earthjustice attorney Michael LeVine. "This case deals with a few large vessels that still haven't turned the corner into 21st century fishing."
"The reality that hundreds of millions of pounds of wasted fish and other marine life are thrown over the side of bottom trawl vessels every year is completely unacceptable to most Alaskans. Management measures that set at least a minimum standard for reducing excessive waste in the Bering Sea fleet are long overdue," said Dorothy Childers, program director for the community-based Alaska Marine Conservation Council.
On May 5, 2006, two commercial fishing companies, the Legacy Fishing Company and the Fishing Company of Alaska, filed the suit in the District of Columbia District Court to overturn Amendment 79 and its implementing regulations. The companies are based in Washington state but fish in the federal waters off Alaska. They claim that the bycatch reduction measures would be too costly. In response to the suit, Oceana and the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, with legal representation from Earthjustice, joined the federal government in defending Amendment 79 and its benefits for the ocean ecosystem.
"We cannot sacrifice long-term sustainability of our ocean ecosystems and commercial fisheries for the short-term gain of a few vessels," said Janis Searles, senior counsel for Oceana. "This measure provides a strong incentive for dirty fisheries to clean up their act. The cost of their excessive discards to the oceans and our fisheries is simply too high."
Implementation of the new regulation will require these same vessels to retain more of their catch, and will serve as an incentive for these vessels to fish "cleaner."
Michael LeVine, Earthjustice, (907) 586-2751
Susan Murray, Oceana, (907) 586-4050, (work), (907) 321-8318 (cell)
Janis Searles, Oceana, (503) 234-4552
Dorothy Childers, Alaska Marine Conservation Council, (907) 277-5357 | <urn:uuid:c4a423fe-f8c1-4bbd-ba2c-1c7a18ebec4b> | {
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Ascending and Aortic Arch Aneurysms
An ascending aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the portion of the aorta closest to the heart.
The ascending aorta begins at the heart's left ventricle and extends to the aortic arch, or the bend in the aorta. The arch of the aorta gives off branches to the head and arms.
The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute's Center for Thoracic Aortic Disease treats a full range of disorders and diseases affecting the aorta, such as aneurysms and aortic dissection. | <urn:uuid:6374460e-0bc9-4dc4-8927-732f37ae52cf> | {
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Communities and Neighborhoods Work Together
As people move into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, the problem of fire safety is magnified. With more lives and property at risk, fire protection and emergency responders need to reach the location of an event quickly, and need to control a fire as soon as possible. Residents living in our forested landscape can work in neighborhood groups or as a whole community to plan and implement fire safety measures.
The Sierra Nevada has had the third fastest growing population of any California region since 1990. After tripling to 664,000 between 1970 and 1998, the region's population is projected to surpass one million by 2020.
— "Sierra Nevada Wealth Index", Sierra Business Council (2000)
Current estimates show that between 1990 and 2040, the population of the Sierra Nevada will triple to the size of San Diego (somewhere between 1.5 million and 2.4 million residents).
— Sierra Nevada Alliance (2005)
The purpose of community fire planning is to . . . | <urn:uuid:01b7b840-ff69-47d2-9294-5922c3a03532> | {
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This section will explain how to set up the HDD Node type and how to use it to monitor your Hard Drive usage.
The HDD Node is used for showing you the actual Hard Drive space being used or that is available. It is very important to monitor your Hard Drive usage to ensure that your system is running smoothly. Some processes may run out of control and start using large amounts of Hard Drive space. This Node type will help you find the problem application that is slowing your computer down and using so much Hard Drive space. It is also wise to ensure that you have enough space for new installs.
Choose the disk to monitor:
This allows you to choose the Hard Drive you would like to monitor the space on. In the list of drives you will see the volume name and the total disk space. To see the full list you can click on the arrow down on the right side of this field.
These options allow you to monitor the Total amount of Hard Drive space, The amount of Used Hard Drive space and the Available amount of Hard Drive space.
To set it up, just select the Drive to monitor and what you would like to monitor; Total, Used or Available.
Click Here to go back to the Table of Contents.
Main Control Panel
Copyright © 2007 Absolute Futurity | <urn:uuid:9e929159-ce6e-4c81-93f1-b33e19ece482> | {
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Aug 29, 2008
Jordan is a small country in the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula. The area of Jordan is 89,213 km2; of which 88, 884 sq. km are land and 329 sq. km are water. Jordan is bordered by Syria in the north, Iraq in the north east, Saudi Arabia in the south and the West Bank and Israel in the west. It has a southern access to the Red Sea, Aqaba, which is its only sea port. Jordan is mainly a desert, with some mountain areas in the west and north-west. The majority of Jordan’s population of 5.92 million live in urban areas; mainly Amman, Zarqa, and Irbid. Amman the capital is located in the central west part of the country of Jordan and has gained its importance through history. The population of Jordan is growing at a rate of 2.3%, with life expectancy of 71.5 years. The official language of Jordan is Arabic, though many people speak English fluently. | <urn:uuid:1847c65e-6523-48b6-b249-1e913fa48377> | {
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Golan - A Unique Chalcolithic Culture
by Hillel Geva
Remains of an unknown culture of the Chalcolithic period (4th millennium BCE) have been discovered in the Golan in the past thirty years. This culture has unique characteristics, but also shares features common to the Chalcolithic culture that flourished in other parts of the Land of Israel. So far some 25 sites have been found in the Golan, and several have been excavated. Most of the sites are located in the central Golan, east and northeast of the Sea of Galilee.
The Golan is a region of basaltic rock with plentiful rainfall, and its extensive pasturelands have attracted transient herders in all periods of time. During the Chalcolithic period, they settled in small permanent villages and in isolated farmsteads, built on the banks of valleys with small perennial springs.
The villages consisted of between 20 to 40 dwellings, built on broad terraces in several rows of chain formation, sharing a common wall. The typical dwelling was rectangular, measuring 15 x 6 m. with the entrance in one of the long walls. The house itself was lower than the surrounding ground and was reached by descending several steps. The walls were particularly thick, built of large, unhewn basalt stones found nearby; the floors were also of stone, with an occasional stone-lined silo built into them. The interior of the house consisted of a main living room and a small room next to it, sometimes sub-divided to serve for storage of food and equipment. This subdivision also facilitated roofing the house with short wooden beams, since trees do not grow tall in the Golan. The roof was supported by a row of wooden columns positioned across the main room. Branches of trees and bundles of reeds were placed over the wooden structure and possibly also covered with skins.
Numerous artifacts were found in these Chalcolithic-period houses of the Golan. Pottery was simple and hand made, using the reddish-brown clay with many grits from the volcanic soil of the Golan. Jars, bowls, jugs and spouted large bowls were found, many of them decorated with bands of impressed rope, or with incised or pierced horizontal and diagonal lines, circles or spirals. The assemblage contained a large number of storage jars for food and also spindle whorls of fired clay, which attest to widespread spinning and weaving activities.
Vessels made of local basalt were also very common in this culture. Forms include deep flower-pot shaped bowls, shallow bowls, basins and vessels for grinding. Tools were also made of basalt: hammers, hoes and axes. Flint was used for borers, fan-shaped scrapers and sickle blades, which were inserted into handles of bone or wood.
The Chalcolithic population in the Golan relied for survival on agriculture and herding. Animal bones found in the excavations attest to domesticated sheep and goats, but also to game animals as food sources. The botanical findings indicate that the inhabitants consumed wheat, peas and lentils, amongst other crops. Olive wood was widely used in construction and olives were, undoubtedly, a food source. The excavators also believe that some of the basalt and pottery vessels were used for the production and storage of olive oil.
Figurines of household gods
Characteristic of the Golan Chalcolithic culture are pillar figurines made of basalt, of which some 50 have been found to date. The figurines measure 20-25 cm. in height, are carefully sculpted and variously decorated. Their form is a round pillar with a shallow offering bowl on top, with sculpted human facial features: eyes, ears and protruding nose, apparently symbolizing the breath of life. Several have pronounced horns and even goat beards. These pillar figurines were part of the local household cult; by offering grain, seeds, olives, milk and milk products in the bowls on top of the figurine, the family hoped to satisfy the gods and receive their blessing. These household figurines are of great value for understanding the beliefs and the cult of the Chalcolithic period, as well as its art.
It is not clear why the Golan Chalcolithic culture came to an end. Some claim that climatic changes impaired the subsistence farming of the region. The inhabitants abandoned their homes, took the small objects necessary for their daily lives with them, and left behind the heavy vessels which they could not carry. A gap in the settlement of the Golan, which lasted several hundred years, followed.
The survey and archeological excavation of the Chalcolithic remains in the Golan were carried out by C. Epstein on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Hillel Geva studied archeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, participated in excavations in the Jewish Quarter and the Citadel in Jerusalem, and is author of the entry "Jerusalem" in the New Encyclopedia of Archeological Excavations in the Holy Land and editor of Ancient Jerusalem Revealed.
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THE VISCONTI CASTLE
Archbishop Giovanni Visconti died in 1354. His nephews Matteo II, Galeazzo II and Bernab˛ succeeded him. Matteo died one year later, so the other two brothers shared out the city. Each of them would control three gates: Bernab˛ received the eastern areas of the city and the territories east of Milan. Galeazzo II received the western areas as well as the western territories. Bernab˛'s residence was in Ca' di Can, near the Roman Gate and the Church of San Giovanni in Conca while Galeazzo II continued to live in the Palazzo Arengo, the ducal palace near the Cathedral. The 'Castello di Porta Giovia' originated as a defensive fortress across the town medieval walls, probably in the years between 1360 and 1370.
A great fortification surrounded the squared courtyard inside the Visconti Castle. In 1392, the founder's son Gian Galeazzo added a small fortress in the area opening on the countryside. This was to be used as a barracks for the salaried troops. Between the two wings of the structure stood a moat, which belonged to the medieval walls. This original construction was very similar to the Pavia Castle, which building started in 1360 following an idea of Galeazzo II. Some common features are still noticeable in the part of the Castle facing the Park. The sarizzo stone footing was built in accordance with Galeazzo Visconti and his successors' wish. It has been reported by the chronicles of that era that the Visconti wanted people from the subdued territories to help for the building. In 1392, for instance, 173 people from Bergamo and from the surrounding countryside had to work on the castle footing.
Betrayed and arrested by his nephew and son-in-law Gian Galeazzo, Bernab˛ Visconti stayed in the fortress, which was used also as a prison, for 19 days. Bernab˛ died in the Trezzo Castle in 1395.
The last of the Visconti, Filippo Maria, continued with the building of a bridge between the two parts of the fortress and a garden in the big green area next to the castle. During those years, the Castle (the biggest one among those built by the Visconti with its squared plan of 180x180 meters and its four towers in each corner) was transformed into a plain residence where the last of the Visconti lived lonely and unhappy until his death. His only daughter, illegitimate but recognised (her mother was Agnese Del Majno), Bianca Maria, got married to the mercenary leader Francesco Sforza, who had been called to defend the dukedom against the Venetian neighbours. | <urn:uuid:2514803c-3a75-4e02-9251-fd7b4ce73e0e> | {
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Petrified Forest National Park keeps growing to protect its fossilized and historical resources.
On Thursday, it took the first step toward expanding by 4,265 acres. The Conservation Fund, aided by the National Parks Conservation Association, has purchased McCauley Ranch, a watershed area east of Puerco Pueblo. The property includes petroglyphs, grinding pits and cowboy graffiti.
The Conservation Fund, a non-profit organization based in Virginia, will protect the land until the National Park Service can buy it later this year with help from an anonymous donor and the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which uses some of the government’s billions of dollars in offshore oil-and-gas royalties for such purposes.
“This extension of Petrified Forest’s boundaries will increase our knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Arizona’s Painted Desert environment and its archaeological and fossil wonders,” National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis said in a statement.
The ranch had multiple owners. The organizations that bought them out said the sellers did not wish to speak to the media about the sale.
“What’s great is the public-private partnership,” said Kevin Dahl, Arizona program manager for the non-profit National Parks Conservation Association, “and that the Land and Water Fund is being used as intended.”
Established in the mid-1960s, the fund technically is authorized by Congress to make $900million in conservation purchases each year, but it has almost never had that much money. Congress frequently diverts much of the money to other priorities. The fund has preserved federal, state and local lands nationwide, including city parks in Phoenix.
This park expansion will follow others, including a congressionally ordered addition of 125,000 acres in 2004, which more than doubled the park’s size to 222,000 acres. That act came with the support of Arizona’s delegation. The additions protect dinosaur and plant fossils and cultural remnants.
“The exceptional and irreplaceable prehistoric resources found at Petrified Forest National Park have amazed and captivated Americans for generations,” said Mike Ford, the Conservation Fund’s Southwest director, “and they should be preserved for the insights they provide into our nation’s cultural and ecological history.”
More than 630,000 people visit the park near Holbrook each year. Its fossilized trees are up to 225million years old. | <urn:uuid:3b4c6efe-3cae-4326-a960-5e58a0fa1f45> | {
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Trade was vital to Ancient Rome. The empire cost a vast sum of money to run and trade brought in much of that money. The population of the city of Rome was one million and such a vast population required all manner of things brought back via trade.
The Roman Empire was criss-crossed with trade routes. There were sea routes that covered the Mediterranean and Black Seas and numerous land routes using the roads built by the Romans. Trade and moving the Roman Army around were the two principle reasons for building roads.
The most important port was Ostia as it was the nearest major port to Rome itself. Ostia was situated at the mouth of the River Tiber and was only 15 miles from Rome. Many ships travelled between Ostia and the major North African city of Carthage, a journey that took between three and five days. Ships also arrived from Spain and France at Ostia. All their goods could be quickly moved to Rome itself as they were taken in barges to the city up the River Tiber after slaves had transferred the products from the merchant ships to the barges. Ironically, Ostia was to play a major part in the downfall of Rome when Alaric the Goth captured Ostia in AD 409 knowing that this would starve Rome of much needed food.
The Romans did what they could to make sea journeys safe - lighthouses were built as were safe harbours and docks. The Roman Navy did what it could to make the Mediterranean Sea safe from pirates.
The Romans made trade as easy as possible. There was only one currency used and there were no complicating customs dues. Trade was also encouraged by many years of peace within the Empire. Trade was vital to the success of the Empire. When the Empire collapsed, trade throughout the lands that had once made up the Roman Empire, also collapsed. The Mediterranean Sea became a dangerous place for merchants as there were no powers to control the activities of pirates who marauded as far north as the English Channel.
What was acquired from where?
The Romans imported a whole variety of materials: beef, corn, glassware, iron, lead, leather, marble, olive oil, perfumes, purple dye, silk, silver, spices, timber, tin and wine. The main trading partners were in Spain, France, the Middle East and North Africa.
Britain exported lead, woollen products and tin. In return, it imported from Rome wine, olive oil, pottery and papyrus. British traders relied on the Romans to provide security within the Empire. When this collapsed and Europe was seemingly overrun by Barbarians, no one could guarantee traders that their produce would get through. Also, without the power of Rome, who would be willing to buy what was produced in Britain and other parts of Europe?
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Silent films had no synchronized sound, especially no spoken dialogue. In silent film, the dialogue was transmitted through broad gestures, mime and title cards. Combining motion pictures with sound was not possible in this period due to technical challenges.
Perfection of the Vitaphone system made “talkies” a reality in the late 1920’s. In just a few years, silent films would stop production.
With the invention of Thomas Edison’s Kinetograph, a photo device to capture sequential images and his Kinescope to view them, silent films began. The period 1909-1929 marks it’s place in entertainment history.
As these films increased in length, on screen inter-titles were used, to help the audience understand the action and dialogue. Silent film theaters usually had a piano player which added to the atmosphere. Large cities might have an orchestra. Silent films provided the biggest source of employment for musicians.
The “talkies” would put musicians on the unemployment lines. In silent films body language and expression was exaggerated. Towards the end of that period, Mary Pickford, Janet Gaynor and Marlene Dietrich chose a more subtle natural approach to acting. As a result, they all made the transition to talkies and became movie stars.
Charlie Chaplin was the biggest silent film star. Chaplin’s “Tramp” character was a visual contradiction of baggy pants, a tight jacket, small hat, big shoes and a small mustache to make him look older but not hide his expression. The audiences fell in love with the “Tramp” trying to overcome adversity. He became the most famous, most recognized figure on the planet.
Chaplin’s salary went from $150 a week in 1914, to a $670,000 contract and his own film studio in which to make his films. Chaplin’s 1925 film “Gold Rush” made a $5 Million profit. In 1936, when the public demanded only “talkies” Chaplin’s silent film “Modern Times” still made millions. Charlie Chaplin is most responsible for making motion pictures the art form of the 20th century.
Harold Lloyd was also one of silent film’s comedy kings. He also wrote produced directed and starred his films and was a stunt man as well. The scene where Lloyd is hanging from a skyscrapers clock is one of silent film’s most enduring images.
His character was a bespeckled “everyman” called “Glasses” always trying to get ahead. 1920’s audiences completely related to “Glasses” and his films made millions as well.
1929 had MOVIETONE Pennants hanging outside movie theaters. Movietone was the first sound on film.
If this pennant was hanging out front, they were showing “Talkies.”
A rare 1929 Movietone Promotional Pennant image is included.
The Film Spectator was the industry film weekly. They provided film reviews, articles, casting, actor and actress ads and all things film.
It reads “The audience doesn’t want to hear sounds coming from the screen.”
It genuinely marked the end of silent films.
Thank you for your time,
Chaplin Autographed Photo, Harold Lloyd 1917 Souvenir Whistle, Movietone Pennant and Film Spectator Headline.
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The old mill town of Winooski in Vermont gets an average of 75 inches of snow per year, and temperatures in January fall below -10ºC. In 1979, in the clutch of a global oil shock, Winooski’s 7,500 citizens found themselves paying an annual $4 million for heating – around $13 million in today’s money. Desperate to spend less and still keep warm, the city council approved a tremendous plan: to build a dome over Winooski.
Manufactured out of clear plastic, and held aloft by metal cables, the dome would enclose a square mile in area. Fans would pull in fresh air, to be cooled or heated as necessary. To leave or enter, cars would have to pass through a double-doored airlock, as if Winooski had turned into a space station. Within the controlled climate under the dome, heating expenses would fall by 90 per cent; you could, one planner exulted, ‘grow tomatoes all year round’. A federal government agency promised research funding. The next year, R Buckminster Fuller, the designer and inventor who had popularised the geodesic dome, came to Winooski to bless the project.
Through the preceding decades, Fuller had become a darling of the counterculture. He defied disciplinary boundaries, describing himself as a ‘comprehensive anticipatory design scientist’ working across architecture, science and economics. Marshall McLuhan, that other great hippie hero, heralded Fuller as ‘the Leonardo da Vinci of our time’. It wasn’t just in his work that Fuller described a famously eccentric orbit. He wore three watches, and his diet consisted for years of steak, prunes, Jell-O and tea. He compiled many of his sage-like musings – as well as his laundry bills and other irrelevancies – in 4.5 tonnes’ worth of scrapbooks, known as the Dymaxion Chronofile; in this manner, he recorded his life in 15-minute chunks for more than 60 years.
Fuller wasn’t the first person to dream of domed cities – they’d featured for decades in science fiction, usually as hothouses of dystopia – but as an engineering solution, they feel thoroughly Fullerian. Implicit in their concept is an acknowledgement that human nature is wasteful and unreliable, resistant to fixing itself. Instead, Fuller put his faith in technology as a means to tame the messiness of humankind. ‘I would never try to reform man – that’s much too difficult,’ Fuller told The New Yorker in 1966. Appealing to people to remedy their behaviour was a folly, because they’d simply never do it. Far wiser, Fuller thought, to build technology that circumvents the flaws in human behaviour – that is, ‘to modify the environment in such a way as to get man moving in preferred directions’. Instead of human-led design, he sought design-led humans.
Winooski’s grand dome never went into construction. By the end of 1980, after the election of Ronald Reagan as president and a summer of stormy criticism over the cost and visual impact of the project, the mood had shifted. But Fuller, who had first advanced the idea of a domed city in 1959, continued to champion it until his death in 1983. ‘The way consumption curves are going in many of our big cities, it is clear that we are running out of energy,’ he wrote. ‘It is important for our government to know if there are better ways of enclosing space in terms of material, time, and energy.’ The most ambitious of his urban lids was the dome he wanted to lower over midtown Manhattan, a mile high and two miles in diameter. As well as a perfect climate, Fuller said, the dome could protect New Yorkers against the worst effects of a nuclear bomb going off nearby.
In the great flux of postwar United States, Fuller was convinced that the world was marshalling its resources poorly and unsustainably, and that change was a burning imperative. The world finds itself again passing through a Fullerian moment – a phase of political, environmental and technological upheaval that is both unsettling and exhilarating. Within this frame, Fuller’s life and ideas – the sound ones but also those that were tedious or absurd – ring with a new resonance.
Aside from the Chronofile, Fuller made another extraordinary record of his life and work. In 1975, when he was nearly 80, he spent two weeks in a spare television studio in Philadelphia taping a set of 12 lectures lasting 42 hours in total. He sits in a white chair, in front of an audience of 10 or 12 young acolytes. He uses no notes, and sips from a glass of water perhaps six times in the course of the whole series. His vowels are as broad and flat as prairies – ‘scaa-yence’ instead of ‘science’ – and his sentences are punctuated by an odd glottal sound, halfway between a chuckle and a clearing of the throat. In his favourite pose, Fuller shuts his eyes and brings his palms and fingers together just below his chin. He speaks in this manner for minutes on end; with the sound muted, he resembles a televangelist inviting us to join him in prayer.
The very title of his lecture series, Everything I Know, reveals a Fullerian audacity – a belief in the firmness of his knowledge and the power of his reason, a conviction that everything in his head was worth preserving. He maunders across mathematics and architecture, history and economics, engineering and education, even God and love. He spends hours on the properties of the tetrahedron and other shapes, discussing them in tones of near-mystic reverence. He seems enamoured by the power of geometry, maps, drawings and diagrams to capture and distill the relationships between elements in a system.
Fuller’s own designs feature heavily, of course: the geodesic dome, the Dymaxion House, the Dymaxion Car, even the Dymaxion Bathroom, all built for hyper-efficiency. ‘Dymaxion’, an amalgam of ‘dynamic’, ‘maximum’ and ‘tension’, was coined for Fuller by a couple of advertising executives, and he slathered the adjective over almost everything he thought up. He was a keen neologist, believing in the capacity of new words and phrases to create fresh imaginative possibilities, using his terms like struts to hold up his ideas.
Some of Fuller’s riffs are bizarre, and he can be dead wrong. He reads history as one vast, uniform progression of warring elites, and claims that the human race was planted by some unknown force upon the islands of the South Seas. He ascribes a common etymological root, and a profound numerological significance, to ‘nine’ and ‘none’. (‘I keep alive superstitions,’ he explains, ‘because there might be something there some day.’) At one point he sings a ballad of his own composition, ‘Roam Home to the Dome’, whose lyrics are frankly awful but, in his rendition, impossibly endearing.
Always a careful guardian of his image, Fuller used these lectures to burnish his personal mythology. To rescue humanity from itself through design and technology was, in Fuller’s view, his responsibility as well as his calling.
The dramatic fulcrum of Fuller’s career came one winter evening in 1927. He was 32, broke and jobless in Chicago. His first daughter had died from polio five years earlier, and his wife had just delivered another baby girl. The whole arc of his life, from his birth in Massachusetts to his expulsion from Harvard to the failure of his construction company, pointed to a waste of a life.
Long before Occupy Wall Street, Fuller noted that the richest 1 per cent of people grew even richer at the expense of the other 99 per cent
Fuller walked to the shore of Lake Michigan to throw himself in. Then, as he recounted later, he heard a voice: ‘You do not have the right to eliminate yourself… You belong to the universe.’ The voice, Fuller said, informed him of his higher purpose. Chastened and inspired, he returned home, became vegetarian, and spent the next two years scribbling down his ideas, the foundation of the work to come.
At least, this was how Fuller described the momentous evening. The philosopher Jonathon Keats knows better. In his book about Fuller, You Belong to the Universe (2016), Keats notes that there’s nothing in the Dymaxion Chronofile to suggest that Fuller attempted suicide, that he changed his diet, or that he reached a state of despair about finding work. It was as if, having decided that all his cogitation ought to bend towards the broadest possible service of humanity, Fuller retrospectively produced this fable. His own life was the only force that unified the disparate fields in which he proceeded to dabble.
As Fuller described it, the world was broken. Governments focused too much on the waging of wars, and they gave in too easily to the demands of the wealthy. Long before Occupy Wall Street, Fuller noted that the richest 1 per cent of people grew even richer at the expense of the other 99 per cent. So much was invested in the status quo that no one – designers, industrialists, financiers, scientists – worked hard enough at the fundamental task of original thinking. Meanwhile, the planet was tumbling towards a crisis, running out of energy and fouling up the environment. In other words, we’re in for ‘an absolute revolution of humanity’, as Fuller put it in Everything I Know. Unless the world works out how to pull ‘everybody up to a higher standard of living… within the next 10 years, I think humanity is all through.’
The bedrock of Fuller’s worldview was a near-theological belief in the manifest destiny of humankind, which drew on his early exposure to transcendentalism via his great-aunt Margaret. Fuller’s mission to renovate how people lived recalled Ralph Waldo Emerson’s summons to stop conforming to the past, to develop ‘an original relation to the universe’. For Fuller, this was an urgent instruction. As a young man, he had absorbed the precepts of the economist Thomas Malthus, who warned that a population growing without check would inevitably find itself starved of food and other resources. That dark age of insufficiency, Fuller thought, was just around the corner. There wasn’t much time; the future had to get here tomorrow.
But as easily as Fuller found a niche within the counterculture, he placed himself within the currents of the US mainstream too. The Dymaxion House, one of his earliest inventions, typified how Fuller wedded the culture to its counter-narratives. Fuller wanted, above all, to reimagine the notion of a house itself, as ‘not a property to be owned, but a mechanical arrangement to be used’. In its cross-section, the Dymaxion House looked like a deck of hexagonal floors hanging from a central mast. A system of vents pushed a channel of cool air through the house in summers and could be stoppered up to conserve heat in winters. A shower sucked up a mere pint of water, mixed it with air, and sprayed it out at high speed in the manner of a fog gun. The toilet packaged waste neatly in plastic and sent it to an on-site digester, which converted it into fuel. The house, which cost $6,500 and weighed three tons, didn’t have to be hooked up to municipal lines for electricity, sewage or water. In a world without borders – an ideal world, in Fuller’s view – the Dymaxion House could be airlifted to a fresh location on a whim.
Fuller imagined that efficient, modular construction would liberate its residents to spend their newfound free time learning and thinking
The Dymaxion House was still an artefact of technocratic capitalism, dreamed up in response to the housing shortage in the US. In the early 1930s, Keats finds, Fuller demanded $100 million from investors to build the first prototype, observing that Henry Ford needed $43 million to create his Model A car. The house was to be mass-produced on factory floors, out of plastic and metal, each unit indistinguishable from the other as a matter of principle and to keep the cost down. But throughout the 1930s, most of the processes and materials required to build the house – light, strong plastics; high-tension alloys; bioreactors – didn’t yet exist. After the Second World War, Fuller made some prototypes, but his collaboration with the Beechcraft aviation company to manufacture houses for sale went nowhere. Even at the height of Fuller’s fame, the Dymaxion House never went into production.
The Dymaxion House remained perpetually imminent, a Fullerian prophecy of how people could and should live. Fuller imagined that efficient, modular construction would liberate its residents, so that they could spend their newfound free time learning and thinking. But the design made no allowance for the owner’s preferences, or for how topography and weather varied from place to place. For an avidly industrialised society, the home, and the human within it, had become pure machine.
Fuller’s career seemed to evolve in reaction to failure. That winter in 1927, he’d been determined to drown himself after his business venture went under. Then, when he failed to commit suicide, he became an inventor. And when his inventions – the house, the car, the bathroom – proved stillborn, he became a futurist. In the 1960s, he stopped building things he thought the world required and started forecasting those requirements instead.
As a result, Fuller’s attentions started to span the entire planet. If, earlier, he was boiling down his ideas into the design of a showerhead, now he was scaling them up into abstract global systems: international power grids; simulation games that played for world peace; supply chains for metals, minerals and other planetary resources. (Admittedly, the technology for a global information network didn’t exist at the time. Fuller would have been thrilled by the internet, and its capacity to trace and accelerate the allocation of goods.) This kind of ‘comprehensivist’ approach, Fuller’s clunker of a term, was the only means ‘to make the world work for 100 per cent of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological offence or the disadvantage of anyone’.
Fuller maintained that he was apolitical, but in the postwar US, these vast diagnoses hooked the counterculture. His maxims spoke to the young and the unemployed, to the protestors of the Vietnam War, to the anti-nuke and environmentalist movements. In Drop City, a hippie commune founded in Colorado in 1965, Fuller’s geodesic domes bloomed like warts, constructed out of material salvaged from scrapyards. His concept of ‘Spaceship Earth’, an attempt to convey the fragility and celestial loneliness of the planet and its ecosystem, was an inspiration for the publication of the Whole Earth Catalog, the magazine that became the counterculture’s manifesto-in-progress. Early editions often devoted themselves to Fuller. ‘No one had the kids eating out of his hand like he did,’ the architect Philip Johnson observed.
Yet there was nothing pastoral or socialist about Fuller’s vision for the future. The answer to the problems induced by technological excess was not less technology, but more – more, and different, technology. Fortunately, an efflorescence of innovation was also at hand. With a nimble system of education, environmental design and efficient planning, Fuller was convinced that scientists and corporations could do more with less. His thinking was analogous, in some ways, to that of McLuhan, who celebrated the way mass media was extending the notion of the human being.
A belief in technology as salvation is really a belief in humankind’s capacity to use it as such, to not bend it to damaging ends
Fuller’s advocacy of technology as a salve for the wounds of modernity found a fierce critic in the sociologist Lewis Mumford, who longed for a more organic humanism. The two men proposed such contrasting versions of the future that Horizon magazine wondered, in 1968: ‘Which guide to the Promised Land? Fuller or Mumford?’ Mumford deplored the sterility of the sort of future that techno-faddists wanted for the human race. In an acid passage from 1956 that might have been aimed squarely at Fuller and his bubble-domed cities, Mumford wrote:
If the goal of human history is a uniform type of man, reproducing at a uniform rate, in a uniform environment, kept at a constant temperature, pressure and humidity, like a uniformly lifeless existence, with his uniform physical needs satisfied by uniform goods… most of the problems of human development would disappear. Only one problem would remain: why should anyone, even a computer, bother to keep this kind of creature alive?
The allure of Fuller’s prophecies persisted. Technology had just assisted in the wreaking of two awful wars, and many liberal intellectuals were tapping into veins of misery and forlornness. The visions of novels such as Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and Orwell’s 1984 ‘transformed utopia from something to be yearned for to something to be dreaded’, as the historian Howard Segal wrote in 2009. In the midst of that climate, it was reassuring to hear from a sage such as Fuller that technology could be a force for peace after all. ‘For the first time in history,’ Fuller wrote in 1969, ‘Utopia is, at least, physically possible of human attainment.’
In the years after Fuller’s death, the world’s faith in technology faded. Globalisation and the emergent neoliberal consensus accompanied environmental crises, the failures of assorted technological panaceas, and a mistrust of officials and experts. We are emerging only now from the shadow of these other, deeper disappointments, into the bright, confusing light of a new technological boom.
Perhaps this is why there is a certain reassurance to be mined from Fuller’s principles. A belief in technology as salvation is really a belief in humankind’s capacity to use it as such, to not bend it to damaging ends. Fuller was a tireless optimist when it came to his species. We have been endowed with intelligence, he thought, so we occupy a special place in the universe. ‘Nature was,’ he wrote, ‘clearly intent on making humans successful.’ This was the quintessential Fuller paradox: he doubted our ability to mend our imperfections, but he was confident in our facility to develop technologies that can outwit them.Make a donation | <urn:uuid:3eb00019-010c-4ed4-b33c-1334df3c834b> | {
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My husband and I recently returned from a fascinating trip to Peru, where we floated down the Amazon (the headwaters are in the Peruvian Andes) and hiked Machu Picchu. It’s always instructive to learn that people in other countries have a different perspective on some topics than we do in the United States.
For example, we learned that all Peruvians 18 years and older are required to vote in elections and are fined if they fail to vote without adequate excuse. Absentee ballots are not permitted. A similar approach to voting is followed in Australia and in many other countries around the world. Under these systems, voting is not only a right but an obligation.
As we sailed the Amazon, we noticed flags flying in small villages along the way. Most did not have any writing on them, but were of a variety of colors and had a variety of symbols. In fact, what we saw were “highway” campaign posters, the Amazon being the only means of transportation for the people who live in that region. The proliferation of posters indicated impending elections.
The compulsory approach to voting is intriguing. Voting turnout in Peru as a percentage of the voting age population is much higher than in the United States - in 2012 parliamentary contests, the turnout in Peru was 87.41% of the voting age population compared to 54.62% for Congressional elections in the United States in the same year. The disparity at the Presidential level was also substantial - in the 2011 Presidential election in Peru 86.18% of the voting age population participated, while the 2012 Presidential election in the United States attracted only 53.57% of the voting age population. (This data is taken from a report of the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).)
Would attitudes in the United States about voting change if voting were compulsory? If they have to vote, would Americans who do not now vote be impelled to learn something about the political process and the candidates. Would they have more of a sense of involvement in their communities and their country and feel that they have a stake in the elections? Or would voters feel that they had been coerced into doing something they really did not want to do? Would the attitude of cynicism about politics be exacerbated or reduced?
In Peru, voting participation is tracked through a system of national identification cards. You show up at the polls with your ID and the record reflects that you voted. This seems to work whether you’re an urbanite in Lima or a campesino on the Amazon. In the United States, those who push for ID requirements at the polls are accused of racism. It’s definitely a very different way of looking at things than the Peruvian way.
Frieda Wallison is Chair of the Pitkin County Republicans.
A graduate of Smith College and Harvard Law School, she practiced law for more than 30 years in New York City and Washington, D.C. as a partner in major law firms, before retiring for the good life in the Roaring Fork Valley. Beyond serving as Chair of the Pitkin County Republicans, Wallison is Republican Chair of the Third Congressional District in Colorado and a member of the Colorado Republican Party Executive Committee. She is also the President of the Snowmass/Capitol Creek Caucus and a member of Aspen Rotary. In her spare time, Wallison is a real estate developer in the mid-valley. She is married to Peter Wallison, the Arthur F. Burns Fellow in Financial Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, and they are parents of three and grandparents of five.
You can contact her at [email protected]
Her personal Facebook page address is facebook.com/frieda.wallison
You can find out more about the Pitkin County Republicans: http://pitkinpolitics.org/ | <urn:uuid:dc93926b-885f-4b21-a6e8-e49d09aef952> | {
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A preprocessed *.i file is an output of the C or C++ preprocessor. It is usually this extension which is characteristic of files created as the preprocessor output. The preprocessor performs primary transformations of the source program text using only lexical analysis.
The preprocessor carries out the following operations:
The preprocessor can be used as an auxiliary tool to assist static code analysis. The PVS-Studio static analyzer, for example, can use three different preprocessors (MSVC, Clang, C++Builder), and which of them is chosen to be used for a particular project depends on the type of the project or file. This procedure is necessary because the core of the analyzer is the code parsing library VivaCore that doesn't possess an integrated preprocessor. The necessity of primary preprocessing of source files is determined by the fact that all the instructions '#include' and '#define' should be expanded to enable good static analysis.
You can get a preprocessed file in the MSVC environment by defining the value of the 'Generate Preprocessed File' property on the 'C/C++\Preprocessor' tab as shown in Figure 1.
To get a preprocessed file using the GCC compiler you need to add the parameters '-E -o file_name.i' into its call. | <urn:uuid:31807fcd-b912-4697-96af-bfdaf8290846> | {
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In the summer of 1348 the medieval world was changed forever by a crisis of apocalyptic proportions. Never before or since has humanity experienced anything like the events that unfolded as the Black Death swept through Northern Europe. Within a year, between 30 and 50% of the population had died. As the plague advanced across Europe, panic and terror gripped the population.
In Kilkenny, a Franciscan friar named John Clyn chronicled events as he waited for the plague to reach his hometown. Hear his account below. (St. Moling’s well, mentioned in the recording, can still be seen in the town of St. Mullins, Co. Carlow.)
Wherever the plague hit, chaos followed. Indeed, the worst fears of the Kilkenny friar we heard from above materialised. In this clip, we hear the words of Agnolo Di Tura, a chronicler in Siena, Italy, who painted a truly terrifying picture of his hometown during the plague.
Agnolo di Tura
For the lucky ones who survived this horrific ordeal, life didn’t necessarily improve in the aftermath of the Black Death. This is an account of Jean de Venette, a chronicler in France, describing life in the 1350s.
Jean de Venette
Richard FitzRalph, the Archbishop of Armagh, also chronicled the chaos of the times. In 1349, FitzRalph relayed a vision of Ireland struggling amid widespread violence. He told the tale of the Necromancer of Toledo to make his point. Listen to this clip, a reading of the answer Satan supposedly gave the Necromancer when asked which country sent the most souls to hell.
If you want to receive articles, podcasts, etc., from my research for my upcoming book on the Black Death, subscribe below.
In a highly superstitious world with little understanding of medicine, the plague produced a number of frantic responses, the most extreme being the flagellants. Followers of this ascetic and fervently religious practice paraded throughout the countryside behind crosses and banners, whipping themselves bloody. Here, in this clip, Heinrich of Herford in Westphalia describes one such group.
Heinrich of Herford.
These audio clips are just snippets of what to expect in the months to come as I research my new book, “1348: A Medieval Apocalypse – The Black Death in Ireland”. This will be a fascinating expedition deep into our medieval past. Subscribe below to journey along with me. | <urn:uuid:39ed17e7-44cd-4d32-ba99-9cc6c51aac87> | {
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THE HISTORY OF PORTUGAL
From the first inhabitants to the Celtic tribes, the Roman and Moorish invasions, the Age of Discovery, and today
Portugal is Europe's oldest nation-state. This is its story.
The First Inhabitants
Homo Sapiens appeared in what is now Portugal during the Old Stone Age. It is believed they got there from what is now Southern France prior to 10,000 B.C., by entering through the low passageway between the shore and the west end of the Pyrenees. They settled in the north, and later in 2000 B.C. , another group (who came to be known as "Iberians") settled in the south. The origin of these Iberians is unknown, but it is likely to be North Africa.
Where to see Prehistoric Portugal:
A memorable prehistoric site is outside the city of Evora.
That's the Almendres Cromlech, a circle of some 95 monoliths which is the finest in Iberia.
Also near Evora is the Great Dolmen of Zambujeiro, the largest in Europe, with six stones,
each 6 meters high, forming a huge chamber. Nearby is also a 7 tonne phallic monument,
standing as the centerpiece in the Xerez Cromlech, a group of some 50 menhirs.
The world's largest outdoor gallery of prehistoric stone art is found close to Lamego in Côa Valley.
The Celts arrived thousands of years later, and brought a small group of Germans with them. They settled mostly in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, especially in what is now the north of Portugal and the Spanish province of Galicia. Celtic languages spread from Southern France throughout most of the north of Iberia, and extended southward to include central Portugal. These Celts were both agriculturists and pastoralists, and introduced the type of Central European wagon that is still used in Galicia and northern Portugal. In the northern forests of Iberia they found everything necessary for their animals, and evidence of the importance of herding to them is found in the large number of granite sculptures of certain animals, especially pigs, present in the area. These pigs are said to have been associated with fertility, authority and power. The veneration of animals was not unique to the Iberian Celts, since Irish Celts also kept sacred cattle, and "royal" oxen, swine and sheep. They lived in villages of round stone houses which can still be seen in northern Portugal, and eventually they established contact with their kinfolk in Brittany and the British Isles for tin trade.
These Celts, which came to be known as "Lusitanians," had a similar culture to the groups already in Iberia, which allowed them to settle in amity and cooperation. In certain areas, these Celts mixed with the other population, and created groups that were named "Celtiberians." At about the same time, the Phoenicians founded little fishing and salting settlements throughout the south of Portugal, and were followed by the Greeks and Carthaginians.
|Where to see Celtic Portugal: The best examples of the Celtic settlements (called "Castros") are found in the northern Minho province, notably Citania de Briteiros close to the city of Guimarães. Here are well-preserved ruins and several buildings (stone dwelling huts that were built in circular or elliptical shapes) that have been restored. One of the most arresting artifacts recovered from Briteiros is a slab of carved stone thought to have been the front of a funerary monument, and can be seen, together with other sculptural remains, in Guimarães' Martins Sarmento Museum. Closeby is the region of Terras de Basto, where there are statues believed to represent Celtic warriors. Another site is Sanfins de Ferreira, close to the city of Porto, where there are traces of a triple ring of defensive walls around 100 huts and a small museum. In the town of Viana do Castelo are also traces of a Celtiberian settlement by the Hill of Santa Luzia, with remains of walls and circular stone huts. Town names ending in "briga" (like Conimbriga or Mirobriga) also date back to these times, as well as more than 200 granite pigs or boars (some up to 6ft/2 meters in length), found throughout the Tras-os-Montes province.|
The Romans overran Gaul (today's France) in seven years, but it took them almost two centuries to completely take over Iberia. The leader of the Lusitanians, Viriathus, led his people in a triumphant campaign against the Romans, which led to his death at the hands of hired assassins. After Viriathus' death, the Romans were able to take over, and the Lusitanians withdrew to hilltop villages of the rural northwest and maintained resistance for several generations, with occasional raids on the settled territory. The Romans settled everywhere, but their numbers in the north was comparatively small. The south was more to their liking, which was better for growing wheat, olives, and grapes. They eventually imposed their language upon the entire peninsula, and their code of law was applied, which was also ultimately the basis of the Portuguese legal code. Forums, temples and lawcourts were built in the cities, large-scale agriculture was conducted, and the plow was introduced. Roads and bridges (still in evidence throughout Portugal) were created, as well as a system of large farming estates called Latifundios still seen in the area of Alentejo. Under Decimus Junius Brutus and Julius Caesar, a capital was established at Olisipo (Lisbon), and around 25 BC, Augustus divided the peninsula into several provinces, naming much of the area that eventually became Portugal "Lusitania."
|Where to see Roman Portugal: In the city of Evora are the impressive remains of the 2nd century Temple of Diana, with 14 Corinthian columns. The Roman town of Conimbriga, founded in the 2nd century B.C., has some of the best preserved Roman ruins in Iberia, with remains of walls, columns used for structural or decorative purposes, classical ornamentation, an aqueduct, fountains and baths with magnificent mosaics, some of which can also be seen at the site museum. There are also Roman remains at Estoi in central Algarve, with some tentalising fragments of fish mosaics in a former bathing chamber, as well as a Roman villa at Pisões near the city of Beja showing extensive floor mosaics and fragments of decorated walls, baths, a bathing pool, and hypocaust. There are also remains of Roman buildings in Beja, and a Roman bridge in the town of Chaves.|
The weakening of the Roman Empire enabled various Teutonic peoples to invade Gaul. They eventually crossed the Pyrenees and entered Iberia. The Suevi (or Swabians), who mostly stayed in the northwest, made Bracara Augusta (now the Portuguese city of Braga) their capital. These new German rulers did not altogether sweep away Roman civilization, which they had learned to admire, and styles of dress remained different. The Germanic groups wore their hair long, while the Romans clipped theirs. However, they blended easily with the Romans, as well as with the Celts, whose culture was not too different from theirs. The great contribution of the Swabians was in the use of land, and the introduction of the quadrangular plow. They preferred to settle in the north and northwest of Iberia, which are areas that had a climate more suitable to their crops. Other Germanic groups such as the Vandals and Alans also crossed the Pyrennes, and spread to the western edge of the peninsula. The Alans, at the time the strongest of the tribes, took a large area in the center and south, approximately the area of Roman Lusitania. The Luso-Romans offered no effective opposition to their settlement.
|Where to see Germanic Portugal: The Visigoths built a few temples, some of which have been restored over the centuries. Examples include the São Gião Church near Nazare, the São Pedro de Balsemão Chapel in Lamego, the Santa Amaro Church (also serving as part of the Visigothic Museum) in Beja, and the Byzantine-style chapel of São Frutuoso near Braga. The Visigoths also rebuilt the Roman town of Idanha-a-Velha near Castelo Branco and parts of its cathedral date from this time. Also, many of the 92 villages of the Montesinho Natural Park in the Tras-Os-Montes province still bear distinctly Germanic names such as Fresulfe or Sernande, memorials to the Visigoths who founded them.|
The Prophet Mohammed preached his new religion, Islam, in Arabia, and when he died in 632, his successors undertook a program of world conquest in the name of Allah and Islam. By 700, their forces swept across North Africa and subdued Morocco. They crossed into what is now Spain in 711, and over the years subjugated almost the entire peninsula with incredible speed. However, as opposed to the previous invaders of Iberia, these Muslims (who were named "Moors" by the Christians), chose to settle mostly in the south. In the area of present Portugal, their presence was stronger mostly in today's Alentejo and Algarve provinces. The Moors from Egypt settled mostly in today's Beja and Faro, while the Syrians settled between Faro and the Spanish city of Seville. The Moors fortified several cities, works of irrigation from Roman days were restored and perfected, and the use of linen paper made the multiplication of books much easier than in the days of parchment rolls. As a result, literacy was widespread.
Where to see Moorish Portugal: Unlike Spain, Portugal has no complete buildings left from the Moorish period,
but in the south of the country there is still a rather strong Moorish influence. The styles of the typical chimneys in the
are often ascribed to Moorish influence, as are the whitewashed houses with wrought-iron work
of Alentejo. There are also several Moorish castles, with the most famous being the Castelo dos Mouros in Sintra.
There are also remains of Moorish quarters, particularly in Alentejo in the towns of Moura and
the site of a church that retains many Moorish features. Mertola also has a small museum housing the country's
best collection of Islamic art, including ceramics, coins, and jewelry.
The Sintra National Palace also features Moorish decoration, although that dates from the 16th century, long after the Moors had been expelled from the country.
Christian Reconquest and the Emergence of Portugal
Christians continuously tried to get rid of the Moors, and the first attempt is said to have been as early as ten years after their invasion. This was when a man named Pelagio won the first Christian victory against the hated invaders in the north of Iberia. Though the military significance was small at the time, it lifted Christian morale. Over the years, the Christians reconquered several areas from north to south of the peninsula (the north was reconquered earlier, with the Portuguese cities of Oporto back in Christian hands by 868 and Coimbra by 1064).
Several Christian Kingdoms were formed. In 1095, Alfonso VI, the ruler of the kingdom of Leon and Castile established the County of Portucale between the rivers Douro and Mondego. In 1139, the ruler of this county, Afonso Henriques won a battle over the Moors, and declared Portucale a separate kingdom, with himself as king. Four years later, Alfonso VII of Leon-Castile recognized Portucale as a separate, independent kingdom, as did Pope Alexander III in 1179. Afonso Henriques continued to capture land from the Moors, and by 1147 he reconquered Lisbon with the help of English, Flemish, German, and French crusaders. Evora was retaken in 1166, and the Algarve in 1249. At this point, Portugal's conquest was complete, and Portugal became Europe's first state to reach the limits of its territorial expansion, which remain unchanged to this day.
|Where to see Medieval Portugal: Of the numerous castles built or rebuilt after the Reconquest, the most impressive are at Guimarães, Almourol, Bragança, Leiria, and Obidos. The cathedrals in Porto, Lisbon, Evora, Braga and Coimbra also date from this time, as well as many smaller churches throughout the country. This was also when the monasteries of Alcobaça and Batalha and the Templar's Castle in Tomar, which are three of the country's most impressive monuments, were built.|
The Age of Discovery
After Portugal was able to expel the Moors, neighboring Castile (Spain) tried to do the same, achieving that goal in 1492. But over those years it also tried to take over Portugal. There were several invasion attempts, ending with a Portuguese victory in the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385, during King João's rein. His rein then saw the beginning of Portugal's colonial expansion in Africa and the voyages of discovery which made Portugal rise as the leading maritime and colonial power in western Europe, and Lisbon develop into a major commercial city. In 1415 the trading post of Ceuta in Morocco was captured. Years later, João's son, Prince Henry the Navigator promoted voyages of discovery, and his "school of navigation" in Sagres was founded. At this point, the "Portuguese caravel" was created. This ship was rounder and better suited for the Atlantic, moved entirely by lateen or square sails, and requiring a smaller crew than the previous ships. As a result, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to open the way into the Atlantic (discovering the islands of Madeira, Azores, and Cape Verde), to sail down western Africa (reaching the mouth of the Congo in 1482), to cross the Equator, to round and name the Cape of Good Hope (Bartolomeu Dias), to reach India by sea from the west (Vasco da Gama), to set a foot in South America (with the discovery of Brazil by Pedro Alvares Cabral), and were the first westerners in Ceylon, Sumatra, Malacca, Timor and the spice islands of the Moluccas, the first Europeans to trade with China and Japan (establishing a trading post in Macao, which was the first European settlement in China and part of Portugal until 1999), and to see Australia two hundred years before Captain Cook. The Corte-Real brothers also reached Newfoundland in 1500, and sailing for Spain, Portuguese explorer Magellan (Magalhães in Portuguese) was the first to circumnavigate the globe, and Cabrilho was the first to explore the coast of California. Thanks to worldwide trade, Portugal enjoyed an upsurge of prosperity, making it the wealthiest country in Europe. During this period, King Manuel I marked the exuberance of the age with the lavish Manueline style of architecture (still seen today throughout Portugal, especially in Lisbon's Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery).
|Where to see Portugal's Golden Age: The unique Manueline Style of architecture developed during the time of Portugal's Golden Age. The most impressive buildings are the Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery (where explorer Vasco da Gama is burried) in Lisbon's Belem area, famous for being where ships departed from and returned to after their voyages. The pavement in front of the Discoveries Monument shows a map with the routes of the discoverers in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Maritime Museum by the monastery illustrates the rapid progress in shipbuilding with navigational instruments, astrolabes, 16th century maps, replicas of caravels, etc. Another area famous for its role during the Discoveries is the town of Sagres in the Algarve province, where there is a giant pebble wind compass 43m (141ft) in diameter, said to have been used by Prince Henry the Navigator.|
60 Years of Spanish Domination
In the late 16th century, King Sebastião was determined to take Christianity to Morocco. He rallied a force of 18,000 but was killed in the battle along with 8000 others. His successor, Cardinal Henrique took over the throne. In 1580, when Henrique died, Sebastião's uncle, Phillip II of Spain, claimed the Portuguese throne. Phillip promised a purely personal union that would leave his new kingdom as independent as before, guaranteed the separation of the two governments, and promissed that the Portuguese language and laws should be used in the governance of the country. Phillip's rein lived up to his promise, but under his son and grandson, Spain let the English and the Dutch strip Portugal of valuable foreign possessions, and Lisbon declined as a commercial center with competition from the harbors in England and Holland. This marked the end of Portugal's golden age. In 1640, leading personalities staged a well-planned rising in Lisbon and easily overpowered the sentinels guarding public buildings. In the absence of any force capable of suppressing the rising, a new ruler was acclaimed and Portugal was once again a separate, independent nation. Later, a treaty of friendship and commercial cooperation with Britain ensured Portugal's restored independence, but also guaranteed British predominance in Portugal. Two years after the treaty, Portugal's Catherine of Braganza (Bragança), married England's Charles II.
The French Invasion
In 1755 a devastating earthquake shattered Lisbon, killing thousands of people and destroying most buildings. The prime minister at the time, the Marquis of Pombal, directed the rebuilding of the city. By the turn of the century, the country went through better times. Much of Lisbon had been rebuilt, the peasant class was stable, the middle class was prospering, all presided over by the relatively considerate government of Queen Maria I. At about this time however, events in other European countries threatened Portugal. In France, Napoleon declared a blockade of English trade, and the English responded with a continental blockade. The French insisted that the Portuguese close their ports to the English, open them to Spanish and French ships and arrest all Englishmen in the country and confiscate their property. Not to meet these demands would result in invasion. Portugal had always had a friendly relationship with England, so the government procrastinated. France and Spain then signed the Treaty of Fountainebleau, which gave Napoleon the right to invade Portugal through Spain. They agreed that after the invasion, Portugal would be divided between France and Spain. The French occupied the country in 1807, and the Portuguese royal family fled to Brazil. About 50,000 French and Spanish troops roved the countryside arresting, killing, plundering and raping as they pleased. In 1808 Portugal got help from the British, their oldest allies. With their help (headed by General Sir Arthur Wellesley), defensive lines were built around Lisbon. When Napoleon reached the fortifications, he retreated. After the war a new constitution was proclaimed and Brazil was given independence. The years that followed were marked by political confusion.
|Where to see 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries Portugal: Examples of buildings from the 17th century are Lisbon's São Vicente de Fora Church and Fronteira Palace, the Sé Nova in Coimbra, and the Palace of the Dukes in Vila Viçosa. From the 18th century are several Baroque churches found throughout the country, many with ornate interiors of gilded wood such as the São Francisco and Santa Clara in Porto. The Mafra and Queluz palaces and Porto's Clerigos Tower also date from this time, as well as many elegant country houses such as the Palacio de Mateus. Lisbon's Baixa district was also mostly rebuilt during this time, following the 1755 earthquake. The 19th century was dominated by Neo-Classicism, as can be seen in Lisbon's Ajuda Palace and in several other buildings in the capital. Other impressive buildings from this time are Sintra's Pena and Monserrate Palaces. Lisbon's Rossio and Porto's São Bento stations, Lisbon's Santa Justa Elevator, and Porto's bridges also date from this century.|
The 20th Century
The beginning of the 20th century was marked by a radical, nationalist republican movement. In 1908, the king and crown prince were assassinated, and in 1910, after an uprising by military officers, Portugal was declared a republic. During WWI Portugal joined the Allies, and in the postwar years, political chaos deepened. Between 1910 and 1945 there were 45 changes of government, often brought about through military intervention. In 1932 Antonio Salazar became prime minister, and during WWII, Portugal was declared neutral. Salazar ruled the country for 36 years, banning political parties and workers' strikes. Censorship, propaganda and force kept society in order. A secret police force used imprisonment and torture to suppress opposition. Salazar also refused to give up Portugal's colonies but India occupied Portuguese Goa in 1961, and local nationalists rose up in Angola. Similar movements happened in Portuguese Guinea and Mozambique. As a result, there were costly military expeditions. In 1968, Salazar suffered a stroke and Marcelo Caetano was his successor. Military officers grew reluctant to serve in colonial wars, and several hundred of them carried out a bloodless coup on April 25, 1974. The African colonies were then given independence, and a new constitution committed Portugal to a blend of socialism and democracy. There were several governments after that, and the country was only considered officially stable in the mid-1980's. In 1986 Portugal joined the European Economic Community (later renamed European Union in 1992). With EU funds, Portugal went through a dramatic change -- it became the EU's fastest growing country (recording an unprecedented 4.5% to 5% annual economic growth rate).
Today Portugal is a stable country well integrated in the European Union. It's on the list of the countries with "Very High Human Development" and attention in future years will focus on bringing the country's level of skilled jobs and educational achievements closer to the European average.
In 1998 Lisbon hosted the World Fair Expo 98, leading to major infrastructure and urban regeneration projects. A year later, the country adopted the Euro as its official currency along with ten other countries of the European Union, and in 2004 it hosted the Euro2004 championship. In July 2007 it took over the European Union presidency when EU members signed the Lisbon Treaty which revised the EU's constitutional framework. Despite the current economic and financial crisis of the Euro zone which has greatly affected the country, Portugal is now a country looking to the future, while never forgetting its long, remarkable past.
Where to see 20th century and modern Portugal: One of Portugal's most photographed monuments, the
Discoveries Monument in Lisbon, was built in the last century
(in 1960) to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator.
Lisbon's 25 de Abril Bridge was built shortly after.
The other bridge over the Tagus River (Vasco da Gama Bridge)
was built later in 1998 just in time for Expo98, the area of which (now called Parque das Nações)
is now the best example of the modern and future Portugal.
The buildings that first represented modern Portugal however, were the Amoreiras
buildings in Lisbon, built between 1980 and 1987.
Porto's Casa da Musica is the best, most recent example of 21st century architecture. | <urn:uuid:c6a83e02-b47b-4078-914e-17c1806f670a> | {
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NOW: Though still operating at low gear dawdling speed, everyone’s favourite particle collider has produced PLENTY <alt=”unexpectedly high numbers“> of mesons*, Thank You Very Much.
THEN> The LHC will run at half power — you know, only 3.5 trillion electron volts [TeV] or so — until 2013.
LATER>> Full speed ahead!
In the mean time, amuse yourself over at xkcd. (As if anyone ever needed an incentive.)
*In case you couldn’t be bothered with the link (but could be bothered with post-scripted footnotes?) a meson = a quark + an antiquark. Yes, I know. I did just link another link. But it was under pressure of absolute necessity, for I certainly do not possess the intellectual faculties to explain said topic myself. Wikipedia, on the other hand, is the font of all knowledge… though admittedly, Uncyclopedia might be more fun:
The Large Hadron Collider, also known as the DESTROYER OF WORLDS, is the largest particle accelerator ever built by humans. It has not destroyed the world yet. When activated, it will accelerate protons to almost the speed of light, before colliding them at precisely 13.5 billion kerjigatrons. It may also dim the lights all over Western Europe, and possibly will cause human hair to stand up on end as far distant as Sweden. Hailed by some as Earth’s own Death Star, the LHC is a milestone in human technology as it is capable of both explaining the universe and blowing it to Hell, unless James Bond reaches the control room just in time to avert it.
“Colliding hadrons is the greatest pleasure one can experience while fully clothed.” ~ Oscar Wilde on the LHC | <urn:uuid:a49e40a9-56ff-4864-b98c-2eb01fec1c16> | {
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Salt is Good, not Harmful.
Countering False Memes of ‘Harmful’, ‘Dangerous’, ‘Excess’ Salt in Food.
Salt is Anti-Cancer.
© Frank McManus First upload 24th February 2014
v. 26 June 2017 13:24
Frank McManus' own website on salt
Detailed article by McManus on Salt in Food, with Internal Links (Below)
| This page is part of big-lies.org
What This Article is About: 'Myths' About Salt in Food
"I think that this is the single most important issue in human health at present. I subscribe to the view that practically all illness is nutritionally related and that poor nutrition results from inadequate salt intake. Salt is the raw material which the body uses to drive all the processes of life. The Human Autonomic System has been designed to cope with pretty much any level of salt intake, and the benefits of high salt intake include improved circulation of blood to the fine capillaries which restores and maintains sight, hearing, touch, taste and feel. My further view is that the 1% p.a. increase in cancer deaths in Australia is entirely because of a reduction in the salt intake of the general population.
With that in mind, I have the view that is essential to keep the piece cleanly focussed on the physiological purposes of salt in humans and animals."
- Frank McManus Feb 2014 Email Frank McManus here: [email protected]
Frank McManus’ public health hypothesis is remarkable and original. Improvements in health have been attributed to a huge diversity of factors: vaccination, water purification, more and better food, hypochlorite disinfectants, cleanliness, fewer fleas, lifestyle changes causing leprosy and scurvy and rickets to vanish, modern medical interventions, the abandonment of old medical interventions. But supply and consumption of salt as the most important determinant of human health is (I think) a new idea, and ought to be borne in mind when considering the history of human well-being. - RW
New England Journal of Medicine on sodium and potassium (Aug 20th 2014)
recommends more salt. Note that (unlike this piece) they don't seem to know about the chloride component in salt!
Canadian online new item
on the same subject; Andrew Mente the lead author.
July 20th 2016. Frank McManus, looking back:
The Due awareness is CERTAINLY having some effect... this can be observed by the numerous recent attempts to dissemble on the topic amongst the well known spruikers. [Unflattering Australian expression]. The anti-salt campaign seems to have taken a major hit since we published on your site. The Irish Times
and at least one Australian television channel have published major reports on the importance of adequate salt levels... although both continue to focus on sodium and ignore chloride. [This page has had 4,405 downloads in that time (AWStats figure) - RW]
Lots of red in their logo.
Absurd 'level teaspoon' photo
Omission of 'chloride'
How does 'too much salt' work?—they don't say!
• From British Heart Foundation 'FIGHT FOR EVERY HEARTBEAT' 2016 Print code: G160 06/16 - RW 06 2017
Summary of Frank McManus on Salt (and Trace Elements) in Diet
As I wrote in my note, my view is that practically all illness is the consequence of malnutrition. And I realise that you have read this fifty or more times now, but I will repeat for the sake of having an email that puts an argument together, we can only be nourished if we digest our food. We can ONLY digest our food if we have hydrochloric acid. We can ONLY have hydrochloric acid if we have salt.
Selenium, iron and zinc are actually quite difficult to extract from the food we eat and require a well functioning digestive system. Iodine needs to be supplemented. To bore you further, I have 3 drops of lugol solution each morning. [Iodine in aqueous potassium iodide - RW]. Interestingly you have left off magnesium, which is also best acquired with a few drops of salt "bitterns", a by-product of solar salt production.
So in short, without sufficient salt intake, nothing else you put in your mouth can do you any good. My morning ritual is ten grams of salt, 3 drops of iodine, 3 ml of bitterns and lime/lemon in a glass of distilled water (we have recently had fluoridation poisoning put in our water).
I continue with plenty of salt during the day and would typically have an ounce per day. [NB: Frank's hard exercise regime suggests less energetic people would sweat less, and therefore need less, salt. - RW] So important is sea salt to our diet that the human tongue is specifically designed to detect its presence.
[I'd say evolved to detect it; Frank does not accept evolution theory. I'm not sure that the tongue detects salt, specifically, but ions; I haven't seen proof that sodium chloride gives a larger response than other ionised compounds. If not, 'salty' is a human naming artefact - RW].
I started doing this about 3 years ago now, having slowly been increasing my salt intake from about the age of 45. I am soon to turn 55. The outcomes have been truly Japanese. I no longer need to wear glasses and can read 6pt print and my remaining 4 senses have improved across the board. I play A grade badminton 4 or 5 times per week and, as a consequence, my ranking in the local competition has sky rocketed. I am mixing it with people 20 years younger than I am, several of whom were ranked no 1 in Australia. The humorous aspect of this is that my friends tell me it is only because I play so much that I am doing well. The problem that they have is that they are physically incapable of staying on the court because of regular injuries. I have not had even the glimpse of illness for four or more years.
As you can imagine, this is influencing the people that I play badminton with. Several started increasing their salt intake one or two years ago and these people are experiencing the same results that I am enjoying. One fellow, now 65, has moved from C grade to A2, much to his delight. His chronic stomach issues have disappeared. He is a plumber that was throwing up on the job and was on a string of medications. The doctors were contemplating exploratory surgery. Many of the people I play badminton with have been openly mocking and their eyes roll when i discuss the topic. However, last night, when I made a breakthrough in the rankings by besting a fellow that I have lost to for the past decade, there was quite a lot of discussion when I announced that I will soon be 55 years old.
I guess that was a long winded way of saying to you Rae that in my view, the ONLY mineral that we CANNOT SURVIVE without is salt PROVIDED that we can find foods that contain the other stuff we need.
Iodine we can get from seaweed and there are some magnesium rich foods, but I don't know what they are and I use bitterns. I eat a lot of nuts, so selenium is not an issue.
On the other hand, THERE IS NO NATURAL FOOD SOURCE of sodium and chloride.
-- Added 9 April 2016
Note by 'rerevisionist': On December 24th 2013, my site, http://www.big-lies.org, received a comment from 'anounceofsaltperday', who turned out to be Frank McManus, a Briton now living in Australia.
He said in effect that human digestion needs hydrochloric acid in the stomach; and that this comes from salt (sodium chloride); with carbon dioxide, sodium in effect forms sodium bicarbonate, giving an alkaline balance to the body which is desirable for the immune system.
(Citation: a paper which discusses the effect of pH on the immune system
). Salt is essential, and 'populations which enjoy the highest per capita salt intakes also have the longest lifespans ... while the countries with the lowest per capita salt intakes have the lowest lifespans... '
'Most table salts sold around the world ... contain ... Glauber's salt (disodium sulphate, Na2SO4 and usually either an aluminium-based or cyanide-based anti-caking agent. That being said, my contention is that an increase in the consumption of sodium chloride will result in far better health and life outcomes for all and sundry on the basis of improved digestion (we are not we eat, we are what we digest) and strongly alkaline body fluids.'
My reply was that there must be some way to estimate chloride requirements (some hydrochloric acid must be removed from the stomach along with food; and, presumably, large amounts of absorbent foods and water must remove more than from someone dieting or starving).
Mcmanus had said '... a healthy male should produce 3 litres of gastric fluid per day with a pH of 1. The stiochiometry of this requires more than 17gms of salt per day simply to produce the hydrochloric acid to digest food.'
All this interested me: the basic formula NaCl + CO2
0 —> HCl + NaHCO3
(with biochemical complications; for example carbon dioxide is in body fluids because of metabolism of carbohydrates) must be approximately right. I asked among other things if he considered that evolution from the sea, ultimately, explained the need for salt supplementation—the blood is salty, and apparently resembles sea water (plus corpuscles, things which clot etc), so, just as we as land animals need water, we need salt? And is there a link with using salt and sodium bicarbonate in water to counter dehydration, typically in hot countries? Presumably sodium bicarbonate and dissolved carbon dioxide (as carbonic acid) make a buffer solution? ... And would he write it up for my site?
Frank McManus declared himself delighted to write this up. 'It seems that this idea is original to me, although I cannot imagine how this could be so. I am also of the view that the astonishing increase in lifespan and reduction in mortality rates coincident with the industrial revolution corresponds to sudden increase in the availability of salt, particularly from Cheshire e.g. Nantwich. With your approval, I shall put the facts together and my views with respect to what this means to the human condition.
Sounds good; as I'm very accustomed to the idea that there are many mistakes out there, we agreed to go ahead. This does not mean I have an opinion on all the topics hereunder.
His 17 grams a day presumably is best spread thinly between foods, as may be consistent with the evolution of food intake. In fact I wonder whether the retch reflex with salt may be to prevent excessive hydrochloric acid formation.
Possible cancer link: salt raises body alkalinity, which combats cancer–
In the 1930s, there was a widespread claim that "NO disease including cancer can exist in an alkaline environment". Attributed online to Dr Otto H. Warburg, a 1931 Nobel Prize winner. Warburg believed the real cause of cancer is oxygen deficiency in the body, cancer cells being anaerobic. Cancers may be caused by the cell division process being faulty, and, as cell division occurs within a narrow pH range, altering cell pH could prevent cells from dividing. [This is taken from an online account in healthycures.org]. If the original claim about cancer cells is true, increased salt intake making the body more alkaline must have some effect on cancer.
It occurs to me that, if alkalinity is important for cells, evolutionary development would favour excretion of acid. Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid, with raw materials plentiful in seawater. So possibly the evolutionary development of stomachs, which store acid, post-dated excretion of acid from cells: local acid must have had local effects, perhaps raising food levels or diminishing hazards, and so would be favoured by organisms which developed ways which made use of it.
– Frank McManus
A BRIEF LEXICON FOR NON-SCIENTISTS
Stoichiometry is the study of quantities involved in chemical reactions. This was worked out in the 19th century; hence the invented pseudo-classical name. Relevant here is the chemical reaction
NaCl + CO2 + H20 —> HCl + NaHCO3
In English, this means 1 molecule of sodium chloride, plus one molecule of carbon dioxide, and one molecule of water can combine to give one molecule of hydrochloric acid and one molecule of sodium bicarbonate. These quantities can be scaled up in the same proportions. The equation is reversible but biological processes keep the two products apart, hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and bicarbonate in other parts of the body. Stoichiometry deals in weights, which means atomic weights come into the picture. Sodium's atomic weight is about 22, chlorine's is about 35. So that, even though sodium chloride has exactly the same amounts of sodium and chlorine atoms in combination, the percentage by weight is different—about 39% to 61%—which of course can be confusing. A mole is the ludicrously-named molecular weight in (say) grammes; the idea is to standardise chemical quantities by allowing for their differing molecular weights. Another confusion is ions, which are different from their elements (such as sodium) and compounds (such as carbonic acid). Solutions in water add another complication, as water molecules are slightly electrically asymmetrical, so ions tend to attract a shell of water molecules. Acidity and its opposite Alkalinity are measured by pH, which is a count of the number of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution; this is a negative logarithmic scale and the mid-point, neutral ordinary water, is fixed as 7; acids have low pH, alkalis high pH; and gastric fluid with a pH of 1 is ONE THOUSAND TIMES stronger than gastric fluid with a pH of 4. Hyper means high; hypo means low; hyponatremia means too little sodium, the construction being formed from the Latin word nearest to what is now known as sodium. And I haven't mentioned mass for example, or electrons. ...
Note that fats, and complex carbohydrates such as cellulose in plants, contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and rely on the ability of carbon to form long chain molecules. Simple sugars contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Presumably all these chemicals must originate from carbon dioxide and water. (Carbon does not dissolve in water, and is not digested). Carbon dioxide in water must have been part of life from its earliest times.
Frank McManus on Salt in Food:-
The Role of Salt in Human and Animal Physiology
Sources of Salt in the Human Diet
Meme: Salt and Blood Pressure
Meme: Salt, Indigestion, and Stomach Ulcers
Meme: We are what we Eat (in fact, We Are What We Digest)
Meme: Water Alone Does Not Rehydrate
Meme: Salt and Hardened Arteries
Meme: Influence of Salt in Food on Fluoride Uptake
Note on the 'Chloride Shift' within Cells
Note on Iodine
[ Top of page - What this article is about ]
Salt is an essential and highly sought after component in the diet of farm and domestic animals, without which our modern agricultural industry would collapse. The development of feeding regimes which result in higher outputs from farm animals often involve strategies to encourage animals to ingest more salt.
However, if we are to accept the urgings of public health organisations, human consumption of salt should be reduced to that barest minimum required to maintain life, and any more than this can result in the most serious deleterious outcomes to our health. Typical of the more alarming titles is Salt Matters: the killer condiment by Dr Trevor C Beard (published 2007).
These urgings are somewhat puzzling to the author of this note as salt, being 40% sodium and 60% chloride, provides practically the ONLY source of two of arguably the three most important macro-nutrients required by animals, with the third being potassium. What is even more puzzling, dare one say astonishing, is that the recommendations on chloride intake (and therefore salt intake) are made on the basis that if you have an "adequate intake" of sodium, then the amount of chloride received is "considered" adequate. According to the Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride and Sulfate (2005), page 270:–
The AI [Adequate Intake] for chloride is set at a level equivalent on a molar basis to that of sodium, since almost all dietary chloride comes with the sodium added during processing or consumption of foods. Thus the AI for chloride for younger adults is 2.3 g (65 mmol)/day of chloride, which is equivalent to 3.8 g/day sodium chloride. The AIs for chloride for older adults and the elderly are 2.0 and 1.8 g of chloride per day respectively, equivalent to 3.2 g (55 mmol) and 2.9 g (50 mmol) of sodium chloride per day.
One would also expect to see clear evidence that, on a population basis, those populations which ingest the lowest levels of salt would enjoy higher lifespans than those populations which consumed the highest levels of salt. In fact, the reverse is true: populations which have the highest per capita consumption of salt have the highest lifespans (Macau, Japan), while the populations which have the lowest consumption of salt have the lowest lifespans (e.g. the landlocked countries of the African Continent). Even more interestingly, there is a more or less monotonic decrease in life span for a given population as the average amount of salt consumed decreases.
One of most often cited papers on this issue was in fact written not by a doctor, but by an anthropologist, Lillian Gleibermann. I quote directly from her seminal paper Blood Pressure and Dietary Salt in Human Populations, (Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 1973, Vol.2, pp.142-156) on the topic of salt intake in Japan:–
Vascular lesions of the central nervous system, particularly cerebral hemorrhage, constitute the leading cause of death in Japan (Schroeder, 1958a) ... It has been observed that salt intake appears to follow the same geographical pattern as blood pressure and essential hypertension ... An average of 27 grams of salt per day are excreted by farmers in Akita, and maximum values of 50-61 grams per day have reported from this region. ... The Japanese appear to have one of the highest salt intakes in the world."
Ms Gleibermann is clearly shocked and outraged by this horrific set of circumstances. What is amusing about this discussion is that the population of Japan enjoys the second highest lifespan in the world (after Macau) and more than half of the 250-odd people older than 110 live in Japan. One would have thought that a sensible person would conclude that, despite the cited disadvantages of high salt intake, there seems to be a highly beneficial effect on longevity. Furthermore, when public health officials are painting salt as a health risk beyond 2 grams per day, it seems that some Japanese were, in 1972, effectively committing hari-kiri and returning from death on a daily basis.
The purpose of this note is to inform the reader of the metabolic function of salt in humans and to suggest that the correlation observed between high life spans and high salt intake is not coincidental but is causal. While many of the sources cited will be directly related to humans, a considerable amount of data is obtained from animal husbandry sources.
In this note, the author takes a topological approach to the human body by considering the inside of mouth, oesophagus, stomach, digestive track, bowel and anus to be "outside" the body. That is to say, the food that we put into our mouth never gets inside our body directly. It is chewed, dissolved and processed to extract various desirable and undesirable components, but it essentially remains "outside" the body. The digestive track is, topologically speaking, outside the body. [From the point of view of the parietal cells, they are simply extruding hydrochloric acid to the outside world.]
Finally, the author of this paper is a layman that has taken a layman's approach the information provided to him by the world he lives in. This is not medical advice.
The Role of Salt in Human and Animal Physiology[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
Arguably, the three most important macronutrients the body needs are sodium, potassium and chloride. While "health authorities" will provide "adequate intake" (AI) numbers for sodium and potassium (Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride and Sulfate (2005)), the "AI for chloride is set at a level equivalent on a molar basis to that of sodium, since almost all dietary chloride comes with the sodium added during processing or consumption of foods" (p270 http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10925&page=270).
To the complete astonishment of the author, at the time of writing (5 Jan 2014), the author has been unable to find any study of any kind undertaken to determine the minimum requirements for chloride in the human diet, nor any such study which is underway. Consequently, it seems, the medical fraternity and various health authorities are exhorting the great unwashed to minimise their salt intake on the basis that if we get enough sodium then we get enough chloride, despite the fact that no study has been undertaken of the consequences of restricting the intake of chloride. Moreover, there have been several cases of clusters of infant fatalities and illness associated with chloride deficient (i.e. salt deficient) baby formula. Here is a typical example. The author also points out to any career-reckless medically oriented PhD candidates that there is a wonderful opportunity to study a really interesting area left entirely untrammeled by human minds.
The level of sodium in the plasma is controlled within a very tight range of concentration around between 135 millimoles/litre and 145 millimoles/litre (mmol/L). No other ion or compound is controlled as tightly by human physiology. The average human body is about 57% water, with adult women typically having 55% and adult males around 60%. (How Much of Your Body is Water). This means that amount of sodium contained in the body of an 88kg man is 88 x 0.6 x 0.14 = 7.4 moles of sodium, or the equivalent of 400 grams of salt. In other words, a typical 88kg middle aged man has fourteen ounces of salt in his body.
If the concentration of sodium in the fluids falls below 135mmol/L then the consequences are severe, with death the most common outcome (Treatment of Hyponatremia).
The most common cause of hyponatremia is drinking too much water, not loss of salt. Another common cause is the treatment of postoperative medical patients with hypotonic fluids (i.e. fluids with salt concentrations lower than the body plasma fluids and probably meaning water).
Salt is the raw ingredient used by the parietal cells lining the stomach to produce hydrochloric acid (a key component of gastric fluid) and sodium bicarbonate, the compound which maintains alkalinity in the bodily fluids. To produce 3 litres of gastric fluid per day with a pH of 1, 17gms of salt are processed by the parietal cells. Perhaps not coincidentally, the salt ration in the US Army in WWII was 16gms of salt per day.
For animals, the part salt plays in animal nutrition is well understood. A typical example being Salt Institute on Digestion and Absorption, quoted verbatim below :–
Sodium and chloride are essential for numerous processes in the body including the regulation of osmotic pressure and acid-base balance. Both sodium and chloride also play important roles in the digestion and absorption of several nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract. Absorption of glucose and most amino acids from the small intestine requires an adequate supply of sodium. In cattle, magnesium absorption from the rumen is dependent on sodium. Chloride is necessary for the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach of simple stomach animals and the abomasum of ruminants. Hydrochloric acid is required for the digestion and absorption of many nutrients. Most feeds are deficient in sodium. Salt is the cheapest and most common source of sodium and chloride in animal diets. A low intake of salt can reduce nutrient absorption resulting in reduced growth and efficiency in animals.
Of course, the quote provided above applies equally to humans who are, despite the affront to our ego, "simple" stomach animals. [Ruminants have stomachs with several compartments, in which cellulose is digested by bacteria].
Note that our bodies are what we digest, not what we eat. In other words, however diligent we are in selecting what we eat, it is only what we digest that can be taken up by the body.
Another essential requirement of salt in living humans and animals, which is the by-product of the production of hydrochloric acid, is the production of sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate in our bodies provides the alkalinity of the plasma "inside" the animal body. In humans, the various autonomous systems (which I shall call HAS hereafter) maintain the internal pH of the various plasmas between 7.35 and 7.45. Below or above this range means symptoms and disease. If blood pH moves too much below 6.8 or above 7.8, cells stop functioning and the patient dies. The ideal pH for blood is 7.4.
The author has noted that Australian medical students are taught that "neutral" pH is 7.4, even though neutral pH is 7 by the definition of pH. The curious effect of this teaching is that many newly-minted doctors are completely unaware that the human body is alkaline, and often dismiss discussions of maintaining an alkaline system as flim-flam. The author has read many articles which discuss different parts of the body having different pH: e.g. the saliva is this, and the urine is that pH, etc. However, by thinking of the human/animal body topologically, it can be easily understood that internal bodily fluids are alkaline at pH 7.4.
[In effect, concentrated hydrochloric acid in the stomach is counterbalanced by a much larger volume of the weaker alkaline sodium bicarbonate.]
The author of this paper supports the model proposed by many health practitioners that a body with plasma alkalinity at the more alkaline end of the "normal" spectrum (pH 7.35 to 7.45) will not sicken from bacteria, viruses or parasites. A paper which contains hints of this model is www.jleukbio.org/content/69/4/522.full. A corollary of this model is that–
If you have a health problem, most likely your internal pH is below 7.4. Research shows that unless the body's pH level is slightly alkaline, the body cannot heal itself. So, no matter what type of modality you choose to use to take care of your health problem, it won't be as effective until the pH level is up. If your body's pH is not balanced, you cannot effectively assimilate vitamins, minerals and food supplements. Your body pH affects everything.
Readers of this note may be interested to know that one well-known treatment for cancer is simply to inject sodium bicarbonate in a targeted way to a tumour. For example Dr-Tullio-Simoncini-Cancer-Is-A-Fungus-Bicarbonate-Of-Soda-Treatment. Please note that the author of this paper does not necessarily agree that cancer is a fungus. It has been long known that a cancerous cell is one that has "switched" under environmental stress from the process of respiration to fermentation as its means of producing energy (Otto_Heinrich_Warburg).
Sources of Salt in the Human Diet[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
Contrary to popular belief, adequate quantities of sodium and, more particularly sodium chloride, are simply not available in natural foodstuffs. Typical food sources of salt quoted in the literature are all processed foods, and foods processed with salt such as olives. [Very possibly because most evolution took place in the sea, where the supply was assured.]
Fruit and vegetables and meat simply do not contain enough salt to sustain or animal life without supplementation. The previously cited USFDA Dietary Reference Intakes clearly states this already quoted point when it says "...almost all dietary chloride comes with the sodium added during processing or consumption of foods". In other words, the only sources of sodium and chloride in our diets is the salt added to processed foods or the salt we add to our food at the table.
On the other hand, potassium is abundant in vegetables and fruit.
Meme: Salt and Blood Pressure[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
The message that I was hoping to get across in this section was that low salt intake results high renin production which increases blood viscosity and blood pressure. Without making a medically oriented comment, I was wanting to draw attention to the obvious conclusion that low salt intake has adverse consequences.. so adverse that a new line of drugs are created and prescribed to deal with the increased renin. - Frank McManus
As noted earlier, the various autonomous systems (HAS) of the human (and animal) body closely regulate the concentration of Na+ (actually it regulates Na+ Cl-) in a very, very close range around 140mmol/L. When a human ingests salt, HAS will use some of it to make hydrochloric and bicarbonate, while the remainder will be brought across the walls of the small intestine and into the plasma i.e. from "outside" to "inside". In order to maintain Na+ at the right concentration, the HAS takes water from its tissues and increases the volume of plasma. This is why blood pressure increases when salt is ingested. However, the net effect of increasing the blood volume is that the viscosity of the plasma is reduced and after a short time, blood pressure returns to its previous level, cet par. This effect can be further mitigated by ingesting potassium rich foods (which means practically all vegetables and fruit).
According to the USFDA Dietary Reference Intakes (chapter 6, p ):–
Sodium chloride consumption is one of several dietary factors that contribute to increased blood pressure. Other dietary factors that raise blood pressure are excess weight, inadequate potassium intake, high alcohol consumption, and a suboptimal dietary pattern (see the following sections). Physical inactivity also increases blood pressure. Increased blood pressure is associated with several chronic diseases, including stroke, coronary heart disease, renal disease, and left ventricular hypertrophy.
As any engineer understands, fluid pressure is more affected by the viscosity of the fluid being pumped than it is to the volume of fluid being pumped.
The author also notes with interest the discussion in the literature on so called "salt sensitivity". This is essentially the view that some people experience a greater increase in blood pressure after ingesting salt than other people. The USFDA study noted that people with "high daily intakes" of salt are "less salt sensitive" than people on "low daily intakes". To the author, this would be the logical outcome of the discussion in the paragraphs above.
What has also been clearly noted in studies is that people on low salt diets have much greater levels of Renin in their blood than people who have higher levels. The author has a favourite quote from the Dietary Reference Intakes previously cited from page 283:–
Some investigators have interpreted the rise in plasma renin activity
from a reduced sodium intake as a deleterious response that
mitigates the potential benefits of sodium reduction on blood pressure
(Alderman et al., 1991). While this concern is theoretically
plausible, there is insufficient evidence in support of this claim.
Furthermore, in contrast to blood pressure, which is a well-accepted
cardiovascular risk factor, there is no such consensus on the interpretation
of plasma renin activity and its role in guiding nonpharmacological
or pharmacological therapy for high blood pressure.
Of course, there is the strange case of the "Renin Inhibitor" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renin_inhibitor. From the wikipedia article:–
It is suspected that essential hypertension, a heterogeneous disorder whose long-term effects can be end organ damage, can involve at least in some cases an overactivity of this system, which several types of medications attempt to counter. Renin concentration in blood plasma tends to be higher in younger people with hypertension when vasoconstriction may be the main reason for high blood pressure. Conversely, renin is lower in older people or in people of African American or African Caribbean ethnicity when salt retention may contribute more to elevated blood pressure. However, the role of plasma renin levels in the etiology and management of hypertension is disputed.
Note: M J Brown on Direct renin inhibition
Note: Moser and Izzo on Plasma renin measurement in the management of hypertension
Meme: Salt, Indigestion and Stomach Ulcers
[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
One of the well documented medical myths around is the absurd notion that indigestion, often called heartburn or gastric reflux, is caused by too much acid and should be treated with antacid. The cruel absurdity of this myth is that it leads to tremendous and unnecessary suffering. It seems that the term "indigestion" is too descriptive and if used "would give the game away".
Indigestion is just what the word says, i.e. an actual failure to fully digest what enters the stomach. This causes the valves at the top of the stomach open and gastric fluids are allowed to enter the oesophagus resulting in damage.
The medical condition of too much acid is called hyperchloridia, and is so rare as to be virtually unknown in general medical practice. Such a condition quickly results in the destruction of the oesophagus and rapid death.
The hydrochloric acid in digestive fluid serves several purposes including denaturing proteins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2ju5ys3Cxc) and destroying fungi, bacteria, parasites and viruses. The lower in pH the digestive fluid is, the more effective it is.
Note that pH is a logarithmic scale (chemistry review of pH) so gastric fluid with a pH of 1 is ONE THOUSAND TIMES stronger than gastric fluid with a pH of 4. So the difference in the effect of increasing salt intake to effectiveness of the digestive system is almost hidden by using pH as the measure, as the actual difference in effectiveness is not four times, it is ONE THOUSAND times.
We all know that dogs can eat carrion and survive without difficulty, while cows etc ingest all sorts of nasties and do not endure stomach illnesses. This is because of their strongly acid gastric fluids.
A Nobel Prize was won by two Australian scientists who established that Helicobacter Pelori, a bacterium found in the stomach of most, if not all humans, is the bug responsible for stomach ulcers. This bug is incredibly resistant to denaturing by hydrochloric, but struggles to exist in a pH 1 environment. In other words, the likelihood of a stomach ulcers increases as the pH of the gastric fluids increase.
This would suggest that the simplest way to cure indigestion is to increase salt intake as this will rapidly increase the body's production of hydrochloric acid. This method certainly worked for the author. The author repeats, however, that this note does not provide medical advice.
However, many people have come to regard table salt as so poisonous that they choose instead to swallow Betaine Hydrochloric Acid capsules.
The further corollary of the discussion above is that the treatments generally available to treat indigestion, namely antacid tablets, must necessarily neutralise stomach acid.
Meme: We Are What We Eat (in fact, We Are What We Digest)
[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
Apart from the more obvious metaphysical and spiritual issues related to this nasty misinforming homily, there is a serious problem with the living-in-the-moment aspects as well. A typical medical textbook of the 1940's would suggest that a human produces about 3 litres of gastric fluid with a pH of 1 (citation needed). More recent medical notes discuss gastric fluid pH of between 1 and 4. Gastric Fluid with a pH of 1 is ONE THOUSAND times stronger than gastric fluid with a pH of 4.
Digestive processes are clearly going to be more efficient when the gastric fluids are strongly acidic. This in turn means that the HAS is going to be able to extract far more of the nutrients it requires from the food that is eaten when compared to outcome of weakly acidic gastric fluid.
The stoichiometric calculation of salt to hydrochloric and bicarbonate conversion is that 17gms of salt is required to produce 3 litres of gastric fluid.
It is interesting to note that US Army "K-2" ration during WWII was 16gms of salt per day.
Readers of this note should bear in mind that the author subscribes to the view that practically all physical illness (and probably mental illness as well) is the result of malnutrition. A properly nourished person rarely falls prey to illness and recovers more rapidly. Proper nourishment does not result from EATING the right foodstuffs, it comes from DIGESTING the right foodstuffs. This explains the commonplace paradox of an overfed malnourished person.
Meme: Water Alone Does Not Rehydrate[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
British newspapers printed articles expressing bemusement that the EU made a ruling in late 2011 that bottled water could not be sold on the basis that the product prevented dehydration:–
Telegraph: EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration.
The standard misdirection of the media is demonstrated in full swing by these articles. Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydration.
As my earlier discussions have noted, the HAS maintains blood and plasma levels of Na+ within a very tight range around 140mmol/L. The Wikipedia discussion of body water [acknowledges that estimates of the amount of water in the human body vary] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_water contains:–
In Netter's Atlas of Human Physiology, body water is broken down into the following compartments:
• Intracellular fluid (2/3 of body water). Per Guyton, in a body containing 40 litres of fluid, about 25 litres is intracellular, which amounts to 62.5% (5/8), close enough to the 2/3 rule of thumb. Jackson's texts states 70% of body fluid is intracellular.
• Extracellular fluid (1/3 of body water). Per Guyton's illustration, for a 40 litre body, about 15 litres is extracellular, which amounts to 37.5% Again, this is close to the 1/3 rule of thumb cited here.
• Plasma (1/5 of extracellular fluid). Per Guyton's illustration, of the 15 litres of extracellular fluid, plasma volume averages 3 litres. This amounts to 20%, the same as per Netter's Atlas.
• Interstitial fluid (4/5 of extracellular fluid).
• Transcellular fluid (a.k.a. "third space," normally ignored in calculations). Contained inside organs, such as the gastrointestinal, cerebrospinal, peritoneal, and ocular fluids.
What all this means is that rehydration requires salty water. If pure water is ingested by a dehydrated person, then that person is at risk of developing hyponatraemia, a serious and often fatal condition. Recent examples of fatalities of this kind have taken place on the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/overhydration-hazard-for-kokoda-hikers-20110306-1bj97.htm.
If the reader continues to be unconvinced of the necessity of salt, please remember that perhaps the most common medical procedure in any hospital is the insertion of an "isotonic" saline drip directly into the patients venous system..
Meme: Salt and Hardened Arteries[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
The view that salt hardens arteries is perhaps one of the most specious of medical views which has become a meme in the general public. Although they carry blood, the arteries, which are actually a 3-layered tube, are maintained by a separate blood supply. As previously discussed, the HAS maintains Na+ levels in the blood within an extremely tight range around 140mmol/L regardless of salt intake. Since salt intake does not result in a variation of the concentration of Na+ (or Cl- for that matter) in the fluid being carried by the arteries or the fluid nourishing the arteries, then salt intake cannot be having any affect on the condition of the arteries.
Meme: Influence of Salt on Fluoride Uptake[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
The following abstract is taken from the paper Influence of Dietary Chloride on Fluoride Bioavailability in the Rat by Florian L Cerklewski, James W. Ridlington and Nathan D. Bills in the Journal of Nutrition (J. Nutr. 116: 618-624, 1986):–
A factorial experiment was conducted with weanling rats fed a purified diet to determine the influence of dietary chloride (0.02, 0.10, and 0.5%) as sodium chloride on fluoride non-availability (2 or 10ppm as sodium fluoride). After 8 wk, rats fed the lowest chloride-containing diets had significant reductions of plasma chloride, urinary chloride excretion and growth rate compared to other chloride groups. Depressed growth occurred in rats fed chloride-deficient diets despite the fact that food intake was similar for all treatments. Fluoride retention was greatest is chloride-deficient rats, which was reflected in enhanced skeletal uptake of fluoride. Fluoride absorption was not inhibited by high chloride intake. We therefore conclude that emphasis on the effect of chloride on fluoride bioavailability should be directed towards an enhancement of fluoride retention by low salt (sodium chloride) diets rather than in terms of a possible negative effect of a high salt diet on fluoride absorption.
The author of this note is content to make no further comment on this topic.
Note on the 'Chloride Shift', an IntraCellular Process[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
The 'chloride shift' by which HCO3- and Cl- interact must be part of this process (though I'm not sure what). My best guess is that acidity and alkalinity, in aqueous solution, as H3O+ and -OH-H(2)O, are manipulated by Cl- and HCO3- with salt and carbon dioxide in solution.
The point is that organisms with a mechanism for handling hydrogen ions, in a way to concentrate them far above ambient levels, have potential survival weapon(s). I presume the chloride shift is part of this mechanism.
I remain forever grateful to you for drawing my attention to the "chloride shift". It turns out that this is perhaps the most important "unknown fact" about salt. Inadequate levels of chloride leads to sub par oxygenation and removal of cell CO2. I have a lot more to update on the topic of salt.
– Frank McManus
Note on Iodine in FoodAdded by 'Rerevisionist'
[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
Iodine is a component of thyroxin, but is a micro-nutrient: it's essential, but only in tiny amounts. If life originated in seawater, this would be unproblematic: seawater doesn't contain much iodine as a percentage, but the whole of the sea has large amounts. On land, it's well established that iodine shortage leads to goitre (goiter = US spelling), the thyroid gland swelling up in the neck to try to collect low levels of iodine. The further from salt water, the more likely this is—unless seasalt is part of the local diet. (There may be other uses for iodine, too).
Iodine, like chlorine, is corrosive. However, at room temperature it's solid, and fairly harmless. It's presumably usually ingested as an iodide, or iodine complex, not as elemental iodine. Frank McManus's investigations lead him to claim that iodine in milk has reduced, because cows, about to be milked, used to have their udders washed in Lugol's solution, which is potassium iodide in water, plus iodine, which it dissolves. This acted as an antiseptic. Now, cheaper substances (antibiotics?) are used instead; the side-effect of reduction in iodine in food having been disregarded. McManus recommends iodine supplementation. (Possibly potassium iodide, sold by Alex Jones of 'Infowars' under the phony pretext of protecting against a fast-decaying isotope of iodine, may in fact lead to better health because of this supplementation).
[ Top of page - What this article is about | Start of Article, Ignoring the Introduction ]
Anecdote from Bertrand Russell's Autobiography Vol I:
As is always pointed out, salt is an essential nutrient for human and animal health. In the main, the recommendations for humans are quite different to the recommendations given for animal husbandry.
I had no fruit, practically no sugar, and an excess of carbohydrates. Nevertheless, I never had a day's illness except a mild attack of measles at the age of eleven. Since I became interested in children, after the birth of my own children, I have never known one nearly as healthy as I was, and yet I am sure that any modern expert on children's diet would think that I ought to have had various deficiency diseases. ...
During my early years at Pembroke Lodge the servants played a larger part in my life than the family did. ... there was a French cook named Michaud, who was rather terrifying, but in spite of her awe-inspiring qualities I could not resist going to the kitchen to see the roast meat turning on the old-fashioned spit, and to steal lumps of salt, which I liked better than sugar, out of the salt box. She would pursue me with a carving knife, but I always escaped easily. ...'
Bertrand Russell 1872-1970.
Nonetheless, it seems that public health authorities around the world are encouraging the human population to minimise its salt intake on the assumption that this will result in lower blood pressure. While there is a connection between high blood pressure and increased risk of strokes, there is no direct connection between salt intake and increased risk of strokes. Moreover, there is evidence that reducing salt intake below 2.3gms/day will result in an increase in the levels of renin in the blood which some studies have indicated results in increased blood pressure. Furthermore, the effect of salt increasing blood pressure are mitigated by increased potassium intake, exercise, weight reduction and lower alcohol intakes.
On the other hand, there is significant evidence that chloride deficiency can result in serious adverse consequences for human health. These include the death and illness reported as a result of salt deficient baby formula and the outcomes of the Florian et al study with rats quoted above.
In general, on a population wide basis, those populations which ingest the highest levels of salt enjoy the highest longevity, while those who ingest the lowest levels of salt suffer the lowest longevity..
To this layman, it seems that the benefits of having a low salt diet are rather nebulous, while the risks of having too little salt in the diet are quite serious.
As mentioned in the introduction provided by Rerevisionist, the author has several other speculations with respect to salt. These include:
• That the increase in lifespan and general health coincident with the so called "Industrial Revolution" is attributable to sudden availability of cheap, plentiful salt.
• That the European conquest of foreign lands was largely a result of their relatively high salt diet which made them able to tolerate/resist diseases of the foreign lands. By extension, the natives of the conquered lands that did not enjoy relatively high salt intakes were overwhelmed by the diseases that the invaders brought with them. Similarly, it is said that when Julius Caesar invaded England that one of his first tasks was the establishment of the work of his "Salt Makers".
• That there seems to be no physiological reason why the advice on salt intake provided for animal husbandry is so radically different to that offered by health professionals to the human population.
• Historians might like to explore the hypothesis that salt has played a part in civilisation as great as water and food. And conversely with shortage of salt. Perhaps cities such as Babylon, Alexandria, Peking, Rome and so on, and regions such as Europe, had convenient deposits of salt (inland), or exploitable sea-salt (needing perhaps stone or clay, and sufficient hot sun, and wind). There must be many studies, but perhaps not with the medical perception.
This article mostly by Frank McManus Dec 24 2013 - 23 Feb 2014. HTML and notes on origin of website Rae West big-lies.org. First upload 2014-02-13. Still subject to some changes. Most recent additions: iodine, and Frank McManus's summary 2016-04-08. Russell anecdote 14 Apr 2016. Explicit anti-cancer mention 3 July 2016. Frank McManus on the 'chloride shift' 20 July 2016. Small change to reduce a few very long URLs 2016-10-24 | <urn:uuid:b1fa6b95-e2a1-4f42-be43-82b6b1bb5172> | {
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Up to 10 percent of a mammal's genome is made up of DNA captured from retroviruses, which insert their DNA into the host genome and sometimes lose the ability to get back out of the cell. Most of this genetic material seems to be gibberish, but in humans there are signs that one viral gene is still kicking. Genetic studies of post-birth placentas spotted activity from a gene that would once have produced part of the protein envelope coating a circulating retrovirus, now extinct. Researchers identified envelope genes from other viruses active in the placentas of mice, primates and sheep. The viral gene products cause cultured cells to fuse together as they would in the placenta, suggesting they play a considerable reproductive role in these various mammals.
Pregnancies in sheep actually fail without activity from the animal's viral gene, reproductive biologist Thomas Spencer of Texas A&M University and his colleagues report in a paper published online September 11 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. On the eighth day of pregnancy, the group injected sheep with RNA molecules designed to stick to and neutralize the retroviral RNA. By day 16 the placentas were underdeveloped, and the embryos died by day 20. Cells that would have formed the outside of the placenta failed to grow and proliferate with their normal vigor, the group found.
The result suggests that retroviral genes are equally important in primate and mouse reproduction, Spencer says. He notes that each of these groups of mammals seems to have acquired its viral gene independently. "They probably enhanced reproduction and the animals became reliant on these genes," he says. Other experts see the sheep as a good proxy for studying the viral gene's role in human reproduction. "The system provides an experimental model for testing, which we can't do in humans," says retrovirologist John Coffin of Tufts University. | <urn:uuid:5a7181fe-4db3-4c52-abe1-4914508afc36> | {
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By Emma Husband, Staff Writer
Over 500 women have now been rescued by the Nigerian army from Boko Haram, where they were being help captive as sex slaves.
As a result, many of the rescued women are pregnant. While there has been a lot of talk about the need for healthcare, counselling and aid for these women and consequent provision of this, there's been a lot less about providing safe abortions for those who choose.
Regaining control over one's body is an important part of the healing process for those who have undergone sexual violence. The trauma of rape and sexual assault can often cause disassociations with the body, which is used an unconscious coping mechanism. While this can be useful for gaining control over events that have happened, it can also stunt healing and possibly replicate the challenge to bodily autonomy that rape causes.
As such, regaining a say in what happens to one's body and the ability to control this can be a powerful healing tool. In order for this to happen, there must be choices available and the autonomous opportunities to make these choices.
Women who have been raped in conflict often suffer stigma and isolation in the community. This is increased when they have a child as a result of that rape, and also extends to the child. On the other hand, some women who bear the child of their rape do so in order that something positive can come out of the horrific ordeal. While there is no correct way forward, the importance of having choices available is paramount.
Despite abortion being illegal in Nigeria except in cases where a woman's life is at risk, there are legal frameworks in place and a precedent for providing abortions to women who have been raped. It was widely acknowledged that any women and girls rescued from Boko Haram would have been used as sex slaves and abused and so there was work done beforehand regarding the possibilities for provision of safe abortions.
However, this hasn't translated into effective action.
While hoping that more women will be rescued from the militants' grips, we need to keep raising our voices about their rights afterwards so that they have choices about their own lives. | <urn:uuid:1e2b481f-c48e-4d33-9a31-66d8f8e6c6cb> | {
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In our writing lessons we have been reading the story, 'The Wolf's Footprints' by Susan Price. Our writing task for this week was to write persuasive letters to a character in the story. To help us get in to role we dressed up as some of the characters and carried out a debate in class. We then presented our debates to the whole class at the end of the lesson.
Kingsgate Primary School Kingsgate Road London NW6 4LB
Tel 020 76245379 | <urn:uuid:9155db94-4b38-4508-bb1f-18e44c8c38ec> | {
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Some of the recommended anti-inflammatory foods include almonds, avocados, broccoli, blueberries and carrots, according to Shereen Lehman for About.com. Dry beans, kale, oranges and olive oil also help control inflammation.
Inflammation is a normal reaction of the body to infection, injury or irritation, but chronic inflammation may result from an unhealthy diet, notes Lehman. An anti-inflammatory meal plan that’s rich in antioxidants, vitamins and phytochemicals helps fight chronic inflammation.
Almonds contain plenty of monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, manganese, magnesium and plant protein, says Lehman. Eating almonds helps a person feel full, thus making the food ideal for a weight loss diet. Avocados and olive oil are also good sources of monounsaturated fats. Dietitians advise adding half an avocado to an individual’s daily meal plan to obtain essential vitamins and antioxidants.
Broccoli, kale and other cruciferous vegetables are rich in glucosinolates, which are phytochemicals that serve as antioxidants, explains Lehman. Blueberries also offer copious amounts of phytochemicals called polyphenols, which contribute to the body’s antioxidant activity, fix cellular damage and help prevent diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular problems.
Carrots provide the body with beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein, which help lower the risk of cancer, states Lehman. Dry beans that fight inflammation include navy beans, kidney beans and pinto beans. Oranges offer lots of vitamin C, potassium and minerals that contribute to heart health and immune system function. | <urn:uuid:a38192ac-7255-4c5d-a986-3cd175b91222> | {
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The Tornado Climatology of Australia 1795–2013
Keyword optimization has been used to identify tornadoes from the scanned data while reflecting changes to terms used in the historical vernacular. Additional metadata relating to intensity, time of occurrence, path characteristics, injuries, fatalities and damage is inferred from newspaper accounts. Further, tornadoes from the existing Severe Storms Archive are cross-validated and additional metadata determined for inclusion in the new climatology. Based on documentary evidence, tornadoes are rated via the Fujita scale using three categorizations to reflect uncertainty in historical strength determination (Weak F0-F1, Strong F2-F3 and Violent F4-F5). The quality of record for each identified event is categorized into three levels (Possible, Likely or Definite) and is based on the reliability of observations, as well as documentation of characteristics indicating the presence of a tornadic event.
For the period 1795 to 1900, the historical analysis has increased the existing database by a factor of ten for the same period to over 1000 events, nearly equalling existing observations. Annual frequency ranges between 30 and 80 observed tornado events per year, though this likely underestimates the total frequency given underreporting due to population density. Several previously unknown tornado outbreak cases have also been identified, including an event producing at least 40 tornadoes in a nine-hour period in 1897. Seasonally, Australian tornado occurrence peaks in the spring and earlier summer, with near-coastal low instability tornadoes recorded each winter. These insights into the nature of the historical climatology allow a greater understanding of risks in the present and future relating to deaths from tornadoes, the frequency of outbreaks and violent tornadoes, as well as spatial occurrence. While reviewing historical accounts is painstaking, the climatology has demonstrated the importance of considering documentary evidence for understanding the frequency of severe phenomena such as tornadoes in data poor countries outside of the United States. Going forward, this climatology will form the basis to analyze the synoptic conditions that are favorable to the development of tornadoes in Australia. | <urn:uuid:78ef9335-a8f2-4329-9ac9-773b532cb1cf> | {
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Sledding has been a winter ritual for generations. Anywhere there's snow and a hillside, you can find people sledding. Your grandparents probably did it, as did your parents, and someday your kids will do it, too. Why? It's tons of fun, and it doesn't require any special skills or equipment other than a sled and a helmet.
But sledding can also cause injuries, some of them pretty serious. To keep yourself safe, follow these tips.
Why Is Sledding Safety Important?
Though it may seem like harmless fun, sledding injuries send tens of thousands of people to hospital emergency rooms each year. More than half of all sledding injuries are head injuries, which can be very serious and even deadly. Sledders are actually more likely to be injured in collisions than skiers or snowboarders.
Choose the Right Hill
When hills get coated with snow, they may all look like great locations for sledding. But not all hills are safe. Choose yours carefully. Here are a few guidelines to follow:
Select a hill that is not too steep and has a long flat area at the bottom for you to glide to a stop.
Avoid hillsides that end near a street or parking lot.
Avoid hillsides that end near ponds, trees, fences or other hazards.
Make sure the hill is free of obstacles such as jumps, bumps, rocks, or trees before you begin sledding.
Choose hills that are snowy rather than icy. If you fall off your sled, icy slopes make for hard landings.
Try to sled during the daytime, when visibility is better. If you go sledding at night, make sure the hillside is well lit and all potential hazards are visible.
Dress for Success
Since sledding involves playing in the snow outdoors during wintertime, chances are it's going to be cold. Frostbite and even hypothermia are potential dangers. So is hitting your head. Be sure to wear the proper clothing to stay warm and safe.
Wear sensible winter clothing — hats, gloves or mittens, snow pants, winter jacket, snow boots — that is waterproof and warm, and change into something dry if your clothes get wet.
Avoid wearing scarves or any clothing that can get caught in a sled and pose a risk of strangulation.
Wear a helmet designed for winter sports. If you don't have a ski or winter sports helmet, at least wear the helmet you use for biking or skateboarding.
The best sleds can be steered by their riders and have brakes to slow them down. Avoid sleds that can't be steered, such as saucers or plastic toboggans, and never use a sled substitute like an inner tube, lunch tray, or cardboard box. Good sleds are relatively cheap to buy and are well worth the extra money.
Follow These Simple Safety Rules
You've got the right kind of sled and a helmet, you're dressed warmly, and you've picked out a perfect hill. You're ready to go. Follow these rules to keep yourself and other sledders safe:
Designate a go-to adult. In the event someone gets injured, you'll want an adult on hand to administer first aid and, if necessary, take the injured sledder to the emergency room.
Always sit face-forward on your sled. Never sled down a hill backwards or while standing, and don't go down the hill face-first, as this greatly increases the risk of a head injury.
Young kids (5 and under) should sled with an adult, and kids under 12 should be actively watched at all times.
Go down the hill one at a time and with only one person per sled (except for adults with young children). Piling more than one person on a sled just means there are more things on the hill that you can collide with.
Never build an artificial jump or obstacle on a sledding hill.
Keep your arms and legs within the sled at all times, and if you fall off the sled, move out of the way. If you find yourself on a sled that won't stop, roll off it and get away from it.
Walk up the side of the hill and leave the middle open for other sledders.
Never ride a sled that is being pulled by a moving vehicle.
While it's unlikely that you'll be injured while sledding, the possibility definitely exists. Just take a little extra time to dress properly and make sure you're following these safety guidelines, and you'll have a better time knowing you have less to worry about. Sledding is supposed to be fun. Stay safe and warm, and you'll ensure that it is! | <urn:uuid:6075aecf-7325-4c32-b12d-91fc511b016b> | {
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Lung Cancer Fact Sheet
- surpassed breast cancer Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the U.S. In 1987, it to become the leading cause of cancer deaths in women.
- An estimated 158,040 Americans are expected to die from lung cancer in 2015, accounting for approximately 27 percent of all cancer deaths.
- The number of deaths caused by lung cancer has increased approximately 3.5 percent between 1999 and 2012 from 152,156 to 157,499. The number of deaths among men has plateaued but the number is still rising among women. In 2012, there were 86,740 deaths due to lung cancer in men and 70,759 in women.
- The age-adjusted death rate for lung cancer is higher for men (56.1 per 100,000 persons) than for women (36.4 per 100,000 persons). It also is higher for blacks (48.3 per 100,000 persons) compared to whites (45.6 per 100,000 persons). Black men have a far higher age-adjusted lung cancer death rate than white men, while black and white women have similar rates.
Prevalence and Incidence
- Approximately 402,326 Americans living today have been diagnosed with lung cancer at some point in their lives. 3
- During 2015, an estimated 221,200 new cases of lung cancer were expected to be diagnosed, representing about 13 percent of all cancer diagnoses. 2
- The majority of living lung cancer patients have been diagnosed within the last five years. Lung cancer is mostly a disease of the elderly. In 2011, 82 percent of those living with lung cancer were 60 years of age or older. 3
- In 2011, Kentucky had the highest age-adjusted lung cancer incidence rates in both men (112.2 per 100,000) and women (79.3 per 100,000). Utah had the lowest age-adjusted cancer incidence rates in both men and women (34.5 per 100,000 and 25.0 per 100,000, respectively). 4 These state-specific rates were parallel to smoking prevalence rates.
- Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, accounting for 1.8 million new cases and 1.6 million deaths in 2012. 5
- The National Institutes of Health estimate that cancer care cost the U.S. an overall $124.6 billion in 2010, $12.1 billion of which is due to lung cancer. Lost productivity due to early death from cancer lead to an additional $134.8 billion in 2005, $36.1 billion of which was caused by lung cancer. 6
- More men are diagnosed with lung cancer each year, but more women live with the disease. The rate of new cases in 2011 showed that men develop lung cancer more often than women (64.8 and 48.6 per 100,000, respectively). 3
- The rate of new lung cancer cases (incidence) over the past 37 years has dropped for men (28 percent decrease), while it has risen for women (98 percent increase). In 1975, rates were low for women, but rising for both men and women. In 1984, the rate of new cases for men peaked (102.1 per 100,000) and then began declining. The rate of new cases for women increased further, did not peak until 1998 (52.9 per 100,000), and has now started to decline.3
- Blacks are more likely to develop and die from lung cancer than persons of any other racial or ethnic group. The age-adjusted lung cancer incidence rate among black men is approximately 32 percent higher than for white men, even though their overall exposure to cigarette smoke, the primary risk factor for lung cancer, is lower. 3, 7
- The lung cancer incidence rate for black women is roughly equal to that of white women, despite the fact that they smoke fewer cigarettes. 3, 7
- The lung cancer five-year survival rate (17.8 percent) is lower than many other leading cancer sites, such as the colon (65.4 percent), breast (90.5 percent) and prostate (99.6 percent). 3
- The five-year survival rate for lung cancer is 54 percent for cases detected when the disease is still localized (within the lungs). However, only 15 percent of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage. For distant tumors (spread to other organs) the five-year survival rate is only 4 percent. 3
- More than half of people with lung cancer die within one year of being diagnosed. 3
Smoking-Attributable Lung Cancer
- Smoking, a main cause of small cell and non-small cell lung cancer, contributes to 80 percent and 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in women and men, respectively. Men who smoke are 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer. Women are 13 times more likely, compared to never smokers. 8
- Between 2005 and 2010, an average of 130,659 Americans (74,300 men and 56,359 women) died of smoking-attributable lung cancer each year. Exposure to secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers every year. 9
- Nonsmokers have a 20 to 30 percent greater chance of developing lung cancer if they are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work. 10
- It has been estimated that active smoking is responsible for close to 90 percent of lung cancer cases; radon causes 10 percent, occupational exposures to carcinogens account for approximately 9 to 15 percent and outdoor air pollution 1 to 2 percent. Because of the interactions between exposures, the combined attributable risk for lung cancer can exceed 100 percent. 11
- Exposure to radon is estimated to be the second-leading cause of lung cancer, accounting for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year (range of 8,000 to 45,000). Radon is a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas that is produced by decaying uranium and occurs naturally in soil and rock. The majority of these deaths occur among smokers since there is a greater risk for lung cancer when smokers also are exposed to radon. 12
- Lung cancer can also be caused by occupational exposures, including asbestos, uranium and coke (an important fuel in the manufacture of iron in smelters, blast furnaces and foundries). The combination of asbestos exposure and smoking greatly increases the risk of developing lung cancer. 13
- Nonsmoking asbestos workers are five times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers not exposed to asbestos; if they also smoke, the risk factor jumps to 50 or higher. 11 Environmental exposures also can increase the risk of lung cancer death. 14
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. CDC WONDER On-line Database, compiled from Compressed Mortality File 1999-2012 Series 20 No. 2R, 2014.
- American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures, 2015.
- S. National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2011.
- S. National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. State Cancer Profiles ;web tool, accessed October 6, 2014.
- World Health Organization. International Agency for Research on Cancer. GLOBOCAN 2012: Estimated Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide in 2012. Lung Cancer. Accessed November 10, 2014.
- S. National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Cancer Trends Progress Report – 2011/2012 Update. Costs of Cancer Care.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey, 2010. Analysis by the American Lung Association, Research and Program Services Division using SPSS software.
- The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the U.S. Surgeon General, 2004.
- S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2014.
- S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2006.
- Alberg AJ, Samet JM. Epidemiology of Lung Cancer. Chest. 2003; 123:21-49.
- S. Environmental Protection Agency. A Citizen’s Guide to Radon. January 2013.
- S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Toxicology Program. 12th Report on Carcinogens (RoC). June 10, 2011.
- Jerrett M, et al. Spatial Analysis of Air Pollution and Mortality in Los Angeles. Epidemiology. November 2005; 16(6):727-36.
*Racial and ethnic minority terminology reflects those terms used by the Centers For Disease Control. | <urn:uuid:ad112c6b-156e-481f-8428-3ed940e88240> | {
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Martha Nussbaum is working on a book on religion and the Constitution. A portion of the research on the book led to her January 31, 2006 entry into the Chicago's Best Ideas series, entitled "The Roots of Respect: Roger Williams and Religious Fairness." Martha's talk explores Williams's interesting and prescient (although long and dense) writings on the subject, and explains why Williams has a lot to say to those who believe separation of church and state is an idea created by non-religious people. You can listen to the talk and discussion here.
As always, instructions for listening and subscribing, should you need them, are available here. The blurb Martha used for the publicity for her talk is below the fold.
Roger Williams (1603-84), founder of the colony of Rhode Island, is usually remembered for the phrase "wall of separation," which he used once in a letter. His systematic philosophical works are rarely studied, although they anticipate in every major point John Locke's well-known "A Letter Concerning Toleration." Williams's ideas about the worth of the individual conscience and the foundations of religious freedom are rich and compelling, the origin of a distinctive American tradition of thought about fairness to religious minorities. | <urn:uuid:882adb2f-c633-42a8-9ea5-819f9f618ac3> | {
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Research questions REDD Program in Chiapas for Destroying Indigenous Identity
The program Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD Plus), driven by the UN, has been embraced by the government of Mexico since 2010, and its flagship is Chiapas where, as in other countries, the program is controversial.
Why New Zealand’s consultation process is important for REDD+ countries
As the first country to implement a national level emissions trading system (ETS) that also includes a forestry component as part of its climate change strategy and meets New Zealand’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, NZ’s experience in developing this system warrants close attention.
Efforts to secure land ownership for tribal people in one of India’s poorest states are bolstering their economic security in the face of climate-induced hardships, and helping conserve farmland and forest.
Wapichan communities of Guyana, presented a proposal to the government of that country to give them the care of 1.4 million hectares of native forests. Its aim is to preserve and protect that area of industries that could threaten its | <urn:uuid:0d6c3387-e394-4e8d-8ecd-9524a93acf65> | {
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"url": "http://forestindustries.eu/de/category/forests-w%C3%A4lder/land-tenure-rights?page=3"
} |
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