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NASA’s Mercury mission comes to a crashing end
Washington: Running out of fuel, NASA’s Messenger spacecraft crashed into Mercury’s surface on Thursday at 3.26.02 p.m. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time), thereby putting a historic end to its four years of orbital operations.
The Messenger was the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft’s seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unravelling the history and evolution of the Solar System’s innermost planet.
Travelling at 3.91 km per second or 14,000 kmph, the Messenger spacecraft’s crash created a crater estimated to be 16 metres (52 feet) in diameter, NASA said.
The mission has far exceeded its primary plan of one year in orbit.
“Today we bid a fond farewell to one of the most resilient and accomplished spacecraft ever to have explored our neighbouring planets,” said Sean Solomon, Messenger’s principal investigator and director of the Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
“Our craft set a record for planetary flybys, spent more than four years in orbit about the planet closest to the Sun, and survived both punishing heat and extreme doses of radiation,” Solomon noted.
Messenger was launched on August 3, 2004, and began orbiting Mercury on March 18, 2011. The spacecraft completed its primary science objectives by March 2012.
Because Messenger’s initial discoveries raised important new questions and the payload remained healthy, the mission was extended twice, allowing the spacecraft to make observations from extraordinarily low altitudes and capture images and information about the planet in unprecedented detail.
Messenger has acquired over 270,000 images and extensive other data sets, NASA said.
“Among its other achievements, Messenger determined Mercury’s surface composition, revealed its geological history, discovered that its internal magnetic field is offset from the planet’s centre, taught us about Mercury’s unusual internal structure, followed the chemical inventory of its exosphere with season and time of day, discovered novel aspects of its extraordinarily active magnetosphere, and verified that its polar deposits are dominantly water ice,” Solomon pointed out. | <urn:uuid:b400e1b7-cf58-4426-8bee-17c992178cff> | {
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such as "Introduction", "Conclusion"..etc
1 Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 32 Main Street, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 1J5 and 2 Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
* For correspondence. E-mail [email protected]
Received: 26 July 2004 Returned for revision: 22 September 2004 Accepted: 29 October 2004 Published electronically: 20 January 2005
• Background and Aims The gynoecium of the domestic apple, Malus x domestica, has been assumed to be imperfectly syncarpic, whereby pollination of each stigmatic surface can result in fertilization within only one of the five carpels. Despite its implied effect on fruit quantity and quality, the resulting influence of flower form on seed set and distribution within the apple fruit has seldom been investigated. Instead, poor fruit quality is usually attributed to problems with pollination, such as low bee numbers and/or ineffective pollinators within apple agro-ecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine the true nature of gynoecial structure and its influence on fruit production in the apple cultivar ‘Summerland McIntosh’.
• Methods A stigma-excision method was used to determine the effects of uneven pollination among the five stigmas on fruit quantity (as measured by fruit set), and quality (seed number and distribution). In addition, flowers were examined microscopically to determine pollen tube pathways.
• Key Results Fruit set, seed number, seed distribution, and the microscopic examination of flower gynoecial structure reported in this study indicated that the gynoecium of the cultivar Summerland McIntosh is perfectly syncarpic and not imperfectly syncarpic as previously thought.
• Conclusions Pollination levels among the five stigmas need not be uniform to obtain full seed development within Summerland McIntosh fruit; even if one stigmatic surface is adequately pollinated, a full complement of seeds is likely. The importance of perfect syncarpy in recognizing true causes of poor fruit quality in apple is discussed. Cory S. Sheffield, Robert F. Smith and Peter G. Kevan For the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Government of Canada
Key words: Malus x domestica, apple, pollination, flower structure, pollen-tube pathway, perfect syncarpy, seed distribution, fruit quality
Annals of Botany 2005 95(4):583-591.
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- Americans are being asked to avoid nonessential travel to the West African nations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone where history's largest outbreak of the Ebola virus continues to spread throughout the region.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday issued the Level 3 travel warning as outbreaks of the deadly virus occur across all three countries, which share a common border.
"That common border appears to be the epicenter of the outbreaks," said CDC director Tom Frieden in a telephone briefing with reporters.
The CDC will send 50 disease control specialists to the region over the next 30 days to help establish emergency operations centers, strengthen lab networks to speed testing for the disease and build the capacity of local areas to respond to the outbreak, Frieden said.
“This is the biggest and most complex Ebola outbreak in history. Far too many lives have been lost already,” Frieden said. “It will take many months, and it won’t be easy, but Ebola can be stopped. We know what needs to be done."
Frieden said the disease doesn't pose a major threat for the United States because it can only be passed to others by an infected person who's showing symptoms of the disease. Infection can also occur through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected symptomatic person or direct contact with objects like needles that were contaminated with infected secretions.
The CDC is helping with screening activities in West Africa to prevent sick travelers from getting on planes. The CDC and its partners are not, however, screening passengers traveling from affected countries. | <urn:uuid:5402f1b2-aae7-4593-90cb-cf22d83f0cf3> | {
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Living Green: Coral Conundrum
by James Randolph
© D.R. Schrichte / SeaPics.com
They pirouette like dancers through the water in aquariums of all sizes at my local pet store. The colorful salt- water fish—damsels and clown fish—hold customers’ gazes the longest, and I marvel at the power these aquatic acrobats have to charm and calm us. But chances are these tiny fish once called the ocean home—and that’s bad news for corals, which need reef fish to stay healthy.
Americans buy more than half of the saltwater aquarium fish sold worldwide, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While some importers ensure their suppliers catch fish responsibly, many import from collectors that dump poisons such as cyanide, bleach or gasoline into the water to stun fish and make collecting easier. Some even crush the slow-growing corals to capture hiding fish. The result is rampant habitat destruction leading to ecosystem degradation and loss. “The ornamental coral reef wildlife trade is a large and growing problem, but it is a problem that we can solve,” says Daniel Thornhill, Defenders’ coral reef scientist.
Unlike some other countries, the United States protects coral by law, but resident fish are still fair game, and they pay a steep price. Take the yellow tang in Hawaii. In recent years, the aquarium trade has decimated the wild population, which had declined by almost half in the last decade in areas still open to collection. That’s one reason Defenders is working to ensure U.S. buyers only import coral reef fish, corals and invertebrates that are collected sustainably.
“As the world’s largest importer of ornamental coral reef wildlife, we have the opportunity to improve the sustainability of reefs throughout the world,” says Thornhill. “And balanced fisheries management is in everyone’s best interest.”
That’s because reefs also help sustain life above the waves. They protect coastal communities and beaches from storms and they support tourism, generating billions of dollars and millions of jobs in more than 100 countries. In Hawaii, for example, reefs reel in more than $300 million from tourism each year. Many reef species also hold unique medicinal compounds used in treatments for cardiovascular disease, ulcers, leukemia and skin cancer.
Back at the pet store, I watch the yellow tang hovering behind a sign reading, “On Sale $40,” and wonder when enough people will realize this little fish is worth so much more than that. | <urn:uuid:ce18435a-9a03-4f07-ab3e-3537c0bf06af> | {
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Gardening Articles: Care :: Pests & Problems
by National Gardening Association Editors
Earwigs grow to be about an inch long. And they can pinch, so handle them carefully.
These reddish-brown nocturnal creatures feed primarily on decaying organic matter or other insects, hiding in dark, damp places during the day. They are found throughout the United States, and when their populations are high, they may cause damage in the garden by feeding on a variety of plants such as lettuce, corn, celery, tender young seedlings, and blossoms and ripening fruits.
If earwigs are a problem in your garden, trap and destroy them. One method is to fill a flowerpot with crumpled paper, then place it upside down in the garden with a stick to prop it slightly off the ground. During the day earwigs will crawl into the paper to hide, at which point you can collect them.
Photography by David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org | <urn:uuid:30a8dd1f-1faa-44a4-81df-23e35769088b> | {
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It pays to go to school and stay in school literally.
The median earnings of a full-time, year-round worker with an advanced degree (beyond a bachelor’s degree) in 2002 was $74,000. A worker with a bachelor’s degree earned a median salary of $56,000. A full-time worker’s earnings with a high school diploma was $33,000. Those workers with less than a high school diploma had median earnings of $25,000. (Source: Educational Attainment in the US, 2009).
The US Census Bureau tells us that 41 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds were enrolled in college in 2010. Fifty-six percent were women, including undergraduate and graduate. The number of women outnumbers men in college.
I think the push early in the elementary years that math and science are not just for males has made an impact on that number. Science fairs, critical thinking exercises, enrichment activities, math bowls, knowledge bowls, and problem-solving activities have provided avenues for learners both female and male to explore, expand, and nurture their interests, as well as their skills.
Although research shows that, for the majority of learners, direct instruction is the most effective teaching method to take in knowledge, versus exploratory learning (at least for the initial learning of the skill), using more exploratory methods along with direct instruction is important. For some learners, who catch on quickly, allowing them to use other methods of learning where they can explore and investigate is critical.
That is why a teacher in the classroom is the most valuable resource in a school, beyond technology and textbooks. Teachers are in charge of trying to meet the needs of all the students, and providing varied activities to meet the learning styles of all of the students. This takes a lot of time and effort.
Teachers also set up the learning environment for children, as well as the classroom setting and atmosphere. Students need to feel that they belong in that classroom. They need to feel safe and secure physically and emotionally. Without that type of environment, students will not rise to the challenge of meeting their potential, or of taking risks.
As a teacher, I am cognizant of this. I never belittle my students nor disrespect them. I always tell my students we are “in this together.” I set the stage that I am there to teach them; not only information and skills, but also identifying and focusing on their assets and strengths and to build upon those.
I am teaching I like to call it mentoring young adults with disabilities who are on their road to adult living and independence. Their travels and roads may take different routes for each of them, but that does not make any one of their travels and plans any less difficult.
It is important that all children younger and older learn to advocate for themselves and their needs.
The young adults I work with are taught that they should not be embarrassed by their disability, but accept and embrace who they are, and build upon their skills. They learn to advocate for their needs, know their limitations, and build upon their strengths.
This is true for everyone and should be instilled in all of our children.
Everyone has something to share with the world, and we need to help our children discover what positive skill makes them ignite.
As parents, we need to support our teachers. If there are concerns, they should be shared, instead of allowing those concerns to fester. Communication is important.
As school is about to begin across the spectrum of age, abilities, and interests, let us encourage and support students’ learning process.
Last year, I received a very heartfelt thank you from a parent whose daughter was graduating from high school. Her words expressed appreciation for helping her daughter find her way in becoming a woman.
“It takes a village to raise a child, and you were a major part of her village,” were the words she ended her thank you with.
I believe that we are all here as part of a village to raise and grow our children.
We want our children to stay in school, enjoy learning, embrace their skills and interests, and take flight. | <urn:uuid:5651c7ee-1045-4924-9f55-8a7911b833fc> | {
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While an expert analyst can detect many instances of forgery, a good simulation can be undetectable. One example of a forgery the experts missed is the case of the "lost" Hitler diaries. (Although there's a good reason why they missed it.)
In the 1980s, a man named Konrad Kujau, a supposed collector of Nazi memorabilia, approached a German publishing company with 60 handwritten journals purported to be written by Adolf Hitler that had, according to Kujau, just been discovered in the wreckage of an airplane that had left Germany after World War II. The texts seemed to be genuine, and Kujau had an apparently good reputation, so the publishing company paid $2.3 million for the lot. The diaries were immediately published in installment form in a German newspaper owned by the same publishing company, and syndication rights were sold to several international publications, including The London Times. It was The Times that requested a professional handwriting analysis to ensure authenticity.
Three international experts in forensic handwriting analysis compared the diaries to exemplars that were apparently known to be written by Hitler. All agreed that the diaries were written by the same person who wrote the exemplars. The diaries were for real.
It was an analysis of the ink and paper used to write the diaries that revealed them as fakes. An ultraviolet-light examination revealed that the paper contained an ingredient that wasn't used in paper until 1954. Hitler died in 1945. Further forensic tests on the ink showed it had been applied to the paper within the last 12 months. As it turns out, though, the handwriting analysis was in fact correct - the person who'd written the diaries had also written the exemplars. Kujau, later found out to be an experienced con artist, had also forged the exemplars the police were using as comparison documents.
The Hitler diaries debacle is an extreme case of fraud and expert forgery that spanned every stage of the analysis. And while this level of expertise is seldom found in forgeries, the fact remains that if the investigation had relied on handwriting analysis alone, the "lost Hitler diaries" would now be part of the history books. Some other issues affecting the accuracy of handwriting analysis include:
- You can't make a meaningful comparison between uppercase and lowercase letters.
- Drugs, exhaustion or illness can significantly alter a person's handwriting.
- The quality of the exemplars determines the quality of a comparison analysis, and good exemplars can be hard to come by.
In the initial comparison work done in the case of John Mark Karr, who confessed in August 2006 to the 1996 murder of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in Colorado, the ransom note found in the Ramsey house was long enough to be useful as one side of the equation, but finding good exemplars was an issue. In a series of preliminary handwriting analyses, documents expert John Hargett, former head of document analysis at the U.S. Secret Service, compared the ransom note to two exemplars: a yearbook inscription written when Karr was in high school and a job application Karr filled out in Thailand. Hargett found no matches, although the results were inconclusive because the yearbook inscription was written more than 20 years ago and in an artistic writing style, and Karr filled out the Thailand job application in all uppercase letters, while the ransom note was written in both uppercase and lowercase letters. DNA testing later made further handwriting comparisons unnecessary, as Karr's DNA was not a match for the DNA found on JonBenet's body.
Certainly the most significant shortcoming of handwriting analysis as a science is the fact that it is ultimately subjective. This means that its acceptance in the scientific community and as evidence in court has historically been shaky. Only recently, as the training of analysts has become more standardized and certification procedures have been put in place, has handwriting analysis started to gain more acceptance as a reproducible, peer-reviewed scientific process. The results of a handwriting comparison are still not always accepted as evidence in a court case, partly because the science has a few more hurdles to clear, including determining a reliable error rate in analysis and setting standards for the comparison process. The addition of computerized handwriting analysis systems to the process, including the FISH (Forensic Information System for Handwriting) system, which allows examiners to scan in handwritten documents and digitize the comparison process, may speed up the process of general acceptance of handwriting analysis as a science and as expert evidence in court.
For more information on handwriting analysis and related topics, check out the links on the next page. | <urn:uuid:9c539688-0643-43fc-813e-7c7239de9603> | {
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Celebrities with Ptosis
Ptosis /ˈtoʊsɪs/ (from Greek Ptosis or πτῶσις, to "fall")
Ptosis or Blepharoptosis refers to drooping of the upper eyelid and is also known by many names, it is usually known as "lazy eye", "droopy eye" and so on. It must not be mistaken with amblyopia, which is also called lazy eye, which is a disorder of the visual system in the brain.
Regardless of the cause, when ptosis obstructs vision, it is disabling. It may be classified as acquired (Usually in Older people) and congenital (if you are born with it). It can also be classified by the cause of the Ptosis.
There are two muscles that are involved in the elevation of the upper eyelid the levator palpebrae superioris and the Mueller's muscle. The levator palpebrae superioris contributes to most of the elevation of the eyelid, It contributes approximately 1 to 2 mm to the elevation of the upper eyelid while the Mueller's muscle contributes to the over-elevation of the eyelid when the individual becomes excited or fearful and leads to mild ptosis with fatigue or inattention.
Causes can be.
- Myogenic; This is when there is a problem with the muscles of the upper eyelid. This may be congenital or due to other diseases such as Myasthenia gravis.
- Aponeurotic; Which may be post-operative.
- Neurogenic; Problems, with the nerves that supply the muscles that open the eyelid
- Mechanical; This is when the dropping is caused by either swelling of the upper lid or by tumors
- Pseudoptotic.; This is due to lack of support due to a small eyeball, or lack of the eyeball.
- Botulinum toxin — It may be a complication of botulinum toxin (Botox) therapy when used in the treatment of blepharospasm (eyelid spasm) and cosmetic treatment of forehead. Up to 11 percent of patients treated for blepharospasm had ptosis as a complication.It generally resolves over three to four weeks usually.
Of note the ptosis may not be evident at all times and may become more evident during the day when the person becomes tireder, this may be benign or may be indicative of neuromuscular diseases such as Myasthenia gravis or rarely Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome.
It may also be Pseudoptosis — An eyelid may appear ptotic due to its position with respect to the eyeball, and there are a number of causes for this, for example lid retraction of one eye may give the false appearance of ptosis in the opposite eye or in the In elderly patients, redundant eyelid skin may give the impression of ptosis.
In children, it is caused usually by myogenic dysgenesis (poor muscle development), but other causes such as birth trauma must also be ruled out
A few Landmarks
The palpebral fissure is the distance between the upper and lower eyelid at the axis of the pupil. The normal palpebral fissure measures 9 to 12 mm.
Another measurement reference can be done when a point source of light directed at the person's eye which will stimulate pupillary light reflex (when the pupil constricts). The distance from this reflex to the upper eyelid margin is called the margin reflex distance. The normal for this measurement is 4 to 5 mm. The margin reflex distance is often more helpful than palpebral fissure since lower lid position may vary individually.
The palpebral fissure and margin reflex distance provide an objective means of identifying ptosis and measuring its severity that may be useful in planning treatment
There are a few features that can possibly help identify the cause of the ptosis, but that goes beyond the scope of this hub.
The treatment depends on the cause. For adults who do not want to undergo surgery, there are special glasses with a crutch attached that can be used to lift the lid.
The definitive solution for ptosis is surgery. There are many techniques and methods, all depending on the cause of the ptosis and the age of the patient and ultimately the surgeons preference.
Not all people with ptosis are candidates for surgery and all people opting for this option have to be assessed by an oculoplastic surgeon (eye plastic surgeon) who will examine the whole of the upper and middle part of the face to detect asymmetry, because asymmetry or a small eyeball can give a false or pseudo-ptosis.
The surgery is a day case surgery and you may have to look like a pirate for 2-4days.
Complications are minimal but can occur. These include
- Lagophthalmos or failure of the eye to close completely which may lead to dry eye, which may damage the cornea and may lead to blindness if, not corrected.
- Scarring from the surgery
- Deformity of the eyelid
- Asymmetry of the lid position
If you need more information you should see you ophthalmologist. This is very important for children with ptosis or any other abnormal looking eyes because they may have other conditions which have to be addressed, early on before it is too late to correct such a neurological disorders, amblyopia and others.
Tegan Quin on Ptosis
Others include Thom Yorke of Radiohead, and Lenny Kravitz. | <urn:uuid:79562be1-1edd-4dc9-81d7-630f880cd774> | {
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Archaeologists at Wallingford believe they have discovered the wharf where royal visitors disembarked from the River Thames to visit the town’s medieval castle.
Experts from Leicester and Exeter universities are in the town for the third year running, hoping to uncover more of Wallingford’s hidden secrets.
They are carrying out extensive excavations at Queen’s Arbour, on the edge of the castle site and next to the River Thames, after geophysical surveys two years ago indicated something hidden underground.
Now the archaeologists, joined by a dozen volunteers from the town’s museum, have discovered what they believe to be an ancient quay, once used to bring goods and visitors to the castle.
Click here to read the article from the Oxford Times | <urn:uuid:4d3e2b3e-9b97-4fb4-b3bd-d57a65f1db9b> | {
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An anonymous reader writes: European physicists said Tuesday they had sent an elusive particle known as a neutrino on a 730-kilometer (456-mile) trip under the Earth's crust and taken a snapshot of the instant it slammed into lab detectors. In the October 2 event, a neutrino hit one of the 60,000 bricks that had been installed in San Grasso, leaving a tell-tale track of a muon on the film. The experiment is important, say the investigators, as it could help explain one of the biggest mysteries about the Universe — its missing mass. When scientists tot up the mass of all the visible matter in the Universe, they arrive at a total of just 10 percent of what they know to exist. For years, neutrinos were not thought to have any mass, although that theory has been challenged by experiments at Japan's SuperKamioKande lab, which suggested that they may have a mass, albeit a very tiny one. | <urn:uuid:20754298-c006-4644-afa5-e6c8301ccdf8> | {
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Placed into the Department of the Interior when that department was formed in 1849, it merged with the United States Grazing Service (established in 1934) to become the Bureau of Land Management on July 16, 1946.
The GLO was placed under the Secretary of the Interior when the Department of the Interior was formed in 1849. Reacting to public concerns about forest conservation, Congress in 1891 authorized the president to withdraw timber lands from disposal. Grover Cleveland then created 17 forest reserves of nearly , which were initially managed by the General Land Office. In 1905, Congress transferred responsibility for these reserves to the newly created Forest Service, part of the Department of Agriculture.
From 1900, the GLO focused on conservation. Beginning in the early 20th century the GLO shifted from a primary function of land sales to issuing leases and collecting fees and royalties from minerals off lands recently withdrawn from disposal under the Withdrawal Act of 1910, and other custodial duties.
On July 16, 1946, the GLO was merged with the United States Grazing Service (established in 1934 under the Taylor Grazing Act) to become the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency of the Interior Department responsible for administering the remaining of Public Lands still in federal ownership.
An early commissioner was John McLean, later an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
The BLM makes images of General Land Office records (Federal Land Patents and Survey Plats) issued between 1820 and 1908 publicly available on its website. | <urn:uuid:4abef0fe-547a-4aa7-8ee0-bd3395b55774> | {
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At least 37 New Orleans city parks are located in census tracts where tests conducted in 2000 found levels of lead in soil of more than 400 parts per million, the level state and federal regulators define as dangerous.
As a result, children are more often exposed to lead in their own homes and yards, or at day-care centers in older buildings, than they are in parks, he said.
Nonetheless, recent tests at Bywater’s Mickey Markey Park, where 13 of 40 samples came in above the 400 parts-per-million threshold, have prompted widespread concern among residents and has led city officials to take action. The park has been padlocked while a remediation plan is carried out. This week, a city contractor will recommend a plan for identifying other parks with unacceptably high lead levels.
The plan will be developed by Materials Management Group, the same company that confirmed high levels of lead at Markey Park and is now working to reduce them, said City Health Commissioner Dr. Karen DeSalvo.
“What we believe is that where kids may be exposed in an area that the city has responsibility for, like a playground, we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to understand what that risk might be and to remediate it,” she said.
Children playing in soils with high levels of lead can ingest the metal by putting their hands or dirt in their mouth. High levels of lead in the blood can affect the central nervous system, kidneys and blood cells. Effects can include reduced IQ, hyperactivity, reduced stature, hearing problems and headaches.
While lead poisoning symptoms can include diarrhea, stomach cramps, lethargy, vomiting or seizures, those symptoms are rare, which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends screening blood lead levels in children ages 1 to 6.
Because of its large number of older homes and more compact urban area, New Orleans has historically had a high number of children with elevated blood lead levels. In 2004, a year before Hurricane Katrina, 13.8 percent of all children tested in the city had levels above 10 micrograms per deciliter, the level considered lead poisoning by the CDC. In 2009, that level had dropped dramatically to 5.3 percent. The exact reason for the drop is unknown, although research by Mielke and others indicates that sediment washed into the city during Hurricane Katrina reduced lead levels in soils in flooded areas.
The incidence of elevated blood-lead levels in other New Orleans-area parishes is much less common, ranging from 0.5 percent of those tested in St. Bernard Parish to 2.2 percent in Plaquemines Parish.
However, some scientists, including Mielke, say recent research indicates blood-lead levels as low as 2.5 micrograms per deciliter can have long-term effects on children. They say the CDC definition should be reduced.
The city’s park-testing plan will give priority to parks in areas that historically have had high levels of lead, parks with active recreation programs and those in neighborhoods with children who have high lead levels, DeSalvo said.
Banned substance lives on
Lead was banned from paints in the United States in 1977. New Orleans’ housing stock, however, contains a huge number of homes that predate the ban. After Katrina, improper sanding of lead-based paints has added to the lead dust throughout the city, Mielke said.
Lead was removed from fuels used by automobiles and trucks between 1976 and 1986, but lead particles from gasoline burned before then remain in soils close to busy streets, Mielke said.
Lead also can be ingested from drinking water, which picks up lead particles from lead pipes and lead-based solder used to connect them. Most such pipes and solder are on private property.
Lead is also in a wide variety of household products, from hair dressings and makeup products that are now mostly banned, to earthenware or pottery using lead-containing glazes.
Comprehensive sampling of soils in parks can turn up a wide variety of results, depending on the distance between the samples and busy streets or buildings with lead paint. For instance, locations at the Markey playground were found by MMG to contain levels ranging from 58 to 1,500 parts per million. According to Mielke’s survey, the median level of lead for the census tract containing Markey was 1,789 parts per million.
DeSalvo said MMG should complete its remediation of Markey playground by Friday.
The company’s mitigation proposal announced last week called for placing a geotextile fabric over three-quarters of the park, including the 13 sample points with high lead levels, and covering it with 6 inches of clean soil. The remaining portion of the playground included lead levels ranging from 58 to 220 parts per million.
Keeping lead in perspective
DeSalvo remains concerned that the risk of lead poisoning at city parks might be blown out of proportion compared with other threats, such as the flu.
“In the scheme of the many public health challenges that kids have, it’s not the greatest challenge, honestly,” she said. “But (testing for blood lead levels) is part of the recommended routine stuff that all kids should have.”
In fact, beginning in 2008, the state required doctors in New Orleans and three northern parishes with high numbers of lead poisoning cases to screen all children between the ages of 6 months and 72 months for lead and to report all test results to the state. The other parishes are Morehouse, Tensas and West Carroll.
The city is not involved in enforcing the state’s mandatory testing requirement, DeSalvo said.
The city does enforce rules governing the removal of lead-based paint during renovations, requiring homeowners to submit a form outlining how they will comply with federal regulations, said Ryan Berni, spokesman for Mayor Mitch Landrieu. But the city’s Department of Safety and Permits checks into improper removal of lead paint only when a complaint is filed, he said.
In 2010, just 81 forms outlining lead plans were filed with the city.
There have been 267 complaints filed with the city since March 2004, including 33 in 2010, he said.
Both Mielke and Nola Unleaded spokeswoman Sarah Hess remain concerned that there’s too little emphasis on reducing lead exposure. Both have suggested that the city should go beyond the federal standards in targeting lead exposure, including the 400 parts per million EPA standard for lead in soil.
“What the city is doing is exactly what they’re supposed to be doing under federal guidelines, and they should be praised for the action they’ve taken,” said Nabil Baddour, who used to work in the city’s lead prevention program and is now with Nola Unleaded. “The question of whether or not that’s enough is a separate issue.
“They’re basing their cleanup on 400 parts per million, which is the federal standard,” he said. “But Minnesota has a standard of 100 parts per million, and the Dutch have a standard of 40 parts per million.”
The city’s cleanup also is based on 2-foot-deep samples, rather than how much lead is on the surface, and thus most available to children, he said.
“Whether what the city is doing is enough is a question that New Orleanians need to be asking ourselves,” Baddour said. “Or whether we want to push for more progressive soil standards, as California has done.”
Hess said that while her organization, which includes parents like her whose children have elevated lead levels, appreciates the speed with which the Landrieu administration moved to clean up Markey Park, “Parents are concerned that it is a ‘Band-Aid’ solution.
“I hope the city can reassure us that they are going to make sure this park is truly safe for our children when reopened,” she said.
Hess would like the city to remediate all parks to levels much lower than the EPA standard.
“Hey, you’re playing defense with my child’s brain,” she said. “If the community has deficient brain activity because of the exposure, it affects student writing, behavior. No matter how many times you change the city’s education system, we’re just undermining ourselves with lead.”
Mielke agreed, pointing to a 2009 study in the journal Neurotoxicology that he co-wrote that concluded that in pre-Katrina New Orleans, children with elevated lead levels had lower test scores.
Mielke contends that paying to reduce lead exposure can be an inexpensive way to raise student performance.
Mark Schleifstein can be reached at [email protected] or 504.826.3327. | <urn:uuid:c6d9393d-614f-4571-b057-1593ee8ed0d7> | {
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A chopstick rest (箸置き hashioki ) is a piece of tableware. It is used to keep chopsticks away from the table and also to prevent used chopsticks from coming in contact with or rolling off tables. Chopstick rests are made in various shapes from clay, wood, glass, or precious stone such as jade. Some people prepare them from bags of half-split disposable chopsticks in origami manner.
In Japan, chopstick rests are usually used at formal dinners and placed on the front-left side of the dishes. The chopsticks are placed parallel to the table edge with the points toward the left.
References[change | change source]
- "A video of folding a chopstick rest from a bag (website in Japanese)". http://www.geocities.jp/nisemonon/hashi.htm.
- ""箸袋で作る箸置き" (How to fold a chopstick rest from a bag?) (website in Japanese)". http://homepage2.nifty.com/seagoblin/other/otr041008.html.
Other pages[change | change source]
Other websites[change | change source]
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Date: August 1976
Creator: Fuller, Randall L.
Description: Gut contents of 2,500 stonefly nymphs, comprising 10 species, from the Gunnison and Dolores Rivers, Colorado were examined from Dec., 1974-Oct., 1975. Perlidae species were carnivorous feeding primarily on chironomids, mayflies and caddisflies. Seasonal patterns of ingestion and preference varied among species and predator sizes and between rivers. Early instar polyphagous species utilized detritus in the fall, eventually shifting to carnivorous habits as they grew through winter-spring. Pteronarcids fed predominantly on detritus. Dietary overlap of predators was greatest in the Gunnison River, with subtle mechanisms such as prey species and size selectivity, temporal succession and seasonal shifts to detritus-plant material in some, providing reduction of competition. A more complete partitioning of prey resources was evident in the Dolores River.
Contributing Partner: UNT Libraries | <urn:uuid:220ff518-8663-4e0c-9bb9-b1ad3215aad4> | {
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The architecture of sleep
You may think that once you go to bed, you soon fall into a deep sleep that lasts for most of the night, progressing back into light sleep in the morning when it’s time to wake up. In reality, the sleep cycle is a lot more complicated.
When you chart the sleep stages over the course of the night, the result looks like a city skyline—which is why it is called “sleep architecture”
During the night, your sleep follows a predictable pattern, moving back and forth between deep restorative sleep (deep sleep) and more alert stages and dreaming (REM sleep). Together, the stages of REM and non-REM sleep form a complete sleep cycle. Each cycle typically lasts about 90 minutes and repeats four to six times over the course of a night.
The amount of time you spend in each stage of sleep changes as the night progresses. For example, most deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night. Later in the night, your REM sleep stages become longer, alternating with light Stage 2 sleep. This is why if you are sensitive to waking up in the middle of the night, it is probably in the early morning hours, not immediately after going to bed. | <urn:uuid:6fd27842-3f34-4128-b386-f086a9038729> | {
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Scientists have long projected that areas north and south of the tropics will grow drier in a warming world –- from the Middle East through the European Riviera to the American Southwest, from sub-Saharan Africa to parts of Australia.
These regions are too far from the equator to benefit from the moist columns of heated air that result in steamy afternoon downpours. And the additional precipitation foreseen as more water evaporates from the seas is mostly expected to fall at higher latitudes. Essentially, a lot of climate scientists say, these regions may start to feel more like deserts under the influence of global warming.
Now scientists have measured a rapid recent expansion of desert-like barrenness in the subtropical oceans –- in places where surface waters have also been steadily warming. There could be a link to human-driven climate change, but it’s too soon to tell, the scientists said.
[UPDATED below, 3/6, 1 p..m] Read more… | <urn:uuid:71855304-2f8a-4425-8945-02a9b90be1ae> | {
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up in the morning with a headache is the last thing
anyone wants. Yet most of the time after a stressful
night you have a headache, which puts you down the
whole day. Do you know that over 90% of all headaches
are "tension headaches"? They are caused by excessive
muscle contraction in the neck, face, shoulders, and/or
scalp and are often caused by stress or being in one
position for too long (such as in front of a computer).
The hangover that you get after drinking the previous
night cannot be termed as headache. But if you have
been up the whole night working and didn't get enough
sleep then you are sure to have a terrible headache
the next morning. So all you have to know what causes
a headache in order to keep away from it.
Causes of Headache
Considerable medical evidence suggests that headache
is caused by an electrical and chemical instability
of certain key brain centres that regulate blood vessels
around the head and the neck, as well as the flow
of pain messages into the brain. Over activity of
muscles of the scalp, forehead and neck causes tension
headache. This instability, similar to that which
causes seizure disorders, seems to be inherited and
appears to involve chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters.
Headache can also occasionally be caused by bleeding,
tumour, or infection inside the skull, or else by
diseases involving teeth, eyes, or sinuses. Flu or
any sickness that causes fever can also cause headache.
Such headache is known as secondary headache because
it is due to--or secondary to--other problems. That
is, the headache is only a symptom of some other disorder.
are the Trigger factors
Increased tension or stress (both mental and physical),
Long periods of study, typing or other concentration
Increased tension in the neck muscles, for example:
Poor posture · Injuries to the spine
Repressed hostility, anger or frustration
A poor, scrappy diet, for example eating on the
run (combined with stress) Swedish massage
you suffer from one of these tension headaches, the
following exercise may help alleviate some of your
10-MINUTE MUSCLE RELAXATION EXERCISE
1. Sit in a comfortable chair or lie down.
2. Tense up all your muscles from head to toe; hold
for a few seconds, then release.
3. Take three slow, deep breaths.
4. Close your eyes and imagine yourself completely
at ease - calm and serene.
This will help ease the
stress and tension you feel in the muscles of your
neck, face, shoulders, and/or scalp. By relaxing your
muscles you are allowing them to rest and avoid being
Other tips to avoid headaches in the first place:
Learn to relax your mind and body.
Get plenty of sleep every night.
alcohol and nicotine.
Watch your back, shoulder, and neck posture -
avoid staying in one position for too long a time.
Get organized to avoid hurry and worry.
an attack relax by taking a hot shower or bath
with a warm dry cloth or a cold wet cloth placed
over the aching area.
Get some brisk exercise to help you relax - remember
to stretch before and after each exercise session.
Enjoy a professional massage to help loosen tired
muscles and create an overall relaxed state.
could attend special relaxation courses such as
yoga or meditation classes. | <urn:uuid:a28dc2b6-230b-4088-a90f-b2c0a59aaff2> | {
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Students preparing to leave high school are faring no better in reading or math than their peers four decades ago, the government said Thursday. Officials attributed the bleak finding on more lower-performing students staying in school rather than dropping out.
The news was brighter for younger students and for blacks and Hispanics, who had the greatest gain in reading and math scores since the 1970s, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly referred to as the Nation’s Report Card.
“In some ways, the findings are full of hope. Today’s children ages 9 and 13 are scoring better overall than students at those ages in the early ’70s,” said Brent Houston, principal of the Shawnee Middle School in Oklahoma and a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, which administers the tests.
But he also noted challenges for older students.
“There is a disturbing lack of improvement among 17-year-olds. Since the early 1970s, the average scores of 17-year-olds in both reading and mathematics have remained stagnant,” he said.
The report says that in reading, today’s 9- and 13-year-olds are outperforming students tested in 1971, when that skill was first tracked. They also did better in math, compared with students in 1973, the initial measurement.
Officials suggest the results for 17-year-old students reflect fewer low-performing students dropping out.
For instance, Hispanic students had a 32 percent dropout rate in 1990 and that number fell to 15 percent in 2010, said Peggy Carr, an associate commissioner with the National Center for Education Statistics.
“These students are generally scoring at the lower end of the distribution but it’s a good thing that they’re staying in schools,” Carr said.
Even so, they’re still not learning more despite increased education spending.
“Today’s results are the nation’s education electrocardiogram and show positive results for the early grades and increased performance by students of color, but the nation’s high school students are in desperate need of serious attention,” said Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia.
“Today’s economic trends show the rapidly growing need for college- and career-ready students. These results show that most of the nation’s 17-year-olds are career ready, but only if you’re talking about jobs from the 1970s,” he added.
Black and Hispanic students at all ages narrowed the performance gap with white students, according to the report.
Among 17-year-old students, the gaps between black and white students and between Hispanic and white students were cut by half.
In math, 9-year-old black and Hispanic students today are performing at a level where black and Hispanic 13-year-olds were in the early 1970s.
“Black and Hispanic children have racked up some of the biggest gains of all,” said Kati Haycock, president of the Education Trust, an advocacy organization. “These results very clearly put to rest any notion our schools are getting worse. In fact, our schools are getting better for every group of students that they serve.”
The overall composition of classrooms is changing as well.
Among 13-year-old students, 80 percent were white in 1978. By 2012, that number fell to 56 percent. The number of Hispanics roughly tripled from 6 percent in 1978 to 21 percent in 2012.
“Over a 40-year period, an awful lot changes in our education system,” said Jack Buckley, the chief of the National Center for Education Statistics.
While most groups of students saw their scores climb since 1971, the same cannot be said when comparing 2008 results with 2012. The 9-year-old and 17-year-old students saw no changes and only Hispanic and female 13-year-olds showed improvement in reading and math.
The 2012 results were based on 26,000 students in public and private schools. The tests took roughly one hour and were not significantly different than when they were first administered in the early 1970s.
Unlike high-stakes tests that are included in some teachers’ evaluations, these tests are a more accurate measurement because “these are not exams that teachers are not teaching to,” Haycock said.
“Nobody teaches to the NAEP exam, which is why it’s such as useful measure to what our kids can actually do,” she said.
Follow Philip Elliott on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/philip_elliott | <urn:uuid:db70666e-8451-4875-90a5-737e14cd3e20> | {
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|System Administration Guide: Network Services Oracle Solaris 10 8/11 Information Library|
This chapter introduces the UNIX-to-UNIX Copy Program (UUCP) and its daemons. The following topics are covered:
UUCP enables computers to transfer files and exchange mail with each other. The program also enables computers to participate in large networks such as Usenet.
The Solaris OS provides the Basic Network Utilities (BNU) version of UUCP, also known as HoneyDanBer UUCP. The term UUCP denotes the complete range of files and utilities that compose the system, of which the program uucp is only a part. The UUCP utilities range from those utilities that are used to copy files between computers (uucp and uuto) to those utilities that are used for remote login and command execution (cu and uux). | <urn:uuid:b30c4fb8-a463-424a-b9f4-21c679efdefc> | {
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Some of the gases in Earth’s atmosphere, such as water vapour and carbon dioxide, play an important role in influencing the Earth’s average temperature.
These gases are referred to as greenhouse gases (GHG), because they act like the glass on a greenhouse. They allow solar radiation in through the atmosphere, but prevent the escape of some of the counter radiation back out into space.
These greenhouse gases absorb counter radiation and emit it back towards the Earth, causing a warming of the lower atmosphere. (1)
Here’s an explanation by the US National Research Council:
Natural greenhouse effect
This naturally occurring process is an important part of the planet’s ability to support life on Earth as we know it. Without this process, the Earth’s average temperature would be approximately -18°C. Instead, the average temperature is approximately 15°C today. (2)
Greenhouse gases are naturally emitted by the oceans and land in an annual cycle.
- CO2 is drawn into plants as they grow and sprout leaves
- CO2 is released as dead vegetation rots. Volcanoes produce GHG. Animals release CO2 as they breathe. There is methane in manure and from swamps.
What is not natural is the rate humans are adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This process is referred to as the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect, and is responsible for triggering and enhancing the current warming trend.
Enhanced greenhouse effect
Humans are causing warming on a global scale by releasing additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The largest source of additional GHG is from burning fossil fuels (e.g. coal, gasoline, and natural gas)
These additional greenhouse gases are responsible for altering the natural balance of the Greenhouse Effect.
As more greenhouse gases are produced, they accumulate in the atmosphere and absorb long wave counter radiation. (i.e. infra-red) More radiation is then radiated back towards Earth, causing enhanced warming. | <urn:uuid:01fafff9-d41d-4b33-ba40-09b720160489> | {
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2700 BCE, the year when the first war was recorded between Sumer and Elam. From 2700 BCE to 2016 CE, conflicts, wars and violence have been breeding in the heart of hatred. We stand in an era where acts of inflicting pain and suffering are treated as a matter of politics rather than humanity. From injustices done to black people to slitting throats of children in Palestine, raping Latina minority to destroying Iraq and from shelling in Kashmir to bombings in Syria; antagonism and hate speech is promoted everywhere. Little or no effort is being made into putting an end to such vicious agendas.
In a world of chaos where violence and war are promptly allowed and inflicted upon innocent souls for the sake of mere business and power, a small group of Pakistani youngsters is spreading the message of peace, harmony and fraternity. Torchbearers of international peace joined hands across Pakistan for a greater cause, a small step taken in the right direction.
Right2Peace is a nationwide campaign led by the students, lawyers and activists under the umbrella of Network of International Law Students (NILS) Pakistan Chapter. NILS is a non-profit, non-political international organization with the vision of gathering law students from around the globe and giving them a common platform to address law and justice issues on a larger scale. NILS has spread its wings across Europe, Africa and Asia and is now making efforts to take in Pakistan as well.
The campaign dwells on social media with the hashtag #Right2Peace combined with a hopeful message of peace and a welcoming face from Pakistan’s youth. Students, lawyers and activists are holding banners with messages of love, peace and amity. Anti-hatred and anti-war sentiments are being spread by waving photo-messages on mass media.
Peace ambassadors from Pakistan are visiting institutes, in an attempt to spread the message of international peace and harmony. Including students of Lahore Grammar School and University College Lahore, the campaign has touched students of all ages and subjects. Students actively participated in the project and gave inspiring messages of peace like
Peace is caring, war is perspiring.
The photo-campaign is trending on social media and catching the attention of many. More people are now viewing peace from a new perspective and realizing that peace is every individual’s right, no matter what color, race or religion, one must have it. A peace ambassador, Anam Bangash, while sharing her experience said that,
For them the most interesting and unique aspect was the fact that peace is usually not seen as a fundamental human right and that is exactly what we are trying to promote through this initiative.
A small step can go a long way in making this planet a better place to live in. Right2Peace by Pakistan’s Ambassadors of Network of International Law Students is just that type of ingenuity that can lead to global peace and mutual understanding and respect among all the continents. If initiatives like this are endorsed then soon a time will come when the world will shun war and terror and witness happiness, serenity and peace everywhere. And who knows, perhaps we might even witness a unicorn. | <urn:uuid:a62b5b2d-76dd-401e-ad82-4be2b6c290a5> | {
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Introduction to the Basic Plan of the Federal Response Plan, April 1999
In PDF format
Updated: June 3, 1999
The Federal Response Plan (FRP) establishes a process and structure for the
systematic, coordinated, and effective delivery of Federal assistance to address
the consequences of any major disaster or emergency declared under the Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended (42 U.S.C.
5121, et seq.). The FRP:
- Sets forth fundamental policies, planning assumptions, a concept of
operations, response and recovery actions, and Federal agency responsibilities;
- Describes the array of Federal response, recovery, and mitigation resources
available to augment State and local efforts to save lives; protect public
health, safety, and property; and aid affected individuals and communities
in rebuilding after a disaster;
- Organizes the types of Federal response assistance that a State is
most likely to need under 12 Emergency Support Functions (ESFs), each
of which has a designated primary agency;
- Describes the process and methodology for implementing and managing
Federal recovery and mitigation programs and support/technical services;
- Addresses linkages to other Federal emergency operations plans developed
for specific incidents;
- Provides a focus for interagency and intergovernmental emergency preparedness,
planning, training, exercising, coordination, and information exchange;
- Serves as the foundation for the development of detailed supplemental
plans and procedures to implement Federal response and recovery activities
rapidly and efficiently.
- The FRP concepts apply to a major disaster or emergency as defined
under the Stafford Act, which includes a natural catastrophe; fire, flood,
or explosion regardless of cause; or any other occasion or instance for
which the President determines that Federal assistance is needed to supplement
State and local efforts and capabilities. Throughout the FRP, any
reference to a disaster, major disaster, or emergency generally means
a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency under the Stafford
- The FRP covers the full range of complex and constantly changing requirements
following a disaster: saving lives, protecting property, and meeting basic
human needs (response); restoring the disaster-affected area (recovery);
and reducing vulnerability to future disasters (mitigation). The
FRP does not specifically address long-term reconstruction and redevelopment.
- The FRP applies to all signatory Federal departments and independent
agencies that may be tasked to provide assistance in a major disaster
or emergency. Additionally, the American Red Cross functions as
a Federal agency in coordinating the use of Federal mass care resources
in a presidentially declared disaster or emergency. For purposes
of the FRP, any reference to Federal agencies with respect to their responsibilities
and activities in responding to a disaster generally means Federal departments
and agencies, as well as the American Red Cross.
- Under the FRP, a State means any State of the United States, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Two former trust
territories (but now independent countries) also are deemed eligible for
assistance under the Compact of Free Association — the Republic of the
Marshall Islands (until October 21, 2001) and the Federated States of
Micronesia (until November 3, 2001).
- Relationships with any federally recognized American Indian or Alaska
Native Tribe are on a government-to-government basis. Federal agencies
acknowledge the importance of an nteragency/intergovernmental/tribal partnership
to improve access to disaster assistance. Although a State Governor
must request a Presidential disaster declaration on behalf of a tribe
under the Stafford Act, Federal agencies subsequently can work directly
with the tribe, within existing authorities and resources, to tailor disaster
programs to its unique needs.
- National Disaster Response Framework
- The combined emergency management authorities, policies, procedures,
and resources of local, State, and Federal governments as well as voluntary
disaster relief organizations, the private sector, and international sources
constitute a national disaster response framework for providing assistance
following a major disaster or emergency. This framework is illustrated
in Figure 1.
- Within this framework, the Federal Government can provide personnel,
equipment, supplies, facilities, and managerial, technical, and advisory
services in support of State and local disaster assistance efforts.
Various Federal statutory authorities and policies establish the bases
for providing these resources. (The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) has compiled a separate compendium of Legal Authorities
Supporting the Federal Response Plan that lists emergency response and
recovery-related directives, together with a summary interpretation of
each legal citation.)
- Under the Stafford Act and Executive Orders 12148, Federal Emergency
Management, and 12656, Assignment of Emergency Preparedness Responsibilities,
FEMA has been delegated primary responsibility for coordinating Federal
emergency preparedness, planning, management, and disaster assistance
functions. FEMA also has been delegated responsibility for establishing
Federal disaster assistance policy. In this stewardship role, FEMA
has the lead in developing and maintaining the FRP.
- The FRP describes the structure for organizing, coordinating, and mobilizing
Federal resources to augment State and local response efforts under the
Stafford Act and its implementing regulations that appear in 44 CFR 206.
The FRP also may be used in conjunction with Federal agency emergency
operations plans developed under other statutory authorities as well as
memorandums of understanding (MOUs) among various Federal agencies.
- In particular, the FRP may be implemented concurrently with the:
- National Plan for Telecommunications Support in Non-Wartime Emergencies,
which provides a basis for ESF #2 — Communications
- National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan,
known as the National Contingency Plan (NCP), which provides the basis
for ESF #10 — Hazardous Materials operations;
- Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan (FRERP), which details
the Federal response to a peacetime radiological emergency.
- The FRP also may be implemented in response to the consequences of
terrorism, in accordance with Presidential Decision Directive 39 (PDD-39)
and PDD-62 that set forth U.S. counterterrorism policy. The FRP
Terrorism Incident Annex describes the concept
of operations for a unified response to a terrorism incident involving
two or more of the following plans: the FRP, the Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI) Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Incident Contingency
Plan, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health and Medical
Services Support Plan for the Federal Response to Acts of Chemical/Biological
Terrorism, the NCP, and the FRERP.
- The FRP is implemented through regional supplements developed by FEMA
and other Federal agency regional offices describing specific actions,
operating locations, and relationships to address the unique needs of
the region and States within the region. From time to time, an operations
supplement to the FRP may be issued to address special events that merit
advanced planning, such as the Olympics or Presidential inaugurations.
- The FRP is further implemented through various operations manuals,
field operations guides, and job aids that detail specific agency actions
to be taken.
- States, along with their local jurisdictions, have their own emergency
operations plans describing who will do what, when, and with what resources.
In addition, many voluntary, private, and international organizations
have emergency or contingency plans. These planning relationships
are shown in Figure 2.
- While the FRP focuses primarily on operational planning specific to
an incident, other types of planning also are critical to ensuring effective
disaster operations. Pre-incident planning at all levels of government
is used to identify operating facilities and resources that might be needed
in response and recovery. Action planning, conducted throughout
a disaster, establishes priorities with tactical objectives for the next
operational period. Contingency planning assists in targeting a
specific issue or event arising during the course of a disaster and presents
alternative actions to respond to the situation. Strategic planning
is used to identify long-term issues such as impact of forecasts and problems
such as permanent housing for displaced disaster victims. It also
can serve as a blueprint for rebuilding after a disaster.
- Organization of the FRP
The FRP consists of the following sections as shown in
- The Basic Plan presents the policies and concept of operations that
guide how the Federal Government will assist disaster-stricken State and
local governments. It also summarizes Federal planning assumptions,
response and recovery actions, and responsibilities.
- Emergency Support Function Annexes describe
the mission, policies, concept of operations, and responsibilities of
the primary and support agencies involved in the implementation of key
response functions that supplement State and local activities. ESFs
include Transportation, Communications,
Public Works and Engineering, Firefighting,
Information and Planning, Mass
Care, Resource Support, Health
and Medical Services, Urban Search and Rescue,
Hazardous Materials, Food,
- The Recovery Function Annex describes the
policies, planning considerations, and concept of operations that guide
the provision of assistance to help disaster victims and affected communities
return to normal and minimize the risk of future damage. Assistance
is categorized by delivery system — either to individuals, families, and
businesses or to State and local governments. (Note: A separate
annex describing mitigation as a concept and a program is being developed.)
- Support Annexes describe the mission, policies,
and concept of operations of related activities required to conduct overall
Federal disaster operations, including Community
Relations, Congressional Affairs, Donations
Management, Financial Management, Logistics
Management, Occupational Safety and Health,
and Public Affairs.
- Incident Annexes describe the mission, policies,
concept of operations, and responsibilities in those specific events that
require a unified response under the FRP and one or more other Federal
plans that implement authorities and functions outside the scope of the
Stafford Act. The Terrorism Incident Annex
is the first in a series of anticipated incident annexes.
- Appendices cover other relevant information,
including terms and definitions, acronyms
and abbreviations, guidelines for FRP changes
and revision, and overview of a disaster operation. | <urn:uuid:5a5a4697-bb89-4d68-9a3e-db8efa9b267f> | {
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Photoshop: Using Blend Modes
Learn what the Blend Modes are in Photoshop and how to use them to fix your images.
If there's one technique sure to confuse Photoshop newbies is it layer blend modes.
Blend modes can be used for simple fixes and for complex effects but when you're starting out it can be hard to make sense of what they do and how they work.
Here I'll show you the best blend modes, I'll tell you how they work and what you can do with them.
Normal Blend Mode
To get started with blend modes open an image in Photoshop and display the Layers palette by choosing Window>Layers.
Right click the background layer and choose Duplicate layer and click Ok. At the top left of the Layer palette is the Normal box. This tells you that the Normal blend mode is in use.
Blend modes affect how a layer blends with the layers below. So, if you have an image with two layers a blend mode will only do something if it is applied to the top most layer.
The normal blend mode does no blending. When it is chosen the top most layer appears as being 100% opaque and it will totally block out any pixels on the layers below.
If you set the layer so it is 50% opaque using the Opacity slider you will see some of the image on the top layer and some of the pixels on the layer below.
Darken an image with Multiply Blend Mode
When you set the blend mode to Multiply you will darken the image. This is a good way to fix an overexposed image. When multiply is used the pixels on both layers are assigned numbers according to their colour and these are multiplied together. If you multiply black by black you get black, and white by white gives white, so the blacks and whites remain unchanged but the remainder of the pixels are darkened.
Lighten an image with the Screen Blend Mode
When you set the blend mode of the top layer of an image to Screen, you're doing a multiplication of pixel values again but this time using the inverse values.
Where the top layer is black the underlying colour is the same, where it is white, the result is white and all other pixels are lightened. Screen is a great way to fix an underexposed image because it lightens it.
Creative blending with the Darken and Lighten Blend Modes
The Darken and Lighten blend modes won't show any change when used with an image that has two layers that are the same. So, to see them at work, open two images and drag the background layer of one into the other image so you have two layers in the image both with different images on them.
Set the blend mode of the topmost layer to Darken. The Darken blend mode compares each pixel on the top layer with the one below and displays the darkest of the two. The result is a darker image and one that is a composite of the two images.
The Lighten blend mode works similarly and it displays the lighter of the two pixels. The overall image is lighter and again, you have a composite of the two images.
Using the Color Dodge, Linear Dodge, Color Burn and Linear Burn blend modes
The Photoshop Color Dodge, Linear Dodge, Color Burn and Linear Burn blend modes all work similarly. In each case the base layer pixel is compared to the corresponding blend layer pixel and the brightness or contrast is altered according to the brightness or contrast of the corresponding pixel in the blend layer.
When choosing blend modes - remember that Burn blend modes result in a darker image and the Dodge blend modes will lighten it.
Improve images with the Overlay Blend mode
One of the most useful blend modes for improving saturation and contrast in an otherwise correctly exposed image is the Overlay blend mode. Use it on the top layer of an image that has two identical layers and it boosts the colours. It works by applying a multiply or screen effect depending on the darkness or lightness of the image pixels.
Using the Hard Light blend mode
The Hard Light blend mode also multiplies or screens the image but this time the result depends on the lightness or darkness of the colours on the blend layer (not the base layer). It is handy for adding lights and shadows to an image because light pixels on the top layer are lightened and dark ones are darkened.
Enhancing an image using the Soft Light blend mode
Soft Light has a similar but more muted effect than Hard Light and the results are more like dodge or burn has been used on the pixels. Both these blend modes work to boost the colour saturation and contrast in an dull image.
The Difference, Exclusion and Subtract Blend Modes
The Difference and Exclusion blend modes work similarly to each other but the Difference mode is the more severe. Both subtract the colours in the layers from each other depending on which is the lightest. Using either mode with a white blend layer inverts the image and blending with black leaves the image unchanged.
Difference blend mode results in a more contrasty image than using Exclusion. Both blend modes result in the same image if the layers are reversed.
The Subtract blend mode subtracts the colors on the blend layer from those on the base layer. The resulting image is different depending on which layer is on top.
Hue, Saturation and Luminosity Blend Modes
The Hue, Saturation and Luminosity (called Value in GIMP) blend modes each change one element of the base colour's Hue/Saturation/Lightness and leave two unchanged.
So, selecting Hue gives a color that has the brightness and saturation of the base color but the color of the blend ayer.
Choosing Saturation alters the saturation to that of the blend layer and leaves hue and brightness untouched.
Luminosity changes the lightness to that of the blend layer while preserving the base colour and saturation.
The Color blend mode is a little different again. It gives an image that has the luminance of the base layer and the hue and saturation of the blend layer. It and the Luminosity blend mode are the functional opposite of each other (you can see this if you compare these two images with the two above).
You will find that you can use blend modes not only to fix less than perfect images but, by applying them to two different images on two layers, you can get an interesting composite image as the result.
(c) 2015, Helen Bradley, All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:e484653e-a9f3-4132-b66c-75890f410f60> | {
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Posted: April 11, 2019 Filed under: Foreign Affairs, morning reads, U.S. Politics | Tags: Adam Schiff, Chelsea Manning, computer crimes, conspiracy theories, corruption, Fox News, Julian Assange, Maryanne Trump Barry, Richard Neal, Steven Mnuchin, Trump tax returns, William Barr
Painting by Karen Kinser
There’s way too much news this morning, but this is how we live now. Day after day the shocks come and it becomes more and more difficult to keep track of the corruption, the lawlessness, and the lack of ethics of this of this monstrous administration.
This morning Julian Assange was arrested and dragged kicking and screaming out the Equadorian embassy in London. The British courts will decide whether to extradite him to the U.S. to face charges of computer hacking and conspiracy. He is not charged in the U.S. with publishing stolen information, but for actively helping Chelsea Manning to discover the password that allowed him to break into U.S. State Department computers. More charges may be added in the future. Tweets from a British journalist.
The New York Times: Julian Assange Arrested on U.S. Extradition Warrant, London Police Say.
Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who released reams of secret documents that embarrassed the United States government, was arrested by the British police on Thursday at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where he had lived since 2012, after Ecuador withdrew the asylum it had granted him.
The Metropolitan Police said that Mr. Assange had been detained partly in connection with an extradition warrant filed by the authorities in the United States, where he could face of a charge of computer hacking, according to an American official, if he is extradited.
President Lenín Moreno of Ecuador said on Twitter that his country had decided to stop sheltering Mr. Assange after “his repeated violations to international conventions and daily-life protocols,” a decision that cleared the way for the British authorities to detain him.
The relationship between Mr. Assange and Ecuador has been a rocky one, even as it offered him refuge and even citizenship, and WikiLeaks said last Friday that Ecuador “already has an agreement with the UK for his arrest” and predicted that Mr. Assange would be expelled from the embassy “within ‘hours to days.’ ”
Yesterday was also a huge news day. Cover-Up General Barr appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee and revealed himself to be not only a political hack and Trump lackey but also a Fox News-style conspiracy theorist when he announced that he thinks U.S. intelligence agencies “spied” on Trump’s campaign. I wonder if he thinks Seth Rich hacked the DNC too? In his testimony Barr never expressed any concern about Russia’s interference in the 2016 election to help Trump. The New York Times reports:
With the Russia investigation complete, Mr. Barr said he was preparing to review “both the genesis and the conduct of intelligence activities directed at the Trump campaign,” including possible improper “spying” by American intelligence agencies.
“I think spying on a political campaign is a big deal,” Mr. Barr said, adding that he believed “spying did occur.” Mr. Trump and his allies have accused the F.B.I. and other government officials of abusing their power and cooking up the Russia investigation to sabotage the president.
“I am not suggesting that those rules were violated, but I think it’s important to look at them,” Mr. Barr said. Later he said he wanted to ensure that there was no “improper surveillance” — not suggesting there had been, but that the possibility warranted review.
It was not immediately clear what Mr. Barr was referring to, and he did not present evidence to back up his statement. The F.B.I. obtained a secret surveillance warrant on a former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page, after he left the campaign, and reports have suggested it used at least one confidential informer to collect information on campaign associates.
Mr. Barr said that he will work with the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, to examine the origins of the bureau’s counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign, and that he would soon set up a team for that effort. He noted that Congress and the Justice Department’s inspector general have already completed investigations of that matter, and that after reviewing those investigations he would be able to see whether there were any “remaining questions to be addressed.”
It’s pretty clear no to anyone with half a brain that Barr sees his job as acting as Trump’s personal lawyer and not the top law enforcement officer in the U.S. representing the American people.
Greg Sargent at The Washington Post: Adam Schiff just issued a stark warning about William Barr.
“I’m shocked to hear the attorney general of the United States casually make the suggestion that the FBI or intelligence community was spying on the president’s campaign,” Schiff told me. “I’m sure it was very gratifying to Donald Trump.” [….]
Schiff pointed out that the bipartisan Gang of Eight — the leaders and intelligence committee chairs in both parties — were already briefed by the Justice Department after Trump made yet another version of the assertion. At the time, the Democrats issued a joint statement saying nothing they had been told supported the notion of untoward conduct.
“It’s unclear to me what Barr was referring to,” Schiff said. He noted that he was unaware that the statement he and other Democrats put out had ever been “contested by anyone on either side of the aisle.”
“All I can make of it is that he wanted to say something pleasing to the boss, and did so at the cost of our institutions,” Schiff said.
Asked if Schiff would seek another briefing from the Justice Department on Barr’s latest claim, Schiff said: “We’ll certainly try to get to the bottom of many of the things he has been saying over the last two days — his references to investigation into the president’s political opponents.”
“His testimony raises profound concern that the attorney general is doing what we urge emerging democracies not to do, and that is, seek to prosecute your political opponents after you win an election,” Schiff continued, in an apparent reference to Barr’s vow to examine the beginnings of the investigation, precisely as Trump has long demanded….
“The big picture is this,” Schiff said. “The post-Watergate reforms are being dismantled, one by one. The Trump precedent after only two years is that you can fire the FBI director who is running an investigation in which you may be implicated as president.”
Last night, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin intervened in House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal’s demand that the IRS turn over Trump’s personal and business tax returns. The law says that the decision to turn over tax returns fall on the head of the IRS and that Mnuchin must give 30 days notice before he can get involved. But no one in the Trump administration seems to care about those silly things called laws. Axios:
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin failed to meet House Democrats’ request to hand over 6 years of President Trump’s tax returns by the Wednesday’s deadline, stating he needs more time for review, but providing no details as to whether he will comply.
Details: Mnuchin said in a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) that his agency has consulted with the Justice Department to review the lawfulness of the request. He said it “raises serious issues concerning the constitutional investigative authority, the legitimacy of the asserted legislative purpose and the constitutional rights of American citizens.”
Also last night, we got a timely reminder of why we need to see Trump’s taxes.
The New York Times: Retiring as a Judge, Trump’s Sister Ends Court Inquiry Into Her Role in Tax Dodges.
President Trump’s older sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, has retired as a federal appellate judge, ending an investigation into whether she violated judicial conduct rules by participating in fraudulent tax schemes with her siblings.
The court inquiry stemmed from complaints filed last October, after an investigation by The New York Times found that the Trumps had engaged in dubious tax schemes during the 1990s, including instances of outright fraud, that greatly increased the inherited wealth of Mr. Trump and his siblings. Judge Barry not only benefited financially from most of those tax schemes, The Times found; she was also in a position to influence the actions taken by her family.
Judge Barry, now 82, has not heard cases in more than two years but was still listed as an inactive senior judge, one step short of full retirement. In a letter dated Feb. 1, a court official notified the four individuals who had filed the complaints that the investigation was “receiving the full attention” of a judicial conduct council. Ten days later, Judge Barry filed her retirement papers.
The status change rendered the investigation moot, since retired judges are not subject to the conduct rules. The people who filed the complaints were notified last week that the matter had been dropped without a finding on the merits of the allegations. The decision has not yet been made public, but copies were provided to The Times by two of the complainants. Both are involved in the legal profession.
The Trump crime family is so corrupt that it’s impossible to keep up with the daily revelations about them.
I’ll post some more links in the comment thread. What stories are you following today?
Posted: March 30, 2019 Filed under: morning reads, U.S. Politics | Tags: Adam Schiff, Bill Barr, caturday, Cover-Up General, Donald Trump, Iran-Contra, Iraqgate, Rachel Maddow Show, Robert Mueller, Russia investigation, William Safire
Hillary and Bill with Socks on the White House lawn
Some folks are beginning to catch on to the “Cover-Up General” Bill Barr. I’ve been writing about this for the past couple of weeks. Barr did what even Jeff Sessions wasn’t corrupt enough to do. He shut down the Russia investigation and now he’s stalling for time in order to keep the American people from learning what Robert Mueller found about Donald Trump, his crime family, and his evil goons.
Barr knows how to shut down an investigation and cover up the results. Way back in 1992, The New York Times’s William Safire raged in column after column against Barr’s cover-up of the Iraq-gate scandal, but Barr won in the end by getting George H.W. Bush to pardon the top conspirators.
Audrey Hepburn with Paris 1957
Read a recap of the scandal and Barr’s victory in The Los Angeles Times, Oct. 27, 1992: Iraqgate–A Case Study of a Big Story With Little Impact. Bush had illegally armed Saddam Hussein from 1986 and 1990. He handed Hussein “the very weapons he later used against American and allied forces in the Persian Gulf War.”
Bill Barr shut down both Iran Contra and Iraqgate by shutting the investigation down, first refusing to appoint a special prosecutor for Iraqgate and then recommending the pardons of the top Iran Contra officials.
NPR, Jan. 14, 2019: William Barr Supported Pardons In An Earlier D.C. ‘Witch Hunt’: Iran-Contra.
Barr….ran the Justice Department once before, under President George H.W. Bush.
Back then, the all-consuming, years-long scandal was called Iran-Contra. On Dec. 24, 1992, it ended when Bush pardoned six people who had been caught up in it.
“The Constitution is quite clear on the powers of the president and sometimes the president has to make a very difficult call,” Bush said then. “That’s what I’ve done.”
Then-Attorney General Barr supported the president’s decision in the Iran-Contra case, which gave clemency to people who had been officials in the administration of President Ronald Reagan, including former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. He had been set to go on trial to face charges about lying to Congress.
To the man who led the Iran-Contra investigation, however, the pardons represented a miscarriage of justice.
“It demonstrates that powerful people with powerful allies can commit serious crimes in high office, deliberately abusing the public trust without consequences,” said Lawrence Walsh, the independent prosecutor in the case, at the time of the pardons.
Barr said later that he believed Bush had made the right decision and that he felt people in the case had been treated unfairly.
“The big ones — obviously, the Iran-Contra ones — I certainly did not oppose any of them,” Barr said as part of the Presidential Oral History Program of the Miller Center at the University of Virginia.
From Bloomberg, Jan. 19, 2019:
The most significant single act of Barr’s career in the Department of Justice was to advise President George H.W. Bush to pardon six officials from Ronald Reagan’s administration, including Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, for crimes associated with the Iran-Contra affair. At the time, Barr was — you guessed it — attorney general. His recommendation gave Bush the cover he needed to issue the pardons.
And Bush needed the cover. The investigation led by independent prosecutor Lawrence Walsh was closing in on the president himself. Walsh had demanded that Bush turn over a campaign diary that he kept in 1986. Bush failed to do so, presumably because the diary showed he knew more about Iran-Contra than he had let on. Walsh publicly condemned Bush’s failure to produce the diary as “misconduct” by the sitting president.
Jackie and Croline Kennedy, Hyannis Port, MA 1961
Issuing the pardons killed Walsh’s investigation — and saved Bush. When the targets of the investigation were off the hook, Walsh had no leverage to continue.
Don’t take my word for it. When the pardons came, Walsh went on ABC’s “Nightline” and said that Bush had “succeeded in a sort of Saturday Night Massacre.” The comparison was intended. Walsh was saying that Bush had saved himself by effectively ending an investigation that was leading to the Oval Office — the aim that Nixon failed to accomplish when he fired Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox.
Leaving little to the imagination, Walsh also said at the time that he had “evidence of a conspiracy among the highest ranking Reagan administration officials to lie to Congress and the American public.”
The architect of this pardon strategy was Barr. In an oral history interview he gave in 2001, Barr said he didn’t consult with the pardon office at his own Department of Justice, which was playing its “usual role — naysayers” against issuing pardons.
Instead, Barr said he spoke to “some seasoned professionals” at Justice. Then, “based on those discussions, I went over and told the President I thought he should not only pardon Caspar Weinberger, but while he was at it, he should pardon about five others.”
Read more of Barr’s corrupt history in this piece by Lloyd Green at The Guardian from March 25, 2019: William Barr: attorney general plays Republican spear-catcher again. From the article, some examples of Barr’s obfuscation techniques:
House Democrats demanded Barr appoint an independent counsel to investigate the sins of the Bush administration. They were rebuffed. In a letter to the House judiciary committee, Barr tossed around such phrases as “not a crime”, “simply not criminal in any way”, “nothing illegal”, and “far from being a crime.”
As to the separate question of whether administration officials deliberately altered commerce department documents in an effort to conceal military sales to Iraq and purposely misled Congress about Iraq policy, Barr contended the Department of Justice was up to that task.
He wrote: “These are the kinds of allegations that are routinely investigated by the Public Integrity Section and there is no conflict of interest that precluded their handling these matters in the normal course.” [….]
From the looks of things, Trump has the attorney general of his dreams. Like the supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh, Barr is a loyal conservative who comes with a Bush family seal of approval. For this president, it doesn’t get better than that.
Fortunately, this time we have more engaged House members than in 1992. Let’s hope they’ve researched Cover-Up General Barr’s history and are ready to fight back. We have to stand with Adam Schiff.
Two more relevant reads:
The Washington Post: Sally Yates: William Barr should release the full Mueller report as soon as possible.
America’s justice system is built upon one thing — truth. When witnesses give testimony, they are sworn to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” The word “verdict” derives from the Latin term “veredictum,” meaning “to say the truth.” Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, a public servant with impeccable integrity, was entrusted to find the truth regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election and has spoken through a comprehensive report that details the facts that he uncovered.
Yet a week after Mueller issued his report, we don’t know those facts and have only been provided with Attorney General William P. Barr’s four-page summary of Mueller’s estimated 400-page report. It is time for the American people to hear the whole truth. We need to see the report itself.
First, as the attorney general’s letter to Congress notes, the Mueller report “outlines the Russian effort to influence the election and documents crimes committed by persons associated with the Russian government in connection with those efforts.” Congress has a solemn responsibility to protect our democracy. Without access to the full factual record of what the special counsel uncovered, it cannot fulfill that mandate. As you read this, the Russian government is undoubtedly hard at work to undermine our next election. Each day that passes without Congress having access to the full Mueller report is a day that Congress is prevented from doing its job of keeping our elections free from Russian espionage efforts.
Second, Barr’s letter leaves important questions unanswered concerning what then-candidate Donald Trump and his associates knew about Russian interference, and how they responded to Russian overtures to assist the campaign. While Barr’s letter states that the investigation did not establish that the campaign reached an agreement with the Russian government to take actions to impact the election in Trump’s favor, it reveals that the campaign did field “multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.” Yet President Trump and others have repeatedly claimed that they had no contact with Russians, or knowledge that Russians were acting to assist his campaign.
Read the rest at the WaPo.
David Corn at Mother Jones: Here’s the Real Trump-Russia Hoax.
Two fundamental facts were established long before Mueller completed his investigation. First, the Russians attacked an American election in order to sow chaos, hurt Hillary Clinton, and help Donald Trump. Second, Trump and his top advisers during the campaign repeatedly denied this attack was underway, echoing and amplifying Moscow disinformation (the false claim that Russia was not attacking). Whether or not the Trumpers were directly in cahoots with the Russian government, they ran interference for Vladimir Putin’s assault on the United States, and they even did so after the intelligence community had briefed Trump on Russia’s culpability.
So to determine if the Barr triumphalists are acting in good faith, you need only ask them a simple question: do you accept these basic facts and acknowledge the profound seriousness of each one?
The Russian attack on the 2016 election was an attempt to subvert the foundation of American society: the democratic process. How can Americans have faith in their government, if elections are undermined by secret schemers, including a foreign government? It is certainly arguable that the Russian intervention—particularly the stealing and drip-drip-drip dumping of the John Podesta emails across the final four weeks of the election—was one of several decisive factors in a contest that had a narrow and tight finish. Consequently, there is a strong case that Moscow helped shift the course of US history by contributing to the election of Trump….
Jimmy Stewart, with Piewackit from Bell Book and Candle
During the campaign and afterward, some Trump backers and some critics on the left, including columnist and media scold Glenn Greenwald, questioned whether the Russians indeed engaged in such skulduggery. (The Nation, where I once worked, published an articlepromoting a report that claimed the Russians did not hack the Democratic National Committee—and then had to backtrack when that report turned out to be bunk.)
For many of these scandal skeptics, it hasn’t seemed to matter that the charge against Moscow has been publicly confirmed by the Obama administration, the US intelligence community (which concluded that Putin’s operation intended to help Trump), both Republicans and Democrats on the congressional intelligence committees, and Robert Mueller, who indicted a mess of Russians for participating in this covert operation. True, there often is cause to question officialdom and government sources. Yet anyone citing the Mueller report, as it is narrowly capsulized by Barr, must also accept his key finding: Russia attacked the United States and intervened in the election. (They must also accept that, as the Barr letter disclosed, Mueller found evidence suggesting Trump obstructed justice but did not reach a final judgment on this question.)
That’s it for me. What else is happening? What stories have you been following?
Posted: May 24, 2018 Filed under: Afternoon Reads, Foreign Affairs, Surreality, U.S. Politics | Tags: Adam Schiff, Devin Nunes, Donald Trump, Mike Pence, North Korea, stupidity, Trey Gowdy
It’s hard to believe things could get any crazier, but I think maybe Trump is going to find ways to make it happen. It’s so exhausting, that I spent some time this morning looking at photos of baby animals. As always, it calmed me down somewhat. I hope these pictures will do the same for you.
The big news last night was the latest Devin Nunes insanity, but this morning that has been eclipsed by threats exchanged between Pence and North Korea. So for now, the planned summit between Trump and Kim John Un is cancelled. Politico reports:
President Donald Trump on Thursday canceled his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that was scheduled for next month, saying Kim’s “tremendous anger and open hostility” made the historic meeting untenable.
“Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting,” Trump wrote to Kim in a letter released by the White House.
In the letter, the U.S. leader thanked Kim for the “wonderful dialogue” that had developed in recent weeks between the two nations while leaving the door open to a rescheduled summit in the future.
“If you change your mind having to do with this most important summit, please do not hesitate to call me or write,” the president said. “The world, and North Korea in particular, has lost a great opportunity for lasting peace and great prosperity and wealth.”
I still do a double take every time I see the words “President Donald Trump.” This can’t be happening, but it is. You can read the letter at the Politico link.
North Korea had threatened to cancel the meeting because of remarks made by Mike Pence on Fox News. CNN:
US Vice President Mike Pence warned North Korea that it could end up like Libya if it fails to make a nuclear deal with Washington.
“There was some talk about the Libyan model last week, and you know, as the President made clear, this will only end like the Libyan model ended if Kim Jong Un doesn’t make a deal,” Pence said Monday.
When it was noted that the comparison could be interpreted as a threat, Pence told Fox News: “Well, I think it’s more of a fact.”
Previous comments, by President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton, that the administration was looking at Libya as a potential example for North Korea to follow, provoked alarm in Pyongyang.
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi agreed to abandon his nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief in the early 2000s. Within years, Gadhafi was overthrown and killed by rebels backed by Washington.
A North Korean official responded by calling Pence “stupid” and a “political dummy.”
A North Korean official has lashed out at US Vice President Mike Pence and said Pyongyang is ready for a nuclear showdown if dialogue with the United States fails.
Choe Son Hui, a vice-minister in the North Korean Foreign Ministry, said if the US continued on its current path, she would suggest to North Korea‘s leadership that they reconsider the planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“Whether the US will meet us at a meeting room or encounter us at nuclear-to-nuclear showdown is entirely dependent upon the decision and behavior of the United States,” Choe said in comments carried by North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency Thursday.Choe was responding to comments by Pence made Monday during a Fox News interview that she deemed “unbridled and impudent.
So, as Trump says repeatedly, “we’ll see what happens.”
Some Twitter reactions:
The art of deal folks! Trump just gave a little speech about the cancellation with Pence looking on adoringly.
So we’re still not sure what’s going on with Devin Nunes’ phony meeting to supposedly get classified information about an FBI informant who was asked to look into concerning contacts between Russia and the Trump campaign. First it was going to be a meeting with just Intel officials, Nunes, and Trey Gowdy, no Democrats allowed. Then after Democrats and some Republicans objected, the White House agreed to have two meetings–the Nunes/Gowdy meeting followed by a briefing the Gang of Eight. Now apparently Adam Schiff will be included in the first meeting.
MSNBC is reporting that Schiff was seen going into the DOJ for the 12PM meeting. Vox is reporting that Paul Ryan will also be in the noon meeting, but I haven’t seen reports of him entering the DOJ.
We don’t yet know if John Kelly was included in the meeting, which would be completely inappropriate. Still Kelly doesn’t need to be there, because Nunes will report everything to Trump anyway. I haven’t heard anything about who will be in 2PM meeting yet. Paul Ryan has said he won’t be there.
If you didn’t see Rachel Maddow’s show on Tuesday, I’m sure you’ve heard about her interview with James Clapper, in which the former Intel chief said that Russian interference in the 2016 election clearly swung the result to Trump. PBS News Hour also interview Clapper: Here’s their report: Russia ‘turned’ election for Trump, Clapper believes.
Russians not only affected the outcome of the 2016 presidential election — they decided it, says James Clapper, who served as the director of national intelligence in the Obama administration, and during the 2016 vote.
“To me, it just exceeds logic and credulity that they didn’t affect the election, and it’s my belief they actually turned it,” he told the PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff on Wednesday.
Clapper, who chronicles his life and career in his new book, “Facts and Fears: Hard Truths From a Life in Intelligence,” said Russians are “are bent on undermining our fundamental system here. And when a foreign nation, particularly an adversary nation, gets involved as much as they did in our political process, that’s a real danger to this country.”
Clapper also responded to Trump’s idiotic conspiracy theory about “spies” in his campaign.
Clapper called those accusations “distorted.” He said there is a “a big gulf between a spy in the traditional sense — employing spycraft or tradecraft — and an informant who is open about … who he was and what the questions he was asking.”
“The important thing was not to spy on the campaign but rather to determine what the Russians were up to. Were they trying to penetrate to campaign, gain access, gain leverage, gain influence, and that was the concern that the FBI had? … I think they were just doing their job and trying to protect our political system.”
Even Carter Page says he didn’t have any problems with the FBI source who spoke with him. CNN: Carter Page: I ‘never found anything unusual’ in conversations with FBI source.
Former Trump campaign aide Carter Page on Tuesday discussed his encounters with an FBI confidential source during the 2016 campaign, saying he “never found anything unusual.”
Page said on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” that he first met the individual while attending an academic conference at Cambridge University in July 2016, a week after his visit to Russia.
“I never found anything unusual, whatsoever,” Page told Cooper about their conversations. Page said he and the source stayed in contact for more than a year, including meeting up back in the United States.
“We would talk about various things that are happening. And, you know, he’s someone who is, you know, long term, someone who had been in, part of the establishment in Republican politics. So typically around the convention time and halfway through a presidential year you keep bringing on more people in terms of potential supporters from the party, etc., and it just seemed like something like that,” he said.
In other news, the NFL released a new rule to prevent players from exercising their their free speech rights. The Daily Beast: The NFL’s New Anthem Policy Is Madness—But the Players Can Stop It.
In its own, typically blinkered and inimitable fashion, the NFL decided to dig in its heels on Wednesday, wrapping itself in the flag, and requiring players who are on the field to stand during the national anthem or face a series of penalties.
It’s a course of action that will fail, and spectacularly so. Ever since Colin Kaepernick—who has since been banished and is currently suing the NFL for collusion—began taking a knee, the league has wrung its hands, hemming and hawing as they tried to devise a means to stanch the tide of largely bad-faith criticism. In the end, they chose to silence its labor force….
Here’s the NFL’s newest solution to the grave and pressing matter of NFL players speaking out against systemic racism and the state-sanctioned violence perpetrated by law enforcement: Previously, all personnel were required to be on the field while someone belted out “The Star-Spangled Banner,” with no further specifications regarding their behavior. That is, if someone wanted to take a knee, the NFL couldn’t do squat.
Baby Gray Parrots
Now the game operations manual has been adjusted, after two days of meetings between NFL owners and the league in Atlanta. Anyone who prefers not to place a hand on his heart during the anthem can remain in the locker room, but if they step on the field, they are required to “stand and show respect for the flag and the anthem.”
Read the rest at the link.
Trump was thrilled with the NFL’s stupid decision, and yesterday he suggested that any players who didn’t want to stand and salute the flag should be kicked out of the country. The Washington Post: Trump: NFL players unwilling to stand for anthem maybe ‘shouldn’t be in the country’
NFL players unwilling to stand for the national anthem should be barred from playing and maybe “shouldn’t be in the country,” President Trump said in a television interview that aired Thursday.
The president was reacting to the adoption Wednesday of a new NFL policy that could bring disciplinary action for players who kneel or make other protests during the national anthem.
Trump said he objected to a provision in the new policy that will allow players to stay in the locker room while the song is played, but added: “Still, I think it’s good.”
“You have to stand proudly for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there, maybe they shouldn’t be in the country,” Trump said in an interview that aired Thursday morning on “Fox & Friends” on Fox News.
I can’t wait until this fascist numbskull is impeached, forced to resign, or preferably sent to prison.
What stories are you following today?
Posted: April 28, 2018 Filed under: Foreign Affairs, morning reads, U.S. Politics | Tags: Adam Schiff, Angela Merkel, Aras Agalarov, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Emin Agalarov, Emmanuel Macron, House Intelligence Committee, North Korea, South Korea, Trump Tower Azerbaijan
Daniel Ralph Celantano, Subway
I’m tired . . . so tired. Life in Trump world is exhausting. We’ve reached the point where it’s obvious that Trump’s family and campaign conspired witIh Russia to win the White House, and yet we still have to listen to Trump rant “no collusion” in his ugly, blaring voice. Have you noticed his Queens accent really comes out when he’s apoplectic like he was on Fox and Friends on Thursday? It seems his rosacea gets worse when he’s angry too. If only I never had to hear that honking voice or see his ugly orange face ever again!
I think maybe Angela Merkel agrees with me. Bess Levin at Vanity Fair: All the Times Angela Merkel’s Face Said “STFU You Dumkopf Orange Oaf.”
On Friday, German chancellor Angela Merkel arrived at the White House for a three-hour “working session” with Donald Trump, the goal of which was to convince the American to resist his impulses and not do anything stupid on a host of issues ranging from trade to Iran to the environment. Picking up where French president Emmanuel Macron left off—which is to say, at square one—Merkel’s visit was expected to be much less of a lovefest, meaning no hugging, kissing, hand-holding, fancy dinners, 21-gun salutes, or animal-kingdom mating rituals. The best anyone could hope for, experts warned, was that through small words and simple sentence construction, the chancellor could make Trump understand that so many of his threats—particularly the ones on trade—would hurt not only the targets for which they were intended, but the U.S. as well.
Charlotte Johnson Wahl, Subway NYC, 1994
Even then, expectations were extremely low, given the 45th president’s inability to understand complex, nuanced issues, or the freaking difference between a trade deficit and a surplus. Still, when the two took to a pair of podiums to hold a joint press conference on Friday afternoon, the vibe seemed slightly better than expected. For one thing, Trump was neither foaming at the mouth nor actively refusing to shake Merkel’s hand. For another, Merkel dug deep and paid Trump some compliments using words and phrases you know he just ate up, mentioning the “strength” of his sanctions on North Korea, and claiming that last year’s tax legislation has made the U.S. a “very interesting place for our companies” to invest. Still, one need only take a gander at Merkel’s notoriously weak poker face to understand that inside, she was screaming I can’t believe I have to occupy the same airspace as this knuckle-dragger.
Watch videos and read more snark at Vanity Fair. I can’t even begin to imagine how Macron could bear to have Trump’s hands all over him during their visit. Just the thought of it makes me gag.
On the “no collusion” front . . .
Paul Waldman and Greg Sargent at The Washington Post: The new House GOP report on Russia is revealing. But not in a good way for Trump.
Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee on Friday released a report on Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election. Although it is meant to exonerate President Trump and everyone around him, what it actually does is bring the utter degradation and disgrace of that committee to its fullest expression.
Mark Rothko, Untitled Subway, 1937
By contrast, there may be real news in the Democrats’ response to the report. In particular, the Democrats detailed new information that appears to shed light on what Republicans would not do in their investigation.
The response by Democrats makes this important charge: That Republicans refused to follow up on a lead that could have demonstrated whether, despite his denials, Trump had advance knowledge of the now-infamous Trump Tower meeting in June 2016 between a group of Russians and Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort.
Specifically, it appears very likely that Trump talked to Don Jr. on the phone while Jr. was setting up the meeting.
According to the Democratic response, right after Trump Jr. set up the specifics of the meeting, he had two calls with a number in Russia belonging to Emin Agalarov. Between those two calls, the Democratic response recounts, Trump Jr. received a third call from a blocked number. Who might it have been? [….]
“We sought to determine whether that number belonged to the president, because we also ascertained that then-candidate Trump used a blocked number,” Schiff said during our interview. “That would tell us whether Don Jr. sought his father’s permission to take the meeting, and [whether] that was the purpose of that call.”
Lily Furedi, Subway, 1934
Schiff added that Democrats asked Republicans to subpoena phone records to determine whose number it was, but Republicans “refused,” Schiff said. “They didn’t want to know whether he had informed his father and sought his permission to take that meeting with the Russians.”
Raise your hand if you think the call from the blocked number was from someone other than Daddy Trump. I’m sure Robert Mueller and his team already know whose number that was.
Buzzfeed: Trump Jr. And Emin Agalarov Stayed In Touch Throughout The Transition.
A direct line of communication between the Kremlin-connected Agalarov family and the Trump family was open during the transition after President Donald Trump’s presidential election, BuzzFeed News has learned.
The “first of a series” of text messages was sent between Emin Agalarov and Donald Trump Jr. two days after the 2016 election, a source familiar with the communications told BuzzFeed News.
The communications continued through at least mid-December 2016, according to information made public Friday.
It is not clear how many messages were sent, whether Trump Jr. sent any of them, or how many were sent by either party — although BuzzFeed News confirmed that multiple messages were sent.
Nicole Eisenman, Weeks on the Train
Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee revealed one of the text messages, from Dec. 13, 2016, in their “minority views” report on Friday — one of several new pieces of information that suggest that the Trumps’ relationship with the Agalarovs was much closer than the president and his family have said.
Many more details at the Buzzfeed link.
CNN: Russians followed up on Trump Tower meeting after election, Democrats say.
Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the intelligence panel, told CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Friday that Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya reached out to the Trump family after the election with a request to follow up on efforts to repeal the Magnitsky Act, the 2012 Russian sanctions the US enacted over human rights abuses.
Veselnitskaya was the Russian lawyer at the center of the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, where Donald Trump Jr. expected to receive damaging information on Hillary Clinton but instead Veselnitskaya focused on the repeal of the sanctions.
“Clearly, there’s an expectation there on the Russian side that they may now have success with the Magnitsky Act, given that the prior meeting and communications dealt with the offer of help,” Schiff said. “It certainly seems like the Russians were ready for payback.”
In addition, another effort to reach out to Trump’s team after the election came from Aras Agalarov, the Azerbaijani-Russian oligarch who also has ties to the Trump Tower meeting. Agalarov, along with his pop-star son, Emin Agalarov, also worked with Trump to bring the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant to Moscow….
G. Boersma, Surrounding, Man reading newspaper on NY subway
Democrats cite a November 28, 2016, email from publicist Rob Goldstone to Trump’s assistant, Rhona Graff, which said that “Aras Agalarov has asked me to pass on this document in the hope it can be passed on to the appropriate team.”
“Later that day, Graff forwarded to Steve Bannon the email with Agalarov’s document regarding the Magnitsky Act as an attachment, explaining, ‘The PE [President Elect] knows Aras well. Rob is his rep in the US and sent this on. Not sure how to proceed, if at all.'”
Trump’s team has denied there was any follow up after the Trump Tower meeting.
While Trump claims credit for the meeting between North Korea’s Kim Jon Un and South Korea’s Moon Jae-in, Max Boot points out at The Washington Post that this has happened before: Don’t let the Korea summit hype fool you. We’ve been here before.
The meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea was acclaimed as “historic.” The two leaders hugged, “smiled broadly, shook each other’s hand vigorously and toasted each other with glasses of champagne.” Reporters noted that the “opening formalities seemed surprisingly relaxed, exceeding the expectations of many people, including perhaps those of the principals themselves. The South Korean leader said we must “proceed together on a path of reconciliation and cooperation.” The North Korean leader replied that “you will not be disappointed.”
Sound familiar? It should, because the news coverage of the 2000 meeting between South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang parallels the euphoria over Friday’s meeting in Panmunjom between Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Il’s son. If anything, the 2000 meeting produced more tangible results: Not only declarations about ending the Korean War and uniting the two countries, but also concrete steps toward creating a joint South Korean-North Korean industrial park in Kaesong , allow South Korean tourists to visit the North, and to reunify families long divided by the demilitarized zone. Between 1998 and 2008, South Korea provided some $8 billion in economic assistance to North Korea in the hope that all of this aid would create a kinder, gentler regime. Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his efforts.
Subway Train Watercolor painting, Shyama Golden
And yet the Sunshine Policy, so widely heralded at the time, is now widely judged a failure. Despite North Korea’s promises, it did nothing to ease the repression of its populace or to end its nuclear and missile programs. It turned out Kim Dae-jung only achieved that “historic” 2000 summit by offering Kim Jong Il a $500 million bribe. Another summit was held in 2007, arranged by Moon Jae-in, then an aide to President Roh Moo-hyun, and it too was rapturously acclaimed. But the next year, a conservative government took power in Seoul and ended the Sunshine Policy.
Read the rest at the link.
Finally, a little schadenfreude. The Independent reports that there was a fire in the Trump Tower in Azerbaijan. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
A skyscraper that was slated to become a Trump International Hotel in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku has caught fire.
The Azadliq newspaper reported that the blaze broke out on the middle floors of the 33-storey building, which is locally known as Trump Tower, and spread.
Etibar Mirzoev, deputy head of the Emergency Situations Ministry, said there were no injuries and authorities were working to establish the cause of the of the fire.
What stories are you following today?
Posted: November 7, 2017 Filed under: Afternoon Reads, Foreign Affairs, U.S. Politics | Tags: Adam Schiff, Arkady Dvorkovich, Bizarro World, Carter Page, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Donald Trump, House Intelligence Committee, Jared Kushner, Robert Mercer, Saudi Arabia, Steele Dossier, Steve Bannon
I’m having another one of those mornings when my head is spinning from trying to sort out all the nutty news out there. We truly are living in Bizarro World now. If you want proof, just try reading Carter Page’s testimony before the House Intelligence Committee (pdf). I’ve read some of it, and hope to read more this afternoon. Some insights journalists have noted:
The Washington Post: Trump adviser sent email describing ‘private conversation’ with Russian official.
Carter Page, a foreign policy adviser to President Trump’s campaign whose visit to Moscow during the election has drawn scrutiny, sent an email to fellow Trump aides during his trip describing “a private conversation” with a senior Russian official who spoke favorably of the Republican candidate, according to records released late Monday by congressional investigators.
The email appeared to contradict earlier statements by Page, who had said he had only Page also wrote that he had been provided “incredible insights and outreach” by Russian lawmakers and “senior members” of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s administration during the trip.
The email appeared to contradict earlier statements by Page, who had said he had only exchanged brief greetings with the senior Russian official, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, after he delivered a speech at a Russian university.
In his July 2016 note, Page wrote that Dvorkovich had “expressed strong support for Mr. Trump and a desire to work together toward devising better solutions in response to a vast range of current international problems.”
Page had withheld the email from the Committee, claiming a 5th Amendment right to turn over some information while holding back anything that would incriminate him. Page was unaware that the Committee already had his emails.
Page’s email was read aloud by Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) when Page met behind closed doors last week with the House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 president election….
Confronted with his email, Page told the committee that he had not meant that he met with any officials but rather that he had learned of their views about the U.S. election from local media and scholars. He maintained that his interaction with Dvorkovich consisted of a brief greeting, and that he had learned his views on the campaign while listening to Dvorkovich’s public address. Page told the committee that he had not worked with the Russians to hack emails or otherwise influence the election.
OK . . . ?? Page’s testimony reads like something written out of Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass.
Natasha Bertrand at Business Insider: Carter Page’s testimony is filled with bombshells — and supports key portions of the Steele dossier.
Page revealed during his testimony that he met with both members of Russia’s presidential administration and with the head of investor relations at the state-owned Russian oil giant Rosneft during his trip to Moscow last July.
He also congratulated members of the Trump campaign’s foreign policy team on July 14 for their “excellent work” on the “Ukraine amendment” — a reference to the Trump campaign’s decision to “intervene” to water down a proposed amendment to the GOP’s Ukraine platform….
Page also revealed that Trump campaign adviser Sam Clovis had asked him to sign a non-disclosure agreement upon joining the campaign — and that he discussed his July Moscow trip with Clovis both before he went and after he returned.
Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff confronted Page with an email he wrote on July 8 from Moscow to Trump campaign adviser J.D. Gordon saying that he had received “incredible insights and outreach from a few Russian legislators and senior members of the presidential administration here.”
Former British spy Christopher Steele wrote in the dossier that an “official close to Presidential Administration Head, S. IVANOV, cornfided in a compatriot that a senior colleague in the Internal Political Department of the PA, DIVYEKIN (nfd) also had met secretly with PAGE on his recent visit.”
The birth certificate translation service can significantly change a document’s graphical layout, often requiring additional space to accommodate different character counts or writing directions. Also, the foreign patent filing has specific requirements and nuances for each country.
According to that official in the dossier, Diveykin told Page that the Kremlin had a dossier of kompromat on Hillary Clinton that they wanted to give to the Trump campaign.
Read the rest at Business Insider.
NBC News: Carter Page Coordinated Russia Trip With Top Trump Campaign Officials.
Former Trump campaign volunteer Carter Page, who has come under scrutiny in the investigation of Russian election interference, told a House committee that he sought permission for a July 2016 trip to Moscow from senior Trump campaign officials, and reported to other Trump officials about the trip when he returned.
It’s long been known that Page traveled to Moscow in July 2016, but he has said it was in his private capacity, unrelated to his role with the Trump campaign.
Page, whose sworn testimony was released Monday night, told the House Intelligence Committee last week that he sought permission to make the trip from campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, and also notified Hope Hicks, who is now the White House communications director.
Lewandowski told Page he was clear to go on the trip as long as the travel was not associated with his work on the campaign, Page told the committee.
Page also acknowledged that he had been aware that another volunteer campaign adviser, George Papadopoulos, had been meeting with a professor with links to the Kremlin, according to the committee’s ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
Check out this lengthy Twitter thread for more details on Page’s testimony.
And a reminder:
Charles Pierce: We’re Again Testing How Much Bullsh*t American Politics Can Withstand. Enter Carter Page.
Prior to Carter Page’s bravura piece of surreal performance art on Monday before the House Select Committee On Intelligence, there was Casey Stengel in 1958, confounding the Senate Anti-Trust and Monopoly Subcommittee that was looking into removing professional baseball’s exemption from the country’s anti-trust regulations. And then, 15 years later, Tony Ulasewicz, the hangdog ex-NYPD cop-turned-Nixonian bagman, explained to Sam Ervin and the special committee looking into Watergate how he handled the payoffs to the original Watergate burglars—including the piquant detail that, while he was roaming Washington with paper bags full of cash, he wore a subway motorman’s change dispenser on his belt because he was doing so much business in public phone booths.
But neither of them came anywhere close to the kung-fu fighting that Page did with the English language on Monday. The committee wisely released a transcript of Page’s testimony, and chunks of it were flying around the Intertoobz all Monday night. I found that the best way to read it was to dim all the lights and play all my Hawkwind albums really loud.
There’s just so much chewy goodness. For example, Page refers to the “so-called Putin regime,” but has no compunction of referring to “the Obama-Clinton regime” without the qualifying modifier. He also seems to believe that the Senate “Gang of Eight” was an actual gang, with Harry Reid as its jefe. His testimony begins with a long letter he’d written in response to the committee. Here, from that letter, he presents as evidence that he and the Russians were guiltless of ratfcking the 2016 election the fact that he is not yet wealthy.
If our government had a better understanding of Russia and the way business is now conducted in Russia, the 2016 Dodgy Dossier which alleged that I should have received a multi-million dollar bribe after President Trump’s victory in November would have been easily dismissed as a work of fiction by these supposed subject-matter experts.
The letter also refers to the “gangster tactics” of “the transnational veritable organized crime network that Reid leveraged during the Clinton/Obama regime,” so you can pretty much figure out that we’ve turned a pretty dark bend in a pretty strange river.
Read the rest at the Esquire link above.
Other Bizarro World News:
Something strange is happening in Saudi Arabia and it seems likely Trump and Jared Kushner are involved. David Ignatius wrote on Sunday:
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says he’s cracking down on corruption. But the sweeping arrests of cabinet ministers and senior princes Saturday night looked to many astonished Arab observers like a bold but risky consolidation of power.
MBS, as the headstrong 32-year-old ruler is known, struck at some of the kingdom’s most prominent business and political names in a new bid to gain political control and drive change in the oil kingdom. By the count of the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya news channel, the arrests included 11 princes, four ministers and several dozen others.
Jared Kushner. Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman. General Raheel Sharif at the US-Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh in May 2017.
“He’s creating a new Saudi Arabia,” said one Saudi business leader contacted Sunday. He noted that the anti-corruption campaign follows other aggressive but controversial moves, including a royal decree allowing women to drive and limits on the religious police.
“This is very risky,” the business leader said, because MBS is now challenging senior princes and religious conservatives simultaneously. The executive, who strongly supports MBS’s liberalization efforts, worried that “he’s fighting too many wars at once.”
This followed a secret visit by Kushner in October.
MBS is emboldened by strong support from President Trump and his inner circle, who see him as a kindred disrupter of the status quo — at once a wealthy tycoon and a populist insurgent. It was probably no accident that last month, Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, made a personal visit to Riyadh. The two princes are said to have stayed up until nearly 4 a.m. several nights, swapping stories and planning strategy.
Bloomberg: Trump Undercuts His Advisers Again With Saudi Tweets.
President Donald Trump again showed how quickly his tweets can outrun U.S. foreign policy planning, after he backed Saudi Arabia’s king and crown prince over the arrests of dozens of officials before the State Department had completed its review of the moves.
While Trump had talked with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about Saudi Arabia as they toured Tokyo together Nov. 5 and 6, there was no formal consultation before he tweeted early Tuesday that King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman “know exactly what they are doing.” [….] A second tweet said “some of those they are harshly treating have been ‘milking’ their country for years!”
Trump and Kushner are running their own foreign policy out of the White House, probably based on their business interests.
The Intercept: CIA Director Met Advocate of Disputed DNC Hack Theory–at Trump’s Request.
CIA Director Mike Pompeo
CIA DIRECTOR MIKE Pompeo met late last month with a former U.S. intelligence official who has become an advocate for a disputed theory that the theft of the Democratic National Committee’s emails during the 2016 presidential campaign was an inside job, rather than a hack by Russian intelligence.
Pompeo met on October 24 with William Binney, a former National Security Agency official-turned-whistleblower who co-authored an analysispublished by a group of former intelligence officials that challenges the U.S. intelligence community’s official assessment that Russian intelligence was behind last year’s theft of data from DNC computers. Binney and the other former officials argue that the DNC data was “leaked,” not hacked, “by a person with physical access” to the DNC’s computer system.
In an interview with The Intercept, Binney said Pompeo told him that President Donald Trump had urged the CIA director to meet with Binney to discuss his assessment that the DNC data theft was an inside job. During their hour-long meeting at CIA headquarters, Pompeo said Trump told him that if Pompeo “want[ed] to know the facts, he should talk to me,” Binney said.
A senior intelligence source confirmed that Pompeo met with Binney to discuss his analysis, and that the CIA director held the meeting at Trump’s urging.
Pompeo and Trump are apparently running an alternative CIA investigation!
Finally, The Guardian reports from the Paradise Papers: Offshore cash helped fund Steve Bannon’s attacks on Hillary Clinton.
Eighteen months before guiding Donald Trump to election victory, Steve Bannon delivered the opening shot in the ruthless Republican campaign to paint their Democratic opponent as corrupt.
The future White House chief strategist produced a book in May 2015 accusing Hillary Clinton of trading favours for donations to her charitable foundation. Its questionable central charge, on the sale of a uranium company to Russia, recently became the subject of a House inquiry and feverish talk on conservative media.
But the financial arrangements of another foundation, which bankrolled Bannon’s creation of the book, Clinton Cash, have received less scrutiny.
Leaked documents and newly obtained public filings show how the billionaire Mercer family built a $60m war chest for conservative causes inside their family foundation by using an offshore investment vehicle to avoid US tax.
The offshore vehicle was part of a network of companies in the Atlantic tax haven of Bermuda led by Robert Mercer, the wealthy hedge-fund executive and Bannon patron whose spending helped put Trump in the White House and aided a resurgence of the Republican right.
Read the rest at The Guardian link.
So . . . what else is happening? What stories are you following today?htt
Posted: November 16, 2012 Filed under: Barack Obama, John McCain, U.S. Military, U.S. Politics | Tags: Adam Schiff, al Qaeda, Benghazi attacks, David Petraeus, Kelly Ayotte, Kent Conrad, Lindsey Graham, Mark Udall, Peter King, Susan Rice
Disgraced General and former CIA Chief David Petraeus testified on the Benghazi attacks in a closed Congressional hearing early this morning. Unsurprisingly, Republicans remain unsatisfied, and Rep. Peter King (D-NY) is running around suggesting that for some bizarre, unknown reason, the White House conspired to hide any terrorist involvement in the Benghazi attacks.
From The Washington Post:
After avoiding a swarm of awaiting reporters and photographers, former CIA director David Petraeus testified behind closed doors Friday that he believes the Sept. 11 attacks on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya was an act of terrorism that did not arise out of a spontaneous demonstration, according to a lawmaker who heard the testimony.
“He now clearly believes that it [the Sept. 11 attacks] did not arise out of a demonstration, that it was not spontaneous and it was clear terrorist involvement,” Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said.
Of course that is what everyone now believes, but Republicans seem determined to find some way to impeach President Obama over Benghazi regardless of what actually happened.
Petraeus gave a 20-minute opening statement to the House panel and took about 70 minutes of questions, according to King, who said that Petraeus testified Friday that the CIA gave the White House and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice information on the Benghazi attack that differed from Rice’s public comments on the incident….
Apparently the talking points were vetted by a number of agencies and at some point a line referring to a group associated with al Qaeda was removed. Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham have spent the past couple of days attacking U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice for comments she made on Sunday shows soon after the attacks. Her comments were based on the final talking points she, the White House, and Congress received from intelligence community.
Feinstein also rose to Rice’s defense, saying that the ambassador was using talking points based on the best available intelligence just days after the attack.
“They were unclassified talking points at a very early stage,” Feinstein said. “I don’t think she should be pilloried for this. She did what I would have done, or anyone else would have done that was going on a weekend show. We would have said, ‘What talking points can I use?’ and you’d get an unclassified version.”
The WaPo story quotes several Republican Congressmen, including John McCain, who
…called the former general’s testimony “comprehensive, I think it was important, it added to our ability to make judgments about what is clearly a failure of intelligence. He described his actions and that of his agency, their interaction with other agencies and I appreciate his service and his candor.”
The AP managed to find some Democrats to talk to.
After the hearings, lawmakers said Petraeus testified that the CIA’s draft talking points written in response to the assault on the diplomat post in Benghazi that killed four Americans referred to it as a terrorist attack. But Petraeus told the lawmakers that reference was removed from the final version, although he wasn’t sure which federal agency deleted it.
Democrats said Petraeus made it clear the change was not made for political reasons during President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign.
“The general was adamant there was no politicization of the process, no White House interference or political agenda,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. “He completely debunked that idea.”
Schiff said Petraeus said Rice’s comments in the television interviews “reflected the best intelligence at the time that could be released publicly.”
In addition, Petraeus made it clear that he and others at the CIA approved the final draft of the talking points that were given to Susan Rice.
Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., said Petraeus explained that the CIA’s draft points were sent to other intelligence agencies and to some federal agencies for review. Udall said Petraeus told them the final document was put in front of all the senior agency leaders, including Petraeus, and everyone signed off on it.
“The assessment that was publicly shared in unclassified talking points went through a process of editing,” Udall said. “The extremist description was put in because in an unclassified document you want to be careful who you identify as being involved.”
Schiff said Petraeus said Rice’s comments in the television interviews “reflected the best intelligence at the time that could be released publicly.”
“There was an interagency process to draft it, not a political process,” Schiff said. “They came up with the best assessment without compromising classified information or source or methods. So changes were made to protect classified information.”
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said it’s clear that Rice “used the unclassified talking points that the entire intelligence community signed off on, so she did completely the appropriate thing.” He said the changes made to the draft accounts for the discrepancies with some of the reports that were made public showing that the intelligence community knew it was a terrorist attack all along.
And, as we all know, the day after the attacks President Obama referred to them as terrorist acts.
So that’s where it stands for now–until the next press conference by John McCain and his sidekicks Lindsey Graham, and Kelly Ayotte. | <urn:uuid:927b8241-15ad-46d8-9d11-bc49c7899d1d> | {
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The valuable information in Pearson's Handbook is now more affordable in a handy desk reference. 27,686 entries of the highest quality crystal data, representing 27,686 different compounds. Structure type given for all entries. 54 per cent of entries include the coordinates of the atoms. 605 entries are 'filled-up' structure 1,730 structure types have been assigned by the editor 6,426 belong to berthollide compounds. Data included up to 1995 (6-year update to the Second Edition 12-year update to the First Edition). Full 167-page structure-type index (with all its representatives). Entries include full information, as in the Second Edition. Comprises all the international literature from 1913 to 1995. Includes detailed crystallographic data for unary, binary and ternary phases, excluding halides and ternary (or quaternary) oxides. Fully revised and updated. Covers more than 27,000 compounds, with all data critically evaluated. Includes the following improvements over the original Pearson's. Additional literature years between 1989 to 1995 have been covered completely and comprehensively, based on searches of more than 130 journals and more than 10,000 abstract pages per year. Entries contain additional information, such as calculated density, color, more detailed diffraction data, standard deviation of unit cell dimension(s), point-set symmetry, and full reference, including publication title. All entries and structure types have been computer checked for consistency and correctness. All crystallographic data are now given in the standard setting according to the International Tables for Crystallography. Include a Six-Year Update of the Data in The Second Edition. | <urn:uuid:41a88e23-a4e2-4919-8fae-4980374f3326> | {
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As the name indicates, the Tunis sheep originated in Tunisia on the northern coast of Africa. The Tunis is one of the oldest breeds of livestock developed in America. The first Tunis ewes that were imported to America were a gift from the Bey of Tunis to Judge Richard Peters of Belmont, PA. He used rams that he had available here and then gave lambs away to spread the breed. Their popularity continued to grow and once they were one of the predominant breeds in this country. They have been listed on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy as a rare breed. However the numbers of Tunis that are registered each year has continued to grow, which is a testament to the growing popularity of the breed.
The Tunis is a medium sized sheep with a very distinctive look and are affectionately called “the Red Heads”. Tunis sheep have creamy colored wool that is set off by cinnamon red colored head and legs. They also have a slender head, very expressive eyes and long pendant shaped ears and a very calm disposition, which is the hallmark of the breed. They are alert and their eyes, as well as their ears, convey intelligence and grace. Tunis sheep are known for their disease resistance and their ability to thrive on marginal pasture. The Tunis is feed efficient and require less feed to produce marketable lambs in the same time period as larger breeds.
They have a tolerance for both warm and cold climates. The Tunis is known for breeding out of season and Fall lambs are quite common. Mature rams weigh between 175 and 225 pounds, while mature ewes weigh between 125 to 175 pounds.
Tunis ewes are excellent mothers and are heavy milkers. They produce very vigorous lambs that weigh between 7-12 pounds at birth. The lambs have a coat of red or tan wool and sometimes a white spot on their heads or tip of their tails. This red or tan wool grows out to the creamy color that the adults have and the hair on their faces and legs remains the red color.
Tunis wool has a staple length of 4 to 6 inches, a micron count of 24 to 30 and a Bradford Count of 56s to 58s. Each Tunis ewe produces approximately 6 to 9 pounds of fleece each year.
The Tunis sheep has a lot to offer today’s sheep industry. Feed efficiency, easy birthing, excellent mothering, heavy milking, docile temperament, extended breeding season, heat tolerance and disease resistance are just a few of the many reasons they are growing in popularity. | <urn:uuid:059f5963-5099-4d3f-9ae1-12ed6d8bbd5f> | {
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Back- up Power Generator (BPG) emission of carbon dioxide per unit of electricity generated is playing a significant role to meet its obligations (carbon clearance) under the Kyoto Protocol. We have to reduce the contribution of our power stations to emissions of nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide. We can reduce power consumption by lowering annual fuel consumption for transport, by managing energy use, by ‘green’ electricity and energy efficiency projects through planning sustainable development.
Balancing economic, social and environmental considerations is vital to power business worldwide. So, we need to bring the environment and sustainable development into our mainstream business agenda and improve the performance of our conventional coal-fired power stations by investing in clean-up technology such as flue gas desulphurisation (FGD). We can have gas-fired plants as England does.
To set pragmatic targets for emission reductions we must have a dual motivation – cutting costs and reducing environmental impact. Energy companies willing to transform their businesses by combined heat and power (CHP), energy efficiency and renewable energy need be brought in. Power sector has the following obligations under environmental commitments-
– assess the environmental implications of all its activities as an integral part of its decision making
– develop and maintain an effective environmental management system within power sector
– promote the development of more efficient and cleaner ways of carrying out its operations and activities
– promote the efficient use of energy and material resources (optimal management)
– respond promptly and effectively to environmental incidents
– develop ways of improving the environmental impact of existing and future activities
– manage land with sensitivity and promote conservation
– maintain close liaison with the appropriate regulators and environmental organisations
– promote research into the environmental effects of its energy activities
– promote environmental awareness of employees, suppliers and contractors within the community
– educate and train employees to conduct in an environmentally responsible manner (teach them young while in engineering colleges /IITs )
Additionally ,we should set targets and objectives to support sustainable power policy and review them regularly. and maintain internal procedures to support this policy and its effectiveness in the light of growing knowledge and understanding.
Our waste management strategy must be based on minimizing of waste by reusing, recovering and recycling continually.
By Prof (Dr.) V. Ramakumar | <urn:uuid:6b484103-bf9d-4b8b-8794-af8a8a649f47> | {
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Tools are available for the Lab mail user to write really rather complex instructions for the mail system to interpret before the mail is delivered. This document shows what you can do, and how to do things people commonly want to do.
There are, of course, things you cannot do. A signficant one is that you may not “bounce” mail (i.e., refuse the connection) — that is something only the system itself is allowed.
The filter language
The filter language allows you to write simple linear scripts, with conditional discrimination based on the content of the message (and possibly the external context). The filter resides in the same .forward file that is used for simple forwarding. Obviously the mail system needs to distinguish the two sorts of file, and so a filter file must start with the characters:
# Exim filter
which has the disadvantage that it doesn’t look remarkable enough and is prone to getting deleted. So you are recommended to write:
# Exim filter <<-- do NOT delete this line
(anything on the line after “exim filter” is treated as comment, and the words may be in upper- or lowercase.)
You are not recommended to read the filter language specification as an introductory text. Rather, read the rest of this document for an outline of the language and a few useful examples, and then use the specification as a reference guide.
The useful commands in the filter language
The filter language has a simple structure; you typically use an extended conditional tree to discriminate between various types of message, and then perform some action at each leaf node of that tree.
The conditional tree is made up of if, then, elif (meaning “else+if”), else and endif commands. So the general structure of a tree is
if ( condition )
elif ( condition )
The conditions are built up from relations between variables and strings or numbers; elif is an abbreviation for else if, and endif ends a conditional command group. The string relations may be “is”, “contains”, “matches”, “is not”, “does not contain” or “does not match”. A variable is an element of the message, or some other important feature of what’s going on. It may be
- some part of the header, such as “$h_from” or “$h_subject”,
- a body-part, such as “$message_body” (the first few thousand characters of the message) or “$message_body_end (the last few thousand characters of the message),
- a statistic, such as “$message_body_size,
- a derived value, such as “$home” (the user’s home directory, of course), “$recipients” (the set of people who will receive this message), and so on.
- a script variable, such as “delivered”, which records whether anything has actually delivered the message in the script-so-far.
In the case of “matches” and “does not match”, the thing to match against is a regular expression, using a pretty close match to Perl language syntax. You can test your regular expressions using the command pcretest:
$ pcretest PCRE version 3.9 02-Jan-2002 re> /.*\.cl\.cam\.ac\.uk/ data> [email protected] 0: [email protected] data> re> /(.*)@.*\.cl\.cam\.ac\.uk/ data> [email protected] 0: [email protected] 1: jim
Note that [email protected] is not a valid mail address…
Discriminating between messages
Useful discriminators are:
- Who sent the message — $h_from and $h_sender
- Who the message was sent to — $h_to and $h_cc
- Whether this mail was directly addressed to you — builtin condition “personal” detects if the mail was addressed to you, or was one you sent and copied to yourself.
- The subject of the message — $h_subject
- The size of the message — $message_body_size
The actions you can take
There are a small number of basic actions you may take, having identified a message class:
- saves a message to a file. This is in fact the
action the mailer takes by default, saving a message into your
incoming mail file by the equivalent of
The save command marks the message as delivered (see unseen, below). A common way to end a filter script is the command
if not delivered then save .mail endif
meaning “if all else fails, deliver to the ‘default’ place”.
- passes the message to an “approved” command
(commands that are available are specifically selected: don’t try
random Unix commands that might be helpful).
The pipe command marks the message as delivered (see unseen, below).
- is a command you may pipe into, which puts
the message as into a folder. The process performed by the
mh inc command is equivalent to doing
pipe "rcvstore +inbox"
at the delivery of each message.
The message folder you want to rcvstore mail into must exist beforehand; if it doesn’t, mail may be lost (or, if you’re lucky, merely delayed). See Checking the filter, below.
- marks the message as delivered, without doing
anything. Uses for this facility are few and far between; the
acts the same (abandoning the message) as does
on its own.
- modifies a command to suppress the “mark as
delivered” action. So neither of
unseen pipe "rcvstore +foo"
unseen save .bar-mail
will mark the message as delivered.
- marks the message as having been delivered. There is probably no value in doing this; if you want to abandon a message, merely issue the command finish (see below), rather than falling through and hoping the system will believe you’ve not seen it.
- stops processing. You may do this at the end of a condition; an implicit finish is inserted at the end of the filter file if you’ve not put one there yourself.
Disposing of spam
External mail coming to the department passes through a computing service ‘mail hub’, which checks for (and removes) viruses, and runs the message through a spam-detector. The spam detector adds header information about its reaction to the message: here’s one from a recent bit of rubbish:
X-Cam-ScannerInfo: http://www.cam.ac.uk/cs/email/scanner/ X-Cam-AntiVirus: No virus found X-Cam-SpamDetails: scanned, SpamAssassin (score=8.7, FORGED_YAHOO_RCVD 2.29, HABEAS_HIL 4.00, HTML_60_70 0.10, HTML_MESSAGE 0.10, MIME_HTML_ONLY 0.10, RAZOR2_CHECK 2.06) X-Cam-SpamScore: ssssssss
The URL on the first line tells you about the scanner, what it does, and what it’s protecting you against. The second line reports that there was no detectable virus in the mail. The third (and fourth and fifth) line(s) tell you what the spam scanner thought of the mail: this isn’t terribly enlightening, unless you’re working on the scanner itself — the important thing is the score, which in this case is 8.7. The final line is that value, coded so as to be easily spotted by a mail filter; there are 8 “s”s there. This particular mail was trapped by a statement:
if ( $h_X-Cam-SpamScore contains "sssssss" ) then pipe "rcvstore +spam" finish endif
The condition mentions 7 “s”s, and there were 8 in the message, so the condition worked. In fact, mail with scores less than 7 are pretty frequently spam, but once you get down to really low scores, you’re in danger of rejecting legitimate mail. A common way round this is:
if ( $h_X-Cam-SpamScore contains "sssss" ) then save .mail.spam finish elif ( $h_X-Cam-SpamScore contains "sss" ) then pipe "rcvstore +spam-suspect" finish endif
The first condition spots mail with spam score 5 or greater, and simply saves it to a file. The second condition spots mail with a score of 3 or 4, and puts it in a folder “spam-suspect”; you should scan the folder regularly, to check that important mail is not being missed. (The scan can be pretty straightforward: it’s usually possible to tell that mail is significant on the basis of its author — who it’s from — and its subject.)
A folder for a mailing list
If you subscribe to a mailing list that you regard as background reading, only, you may wish to move messages to the list direct to a folder. (There are of course other reasons you might care to do this.)
Some mailing lists generously put a tag in every subject line:
Subject: [sibelius-list] Spot the Difference
orSubject: Re: [sibelius-list] Spot the Difference
In such a case, we use a match on the subject line:
if ($h_subject contains "[sibelius-list]") then pipe "rcvstore +sibelius" finish endif
Another common discriminator is the sender, or the address the mail was sent to:
if ($h_from:$h_sender matches "latex-l@listserv" or $h_to:$h_cc matches "[email protected]") then pipe "rcvstore +latex3" finish endif
In this case, two different mailing lists are going to end up in the same folder.
Checking the filter
Always check your mail filter before you install it. As a general rule, the best bet is to write the filter iteratively, and to run checks on the changes. There are two stages to each check:
- Ensure that every folder mentioned exists, and that the mail system can see it (see section General precautions).
- Similarly, care is needed when you use the save command; always ensure the file exists (as an empty file) before you enable the filter. (The mail system will create your $HOME/.mail file for you, before you even arrive, but it won’t create a file in any other directory.)
- Check the syntax of the filter with the cl-ckfilter tool. The tool checks the syntax of the filter file in $HOME/.forward-new, and reports some details of what it would do in a “normal” case.
$ cl-ckfilter /usr/bin/ckfilter -q /homes/rf10/.forward-new gave: 0 Return-path copied from sender Sender = [email protected] Recipient = [email protected] Testing Exim filter file "/homes/rf10/.forward-new" Unseen save message to: /anfs/bigdisc/rf10/Mail/save-mail Unseen deliver message to: [email protected] Filtering did not set up a significant delivery. Normal delivery will occur. $
Note that the line “Filtering did not set up a significant delivery.” is OK; the next line “Normal delivery will occur.” is to be read as “therefore …”. (The filtering message has an implicit command:
if not delivered then save .mail endif
at its end.)
Once the check is complete (not reporting errors), it’s safe to:
cp ~/.forward ~/.forward-save cp ~/.forward-new ~/.forward
And finally, get someone else send you a message. If it bounces, copy .forward_save back to .forward as soon as possible!
It’s easy to imagine that this testing verges on the paranoiac: however, when the alternative is the potential seriously to delay mail, or even to lose it, thorough testing is well worth while.
Something that’s not always obvious to people, is that mail delivery happens on a central machine that runs the mail server. Even if you always use the same machine, the mail delivery system can’t touch disc space on that machine. So filter instructions like:
will cause mail to back up in the server, and you’ll eventually hear from an upset systems administrator. The mail server machine just can’t see your attractive looking scratch space. A reasonable alternative is to apply for an allocation on /anfs/bigdisc, and to save your spam there.
The same problem may arise from private servers. Some research groups run /usr/groups directories on group servers; some scratch and other machine-local directories are available via NFS (which in effect makes such machines private servers, too). Save mail to disc on non-central servers such as these, and once again, you’re in danger of systems administrator enragement — systems administrators reluctantly accept the blame when a central system goes down, but when you crash your own workstation and mail backs up, there’s no (recognised) excuse. | <urn:uuid:a9df5c8a-b930-4bae-9456-5f03162909bc> | {
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Next-generation storage device coming up
One of the most essential things in the information age is the ability to store a vast amount of data. According to a report from Scientific American, scientists are researching ways to utilize DNA for the next generation of storage media.
In theory a DNA storage device the size of a sugar cube, or comparatively a small USB flash drive, can store billions of gigabytes of data. While it may sound overwhelming, the need for such a dense storage solution becomes apparent considering it has been estimated that humans will generate 16 trillion gigabytes of digital data by 2017. Data stored in DNA could also theoretically last for thousands of years.
Interest in this field of study from big companies like Microsoft could drive research to produce viable products and acceptable production costs within the decade. Alfred Bayle
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000. | <urn:uuid:3871f981-7b24-4a00-a18f-2c5a8db77a30> | {
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Call for Submissions: 2014 EPI Seeking Data for Wastewater Treatment
Over the years, we’ve attempted to measure country-level performance on water in a number of ways. To assess performance in terms of water management, early versions of the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), the predecessor to the EPI, relied on modeled data on biological oxygen demand (BOD) emissions from the World Bank and crude estimates of national groundwater availability from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Aquastat database. From 2008 to 2010, we partnered directly with the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS)/Water Programme database, GEMStat, to develop a Water Quality Index based on sparse in situ monitoring data for dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, nitrogen, and phosphorus. However, we eventually abandoned this measure in the 2012 EPI due to data gaps and questions regarding the longevity of the database.
For the 2014 EPI, we are renewing efforts to both seek new indicators to measure water performance as well as to provide guidance for the ‘next generation’ of water indicators. On Sept 11-12, we will hold a meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, following World Water Week to bring together experts from around the world to discuss how we might construct credible indicators to better assess performance on water management.
Toward this end, we are also seeking country-level data on wastewater treatment—data that we don’t have, but critically need. Specifically, we are reaching out to you: Can you send us your wastewater treatment data or statistics for your country or a country you are knowledgeable about?
The source for water treatment data usually comes from a country’s national environment reports, statistical bureaus, or other official sources of data. We do not need statistics from international or multilateral agencies such as the FAO, World Bank, or the United Nations—we already have those. For your efforts, we will acknowledge you in the 2014 EPI report.
Please see the definition below for the kinds of water treatment data we are seeking:
Water treatment: Water treatment variables can provide important information about the amount of wastewater or sewage that is treated prior to being discharged. These variables may include: 1) the amount of produced wastewater, 2) the amount of collected [municipal] wastewater, and 3) the amount of treated or untreated [municipal] wastewater. Often, these variables are reported independently in volumetric units, or aggregated together as percentages of one another (e.g., dividing the volume of treated wastewater by the volume of collected wastewater provides the percentage of wastewater treated).
Treated municipal wastewater variables are commonly reported by the type of treatment applied to collected wastewater. These treatment types include primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary treatments involve physical or chemical processes, such as the use of settling or holding tanks, chlorine disinfection, and ozonation. Secondary treatments may involve the use of activated sludge, secondary clarifiers, trickling filters, and settling basin digesters. In addition to a secondary treatment process, tertiary treatments also involve processes to remove or significantly reduce nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, through membrane filtration (e.g., reverse osmosis), activated carbon, or disinfection, among others. Unless a specific treatment type is provided with the data, it can be assumed that wastewater is treated through a combination of these processes (commonly reported as “at least primary/secondary treated.”)
FAO’s AQUASTAT database provides several useful definitions related to wastewater. Produced municipal wastewater is the “annual volume of domestic, commercial and industrial effluents, and storm water runoff, generated within urban areas. Collected municipal wastewater is “municipal wastewater collected by municipal wastewater sewers or other formal collection systems.” Treated wastewater is “treated wastewater (primary, secondary and tertiary) annually produced by municipal wastewater treatment facilities in the country.” For more information on treatment types, please refer to the “treated municipal wastewater” definition on AQUASTAT’s web page at http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/wastewater/index.stm.
For more information contact Omar Malik at [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:4b6a0874-1419-4f24-8a06-7eda048f0e77> | {
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May 3rd, 2010
The most effective way to promote energy efficiency is to design a house that takes full advantage of natural light, passive solar energy, shading, cross-ventilation, and efficient space planning. Doing so — by studying sun angles, prevailing winds, and general site orientation — reduces the overall energy load required to live comfortably. Once these fundamental architectural moves are established, design and specification of artificial lighting and interior climate control enhance the overall efficiency.
Photo by David Blank
Additional photos by Suzanne Zahr Fleming: | <urn:uuid:baa0d515-651b-4c21-aea8-8745b0b5a0e2> | {
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'Imperial Airways - The Greatest Air Service in the World', poster, 1930s.
© Science Museum / Science & Society Picture Library
Poster showing four pasenger aeroplanes (Handley Page Heracles/Hannibal, Short Scylla, Armstrong-Whitworth Atalanta and Short Scipio) with cutaway sections, showing their interior seating arrangements. Imperial Airways Limited was formed by the British government on 31 March 1924, after a government report recommended that Britain's interests in commercial air transport would be best served by merging the larger existing aircraft companies. The government's primary motivation for the merger was the need to carry mail throughout the empire. The four companies concerned were Handley Page Transport, the Instone Airline, Daimler Airway and British Marine Air Navigation, all four of which had struggled to operate at a profit. | <urn:uuid:676b826c-ab16-4696-8506-0e3a091f2a42> | {
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- Year Published: 0
- Language: English
- Country of Origin: England
- Source: Beatrix Potter, The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter
- Flesch–Kincaid Level: 4.0
- Word Count: 1,417
Potter, B. (0). “The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes”. Peter Rabbit and Other Stories (Lit2Go Edition). Retrieved September 01, 2014, from
Potter, Beatrix. "“The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes”." Peter Rabbit and Other Stories. Lit2Go Edition. 0. Web. <>. September 01, 2014.
Beatrix Potter, "“The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes”," Peter Rabbit and Other Stories, Lit2Go Edition, (0), accessed September 01, 2014,.
Once upon a time there was a little fat comfortable grey squirrel, called Timmy Tiptoes. He had a nest thatched with leaves in the top of a tall tree; and he had a little squirrel wife called Goody.
Timmy Tiptoes sat out, enjoying the breeze; he whisked his tail and chuckled—“Little wife Goody, the nuts are ripe; we must lay up a store for winter and spring.” Goody Tiptoes was busy pushing moss under the thatch—“The nest is so snug, we shall be sound asleep all winter.”
“Then we shall wake up all the thinner, when there is nothing to eat in spring-time,” replied prudent Timothy.
When Timmy and Goody Tiptoes came to the nut thicket, they found other squirrels were there already.
Timmy took off his jacket and hung it on a twig; they worked away quietly by themselves.
Every day they made several journeys and picked quantities of nuts. They carried them away in bags, and stored them in several hollow stumps near the tree where they had built their nest.
When these stumps were full, they began to empty the bags into a hole high up a tree, that had belonged to a woodpecker; the nuts rattled down—down—down inside.
“How shall you ever get them out again? It is like a money box!” said Goody.
“I shall be much thinner before springtime, my love,” said Timmy Tiptoes, peeping into the hole.
They did collect quantities— because they did not lose them! Squirrels who bury their nuts in the ground lose more than half, because they cannot remember the place.
The most forgetful squirrel in the wood was called Silvertail. He began to dig, and he could not remember. And then he dug again and found some nuts that did not belong to him; and there was a fight. And other squirrels began to dig,—the whole wood was in commotion!
Unfortunately, just at this time a flock of little birds flew by, from bush to bush, searching for green caterpillars and spiders. There were several sorts of little birds, twittering different songs.
The first one sang—“Who’s been digging-up MY nuts? Who’s-been-digging-up MY nuts?”
And another sang—“Little bita bread and-NO-cheese! Little bit-a-bread an’-NO-cheese!”
The squirrels followed and listened. The first little bird flew into the bush where Timmy and Goody Tiptoes were quietly tying up their bags, and it sang—“Who’s-been digging-up MY nuts? Who’s been digging-up MY-nuts?”
Timmy Tiptoes went on with his work without replying; indeed, the little bird did not expect an answer. It was only singing its natural song, and it meant nothing at all.
But when the other squirrels heard that song, they rushed upon Timmy Tiptoes and cuffed and scratched him, and upset his bag of nuts. The innocent little bird which had caused all the mischief, flew away in a fright!
Timmy rolled over and over, and then turned tail and fled towards his nest, followed by a crowd of squirrels shouting— “Who’s-been digging-up MY-nuts?”
They caught him and dragged him up the very same tree, where there was the little round hole, and they pushed him in. The hole was much too small for Timmy Tiptoes’ figure. They squeezed him dreadfully, it was a wonder they did not break his ribs. “We will leave him here till he confesses,” said Silvertail Squirrel and he shouted into the hole—“Who’s-been-digging-up MY-nuts?”
Timmy Tiptoes made no reply; he had tumbled down inside the tree, upon half a peck of nuts belonging to himself. He lay quite stunned and still.
Goody Tiptoes picked up the nut bags and went home. She made a cup of tea for Timmy; but he didn’t come and didn’t come.
Goody Tiptoes passed a lonely and unhappy night. Next morning she ventured back to the nut bushes to look for him; but the other unkind squirrels drove her away.
She wandered all over the wood, calling—
“Timmy Tiptoes! Timmy Tip-toes! Oh, where is Timmy Tiptoes?”
In the meantime Timmy Tiptoes came to his senses. He found himself tucked up in a little moss bed, very much in the dark, feeling sore; it seemed to be underground. Timmy coughed and groaned, because his ribs hurt him. There was a chirpy noise, and a small striped Chipmunk appeared with a night light, and hoped he felt better?
It was most kind to Timmy Tiptoes; it lent him its nightcap; and the house was full of provisions.
The Chipmunk explained that it had rained nuts through the top of the tree—“Besides, I found a few buried!” It laughed and chuckled when it heard Timmy’s story. While Timmy was confined to bed, it ‘ticed him to eat quantities —“But how shall I ever get out through that hole unless I thin myself? My wife will be anxious!”
“Just another nut—or two nuts; let me crack them for you,” said the Chipmunk. Timmy Tiptoes grew fatter and fatter!
Now Goody Tiptoes had set to work again by herself. She did not put any more nuts into the woodpecker’s hole, because she had always doubted how they could be got out again. She hid them under a tree root; they rattled down, down, down. Once when Goody emptied an extra big bagful, there was a decided squeak; and next time Goody brought another bagful, a little striped Chipmunk scrambled out in a hurry.
“It is getting perfectly full-up downstairs; the sitting room is full, and they are rolling along the passage; and my husband, Chippy Hackee, has run away and left me. What is the explanation of these showers of nuts?”
“I am sure I beg your pardon; I did not know that anybody lived here,” said Mrs. Goody Tiptoes; “but where is Chippy Hackee? My husband, Timmy Tiptoes, has run away too.”
“I know where Chippy is; a little bird told me,” said Mrs. Chippy Hackee.
She led the way to the woodpecker’s tree, and they listened at the hole.
Down below there was a noise of nutcrackers, and a fat squirrel voice and a thin squirrel voice were singing together—
“My little old man and I fell out,
How shall we bring this matter about?
Bring it about as well as you can,
And get you gone, you little old man!”
“You could squeeze in, through that little round hole,” said Goody Tiptoes. “Yes, I could,” said the Chipmunk, “but my husband, Chippy Hackee, bites!”
Down below there was a noise of cracking nuts and nibbling; and then the fat squirrel voice and the thin squirrel voice sang—
“For the diddlum day
Day diddle durn di!
Day diddle diddle dum day!”
Then Goody peeped in at the hole, and called down—“Timmy Tiptoes! Oh fie, Timmy Tiptoes!” And Timmy replied, “Is that you, Goody Tiptoes? Why, certainly!”
He came up and kissed Goody through the hole; but he was so fat that he could not get out.
Chippy Hackee was not too fat, but he did not want to come; he stayed down below and chuckled.
And so it went on for a fort-night; till a big wind blew off the top of the tree, and opened up the hole and let in the rain.
Then Timmy Tiptoes came out, and went home with an umbrella.
But Chippy Hackee continued to camp out for another week, although it was uncomfortable.
At last a large bear came walking through the wood. Perhaps he also was looking for nuts; he seemed to be sniffing around.
Chippy Hackee went home in a hurry!
And when Chippy Hackee got home, he found he had caught a cold in his head; and he was more uncomfortable still.
And now Timmy and Goody Tiptoes keep their nut store fastened up with a little padlock.
And whenever that little bird sees the Chipmunks, he sings—“Who’s-been-digging-up MY-nuts? Who’s been dig-ging-up MY-nuts?” But nobody ever answers! | <urn:uuid:52bb39e4-9d88-4539-9338-fddcff310b0f> | {
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Forster was a member of Parliament from 1708 to 1716, but his Jacobite proclivities became known, and in 1715 he was ordered under arrest by the House of Commons. He fled before this could be done, however, and at Greenrig in Northumberland on Oct. 6, 1715, he proclaimed the Old Pretender as James III. Forster assumed command of his small band of followers but proved a poor general. After failing to take Newcastle he allowed the rebellion to degenerate into a series of purposeless marches. He was joined by the rebels from southern Scotland under William Gordon, Lord Kenmure, and the combined force marched to Kelso in Roxburghshire, where on October 22 it was further reinforced by a detachment of Highlanders under Brigadier William Mackintosh of Borlum. Mackintosh had considerable military talents but was obliged to serve under the incompetent Kenmure in Scotland and the no less incompetent Forster once the rebels had crossed into England. Forster expected reinforcements from the Roman Catholic gentry of the northwestern shires of England, but these failed to appear. At Preston on November 17 he capitulated, despite the protests of his officers. He escaped from prison to France, where he died some 23 years later. | <urn:uuid:68dde329-af29-4cf8-9b5c-b559f61274b4> | {
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An unknown Mycenaean cemetery ten kilometres North-West of Leonidion, near the village Vaskina, in “Socha” has been discovered after heavy rainfall in the area. The cemetery has been noticed by the 39 th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities. Following the preliminary rescue excavation, with the support of the City of South Kynourias, revealed five cist graves. These graves had received more than one dead. Among the offerings are distinguished symposium’s clay pots, stone spindle whorls, and a bronze pin.
The findings are placed chronologically in the 14 th century BC.
Translated from the YPPO Press Release no. 41262
The article Unkonwn Mycenaean cemetery discovered by Editorial is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at Sparta: Journal of Ancient Spartan and Greek History.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at Copyrights and Disclaimer. | <urn:uuid:78fe24e2-80a3-4650-bf04-471000e19591> | {
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|Oracle® XML Developer's Kit Programmer's Guide
10g Release 1 (10.1)
Part Number B10794-01
This chapter contains these topics:
Java Architecture for XML Binding (JAXB) consists of an API and tools that map to and from XML data and Java objects. It is an implementation of the JSR-31 "The Java Architecture for XML Binding (JAXB)", Version 1.0, recommendation of the JCP (Java Community Process). JSR is a Java Specification Request of the JCP.
The JAXB compiler generates the interfaces and the implementation classes corresponding to the XML Schema. The classes can be used to read, manipulate and re-create XML documents. The JAXB compiler generates Java classes corresponding to an XML Schema, and interfaces that are needed to access XML data. The Java classes, which can be extended, give you access to the XML data without any specific knowledge about the underlying data structure.
You are requested to use JAXB Class Generator for new applications in order to use the object binding feature for XML data. The Oracle9i Class Generator for Java is deprecated. However, the Oracle9i Class Generator runtime was included in release 10.1 and is supported for the duration of the 10.x releases.
Unmarshalling is defined as moving data from an XML document to the Java generated class objects. Each object is derived from an instance of the schema component in the input document. Because of the inherent weaknesses of DTDs, they are not supported by JAXB, but a DTD can be converted to an XML Schema that is then used by JAXB.
Marshalling is defined as creating an XML document from Java objects by traversing a content tree of instances of Java classes.
Validation is a prerequisite to marshalling if content has changed in the Java representation. Validation is verifying that the content tree satisfies the constraints defined in the schema. The tree is defined as valid when marshalling the tree generates a document that is valid according to the source schema. If unmarshalling includes validation that is error-free then the input document and the content tree are valid. However, validation is not required during unmarshalling.
Validation comes in these forms:
Unmarshalling-time validation notifies the application of errors and warnings during unmarshalling.
On-demand validation on a Java content tree when the application initiates it.
Fail-fast validation that gives immediate results.
To build a JAXB application, start with an XML Schema file. Build and use a JAXB application by performing these steps:
Compile the Java source code using JDK 1.3 or higher.
With the classes and the binding framework, write Java applications that:
Build object trees representing XML data that is valid against the XML Schema by either unmarshalling the data from a document or instantiating the classes you created.
Access and modify the data.
Optionally validate the modifications to the data relative to the constraints expressed in the XML Schema.
Marshal the data to new XML documents.
The Oracle release does not support the following:
The Javadoc generation.
Union features of XML Schema.
SimpleType mapping to
TypeSafe Enum class and
IsSet property modifier.
XML Schema component "any" and substitution groups.
Customization of XML Schema to override the default binding of XML Schema components.
On-demand validation of content tree.
The JAXB class generator command-line interface is accessed this way:
where the options are listed in Table 6-1:
Table 6-1 JAXB Class Generator Command-line Interface
||Prints the help message text|
||Prints the release version|
||The directory in which to generate Java source|
||The input schema file|
||The target package name|
||Generate only the interfaces|
The following lists summarize the advantages of JAXB.
Use JAXB when you want to:
Access data in memory, but do not need DOM tree manipulation capabilities.
Build object representations of XML data.
The Java API for XML Processing (JAXP), that enables applications to parse and transform XML documents using an API that is independent of a particular XML processor implementation, is implemented by Oracle.
See Also:"Using JAXP"
Use JAXP when you want to:
Have flexibility with regard to the way you access the data: either serially with SAX or randomly in memory with DOM.
Use your same processing code with documents based on different schemas.
Parse documents that are not necessarily valid.
Apply XSLT transforms.
Insert or remove objects from an object tree that represents XML data. | <urn:uuid:6f27cd15-a0ac-4844-ae87-86fd32676a75> | {
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- Modesto Dry Cleaners Vapor Intrusion - Public Health Activities (edited 11/20/13)
Fish and shellfish are an important part of a nutritious and healthy diet. They are low in saturated fats and an excellent source of protein and other nutrients. Fish are also an important source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce the risk of heart disease. Recent studies have also shown improved cognitive development in babies born to mothers who ate fish while pregnant.
You can get the most health benefits by choosing fish low in chemicals and high in Omega-3 fatty acids. The fish listed below are low in mercury and good sources of Omega-3s:
- Atlantic and Chub (Pacific) Mackerel (NOT King Mackerel)
Mercury in Fish Fact Sheet
Fish are nutritious for you and your family....
San Francisco Bay Fish Postcard
This 5.5 by 8.5 inch postcard provides information on the San Francisco Bay fish advisory and how to safely fish, cook, and consume fish caught in San Francisco Bay....
Biological monitoring for mercury within a community with soil and fish contamination
Delta Fish Project Needs Assessment Final Report
Executive Summary Mercury, a potent neurotoxin, bioaccumulates in fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and tributaries...
Fish contamination in Richmond harbor channel
In 1994, EHIB conducted a study of fish contamination in the Richmond harbor channel, a part of the San Francisco Bay....
Palos Verdes Shelf Outreach And Education Pilot Project Report
This report provides background information on the Palos Verdes Shelf fish contamination issue, and describes and evaluates the accomplishments of the Palos Verdes Shelf Education Project.
Delta Watershed Fish Project
-- Mercury, a potent neurotoxin, bioaccumulates in fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed at levels that may pose...
Delta Watershed Fish Project 2005-2006
-- The purpose of this project was to characterize populations that consume fish from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta watershed and conduct outreach, education and training activities to reduce their...
Environmental Health Symposium for Promotores and Community Health Workers
-- In June 14, 2011, EHIB hosted an environmental health symposium for promotores and community health workers....
Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program Fish Connection
-- EHIB provided technical support and assistance to the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP) Fish Connection....
Klau/Buena Vista Mines, San Luis Obispo County - Public Health Activities
-- From 2005 to 2010 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) conducted an investigation of the public health implications from contamination at the Klau and Buena Vista Mines....
Mercury in Fish
-- If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, might become pregnant, or if you have young children, please see the brochures below for information on mercury in fish.
Palos Verdes Shelf Fish Contamination Project
-- EHIB maintains a cooperative agreement with the U.S....
San Francisco Bay Fish Outreach and Education Project
-- In 1997, EHIB created the San Francisco Bay Fish Consumption Outreach and Education Project....
San Francisco Bay Fish Project
-- The San Francisco Bay Fish Project is a two-year project to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals from eating San Francisco Bay fish....
San Francisco Bay Seafood Consumption Study
-- For many years, studies have shown that fish commonly caught in San Francisco Bay contain chemicals like mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)....
Survey and Educational Activity in the Lower Sacramento River Watershed
-- The goal of this project is to characterize fish consumption patterns and implement an educational activity to reduce exposure to mercury in a high-risk population....
- US Environmental Protection Agency
- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seafood site
- FDA Consumer Advisory about Mercury in Fish
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
- Alyce Ujihara , Ian Walker | <urn:uuid:20e302f0-7771-45de-9419-41c1bd224027> | {
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A bird's eye view: using geographic analysis to evaluate the representativeness of corvid indicators for West Nile virus surveillance
© David et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2007
Received: 15 November 2006
Accepted: 30 January 2007
Published: 30 January 2007
The objective of this evaluation was to determine whether reports of dead corvid sightings and submissions of dead corvids for West Nile virus testing were representative of true corvid mortality in British Columbia in 2004, a year with no West Nile virus activity, in order to ensure the system was accurately describing corvid mortality rather than reflecting regional differences in surveillance methods.
Local Health Areas reported 0–159 (median = 3) dead corvid sightings and 0–209 (median = 5) submissions for West Nile virus testing. The expected numbers of dead corvid sightings and submissions for testing from each Local Health Area were 0–232 (median = 3) and 0–258 (median = 4), respectively. Twelve Local Health Areas reported significantly fewer sightings than expected; 21 reported significantly more. Eleven Local Health Areas submitted significantly fewer corvids than expected; 26 submitted significantly more.
Some Local Health Areas were over-represented and others under-represented in terms of corvid West Nile virus surveillance indicators. Recommendations were made to improve the representativeness of corvid surveillance data. Geographic analysis can be used to evaluate the representativeness of surveillance systems and result in improvements to surveillance.
Although it is well established in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and India, West Nile virus (WNv) is an emerging zoonosis in North America. Between 1999 and 2003, WNv made its way from New York City across most of North America, including human cases in the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. As jurisdictions adjacent to British Columbia (BC) experienced WNv activity in 2003 and earlier years,[2, 3] WNv was anticipated to arrive in British Columbia (BC) in 2004.
West Nile viral amplification occurs in a bird-mosquito-bird cycle before bridge vector mosquitoes (mosquitoes that bite both birds and mammals) infect human populations. Although many bird species become infected with WNv, WNv is particularly fatal to the corvid family of birds (corvid species include crows, ravens, jays, magpies, and nutcrackers). Surveillance in areas experiencing outbreaks found that a dramatic increase in corvid mortality preceded human illness by two to six weeks[5, 6]. Their high mortality rate, large size, and distinctive colouring make dead corvid sightings a good indicator for WNv activity in the ecosystem. In addition, corvid carcasses can be easily tested for WNv infection.
In 2004, WNv surveillance in BC involved testing dead corvids, mosquito pools, blood/organ donors, and symptomatic humans for WNv and the public using an internet-based form to report dead corvid sightings. Generally dead corvid sightings reported via the internet-based form are different carcasses than those submitted for testing, with occasional overlap. The methods for collecting carcasses for testing vary regionally, with some regions hiring specific staff to collect carcasses and other regions collaborating with wildlife agencies. No evidence of WNv activity was observed in BC in 2004.
If WNv infection is confirmed in a corvid in BC, resulting public health actions include reinforcing public education around personal protection measures, and possibly heightening mosquito surveillance, initiating larviciding (if not already initiated) and/or considering the use of adulticides (if indicators provide evidence of an imminent outbreak).
The objectives of this evaluation were to determine whether, in the absence of WNv, the numbers of dead corvids sighted and tested for WNv in 2004 were representative of the true corvid mortality. This evaluation examined whether the surveillance indicators demonstrated what was truly happening in the corvid populations, rather than reflecting differences in regional surveillance methods; that is, whether areas of the province that were expected to have larger numbers of dead corvids observed were reporting more dead corvid sightings and submitting more corvids for WNv testing than areas expected to have smaller numbers of dead corvids observed. Corvid surveillance could then be strengthened by addressing differences in regional surveillance systems that cause certain areas to be over- or under-represented.
Surveillance activities in 2004 occurred over a 26 week period (May 1-October 31). The public reported 1,292 dead corvid sightings. The number reported in each Local Health Area (LHA) ranged from 0 to 159 (median = 3) [see Additional file 1]. LHAs submitted 1,437 corvid carcasses for WNv testing. The number submitted by each LHA ranged from 0 to 209 (median = 5). These 1,437 submissions included 1,293 Crows (American or Northwestern), 43 Common Ravens, one Gray Jay, 28 Steller's Jays, three Blue Jays, one Clark's Nutcracker and 68 Black-billed Magpies.
The estimates of relative corvid density for each LHA ranged from 0.6 to 61.0. The number of corvid sightings expected in each LHA ranged from 0 to 232 (median = 3). The expected number of corvids tested in each LHA ranged from 0 to 258 (median = 4).
Cross-tabulation of corvid sighting and corvid submission results
Number of Local Health Areas submitting corvids for West Nile virus testing
Significantly fewer than expected
No significant difference from expected
Significantly more than expected
Number of Local Health Areas with public reports of dead corvid sightings
Significantly fewer than expected
No significant difference from expected
Significantly more than expected
This geography-based evaluation demonstrated that some LHAs were sighting or testing more corvids than expected, and some were sighting or testing fewer than expected. Since WNv was not present in the province, this variation was not the result of differences in corvid mortality due to the virus, but most likely differences in the operation of regional surveillance programs or regional variations in other causes of corvid mortality.
At the time of this evaluation, there were no standards for the number of reports of dead corvid sightings or the number of corvids that should be tested in order to identify WNv in an area. We compared the numbers of corvids sighted and tested in each LHA to an expected number that was based on the proportion of all BC corvids expected in each LHA (assuming constant corvid mortality across LHAs). The absolute number of corvids sighted or tested was, therefore, not evaluated; the proportion of corvids in a particular area relative to sightings or submissions from other parts of the province was. For corvid data to be representative, the proportion sighted or submitted by each LHA should reflect the proportion expected from that LHA.
Sixty-five (78%) LHAs met or exceeded expectations for reports of dead corvid sightings and submissions of corvid carcasses for WNv testing.
Only 5 (6%) LHAs were below expectations for both indicators – Surrey, Vancouver, Cowichan, Greater Victoria, and Sooke. Three of these LHAs (Cowichan, Greater Victoria, and Sooke) were on Vancouver Island. When the two indicators were examined separately, five of the 12 (42%) LHAs reporting fewer dead corvid sightings than expected and five of the 11 (45%) LHAs submitting fewer corvid carcasses for WNv testing than expected were on Vancouver Island. To place this in context, Vancouver Island has 16 LHAs (17% of all LHAs). This lower level of surveillance activity on Vancouver Island may have been a result of lower public health emphasis or low perception of risk. Vancouver Island had been projected to be a low risk area for the initial introduction of WNv into the province.
Surrey and Vancouver, the other two LHAs that were below expectations for both corvid indicators, were both in the Vancouver Lower Mainland. In fact, six of the 11 (55%) LHAs submitting fewer carcasses for WNv testing than expected were in the Vancouver Lower Mainland. The below-expected results for these areas are most likely an artefact of over-estimation of the expected values. The calculation of the expected proportion of corvids in each LHA was based on a number of assumptions and modelling. The number of dead corvids sighted is dependent on the size of the area, the corvid density, and the human population density; however, the exact properties of these relationships are unknown. We assumed a multiplicative relationship between these three factors. As a result, this model may have resulted in erroneous classification of LHAs. The contribution of population density to determining the expected number of corvids for LHAs with high population densities (such as Vancouver and Surrey) may have resulted in over-estimates of expected values. Both Vancouver and Surrey had high raw numbers of reports of dead corvid sightings (139 and 80, respectively) and high raw numbers of corvids tested for WNv (209 and 97, respectively). This equates to more than five corvids submitted for testing per week from each of these LHAs and may have been sufficient to detect WNv activity if present. The threshold value of required corvids is unknown.
The majority of the LHAs testing more corvids than expected were in the eastern and south-eastern parts of the province. WNv was expected to enter the province from these areas since they are adjacent to Alberta, Montana, Idaho, and Washington, which reported WNv activity in 2004 and prior years. Due to low human population and corvid densities in some of these areas, expected corvid sightings and submissions were low (1–5 corvids sighted or tested per year). This small number of corvids may not be sufficient for WNv detection when the virus is introduced. Rural areas with low population and corvid densities may need to focus on other methods of WNv detection.
There is a paucity of data on the distribution of corvids in BC. An examination of the raw North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) point data shows that the BBS data have relatively low numbers of observation points and under-represent the northern parts of province. Therefore, this model was more robust for southerly regions of the province where there was a higher density of observation points.
We used the mean number of total corvids observed in the 1994–2003 BBS bird abundance map data to estimate corvid density in each LHA. Combining the corvid species provided larger, more robust estimates for the model. Similarly, using the mean of a number of years of observations provided more stable numbers. Combining corvid species and using the 10 year bird abundance data may have limited the model's ability to account for the spatial and temporal effects of more recent fluctuations in corvid populations. Furthermore, the assumption of constant corvid mortality across the province may have been erroneous; however, it was not possible to obtain data on local corvid mortality rates.
In conclusion, some LHAs were over-represented and others under-represented in BC's 2004 WNv corvid surveillance data. In addition, some data that were "representative" may not necessarily be useful (e.g., corvid surveillance data in areas with low corvid and human population densities).
To improve the representativeness of corvid surveillance data:
1. LHAs reporting fewer dead corvid sightings than expected should strive to increase reporting by the public by emphasizing this aspect of surveillance in media communications.
2. LHAs testing fewer corvids for WNv than expected should strive to increase the number of corvids submitted for WNv testing relative to other areas of the province, although an absolute number may be adequate to detect WNv presence in an area.
3. Areas with low population and corvid densities may choose to focus surveillance efforts on mosquito and human surveillance or active corvid surveillance rather than passive corvid surveillance.
4. Areas with very large population densities should not be too concerned about achieving expected values for corvid sightings and submissions as assumptions in the model used to calculate the expected values may lead to unreasonably large expected values.
The results of this evaluation and the recommendations were shared with the public health stakeholders in the spring of 2004. During the 2005 WNv surveillance season, notable increases in corvid submissions occurred on Vancouver Island, compared with previous years. In addition, testing of migrating wild birds was conducted in south-eastern and coastal BC by the Canadian Wildlife Service in 2005 to assist with WNv detection in areas with low corvid densities. Regions in south-east BC also increased the number of mosquito traps in areas with low overall corvid submissions.
This evaluation demonstrates that geographic analysis can be used to evaluate the representativeness of surveillance systems and result in improvements to surveillance.
The number of dead corvid sightings reported by the public in each of BC's 83 LHAs and the number of corvid carcasses submitted by each LHA for WNv testing were compared to the numbers expected from each LHA. The expected numbers of corvids sighted and tested from each LHA were projected to be proportional to the geographic size of the LHA, controlling for the relative corvid density and human population density (to account for the chances of a human seeing a dead corvid).
The human population density of each LHA was calculated by dividing the population of the LHA by the LHA's geographic area. Population data were obtained from Population Extrapolation for Organizational Planning with Less Error (P.E.O.P.L.E.) Projection 29 ; and geographic data were obtained from the BC Ministry of Health Services.
Thanks to: Peter Blancher, Environment Canada; Bonnie Henry, Mei Chong, and Jane Buxton BC Centre for Disease Control; Linda Panaro, Canadian Field Epidemiology Program, Public Health Agency of Canada.
As an evaluation of a public health surveillance system, this work was funded by the operation budgets of the agencies involved.
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. | <urn:uuid:7a5ea13b-8459-42b3-8e7d-896f1adf31a1> | {
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Shakuntala Devi, an Indian mathematical wizard known as “the human computer” has died in Bangalore, India. She was 83.
Devi was dubbed the human computer because in 1977 she was able to beat a Univac computer in calculating the extracted the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds. The Univac took 62 seconds.
In 1980, she correctly multiplied two 13-digit numbers in only 28 seconds at the Imperial College in London. This included the time to recite the 26-digit answer and earned her a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
According to Science, Devi’s dad was a trapeze artist and lion tamer in a circus and at age three she discovered that she was a mathematical prodigy with an uncanny ability to memorise numbers when she was playing cards with him. At age five she had become an expert at solving math problems.
She started out demonstrating her math skills at the circus, and later in road shows arranged by her father.
Soon she was making more money for the family than her father and his lions.
She toured Europe in 1950. The BBC thought they had caught her out when she came up with an answer to a problem which was different from what was on their card. It turned out they were wrong. The same problem happened in Rome when university boffins failed to add up their numbers correctly.
According to the New York Times, in 1976 she could give you the cube root of 188,132,517 in the time it took to ask the question. If you gave her any date in the last century, she would tell you what day of the week it fell on.
In a 1990 journal article about Devi, Arthur Jensen, a researcher on human intelligence at the University of California, Berkeley, said that to her the manipulation of numbers was like a native language.
Curiously for the rationalists, she was also a famous astrologer and writer turning out novels and cookbooks. | <urn:uuid:b05cfefd-f52b-44c6-99b3-82ea628b1e32> | {
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A brain mechanism that may link violent computer games with aggression has been discovered by researchers in the US. The work goes some way towards demonstrating a causal link between the two - rather than a simple association.
Many studies have concluded that people who play violent video games are more aggressive, more likely to commit violent crimes, and less likely to help others. But critics argue these correlations merely prove that violent people gravitate towards violent games, not that games can change behaviour.
Now psychologist Bruce Bartholow from the University of Missouri-Columbia and colleagues have found that people who play violent video games show diminished brain responses to images of real-life violence, such as gun attacks, but not to other emotionally disturbing pictures, such as those of dead animals, or sick children. And the reduction in response is correlated with aggressive behaviour.
The brain activity they measured, called the P300 response, is a characteristic signal seen in an EEG (electroencephalogram) recording of brain waves as we register an image. The P300 reflects an evaluation of the emotional content of an image says Bartholow, being larger if people are surprised or disturbed by an image, or if something is novel.
The team recruited 39 experienced gamers, and used questionnaires to assess the amount of violent games they played. They then showed them real-life images, mostly of neutral scenes, but interspersed with violent or negative (but non-violent) scenes, while recording EEGs.
In subjects with the most experience of violent games, the P300 response to the violent images was smaller and delayed. "People who play a lot of violent video games didn't see them as much different from neutral," says Bartholow. They become desensitised. However, their responses are still normal for the non-violent negative scenes.
This may not be surprising - video games have been used to desensitise soldiers to scenes of war. But when the players were subsequently given the opportunity to "punish" a fake opponent in another game, those with the greatest reduction in P300 brain responses meted out the most severe punishments.
Even when the team controlled for the subjects' natural hostility, assessed by standard questionnaires, the violent games experience and P300 response were still strongly correlated with aggressiveness. "As far as I'm aware, this is the first study to show that exposure to violent games has effects on the brain that predict aggressive behaviour," says Bartholow.
But the study has failed to convince some critics. "We habituate to any kind of stimulus," says Jonathan Freedman, a psychologist from the University of Toronto, Canada, who has prepared several government-level reports on media and games violence. "All we are really getting is desensitisation to images. There's no way to show that this relates to real-life aggression."
He says that stopping people playing violent video games would be like preventing them from playing sports such as football or hockey.
Other researchers are more concerned. Craig Anderson of Iowa State University in Ames, who has studied the effect, says: "These brain studies corroborate the many behavioural and cognitive studies showing that violent video games lead to increases in aggression."
The work will appear early in 2006 in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to. | <urn:uuid:5c895a9e-c984-411e-bcae-da49498e60fc> | {
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Pembroke Family History
14-Day Free Trial
Pembroke Name Meaning
Welsh: habitational name from Pembroke (Welsh Penfro) in South Wales. The surname has been established in Ireland since at least the 17th century.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press
Similar surnames: Penrose, Nemeroff, Perron, Ambrose, Dembo, Ambroz, Pember, Debroux | <urn:uuid:fb3faf84-d78b-4200-bada-8a14c6b0be1e> | {
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Victims of Anti-Transgender Violence Memorialized Today
On Wednesday Nov. 20, 2013, communities around the globe will pause for a moment of silence in memory of transgender people whose lives were cut short by anti-transgender violence.
According to TransgenderDOR.org, the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on Nov. 28th, 1998 kicked off the "Remembering Our Dead" web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder - like most anti-transgender murder cases - has yet to be solved.
According to Wikipedia, The Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded in 1998 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans woman who is a graphic designer, columnist, and activist,[ to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts. Since its inception, TDoR has been held annually on Nov. 20 and has slowly evolved from the web-based project started by Smith into an international day of action.
"The Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost." Said TDOR founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith. "With so many seeking to erase transgender people -- sometimes in the most brutal ways possible -- it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice."
Typically, a TDoR memorial includes a reading of the names of those who lost their lives during the previous year, and may include other actions, such as candlelight vigils, art shows, food drives, film screenings, marches, among others.
To view a list of TDoR events being held around the globe today, visit TransgenderDOR.org. | <urn:uuid:bcf0d676-3e5a-4586-b133-9038971ef74f> | {
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You might recall earlier this year that a few mistakes were discovered in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 3,000-page assessment report published in 2007. The mistakes did nothing to undermine the report’s major findings: It is unequivocal that the climate is changing, and there is greater than 90 percent certainty that most of the observed warming of the past half-century is due to human influences. Earlier this year, I discussed the errors on E&ETV’s On Point program.
Update: Dr. Jay Gulledge is featured on National Journal's Energy & Environment Expert Blogs. Click here to read Dr. Gulledge's take on Climate Risks Here and Now
Last fall I posted a blog about the unusual number and severity of extreme weather events that have been striking around the globe for the past several years. That entry focused on the alternating severe drought and heavy flooding in Atlanta in 2007-2009 as an example of the roller coaster ride that climate change is likely to be. As every dutiful scientist does, I stopped short of blaming those individual weather events on global warming, but I am also careful to point out that it is scientifically unsound to claim that the confluence of extreme weather events in recent years is not associated with global warming; I’ll return to this question later.
The weather of 2010 continues the chaos of recent years. In the past six months, the American Red Cross says it “has responded to nearly 30 larger disasters in 21 [U.S.] states and territories. Floods, tornadoes and severe weather have destroyed homes and uprooted lives …” Severe flooding struck New England in March, Nashville in May, and Arkansas and Oklahoma in June.
Last week we held a workshop at the Newseum in Washington, DC, entitled Federal Government Leadership: Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change. The workshop was intended to build on our recent report highlighting the important role of the federal government in climate change adaptation and the recent National Academies’ report—Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change—which emphasized that the federal government should not only serve as a “role model,” but also play a significant role as a “catalyst and coordinator” in identifying vulnerabilities to climate change impacts and the adaptation options that could increase our resilience to these changes.
In his defense of soldiers in the Boston Massacre trials, John Adams went on to say “… and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
No matter what we may wish were happening, no matter what spin some may try to sell, the clear evidence of climate change continues to mount.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has just released its annual report on the state of the climate, and the facts speak volumes about the pervasiveness and speed of actual climate change, not model projections.
I posted previously on the controversy surrounding emails that were hacked from a computer server at the University of East Anglia’s (UEA) Climatic Research Unit (CRU) in the U.K. The emails revealed the private exchanges of several prominent climate scientists dealing with their science and their reactions to climate change deniers who requested access to their private computer files and intellectual property. The contents of the emails suggested to the untrained eye that the scientists had manipulated data and tried to undermine the scientific peer-review process. From my reading of the emails, I judged that nothing of the sort had happened. Since my last writing on the topic, five separate independent investigations (3 in the United Kingdom and 2 in the U.S.) of the matter have concluded that there was no mishandling of data or other wrongdoing beyond some foot-dragging in response to Freedom of Information requests by climate change deniers. The clear message from these investigations is that proper scientific methods were followed and the integrity of climate science remains solid as a rock.
This briefing will be held at two separate times and locations to accommodate House and Senate staff.
Wednesday, June 30
12:00 Noon to 1:30 PM
Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2325
3:30 to 4:45 PM
Capitol Visitors Center, Room SVC 202
Seasonal forecasters predict that 2010 will produce between 14 and 23 named hurricanes -- the most active season since 2005, when Hurricane Katrina and 27 other named storms swept the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. As economic challenges continue and oil spews from the damaged Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf, the growing impacts to the region's economic recovery and unique ecosystems are staggering. What risks does an active hurricane season pose for other energy-related infrastructure, for inland areas as storm surges push oil beyond beaches and marshland, and for stakeholders dealing with flooding in coastal communities in the Gulf and along the East Coast? Can recent advances in hurricane prediction help manage these risks? Might related climate change impacts exacerbate them in the future? What does an increasing scale of catastrophic loss associated with hurricane activity mean for critical services provided by the insurance sector? Please join our panelists as they address these questions and discuss research results, institutions, and processes in place to help manage potential catastrophic risk of this hurricane season.
Opening remarks by Senator Mary Landrieu, Honorary Host (3:30pm briefing only)
- Heidi Cullen
CEO and Director of Communications, Climate Central
- Greg Holland
Director, NCAR Earth System Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research
- Rick Luettich
Professor & Director, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Rowan Douglas
CEO, Global Dynamics, Willis Re and Chairman, Willis Re Research Network
RSVP to Gloria Kelly at [email protected] or (303) 497-2102 by Monday, June 28
Sponsored by the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the Congressional Hazards Caucus Alliance, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), and the Weather Coalition.
With appreciation to the House Committee on Science and Technology and the Senate Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
May 19, 2010
Contact: Tom Steinfeldt, 703-516-4146
New Publication Highlights Urgent Need for Strong U.S. Energy-Climate Policy
Pew Center on Global Climate Change Makes Compelling Case for Action
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change released The Case for Action: Creating a Clean Energy Future, a straight-forward synthesis of the urgent need to enact a strong U.S. energy and climate policy. The Case for Action adds to the growing chorus of expert research and analysis that underscores the need for effective policy action.
The new Pew Center publication coincides with the release of America’s Climate Choices, a Congressionally-mandated study by the National Academies that represents its most comprehensive assessment of climate change. America’s Climate Choices examines the science supporting human-induced climate change and options for reducing and adapting to climate change impacts.
“The case for action has never been stronger,” said Eileen Claussen, President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. “The science is clear: Further delay will only make the impacts of climate change more severe and the costs of action more expensive. With a strong energy and climate policy, the United States will be in position capitalize on its competitive advantage and lead the 21st century clean energy economy.”
In compelling, straight-forward language, The Case for Action explains why the United States needs to act now to reduce the risks of climate change, strengthen our energy independence, protect our national security, and create new jobs and economic opportunities.
The United States has the opportunity to drive the global climate effort through renewed leadership at home and abroad. Comprehensive national energy and climate legislation can spur the development of new technologies and new job markets, setting the United States on course to become a global clean energy leader. Globally, it is critical that the United States continue working with the international community to develop a binding but flexible framework that ensures all of the world’s major economies take steps to meet the climate challenge.
For more information about global climate change and the activities of the Pew Center, visit http://www.c2es.org.
# # #
The Pew Center was established in May 1998 as a non-profit, non-partisan, and independent organization dedicated to providing credible information, straight answers, and innovative solutions in the effort to address global climate change. The Pew Center is led by Eileen Claussen, the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
Today the National Academies released its most comprehensive assessment of climate change entitled America’s Climate Choices.
Statement of Eileen Claussen
President, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
May 19, 2010
I commend the National Academies for producing America’s Climate Choices – a landmark study that puts an authoritative stamp on strategies to tackle climate change.
Fulfilling a Congressional mandate, the National Academies have provided U.S. policymakers and the American public with an independent, comprehensive assessment of the science of human-induced climate change and what is required to reduce and adapt to its impacts.
“These reports show that the state of climate change science is strong,” said Ralph J. Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Sciences. The study emphasizes that our current understanding of human-induced climate change is supported by many independent lines of evidence that have weathered intense debate and serious exploration of alternative explanations.
The study underscores that, more than ever, we have credible and convincing evidence that human activities are driving our changing climate. “Climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for – and in many cases is already affecting – a broad range of human and natural systems,” the report says. Further delay in addressing these risks will only make climate change impacts more severe and the costs of action more expensive.
The urgency is reflected by impacts beginning to happen in our own backyards – more heat waves across the Midwest; wildfires in California and other western states; sea-level rise encroaching on the eastern seaboard. Effective national strategies to limit the causes and adapt to certain unavoidable changes to our climate are urgent. Scientific uncertainty is no longer an excuse to delay action. The case for action is clear and we must find the political will to reduce our nation’s greenhouse emissions and adapt to unavoidable changes already in motion.
Pew Center Contact: Tara Ursell, 703-516-4146
Download the report (pdf)
The Case for Action: Creating a Clean Energy Future
The United States needs strong action now to reduce the risks of climate change, strengthen our energy independence, protect our national security, and create new jobs and economic opportunities. The Pew Center on Global Climate Change believes that the case for action has never been stronger. With a strong energy and climate policy the United States can lead the 21st century clean energy economy.
Today the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released three of its long-awaited “America’s Climate Choices” (ACC) reports. A fourth report will be released later this year, as will an overarching synthesis report. The three reports released today focused on advancing the science of climate change, adapting to unavoidable climate change, and limiting the ultimate extent of climate change. The reports and background information on the study are accessible from the ACC web site.
Collectively, the ACC reports are the most comprehensive study the NAS has conducted on climate change. The project was mandated by Congress and requested by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in 2008. Unlike past NAS efforts, the ACC reports emphasize how the nation can move forward on solving the climate change problem.
NAS president Ralph J. Cicerone said, “These reports show that the state of climate change science is strong.” The study emphasizes that our current understanding of human-induced climate change is supported by many independent lines of evidence that have weathered intense debate and serious exploration of alternative explanations: “Climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for – and in many cases is already affecting – a broad range of human and natural systems,” the report says.
A statement about the ACC by our center's president Eileen Claussen is available here.
We will be sure to let you know when the remaining pieces of the ACC report come out later this year.
Jay Gulledge is Senior Scientist and Director of the Science & Impacts Program | <urn:uuid:aa6776bc-1922-44a8-9199-4a207936b164> | {
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Given the environmental toll of factory farming it’s easy to see why people get excited about the idea of meat grown in a lab, without fertilizer, feed corn, or burps.
In this vision of the future, our steaks are grown in vats rather than in cows, with layers of cow cells nurtured on complex machinery to create a cruelty-free, sustainable meat alternative. The technology involved is today used mainly to grow cells for pharmaceutical development, but that hasn’t stopped several groups from experimenting with “in vitro meat,” as it’s called, over the last decade. In fact, a team of tissue engineers led by professor Mark Post at Maastricht University in the Netherlands recently announced their goal to make the world’s first in vitro hamburger by October 2012. The price tag is expected to be €250,000 (over $330,000), but we’re assured that as the technology scales up to industrial levels over the next ten years, the cost will scale down to mass-market prices.
August 5, 2012 | 0 Comments | <urn:uuid:ea4b47a1-f2a9-4792-9968-2438c3b7c36d> | {
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Inclusion Body Myositis – Blood Tests
Blood tests for creatine kinase and the NT5C1A antibody can be helpful in making the diagnosis of inclusion body myositis.
Elevated Creatine Kinase can be a Clue that a Patient has a Muscle Disease
Creatine kinase (CK), also known as creatine phosphokinase (CPK), is an enzyme found in high levels in tissues that consume energy rapidly, such as skeletal muscle, heart muscle, and the brain. When these tissues are injured, creatine kinase is released into the blood. Serum creatine kinase is a routine test that can be performed in most medical laboratories. High levels of creatine kinase can indicate a recent heart attack or stroke, but these levels are only temporarily high. Strenuous exercise can also cause a temporary rise in CK levels. Muscle diseases like inclusion body myositis can cause CK levels to be high for many years.
Creatine kinase is often checked to see if a patient has a muscle disease, and it can provide the first clue that diseases like inclusion body myositis should be considered in the diagnosis. Inclusion body myositis patients usually have normal or slightly elevated creatine kinase levels, but in some cases can be up to 10 times normal. This is in contrast to some other muscle diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy or polymyositis, which can have levels up to 50 times normal.
Antibody Testing can Help Confirm a Diagnosis of Inclusion Body Myositis
Recently it has been discovered that some inclusion body myositis patients have antibodies that can help diagnose the disease. These antibodies are known by the long name of anti-cytosolic 5’ –nucleotidase 1A, or anti-CN1A or anti-NT5C1A for short. The antibody test is positive in only about half of IBM patients, so a negative test does not mean a patient does not have inclusion body myositis. However, a positive test makes it likely that IBM is the correct diagnosis.
In a person with typical symptoms and examination findings, a positive test for the anti-NT5C1A antibody makes the diagnosis of inclusion body myositis highly likely.
It is rare for healthy adults to have a positive NT5C1A antibody test. The test is sometimes positive in some other autoimmune disease, such as dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Sjogren’s syndrome (~10-25% positives). However, these diseases can usually be distinguished from IBM based on the patient’s history and examination.
Polymyositis is often confused with inclusion body myositis. The antibody test can help separate the two conditions, as the test is rarely positive (<5%) in polymyositis.
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the NT5C1A antibody test:
Can the anti-NT5C1A antibody test replace the muscle biopsy?
No. However, a positive antibody test does help strengthen the diagnosis, and can be particularly helpful if a biopsy is not planned or desired, or if the biopsy does not give a definite answer.
If I already have a firm diagnosis of IBM after thorough evaluation and biopsy, would getting the antibody test still be useful?
The antibody test would not change your diagnosis. A negative result doesn’t necessary mean that you don’t have IBM, and a positive result would just tell you what you already know.
Does a positive antibody test mean that my prognosis is worse?
Maybe. Some recent studies seem to show more severe disease and faster progression in those with a positive antibody test compared to those with a negative test. However, the answer is not completely clear, and there is a lot of overlap between the two groups.
Does this antibody cause the muscle damage in IBM?
We don’t know if the antibody contributes to the muscle damage in IBM. This is an area of research.
What more can you tell me about the anti-NT5C1A antibody test?
This is a specialized test that cannot be performed in most labs, and it may take several weeks to obtain results. The test is not standardized, and the technique can vary from lab to lab. Also, each lab has to decide how to report results. For example, how strong does the test reaction have to be for the test to be considered positive? If the result is weakly positive, or moderately positive, is that considered positive?
Although much work needs to be done, the anti-cytosolic 5’ –nucleotidase 1A antibody test is already useful.
by Kevin Dooley, MD
Reviewed December 18, 2018
Support IBM Research
Join Cure IBM in the fight against Inclusion Body Myositis. Your support will help fund research and the development of treatment options for this debilitating disease. | <urn:uuid:a9de0c1c-79dc-447a-8184-c31f67ebeede> | {
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Reconciliation report calls for funding for education, healing
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report lists 20 recommendations — the result of the commissioners' Canada-wide tour to hear the stories of former students of residential schools.
Among the recommendations, the report said the federal, provincial and territorial governments should take measures to support healing by establishing — and ensuring there are resources for — health and wellness centres specializing in childhood trauma, long-term grief and culturally appropriate treatment.
The commission also included some budget recommendations for the federal government.
It recommends Canada and churches establish a revival fund to finance projects that promote the sharing and relearning of traditional knowledge lost in residential schools.
In addition, it recommended the government restore funding to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that provides aboriginal-directed healing initiatives to address the legacy of the residential school system. The federal government provided a one-time grant of $350 million in 1998, but discontinued funding in 2010.
"The closing of the Aboriginal Health Foundation will make Canada's reconciliation journey even more challenging in the years to come," the report says.
Reconciliation, the report emphasizes, requires that the damaged relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians be repaired.
"Canadians have generally been led to believe — by what has been taught and not taught in schools — Aboriginal People were and are uncivilized, primitive, and inferior, and continue to need to be civilized," the report states.
At a news conference Friday, Commissioner Marie Wilson said all Canadians lose from ignorance about what happened in residential schools.
"We have all been the losers for lack of that knowledge and understanding," she said. "It has led us to a place of stereotypes and judgment and an inability to connect the dots between the realities of our country today and the 130-year history of contributing factors that led to it."
Former residential school student Salamiva Weetaluktuk says current stereotypes stem from the abuse endured through the residential school system.
"Nobody is making the connection. Bad Indians, Bad Inuit. Drunken Inuit. Drunken Indians. That's all they think," she said in her testimony to the commission. "But we would not be drunken Inuit or drunken Indians had we not been abused when we were children, had we not been exposed to assault and stuff like that."
To improve the relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians, the report says public awareness and understanding of the history of residential schools must be improved. The document recommends provinces and territories create age-appropriate curricula about residential schools for public schools and that the government provide all high schools with a copy of the 2009 Statement of Apology for public display.
The commission found the breakdown of family relationships was one of the greatest impacts of the residential schools.
"We lost our childhood, we lost our families, the joy of our spirits and our innocence," Northwest Territories Deputy Premier Jackson Lafferty said Friday.
The residential school system has left a mark not only on those who were forced to attend the institutions, but also on the children and grandchildren of those people, the report says. Removed from their families, aboriginal children who grew up in the schools did not learn how to parent and passed their suffering down to their children.
Elise Charland, who went to Onion Lake residential school in Saskatchewan, called herself a terrible parent in the report They Came for the Children, published by the commission.
"My children were growing up with my abusive behaviour of slapping, whipping and screaming at them for everything they did. I loved them in a very sick way."
To help this, the report recommends that all levels of government develop culturally appropriate early-childhood and parenting programs.
The commission was created as part of the 2007 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, in which the federal government gave former students in the system $5.1 billion to partially compensate them for their suffering. It came ahead of the federal government's historic 2008 apology to First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples, in which Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized, on behalf of all Canadians, for trying to "kill the Indian" in their children.
More than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Metis children were placed in residential schools between the 1840s and 1996 when the last school was closed. The government-funded, church-run boarding schools aimed to assimilate aboriginal people by removing them from their communities and forbidding them to speak their languages and engage in cultural practices. There are about 80,000 former students still alive.
For reconciliation to be achieved, the report says, the relationship must be improved between aboriginal people and the government of Canada, which has historically viewed aboriginal people as "wards of the state" and failed to "recognize the unique legal status of Aboriginal Peoples as the original peoples of this country."
"Without that recognition, we run the risk of continuing the assimilationist policies and the social harms that were integral to the residential schools."
The commission is halfway through its five-year mandate, which will end in 2014 with the release of a full report.
Testimonies of residential school survivors and their children:
- George Manuel, former residential school student: "Hunger is both the first and last thing I remember about that school. . . . Every Indian student smelled of that hunger."
- Maria Campbell, former residential school student: "We weren't allowed to speak Cree, only French and English, and for disobeying this, I was pushed into a small closet with no windows or light, and locked in for what seemed like hours."
- Allan Mitchell, former residential school student: "When I had my four kids, I never gave them hugs and I never told them I loved them. . . . Because (at the residential school) there was no affection shown."
- George Amato, former residential school student: "How are we supposed to know how to be a parent when you don't have any guidance from anybody? All I had all my life was anger."
- Vera Manuel, the child of a former residential school student: "It visited us every day of our childhood through the replaying over and over of our parents' childhood trauma and grief, which they never had the opportunity to resolve in their lifetimes."
Source: They Came for the Children, [pdf download] published by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Among the commission's recommendations for reconciliation:
- that provincial and territorial departments of education develop age-appropriate educational materials about residential schools for use in public schools.
- that the government of Canada and churches establish a cultural revival fund to finance projects that promote the cultural heritage of aboriginal people.
- that provincial and territorial governments work with the commission to develop public-education material about the history and impact of residential schools.
- that all levels of government develop culturally-appropriate early childhood and parenting programs to assist families affected by the residential schools.
- that the government of Canada develop a program to establish health and wellness centres specializing in grief counselling and culturally-appropriate treatment.
- that parties to the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement address the concerns of former residential school students who feel unfairly left out of the settlement agreement.
- that the Canadian government distribute individual copies of the Statement of Apology to all known residential school survivors.
- that the Canadian government give every high school a copy of the Statement of Apology to put on display.
- that the government of Canada and churches provide the commission with all documents related to the residential schools as soon as possible.
- that the government of Canada restore funding to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.
- that governments, schools and churches create residential school commemorations before 2014.
Source: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Interim Report [pdf download]
article source: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Reconciliation+report+calls+funding+education+healing/6205069/story.html | <urn:uuid:77c1d0d3-8c99-4cae-ab79-12fcb7e6abe2> | {
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Welcome to the Virus Encyclopedia of Panda Security.
It carries out damaging actions on the affected computer.
It uses stealth techniques to avoid being detected by the user.
It uses anti-monitoring techniques in order to prevent it being detected by antivirus companies.
, via IRC, via mapped drives.
|First detected on:||Dec. 4, 2008|
|Detection updated on:||Dec. 4, 2008|
|Yes, using TruPrevent Technologies
Oscarbot.VB is a virus that spreads to other computers by copying its code to other files or programs.
It uses stealth techniques to avoid being detected by the user:
- It injects itself in running processes.
- It deletes the original file from which it was run once it is installed on the computer.
It uses several methods in order to avoid detection by antivirus companies:
- It terminates its own execution if it detects that it is being executed in a virtual machine environment, such as VMWare or VirtualPC.
Oscarbot.VB uses the following propagation or distribution methods:
- Exploiting vulnerabilities with the intervention of the user: exploiting vulnerabilities in file formats or applications. To exploit them successfully it needs the intervention of the user: opening files, viewing malicious web pages, reading emails, etc.
- IRC: It sends a copy of itself to all users connected to the channel to which the infected user is connected.
- Computer networks (mapped drives): it creates copies of itself in mapped drives. | <urn:uuid:f114a0fb-9a28-455d-bfa6-375222e27a49> | {
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When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.”
Notice here how they all call Jesus “Lord”, whereas Judas calls Jesus “Rabbi”, or Teacher. To the original Jewish audience here, this would have been noticed and significant. But don’t mistake this. This isn’t some Evangelical emphasis of seeing Jesus as “Lord of your life” and not “just” a teacher.
Rather, the difference is in seeing things in the new order versus the old one. It’s probably significant that Matthew us the Jewish term “Rabbi” and not just the normal Greek word for “teacher”. To follow a rabbi was still intense and genuine discipleship, not some “lesser devotion”. The point is that Judas still didn’t “get it”. Therefore, Jesus points out how this ultimately condemns him. | <urn:uuid:4dd92ad9-c05f-4781-a47a-ba3923b31688> | {
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The Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) once numbered in the millions in Illinois. At first, as the Illinois prairie was converted to farmland, prairie chickens grew in numbers. But as the ratio of farmland to prairie grew more lopsided, prairie chickens declined in number, leaving a small, remnant population on two preserves in southern Illinois.
The Greater Prairie Chicken is actually a pinnated grouse. The pinnae are the long feathers seen hanging down on the side of the male’s head. Each spring, prairie chickens gather on baseball diamond-sized breeding grounds known as leks, where males display by puffing out their bright orange air sacs, raising the pinnae feathers, and making a low “booming” call that sounds like “a… woo… loo.” Females visit the lek and choose among the males based on their displays.
The birds in the photographs are mounted in a display case that is more than 110 years old. Note that this diorama also includes several chicks. Many of the taxidermy mounts in the museum’s collection are approaching a century old, making them invaluable and irreplaceable. | <urn:uuid:193e56f7-da30-4180-9c72-1d47d5dce33c> | {
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It’s always my steadfast mission to know which surgical methods will make patients feel more at ease and reassured that their health is in the best hands possible. This is certainly the case when a biopsy or lumpectomy is required.
The standard procedure when women need to have a cancerous mass removed, or a lumpectomy, is to place a needle in the breast to direct the surgeon to the tumor. This is called needle localization, and it’s done before a lumpectomy to help identify the precise location of a mass or tumor that cannot be palpably felt. Until surgery occurs, the needle is left in place or, more typically, a wire is inserted in its place.
While preoperative needle localization has been the standard procedure for a biopsy or lumpectomy of nonpalpable breast cancer tumors, it has drawbacks. The biggest disadvantages of needle localization are patient discomfort and rates of missing the target, i.e. needing to reposition the needle if it’s placed incorrectly, or if it migrates or drifts after being placed.
A technique I use called Hematoma Ultrasound-Guided (HUG) bypasses the need for needle localization for breast cancer lumpectomies, and this procedure offers several advantages over needle localization.
HUG Is More Comfortable, Accurate, Faster & Easier
In most cases, the diagnosis of early-stage breast cancers are confirmed by an image-guided core needle biopsy. The core breast biopsy procedure usually creates a small cavity at the site of the tumor which turns into a hematoma, meaning a blood ball resulting from the initial core needle biopsy.
In the early 2000’s, researchers began to test the theory that if there is a hematoma, then a needle localization procedure may not be needed. This is because the hematoma can be seen on ultrasound, so a surgeon can accurately find and excise the actual biopsy site of non-palpable breast lesions without having to rely on a needle or wire to show the location.
If a hematoma has not already formed after a core needle biopsy, then one can be placed several days before the surgery by injecting the patient’s own blood into the breast to target the non-palpable lesion. This makes scheduling easier and also eliminates the risk of migration that may occur with needle localization.
This new procedure is often more comfortable for the patient because no wire or needle is left in the breast. It’s technically faster and easier because ultrasound is used to directly show the location of the hematoma at surgery and to confirm lesion removal in the operating room by specimen ultrasound. Ultimately, by eliminating the additional procedure needed for needle localization, HUG can be both more time and cost-efficient for the patient and surgeon.
In addition, research studies reported in the National Institute of Health’s Center for Biotechnology Information suggest that HUG is more accurate in localizing and removing non-palpable lesions than needle localization.
I continue to be encouraged about advances in improved imaging methods for the detection and treatment of breast cancer, and find that HUG, when applicable, is preferable for patient comfort and surgical accuracy.
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with breast cancer or are wondering if you should seek a second opinion on your diagnosis or surgical plan, I’m here to consult with you.
Committed to serving breast cancer patients through my solo practice in Breast Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, I have offices at Tennova Turkey Creek Medical Center in West Knoxville, at Tennova North Knoxville Medical Center in Powell, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital, and in Morristown. My extensive research and dedication to continual learning have distinguished me as a leader in the field of specialized breast cancer oncology. To learn more about my compassionate surgical care approach, visit www.aaronmd.com or call (865) 692-1610. | <urn:uuid:1a42a0c7-f772-4a37-ade2-23bdf269c63f> | {
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10 Strange Claims Debunked By DNA Testing
Ever since its invention, there has been no greater tool for solving mysteries and closing criminal cases than DNA profiling. There was once a time when certain mysteries were considered unsolvable, but DNA testing can even provide a definitive explanation for events which took place centuries ago. On the other side of the coin, DNA profiling can also be an effective tool at debunking myths and legends.
10 The Missing Titanic Survivor
One of the most famous tragedies of all time occurred on April 15, 1912, when the RMS Titanic collided with an iceberg. Approximately 1,500 people lost their lives when the ship sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean. Two of the presumed victims were a Canadian couple named Hudson and Bess Allison, who boarded the ship with their two young children, two-year-old Loraine and seven-month-old Trevor. Since they were first-class passengers, the Allison family had priority access to the lifeboats. Trevor was safely loaded into a lifeboat, but because of a series of misunderstandings, the boat launched before he was joined by the rest of his family. Hudson, Bess, and Loraine Allison never made it off the ship.
However, a shocking revelation about this story emerged on a radio show in 1940 when a woman named Helen Kramer publicly claimed that she was Lorraine Allison. According to Kramer, her life was saved at the last moment when her father put her in a lifeboat next to a man named Mr. Hyde. Since her parents did not survive, this Mr. Hyde raised her as his child and she had no idea he was not her real father. Even more remarkably, Kramer claimed that Mr. Hyde was actually Titanic shipbuilder Thomas Andrews, who had perished in the sinking.
Naturally, the Allison family did not believe Kramer’s story. Nevertheless, a group of Titanic researchers could not resist the opportunity to find out if her claims were true and formed the “Loraine Allison Identification Project.” In December 2013, long after Kramer’s death in 1992, they decided to perform DNA testing on Kramer’s granddaughter and Bess Allison’s great-niece. The tests showed no match between the families, putting to rest the theory that Helen Kramer was Loraine Allison.
9 The Exhumation Of James Hanratty
DNA testing is the most common method used to exonerate innocent people who were wrongly convicted of a crime they did not commit. However, DNA testing can sometimes confirm that a person accepted as wrongly convicted was guilty all along.
On August 23, 1961, long before DNA testing was invented, a scientist named Michael Gregsten was shot to death inside his car on the A6 road at Deadman’s Hill in Bedfordshire, England. His mistress, Valerie Storie, was also found at the scene. She had been raped and shot five times, amd even though the attack would leave her paralyzed from the waist down, she made a miraculous recovery. The investigation eventually led to a career criminal named James Hanratty, whom Storie positively identified as her attacker.
On the basis of Storie’s testimony, Hanratty was found guilty of rape and murder and sentenced to death. However, there was no other evidence tying Hanratty to the crime and he had an alibi placing him 400 kilometers (250 mi) away when the attack took place. Hanratty never stopped maintaining his innocence until he was hanged on April 4, 1962. Many notable figures, including John Lennon, believed that the whole case was a miscarriage of justice and helped form the A6 Defence Committee in order to clear Hanratty’s name.
Finally, in 2002, Hanratty’s body was exhumed, so that DNA testing could be performed on evidentiary material, including semen samples found in Storie’s underwear and a handkerchief. Hanratty’s DNA turned out a perfect match, providing conclusive evidence that he was guilty all along.
8 The Conviction Of Roger Keith Coleman
If there was an American equivalent of James Hanratty, it would probably be Roger Keith Coleman, who initially seemed like a poster child for the unjust execution of innocent people. On March 10, 1981, 19-year-old Wanda McCoy was murdered inside her home in Grundy, Virginia. She was raped, stabbed to death, and nearly beheaded. The prime suspect was McCoy’s brother-in-law, Roger Keith Coleman, who had a previous conviction for attempted rape. Coleman’s pants had small spots of blood on them, and two male pubic hairs found on McCoy’s body were consistent with Coleman’s. Coleman would eventually be convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to death.
However, the evidence against Coleman was very circumstantial and numerous witnesses placed Coleman at other locations during the time period the crime took place. While on death row, Coleman spent the next several years appealing his sentence, and his case garnered enough publicity that he gained a slew of supporters—including Pope John Paul II—who believed in his innocence and petitioned for clemency.
Nevertheless, Coleman was put to death in the electric chair on May 20, 1992. Before his execution, Coleman stated, “An innocent man is going to be murdered tonight,” and expressed hope that his death would play a role in bringing an end to the death penalty. Coleman’s supporters and anti–death penalty activists never stopped fighting to clear his name. Finally, in 2006, they successfully lobbied for DNA evidence from the crime scene to be tested. To their shock, the DNA test officially confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that Roger Keith Coleman was the perpetrator.
7 The Reunion Of The Hagans Family
On June 11, 1968, three-year-old Jonathan Hagans disappeared during a family gathering at Jacksonville Beach in Florida. Police assumed that Jonathan walked into the ocean and drowned, but his family wasn’t sure. Shortly before Jonathan went missing, witnesses had seen him following his father toward a snack bar. His family became convinced that two unidentified men and a woman standing near the establishment had abducted Jonathan.
The case remained cold until 1989 when authorities were contacted by a 24-year-old Buffalo man named David Bonnabel, who had recently seen an age-progressed photo of Jonathan Hagans. Bonnabel told the Haganses that he believed he was their long-lost son.
According to Bonnabel, he had been raised in the swamps of Louisiana by a Romanian woman named Rita. Bonnabel claimed that Rita imprisoned and sexually abused him throughout his childhood before he managed to run away during his teen years. He had no idea he had been abducted from his real family until he heard Jonathan’s story. The Hagans family believed Bonnabel’s story at first, but suffered a major heartbreak when DNA testing was performed on him. It confirmed with 100 percent certainty that David Bonnabel was not Jonathan Hagans.
In fact, Bonnabel was nothing more than a ruthless con man. Bonnabel had spent the previous few years peddling a fabricated story to various TV shows about being an abducted child searching for his parents. It turned out Bonnabel was actually a Mexican citizen living illegally in the United States and was hoping to be adopted by an American family to gain US citizenship. Sadly, no trace of the real Jonathan Hagans has ever been found.
6 The Adoption Of Heather Robinson
For years, a Chicago couple named Don and Helen Robinson had trouble conceiving a child or adopting one through traditional channels. However, in January 1985, they were contacted by Don’s brother, John Edward Robinson, and were stunned to learn that he had an infant girl with him. According to John, the child’s mother had recently committed suicide in a domestic violence shelter. If Don and Helen would pay John a couple thousand dollars for legal fees, he could act as a liaison and arrange for them to legally adopt the child. The Robinsons agreed to the arrangement and John soon presented them with adoption papers to sign. The child now officially belonged to Don and Helen, who would raise her under the name Heather Robinson.
Sadly, the couple did not know that John Edward Robinson made no legal arrangements for them at all and had forged the adoption papers. Even worse, he was a serial killer and had likely murdered the child’s real mother. Robinson had a history of criminal behavior, including embezzlement and sexual assault, but things took a much darker turn when the bodies of five women were found inside barrels on both his property and a nearby storage locker. Robinson was given the death penalty for three counts of murder, but he is believed to be responsible for many more deaths.
In January 1985, a woman named Lisa Stasi mysteriously disappeared alongside her four-month-old daughter, Tiffany. At the time, she had recently become acquainted with Robinson. In 2000, DNA testing would confirm that the girl raised as Heather Robinson was Tiffany Stasi. Even though Lisa Stasi is presumed dead, her body has never been found.
5 The Fate Of Dr. Josef Mengele
After the end of World War II, Dr. Josef Mengele was one of the most wanted Nazi war criminals in the world. Known as the “Angel of Death,” Mengele was the notorious physician at Auschwitz concentration camp who performed horrific experiments on Jewish prisoners for the purposes of genetic research. After Auschwitz was liberated, Mengele was held in custody at two American prisoner-of-war camps, but they inexplicably released him. Mengele eventually managed to flee to South America, where he would spend the next three decades on the run. By the ’80s, rumors began circulating that Mengele was dead, but there were still unconfirmed sightings of him throughout the world, and $3.5 million in reward money was offered for his capture.
In February 1985, a mock trial was held for Mengele in Jerusalem where 106 of his survivors testified about his atrocities. Two months later, West German police would raid the home of one of Mengele’s friends and find a letter from a couple named Wolfram and Liselotte Bossert which mentioned the death of a mutual friend. The Bosserts were soon located in Brazil and interrogated. They finally led authorities to a cemetery in Embu containing the grave of a man named Wolfgang Gerhard.
According to the Bosserts, Gerhard was actually Josef Mengele. He had drowned after suffering a stroke while swimming on February 7, 1979. Even so, there was still some skepticism that the remains belonged to Mengele. In 1992, the long manhunt was finally brought to a definitive end when DNA testing was performed on Gerhard’s remains, confirming that the dead man was Josef Mengele.
4 The Body Of Martin Bormann
Josef Mengele was not the only notorious Nazi war criminal who required DNA testing to confirm his death. Throughout World War II, Martin Bormann was one of the most powerful members of the Nazi party, serving as Adolf Hitler’s private secretary. On May 2, 1945, two days after Hitler committed suicide, Bormann was seen leaving Berlin to deliver orders to Hitler’s potential successor. This was the last time anyone could confirm seeing Bormann alive and his fate would remain a mystery for decades.
After the war ended, Bormann was tried in absentia for war crimes at Nuremberg and sentenced to death. However, even though there were thousands of unconfirmed sightings of Bormann throughout the world, no one could be certain if he was still alive.
During the 1960s, a former Berlin postal worker named Albert Krumnow told authorities that days after Bormann’s disappearance, he had buried two bodies which were found near the Reichstag station. Krumnow believed that one of the bodies might have been Bormann’s. The initial attempts to recover these bodies were unsuccessful, but in 1972, construction workers would uncover the remains of two people in close proximity to where Krumnow claimed he buried them. It was determined that the two victims had committed suicide by taking cyanide. One of them was believed to be Bormann and the second an SS doctor named Ludwig Stumpfegger.
Some people were skeptical that the remains belonged to Bormann. Conspiracy theorists even suggested they had been planted there and that the real Bormann was still alive somewhere. The mystery was finally put to rest in 1998 when DNA testing was performed on skull fragments from the remains, confirming that they did belong to Martin Bormann.
3 The Fake Teenager
In 1997, Brianna Stewart, a 16-year-old high school student from Vancouver, Washington, accused 47-year-old security guard Charles Blankenship of raping her. Blankenship would be charged with having sex with a minor and sentenced to one year in jail.
This seemed to be the latest in a long line of sexual assaults suffered by the enigmatic Brianna Stewart. She spent her teen years living in foster homes, garnering a lot of sympathy with her tales of past abuse. Brianna claimed she ran away from home at age 12 to escape an abusive Satanist father who had murdered her mother. In 2001, Brianna was hoping to attend college, but would need to obtain a birth certificate and Social Security number. During a fingerprint check, a surprising discovery was made: This high schooler was actually a 31-year-old woman named Treva Throneberry.
Treva Throneberry was born in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1969. Even though she was sexually abused by an uncle during her childhood, her tendency to fabricate stories started at age 16 when she falsely accused her father of raping her at gunpoint. After she reached adulthood, Treva spent most of the 1990s traveling the country and passing herself off as a teenager under different aliases. She usually lived in homeless shelters and foster homes and chronicled many outrageous stories of abuse, which often involved Satanism.
After the fingerprint check uncovered Treva’s real identity, she was arrested and charged with theft, fraud, and perjury. Even though she continued to maintain that her real name was Brianna Stewart, DNA testing conclusively determined that she was Treva Throneberry. The false conviction of Charles Blankenship was promptly expunged from his record and Treva was sentenced to three years in prison.
2 The Identification Of Scott Morris
The invention of DNA profiling has often been a godsend for resolving missing persons cases. Sometimes, a dead body will be found and remain unidentified for years until DNA testing matches the deceased victim to a missing person. Even though DNA profiling can provide closure for a victim’s family, there are also rare occasions when it takes closure away.
On August 14, 1978, 14-year-old Scott Morris mysteriously disappeared after leaving his Indianapolis home to walk to a nearby market. At the time, Scott was known for being a runaway, so police did not take his disappearance seriously. Scott’s family never saw him again, but a family friend received a strange call in 1989 from a man claiming to be Scott, who confirmed he was still alive and working at a carnival.
Years later, Scott’s family received surprising news about a seemingly unrelated cold case. On January 7, 1990, a nude unidentified young man was found beaten and shot to death in Daviess County, Kentucky. Since the victim’s hands and feet had been cut off and all his teeth were removed, identification was difficult. However, in 2007, a search of the missing persons database led authorities to Scott Morris, who bore a striking resemblance to the victim. The body was tentatively identified as Scott. He was returned to the Morris family and given a proper burial.
Unfortunately, it turned out the identification had been premature. In 2009, the final portions of the DNA identification process were completed and authorities were horrified to learn they had made a mistake: The unidentified victim was not Scott Morris. Sadly, two separate cold cases have now reverted back to their unsolved status.
1 The Heart Of Dauphin Louis XVII Of France
Few historical figures spawned more questions about their presumed death than Louis XVII, who was the son of King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette. In August 1792, in the midst of the French Revolution, Louis XVI was arrested and removed from power. While both of his parents were executed, Louis XVII would be imprisoned in the tower of Paris Temple for the next three years. During that time, he became seriously ill and died of tuberculosis on June 8, 1795 at the age of 10. After this death, an autopsy was performed on the boy and his heart was removed. However, rumors eventually began circulating that Louis-Charles did not actually die and had escaped after his sympathizers smuggled him out of the prison.
Due to the long-standing rumors that the dauphin survived, hundreds of impostors came forward over the years to claim they were him. As the years went on, fraudulent impostors even started claiming they were descendants of Louis XVII, but none of their stories could be verified. After Louis-Charles’ heart was removed, it was preserved and housed in many places over the next two centuries. Finally, in 1975, the heart found a permanent home on display inside a crystal vase at the royal crypt in the Saint Denis Basilica, the burial place of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. In 2000, DNA testing was finally performed on the heart and compared with DNA samples from a strand of Marie Antoinette’s hair. The testing firmly concluded that the heart belonged to the dauphin. It was finally given a proper burial at the royal crypt.
Robin Warder is a budding Canadian screenwriter who has used his encyclopedic movie knowledge to publish numerous articles at Cracked.com. He is also the co-owner of a pop culture website called The Back Row and recently worked on a sci-fi short film called Jet Ranger of Another Tomorrow. Feel free to contact him here. | <urn:uuid:cddb38b8-6fb8-4646-a5c3-9244b1a2fbb3> | {
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Bank Secrecy Act(redirected from Banking Secrecy Act)
Bank Secrecy Act
United States legislation, enacted in 1970, that mandates greater disclosures by banks on transfers of money. Specifically, it requires banks to file reports on purchases of negotiable instruments (like commercial paper) for more than $10,000 if they are bought with cash. It also requires banks to inform the federal government of suspicious activities by account holders. The Bank Secrecy Act is intended to prevent money laundering. See also: Anti-Money Laundering Law. | <urn:uuid:c9e4821d-8a98-4487-b404-0bc7f076dc2a> | {
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I Can Save the Earth|
by Anita Holmes
Let's discuss three of Earth's main natural resources: air, water, and land. Clean air is important to the health of the planet. Polluted air can make you sick, kill plants, and ruin rivers and lakes. Air pollution can even change the weather by trapping sunlight and its heat close to the ground. What can you do to stop air pollution? Turn out the lights when you don't need them. Keep the temperature in your home a little cooler in the winter and a little warmer in the summer. You can even convince your family to drive the car less often. How does this help? Electricity, heating, air conditioning and car engines are all created or powered by burning fuels like coal or oil. Burning fuels release pollutants that dirty our air.
Water is another of Earth's main resources. All living things on Earth need water
to survive, but clean, unpolluted water is getting harder to find. Many people
waste water or pollute it. How can you save water? Try taking shorter showers or
turning off the water while you brush your teeth. Help to keep our water clean.
Land is the third main resource. It suffers the effects of pollution, too. One of the ways we are using up this precious resource is by dumping trash on it or burying it in the ground. The average American throws away over 20 pounds of trash each week! Much of this trash, like plastic containers or toys, will not go away. The trash will sit in the ground forever. How can you help to solve the trash problem? You can buy high quality goods that will last, that you will not have to throw away. Reuse plastic bags and containers, cans, and foam cups. You can even convince your family to recycle everything possible, like cans and newspapers.
There are so many ways you can make a difference at home or in your community. This book describes many of the ways you do have power to save Earth. Try the I Can Save the Earth Activity to learn more about preserving the environment.
Education Place | Site Index | Contact Us
Copyright © 2000 Houghton Mifflin Company. All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:11ffc8f3-1d10-40f8-bf7e-b681f22ef442> | {
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At Intel's annual Research Day this month it will show technologies that read users gestures and respond to thoughts, and a cloud-computing ready "smart car" with accident-prevention smarts.
The devices and ideas that will be on display are concepts unrelated to Intel's core business, said Manny Vara, director of technology evangelism at Intel Labs. However, some developments end up in future products like microprocessors, and also reach devices like smartphones, laptops, or even things that people wear, Vara said. The event will be held at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, on June 30.
Many ongoing projects research ways in which computers can better interact with humans by recognizing gestures, speech and thoughts, Vara said. On display will be a robot capable of recognizing speech, and mobile devices equipped with cameras that can recognize gestures.
Intel will also show a computer that is able to recognize and respond to brain waves when a user thinks about controlling a particular device. Vara promised more interesting systems that attempt to analyze brain waves to gain insight into users' thoughts, but would not offer more information in advance of the research day. Machines have to learn how humans function and not vice-versa, he said.
Human-computer interaction is also improving with the help of sensors that already exist, Vara said.
For example, robots are being given a stronger sense of touch with the inspiration drawn from sharks, Vara said. Sharks can sense electromagnetic fields through their noses, giving them an idea of what they are biting into. Intel researchers are trying to equip robots with sensors on their fingertips so they can determine whether an object is plastic or glass and how it's shaped, so they know the force and strength with which to grab the object. Such technologies could help in industrial applications, as robots are good at tasks like welding, Vara said.
Intel also has been doing a lot of research on car safety, Vara said. For example, cameras in a car could interpret if a driver is falling asleep, and help actively reduce the speed, or open up windows to improve air flow, which could wake a person up.
"These are incredibly simple things that wouldn't require redesigning of a car," Vara said.
A lot of the research originating from Intel labs has already reached devices. The company in December announced an experimental 48-core processor, and ideas from the research will be incorporated in the upcoming "Knights Corner" chip for high-performance computing. The chip scales up to 50 cores and will be made on Intel's 22-nanometer manufacturing process. The company hasn't announced when the chip would become available, but the company has said that a development chip with up to 32 cores would be available later this year. | <urn:uuid:8803e285-d1dd-407d-a245-68de8c36849b> | {
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Hawai`i contains unique natural resources, such as geologic and volcanic features and distinctive marine and terrestrial plants and animals, many of which occur nowhere else in the world.
In 1970, the legislature statewide Natural Area Reserves System (NARS) was established to preserve in perpetuity specific land and water areas which support communities, as relatively unmodified as possible, of the natural flora and fauna, as well as geological sites, of Hawai`i.
Areas that are designated as NARS are protected by rules and management activities that are designed to keep the native ecosystem intact, so a sample of that natural community will be preserved for future generations.
Contained in the System are some of Hawai`i’s most treasured forests, coastal areas and even marine ecosystems. Some would argue the NARS are the best of the best natural areas.
The statewide NARS currently consists of 20 reserves comprised of approximately 123,431 acres on five islands
NARS was established to protect the best remaining native ecosystems and geological sites in the State.
A Natural Area Reserves System (NARS) Commission assists DLNR and serves in an advisory capacity for the Board of Land and Natural Resources, which sets policies for the Department.
The diverse areas found in the NARS range from marine and coastal environments to lava flows, tropical rainforests and even an alpine desert. Within these areas one can find rare endemic plants and animals, many of which are on the edge of extinction.
While NARS is based on the concept of protecting native ecosystems, as opposed to single species, many threatened and endangered (T&E) plants and animals benefit from the protection efforts through NARS.
Major management activities involve fencing and control of feral ungulates (wild, hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, deer and pigs), control of other invasive species (weeds, small mammalian predators), fire prevention and control, rare plant restoration, monitoring, public outreach, and maintenance of existing infrastructure, such as trails and signs.
The reserves also protect some of the major watershed areas which provide our vital sources of fresh water.
To protect Hawai`i’s invaluable ecosystems, a dedicated funding mechanism was created for the Natural Area Partnership Program, the Natural Area Reserves, the Watershed Partnerships Program and the Youth Conservation Corps through the tax paid on conveyances of land.
These revenues are deposited into the Natural Area Reserve (NAR) Special Fund and support land management actions on six major islands and engage over 60 public-private landowners, partners and agencies.
The Natural Area Reserves System is administered by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Here is a list of the reserves:
- Pu‘u O ‘Umi
- Mauna Kea Ice Age
- Waiākea 1942 Lava Flow
- Pu‘u Maka‘ala
- West Maui
- ‘Ahihi Kīna’u
- Pu‘u Ali‘i
- Ka‘ena Point
- Mount Kaʻala
- Hono O Na Pali
The image shows the location of each of the NARs within the system. In addition, I have included other maps and images of the NARS in Hawai‘i in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook and Google+ pages. | <urn:uuid:68a94fd2-838e-4d24-901a-a05973da1f5e> | {
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The Cornish Rebellion of 1497 started in St Keverne. The leader of the rebellion Michael An Gof (the "smith" in Cornish) was a blacksmith from St Keverne and is commemorated by a statue in the village. Before his execution, An Gof said that he should have "a name perpetual and a fame permanent and immortal". In 1997 a 500th anniversary march celebrating the An Gof uprising, (Keskerdh Kernow 500) was held, which retraced the route of the original march from St Keverne, via Guildford to London.
St Keverne was in the Middle Ages the site of an important monastery. The church is dedicated to St Akeveranus though for a considerable period this was corrupted to Kieran. The church is very large for a village church and in its present form is 15th century: however parts of the stonework appear to have been reused from a previous church building. The tower is topped by a spire (unusual in Cornwall) and features of interest include the bench ends and a mural painting.
A 32-pounder carronade that divers recovered in 1978 from the wreck of HMS Primose stands by the lych-gate to the churchyard. (Primrose was wrecked on The Manacles off The Lizard on 21 January 1809 with the loss of 125 lives and only one survivor, a drummer boy.) | <urn:uuid:f7aa245b-02f8-40c9-9a87-969aad1fabda> | {
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From: Yona Maro
The Web became a major layer of the Internet. Indeed, for many, it became synonymous with the Internet, even though that is not technically the case. Its birthday offers an occasion to revisit the ways it has made the Internet a part of Americans’ social lives.
Our first report tied to the anniversary looked at the present and the past of the Internet, marking its strikingly fast adoption and assessing its impact on American users’ lives. This report is part of an effort by the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project in association with Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center to look at the future of the Internet, the Web, and other digital activities.
This is the first of eight reports based on a canvassing of hundreds of experts about the future of such things as privacy, cybersecurity, the “Internet of things,” and net neutrality. In this case we asked experts to make their own predictions about the state of digital life by the year 2025. We will also explore some of the economic change driven by the spectacular progress that made digital tools faster and cheaper. And we will report on whether Americans feel the explosion of digital information coursing through their lives has helped them be better informed and make better decisions.
Yona Fares Maro
Institut d’études de sécurité – SA | <urn:uuid:242e6ba4-6ae0-49f5-ac00-067ef198015b> | {
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At this time of year, the residents of Gävle, Sweden have one big question on their minds: Will the goat burn?
In 1966, advertising consultant Stig Gavlén decided to create a giant yule goat—a traditional Christmas ornament made of straw—and put it in the town square. Gavlén's brother Jesper, the chief of the fire department, took responsibility for the design. On Dec. 1, 1966, the 43-foot-tall goat was erected in the square. A few minutes into New Year's Day, 1967, the Gävle Goat was on fire. It was the first act of arson in what would become a holiday tradition of violence against the animal.
Built annually since 1966, the Gävle Goat has been torched 26 times. In more than one instance, vandals were so eager to destroy the goat that they burned it before it was even installed. Some years, the arsonists are courteous enough to wait until after Christmas before setting it ablaze.
Though death by fire is the main form of human-on-goat violence, other acts of hostility have been perpetrated against it. The goat has been hit by cars, kicked to pieces, and, if rumors are to be believed, a couple had sex in its scratchy innards in 1968.
Anti-violence measures including volunteer guards, web cams, fireproofed straw and police watches have failed to deter committed fire starters. In 1988, English betting agencies began allowing punters to gamble on the goat's destiny.
As of today, the 2013 Gävle Goat is still standing. Its days may be numbered—last year's goat burned down on Dec. 12.
Great goats around the globe:
View Gävle in a larger map | <urn:uuid:66643132-b230-4ef0-bb7f-8d178099be23> | {
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Introduction and Background
The Russian Offensive, January 1807
The Russian Retreat
The Battle of Eylau, Preliminaries 7 February
The Battle of Eylau, 8 February
Conclusion and Aftermath
Introduction and Background
The battle of Eylau (8 February 1807) was the first major setback suffered by Napoleon on the battlefield and was a costly inconclusive battle fought in the snow in East Prussia.
Only four months earlier Napoleon had achieved one of his most impressive victories, defeating the highly regarded Prussian army in a campaign that had only lasted a few weeks. The decisive moment came early in the campaign when the Prussians were defeated at Auerstadt and Jena (both 14 October 1806). Over the next few weeks the French destroyed most of the rest of the Prussian army, occupied Berlin and captured most Prussian fortresses. Prussia was effectively knocked out of the Fourth Coalition, although King Frederick William III of Prussia refused to make peace and the remnants of his army pulled back into East Prussia. This left the Russians to stand alone against Napoleon in central Europe.
Napoleon decided to take up winter quarters on the east bank of the Vistula so that he wouldn't have to cross that river at the start of the campaign of 1807. In November the French captured Warsaw and crossed the Vistula in several places. The Russians decided not to defend the Vistula, and even pulled back from the Bug. They then changed their mind and attempted to move back to the Bug but they arrived too late and the French had already established a bridgehead close to the junction of the Bug and the Vistula. The Russians attempted to hold the line of the River Ukra and Bug, but the French managed to force their way across the Ukra at its mouth (combat of Czarnowo, 23 December 1806). Napoleon then attempted to pursue the Russians, but the twin battles of Pultusk and Golymin on 26 December were both inconclusive. The weather was now terrible, and on 28 December Napoleon ordered his men into winter quarters.
Most of the French army was sent into winter quarters to the north-east of Warsaw. Lannes was on the right, on the River Bug. Davout was next, on the Narew, with Soult to his left. Augereau was posted to the west of the River Ukra, putting him behind the main French concentration. Further north Ney occupied the area around the head of the River Ukra and Bernadotte covered the gap up to the Baltic coast. Napoleon didn't expect the Russians to attack during the winter, but put in place plans to deal with any attack on his centre of right. Bernadotte was considered to be safe from any major assault.
The Russian Offensive, January 1807
Napoleon had underestimated the Russians. At the start of January the Russians held a council of war and decided to attack Bernadotte on the French left. They would leave their base on the Narew, move north behind the forest of Johannesburg, then turn west and advance across the Rivers Alle and Passarge. They would then defeat the isolated troops on the French left, cross the Vistula and either force Napoleon to abandon his positions east of that river or put themselves in a good position for the campaign of 1807.
The Russian campaign began well. By mid-January they were heading west towards Bernadotte, and the French had no idea that they had moved. There was one major problem with the Russian plan - it assumed that Napoleon would react in a passive or defensive way, not something that his previous career would support. The French were saved from a total surprise by Marshal Ney, who had rather disobeyed his orders and instead of staying in his winter quarters had advanced north towards Konigsberg. By mid-January Ney's scattered troops were thus in the direct course of the Russian advance. On 19 January the leading Russian troops ran into some of Ney's cavalry. This warning gave Bernadotte the time to mass enough of his troops to stop the Russian advance at Mohrungen (25 January 1807).
On 26 January Napoleon still believed that the Russians were planning to go into winter quarters in front of Ney, but by 27 January he realised what was going on. He immediately realised that he had a chance to inflict a crushing defeat on the Russians and ordered his men out of their winter quarters. Davout, Soult, Ney and Murat with the cavalry were ordered north towards the River Alle, hopefully putting them behind the advancing Russians. Bernadotte was ordered to move slowly south towards Thorn where he was to form the left wing of the army. This movement was to begin on 1 February.
The Russian Retreat
By that point Napoleon's plan had already failed. Berthier handed Bernadotte's orders to a young officer newly arrived from France. He was captured by Cossacks on his way north and was unable to destroy the order. A complete copy of Napoleon's plans was thus handed to Bennigsen on 1 February. He responded by ordering his army to retreat to Jankovo, where on 3 February an inconclusive battle was fought. This also meant that Bernadotte didn't receive his orders. After the fight at Mohrungen he retreated to Strasburg (Brodnica) where he remained until 4 February. As a result he missed the battle of Eylau. He didn't receive fresh orders until 3 February, and by 7 February had only reached Reichertswalde (modern Markowo), thirty miles from Eylau.
As the Russians retreated to the north-east the French followed closely, with Soult and Davout on their right, Augereau and the Guard in the centre and Ney and Murat on the left. Napoleon was hoping to outflank the Russians and catch them at Landsberg. Ney was then detached to the left to deal with a small Prussian corps under General Lestocq. Over the next few days Ney was thus advancing parallel to the main French force. Davout was left on the right, while Soult joined the centre.
On 6 February the Russian rearguard under Barclay de Tolly fought a sharp action against Murat's cavalry and part of Soult's corps at Hof (Dworzno), south-west of Landsberg (Gorowo Ilawecki). Napoleon decided that the strong resistance at Hof meant that the Russians were planning to make a stand at Landsberg. Murat, Soult and Augereau were directly following the Russians. Ney, on the left, and Davout, on the right, were both ordered to march towards Landsberg, where they were expected to take part in a major battle on 7 February. Ney's job of watching the Prussians was expected to be taken over by Bernadotte - Napoleon was still unaware that Bernadotte was so far behind the main army.
Bennigsen wasn't actually planning to make a stand at Landsberg. On the night of 6-7 February his main army retreated to Eylau. The rearguard held out at Landsberg for an hour early on 7 February and then moved north-east to join the main army. On the morning of 7 February the French centre followed them. Soult and Murat reached Eylau at around 2pm, followed during the afternoon by Augereau and the Imperial Guard. The French began involved in a fight with the Russian rearguard, but soon had command of the area west of Eylau.
The Battle of Eylau, Preliminaries 7 February
The battle of Eylau began in the afternoon of 7 February when fighting broke out in the town of Eylau. The exact cause of this fighting is unclear. Napoleon later claimed that he had ordered an attack on the town partly to pin the Russians in place and party to gain some shelter for his troops.
This version of events is generally believed to be untrue, and the fighting to have developed accidently. Napoleon is recorded by Baron Marbot, a member of Augereau's staff, as having decided to spend the night on the ridge south-west of Eylau and not attack until Ney and Davout were closer to the field. The fighting was actually triggered by Napoleon's personal baggage train, which arrived at around 2pm and moved into Eylau in an attempt to find suitable quarters. Much to their surprise they discovered that the Russians were very close to the town. A Russian patrol attacked them and they had to be rescued by their Guard escort. Some of Soult's men, who were posted on the western edge of the town, rushed in to rescue the baggage train. The Russians heard the fighting and fed more men into this battle.
This fighting lasted for about eight hours, with the hardest fighting taking place in the village cemetery. Eylau changed hands several times but by around 7pm the Russians had withdrawn to their main position and the French were left in occupation of the village overnight.
The Battle of Eylau, 8 February
Eylau sits in a valley with low heights on both sides. Although there were a number of lakes and watercourses in the area in February 1807 they were all frozen and snow covered, and played little or no part in the fighting. The Russians were drawn up on the ridge east of the town, with their line facing south-west towards the town. The French were facing north-east, with Eylau in the left-centre of their line. The western ridge was slightly higher than the eastern ridge, so the French had a slight advantage. On the morning of 8 February the weather was very bad, with snow storms and blizzards. This limited visibility on the day and played a major part in the events to follow.
On the morning of 8 February the French were deployed with two of Soult's on their left, around Eylau, Augereau on the centre-right, with St. Hilaire's division from Soult's corps to his right (Augereau had originally been in the second line - when he advanced into the front line St. Hilaire moved right to make space). Murat's cavalry and the Guard were placed in reserve. This gave the French around 45,000 men at the start of the fight. Once Davout and Ney arrived the French had around 75,000 men available. The French were outnumbered in artillery, with 200 guns while the Russians had 460 guns.
The Russians began the day with around 65,000-67,000 men, deployed to the north-east of Eylau. Ostermann-Tolstoi was on the Russian left, Sacken in the centre and Tutchkov (or Tuchkov) on the right. When Lestocq's Prussians arrived the Russians also had around 75,000 men. Bennigsen used some of his artillery to form two big gun batteries of 60 and 70 guns, posted in the front line.
Napoleon was hoping to inflict a crushing defeat on the Russians, but this depended on the prompt arrival of Davout and Ney. His plan was for Soult to carry out a pinning attack on the Russians to prevent them from retreated. This would give time for Davout to appear on the French right. He would attack the Russian left and also pressure their line of retreat towards Konigsberg. Augereau and Murat formed the 'masse de décision', to be committed to the battle after Davout had disrupted the Russian left. Ney was only ordered to make for Eylau early on 8 February, so his arrival couldn't be guaranteed, but if he did make it in time then his role was to complete a double envelopment of the Russian force.
The fighting began at around 8am with a Russian artillery bombardment of Eylau. The French counterbattery fire was more accurate, but the Russians had the advantage of numbers and the bombardments were probably equally effective.
The artillery duel was followed by a cautious advance by Soult on the French left, which began at around 9am. This was designed to distract attention away from the French right where Davout's leading division (Friant) was close to the field. Neither French move had the impact that Napoleon had hoped for. Friant was engaged by Russian cavalry and his advance almost stopped. On the left Soult's attack was repulsed and the Russians counter-attacked. There was a real danger that the French left would be pushed back from Eylau, exposing the entire French line to danger.
Napoleon decided to launch a fresh attack using Augereau's corps and St. Hilaire's division. Augereau was to attack Ostermann Tolstoi on the Russian left while St. Hilaire made contact with Friant, strengthening the outflanking move. Both units were to advance forward and to the right.
This attack began at around 10am and ended in disaster. A blizzard blinded Augereau's men, and instead of moving forward and to the right they drifted to the left. They passed in front of the French guns at Eylau and suffered heavy casualties from friendly fire (the snow meant that the French gunners couldn't see Augereau's men). Augereau's men continued to advance, but this brought them in front of the central Russian artillery battery of seventy guns. The two divisions of Desjardins and Heudelet suffered very heavy casualties from grapeshot fired from the artillery. Bennigsen responded to the French attack by committing his two reserve columns to the battle. Augereau's men were charged from the front by the Russian reserve and in the flank by another Russian infantry brigade and some cavalry. Augereau's corps was broken by this attack and most of the survivors of the attack fled back into Eylau. Augereau may have lost as many as 6,000 men from his 9,000 strong corps. Augereau gave his loses as 929 dead and 4,271 wounded.
The only exception was the leading infantry regiment, the 14th Line. This regiment ended up on a slight mound on the eastern slope of the valley, surrounded by Russian troops. The regiment formed a square and attempted to fight off the Russians. Augereau sent a series of staff officers to order the 14th to retreat, but most were killed. Finally Captain Marbot managed to reach the 14th, but it was too late. The regiment's commander told Marbot 'I can see no way of saving the regiment. Return to the Emperor and give him the farewells of the 14th Line which has faithfully carried out his orders, and take him the Eagle which we gave him but can no longer defend'. Marbot was wounded while attempting to escape with the Eagle, which was captured by the Russians. Thirty six officers and 590 men from the 14th Line were buried on the battlefield.
At around 10.30 a Russian column reached Eylau. Napoleon's headquarters was now based in the town, and the Russians came very close to capturing the Emperor. His personal escort sacrificed themselves to win time for the Guard to rescue the Emperor. The Russian column was destroyed by the Guard, but it had been a close-run thing.
The French were now in serious trouble. Soult on the left had been pushed back. Augereau in the centre-right had been destroyed. Davout's leading troops had arrived but were held up. Ney had yet to arrive. There was now a gap in the French line between Augereau's remaining troops and St. Hilaire, who had successfully advanced to the right but had been unable to help Friant make progress.
Napoleon still had the Imperial Guard and the Cavalry Reserve. He chose to use Murat's cavalry. Murat had 10,700 cavalrymen at his disposal in the centre of the field, mostly dragoons but with 1,900 cuirassiers and 1,500 Guard cavalry. Murat's cavalry charge was one of the most successful of all time. First the French cavalry drove off the survivors of the Russian attack on Eylau. They then split into two columns and defeated the Russian cavalry in front of the French centre and right. The two French cavalry columns then broke through Sacken's infantry in the Russian centre. This put them behind the main Russian line. The two columns were reunited and then charged Sacken's infantry from the rear, before finally attacking the 70 gun battery. The final stages of Murat's retirement were covered by more of the Guard Cavalry, sent forward by Napoleon. Murat's men had suffered 1,500 casualties, but they had disrupted Bennigsen's attack, lifted the pressure on Augereau and Soult and won enough time for Davout to arrive on the French right.
At about 1pm Davout's corps had finally arrived. Napoleon ordered Davout and St. Hilaire to launch an attack on the Russian left, and after two hours of fighting the Russians were forced back and their line appeared to be close to breaking. They were saved by the arrival of Lestocq's Prussians, who had arrived on the Russian right. They were ordered to move around the back of the army and attacked Davout's unguarded right flank. Davout's corps was slowly pushed back and the Russians were given a second chance of success. If Davout's corps had been defeated then the only fresh French troops would have been the Guard Infantry - Soult's men had been under pressure all day and Augereau's corps had been battered.
The only remaining hope for the French was that Ney would arrive on their left. Napoleon sent orders calling him to Eylau at around 8am, but these only reached Ney at 2pm. The sounds of the battle hadn't reached Ney, who thus had no idea that a major conflict was underway. Ney thus didn't reach the battlefield until around 7pm, arriving on the left of the French line. Ney attacked the Russian right and pushed it back. His arrival also encouraged the rest of the French army, and the Russian attack on the French centre and right was halted.
Conclusion and Aftermath
By 10pm, several hours after nightfall, the battle finally came to a halt. That night both commanders prepared to retreat, but the Russians moved first. Napoleon was thus left in possession of the battlefield. This allowed him to claim that the battle had been a victory, but he was clearly aware that it had been a close run thing.
Neither side's casualties are certain. Napoleon claimed to have lost only 1,900 dead and 5,700 wounded, and to have inflicted 7,000 dead and 12,000-15,000 wounded on the Russians. This estimate of the French losses was far too low and helped support the saying 'to lie like a bulletin'. The French corps commanders admitted to far higher casualties - Davout to 5,007, Augereau to 5,200 not including prisoners, Soult to 8,250 killed and wounded. This brings the casualty figures to nearly 15,000, not including the cavalry. Augereau's losses were almost certainly higher than 5,200 and the general consensus is that the French lost around 25,000.
On the Russian side Bennigsen gave his casualties as 12,000 dead and 7,900 wounded - a total of 20,000. Curiously his losses are now generally said to have been only 15,000.
After the battle the Russians retreated towards their supply depots at Konigsberg. The French followed up slowly, winning a cavalry combat at Friedland. Further south they defeated Essen at Ostrolenka on 15 February. They also began the siege of Danzig, but by the end of February both armies finally went into winter quarters. Active campaigning didn't begin again until the summer of 1807 when Napoleon finally won the decisive battle he desired at Freidland (14 June 1807).
The battle of Eylau was the first significant setback suffered by Napoleon on the battlefield. The determination of the Russian army and the poor winter weather in Poland meant that he was unable to win that decisive victory. Napoleon's successes relied on his army's ability to move in a dispersed formation but to concentrate on the battlefield. At Eylau he was unable to achieve this, and for most of the battle the French were outnumbered. Of the three outlying corps that Napoleon was hoping to use only Davout arrived on time. Ney didn't arrive until very late in the battle and Bernadotte was never anywhere near the battlefield. The battle of Eylau revealed the first cracks in Napoleon's military reputation and greatly encouraged his opponents across Europe. | <urn:uuid:1e564f87-5cc4-426e-ab37-b5191d274d9e> | {
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The Weekly Commentary of JTS KOLLOT: Voices of Learning
Genesis 1:1 - 6:8
October 25, 2003 29 Tishrei 5764
This week's commentary was written by Rachel Ain, Senior Rabbinical Student, Student Kollot Fellow
In Parashat B'reishit , we are told that "God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Gen 1:27). What does it mean that God created people in "God's image"? What responsibility do we have to ourselves, to our community, and to God knowing that each of us reflects the image of the Divine?
First, we know that since we are created in the image of God we have the responsibility to care for ourselves, just as we care for inanimate ritual objects. A siddur or humash is treated with the utmost respect and honor. For if a siddur or humash were to fall, one would not hesitate to reach down, pick up the siddur, and kiss it. We desire to show proper respect to texts that we consider sacred. How much more so should we treat ourselves with respect.
Second, we have the ability to reflect God in our daily interactions with family and friends. A midrash teaches how we can walk in God's ways. Just as God is gracious and compassionate, so too we must be gracious and compassionate. Just as God is loving, so too we must be loving (Sifre on Parashat Ekev). These attributes of compassion and grace which we just recited multiple times during the High Holidays give us a compelling model for interacting with one another.
Finally, we are able to model God's own behavior. Immediately after God created the first humans and instructed them on how to function amidst the other creations in the world, we read, "on the seventh day God finished the work that He had been doing, and He ceased on the seventh day from all the work that He had done. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it God ceased from all the work of creation that He had done" (Genesis 2:1-3).
In his book The Sabbath, Heschel illustrates how Shabbat is a gift that God gave to us on the seventh day of creation. Just as God worked and only then created and blessed Shabbat, so too we work and then create and bless Shabbat. We have the ability each week to bring Shabbat into our lives. By doing so we will have the opportunity to treat ourselves to the rest that we need, interact with our family and friends in a way that reflects a sacred interaction, and finally honor God and the Shabbat in a way that is truly divine.
With wishes for a good week and Shabbat Shalom. | <urn:uuid:a6fbc264-8d99-4fe3-8285-f80dd8b35517> | {
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When school’s out and summer’s here, keeping your kids on track will mean fun for the whole family; here’s how:
Kids with mental health challenges are dependent on the predictability of routine and structure – something that is opposite to the school’s out summertime break. As much as is possible, stick to the same schedule as throughout the school year, including the same time for meals and bedtimes. As writer Beth Arky points out, some kids may need help with understanding this new summer schedule because there is less structure than being in school and may need a visual reminder. In such cases, you can post a daily schedule on the fridge so they always know what’s expected.
Prepare, prepare, prepare
Make plans for activities as early as possible and then keep your child posted as to what they can expect. Many kids with bipolar disorder don’t do well with surprise adventures, but if they know that they will be going swimming every day at 3 p.m., they can prepare in their mind for these outings. This also means preparing to keep the same home routines when traveling on vacation.
Get out in nature
An important aid in mental wellbeing for children with energy to burn, is being outdoors, especially when this also involves being active i.e. long walks, swimming, hikes, playing soccer, exploring in nature. Children often get too comfortable in the confines of their home and believe their home is a “safe cocoon,” especially for those who have trouble with social interactions. However, it’s imperative to get away from the screen and out into fresh air and to exercise.
Go easy on yourself
You’ve prepared for the summer break for months, made plans for activities, adventures, and then you see some worsening of behavior or regression in your child. Don’t be hard on yourself for not being able to avoid this—it’s not your fault. Remain calm, firm and consistent and try as best as you can to maintain a sense of fun.
You need fun too!
Parents of kids with developmental, emotional, or behavioral problems often feel isolated and lonely, says Arky. “It can be difficult watching all the other neighbourhood children set off for a camp yours can’t attend.” Don’t forget you’ve been looking forward to summer all year too. You definitely deserve some fun, so book a sitter and get together with friends or just for a summer picnic with your spouse – it’s critical for your wellbeing and ultimately to help better care for your child.
April 19, 2018 • Volume 11, Issue 16 • Subscribe to Hope & Harmony Headlines
Demi Lovato with director Shaul Schwarz. The two worked on the documentary “Beyond Silence” together that aimed to raise awareness about the importance of speaking out about mental health and ending stigma.
Sometimes it serves us to hide our pain, to pretend things are fine when they’re not. But keeping our moods, symptoms and feelings from others can be exhausting and lonely—and can keep us from the best available care and treatment.
That’s in part why 25-year-old singer Demi Lovato executive produced the recent documentary Beyond Silence, which she hopes will spark conversation about—and destigmatize—brain-based illnesses. Shame, misunderstanding and fear kept Lovato from “getting help,” and she was doing “harmful things” to cope.
“I hope that this film will show people that there is nothing wrong with having a mental health condition,” Lovato, who was diagnosed with bipolar in 2010, has said. “If you do have one, you are able to live well and thrive…if you are able to speak up and be vocal about the things you are going through.”
No one wants their identity stifled, which is why, when we keep secrets by masking part of ourselves, we feel inauthentic, according to recent research. And that feeling tends to make an appearance when we least expect it.
Michael Slepian, co-author of the research and assistant professor of management at Columbia Business School says that people “don’t expect their secrets to spontaneously pop into their heads when irrelevant to the task or current situation at hand. This seems to be the real downside of having secrets from others.”
In a blog on keeping the truth about her illness from others, Carin Meyer, diagnosed with bipolar I as a young adult, writes, “Like so many people with bipolar disorder, I learned long ago one of the golden rules of having a mental health condition: you cannot tell everyone—and much of the time, you cannot tell anyone.”
That “rule” tends to equate honesty about bipolar with signs of weakness, when it’s the opposite. It takes strength to be open about your symptoms, a decision that celebrates acceptance and paves the way for healthier relationships. Sharing your personal story may also help encourage someone else to seek help.
And besides, as Meyer writes, tricking others doesn’t make the pain go away. Read more >>
Simple Strategies for Securing Sleep
Sleep is important to stability when living with bipolar disorder, and there are some simple strategies you can use to catch those vital z’s.
Video blog by Dave Mowry
There are two things that I must do to take care of myself, and they are related: getting enough sleep and avoiding stress—with sleep being the most important.
If I don’t get enough sleep, the stress kicks in. My mind races and my thinking is muddled. It is like being in a manic state. I spend the day trying to hold it all together.
It’s not just being tired and irritable. I can’t work. I have a hard time interacting with my family. If it happens two or three days in a row, I end up on the couch just holding it together. Watch Dave’s video >>
Springtime & the Therapeutic Beauty of Birdwatching
By Rachel J. Dickinson
What is it about birds that make us want to watch them? The more I watch them the more amazed I become at their very existence. All birds embody perfection and vulnerability, from tiny hummingbirds that look like large insects when they come to drink nectar from my trumpet vine, to the fierce red-tailed hawks soaring on hidden air currents high overhead. You look at them—particularly the little ones—and imagine them having to constantly look over their little bird shoulders, watching for the dangers that lurk everywhere. And I think that uncertainty is part of why people like to watch birds. Read more >>
Creativity can offer relief from bipolar depression, and it can help your hope soar as you realize your potential to help others through self-expression.
By Carin Meyer
I once counted birds as they flew over the Gulf of Alaska: four cormorants, three bald eagles, a gray-winged gull. I was a volunteer on a biology research project on the edge of Alaska’s Kodiak Island, which we often call our own Emerald Isle because of its treeless landscape, its summer greenness, and its sheer cliffs. I used a spotting scope to count the birds, and I watched them as they soared over a rough, gray sea. I watched, and counted, as a fox watched from behind the brush, and perhaps, counted me.
That day, I counted: one, two, three, four…. On many other days, I continued to count, as I stared at the ceiling and tried, frantically, to calm the racing thoughts and frenetic pain of yet another depressive bipolar cycle. “I am counting birds,” I thought to myself, over and over again, as I tried to place myself back in that space and time, where the beauty of that ocean cliff remained in my memory.
When I cycle through a bipolar depression, when I lie on my back and am both confused and mesmerized—for some unknown reason—by the ceiling above my bed, I often go searching for myself. I imagine flying over islands in a rough sea, in the hope that I will somehow find myself again, that I will find and nurture that strong, unbroken woman lost among those islands, and that she will soar with the birds again.
With effort, I reach for the nightstand, for my notebook and pen. I stare at a blank page until a few words form, and perhaps, after a few nonsensical, useless phrases about my own suffering, a poem or a piece of prose eventually begins to take shape. I know that others will reach for a pencil and sketchbook, their paints and a canvas, a page of lyrics and a guitar. Like them—and so many of those creative individuals who are also diagnosed with bipolar disorder—they will begin by focusing only on their own pain. When they move past their own suffering, they may reach a place where they can share their work with the world, to help the millions of people with a mental illness get through each and every day.
During the most intense episodes of my depressions, when I count every breath in an effort to clear the pain, there is a sliver of me that always hopes for the future.
For me, art and creativity engenders hope, even in the deepest of bipolar depressions. The very act of putting words onto a page—nonsensical or not—compels my brain to focus on something beyond my own misery, and instead I feel empowered by my own courage to create something, and then to share it.
During the most intense episodes of my depressions, when I count every breath in an effort to clear the pain, there is a sliver of me that always hopes for the future. In those times, I wander in a corner of my mind dedicated to a love of words and writing, where I explore with one foot planted on the edge of an ocean cliff on a green island, while the other steps upward towards a livable, breathable dream.
This is the hope that I cling to, that I may with each moment and the experience of each episode, become a little better at what I do, and that, through my very own dream of writing for the world, I may ascend a few inches higher into the sky. I may fall, and fail, over and over again, but my hope always remains.
Even in our deepest depressions, we all have different dreams, and we all cling to different hopes. Some of us, at different times in our lives, when our depressions take over, can only hope for seemingly small things: to simply get out of bed, to make it through one more day, to just survive. Some of us, at different times, when we are better, can hope for more complicated dreams: to achieve our lifelong goals or perhaps become a better person in the world.
In my mind, I count birds, I count breaths, and I continue to hope. I write, and I share it with the world. We all hope, and like those birds that I once saw flying over a great, dark sea, we find a way to soar.
Printed as “Hope is the Thing With Feathers: Taking Wing Out of Bipolar Depression,” Winter 2018
Disappearance is easy in Alaska, but after decades of wanting to escape into the wilderness, I know now why I always come home.
By Carin Meyer
He simply got up and walked into the wilderness. His name was Justin and he was teenager living with a mental health condition, an affliction that affects so many of us, so he walked into the Chugach Mountains, the vast front range that towers over Anchorage, Alaska. He was never seen again. I was 13, with my own budding manias and depressions, and thus began my first fantasies of disappearance.
A few years later, during a family crisis, I too walked into the Chugach wilderness with no intention of returning. I packed a backpack with the things I did not need—a few poetry books, a journal, and a pen. As I hiked to the end of a well-worn trail, I turned into the woods and walked, my fingers touching the pink petals of the fireweed along my path. Like the fireweed, my eyes were also pink and wild, and the sensation of the flowers tickling my hands was the only feeling I could understand. In that peculiar confusion that only comes with one of my bipolar episodes, I hiked deeper and deeper into the woods, until I sat down a few hours later on the forest’s soggy floor, wet and exhausted from my own effort to go missing.
One day—several years after I returned from that attempted escape—a middle-aged woman opened the door to her car while waiting in a construction zone on the Seward Highway, and walked into a forest on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. After a massive search, she walked back out to the highway a couple of weeks later, starving and confused, but alive. I was 20, young and suffering from that same affliction, and I too—again—wondered if I could just walk away. In my mind, it was an alternative to a sudden death, and felt, somehow, like it would end the pain without the startling and dramatic devastation of a suicide.
I have bipolar disorder, type 1, and was diagnosed when I was 21 years old, nearly two decades ago. During my life, I have tried to escape multiple times. At one point, I tried to run away, barefoot, along a muddy river in Alaska’s Arctic. But every time I tried to “walk into the wilderness,” I turned around several hours later, when the frenetic energy of my episode subsided into resignation and the overwhelming desire to live and return to the people that I love.
Sometimes, escape meant driving towards my family’s cabin, in the interior of central Alaska, only to turn around before I even reached Glennallen, a halfway point along the eight-hour drive. At other times, it simply meant driving to the end of the road, where civilization ended and wilderness began. I would stare into the darkness of the trees, my hand on the door handle, trying to make the ultimate decision: to get up and just walk away or to stay and just ride it out. For me, escape was much more than just a slow way to die. It was a path to withdrawal, to isolation from the relationships and external stimuli that often overwhelmed me.
In other ways, it was a test that gave me—in the midst of an uncontrollable bipolar episode—some semblance of a choice over my own life or death.
Would I survive? Would I rely on my outdoorsy upbringing, or on the wild plants my mother taught me about as a child? Or, more likely, would I return in just a few hours, stabilized by my sad adventure? Or would I try to waste away slowly, chewing on the shriveled remains of last year’s cranberries and drinking from half-frozen mountain streams?
Like most Alaskans, I have always known that open places are close by—places where I could get lost if I wanted to, places that are nearly untouched, places safe from humans. I hold on to these places in my heart, and somehow, nature soothes me, softens the pain, and distracts me from the wildness in my own brain. Despite the grizzly bears, the moose, and the threat of exposure and starvation, I am reassured by just the act of walking through the tall grass and wildflowers. It reminds me that I am sometimes safer there than in my house, alone with my own thoughts.
“Your mind has been hijacked,” my therapist says when the bipolar takes over. “Ground yourself in reality by using your senses. What do you see? What can you smell? Tell me about something you hear.”
In the wild, my brain naturally goes into survival mode, as I watch the trail in front of me, as I dodge tree roots and rocks, as I listen for noises in the brush. This carries me from the chaos of my own emotional wilderness to the very real world of my surroundings, where I eventually resign myself to the world of the living. Slowly, the fantasy of disappearance leaves me. Although the initial desire to disappear seems akin to the desire to die, the very effort of walking, my hands touching the plants around me, makes me want to live. And, so, I always turn around.
Whether it’s watching the news or going through a family emergency, we all need a plan to keep us emotionally level and to deal with stress. Here are four easy ways you can keep it real:
#1 Get plenty of sleep
Getting a good night’s rest is critical for people with bipolar as it’s needed for regulating emotions, moods and cognitive functioning. Try and stay disciplined about your sleep habits, striving to go to bed and awaken the time every day, regardless if it’s a workday or a weekend. Your body and brain remembers the routine and that it’s time to relax, take a hot bath, do some light reading and then fall sleep.
#2 Get moving, outside
Any activity in nature helps your mind and creates endorphins that fight irritability, stress and depression. Getting out of the house and into the outdoors will increase your oxygen intake and at the same time give you a fresh perspective. If you absolutely need an excuse to get outside, ask to take the neighbor’s dog for a walk or sign up to a walking group.
#3 Practice mindfulness
Try not to get wrapped up in the problems at hand or the world around you. Instead of worrying about stresses of the future, focus on the present and notice what you’re experiencing, moment-to-moment, without judging whether it’s good or bad. Ground your awareness in this exact moment and simply notice your thoughts, even if they’re negative. You may find that all negativity diminishes as you discover a moment of peace.
#4 Limit your exposure to the news
It is very easy to get sucked in to the constant swirling of news and updates and press conferences; however, let’s face it: most are all negative in nature and that can be detrimental to your emotional state. Unplug from the 24/7 news channels, which mostly rehash the same negative stories and also take a break from all social media. Instead, focus your attention to the positive things in your life.
Experts call it “nature deficit disorder,” when children spend too much time indoors; read on:
Fresh air is good for health
Being in nature, for anyone, can have positive effects on health and wellbeing. Studies show that spending a lot of time outdoors will reduce mental health issues, reduce stress levels and anxiety and increase lifespan. For children, playing outside can reduce the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Being in nature fosters creativity
Think back to your childhood and playing outdoors with friends. We were encouraged to be creative in our games and activities, like building tree forts or just using found objects in nature to fuel our imagination.
Nature offers connection to the planet
There’s a strong association between spending time outdoors with feeling connected to nature and the world around us, helping to value the importance of the earth we inhabit. This then encourages us to be more protective of the planet.
Chronic stress can affect our recovery when living with bipolar disorder; here’s how to help:
Caleb George / Unsplash
#1 Forest bathing
Studies show that ‘forest bathing’—spending time in a forested area—is good for your mental wellbeing. A 2010 study published in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, “found that by simply walking in a forest, participants had lower blood pressure and levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) afterwards than those who strolled through a city environment.”
#2 Discover the benefits of ‘earthing’ or ‘grounding’
Try just 30 minutes barefoot outside and feel the difference on your stress level. Walk on grass, sand or dirt and discover how you can use conduction of the earth, the source of free electrons, which can neutralize the free radicals in the body that cause disease and cellular destruction. Try doing yoga or a meditation session out in nature, and you’ll never want to do either inside again.
#3 Awaken the senses
When we allow nature to awaken the senses by taking a hike through the woods, (without being distracted by our smartphone), you then are able to open your mind up to hyper awareness. Your hearing becomes more acute and you’re able to hear every nuance of a nearby creek; you can actually smell the earth, moss and pine needles. “Nature can be beneficial for mental health,” says Irina Wen, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and clinical director of the Steven A. Military Family Clinic at NYU Langone Medical Center. “It reduces cognitive fatigue and stress and can be helpful with depression and anxiety.”
March 23, 2017 • Volume 10, Issue 12 • Subscribe to Hope & Harmony Headlines
Advice for the support team
Sometimes managing your bipolar disorder can feel so overwhelming, it’s easy to forget that the people who love you are living with bipolar, too. They get stressed. They may feel angry or hurt by your words or actions. They want to help, but don’t know how.
Sometimes meaning well isn’t enough: People in your support team need education and simple, concrete guidelines. That’s what columnist Stephen Propst gives in “What Helps and What Hurts.” So make it a point to sit down together and review his ideas.
For example: “Remember to acknowledge any effort your loved one makes to deal with his or her situation.”
During one extended depressive episode, Stephen writes, “even getting out of bed was a big deal. Fortunately, my family recognized the seriousness of my struggle; they didn’t dismiss such an accomplishment as being trivial. This helped me more than you can imagine.”
Stephen also emphasizes that members of your support team need to practice self-care as much as do. For one thing, “Realize there’s only so much you can physically, mentally, financially, and otherwise manage.” For another: “Take care of yourself first so you’re better equipped to help your family member or friend.”
Studies have shown that family members of people with bipolar disorder tend to be at increased risk of both physical and mental health problems because of increased stress, clinical psychologist Lesley Berk, PhD., notes in our story “Help For Helpers.” And if they’re not well, they can’t be there for you.
Not just for the birds
People living in neighborhoods with more birds, shrubs and trees are less likely to experience depression, anxiety and stress, according to British researchers. In addition, those who spent less time out of doors than usual in the previous week were more likely to report they were anxious or depressed.
The study, which involved hundreds of people, found benefits whether people lived in urban or more leafy suburban neighborhoods. “This study starts to unpick the role that some key components of nature play for our mental well-being,” said Daniel Cox, PhD, a University of Exeter research fellow. Read more >>
Achieving Goals with the Help of My Puppy (video)
Don’t let bipolar stop you from living your life. With a little planning, effort, and support you can achieve more. Plus, meet my surprise guest! Watch Gabe Howard’s video blog >>
People living in neighborhoods with more birds, shrubs and trees are less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and stress.
24 February 2017—The study, involving hundreds of people, found benefits for mental health of being able to see birds, shrubs and trees around the home, whether people lived in urban or more leafy suburban neighborhoods.
The study, which surveyed mental health in over 270 people from different ages, incomes and ethnicities, also found that those who spent less time out of doors than usual in the previous week were more likely to report they were anxious or depressed.
After conducting extensive surveys of the number of birds in the morning and afternoon in Milton Keynes, Bedford and Luton, the study found that lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress were associated with the number of birds people could see in the afternoon. The academics studied afternoon bird numbers – which tend to be lower than birds generally seen in the morning – because they are more in keeping with the number of birds that people are likely to see in their neighborhood on a daily basis.
In the study, common types of birds including blackbirds, robins, blue tits and crows were seen. But the study did not find a relationship between the species of birds and mental health, but rather the number of birds they could see from their windows, in the garden or in their neighborhood.
Previous studies have found that the ability of most people to identify different species is low (eg Dallimer et al, 2012), suggesting that for most people it is interacting with birds, not just specific birds, that provides well-being.
University of Exeter research fellow Dr Daniel Cox, who led the study, said: “This study starts to unpick the role that some key components of nature play for our mental well-being”.
Birds around the home, and nature in general, show great promise in preventative health care, making cities healthier, happier places to live”.
The positive association between birds, shrubs and trees and better mental health applied, even after controlling for variation in neighbourhood deprivation, household income, age and a wide range of other socio-demographic factors.
Recent research by Dr Cox and Professor Kevin Gaston, who are based at the Environmental Sustainability Institute at the Penryn Campus at the University of Exeter, found that watching birds makes people feel relaxed and connected to nature (Cox and Gaston, 2016).
The research is published in the journal Bioscience and was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council as conducted as part of the Fragments, Functions, Flows and Ecosystem Services project.
Source: University of Exeter
July 21, 2016 • Volume 9, Issue 30 • Subscribe to Hope & Harmony Headlines
Learning from depression
Even when you’re doing everything right to manage bipolar, there’s no guarantee that your mood will stay stable. But feeling frustrated and defeated because you’ve landed back in a bipolar depression only reinforces hopelessness—the enemy of recovery.
It may help to know that relapse is fairly common. A Spanish study released in 2014 followed 300 individuals with bipolar I or bipolar II for four years. In that time, half in each group experienced relapse at least once. (Not surprisingly, going off bipolar meds was linked to shorter time to relapse. So was changing medications—perhaps because the initial prescription wasn’t effective.)
Furthermore, when relapse happened after a depressive episode, having another depressive episode was three times more likely than elevated mood. A manic or hypomanic episode was followed by depression slightly more than half the time.
So how to feed hopefulness in the face of depression? Our story “Lesson Plan” gives you some new perspectives. For example, Peter A. recommends looking at relapse “as an opportunity for growth and introspection.”
With the help of a mood-tracking journal, a therapist, or thoughtful reflection, you can deepen your understanding of what made you vulnerable and what strengthens your resilience. Above all, don’t beat yourself up for not “beating” your depression. “There is no such thing as failure, there is only feedback,” insists psychotherapist Ivan Staroversky.
The story also provides practical advice on navigating a depressive episode and reducing your risk of relapse. Click here to read “Lesson Plan.”
Dose of nature: Half-hour a week
June 24, 2016, BRISBANE, Australia—People who visit parks for 30 minutes or more each week are much less likely to report depression, anxiety and stress, according to Australian and British environmental scientists who looked at use of urban parks. In addition, park-goers are less likely to have high blood pressure.
The researchers said their findings establish a “minimum dose” of being in nature. “If everyone visited their local parks for half an hour each week there would be seven percent fewer cases of depression and nine percent fewer cases of high blood pressure,” said Dr. Danielle Shanahan of the University of Queensland. [read more]
Couples & Bipolar: Marrying the Person NOT the Illness
Gabe and Kendall Howard say “Our marriage is first and we manage bipolar together.” Click here to watch their video blog. | <urn:uuid:7e1fb320-475c-420c-8dbc-3a913480c033> | {
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– Alzheimer’s Disease: Deadly Infectious Cause Known and Hidden – Prions (Ed Ward, MD’s Blog, June 21, 2013):
Government’s, Corporation’s and Search Engines Deadly Secret: “Alzheimer’s Disease is a Prion Disease.” http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/alzheimers-disease-deadly-infectious-cause-known-and-hidden-prions-2/ Original brief article http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EdWard-MD/message/683
Alzheimer’s Disease Is a Prion Disease. A TSE, Transmissable (Transmittable) Spongiform Encephalopathy: Variants, Sub Variants of TSE Prions – Mad Cow Disease – BSE, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, CJD, Creutzfeldt-Jakobs Disease, Kuru, Sheep and Goat Scrapie, Cat – FSE, Elk and Deer – CWD, Chronic Wasting Disease. There are also ‘inherited’ genes that may cause a small portion of CJD, GSS and FFI. But, as will be discussed briefly later in the article, may or may not be correct. http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Prions.html
“Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and is the fifth leading cause among people aged 65 years and over. People aged 85 years and over have a 5.4 times greater risk of dying from Alzheimer’s disease than people aged 75–84 years.
The age-adjusted death rate from Alzheimer’s disease increased by 39 percent from 2000 through 2010 in the United States.” There is a 400% increase expected by 2050. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db116.htm
The primary transmission of prion diseases is ingestion of prions from the Central Nervous System (Brain, Eyes, Spine and Spinal Fluid) of animals. These unwanted ‘left overs’ were used in animal ‘feed’ for ‘protein’ and ‘mystery meats’ (hotdogs, etc) as ‘filler’. These resilient, nearly indestructible by nature, or cooking, individual factories of plague were spread throughout the populations (animal and human) and around the planet awaiting their ‘activation’ by hydration.
Non-infectious form of prion protein could cause brain degeneration. (Note: This is the outdated 2009 original quote. We know it Does cause brain degeneration. Non-infectious since we don’t eat their brains, there is absolutely no reason these prions are any different than any other prions. If eaten they will go to work) … with the amyloid-â peptides that are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090225/full/news.2009.121.html
SCIENTISTS CONFIRM THAT ALZHEIMER’S IS A PRION DISEASE …. 25th Feb 2009 ALZHEIMER’S – PRION CAUSES AMYLOID PLAQUE BUILD UP http://www.sludgevictims.com/pathogens/ALZHEIMERS-CJD-samepriondisease.doc (An excellent, informative article to come back to if one is a ‘novice’ to prions.) To download an English .doc and PP reader from microsoft http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=4
Prions? WHAT? Prions are about the smallest and simplest a pathogen can get. A virus is like a major corporation, with genomes, multiple RNAs (prion doesn’t even have RNA, at least officially. But, it performs 2 major RNA functions – replication and survival even better than RNA does), and a lot more. Prions could only dream of that. There are a couple of things about this simple, single protein, an instant assembly line of itself, that make it so devastating.
Prion: Here’s what Nobel Prize winner on the subject of Prions had to say on ‘Prions’ A little dated and technical, but worth the trip. He believes prions are big link to many neurodegenrative diseases, and rightly so, IMO based on the referenced facts. http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/content/3/1/a006833.full . A prion is to all species as smallpox was to Native Americans. The only difference is onset of death.
It turns out that prions are molecules of a normal body protein that have changed their three-dimensional configuration.
The normal protein is called PrPC (for cellular) is a transmembrane glycoprotein normally found at the surface of certain cells (e.g., neural and hematopoietic stem cells); has its secondary structure dominated by alpha helices (probably 3 of them); is easily soluble; is easily digested by proteases; is encoded by a gene designated (in humans) PRNP located on our chromosome 20.
The abnormal, disease-producing protein is called PrPSc (for scrapie); has the same amino acid sequence as the normal protein; that is, their primary structures are identical but; its secondary structure is dominated by beta conformation; is insoluble in all but the strongest solvents; is highly resistant to digestion by proteases; When PrPSc comes in contact with PrPC, it converts the PrPC into more of itself (even in the test tube). These molecules bind to each other forming aggregates. http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Prions.html
Association analyses confirm the dominance of PRNP as a risk factor relative to all other genes. Prion strains are known to determine key clinical features such as age of onset and …showed weak evidence of a modifying effect on age of onset of sCJD (as a quantitative trait) with the risk allele being associated with an earlier age of onset Concerning common genetic variation, it is likely that the PRNP locus contains the only strong risk factors that act universally across human prion diseases. http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/content/21/8/1897.full
Kiss of the Prion: Pucker Up for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and more? Because: The last mode of transmission is of particular interest because it indicates that the consumption of meat and other products derived from animals experiencing prion disorders may pose a real risk to humans. Recent reports suggest that, in addition to meat, bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, feces, and milk may well be risk factors for possible transmission of TSEs to humans. Successful oral transmission among different animal species (interspecies) has been demonstrated. Association analyses confirm the dominance of PRNP as a risk factor relative to all other genes. http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/201/11/1615.full
As can be clearly seen, once a prion gets inside the body, its small, simple size allows it access to the entire body including the meat itself. Not noted in the quote are the concentrations (quantity X volume) vary between the different organs.
The CNS, Central Nervous System – Brain, Spine, Motor and Sensory Nerves and all their Fluids contain the highest concentrations of the protein. Although recent studies have shown that the intestine is also a ‘reservoir’ of prions and would account for the high concentration of prions in feces. The ‘meat’ concentrations should have the least amount of contamination, minus any nerves in the meat as those are high concentrations of prions.
Killing it by cooking? Not going to happen unless you get above: New studies on the heat resistance of hamster-adapted scrapie agent: Threshold survival after ashing at 600°C suggests an inorganic template of replication. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC16254
” When it comes to infectious agents, it doesn’t get much worse than prions. These misfolded proteins are highly resistant to a wide variety of extreme disinfectant procedures. They have been identified as the culprits behind mad cow disease and chronic wasting disease in animals and humans, and are also implicated in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and other prion-related disorders.
But an interdisciplinary University of Alberta research team has come a step closer to finding a way of inactivating these highly infectious proteins. Ozone. How many corporate butchers are using ozone as a disinfectant? Zero that I know. How many are even concerned about cross contamination of meat with major concentrations of prions in the spine? Once any portion of the spine or its major nerves releases all CNS fluids into and on the meat. http://phys.org/news/2012-02-prions-ozone.html#jCp
A known genetic factor for susceptibility to prion disease is the common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 129 in PRNP, the gene that encodes PrP in human beings. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2643048/
“Many of the neurodegenerative diseases share fundamental mechanisms involving protein misfolding and prio-like spreading of pathology associated with abnormally aggregated proteins in brain tissue.”http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/12/30/hmg.ddr607.full.pdf
All prions eventually make beta amyloid. Beta Amyloid is specifically Alpha-Synuclein (AS). Beta Amyloid Plaques are also called a Lewy Body. Lewy body diseases are characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies, alpha-synuclein(AS)-positive inclusions in the brain. Lewy body diseases (LBD) share alpha-synuclein (AS) aggregation and Lewy body (LB) formation as their key pathogenic events. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671999/ A list of the different Synuclein Proteins, Cross Species Adaption of alpha synuclein. The third protein discovered to be homologous to alpha synuclein is gamma synuclein (also termed persyn or breast specific cancer gene-1; BSCG-1)http://www.med.upenn.edu/cndr/TauSynuclein.shtml
Hello. With the introduction of cancer into the spectrum of prions another group of disease is seen. This is a significant variance from the semi-limited view of just CNS disease, to a cellular cancer link for prions. If there are two pathologic processes for prions in that vast a spectrum, there should be more. How many more paths of disease can prions activate?
Prions certainly appear to be a causative agent in at least two widely varied pathologic methodology. As stated prior, Prions are very similar to RNA in the way they work. Essentially the ‘workhorse’ of RNA strands? Are Prions one or the basic building blocks of many ‘unknown’ cause diseases? Prions and Synuclein Proteins certainly seem a promising route of investigation for many diseases.
Partial List of Human Diseases with Lewy Bodies: Frontotemporal Dementias, Pick Disease, Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), has features that overlap striatonigral degeneration, olivopontocerebellar atrophy, and Shy-Drager syndrome; Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Multi-infarct Dementia (MID), Huntingon’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/CNS/CNSDG.html. Kuru, Spinocerebellar Degeneration, and Gaucher’s Disease are a few more. All these diseases leave their footprint in beta amyloid production – Synucleids.
Prions are the only thing we know that leave these amyloid plaque Lewy body remnants. Whether the origin be internal genome mutation or outside invasion, if given enough time and the right circumstances, they will leave their ‘evidence’ behind. In the chart below, where they know of no particular pathogen, they somehow decided to show the path of alpha synucleid, which as far as we know are only caused by prions:
“There is a growing list of mutations linked to Parkinson’s disease. They account for 2–3% of the late-onset cases and ~50% of early-onset forms. Typical, late-onset Parkinson’s disease with Lewy body pathology is linked to mutations in three genes: SNCA (encoding α-synuclein), LRRK2 (encoding leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) and EIF4G1 (elongation initiation factor 4G1; M.F., unpublished data). Missense mutations in SNCA were first linked to familial parkinsonism with late onset, and subsequent SNCA duplications were found in kindreds in which age of onset, progression and associated comorbidities relate to gene dosage.”
“Mutations in and overexpression of α-synuclein seem to be especially toxic to dopaminergic neurons, as dopamine-synuclein adducts may inhibit chaperone-mediated autophagy. Even with the limited mechanistic insight currently available, reduction of α-synuclein expression may represent a potential therapeutic approach.”
“Recently, heterozygous mutations in GBA (encoding glucocerebroside and famously linked to Gaucher disease) have been associated with a typical phenotype of Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body pathology. It is now clear that this heterozygous loss-of-function mutation also leads to a >5-fold–increased risk of Parkinson’s disease in all populations as well as to earlier disease onset (typically in the early 50s).” http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v16/n6/full/nm.2165.html
And now a little about familial inherited and genomes. Chromosomal DNA genomes definitely play a place in the ‘expression’ of the prion diseases. Their role ranges from abnormal production of the normal protein to the making of an abnormal protein – ‘prion’, all the way to how long an invasive or auto-produced ‘prion’ incubates before killing its host. So are familial inherited caused by the genome, or merely more quickly ‘expressed’ by less resistance by the genome.
This protein goes everywhere. Saliva, breast milk, feces, etc, a blood brain barrier, placental barrier, cellular barrier (membrane) are like 4 lane private interstates to prions. Once a prion enters a familial blood line how does one remove it. The diseased prion reproduces even if you don’t, and is surely carried by any prodigy. It’s a chicken and egg thing, IMO.
Radioactive fish is looking better and better… I’m done with any ‘mystery meat’. And I definitely will not be having any Brains and Eggs, thank you very much. But, for meat eaters ‘corporate butchery’ needs major health changes regarding the handling of ‘meat’ and handling of CNS ‘left over protein’.
History of Prions: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/dna/prions/ Worth the trip. Prions aren’t new. They’ve been around since the 1700′s.
*Try Startpage (Google results) search for the title of my June 2012 article: “Alzheimer’s Disease is a Prion Disease.” Note how search engines are hiding information from the public. Deadly corporate government agents that need trials for crimes against humanity, IMO. I’m sure I have written and posted about prions, CWD, CJD, kuru, and Parkinson’s long before this hidden 2012. I can’t seem to find them on the net, not surprised, but they are not where I usually post significant information. So, the only thing I can figure is that it was in one or two of my ‘Daily DrEd’ information postings. Similar to this one day example in 2006 during its 3 month history. http://indymedia.us/en/2006/07/17878.shtml Th Then try a search for – Alzheimer’s disease causes – to see the government’s and ‘Corporate Medicine’s list of useless, scam, deadly BS while avoiding prions.
And last, search for – Alzheimer’s Disease Prions. Viola!
A small aside from the disease itself. Note how censorship and disinformation works. Once you know what you are looking for, it’s easy to find. But, if you don’t know the answer and are looking for it, it’s almost impossible to find.
Ed Ward, MD –
US Government ‘Carrots’: The Eternal Path to Servitude http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/us-government-carrots-the-eternal-path-to-servitude/
America’s Only Real Choice: Constitution or Tyranny? http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/06/09/americas-only-real-choice-constitution-or-tyranny-2/
The US: “A Distorted, Bastardized, Illegitimate Government.” http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/06/09/the-us-a-distorted-bastardized-illegitimate-government/
Two FBI Agents Murdered Over Danny’s $235,000? The Closing of ‘Loose Lips Sinks Ships’? http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/two-fbi-agents-murdered-over-dannys-235000-the-closing-of-loose-lips-sinks-ships/
Update: Witnesses Saw People ‘Vaporized’ on 9 11 http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/update-witnesses-saw-people-vaporized-on-9-11/
Dimona Does Damascus: Israeli Nukes in Damascus, Syria http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/dimona-does-damascus-israeli-nukes-in-damascus-syria/
More US Drill Death in Waco Explosion – Drill Stops for Reality, Again http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/more-us-drill-death-in-waco-drill-stops-for-reality-again/
Boston Marathon: The Finish Line For US Treason. Drill Death. Everything’s In Place For Police State. by Ed Ward, MD http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/boston-marathon-the-finish-line-for-us-treason-drill-death-everything-is-in-place-for-police-state-by-ed-ward-md/
Pictures: US Boston Weapon – Both ‘Explosions’ – The Secret of the Pure Fusion Weapon – Li7 – Lithium 7 http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/photograph-of-boston-fireball-2nd-explosion/
The US Wouldn’t Nuke Its Own People – Wake Up and Glow http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/04/13/the-us-wouldnt-nuke-its-own-people-wake-up-and-glow/
9 11 Fake Video Stars: The J Star Clones – Why Covert Operation’s Cointel Must Have ‘Fake’ Video and ‘No Planes’ http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/9-11-fake-video-stars-the-j-star-clones-why-covert-operations-cointel-must-have-fake-video-and-no-planes/
Bill Moyers, The Secret Government: The Constitution in Crisis – 1987 – Part 1 of 9 http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2013/06/04/bill-moyers-the-secret-government-the-constitution-in-crisis-1987-part-1-of-9/
FIXED VOTE = NO VOTE – I WILL NOT ASSIST ‘THIN AIR VOTE COUNTING’. http://edwardmd.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/fixed-vote-no-vote-i-will-not-assist-thin-air-vote-counting/
Dr. Ed Ward MD, AS, BS, MD – Reporting and investigating Constitutional abuses of the US government for almost 2 decades. AS, BS in Medical Technology – Minor in Organic Chemistry and Physics, volunteer during the Viet Nam war 6 years stateside active duty ‘med tech’ ‘US Air Farce’ – a decade experience in Medical Technology. MD degree from LSU, New Orleans – 2 decades in the field of General Practice. (My) Articles are also referenced by valid experts in their field. Dr Ed | <urn:uuid:dd915045-966d-4951-bd63-9e07132b2071> | {
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All five of the hottest years on record have occurred in the last five years, according to global temperature data released Wednesday by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
While 2018 was slightly cooler than the three prior years, Earth still had its fourth-warmest year since scientists began keeping records in 1880, the federal agencies said. Their separate analyses add to decades of evidence that the burning of fossil fuels, the clearing of forests and other human activities are releasing heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and causing the planet to warm.
“If you smooth out these year-to-year variations and look at the big picture, the overall trend in the past few decades is one of accelerating change,” said Alex Hall, who directs the Center for Climate Science at UCLA and was not involved in either government analysis. “We are seeing more and more warming that is happening at a faster and faster rate.”
Last year’s average global surface temperature was 1.49 degrees Fahrenheit above a baseline period between 1951 and 1980, according to NASA.
All five of those years were exceptionally warm, with only slight differences that were driven by natural variations in the weather, including the alternating cool and warm cycles from El Niño and La Niña.
“You get ups and downs — years that are a little bit warmer, a little bit cooler — but the long-term underlying trend is very, very clear,” said NASA climatologist Gavin Schmidt, who worked on the space agency’s analysis. “It’s the long-term trends that are having impacts on ice, on severity of droughts, on heat waves, on sea level rise and wildfires.”
In a nod to those effects, NOAA’s report detailed 14 climate-related disasters across the U.S. last year with losses exceeding $1 billion. The $91 billion in collective losses from those disasters was the fourth-largest total in records dating back to 1980.
NOAA calculated the 2018 average global surface temperature was 1.42 degrees Fahrenheit above the average for the entire 20th century.
The combination of rising greenhouse gases and a mild El Niño underway in the Pacific Ocean means it’s likely that 2019 will be hotter than 2018. Scientists say there’s a very good chance this year will wind up ranking among the top five hottest on record, barring an abrupt planet-cooling event such as a giant volcanic eruption.
NOAA and NASA each analyze temperature measurements from thousands of sites around the world, including weather stations on land and ships and buoys spread across the world’s oceans.
The two agencies use much of the same data but perform independent analyses with minor differences in methods that yield slightly different rankings. NASA, for instance, ranked 2015 as the third-warmest year on record, while NOAA said it was 2017. But the two agencies strongly agree on the long-term pace and trajectory of global warming.
Temperatures in 2018 were higher than average across much of the globe, including most of the continental United States, federal scientists said. The Arctic region is warming two to three times faster than the global average, and those higher temperatures continue to drive the decline in sea ice there. The average annual sea ice extent was 4 million square miles in 2018, the second-smallest figure in records going back to 1979, NOAA reported.
Those observations are at odds with President Trump’s statements attacking the scientific consensus on climate change. Icy cold weather across the Midwest and Eastern U.S. last week prompted Trump to tweet a plea to global warming: “Please come back fast, we need you!”
Scientists say such remarks confuse short-term natural variations — that is, weather — with long-term shifts in the climate that are driven by human activity. Indeed, that natural variation is why climate scientists look primarily at temperature trends over long timescales and don’t give too much significance to a single hot or cold year.
Global warming is also increasingly evident in local measurements, where daily records for high temperatures are toppling more than twice as often as daily records for low temperatures, said Gerald Meehl, a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
“If there was no warming of average temperatures, there would be about an even chance of a daily record high maximum or daily record low minimum occurring,” said Meehl, who was not involved in the report.
Much of the warming across the U.S. is being driven by higher nighttime and morning temperatures. NOAA’s analysis found minimum overnight temperatures rising more than afternoon maximum temperatures, in keeping with trends observed so far this century.
Generally speaking, “the cold times of year are not reaching the depths of cold that they used to, the cold times of day are not reaching the depths of cold that they used to, and the colder places are not reaching the depths they used to,” said Derek Arndt, monitoring chief for NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
The NASA and NOAA reports are consistent with other analyses. On Wednesday, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization and Britain’s Met Office also said that 2018 was among the top four warmest years. The Japan Meteorological Agency and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service already published reports concluding that 2018 was the fourth-warmest year on record.
Last year, 29 countries — including much of Europe and the Middle East — and the continent of Antarctica had their hottest years on record, said Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist with the nonprofit research organization.
Yet Trump has dismissed the threat of climate change, including a landmark assessment by 13 federal agencies last fall that found climate change is inflicting increasing damage to the nation’s environment, health and economy.
“I don’t believe it,” Trump said at the time without offering any evidence to counter the conclusions of hundreds of the nation's leading climate scientists.
The November report warned that climate change will intensify over the century without swift emissions cuts. Instead, his administration is working to unravel Obama-era environmental rules in favor of policies that would allow more greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks and coal-fired power plants.
The 2018 global temperature reports were originally scheduled for release in mid-January, but they were delayed because the 35-day partial government shutdown prevented government scientists from finalizing their calculations.
Trump has vowed to pull out of the 2015 Paris agreement forged by nearly 200 countries, including the U.S. The pact sets a goal of keeping global warming “well below” 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit over pre-industrial levels, a threshold intended to avert the most devastating and irreversible effects of climate change.
Despite international efforts, planet-warming emissions are trending upward.
After a three-year plateau, global carbon emissions increased 1.6% between 2016 and 2017, then jumped an additional 2.7% in 2018, according to estimates published last month by scientists at Stanford University and other research institutions. One reason, they said, is a persistent appetite for oil — including unexpected growth in the United States and Europe, where experts thought its use had already peaked. | <urn:uuid:6ca2a406-74cd-4619-af7f-aa12f1261a7e> | {
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Token and Token-Passing Access Methods
Note: Many topics at this site are reduced versions of the text in "The Encyclopedia of Networking and Telecommunications." Search results will not be as extensive as a search of the book's CD-ROM.
A token is a special control frame on token ring, token bus, and FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) networks that determines which stations can transmit data on a shared network. The node that has the token can transmit. Unlike contention-based networks, such as Ethernet, workstations on token-based networks do not compete for access to the network. Only the station that obtains the token can transmit. Other stations wait for the token rather than trying to access the network on their own. On Ethernet networks, "collisions" occur when two or more workstations attempt to access the network at the same time. They must back off and try again later, which reduces performance-especially as the number of workstations attached to a network segment increases.
In token ring networks, a station takes possession of a token and changes one bit, converting the token to a SFS (start-of-frame sequence). A field exists in the token in which workstations can indicate the type of priority required for the transmission. The priority setting is basically a request to other stations for future use of the token. The other stations compare a workstation's request for priority with their own priority levels. If the workstation's priority is higher, the other stations will grant the workstation access to the token for an extended period.
Copyright (c) 2001 Tom Sheldon and Big Sur Multimedia. | <urn:uuid:3b05613a-49ec-49c1-85ab-e0c8b595bb44> | {
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Throw Wildflower Seed Bombs to Bring Back the Bees
The bees could really use some help. In the last 10 years, a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has killed off huge numbers of honeybees around the world. It's normal for beekeepers to lose 10–15 percent of their hives each winter, but beginning in 2006, beekeepers started reporting losses of 30–90 percent. Scientists believe CCD may be caused by a combination of pesticides, parasites, and a decline in wildflowers as more and more land is developed.
This is where Seedles come in. Each "bomb" contains wildflower seeds packed in compost and brightly colored clay. "Planting" them is easy: You just throw them on the ground and wait for the rain, sun, and soil to do their work. The candy-colored seed bombs "practically grow themselves," says the company's website.
There are six varieties, one for each region of the country, so bee lovers can be sure to plant native flowers that will thrive in their area.
Seedles are the brainchild of San Francisco's Ei Ei Khin and Chris Burley, a couple who initially hoped they could get people to plant a million flowers. They surpassed that number in 2014. In an email to mental_floss, Burley (now the company's "pollinator-in-chief") said they've since set their sights higher: a billion flowers for the bees.
Khin and Burley are especially concerned about the interdependence between honeybees and our food supply. Of 100 major American crops, 70 are pollinated by bees; without them, we might not have apples, almonds, carrots, or avocados. To encourage interest and awareness in the plight of the bees, Seedles partners with local food companies to give out free seed bombs.
Because they're pretty, simple, nontoxic, and foolproof, the seed bombs make great educational tools. Kids like Khin and Burley's two-year-old son, Orion, love chucking the little clay balls.
All images courtesy of Seedles | <urn:uuid:57f9aa58-76fc-4b84-b620-d7a7c6c862e9> | {
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- Type is the intersect or overlap between visual and verbal communication.
- Typography covers: a meta communication - a language that is used to comment on another language, paralinguistics - structures another language or the rhythm of communication and - gestures alongside words to change meaning.
- Type classification: Humanist, old style, transitional, modern, slab serif (egyptian) and sans serif.
Type through time
- Roman Age - most of our alphabet came from this time. Tragans column.
- Dark Ages - 1000 years of no development
- Medieval - lower case was developed.
- Age of Print - Guttenberg printing press invented in 1450, moveable type. First moveable typefaces were based on human writing, black letter/gothic.
- The first typeface was created by Nicolas Jenson and it was called Jenson.
- More readable and modern than black letter.
- Designed to look Italian renaissance.
- Characteristics are little difference in first and second stroke and inclination of the 'e'
- Painter Geofroy Troy believed the alphabet should reflect the proportion of the human form.
- The next fifty years of type really developed.
- Shift between imitating human writing to type, as an art on its own.
- Characteristics are no upturned 'e' and spacing.
- Type as a distinct form.
- Now type wasn't based on the human form but created on quasi-scientific lines.
- During the enlightenment period, 1693.
- Characteristics are difference in stroke width. Also as society became more rational the letters became more vertical.
- Late 18th century John Baskerville created a type with a contrast between thick and thin.
- Start of Modernity.
- Sometimes called Didone.
- 1784 French Modernity, Giambattista Bodini.
- Characteristics are very high stroke contrast, every angle horizontal and vertical, ordered, represented elegance and style.
- 1880's, industrial revolution.
- The nickname 'Egyptian' is random and does not relate to the style.
- Characteristics not sophisticated, rules of hierarchy broken, condensed to fit lots on a page.
- Typewriter font.
- Around in the 1800's but popular in the modernist era.
- Progressive, looking to the future.
- Uni cameral, all text lower case.
- Grotesk typefaces are simple and stripped down, all about communication and historicism. | <urn:uuid:568faf9d-d51d-4a7f-8e53-acb2c59fcee9> | {
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|THE NORRIS MUSEUM
IS THE MUSEUM OF HUNTINGDONSHIRE. IT TELLS THE STORY OF THIS HISTORIC
COUNTY FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY.
THE OLDEST OBJECTS IN THE MUSEUM are the remains of animals that
lived here 160 million years ago, in the age of the dinosaurs. Huntingdonshire
was under the sea in those days and you can see the fossil bones
of the great marine reptiles - Ichthyosaurs and Plesiosaurs - that
MORE RECENT INHABITANTS OF THE AREA were the Woolly Mammoths that
were here in the Ice Ages - you can see bones, teeth and a tusk
which have been found locally.
PEOPLE HAVE LIVED IN HUNTINGDONSHIRE for a quarter of a million
years. On display at the Norris are the flint tools of the first
Stone Age settlers, and weapons and pottery from the Bronze Age
and the Iron Age. There are finds from local Roman cemeteries and
a reconstruction of the Roman town of Godmanchester.
WE HAVE ARMS AND ARMOUR from the Civil War, when Huntingdon was
the birthplace of the Roundhead commander Oliver Cromwell and King
Charles passed through the county as a hunted fugitive.
FROM A LATER WAR come intricate objects of bone and straw made
by French inmates of the prison camp at Norman Cross during the
Napoleonic Wars. And there are displays of the local craft of lace-making
and the local sport of ice-skating on the flooded Fens.
OUR VIDEO SCREEN shows you films of the Fen skaters in action,
and of traction engines that were built at St Ives by the family
firm of Fowells.
THE NORRIS MUSEUM WAS FOUNDED BY HERBERT NORRIS, who left his lifetime's
collection of Huntingdonshire relics to the people of St Ives when
he died in 1931.
AS WELL AS THE MUSEUM COLLECTIONS, the Norris Museum has an art
gallery showing paintings of the local landscape. There is also
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Marina Yue Zhang with Bruce Stemming, Wiley, 2010
Reviewed by Graham Mulligan
The opening chapter builds on the metaphor of ‘Internet 2.0’ as a way of understanding the new China. Just as Internet 1.0 was ‘read only’ and shifted to ‘interactive and participatory’ as Internet 2.0, so China has gone from one phase to something much more interactive. The authors develop the argument that Western media misrepresents China and particularly misunderstands Chinese nationalism, for example, after the Olympic Torch incident in Paris. A kind of conflict of civilizations, they say, underlies much of this misunderstanding. The authors conclude their argument that China 2.0 is a very different China than they assumed although most of the world is unaware “whether through ignorance, prejudice, bewilderment, or deceit”. The charge is not unfounded.
The book is actually a kind of primer for doing business in China and the authors begin by analyzing China’s unique business system, ‘neither black nor white, but grey’, referring to private capitalism, state capitalism or something in-between. Private capitalism and state capitalism competed in the grey areas when changing regulations and practices left openings for some to get rich. Deng Xiao Ping said to get rich is glorious 30 years ago, but in the China 2.0 era the disparity of wealth and the imbalance between regions, rural and urban, and the revelations of corruption are leading to a new attitude towards reform. Economic reform in the period 1978 to 2005 followed Deng and then Jiang Zemin’s path, but is now giving way to another reform based on Hu Jintao’s ideas of constructing a ‘harmonious society’. The reform process in China is deliberately slow in contrast to the destructive institutional reforms in the Soviet Union and other former communist regimes in Eastern Europe following the breakup of the Soviet Union. In 2008, for example, the central government introduced a new land reform to protect farmers ‘ownership’ of land from exploitation by developers, exemplary of the get-rich-quick grey economy.
The growing gap between rich and poor and the absence of some mechanism to improve wealth distribution are sources of unrest in China. Some worker strikes and the growing numbers of unemployed, especially students, are potentially destabilizing forces in society. Other challenges include environmental degradation, global warming, and a future demographic of an aging population that won’t be as productive.
One business story about China, common in the West, is the knock-off phenomenon. The apparent lag in China’s creative culture, particularly evident in the prevalence of copycat products on the market, is worrisome. The authors see this as a result of three influences: the customary thinking habits of most Chinese to stay in the middle and not be leaders, the absence of the right market mechanisms and the weak institutional framework, such as the legal system. Other Asian countries have followed a path of imitation to innovation with variations of market and institutional influences. Taiwan, with its predominantly family and small business culture, and Japan and Korea with large conglomerate structures all succeeded in establishing strong economies. External influences on the innovation cycle in China are delivered through large global enterprises with branch offices and R&D centers in China. To illustrate the ‘deliberately slow’ thesis the authors describe the history of the giant telecommunications companies (China Mobile, China Netcom and China Unicom) and the way the government manipulated the institutional framework to achieve maximum effect. The path is similar to other deregulated industries in the West, monopoly to limited competition to balanced competition. The three companies, all government owned, offer fixed, mobile and 3G network services across China. The next round of change will see opening to foreign operators under World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments.
The authors link the business story to their social change thesis as they describe the massive usage of the new communications tools, especially by younger Chinese. Mobile usage in China is huge with over 600 million accounts. Internet usage is big too with 300 million accounts. IM or instant messaging is now the preferred communications tool of young Chinese, especially using QQ (Chinese IM software). Other tools such as BBS and blogs have emerged and more recently, social network sites, u-powerbook.com (like Facebook) and mspaces.net (like MySpace) are capturing users.
Change in consumer markets and the corresponding changes in marketing strategies are part of the Web 2.0 story. External producers like multinational companies, originally targeted the middle class consumers, about 7 percent of the population, with reasonable quality goods (think Ikea and Volkswagon). This white collar group is expected to grow 1 percent per year to around 40 percent by 2020. But the largest group is the not-so-rich rural class. 730 million people with low disposable income but potential consumers nevertheless, represent a new largely un-tapped market. Advertisers are using the Internet and mobile technologies to penetrate this and other sectors of the market, such as young on-line gamers (40 – 50 million). With such a large population narrow market categories can still comprise significant numbers of consumers. Income, geography, race, gender and age can define very different market segments, all becoming more and more connected by technology.
The structure of Chinese State Owned Enterprises (SOE’s), especially since joining the WTO in 2001, is still evolving. Similarly, China’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) strategy is more than just financial. It is aimed at securing strategic resources and obtaining critical technologies and capabilities that can be used to drive other investment decisions in the state-run economy of China. However, recently it appears more purely economic motivations are driving business decisions. The low value of the Chinese brand on world markets remains an unsolved challenge. Skepticism, criticism and protectionism especially from developed countries (Europe and North America stand out) remain high. The success of China’s market-driven capitalist experiments are impressive yet there are also some spectacular failures. The tragedy of the 2008 dairy industry story of tainted milk is one example. The authors see this as not just institutional failure but also evidence that fundamental Western business values of honesty, directness and integrity may still be undeveloped in China.
To conclude the book the authors make some recommendations, directed more to the Chinese side than the potential Western business side. The development of a Chinese consumer market is now the main focus of the government and presents the best opportunity for outside investment in China especially through the merger and acquisition process where a Chinese brand can be acquired to gain access to the whole value chain. The next 5-year plan and the change of leadership in 2012 are an opportunity to bring about deep change. The growing disparity between rich and poor and the consequent pattern of low consumption define the challenge ahead. Wealth redistribution is heavily influenced and hindered by the culture of relationships (guanxi) and the separation between government and business is too often not clear so that ‘authority’ becomes more important than ‘capital’. The solution according to the authors, is to develop the institutions that can bring transparency and accountability to the spheres of politics, the economy, the legal system and society in general. | <urn:uuid:fc9ba578-234a-4cc4-b430-3f058783481c> | {
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A Binding Financial Agreement (BFA) is an agreement between two parties that undergo a range of financial agreements made during a relationship. Binding Financial Agreement is the official name given to it by law and is compliant with the Family Law Act.
In essence, a BFA states how to deal with the division of property, assets, liabilities and/or spousal maintenance, in case the relationship between the parties breaks down. The main purpose of a BFA is to avoid the procedure of going to the court for the division of property, which would otherwise be a right to each party.
By entering into a Binding Financial Agreement, the two parties of the agreement have essentially agreed about how their property and possessions will be divided in a property settlement in case their relationship breaks down.
When to sign a Binding Financial Agreement?
A Binding Financial Agreement doesn’t really have a hard and fast rule for when you can sign it. You can enter a BFA at various points in a relationship.
1. In case of living together (Cohabitation agreement)
2. In case of planning to live together
3. In case of planning to marry (Pre-Nuptial)
4. When you are already married (Post-Nuptial)
6. In case of separation from spouse (Separation)
7. When you are divorcing your spouse (Divorce agreement)
In any of these cases, the type of BFA that is needed will be different. It depends on the needs of the particular situation, and as a result different parts of the Family Act Law apply on each different type of BFAs. A little more about the above scenarios is explained below.
Types of Binding Financial Agreements
The type of Binding Financial Agreement depends on the status of your relationship at the said time.
– Your BFA is a “Cohabitation Agreement” in case you are living together with your partner as a de-facto couple (Section 90UC).
– The “Cohabitation Agreement” is also valid in case you plan to live together with your partner as a de-facto couple but are not yet living together. (Section 90UB)
– If you are planning to marry your partner, you will enter a “Prenuptial Agreement”.
– Partners who are already married and plan to stay married or separate, your BFA is going to be a “Post Nuptial Agreement”.
– In case you are separated from your partner, the type of Binding Financial Agreement you’d have to enter is a “Separation Agreement”. The type of agreement, however, differs on the basis of whether you were a de-facto couple before separation or if you were a married couple.
– A couple that has been divorced and has to settle on property and other financial assets in a Binding Financial Agreement will have to enter a “Divorce Agreement”.
If you are unsure about what kind of Binding Financial Agreement you will have to enter in a particular situation, Family Lawyers can help you sort that situation out. Platinum Family Lawyers Sydney can provide the assistance you require during any of the above (or other) cases when you wish to enter in a BFA.
When is a Financial Agreement considered as “Binding”?
According to the requirements mentioned in the Family Law Act, a Binding Financial Agreement is binding under the following conditions:
1. The agreement has been signed by all parties involved.
2. Before both the parties sign the agreement, they have to be provided with an independent legal advice who advise on the legal implications of the agreement. The legal advice should also include the advantages and disadvantages to the respective party, at the time the agreement was being signed.
3. Each party is then given a certificate of independent legal advice by their respective lawyer, confirming that the party received independent advice on what the effects of the agreement would be for them.
4. Finally, the agreement has to be valid and not been set aside or terminated by the court.
If all of the above requirements are met, only then is a BFA actually binding. Platinum Lawyers have family law practitioners that can help you set up a BFA by meeting all the requirements and making sure that parties involved understand them well.
What are the advantages of having a Binding Financial Agreement?
Entering a Binding Financial Agreement has many advantages for both you and your partner. Some of these advantages are listed below.
1. If you’ve already been through a separation or divorce before, a Binding Financial Agreement can offer reassurance and offer security in terms of finances.
2. Entering a financial agreement at a good point in your relationship means that your decisions regarding your finances will be more beneficial and most likely to be reasonable for both parties.
3. A Binding Financial Agreement will help you decide about the fair division of financial assets in case the relationship fails.
4. After separation, both parties might have a lot of differences. If they were already in a Binding Financial Agreement, this would mean that they can avoid a lot of arguments and problems when it comes to the division of assets, which could impact the entire family too.
5. Being in a Binding Financial Agreement is kind of like having insurance, in case your relationship with your partner breaks down. While we hope you may never need one, it is advisable to be in a legal agreement that helps you avoid any such arguments.
Platinum Lawyers as a strong legal team, can assist you regardless of your current situation. Our family lawyers in Sydney can help you draft and enter a Binding Financial Agreement. We will thoroughly explain it to you and take you forward step-by-step so you are updated with process at all times and sure of the fact that your requirements are met when entering the said Financial Agreement. For more information and queries, call us at 0280 842 764. | <urn:uuid:7ee8aeb3-1312-4b0b-9024-876e686636d2> | {
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Injection moulding is a manufacturing process for making parts from thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials using plastic injection moulding machines. Molten plastic is injected at high pressure into a mould , which is the inverse of the product's shape. After a product is designed by an Industrial Designer or an Engineer, moulds are made by a mouldmaker or toolmaker from metal, usually either steel or aluminium, and precision-machined to form the features of the desired part. Injection moulding is widely used for manufacturing a variety of plastic products and parts, from the smallest component to entire body panels of cars. Injection molding is the most common method of production, with some commonly made items including bottle caps and outdoor furniture.
Plastic Materials Used
The most commonly used thermoplastic materials are polystyrene (low cost, lacking the strength and longevity of other materials), ABS or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (a co-polymer or mixture of compounds used for everything from Lego parts to electronics housings), nylon (chemically resistant, heat resistant, tough and flexible - used for combs), polypropylene (tough and flexible - used for containers), polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride or PVC (more common in extrusions as used for pipes, window frames, or as the insulation on wiring where it is rendered flexible by the inclusion of a high proportion of plasticiser). Injection moulding can also be used to manufacture parts from aluminium or brass. The melting points of these metals are much higher than those of plastics; this makes for substantially shorter mould lifetimes despite the use of specialized steels. Nonetheless, the costs compare quite favorably to sand casting, particularly for smaller parts.
Injection molding machines, also known as presses, hold the moulds in which the components are shaped. Presses are rated by tonnage, which expresses the amount of clamping force that the machine can generate. This pressure keeps the mold closed during the injection process. Tonnage can vary from less than 5 tons to 6000 tons, with the higher figures used in comparatively few manufacturing operations.
Plastic Injection Mould
Injection Mould (Tool and mould is the common term used to describe the production tooling used to produce plastic parts in injection moulding. Traditionally, moulds have been expensive to manufacture. They were usually only used in mass production where thousands of parts were being produced. Moulds are typically manufactured from hardened steel, pre-hardened steel, aluminium, and/or beryllium-copper alloy. The choice of material to build a mould is primarily one of economics. Steel moulds generally cost more to manufacture, but their longer lifespan will offset the higher initial cost over a higher number of parts made before wearing out. Pre-hardened steel molds are less wear resistant and are used for lower volume requirements or larger components. The steel hardness is typically 38-45 on the Rockwell-C scale. Hardened steel molds are heat treated after machining. These are by far the superior in terms of wear resistance and lifespan. Typical hardness ranges between 50 and 60 Rockwell-C (HRC). Aluminium molds can cost substantially less, and when designed and machined with modern computerized equipment, can be economical for molding tens or even hundreds of thousands of parts. Beryllium copper is used in areas of the mold which require fast heat removal or areas that see the most shear heat generated. High performance alloys such as MoldMax® and Ampcoloy® have also been developed especially for optimum heat transfer. Such alloys are considered in mold construction when conventional heat removal methods are unsuitable or when cycle time is a critical consideration. Considerable thought is put into the design of molded parts and their molds, to ensure that the parts will not be trapped in the mold, that the molds can be completely filled before the molten resin solidifies, to compensate for material shrinkage, and to minimize imperfections in the parts.
Moulds separate into at least two halves (called the core and the cavity) to permit the part to be extracted. In general the shape of a part must not cause it to be locked into the mold. For example, sides of objects typically cannot be parallel with the direction of draw (the direction in which the core and cavity separate from each other). They are angled slightly (draft), and examination of most plastic household objects will reveal this. Parts that are "bucket-like" tend to shrink onto the core while cooling, and after the cavity is pulled away. Pins are the most popular method of removal from the core, but air ejection, and stripper plates can also be used depending on the application. Most ejection plates are found on the moving half of the tool, but they can be placed on the fixed half. More complex parts are formed using more complex molds, which may have movable sections called slides which are inserted into the mold to form features that cannot be formed using only a core and a cavity. Slides are then withdrawn to allow the part to be released. Some moulds allow previously molded parts to be reinserted to allow a new plastic layer to form around the first part. This is often referred to as overmolding. This system can allow for production of one piece tires and wheels. 2-shot or multi shot molds are designed to "overmold" within a single molding cycle and must be processed on specialized injection molding machines with two or more injection units. This can be achieved by having pairs of identical cores and pairs of different cavities within the mold. After injection of the first material, the component is rotated on the core from the one cavity to another. The second cavity differs from the first in that the detail for the second material is included. The second material is then injected into the additional cavity detail before the completed part is ejected from the mold. Common applications include "soft-grip" toothbrushes and freelander grab handles. The core and cavity, along with injection and cooling hoses form the mold tool. While large tools are very heavy (up to 60t), they can be hoisted into molding machines for production and removed when molding is complete or the tool needs repairing. A mold can produce several copies of the same parts in a single "shot". The number of "impressions" in the mold of that part is referred to as cavitation. A tool with one impression will often be called a single cavity (impression) tool. A mold with 2 or more cavities of the same parts will likely be referred to as multiple cavity tooling. Some extremely high production volume molds (like those for bottle caps) can have over 128 cavities. In some cases multiple cavity tooling will mold a series of different parts in the same tool. Some toolmakers call these molds family molds as all the parts are not the same but often part of a family of parts (to be used in the same product for example).
Plastic Injection Moulding Process
The plastic raw material for injection moulding, is usually in pellet form, and is melted by heat and shearing forces shortly before being injected into the mould. Plastic pellets are poured into the hopper loader, a large open bottomed container, which feeds the granules down to the screw. The screw is rotated by a motor, feeding pellets up the screw's grooves. The depth of the screw flights decreases towards the end of the screw nearest the mould, compressing the heated plastic. As the screw rotates, the pellets are moved forward in the screw and they undergo extreme pressure and friction which generates most of the heat needed to melt the pellets. Heaters on either side of the screw assist in the heating and temperature control during the melting process. The channels through which the plastic flows toward the chamber will also solidify, forming an attached frame. This frame is composed of the sprue, which is the main channel from the reservoir of molten resin, parallel with the direction of draw, and runners, which are perpendicular to the direction of draw, and are used to convey molten resin to the gate(s), or point(s) of injection. The sprue and runner system can be cut or twisted off and recycled, sometimes being granulated next to the moulding machine. Some moulds are designed so that the part is automatically stripped through action of the mould.
Injection Moulding Machines
Plastic injection moulding machine - a machine for making plastic parts. Manufacturing products by injection moulding process. Consist of two main parts, an injection unit and a clamping unit. Injection moulding machines can fasten the moulds in either a horizontal or vertical position. The majority are horizontally oriented but vertical injection moulding machines are used in some niche applications such as insert moulding, allowing the plastic injection moulding machine to take advantage of gravity. There are many ways to fasten the tools to the platens, the most common being manual clamps (both halves are bolted to the platens); however hydraulic clamps and magnetic clamps are also used. The magnetic and hydraulic clamps are used where fast tool changes are required.
Types of injection moulding machines
Plastic injection moulding machines / plastic moulding machines are classified primarily by the type of driving systems they use: hydraulic, electric, or hybrid. Hydraulic presses have historically been the only option available to moulders until Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., LTD introduced the first all-electric injection moulding machine in 1983. The electric press, also known as Electric Machine Technology (EMT), reduces operation costs by cutting energy consumption and also addresses some of the environmental concerns surrounding the hydraulic press. Electric presses have been shown to be quieter, faster, and have a higher accuracy, however the machines are more expensive. Hybrid injection moulding machines take advantage of the best features of both hydraulic and electric systems. Hydraulic machines are the predominant type in most of the world. Hydraulic Injection Moulding Machines, Electric Injection Moulding Machines, Toggle Injection Moulding Machines.
Injection moulding machine - a machine for making plastic parts. Manufacturing products by injection moulding process. Consist of two main parts, an injection unit and a clamping unit. Injection moulding machines can fasten the moulds in either a horizontal or vertical position. The majority is horizontally oriented but vertical injection moulding machines are used in some niche applications such as insert moulding, allowing the plastic injection moulding machine to take advantage of gravity. There are many ways to fasten the tools to the platens, the most common being manual clamps (both halves are bolted to the platens); however hydraulic clamps (chocks are used to hold the tool in place) and magnetic clamps are also used. The magnetic and hydraulic clamps are used where fast tool changes are required.
Setting Guidelines for unfilled materials
Heat Contents of Some Moulding Materials
Transducer Pressure Range
Dry Cycle Times
Calculating Mould Fill and Solidificaion Times
Clamping Force Requirements | <urn:uuid:b5662575-0ee0-41dc-a7ed-b5eebd042e94> | {
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Friday, April 4, 2008
Lotus, Symbol of the Goddess
From Barbara Walker's "A Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets." (Image: not from Walker - Nakht and wife holding water lily, a large water lily also to the right of the couple, resting on the offering table, another water lily wrapped around Nakht's wife's right wrist, also notice the lotus intertwined with the pilar to the far right - that is classic. Nakht's tomb, ancient Egypt - the symbolism will become apparent when you read the entry below!)
Asia's primary symbol of the yoni (vulva), often personified as the Goddes Padma, "Lotus," also known as Cunti, Lakshmi, or Shakti.
The central phrase of Tantrism, Om mani padme hum, meant the Jewel (male) in the Lotus (female), with interlocking connotations, the penis in the vagina, the fetus in the womb, the corpse in the earth, the God in the Goddess representing all of these.(1)
The father-god Brahma claimed to be a universal creator, nevertheless, he was styled "Lotus-born," for he arose from the primal Goddess's yoni. Egypt's father-god Ra also claimed to be a creator but owed his existence to the Goddess called "great world lotus flower, out of which rose the sun for the first time at the creation."(2)
Virtually all Egyptian Goddess-forms were symbolized by the lotus.(3) Pharaohs were sexually united with the World Lotus to achieve rebirth after death. The funeral hymn of Unas declared that he "had union with the goddess Mut, Unas hath drawn unto himself the flame of Isis, Unas hath united himself to the lotus."(4)
One way of uniting oneself with the lotus was the custom of ritual cunnilingus, widely practiced throughout the east as communion with the feminine life-principle.(5) This was probably the true meaning of the Land of Lotus-Easters visited by Odysseus and his crew. The sensual Land of the Lotus-Easters was described as a tropical place beyond the southern sea, which could apply to any land from Egypt to India.(6)
Ascetic Jain Buddhism tried to eradicate the lotus symbol because of its erotic implications. Nevertheless, a few centuries after Buddha's time, the most prominent figures on Buddhist monuments was again Padma, openly displaying her genital lotus.(7) A similar resurgence of erotic imagery overtook ascetic Christianity, when "obscene" figures proliferated in cathedrals and chruches, for example the Irish shelia-na-gig.
Most Oriental mystics held that spiritual knowledge began with carnal knowledge. The lotus was the Goddess's gate, and sex was the Way through the gate to her inner mysteries. With proper sexual exercises, a true sage might achieve the final flowering of revelation described as the thousand-petaled lotus of invisible light emanting from the top of the head after ascending the spinal chakras from the pelvis.
Worshippers of Vishnu sometimes painted their god as the source of the World Lotus, which grew on a long stem from his navel. But since "the primary reference of the lotus in India has always been the goddess Padma, 'Lotus,' whose body itself is the universe, the long stem from navel to lotus should properly connote an umbilical cord through which the flow of energy would be running from the goddess to the god, mother to child, not the other way."(8) Some Hindu cosmogonies saw the whole world as the lotus flower, with seven petals representing the seven divisions of the heavens where the cities and palaces of the god were located.(9)
In the Middle East, the lotus was lilu, or lily.(10) It was the flower of Lilith, the Sumero-Babylonian earth mother claimed by the Jews as Adam's first wife. The three-lobed lily or fleu-de-lis, like the shamrock, one stood for the Triple Goddess's three yonis, which is why the lily was sacred to the trune Queen of Heaven. The Blessed Virgin Juno conceived her savior-son Mars by the lily, and the same flower was adopted as a conception-charm of the Blessed Virgin Mary.(11) When Isis was assimilated to the burgeoning legends of the Virgin, her Egyptian images held the phallic cross in one hand, the female lotus seed-vessel in the other, like the Goddess shown on the Isiac Table.(12)
(1) Rawson, E.A., 151.
(2) Budge, G.E., 1, 473.
(3) Angus, 139.
(4) Budge, G.E., 2, 32.
(5) Rawson, E.A., 103.
(6) Thomson, 176.
(7) Campbell, Or. M., 301.
(8) Campbell, Oc.M., 157.
(9) Lethaby, 124-25.
(10) Summers, V., 226.
(11) Simons, 103.
(12) Knight, D.W.P., 50.
About ancient Egypt, the symbol of the lotus figured greatly in tomb art and official carvings, as far as I can tell, from the earliest pre-dynastic days right through to the final collapse of the ancient Egyptian identity, beginning with the destruction of the last of the old temples by the Christians in about 400 CE or so and then the onslaught of the Mohammedists in the 7th century CE. An ancient Egyptian god, Nefertem, who was later personified as the god of perfume (scent), wore a lotus on his head and engendered physical characteristics of both male and female (like the Indian gods so often do), appearing as a hermaphrodite. See Caroline Seawright's excellent short piece, "Nefertem, God of Perfume, Water Lily of the Sun..." for information. See also "Nefertem, Ancient Lord of Perfume" at Tour Egypt.
What was the Isiac Table?
According to the Theosophical Society (yes, they still exist):
Isiac table: Spiritual Theosophical Dictionary on Isiac table
Isiac table. A true monument of Egyptian art. It represents the goddess Isis under many of her aspects. The Jesuit Kircher describes it as a table of copper overlaid with black enamel and silver incrustations. It was in the possession of Cardinal Bembo, and therefore called "Tabula Bembina sive Mensa Isiaca ". Under this title it is described by W. Wynn Westcott, M.B., who gives its "History and Occult Significance" in an extremely interesting and learned volume (with photographs and illustrations). The tablet was believed to have been a votive offering to Isis in one of her numerous temples. At the sack of Rome in 1525, it came into the possession of a soldier who sold it to Cardinal Bembo. Then it passed to the Duke of Mantua in 1630, when it was lost.
(See also: Isiac table, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary)
But, according to information at Sacred Texts (under entry "The Bembine Table of Isis"), the Table (tablet) was NOT lost/destroyed! There is also a enlargeable line drawing of the Table which would take days to try and decipher - I see so many interesting things in it! Wow. Who knew? I sure didn't and I've been studying this stuff since 1999!
Added 4/5/08 - from Isis:
I read the article about the Lotus, and I thought you might like to know that the famous blue lotus of Egypt, now exstinct, had aphrodesiac properties...Pharmacologists test dryed lotus from tombs and discovered that the lotus was a form of natural Viagra. The Egyptians would soak the lotus in wine to extract the lotus viagra. | <urn:uuid:9dd5e454-b7d8-420e-8ee9-cbf06a69ff00> | {
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Let me address SR; If you look at Special Relativity, space-time reference is connected to velocity. Velocity has time built into its units; v=d/t. SR seems more cut and dry, relative to time, impacting space-time. However, changes in space-time are still mass dependent, since pure velocity; d/t, without mass/substance, will not allow a tangible or experimental change within space-time. In other words, imagine a massless object moving at velocity V. If we use math, a plot on paper, or just the imagination, there will be no tangible change in space-time, simply by going through the motions of a mental or computer exercise. There will be no experimentally verified change in space-time, using a velocity abstraction, without mass. There may be changes on paper, for an academic exercise, but not in physical reality. Motion without substance/mass; abstract or imaginary motion, may involve time, but this type of time by itself, cannot alter space-time in any tangible or experimental way. | <urn:uuid:a2609142-5620-4598-ba8c-fef64755665e> | {
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Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) involves a series of short magnetic pulses directed to the brain to stimulate nerve cells.
What is Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)?
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) involves a series of short magnetic pulses directed to the brain to stimulate nerve cells. The magnetic pulses stimulate area neurons and change the functioning of the brain circuits involved.
Since 1985, research has been conducted with TMS to understand and treat a number of neurological conditions (i.e. migraine, Parkinson’s disease, tinnitus) and psychiatric conditions (i.e. depression and auditory hallucinations in individuals with schizophrenia). Most recently, researchers have been focusing on the use of repetitive TMS pulses (rTMS) as a treatment option for major depressive disorder, auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia, cognitive disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.
How does Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) work?
Rapidly changing magnetic pulses cause neurons to change their firing pattern within the brain. By changing the firing pattern of neurons in brain circuits involved in a disorder such as depression, the dysfunctional brain patterns can change. The brain activity changes are thought to be a mechanism through which treatment occurs.
The patient remains awake during the procedure and can return to normal daily activities immediately following (no medication or anesthesia is required). The patient will be sitting comfortably in a recliner throughout the session. A treatment ranges between five minutes and 60 minutes. A typical treatment course is approximately four to six weeks.
Who can Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) benefit?
rTMS is currently offered in the context of ongoing research studies. We are conducting clinical trials for several psychiatric indications such as major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, eating disorders and smoking cessation. You must meet with a study coordinator in order to review the eligibility criteria in order to receive rTMS.
You must NOT:
have history of epilepsy or other seizure disorder
have any ferrous metallic implants in the skull
have a history of drug abuse within the past three to six months
have any unstable medical condition
be pregnant or attempting to becoming pregnant.
Risk of Side Effects
In a very small percentage (less than one per cent) of people, rTMS can cause a self-limiting seizure. For this reason those with a history of seizure (other than from ECT) cannot receive the treatment.
Side effects include involuntary eye blink or contraction of facial muscles (which are not painful and do not continue following the stimulation). Dizziness or light-headedness can occur after a treatment and it usually goes away quickly. Pain at the site of stimulation can occur as people adjust to the sensation of the treatment. Mild headache can occur in about one-quarter of people, but this usually goes away within 24 hours or with administration of acetaminophen (i.e. “Tylenol”). | <urn:uuid:5910d680-72b3-4cf4-bc96-a6e590f96e1f> | {
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Endless forms most beautiful: the dynamic diversification of snake venom
24th February 2017
Speaker: Byran Fry
Location: 11:30 am to 12:30 pm in Building 6, Level C, Room 12
Snake venom is subjected to a myriad of evolutionary selection pressures. The classic interaction is of a predator-prey chemical arms race, with prey specificity being the driving force shaping the venom. We have shown for example that neonate Australian brown snakes (Pseudonaja species) specialise on lizards and have neurotoxic venoms which subjugate prey through the induction of flaccid paralysis brought about by blockage of post-synaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In contrast, adult brown snakes and taipans (Oxyuranus species) of any age specialise upon mammals and have procoagulant venoms that rapidly subjugate prey through the induction of stroke brought about by activation of thrombin. We have recently discovered that the long-glanded blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgatus) has a novel form of neurotoxicity not seen before: activation of sodium channels to produce extremely fast developing muscle spasms. These snakes, which have venom glands extending over 20% the length of their body (the longest in the world), specialise upon other snakes, including venomous snakes such as kraits (Bungarus species) and young king cobras (Ophiophagus hannah). Prey species which in turn are specialists upon other snakes and thus capable of lethal retaliatory envenomations.
The use of venom for defensive purposes is less investigated but no less nuanced. Defensive spitting evolved twice within the cobras (Naja species), once within Africa and again within Asia. While it is conventional wisdom that spitting cobras have extremely cytotoxic venoms capable of profound local tissue destruction, the evolution of this unique defensive chemical cocktail has remained enigmatic. We have revealed that cytotoxicity did not emerge parallel to the spitting behaviour but preceded it. Defensive cytotoxins are instead linked to the evolution of hooding defensive displays. In African cobras, the relative degree of cytotoxicity indeed increased parallel to that subsequent evolution of spitting. However in the Asian cobras, there was an increase in cytotoxicity that preceeded spitting, instead increasing with the secondary evolution of ornate hood markings not found in African cobras. Other African/Asian elapids lack cytotoxic venoms except for the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) which in addition to evolving a hood independently of the Naja cobras, has also convergently evolved venom which contains defensive cytotoxins. | <urn:uuid:f56ea5da-4a48-4a9b-bcbd-c3f9585a3fd9> | {
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Undergraduate and postgraduate students can specialise in Mathematics or Statistics, or combine them with other subjects. Some undergraduates choose to do a double degree in Mathematics and Statistics. Statistics and Mathematics are also vital components of Science, Engineering and Social Science degrees.
Popular specialisations include:
A degree in mathematics is a passport to the career path of your choice. Mathematics is a beautiful subject, but also a very practical one. You will become highly skilled at thinking logically about complex problems and communicating structured arguments, attributes that are highly sought after by a wide range of employers in New Zealand and worldwide.
You can combine mathematics with other subject areas. This is an incredibly powerful way to leverage your subject-specific expertise with quantitative and analytical skills. You will be able to see connections and solve problems in your discipline that nobody else can. And, of course, when the time comes to apply for jobs, your CV will stand out from the rest.
A degree in statistics will make you the person everyone wants to know!
Statisticians play a key role in making sense of complex data in all branches of science, and areas beyond, like finance and law. Their skills are highly sought by researchers, Government agencies and businesses, both here and overseas.
Statistics has been transformed over recent decades, due to rapid advances in computing technology, and new methods for analysing large amounts of data. By studying statistics, you will become highly skilled in using these methods, and able to interpret the results for a variety of clients. Statistics, like mathematics, has recently been ranked as one of the top careers (CareerCast 2014).
Combining statistics with other subject areas provides a powerful way to leverage your subject-specific expertise with quantitative and analytical skills. The advanced statistical skills you will learn can allow you to understand more about the data in your discipline than anyone else. This strength will stand out in your CV making it attractive to future employers.
Combine the best of both worlds, to provide even more flexibility in career opportunities open to you. The two subjects naturally complement each other. In statistics, you learn about getting useful information from data and presenting this information, as part of evidence-based decision making in an uncertain world. In mathematics, you learn about thinking logically and solving complex problems, both practical and in the abstract, which provides much of the underpinning of statistics. The combination provides you great flexibility in terms of how practical versus theoretical you want to be.
It is hard to find list of Top 100 "best" or "in-demand" jobs in the world, which do not include careers where the skills mathematicians or statisticians are needed. To name just a few on recent high profile lists: data scientist, actuary, market researcher, operations research analyst, epidemiologist and biostatistician.
Big Data! Those two words describe one of the new hot topics in mathematical sciences. The Computational and Applied Mathematical Sciences degree programme will give you access to this, and other fast growing areas of computational mathematics and statistics.
The gap between the demand for graduates with computational mathematical science skills and the supply is predicted to increase, and there is no doubt that a graduate with good skills in this area will be in demand. The American Statistics Association predicted that by 2018 the United States alone could face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with deep analytical. In NZ the prediction is that “New Zealand is going to be short of 1800 data scientists by 2017” (NZ Herald article). This is an area of mathematical science that will open up a new world to you.
This major draws on courses which apply mathematics and computing. In addition to the required mathematics courses, a choice of papers in Management Science, Statistics or other subjects may be required.
The requirements at undergraduate level to allow progression to honours or masters are:
- 45 points from MATH201, 202, 203, 220, 240 and 270, including MATH201 and at least one of MATH202 or 203.
- 60 points from MATH301-394
- An additional 30 points from MATH301-394 and STAT301-394 or other approved courses.
- 45 points from other approved courses at the 200 level or above. These would normally come from CHEM, COSC, MATH, PHYS, STAT or Engineering courses.
Need more information?
- Find out more about the requirements for a BSc (Honours) degree in Computational and Applied Mathematical Sciences
- Find out more about the requirements for a Master in Science in Computational and Applied Mathematical Sciences
- Explore the full list of courses offered in Computational and Applied Mathematical Science
Data Science is one of the fastest growing areas in science. There is a worldwide skills shortage of talented people with data science skills so if you are thinking about life after UC this could be a good option for you. Data Science has been described as the bridge linking large data sets (often called Big Data) with computational capacity to provide solutions for business, industry, other areas of science, health, and many more. In this postgraduate Masters programme you will develop your understanding of what Data Science is, learn new skills, and develop your communication and ability to work in a team. Effective communication and team work are listed as key attributes for a Data Scientist.
Why is the Reserve Bank governor increasing the cash rate? How does the exchange rate hit your back pocket?
Mathematics and economics are a great combination for understanding how the world works. In economics you learn about how people and organisations behave and interact at global and micro levels, and how this impacts on our everyday lives. The mathematics provides the technical language on which economics theory is based, to enable you to leverage deeper insight in your analyses.
With this combination you will be opening up a broader set of career opportunities, you could even end up becoming the next governor of the Reserve Bank making those key decisions on behalf of the country.
What caused the global financial crisis? Can you help prevent another one?
Combining mathematics or statistics with finance is an incredibly powerful way to leverage knowledge of quantitative finance with deep analytical skills.
You will be able to see connections and solve problems that nobody else can. And when the time comes to apply for jobs, your CV will stand out from the rest.
Financial engineering is a cross-disciplinary field combining financial theory, mathematics and computational tools to design and develop new financial or actuarial products, portfolios and markets. It also has an important role to play in the financial industry's regulatory framework. Financial engineers manage financial risk, identify market opportunities, design and value financial or actuarial (insurance) products, and optimise investment strategies. To carry out these tasks, financial engineers develop mathematical and statistical models, and the computational tools to implement them.
BSc in Financial Engineering
UC is the first university in New Zealand to offer degrees in Financial Engineering. A three-year undergraduate BSc in Financial Engineering covers the core technical skills in financial and economic theory, mathematics and statistics, and computer science. 16 courses are prescribed to provide the depth and breadth of knowledge required of all Financial Engineers. The remaining 8 electives provide pathways to specialise in finance, mathematics and statistics, or computer science.
Honours and Masters in Financial Engineering
Our undergraduate programme provides students with employment opportunities at graduation, or allows them to advance to the one-year Honours degree at Canterbury, or to a Masters of Financial Engineering. Graduates with such cross-disciplinary knowledge and highly technical skills have a breadth of career opportunities such as investment, actuaries and statisticians/data scientists.
Training in this degree develops two of the most fundamental and widely applicable human intellectual capabilities. Not only will you gain the analytical skills of the mathematician, but you will develop your ability to argue cogently as a philosopher. In short: you will think critically, logically, and independently; and you will write, reason, and communicate clearly. These are the skills which underpin success in any profession. The programme also equips students for PhD programmes in Logic, Philosophy and Foundations of Mathematics.
Entry to the BSc(Hons) degree programme is at 300-level. Students typically have either 60 points in MATH and 45 points in PHIL, or 75+ opints in MATH and 30+ in PHIL at 300-level.
Need more information?
- Find out more about the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mathematics and Philosophy
- See all taught postgraduate courses in Mathematics
- See all taught postgraduate courses in Philosophy
The Physics and Astronomy and Mathematics and Statistics departments offer a joint BSc(Hons) programme for students who are interested in both subjects and do not wish to concentrate entirely on one at the expense of the other.
You enter this programme at the 300-level where normally you take 60 points of MATH 300-level and 60 points of PHYS 300-level courses. This is again followed in the next year with a mixture of 400-level courses as well as a research project.
If you are interested in keeping this option open, it is important that you take the right Mathematics and Physics courses at the 200-level in preparation. Seek advice from our course coordinators.
The course coordinator for this programme is David Wiltshire, in Physics. You can also contact Mark Hickman (Mathematics).
Mathematics and Statistics graduates are widely employed in industry, commerce, government departments and teaching, but job opportunities exist in many less obvious fields. Many jobs require specific mathematical or statistical skills while others require the ability to think precisely and reason logically - skills your mathematical studies will hone.
A broad background and interest in a variety of mathematical areas, computation and science will make you highly employable, so you should aim to take papers in subjects that will expand your knowledge of applications of Mathematics and Statistics - for instance in Accounting, Biology, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Management, and Physics. There are very good job opportunities in financial mathematics and in computing combined with Mathematics, and new opportunities emerging in the field of Data Science. The demand for Statisticians has also burgeoned in recent years.
- Explore UC's career-planning services
- Find out more about careers in Mathematics
- Find out more about careers in Statistics
Learn from our students' experiences
Studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy and Statistics.
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics, BSc Honours in Economics, PhD student, Stanford University, USA. | <urn:uuid:db91dfc8-3880-40cb-b5fc-bdc8d60a361d> | {
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What should I feed my fish?
The eating requirements of fish vary, but there are some basic rules.
Do not feed more than twice per day and only put enough food into the tank to last for 3 minutes. Any uneaten fish food will simply sink to the bottom and rot, causing the water to go murky and produce more algae.
Fish can be carnivorous, eating other fish, crustaceans and insects; herbivores or plant eaters, or omnivores. Fish can also be classed as surface feeders or bottom feeders. It is important to know what categories your fish fit into when selecting a food.
Most fish are fed a dried pellet or flake as a base diet. These are formulated to contain most of the vitamins and minerals your fish need. Both pellets and flakes are available in vegetable and meat formulations. Tablets are also available for feeding over a few days. These are not suitable for long term use as they tend to release too much food into the tank and cause problems with algae overgrowth and waste build-up.
Live foods are a good supplement to your fish’s diet. As live foods may cause disease, most can be bought freeze dried or frozen instead of actually alive. Worms, water fleas and brine shrimp are all good to give as a treat.
Certain fish can also have vegetables as well as meat in their fish food diet, but it must be given in small portions. Good choices are peas, romaine lettuce, broccoli and cucumber. Before adding to the tank you must blanch the vegetables by boiling a pan of water and then cooling in cold water. | <urn:uuid:60723fa3-e7a8-47bc-b30a-2c6b3e929769> | {
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Learning math can be difficult, especially when you’re just starting out. Online games can help kids learn difficult math techniques. Teachers have even begun using math games in the classroom to reinforce math concepts. Learning Games for Kids has several math focused games for elementary aged students. These elementary math games can help kids remember difficult math vocabulary.
Try one or all of these games and see if your child improves at math. I bet your child will never realize they are learning with these fun games!
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When you look at old pictures of Duluth’s Cascade Park there is a creek that runs through it. Whatever happened to it? Why did people change it?
Clark House Creek, which used to flow through the park, is now underground.
Cascade Park was dramatically altered in 1975 to make way for the widening of Mesaba Avenue.
The place doesn't really deserve its name anymore, because nothing cascades there -- other than the cascading brushstrokes of controversial mural artists. The creek used to have a waterfall that flowed through a sandstone wall into a lagoon.
A bit more detail on the pavilion and park, from the forthcoming "Lost Duluth" (May 2012) from Zenith City Press:
Cascade Park's 1895 Pavilion
In 1870 the City of Duluth bought four acres of land near First Avenue West and Sixth Street through which ran Clark House Creek. Cascade Park, with the Clark House Creek running right through it, was plotted on those acres between Cascade Drive and Mesaba Avenue in 1886.
Three years later Duluth’s first superintendant of parks, William King Rogers, developed a plan for Duluth’s park system that initially called for three parks to run along creeks starting at the proposed roadway between Miller Creek and Chester Creek that would become Skyline Parkway. As the scenic roadway expanded, more parks would follow along other creeks. Lakeshore Park, today’s Leif Erikson Park, was also part of the plan’s future and was intended to be much larger than it is today. Rogers envisioned many parks running along creeks from the boulevard to the shores of the lake and St. Louis Bay like “pearls on a string.” When he announced his idea, Cascade Park was already in place along Clark House Creek. The other two he named for assassinated U.S. Presidents Abraham Lincoln and James A. Garfield: Lincoln Park along Miller Creek and Garfield Park (later renamed Chester Park) along Chester Creek. Of all of Duluth’s early parks, Cascade was by far the grandest. Perched on a bluff above downtown Duluth’s business section, the park held many beautiful, meticulously tended gardens and carefully groomed pathways.
In 1895 the city added a sandstone pavilion and bell tower at the heart of the park, giving it a whimsical, castle-like atmosphere . The structure had several levels and picnic facilities and played host to many garden parties and social events. Clark House Creek flowed directly through the pavilion, cascading out an opening on the building’s lakeside façade to a pond more than thirty feet below. (The creek was diverted below ground at First Avenue West.) The park quickly became a popular spot for picnickers and others seeking escape from the smoke and noise of Duluth’s busy waterfront. Unfortunately, the bell tower was destroyed during a storm in 1897. More portions of the creek were altered to flow underground as the area surrounding the park developed. In the 1950s Cascade Park was reduced in size and most of its sandstone structures were razed.
Today only two-and-a-half acres of Cascade Park survive. When Mesaba Avenue was widened in 1975 to accommodate traffic heading toward Miller Hill Mall and surrounding retail developments, a large part of the park was sacrificed. The city demolished its remaining sandstone structures and forced Clark House Creek underground throughout the park. The city then built a concrete tower-like structure atop the bell tower’s old sandstone foundation. That foundation, which holds a bronze plaque which reads “Cascade Park,” and portions of the rock wall supporting Mesaba Avenue are all that remain of the original park.
That's interesting. I think when I suggested that MnDOT/the City screwed the town with a tough stick in the making of Mesaba, I was informed that the incline already ran along those lines and it had minimal impact.
A combination: the construction of Mesaba Avenue, but also the reduction in public space use and funding. Cascade Park used to be so beautiful, seeing it in it's current state is so depressing.
In addition to the widening of Mesaba Avenue, I think I've heard that the major floods of 1972 also played a role in the decision to shunt that creek underground.
Below are shots of First Avenue West, below Cascade Park, after flooding in 1972.
I'm not sure which 1972 flood these photos were shot after -- there were three.
Aug. 16 | A torrent of rain floods the Central Hillside neighborhood, flooding basements and streets.
Aug. 20 | In just over two hours, nearly three inches of rain falls. Across the city, furniture, telephone poles, bricks, lumber and mud are sent down hillsides. President Richard Nixon declares the area a Federal Disaster. Damages total $18 million.
Sept. 19 | A third storm dumps another 3.42 inches in eight hours. The storm causes two deaths. Nearly 100 graves are washed up. Damages exceed $22 million.
So, yeah, flooding might have had something to do with the decision to run the creek underground.
Paul, was that the same storm that wiped out Sixth Avenue East?
Consuelo, Duluth's Incline, officially called the Seventh Avenue West Incline ran along what would have been ... Seventh Avenue West! It would have crossed over Mesaba.
Paul, where were the graves that washed up?
That 2nd photo could be the first ever Upset Duluth shot.
Or maybe it's Traumatized Duluth.
Same storm, Tony. I'd have to go diving into newspaper archives to refresh my memory on which cemetery, Heysme. (And by "refresh my memory" I mean my memory of reading about it; I was in my second trimester of fetushood at the time of the flood.)
LakeVoice recently published a story about the flood: "Last Chance Liquor owner recalls 1972 Duluth floods"
For more flood fun, here's a post on PDD about the storm of 1909.
Street Scene, 1909
Yep. Cascade Park was just another casualty of post WWII urban design. As all these new highways were built, and suburbs continued to grow, Americans lost any semblance of public space. To some, this phenomena was tantamount to growth and progress. To me, this was one of the greatest robberies in recent history, leaving cities like Duluth a mere shell of their former greatness.
Sixth Avenue East looked like a war zone during the floods. I recall there was a kid who got sucked through a culvert near the top and popped out somewhere near Fourth Street. He miraculously survived with only cuts and bruises.
Did you not read about the storms that caused so much damage, Codie?
Codie, you are either going to love or be saddened by "Lost Duluth" when it comes out in May. The two most common phrases in the book: "It was destroyed as part of the I-35 Expansion" and "The building's site now houses an Essentia Health [or St. Luke's] parking lot [or other facility]."
Clark House Creek, incidentally, was named for the Clark House, which was Duluth's main hotel and political HQ until destroyed by fire in 1881. Built by General George B. Sargent, it was where all the O.G.'s stayed when they came to buy up land and figure out how to make their booty. Its stove took four foot cordwood, and if you were anybody at all, you held your event in its ballroom.
Click the link for a bigger picture and more details.
I say we take some of the abundant bedrock we have lying around, and re-create some of these historic structures in their original (or as close as possible) locations.
That would be a worthwhile endeavor.
Codie's right. We had to do something about the damage from the storms, but much of the damage was because we had already altered nature. Today we need to reclaim our cities from the concrete and making everything easy for cars.
Does anyone like the way 6th Ave. East is today? Brewery Creek runs in a safe culvert underneath, but the street isn't safe for pedestrians or cars. The culvert and concrete model today is contributing to the sewage overflows and another kind of environmental disaster. Building those giant storage tanks is only the first step.
Let's rebuild smarter streets that work for both pedestrians and cars. Can anyone look at the pictures of the old Cascade Park and not say they were incredibly cool and added to the quality of life here?
This is why I love this site - I clicked on the link of the Minnesota Digital Library that hbh1 offered and explored a little. I clicked on the Excelsior-Lake Historical Society and whoosh! Talk about memories! I'll bet I was no bigger than a little peanut when I sat in a stroller at the Amusement Park pictured on the site. Sure enough, called mom and confirmed that we would go there when I was very young (I say that because the park closed in 1974).
I love old pics for the people. I always feel like I'm in the last scene of The Shining when I look at them. See what I found when I checked out HBH1's posted pic above. Standing on top of Clark House in the pic. Flag blurry, she is motionless.
Yeah, right. She freaked me out.
Indeed, duluth14. I knew about the floods that happened in the 70s. However, it seems like federal funding for highway construction ultimately drove the nails into the coffin of Cascade Park. While highways and parking lots do enhance personal mobility for those who can afford to drive, they almost always come at the expense of community.
I can't say I disagree with you there, Codie.
Creepy old pic!
That creepy girl on the roof is Lulu, a descendant of French trappers. She is pregnant by a certain Mr. Moore of Buffalo, NY, and has been writing to him, without answer for three months now. She has lost hope that he will be the gentleman he claimed to be when he bedded her in the corner suite of the Clark House one cold December night. Is he like so many of the smartly-dressed adventurers stepping off the ships in the harbor, who forget their staid lives back home in other ports for the sake of a wide-eyed maid from the forest?
This photo, which she knows will be made into a postcard, will be her last ditch effort at contacting Mr. Moore. He is married, you see, to a prim, stiff-corseted lady from one of the leading families of Buffalo. Unlike some of the other letters Lulu has sent Mr. Moore, Mrs. Moore will miss intercepting this one. It will be snatched up by Mr. Moore and hidden in the locked bottom drawer of his oak desk, where it will yellow and fade, her face accusing and righteous.
As he nears his deathbed some years later, Mr. Moore will pull it out with a shaking hand, summon his unwilling gardener and wife as witnesses, and write a new will that leaves $10,000 to Lulu, equal to the amount he leaves to Mrs. Moore. What he doesn't know is that Lulu doesn't care for his money. She threw herself into the canal soon after giving birth to their daughter, who has grown up alone in the St. Joseph's home.
Poor Josephine. Will the scruffy probate lawyer from Buffalo find her with her fortune before she herself is faced with the prospects of single girls' "boarding houses" down by the harbor?
p.s. There was a Lulu, who was a descendant of French trappers. She did have an affair with the married Mr. Moore of Buffalo, who did have a midnight will change that left her the $10,000, and Mr. Moore's wife did protest the will. She did have a child.
But! I don't know how she died, and the date of the Clark House photo is way off, so I'm a big fat liar.
A cold snap had settled in, Henry tugged at his collar trying to create a barrier to the cold. It was a futile attempt to gain some foot hold of comfort in his new life. Having just moved from Buffalo, NY to the growing city of Duluth, he knew he had to either learn to thrive, or succumb to the frigid tedium of life in the Zenith City. Brought to this stark and beautiful landscape by employment, an appointment as bookkeeper and clerk for the wealthy Hartley family, he was resolved to make the best of this first foray into adult and independent life. Leaving behind his widowed mother, Mrs. Moore of Bailey-Kensignton, after his recent graduation from State University he held deep within him a trepidation, an anxious weight he could not identify.
The trip had been taxing, Henry's health had always been fragile, and the stress of coaching it across from Chicago in an ancient rail car packed with foreigners had left it's pale mark on his brow. Luckily the fires at either end of the great hall of the train depot were blazing, a thumb in the frostbit nose of the cruel winter winds thrashing the brick outside. As he was not an immigrant, he could move from the train platform to the great hall without scrutiny, unlike the un-washed throngs of Irish and Italians who were forced into the chilled depths of the depot's immigrant room to begin their new life as laborers and servants. Henry thought to himself, servitude is not restricted to the servants. No matter our station in life, we must all serve a master, perhaps even fate itself.
"Moore, Henry ..." mumbled the train station postmaster, his brogue as thick as oatmeal, "I git one letter for ye boy." Gnarled fingers offered a stiff white envelope. It was addressed to Henry, from his long retired family gardener. It began with an admonition "We must all play with the hands we're dealt."
Union Depot, Duluth, Minnesota
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Username or E-mail: | <urn:uuid:518679ea-185b-4e81-9a13-dadd58485ee9> | {
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Paecilomyces Lilacinus is a naturally occurring fungus found in many kinds of soils throughout the
world. As a pesticide active ingredient, Paecilomyces lilacinus is applied to soil to control nematodes
that attack plant roots. In laboratory studies, it grows optimally at 21-32 degrees C, and does not
grow or survive above 36 degrees C. It acts against plant root nematodes by infecting eggs,
juveniles, and adult females.
Eggplant, potato, chilli, tomatoes, cucumbers, flowers, orchards, vineyards, ornamentals in greenhouses, lawns, nurseries and landscape.
Plant parasitic nematodes in soil, Examples include Meloidogyne spp. (Root knot nematodes); Radopholus similis (Burrowing nematode); Heterodera spp. and Globodera spp. (Cyst nematodes); Pratylenchus spp. (Root lesion nematodes); Rotylenchulus reniformis (Reniform Nematode); Nacobbus spp.(False Root knot Nematodes) | <urn:uuid:dc086d68-8d4e-4a3f-b8d6-565843becebc> | {
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Are you brushing your teeth right? Did you know that developing an effective technique can help you prevent tooth decay, whereas having inadequate technique does absolutely nothing to prevent said disease from occurring?
How to brush my teeth right?
Brushing of teeth is recommended at least twice a day, but no more than four times a day by most dentists. If you brush too often you may remove enamel that is otherwise useful for your teeth to remain healthy. When brushing, you should use circular movements to remove plaque, and you should also brush your gums and tongue as well. Remember to spit often. After rinsing your mouth out, you should have another go and leave the paste in, as this will make the fluoride stick to your teeth and give it time to be absorbed. Most people finish their brushing with rinsing their mouth, which defeats the purpose of fluoride toothpaste. The use of dental floss is pretty much mandatory, because even if plaque is disinfected, it stays between the cracks of your teeth unless removed. The use of mouthwash is also very important, as liquid can go into cracks that a brush simply cannot reach.
Interested in professional teeth cleaning? Check out our new offer here!
How much do we know about teeth brushing?
A study done in Sweden suggests that 1 in 10 people do not know how to brush their teeth correctly, they just kind of go at it for a few minutes then stop. This study was repeated a little bit later in a different part of Sweden, and the results were compared and evaluated. The outcome of the study is that people know how often to brush, but do not understand what this basic oral hygienic procedure is meant to do, or even the fundamentals of oral health and hygiene.
The study looked at the use of fluoride toothpaste as a marker of how well Swedes understand the uses of oral hygiene products, and how well they are educated about oral hygiene. Most of them did not understand the role of fluoride, or how this substance works to prevent tooth decay, and did not know the brushing techniques involved with optimizing fluoride. Most of the people who partook in the study were laboring under the misunderstanding that fluoride is used for keeping the mouth fresh.
A few interesting statistics are also brought into light. It turns out that women under 35 are the best at oral health management. It also turns out that teenagers know the least about oral hygiene.
A few interesting statistics are also brought into light. It turns out that women under 35 are the best at oral health management. It also turns out that teenagers know the least about oral hygiene. It also shows that most people, around 80%, believe they are practicing oral hygiene methods correctly. This means that the marketing about oral hygiene, although omnipresent, is not doing its job, the ads are not dealing with real life issues, and the companies in the oral health industry are perhaps operating under some fundamental misconceptions about our basic knowledge. | <urn:uuid:c1c78bc9-d7b6-4f72-869f-e1a5fb687136> | {
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The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard is used for the exchange of images and related information. The DICOM standard can be thought of as having several levels of support, such as the support for image exchange for both senders and receivers, the underlying information model and information management services.
This whitepaper provides a high-level overview of the characteristic elements of the DICOM standard.
What is DICOM? The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard has been around for more than a decade now. However, it was not until the mid-nineties that the DICOM standard really took off.
Today, virtually all imaging devices (aka Modality) that are used in radiology, such as CT, MRI, Ultrasound, RF, and other digital rooms, supports the DICOM standard for the exchange of images and related information.
Imaging devices for other "ologies", such as endoscopy, pathology, ophthalmology and dermatology, are also starting to implement the DICOM standard, because there is an increasing need to integrate all of these images into the patient master record (e.g. EHR).
Though it is not an official term, one can think of the DICOM standard as having several levels of support, or different dimensions. The most fundamental and primary level of support is the support for image exchange for both senders and receivers. Other levels include support for connecting to a database and retrieving image information or for enabling another device to find out which images have been locally stored so that it can retrieve them. Other dimensions deal with image management, patient scheduling information, image quality, media storage, security, etc. But before we delve into these detailed DICOM services, let's first discuss the DICOM fundamentals.
2. DICOM Fundamentals
2.1 Information Model
DICOM has an information model, which differentiates it from other standards, in particular the HL7 version 2.x standard, which is generally used elsewhere in the medical facility to exchange patient and related information. The DICOM information model includes relationships between the DICOM objects as well as a common terminology.
DICOM information objects are definitions of the information to be exchanged. One can think of them as templates that are re-used over and over again when a modality generates a new image or other DICOM object. Each image type, and therefore information object, has specific characteristics. For example, a CT image requires different descriptors in the image header than an ultrasound image or an ophthalmology image. These templates are identified by unique identifiers, which are registered by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association [NEMA], the DICOM standard facilitator.
Information objects are also known as part of the Service Object Pairs (SOP) Classes. An example of a SOP Class is the CT Storage SOP Class, which allows CT images to be exchanged. Even though most people associate DICOM objects with images, it is important to note that a patient schedule list and a queue to be sent to a printer are also DICOM objects with defined templates.
The information model defines that a patient can have multiple studies resulting in multiple series that contain the individual images. This definition is necessary if a patient has a CT scan, which has two series of images, one with contrast and one without. One might think that this definition is obvious; however, it is critical to specify the terms and their meanings, otherwise devices will never be able to communicate.
An information model is especially critical when interfacing with information systems that have to deal with multiple scheduled procedure steps, all identified by their own identifiers, all relating to the procedures that were performed and all relating to the results (reports, measurements, 3-D reconstructions, etc.) in an unambiguous manner.
The DICOM protocol is rather robust. First, each DICOM command is acknowledged. Second, a device just does not send an object; it always negotiates whether the receiver indeed understands this type of service as well as the object type. This provides an implicit version control. When a receiver does not understand the latest Multiframe Ultrasound object, for example, it will inform the requester so that the sender can either fall back to a different object (e.g. a previous version) or send the information to a different destination.
This negotiation is referred to as Association establishment. In addition to the type of service, it also negotiates the Transfer syntax. The Transfer syntax is nothing more than the encoding that is used to exchange the information. A device might support the standard transfer syntax or a specific JPEG compression syntax that allows the information to be exchanged in a faster way. There are several different Transfer syntaxes and they can be expected to expand continuously as new image compression methods are developed.
There are very strict guidelines requiring each DICOM compatible device to describe its functionality, including the supported SOP Classes and Transfer syntaxes in a document called the DICOM Conformance Statement. This document allows a user to determine in advance whether or not a specific device is compatible with other devices.
Conformance statements contain details about exception and error handling and often contain the complete specifications for the information objects (e.g. images) that are exchanged.
Not only are these documents used by potential users and buyers, they are also key documents for the people who make these systems work, such as system integrators and testers.
Imagine that you have just purchased a new device and installed it. When connecting, the new modality does not communicate with your other devices: the DICOM connection never makes it past the negotiation; it refuses to communicate with your installed base. There can be a very good reason for this lack of communication. The device might support a newer SOP Class, which your other devices do not (yet) support. To find this out during system installation is somewhat late, though.
The functionality of the device is described in the DICOM Conformance Statement. For example, if you require a radiology order number to be present with your images, you should look in the device's conformance statement for this feature. In addition, you can find details such as which compression technology is supported, what media is supported, etc.
3. Dimensions of DICOM
How can the DICOM standard be used? One can discuss this according to the levels or different dimensions of DICOM.
3.1 Exchanging Objects
The first level is the basic mechanism to exchange objects, such as images and diagnostic reports provided by the
Storage SOP Classes
With regard to imaging, new acquisitions techniques are continuously being defined that require information objects to be modified, so that the appropriate information is exchanged.
The nice thing is that there is often already a DICOM infrastructure in place that allows the exchange, archival and retrieval of these new objects.
Radiology is becoming a provider of archiving and storage services for the other specialties.
This is confirmed by the ever increasing popularity of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS).
3.2 Information Management Services
The next dimension of DICOM deals with information management services. As soon as we exchanged images, users found that they had to have a PACS system administrator, who would pretty much spent all of his time dealing with 'orphan' images. Orphan images are images that have been lost or are being temporarily stored in the so-called penalty box at the archive or QA station.
The DICOM Modality Work List allows scheduling information to be retrieved by a modality.
It has been widely implemented and should be a requirement for all new modality purchases.
The companion service of the Modality Work List, the Modality Performed Procedure Step, is not yet as popular. Most vendors are now offering it in their newest modalities. This service allows a device to communicate what the actual performed exam was (versus what was scheduled) to allow changes in the procedure to be exchanged. In addition, it tells when a procedure has been started, potentially indicating this on the scheduling list and provides information about the number of images that were generated.
The other service in this category is the DICOM Storage Commitment, which transfers the responsibility for the images to the receiver, so they can be safely removed from the local disk.
Workflow management is one of the relatively recent additions to the standard. These services is basically a generalized version of the Modality Work List and Modality Performed Procedure Step services. It levels the playing field even more to allow best of breed systems to be implemented.
As of today, it is almost impossible to purchase an image archive from vendor A and to use workstations from vendor B. They are still tightly coupled. However, it is possible to retrieve a list of all images from the archive at the workstation, if you want to know which image is being read by which physician, to avoid duplicate reading. In order to implement this you have to understand the proprietary protocols that vendors exchange among themselves and update, for example, the status of an image. This is changing with the implementation of the DICOM General Purpose Work List mechanism.
The General Purpose Work List will provide a standard manner by which a reading list or a folder can be provided to a workstation, e.g. containing all chest images to be read. The workstation can then 'lock' this study to let others know that it is being read.
Why would mismatches occur? There have been no scientific studies that we know of, but there are reports that state that in general 40% of the data entered has some type of spelling error. What is the solution? Central data entry and management.
The DICOM Modality Work List allows scheduling information to be retrieved by a modality and is therefore a must. Almost all vendors provide this service now. A technologist merely scans a barcode or selects the patient information from a menu and the information is copied on the screen. This is almost a no-brainer; people don't want to have to fix misspellings anymore.
IHE and Workflow
What is IHE ? The IHE [IHE] (Integrating the Health Enterprise) initiative offers a formalized description of workflow processes within the healthcare enterprise. These workflow processes are subsequently formalized in the form of implementation profiles for transactions used to communicate clinical data. These implementation profiles are created by a consensus process among professionals; the profiles are based on existing messaging standards such as HL7 and DICOM.
The IHE Radiology implementation profiles are widely supported by vendors.
3.3 Image Quality
Image quality is another major area in which a lot of improvements have been made due to DICOM standardization. The problem is how to achieve consistency in the image presentation on different monitors, as well as on film, independent of the make or type of characteristics of the media.
The first thing that had to be created was a 'gold standard' that every monitor and hardcopy device could adhere to. This gold standard is the DICOM Grayscale Standard Display Function.
It specifies exactly what luminance or density level should be produced for a certain input value, based on the Barten curve, which maps the values into a range that is perceptually linear. This means that input values are mapped into a space that is perceived as linear by a human observer.
Figure 1. Inconsistent image display.
The lump visible on the left is almost invisible on the right.
What is the impact of this standard? The result is that the images all look alike. When an image is sent from a radiologist to a physician, the physician sees the same grayscale presentation. The same applies for the technologist. She wants to make sure that what she sees on the monitor is what she will get on the film, even if the printer is in the basement or in the main radiology department, instead of in the outpatient clinic.
What do we have to do to achieve this consistency? Well, devices have to support the DICOM grayscale standard, potentially implementing a presentation look up table (a.k.a. presentation LUT) to map the values.
The other component of image quality is presentation consistency. When a physician zooms an image, ads annotation, changes the Window width and Level, etc., this information should also be preserved in a standard manner. Often today this information is stored in a proprietary way, so it is impossible to view it on a workstation from another vendor. This could be taken care of by the DICOM Presentation State Service.
3.4 Structured Reporting
DICOM Structured Reporting
deserves a discussion by itself (see [StrucRep]
). It is just an object that can be exchanged, very similar to an image, except that instead of pixel data, the message body is a Structured Report (SR). Why would we want to standardize a report in DICOM if HL7 has exchanged these for several years in a relatively robust manner? The answer is two-fold.
The HL7 version 2.x standard does not really allow for a rigorous structure. It is still more or less a blob of text without a lot of contextual information. Having a structure is sometimes even a legal requirement, such as in the case of mammography. In other cases, the information is always presented in a structural, similar way, such as specific measurements for Ultrasound. The advantage of a structure is that it lends itself very well to data mining and potentially can be used to do outcome measurements.
It allows very effective linking to other DICOM objects, such as images, parts of images, presentations of images, waveforms, etc. It integrates very well in the DICOM structure, which is why one might expect that when mages are closely linked, the SR will be used.
A critical part of the SR is the definition of templates that can easily be mapped, for example, in XML. These templates are still very much under development; however, there are activities that include the cardiology logs and the development of output for Computer Aided Diagnosis systems, such as used for mammography. There are other specific SR applications, such as the ability to contain information about key or significant images.
3.5 Security Mechanisms
Another dimension is related to the DICOM Security mechanisms.
First of all, one should note that the DICOM standard facilitates the exchange of information. It is only part of the overall information chain. Therefore, it is also only a relatively small part of everything an institution has to do to create a secure environment.
Before a person accesses an image, there are procedures and rules about the placement of the monitor. There are access control and authorization rules that are taken care of by the application level software using passwords or even biometric access controls. There is an audit and logging mechanism required that logs any data access and by whom.
When we finally have access to the information and want to retrieve it using a non-secure line, such as the Internet, is when DICOM has to worry about the security. This is a relatively easy extension; the data can just be encrypted using standard mechanisms and utilities. Electronic signatures are another aspect of DICOM security. The electronic signatures prevent someone from changing the information without the receiver noticing it.
Security is described in the DICOM standard as well as in the IHE Technical Framework [IHE]. Both encryption and digital signatures have been demonstrated at RSNA and the European Congress of Radiology (ECR). The demonstration software and public source code are available for implementers to try out and use.
3.6 Exchange Media
Media is a part of the DICOM standard that often creates confusion. Vendors who claim to offer a 'DICOM archive' mostly cause this misunderstanding. Since the DICOM standard is a communications standard, there is no such thing as a DICOM archive, though there can be a device that supports the DICOM way of exchanging information. DICOM does standardize exchange media, though.
The exchange media is intended to be used to store images or other DICOM objects in a standard format. These images or other DICOM objects can then be exchanged and potentially be read by another device that can read that format. The applications are typically for portable Ultrasound units that collect images on a CD. The CD is later used to download the images to a workstation. Another good application is the collection of a cardiology study on a CD so that the patient can take it with him to another hospital.
Because we don't have the luxury of negotiating what type of information is to be stored on those media, including the transfer syntax (e.g. what type of JPEG), there are very strict constraints defined in the Media Application Profiles. Some archives store the images in the format as described by these application profiles, and therefore claim to be a DICOM archive. Again, this is somewhat confusing.
4. Future Developments
What can be expected from DICOM in the near future? The DICOM standard is never more than 2 months old. Every two months a new addition to the standard is created and released.
Does this mean that you will have to upgrade your system every two months? Definitely not. A CT device that could send images in a DICOM format, supporting the DICOM Storage SOP Class in 1993 would still be able to do so in 2004. However, if you want to exchange MR spectroscopy data, your device would have to support the new MR SOP Class. So, when technology advances, you can expect the DICOM standard to follow it and accommodate it.
The latest additions to the DICOM standard, including a draft version of the complete standard can be found at the NEMA website [NEMA].
[IHE] "IHE Radiology Technical Framework", http://www.ihe.net
[NEMA] "Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine", http://medical.nema.org
[StrucRep] "Structured Reporting, a powerful DICOM mechanism", http://www.ringholm.com/docs/02030_en.htm
An example of a recent addition to the DICOM standard is Visible Light, which will accommodate endoscopy, pathology, ophthalmology and dermatology. Radiation Therapy (RT) is also feeling the pinch for increased integration. They require the import of regular images such as CT scans and radiographs and the creation of objects such as therapy plans, RT images, and treatment records. RT modalities are just starting to implement these services and to become integrated. They are where main radiology was 5 years ago with regard to connectivity; they are just starting to implement and offer the basic level of image communication.
Other new additions that are in the pipeline include a new MR object that can accommodate the new acquisition techniques and the exchange of spectroscopy data, new CT objects and also 3-D objects (for Ultrasound, for example). In general, acquisition is moving to multi-dimensional, 3-D or more, and DICOM is following that trend.
About Ringholm bv
Ringholm bv is a group of European experts in the field of messaging standards and systems integration in healthcare IT.
We provide the industry's most advanced training courses and consulting on healthcare information exchange standards.
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Okeechobee County, Florida|
Okeechobee County is a county located in the state of Florida. According to 2005 U.S. Census estimates, its population was 39,836. Its county seat is Okeechobee.
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Field scale vegetables
Vegetables such as carrots, onions, peas, beans, swedes, leeks and brassicas are grown commercially on a field-scale, principally for human consumption, and with most being sold through the major multiple retailers.
Many vegetable crops are highly perishable, and if they are not quickly marketed when mature, then produce can go to waste.
Purchasers of organic vegetable produce are often keen also to support local growers, through box schemes and farmers' markets, and this consumer preference can make organic vegetable production viable on a smaller scale than is usual with conventional production.
A sample of Items held in the Field scale vegetables category
- Case Study No. 14: Climate change series; Focus on vegetables
- Are adult vine weevils running out of places to hide?
- Artificial alkalizing drought signals as potential growth retardants.
- Bemisia tabaci – the tobacco whitefly (also known as the silverleaf or sweet potato whitefly)
- 1562: Better business for horticulture and potatoes
- 95. A potato made with gene editing
- Crop production guide - Rhubarb
- Cost benefits of improving the efficiency of agricultural processing
- Ascorbic Acid Content Varies among Baby Leaves and over the Season
- Sárpo Potatoes
There are currently no subcategories in the Field scale vegetables section.
Where Am I?
The OpenFields Library is a free online library contains items of interest to practitioners and researchers in the agricultural and landbased industries. | <urn:uuid:f1fa2c68-c15b-4076-8399-509a630d6a18> | {
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The Boston Tea Party is something of a misnomer, as while it did indeed feature tea, it was definitely not a party. On a cold December evening, protesters gathered in Boston Harbor to reject the latest shipment of tea from the East India Co. They were speaking out against the Tea Act, which allowed the East India Co. to sell its tea at reduced cost, thus giving the British-government-controlled company an effective monopoly. As the story goes, the colonists stormed the ships as they pulled into the harbor and chucked some 46 tons of tea overboard.
The real issue at hand, of course, was the colonists' lack of representation in the British Parliament. That night, their cries reverberated near and far and helped spurred a movement that would see the states gain their independence from Mother England in just a few years' time. | <urn:uuid:f680d515-a3fa-4752-82d6-626c83559d0b> | {
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Let's look first at the Constitution of 1875 - the one that had to be replaced. When you read about it in Harvey H. Jackson III's article, it sounds about like what we have now:
The Bourbon constitution of 1875 was a victory for prosperous rural and small-town Alabamians who did not want to pay taxes to improve the lives of those less fortunate than themselves and who did not want to finance commercial development that did not benefit them directly. In particular, it was a victory for planters and merchants who dominated the Black Belt economy and government and who expected to maintain that domination (along with their influence on the state level) by controlling the black vote in their region.
But everybody wasn't doing well. Not at all:
While planters and merchants were doing well enough, times were not good for Alabama's small farmers. Postwar taxes, a nationwide financial panic in the 1870's, high interest rates and general decline in cotton prices drove many once-independent yeomen off their land and into sharecropping and tenant farming, where landless blacks were already.
Those people, realizing they were shut out of conventional party politics, turned to the "Farmer's Alliance" and came close to gaining control of state government.
What really spooked the Bourbons (the big money guys) was that the Farmer's Alliance brought together the underclasses. If the poor white farmers were desperate enough to join with the black farmers and laborers, then the Bourbon's entire privileged way of life was threatened.
So it is not surprising that when Bourbons began talking of a new constitution that would disfranchise black voters and guarantee that no black-white coalition would defeat the Democrats, Black Belt leaders were less than enthusiastic. Outside the Black Belt, conservative Democrats had concluded that "honest elections" (elections they could win) were possible only if "corruptible voters" (those who might someday vote against them) were removed from the rolls.
They were not troubled by the fact that they seemed to be saying that the best way to keep the white man from stealing the black man's vote was to take the black man's vote away from him. Bourbon Democrats knew what they wanted to do, and intended to do it.
Or, as the Teacher's resource guide at the Alabama Archives Web site puts it:
The entrenched "Bourbons" had maintained control during that period through a combination of intimidating African Americans, raising the specter of "black rule" to keep whites within the party, and fraudulently counting votes for conservative candidates when all else failed. Uncomfortable with the turmoil and subterfuge of these campaigns, many leaders of the conservative Democrats embraced calls for a new constitution as a way to ensure "honest elections" -- by legally taking the vote away from blacks so that they would not have to be stolen.
So they're uncomfortable with stealing votes, but not disenfranchising voters. Amazing, isn't it?
And so in November of 1900, the Legislature approved a statewide vote in April, 1901 call for a Constitutional Convention.
Opposition came mainly from North Alabama mountain areas and the Wiregrass - areas that didn't have a tradition of "plantation" life and large landowners, but was instead made up of small farmers. Those areas were, not surprisingly, strongholds of the Farmer's Alliance.
The Black Belt turned out in force for the Bourbon cause. Blacks voted, or were voted, in numbers that even caught the seasoned observers by surprise. In Lowndes County, where black voters held a 5 to 1 advantage over whites, 3,226 votes were cast for the convention and only 338 against it. In Dallas, Green, Perry, Hale, Sumter, and Marengo counties, returns were much the same.
The delegates went right to work in May, 1901 and produced a document that disenfranchised black voters and many white voters, and wrote the tax code into the Constitution, making funding for education and economic development difficult - if not impossible - for some counties:
Black disfranchisement took up much of the convention's time and was the subject of considerable debate, but it was not the only issue. Determined to preserve a status quo under which they had prospered, Bourbons refused to raise the tax ceiling to provide more funds for state and local governments and did not lift restrictions on state support for internal improvements. Counties could use local funds to build roads, bridges and public buildings, but limits placed on what they could borrow made such projects difficult to carry out.
Put simply, state and local governments would remain starved for revenue, and the service they provided, especially in education, would be underfunded for the foreseeable future.
One interesting aside..... the literacy requirements and other tests for voting were going to penalize poor whites just as much as black voters, so the writers placed several "exceptions" into the voting requirements:
Poor whites who might have been disqualified were allowed to slip through if they or an ancestor had served in the military (the "grandfather clause") or, failing that, if they were of "good character" and understood "the duties of citizenship in a republican form of government" - qualifications that black Alabamians at the whim of white election officials had little hope of meeting.
Now, when I hear that something has been "grandfathered in" on existing legislation or ordinances, I'll always think of Alabama's 1901 Constitution.
Once written, it had to be ratified. Under the banner of "White Supremacy, Honest Elections and the New Constitution," the Democrats rallied their forces. Opposition came from those who saw that, in time, suffrage restrictions would be applied to poor whites as well as to blacks. But opponents seemed to know that no matter how many votes their side received, the Black Belt would deliver more.
They were right.
The constitution was ratified 108,613 to 81,734 - a majority of 26,879. Outside the Black Belt, the constitution lost, but in the plantation counties, ratification got the votes to turn the tide.
And what's the result? Hill Carmichael, a great-grandson of one of the signers - Archibald Hill Carmichael - is one of the leading proponents for constitution reform in Alabama. In a 2007 op-ed piece he said:
The 1901 Constitution is no more personal to me than it is to hundreds of local leaders in Alabama who cannot do what they know is best for their cities and counties without first asking Montgomery for permission.
- It is personal to the thousands of Alabamians who, as they struggle to make ends meet, are forced to pay absurdly high sales taxes on basic necessities like food, medicine and baby supplies.
- It is personal to the public schoolteacher who holds her breath and crosses her fingers every year, hoping and praying that our highly volatile tax revenues are high enough to avoid another year of proration and outdated textbooks.
- And it is very personal to the thousands of schoolchildren languishing in underfunded schools in the Black Belt, for whom the American Dream will be deferred until the adults decide to scrap a system of taxation that is doing exactly what it was designed to do: keep the wealthy landowners in their rural counties from paying their fair share of taxes.
The Constitution of 1875 wasn't great. It concentrated power in Montgomery, robbing cities and counties of local control. Indeed, in 1900, there was already grumbling that "local bills" consumed the Legislature's time instead of dealing with pressing state matters.
But the framers of the 1901 Constitution refused to fix even that. They took a bad document and made it even worse. And they made it almost impossible to change the system.
Thus, Alabama has been burdened throughout the 20th Century with a document that should have shamed people who lived hundreds of years before. It's 2010 and - look! - we still have it, and not a single candidate for governor is willing to be the champion for reform.
It's time for citizens to say no. Yes, Alabama has pressing issues: education, economic development, transportation.... and every single effort to address them on the state and local level is hamstrung by our 1901 Constitution. Until we fix it, the state will continue to be almost ungovernable and the political system resistant to citizens' initiatives and calls for reform. I'll let Hill Carmichael have the last word on this:
By our complacency, we reratify the 1901 Constitution every year. | <urn:uuid:f870a578-3cd2-4cb3-b6e6-ac15ee807df7> | {
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A Nash equilibrium of a game is a strategy combination such that no party can improve its situation by changing its strategy, assuming the complementary strategies of the other players stay the same. The strategies are said to be "mutual best responses." This Demonstration lets you examine 10 continuous strategy games and see the payoff surfaces of each of the players as well as the sum of the payoffs. These surfaces can be visualized in three dimensions or in two dimensions. The Demonstration also calculates "best response" curves for each of the players, shown in orange and blue, respectively, and projects the Nash equilibrium point onto each best response curve. The total payoff surface is colored green for those strategy combinations that would improve total wealth relative to that achieved at the Nash equilibrium. The "green zone" thus represents the strategy combinations that, if wealth were transferrable between the players through enforceable contracts, would be Pareto superior to the Nash equilibrium. | <urn:uuid:0ab7835a-a86d-4e6c-8945-c81a741f9444> | {
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Good news: there’s no such thing as one addiction gene that’s going to make you addicted to alcohol automatically. Genes are really complex. But research suggests there are a lot of different genes that make people more likely to develop an addiction (or a substance use disorder) in the future. That doesn’t mean that someone with a family history of alcoholism is going to develop an alcohol addiction. It’s just one of many factors.
In addition to your genetics (the nature in nature vs. nurture), there are a lot of environmental factors that influence (the nurture) whether you are likely to develop an addiction.
Let’s say your parents were addicted to alcohol, and as a result, they were mean and absent parents who called you names and missed out on your school plays. Maybe you developed low self-esteem and guilt, and then when you were an adult, you drank a lot to cope with those feelings. That’s the environment at work.
However, it’s also entirely possible that you reacted to that behavior differently and grew up too fast, cooking dinner and doing dishes since you were eight years old, and now you’re an adult that’s intolerant to alcohol use and codependent on parents you’re always trying to save.
Or anything in between. It’s impossible to take one person and know for certain how things are going to check out. We’re all a complex byproduct of our genetics and our upbringing, and none of us are the same.
If your parents drink a lot and it bothers you—even if you’ve moved out or are on your own—there are resources out there to help. You can seek individual therapy, or you can go to meetings specifically for family members, such as Al-Anon or Alateen. | <urn:uuid:4ff0dade-5c68-4c26-9866-8fb493fc3bfa> | {
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While analyzing NASA Hubble Space Telescope images of the Sagittarius dwarf irregular galaxy (SagDIG), an international team of astronomers led by Simone Marchi, Yazan Momany, and Luigi Bedin (biographies of whom are available on the Hubble Heritage website) were surprised to see the trail of a faint asteroid that had drifted across the field of view during the exposures. The trail is seen as a series of 13 reddish arcs on the right in this August 2003 Advanced Camera for Surveys image.
As the Hubble telescope orbits around the Earth, and the Earth moves around the Sun, a nearby asteroid in our solar system will appear to move with respect to the vastly more distant background stars, due to an effect called parallax. It is somewhat similar to the effect you see from a moving car, in which trees by the side of the road appear to be moving much more rapidly than background objects at much larger distances. If the Hubble exposure were a continuous one, the asteroid trail would appear like a continuous wavy line. However, the exposure with Hubble's camera was actually broken up into more than a dozen separate exposures. After each exposure, the camera's shutter was closed while the image was transferred from the electronic detector into the camera's computer memory; this accounts for the many interruptions in the asteroid's trail.
Since the trajectory of the Hubble spacecraft around the Earth is known very accurately, it is possible to triangulate the distance to the asteroid in a manner similar to that used by terrestrial surveyors. It turns out to be a previously unknown asteroid, located 169 million miles from Earth at the time of observation. The distance places the new object, most likely, in the main asteroid belt, lying between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Based on the observed brightness of the asteroid, the astronomers estimate that it has a diameter of about 1.5 miles.
The brightest stars in the picture (easily distinguished by the spikes radiating from their images, produced by optical effects within the telescope), are foreground stars lying within our own Milky Way galaxy. Their distances from Earth are typically a few thousand light-years. The faint, bluish SagDIG stars lie at about 3.5 million light-years (1.1 Megaparsecs) from us. Lastly, background galaxies (reddish/brown extended objects with spiral arms and halos) are located even further beyond SagDIG at several tens of millions parsecs away. There is thus a vast range of distances among the objects visible in this photo, ranging from about 169 million miles for the asteroid, up to many quadrillions of miles for the faint, small galaxies.
The team reported their science findings about the asteroid in the October 2004 issue of New Astronomy.
For additional information, contact: Yazan Momany, Department of Astronomy, University of Padua, vicolo dell'Osservatorio 2, I-35122 Padova, Italy, (phone) 39-049-827-8251, (e-mail) [email protected] .
Object Names: SagDIG, ESO 594-4
Image Type: Astronomical/Annotated
To access available information and downloadable versions of images in this news release, click on any of the images below: | <urn:uuid:0c893a9c-49e0-44b3-b76e-e0673551a60b> | {
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PART TWO: THE RENAISSANCE OF SLAVERY
By the year 1824 a change was becoming evident in the South that was to affect profoundly the course of southern thought in regard to her peculiar institution. The passing of the long Virginia hegemony was a sign that southern opinion was undergoing a revolutionary overturn, and that leadership henceforth would rest with men of a different philosophy. The humanitarian spirit that marked the thought of the preceding generation was dying out, to be replaced by a frank recognition of local economic interests. Expectation that slavery was on the way to natural extinction was yielding to the conviction that the system was too profitable to the South to permit its extinction, and this in turn bred an imperious desire to spread it westward to the Pacific. With this significant shift from apology to imperialism, it became clear to ardent pro-slavery men that lukewarm Virginians of the old tradition were not the spokesmen to entrust with the fortunes of the South, and leadership passed to the South Carolina school. In that momentous shift much was implied. It was more than a shift from Jefferson to Calhoun, from humanitarian idealism to economic realism. It marked the complete ascendancy of a small minority of gentleman planters over the inarticulate mass of southern yeomanry, and the assertion of the aristocratic ideal as the goal of southern society. It denied the principle of democracy as that principle was understood in the North and West, and it
rejected the new humanitarian spirit of western civilization.
It abandoned the Jeffersonian equalitarianism that was so deeply rooted in the southern mind from Kentucky to Georgia; it cast aside the agrarianism of John Taylor and the older Virginians; and it set up in place of these congenial conceptions the alien ideal of a Greek democracy. Most momentous still, it threw down the gauntlet to the ideals of the middle class, then in the first flush of a triumphant career, and in the armed clash that eventually resulted, it was destroyed by that class.
The intellectual capital of southern imperialism was Charleston, but its numerical strength lay in the Black Belt, with South Carolina to the east and Texas to the west, a compact territory the heart of which was Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. In this new -South that was rapidly passing through its frontier development, the patriarchal system of Virginia gave way to a system of Negro exploitation, more naked as it passed further westward. It was here that the proportion of slaves to whites was greatest; it was here that slave labor was most profitable; and it was here in consequence that the' slave economy was most militant. The Black Belt became the native habitat of the southern Fire Eater. In the late twenties and early thirties South Carolina provided the outstanding leaders of the new school; but the philosophy. of imperialism spread rapidly and western men came more and more to the front. George McDuffie and Bob Toombs, perhaps the boldest of the loquacious tribe of Fire Eaters; came from Georgia; Alexander H. Stephens was bred in the same turbulent state; L. Q. C. Lamar and Jefferson Davis were from Mississippi. For the most part self-made, products of a frontier environment, these western extremists had got from Jefferson little more than an assertive individualism that easily espoused the states-rights philosophy and prompted them to defend their immediate interests. It was this vigorous group that largely created the new southern psychology and prodded the southern mind along the path marked out for it to travel. Democratic in their attitude towards the white voter, middle class in their love of exploitation, they retained little of the spirit of the Virginia school.
The expansion of the South to the Gulf region came a generation later than the settlement of the Ohio valley. The Creek Indians who clung tenaciously to the rich lands of Mississippi were long an obstacle to the white advance, and the settlers filtered in slowly. Moreover the slave economy was ill fitted to the business of pioneering. It was difficult to transport Negroes and establish great plantations in a wilderness; there was too little security in a region that offered every temptation to the slave to run away. The plantation system could prosper only after a considerable degree of development had been effected and sufficient Negroes provided. On the other hand, the rich soil, virgin and productive, offered every inducement for large-scale production of cotton, tobacco and sugar. Here the economics of slavery could be fairly tested, and if the system were found to be profitable it would spread of its own impulse beyond the Mississippi, becoming more imperialistic with every extension, ambitious to seize Texas with its filibusters, looking as far as California and the Oregon territory for future expansion. But while planning for such expansion it must secure its strategic front at Washington, making certain that no rival economy should control the central government to its disadvantage. It was an ambitious program, but it was all implicit in the evident fact that slavery in the Black Belt proved to be profitable.
The explanation of this sudden prosperity of the Black Belt is a matter of familiar knowledge. Coincident with the first westward expansion of slavery came a revolution in the technique of the English cotton industry that brought about corresponding changes in southern agriculture. The production of cotton textiles in England had long been held back by the difficulty of spinning a fine and even thread. When this problem was solved at the beginning oŁ the century by the invention of new machines, the cotton industry at once developed amazingly, making heavy demands upon the supply of American raw materials. This supply in turn was greatly increased by the invention of the cotton gin, and the combined result of these inventions was an upheaval in southern agriculture. In the eighteenth century the southern staples were tobacco, rice and indigo; by 1825 the staples had become cotton, tobacco and sugar. Almost in a decade cotton had become king. In 1791, three years after Andrew Jackson settled in Nashville, the total export of cotton was only 200,000 pounds. In 1803 it had risen to 40,000,000 pounds, and by 1860 the export for the year was of the value of nearly two hundred millions of dollars. Such figures provide a sufficient explanation of the militant spirit of the slave economy after 1820. Here was an enormous vested interest, the economic life of the South, that could not suffer its present or future profits to be put in jeopardy by any political party on any pretext. Its well-being and its prestige were both at stake. The peculiar institution, which a generation before was commonly believed to be in the way of natural extinction, had the South by the throat.
It was the strategic weakness of the South that the spirit of exploitation, which following the peace of 1783 had spread through America like the itch, should there have assumed its most hateful form, far more revolting to the humanitarian sense and far less justifiable to uneasy consciences than wage slavery. With every extension the system became necessarily more brutal in exploitation. As new plantations were opened the natural increase of Negroes was inadequate to meet the pressing demands for slaves. Since the abolition of the traffic with Africa the occasional smuggling by venturesome runners-many of whom were respectable New England church members-had provided a totally inadequate supply of raw material; the price of slaves rose steadily, and this in turn led to increasing speculation in Negroes. Buying and selling by middlemen went on briskly, to the horror of northern humanitarians and the concern of southern. So brutal and open was the exploitation that Alexander H. Stephens--the kindest-hearted of men went so far as to advocate the reopening of the slave trade with Africa, as the lesser of the two evils. The better South hated what it could not help. Although the slave trader remained a social pariah with whom no gentleman would associate, his business was a necessary evil of the system and could not be eradicated.
The reaction of the slave system upon the southern people, both plantation masters and poor whites was wholly evil. The generous culture of Virginia failed to take root in the Black Belt. The development of the plantation system under hired overseers infected the masters, few in numbers and absolute in power, with an exaggerated sense of their own greatness. The aristocratic spirit of the Old Dominion had been tempered by a feeling of patriarchal responsibility that humanized the relations between master and slave, and more generous social contacts had created an admirable republican squirearchy. But in the frontier Gulf states the rapid expansion of the plantation system created an aristocracy given to swaggering, bourgeois in spirit, arrogant in manners. Republican simplicity was losing vogue and there was much loose talk about the superiority of the classes. It is said that when Alexander H. Stephens was appointed a delegate to the Confederate Convention at Montgomery, he refused to attend till he was assured that the jingoes would make no attempt to set up a monarchy. Gideon Welles is authority for the story that when news came to Washington of the secession of South Carolina, Mrs. Jefferson Davis was all aflutter: "She said she wanted to get rid of the old government; that they would have a monarchy South, and gentlemen to fill official positions" (Diary, Vol. II, p. 256). Such stories were probably the result of war hysteria; nevertheless they suggest a bias in the southern temper that reveals how far the new South had drifted from its Jeffersonian moorings.
Of this new South with its grandiose dreams of slave imperialism, fate selected Jefferson Davis to be the political leader and spokesman. The choice may have proved unfortunate, but it was logical. Much calumny has been heaped upon his name, but that is the common fate of partisans of lost causes. The real Jefferson Davis is to be sought in some mean between the extravagant adulation of his friends and the slanders of his enemies. Not a great man certainly; in no sense comparable to Lee or Stonewall Jackson or Alexander H. Stephens; he was very far from a petty or time-serving nature. As time softens the old animosities it reveals the features of a high-minded southern gentleman who possessed the virtues and the weaknesses of his race. Simple and austere in tastes, he was the product of a crossing of the southern Puritan with the aristocratic tradition of the Old Dominion. If he was not of the old cavalier stock he was a gentleman by instinct and training. His father was half Welsh, half English; his mother Scotch-Irish. He came of Revolutionary stock. After the war his father settled in Georgia and later removed to Kentucky, where the son was born in Todd County in 1808. While still a small child he was taken to Wilkinson County, Mississippi, where he was brought up on a plantation. Educated at Lexington, Kentucky, and at West Point, he proved a serious, capable student, who loved reading but possessed little intellectual curiosity. His ideas were few, but those he embraced he clung to with the tenacity of a strong nature. Resigning from the army after a few years of honorable service, he settled down as a plantation master. He was summoned from his isolation by the call for troops to serve in the Mexican campaign, went through several battles with unusual distinction, and proved himself an extremely able officer. With his military fame the path to political preferment was open and he demonstrated his ability in Congress. At the outbreak of the secession movement he was eager to receive the appointment as commander of the southern armies, but fate called him to the presidency of the Confederacy and he devoted his best strength unselfishly to the cause, only to find the accumulated bitterness of the North heaped upon his single head. It was an unhappy lot, but there was iron in him, and he bore it like a man.
Jefferson Davis was cut out of the same tough oak that fashioned John C. Calhoun. Hard and unyielding, tenacious of opinion, dictatorial, somewhat inclined to arrogance, he might break, but he would not bend. The Scotch-Irish stock was rarely genial or tolerant, and Davis possessed none of the seeming pliability of Lincoln that yielded the nonessentials to secure the essentials. Utterly lacking in humor and easy-going good nature, he offended by his very virtues. Profoundly Puritan, he was narrow and rigid, a legalist in temperament, proud and jealous of authority, Meticulously honest, he could not get on well with men; he quarreled with his generals and wore himself out trying to do everything himself. Politically he was a strict constructionist of the most rigid views. He refused to follow Calhoun into the camp of Nullification. His patriotism was extreme, and only a greater loyalty to his state made him an advocate of secession. At bottom he was a Jeffersonian and to the end of his life he was faithful to the principles of his party. Kindly and humane, he treated his dependents with singular consideration. He set up a curious little democracy amongst the slaves of his plantation, and his Negroes were devoted to him with rare loyalty. There was in his nature not the slightest trace of the exploiter; he was a patriarchal master after the old Virginia ideal, with no hint of the speculator or middleman. The background of his thought was agrarian and he shared with Jefferson a dislike for capitalistic industrialism. The President of the Confederacy may have been an unfortunate civil leader, but the slanders that so long clung to his name are only worthy of the gutter. The sin that he was led into was not counted a sin in his southern decalogue; it was the sin, not of secession, but of imperialism-a sin common to all America in those drunker times when the great West invited exploitation. | <urn:uuid:f293d154-d293-4c34-9048-e87ec6780fd1> | {
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Black Dog Syndrome has become an issue for many shelters and rescues across the nation. They are finding that darker colored dogs are less likely to be adopted compared to lighter colored dogs. One 12-year-old girl in Kansas is trying to help black dogs get a fair chance at being adopted.
According to the ASPCA any animal that is more than 65% black in color is affected by Black Dog Syndrome, in which people overlook them often for unfair reasons. “You can take two animals from the same litter, one a lighter color and one a darker color and the lighter one will get adopted faster, people will be more attracted to it and it’s really a terrible thing because these are all great animals that just need homes,” said Kansas Humane Society Director of Communications Jennifer Campbell.
There is no factual explanation as to why black dogs are overlooked, but there are many theories. Some people falsely think black dogs are more aggressive. Black dogs also don’t usually photograph as well, which puts them at a disadvantage with more and more people using the internet to look for potential pets. Whatever the reasons are the end result is that black dogs are harder to find homes for and they are often the first to be euthanized.
Madison Bell is a girl scout who volunteers at the Kansas Humane Society and feels strongly about helping bring awareness to Black Dog Syndrome. “It’s nothing to do with the dog,” said Bell. “People don’t want to put enough time and effort into seeing what this dog can really do.” The Kansas Humane Society has been trying to increase black dog’s appeal with little things like putting bright bandannas on them to help catch potential adopter’s eyes. “They’ve got the same personality as a white animal…they’re great dogs because they are dogs and that’s what I love about them,” said Bell.
Bell started the Black Dog Club at the Kansas Humane Society to try to raise awareness and encourage people to take a fair look at black dogs when they go to a shelter. A $25 donation to the Kansas Humane Society is all it takes to become a member. She was able to raise $1,3000 at the Kansas Humane Society’s Woofstock event this year. All the money goes to helping the dogs at the Kansas Humane Society. Bell plans to continue raising awareness about this issue with the Kansas Humane Society. Appropriately on Black Friday they will be having an event where all black animals are free for adoption from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Kansas Humane Society. | <urn:uuid:853e25f9-1669-4f02-8600-53a20f982a81> | {
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Turning conventional wisdom on its head, researchers have found that cannabinoids, the active agent in marijuana, may improve low-light vision of vertebrates by sensitising retinal cells.
The experiment was conducted in tadpoles and it is too early to say if cannabinoids have the same effect on human vision, but there is anecdotal evidence in scientific literature of cannabis ingestion improving night vision of Moroccan fishermen, the study pointed out.
"Our work provides an exciting potential mechanism for cannabinoid regulation of neuronal firing, but it will obviously be important to confirm that similar mechanisms are also at play in the eyes of mammals," said the paper’s senior author Ed Ruthazer, Professor at Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University in Canada.
The researchers used a variety of methods to test how tadpoles react to visual stimuli when they have been exposed to increased levels of exogenous or endogenous cannabinoids.
They found that, contrary to what they expected, activating cannabinoid signaling in tadpoles actually increased the activity in their retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), which are responsible for transmitting information about light detection from the eye to the brain.
Previous studies found that cannabinoids typically work to reduce neurotransmission, not increase it.
"Initially you distrust yourself when you see something that goes against widely held ideas, but we tried the experiment so many times, using diverse techniques, and it was a consistent result," Ruthazer said.
What the researchers found is that one class of cannabinoid receptor, known as CB1R, plays a role in the suppression of chloride transport into the retinal cells.
When the receptor is activated, chloride levels are reduced, which hyperpolarises the cell, making it able to fire at higher frequencies when stimulated.
For the tadpoles, this meant they were able to detect dimmer objects in low light than when they had not been exposed to increased levels of cannabinoids.
The findings were published in the journal eLife. | <urn:uuid:1052766b-1f43-422f-8dd4-2b3c88ad4c41> | {
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We live in the space between birth and death, between death and birth. For some, the span between our entrance into and our departure from the world is brief. Others are granted days that grow into years and decades. Parshat Bo reminds us how the life spans of individuals both mirror and challenge the life spans of nations and peoples.
Parshat Bo describes both the birth-pangs of the Jewish people and the directions for future generations to remember that birth. This third portion of the Book of Exodus includes the culminating and most devastating of the 10 plagues, the death of the first-born Egyptians. The portion concludes with directions to sanctify every first-born Israelite as part of the ritual remembrance of coming out of Egypt.
Parshat Bo is the second portion in the Torah named with a divine charge. God directed Abraham to "Go forth" in Lech Lecha. In Bo, God speaks to Moses and tells him to "Go" to Pharaoh. Both commands reverberate through Jewish history. Parshat Bo challenges Moses to stand before Pharaoh, that incarnation and symbol of evil, even though God has hardened Pharaoh's heart against Moses' pleas. What softens hardened hearts?
For some of us, it is joy when meeting a newborn child; for some of us, it is grief when a loved one's life slips away. Pharaoh's fear led him to decree the death of every infant Israelite boy. Will his heart break open when he is threatened with the death of his own first-born?
The biblical narrative juxtaposes two distinct stories: Moses' encounters with Pharaoh, and God's directions for the preparation for and the memorialization of the Exodus. In the shadow of impending death and destruction, God promises a future when pain will be only a memory. God establishes "the feast of unleavened bread" as "an institution for all time, for you and for your descendants."
Passover continues to bind Jews to one another, enabling us to reconsider, each year, how hardened hearts and the objectification of other human beings leads to the erosion of humanity, for both slaveowners and slaves themselves. Our annual commemoration of liberation from slavery, detailed for the first time in this portion, challenges every hardened heart. God asks: "And when, in time to come, a child of yours asks you, saying, 'What does this mean?' "
Parshat Bo instructs us to tell our children that we were slaves. The text makes it clear that the price of freedom is advocacy. Our celebration of freedom, essential to Jewish practice and identity since the Exodus, demands that those of us who live in freedom must work for freedom for all who are enslaved, in every land across the globe.
Can we, like Moses, follow God's directive and "Go," challenging systems and individuals that treat humans as chattel? Slavery continues to cripple millions in today's world, particularly in South Sudan. Can we, who inhabit this space between life and death, rededicate ourselves to working toward a society where every birth is celebrated as a gift and every death mourned as a loss?
As the sun begins to soften the earth in this new month of Shevat, may we work to soften and open our hearts, and honor the birth of our people by reclaiming our ancestors' dream: a world where no one is forced to serve another.
Watch Rabbi Joseph Polak's meeting with newly freed slaves in South Sudan:www.iabolish.org .
Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, Ph.D., serves as rabbi for the East District of the Union for Reform Judaism. Email her at: [email protected] . | <urn:uuid:c1a19183-fb51-478d-8523-e1858a3fbce9> | {
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Who was W.S. – Musario – Veritatis – Gentleman?
“TO THE MOST VER-tuous and learned Lady, my most dear and soveraigne Princesse ELIZABETH, by the Grace of GOD, Queene of England, Fraunce, and Ireland: Derfendresse of the Fayth.&c.,
. . . And although this be of itselfe so clear and manyfest that it cannot bee denied, yet could not I forbeare (most renowned sovereigne) being as it were, inforced, my your Maiesties late & singular clemency, in pardoninge certayne my undutiful misdemeanour, but seeke to acknowledge your gracious goodnesse and bounty towardes me, by exhibiting unto you this small and simple present . . .”
W.S. Gentleman, 1581. (1)
Thus saieth the prefatory epistle of one of the foremost sources of information on the social conditions of Tudor England, A Compendious or Brief Examination of Certayne Ordinary Complaints, of Divers of our Country Men in these Our Dayes. The Complaint, as it is often referred to, was before its time, about two hundred years. It is the first economic pamphlet written in English espousing the idea that, “economic forces and individual self-interest would, if freed and encouraged, contribute automatically to national prosperity and common well-being.” (2) It recognises the possibilities of free-trade as a viable economic system to distribute wealth and marry unlimited wants with limited resources. It does not go as far as advocating for the total removal of industry protection or government regulation but was making suggestions that could easily offend the Tudor monarchy and its advisers. The idea of free trade driven by self-interest as an economic model, would come into its own in the West in the mid 18th Century when Vincent de Gournay coined the term laissez faire, after reading Francois Quesnay’s writing on long debated Chinese views on government intervention. These views were expanded on by Adam Smith later that century.
The Complaint comprises three consecutive dialogues between a Doctor (representing scholars/clerics), husbandman (farmer), knight (landed class/aristocracy), a capper (artificer/tradesman) and a merchant. They all have grievances about the economy. The central concern is the great dearth (inflation) in spite of a lack of scarcity of crops; also the desolation of counties due to enclosures; urban drift, unemployment and riots; and the division of religion setting people against each other. Their grievances are aired. The reasons for their complaints are examined and solutions are suggested. Enclosures and the chase for greater lucre has led to more fields being used for particular crops rather than a variety of agriculture; the price of food is increased; the Capper can’t afford to pay his apprentices because they want too much; imports have risen and so has their cost; merchants are forced into debt to stay in business; and the knight is struggling under inflation as he is on a fixed income and isn’t able to raise his rents due to laws preventing this.
The Complaint went through many print runs. It is an important piece of writing. In the form in which it was originally printed in 1581, it was reprinted in 1751, 1808, 1813 and 1876. People wanted to know who wrote it. It’s recognized author has gone through many name changes. In 1751 William Shakespeare was said to have written it. In the early 19th Century, this attribution was challenged and a search for the true owner of the initials W.S. was made. William Stafford was found to have been proposed by Anthony a Wood (1632-1695). The attribution was convincing. Stafford was indeed granted clemency by the Queen for his Catholicism. Reprints of The Complaint were then made that included the original title page amended to include William Stafford’s full name. In 1876, The Complaint was reprinted for Furnivall’s, New Shakspere Society. It was shown that W.S. could not have been William Stafford as in 1581, Stafford was still a hidden Catholic. Furnivall searched the Domestic State Papers and found no notice of William Stafford in any plot against the Queen until 1587.
In 1893 it appeared in a longer, slightly different form, The Discourse of the Commonweal of this Realm of England. Essentially these two pamphlets are the same. The Discourse, however, is the proof that the work was composed far earlier than when it was first printed in 1581. It has been determined via textual references that The Discourse was written in August-September, 1549. These references include the mention of the Enclosure Commissions of 1548; the imposition of a tax on cloth that occurred in 1549; the August 6, 1549, ban on ‘stage plays, interludes, May games (and) revels’ ; and comments on the importation of counterfeit coinage, the scandalous carriage of old currency out of the country and the valuation of the angel at 30 groats.(3) The Complaint was found to be an edited version that brings the Discourse up to date with the results of the enactment of at least one of the recommendations of The Discourse i.e., the debasement of the currency had been reversed, yet inflation persisted.(4) It also addresses the Queen, whereas the earlier Discourse addresses the King.
Sir Thomas Smith (1512-1577)
Did the writer sit on the pamphlet for three decades and then decide to edit it for print? Did someone else edit it?. The Complaint attempts to change the relevant currency values that were applicable to English currency from when it was written to when it was printed 32 years later and fails. The Discourse cites the devaluation (debasement) of English currency for being a cause of the current inflation. By 1581, Elizabeth I had revalued her currency so the updated Complaint omits the dialogue regarding this and includes instead current thought based on the 1568/74 french economic work by Jean Bodin, La Reponse de Maistre Jean Bodin, where he blamed the influx of gold from the New World as the reason for inflation. By comparison to the rest of the pamphlet, this explanation is glossed over and not massaged from different angles as other points are.(5) Other variances occur with differences in the turn of phrases. The Compliant differs with curious additions and omissions from the originals, signature, conversational style
An example of an omission from the merchants speech in the first dialogue occurs when the merchant praises his father-in-law’s charitable works, stating, “And the custom of this city, how it was redeemed by my father-in-law of late.” W.S. drops this altogether for no apparent reason in the Complaint. Elsewhere in the first dialogue, W.S. makes a long addition to the Doctor’s speech on learning which appears in the following quote in italics:
“May we not through cosmography see the situation, temperature, and qualities of every country in the world? Yes, better and with less travail than if we might fly over them ourselves. For that that many others have learned through their travails and dangers they have left to us to be learned with ease and pleasure. Can we not also through the science of astronomy know the course of the planets above and their conjunctions and aspects as certainly as we were among them? Yes, surely that wee may: for tell mee, how came all the learned men heare to fore to the exact and perfit knowledge thereof? Came they not to it by conference and making of circumstances?(yes in deede), so that out of their writings we learned it.”
W.S. it seems felt very strongly about learning through the sharing of information, the reading and testing of that knowledge. This addition reads like a concurrence more than an afterthought.
Could W.S. have been the editor of a work by someone else?
If the writer and the editor were two different people, who were they? We know that the Discourse was controversial. Five scribal copies of it have survived.(6) A note on the Albany MS version of the Discourse informs us that it was knocked back from publication. In its original form it was regarded as too controversial for print. Who would write such a thing? The writer of the Discourse (as opposed to the editor of the Complaint) has this to say of himself:
“. . . albeit I am not of the King’s Council to whom the consideration and reformation of the same does chiefly belong, yet knowing myself to be a member of the same Commonweal and called to be one of the Common House where such things ought to be treated of, I cannot reckon myself a mere stranger to this matter; no more than a man that were in a ship which were in danger of a wreck might say that, because he is not percase the master or pilot of the same, the danger thereof did pertain nothing to him.”(7)
On the scribal copy owned by William Lambarde, that bares his name, there is a handwritten note that W.S. was not the author but it was most likely Sir Thomas Smith (1513-1577), Secretary of State during the reign of Edward IV or John Hales (1516?26?-1572), Clerk of the Hanaper. When the full Discourse was printed in 1893, its 19th century editor, E. Lamond, supported John Hales, as the author. Dewar deftly argues against Hales and for Smith.(8) To quote her:
” ‘The Authorship’ where these arguments are developed fully and a contrast is drawn between the Discourse and the known views of John Hales, e.g., his dislike of the civil law, his approval of active lay participation in Church affairs, his discouragement of the manufacture of cloth within the realm, his totally different explanation of the inflationary phenomena of the time, and above all his adherence to the traditional, ‘commonwealth’ view that the troubles of society arose solely from the greed of men for private profit which should be restrained by law.”
(Dewar p. xxiii, footnote 41)
Fundamentally, Hales strongly held belief that the dearth was a product of greed, conflicts with the Discourses progressive view that self-interest coupled with economic forces could help alleviate economic stress. She sees in Lamond’s argument for Hales a lack of understanding of the facts of Smith’s life. She asserts Smith on the ground that the conversational style of the dialogue reflects his other works and the content itself is echoed in his other writings, in particular his dislike of the debasement of the currency. Today, Smith’s authorship is often asserted in library records for this work.
If Sir Thomas Smith was the writer, who then could be the editor?
From the prefatory epistle and its omissions and additions e.g., a religious slagging that was inserted into the Complaint that does not appear in the Discourse we may confer certain attributes to the editor.
- W.S. was a Gentleman, i.e., he was upper class
- W.S. was given a royal pardon in 1581
- W.S. had sway with the Queen and/or her advisors to receive this pardon
- W.S. had access to the highly sensitive writings of Sir Thomas Smith, making him either a scribe, a student or a close family member/friend
- W.S. wasn’t an economist
- W.S. had a high regard for learning and scholarly pastimes
- W.S. had a penchant for tweaking phrases
- W.S. had a strong need to publically disparage the Pope and by association Catholicism at the time of printing.
Dewar proposed Sir Thomas Smith’s nephew and future heir, William Smith. William Smith on inheriting his uncle’s properties could be thought of as a gentleman. In 1580 he was summoned back from Ireland where he was trying to restore his Uncle’s properties in Ardes. That this activity would have invited the occasion that he would be in need of the Queen’s clemency is questionable. How much sway he had with the Queen or her advisers would have rested with his uncle if indeed his activities in Ireland required a royal pardon. After his uncle’s death in 1577, he inherited his uncle’s estate. His personal notebooks bare witness to his copying from his uncle’s writings in 1580. After seeing his notebooks, Dewar paints him to be quite dull-witted. She ascribes to him all that she sees that is clumsy in the text – the tweaking of phrases and the bad maths. She can’t imagine that he had the capacity to read the Frenchman, Bodin’s work and then update the Discourse with it. William Smith, did sign his name Wm. Smythe, Wm. Sm., and W.S.. He is not known to have had anything else printed. Nor does she mention him in relation to any Catholic plots that would require vindication and an affirmation of a dislike of the Pope, like in the case of William Stafford. William Smith, is not a perfect fit.
Edward Oxenford, 17th Earl of Oxford aka Edward de Vere (1550-1604)
W.S. says of himself with phrases amended from Sir Thomas Smith:
” . . . albeit I am not one to whome the consideration and reformation of the same doth especially belong; yet knowing my selfe to bee a Member of the same Common weale, and not to further it by all the ways that possibly I may, I cannot recken and account my selfe a mere straunger to this matter; no more than a man that were in a shippe, which being in daunger of wracke, might say, that because he is not the Maister or Pylate of the same, the daunger thereof doth pertayne nothing at all to him.”(9)
Is there a better candidate?
In consideration of the authorship of the songs by W.S. Veritatis could the Earl of Oxford, Edward Oxenford (aka Edward de Vere) have used the initials W.S. again to edit the Complaint? The Earl was definitely a Gentleman by class. He was given a royal pardon in 1581 after having been thrown into prison. He had committed two misdemeanours: impregnating one of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting; and being embroiled in a Catholic scandal. In renouncing Catholicism, the name-calling towards the end of the Complaint, is a public exorcising.(10) He had some sway with the Queen in his lifetime in that he was at one time one of her favourites and that his father-in-law was William Cecil, Elizabeth I’s closest adviser. Did he have access to Sir Thomas Smith writings? Sir Thomas Smith was his tutor. An economist he is not known for being, but he was fluent in French, was a patron of writers and had a variety of scholarly books dedicated to him. As for playing with phrases, he wrote a poem or two.
Mary Dewar believed that Sir Thomas Smith himself did the updating of the pamphlet in 1576, when he was said to have revisited the writings of his younger days. She believed William Smith then prepared it for print. She disliked the frenetic tweaking of phrases. In her opinion it is clumsy and obscures the meaning somewhat. I must disagree, as I found myself turning to the Complaint more often than the Discourse when I needed greater clarity in comparing the two versions.
Was Edward Oxenford, W.S. Gentleman?
Was W.S. Gentleman the editor of this pamphlet, the lyricist W.S. Veritatis, the pamphleteer W.S. of Tom Long’s Journey to London to Buy Wit or Bought Wit is Best, the playwright W.S. responsible for The Puritan Widow or The Widow of Watling St, The History of Thomas Lord Cromwell and the Tragedy of Locrine?
(1) Gentleman, W.S., A Compendious or Brief Examination of Certayne Ordinary Complaints, of divers of our Country Men in these Our Dayes, Thomas Marshe, 1581.
(2) Hughes, E., The Authorship of the Discourse of the Commonweal Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, XXI, 1937, p.168.
(3)Dewar, Mary, A Discourse of the Commonweal of this Realm attributed to Sir Thomas Smith, Folger Shakespeare Library, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1969, p.XIX.
(4) The Devaluation of the currency, or debasement, occurred when coins were minted with a greater alloy content and were not valued as highly overseas. The value of English currency fell.
(5)The Lambarde MS, held by University College, London ; Yelverton MS (BM Add MS48047 ff174-227); Bodleian MS (Add. C. 273); Hatfield MS; Albany (Phillipps)MS held by State University of NY. (Dewar)
(6) Dewar argues that the writer himself amended this section. I disagree in that it doesn’t display his indepth explanatory style.
(7)Dewar, Mary, A Discourse of the Commonweal of this Realm attributed to Sir Thomas Smith, Folger Shakespeare Library, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1969, p.11.
(8) Dewar, Mary,The Authorship of the ‘Discourse of the Commonweal’The Economic History Review, New Series, Vol. 19, No. 2 (1966), pp. 388-400.
(9) Furnivall, F.J. (ed.), William Stafford’s Compendious or Brief Examination of Certayne Ordinary Complaints of Divers of our Countrymen in these Our Dayes, New Shakspere Society, Series VI, No. 3, 1876, p.15.
(10) W.S. refers to the Pope through the Doctor’s speech in the third dialogue as, “that whore of Babylon.” ibid. p. 98. | <urn:uuid:61cbc538-4c89-4750-9b91-0f58d7655dcd> | {
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A1-The Great North Road
|The first map is Roman but it got lost. Fortunately it was copied in the 13th century and in this form is known as the Peutinger Table. Unfortunately the end of it which might have shown the Great North Road also got lost. But here's a bit from France anyway. The real thing is kept in Vienna.||
Extract of Peutinger Table reproduced from Kandaouroff
|About 1250, Matthew Paris, a monk at S. Albans, drew four maps of Britain based on earlier world maps for their outlines. While not actually showing the roads they contain an itinerary, drawn as a straight line, from Newcastle to London and on to Dover. Its route passed through St Albans, now a little west of the Great North Road, Doncaster, Boroughbridge, Northallerton and Durham. The maps are kept at the British Library but Richard Gough had them engraved and published in his British Topography Vol I in 1780.||
Gough's Paris Map
Here is Gough's description of the Paris Great North Road: Returning Southward through the centre of England we meet with Ripun [Ripon]; on a river Ponsfractus [Pontefract]; on the Dan, Danecast' [Doncaster]; then Blie' [Blythe], Neuwerc on Trente, Beawer [Belvoir-castle], Stanford on the Weiland, Leicest on the Sorey, Northaton, Dunestaple, Seus Albanus. Prim. [primus] fluvius Anglie, the Thames, is represented as rising from two sources, Yse and Tame. Cherewelle, on which is Oxonia, runs towards it from the North-west; and lower on the Thames is Walingford. On each side of London is this line:
Si pagina parteretur hic total insula longior esse debet.
From Durham to Dover is a line drawn like a road, and a branch of it from Dunstable to Leicester. Another such line runs from Peterborough to Chester.
Gough's British Topography is a massive compendium of the state of the subject in 1780. Not only does it contain fold out copies of the Paris maps, it is most famous for the inclusion of another medieval map that has come to be known as the 'Gough Map'. The original vellum is now kept at the Bodleian Library and you can buy a facsimile from their on-line shop for £15.
The original Gough Map from the Bodleian
The engraving published in Gough's British Topography
Click the thumbnail for a large version of this map.
It was probably drawn about 1360 but the author is unknown. It is very crudely drawn but seems to be the earliest map that shows roads connecting the towns. Quite a chunk of the Great North Road appears. Gough gives this accompanying account in British Topography:
The late Mr. Thomas Martin shewed to the same society (Soc. of Antiquaries) at the same time (1768) a map on vellum, which he supposed to be of the age of Edward III in which the names of London and York were distinguished by large gold letters. This map I purchased at a sale of his MSS, 1774, and shall subjoin the following account of it, to illustrate the copy made by Mr. Bafire, pl VI. It is drawn on two skins of vellum, in a style superior to any of the maps already described... The roads are marked by lines, and even the miles in each stage. But the greatest merit of this map is, that it may justly boast itself the first among us wherein the roads and distances are laid down.
The distances are given in miles, perhaps the old French miles of about 11/4 statute miles or maybe the local miles, which varied from area to area. As a collection of itineraries it is accurate, with places in the correct topological relationship to each other but there is little attempt at a maintaining a consistent scale. Nothing is known of its origin, purpose and use or its provenance before the Martin sale of 1768. Both the Paris and Gough maps are reproduced in Harvey's Medieval Maps.
Throughout the Medieval period and right into the 17th Century, most maps showed towns and villages but left the roads out. Christopher Saxton's county maps, published between 1574 and 1576 may have been the first comprehensive set of accurate maps of England. Saxton created a 21-sheet, 8 miles to the inch, map of England in 1583. John Norden improved them and in 1610, John Speed published his county maps. But most did not have the roads marked. It was not until 1689 to 93 that Philip Lea added roads to a new version of Saxton's Atlas. Before then one needed a 'road book' to find one's way about. Road books were descriptions of routes with lists of places and directions but not maps. Grafton in 1570 and Holinshed in 1577 wrote road books, both entitled Chronicles of Englande. Norden's 1625 road book, An Intended Guide for English Travelers was the first to include a triangular distance table. He also included some roads on his few county surveys.
In 1675 John Ogilby published the first really accurate set of road maps. He had the main roads accurately measured with a 'Wheel Dimensurator' or 'waywiser' and recorded places on route, junctions with side roads, rivers and hills. He used a scale of one inch to a mile, marking a dot every furlong along the road. The statute mile, defined as 1760 yards, was made legal in 1593 but had been adopted only around London and Westminster. The length of a mile was not at all standardised elsewhere. Smith quotes from a 1617 commentary: a common English mile makes one and halfe Italian, but towards the north, and in some particular places of England the miles are longer, among which the Kentish mile is proverbially held to be extraordinarily long. Ogilby's use of the statute mile did much to establish it throughout the country and the one inch to a mile scale became widely used in county cartography and eventually by the Ordnance Survey, having been established by the Act for the Uniformity of Measures in 1824. Ogilby's maps were published in an atlas named Britannia. Each map page had the road drawn, rather quaintly, as if on a strip of rolled paper, about two and a half inches wide, with compass roses showing the orientation of each strip. Pages with accompanying notes were interleaved with the maps. Britannia contains a hundred pages of strip maps and over two hundred pages of text
Ogilby's Britannia was printed on folio sized paper, 21" high and weighed over 4 pounds, so was hardly the travellers' pocket book but it was not until about forty years later, in 1719, that John Senex published a quarto (8" x 10") copy, this being soon followed, in 1720, by Emanuel Bowen's octavo (8" x 5") version named Britannia Depicta or Ogilby Improved. Map dealers, Richard Nicholson, have a nice biography of John Ogilby on their Antique Maps website.
Here are the plates for the Road from London to Barwick
Travel in the pre road map era must have relied on asking the locals, as is illustrated by Celia Fiennes. This from "My Great Journey to Newcastle and to Cornwall" of 1698. Whilst in Suffolk, she wrote: ...and generally the people here are able to give so bad a direction that passengers are at a loss what aime to take, they know scarce 3 mile from their home, and meete them where you will, enquire how farre to such a place, they mind not where they are then but tell you so farre which is the distance from their own houses to that place.
Celia Fiennes also comments on the pre-Ogilby variations of the mile: ...to Beckle which in all was 36 miles from Ipswich - but exceeding long miles - they do own they are 41 measured miles....
John Speed (c1552-1629) produced an atlas, in 1611, entitled The theatre of the empire of Great Britaine: presenting an exact geography of the kingdomes of England, Scotland, Ireland, and the iles adioyning: with the shires, hundreds, cities and shire-townes, within ye kingdome of England.
But Ogilby took measuring the miles seriously. Here are his notes from Plate IV of London to Berwick.
We brought you in Plate the 3rd to the City of York, whereof we there gave a short account; reckoning from the Standard in Cornhill London to Micklegate on the SouthWest of that City 192 Miles, and to the middle of the City about 192'4; By the direct superficial Protraction of the said road about 176 Miles; but the direct Horizontal distance not above 162 mile; This we mention, for that about 40 years ago Mr Norwood making the said Horizontal Distance 177 Miles, stated thence a degree of Latitude at 69'5 English Miles, which Mr Oughtred by an Angle to the centre of the Earth reduces to 66'25 and we incline to believe will not prove above 63 Miles; but hope shortly to adjust more accurately this important thesis.
|However great an advance in cartography is represented by Ogilby's map, it is pretty crude by comparison with Armstrong's version a century later. In 1776 he not only draws the line of the road much more accurately but also represents houses in their true positions and adds cross roads, rivers, hills shown by hachuring, Roman roads, battlefields with the crossed sword symbol etc. Compare these two examples from the Great North Road near Newark. I wonder if the 'Long' in Long Bennington came from Ogilby's exaggerated drawing!|
Captain Andrew Armstrong retired from the army in 1763 to set up a map-publishing business which his son, Mostyn, joined. Although best known for their large scale county maps, Mostyn intended to produce a series of road books, of which only the London to Edinburgh and London to Dover volumes were published.
Here's Armstrong's 1769 map of part of Northumberland. Thanks to Andy's North of England Page.
|In 1799 Thomas Reynolds published Iter Britanniarum, his translation and annotation of the Itinerary of Antonius, within which he gives this map of Roman roads. The Roman Great North Road from London through Royston, Lincoln, Boroughbridge and on to Hadrian's Wall is clearly marked. Click on the image to enlarge.|
John Cary (1754-1835) was the pre-eminent mapmaker and publisher of his time. A prolific output combined with new standards of draughtsmanship and copper engraving. His maps were functional, concentrating on content rather than decoration. Cary was engaged, in 1794, to measure the post and mail-coach roads for the General Post Office. These measurements were published in 1798 as his Itinerary. He produced several atlases. The New and Correct English Atlas of 1787 contained fine, quarto, county maps that gave special emphasis to the roads by distinguishing between major and minor roads. The smallest was the Traveller's Companion at just under 4 by 6 inches. It was first published in 1790 with later editions combined with the Itinerary.
Continuation of the roads to Glasgow & Edinburgh, as far as Longtown & Morpeth, with roads to Scarborough, Whitby, Sunderland, and South & North Shields.
|Creator (as stated on item):||[By N. Coltman,] B. Smith sc.|
|Place of publication:||London|
|Other publication given:||published... by Laurie & Whittle, No. 53 Fleet Street|
|Date of publication:||1815|
Contents description: map of Durham
county, with parts of Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmorland and Yorkshire.
Post roads from London are coloured buff; other main roads from London are
marked with a heavy black line. The stylised, artificially straight marking of
the roads may owe something to the strip map convention of the earliest road
atlases. Distances from the principal places to London are given. Text on map:
'The road from York through New Malton, to Scarborough; and that from New Malton,
through Pickering, to Whitby, are laid down on half the scale of the other roads
for the purpose of giving them in their proper places'
New edition of the map originally published 12 Feb. 1806. Plate 21 from Laurie and Whittle's New traveller's companion, edition uncertain.
Thomas Moule was a writer on topography and heraldry and a bookseller. He produced a series of steel engraved county maps in the 1830s, notable for their decorative embellishments and vignettes at a time when such decoration was going out of fashion amongst the mapmakers.
Joshua Archer's county maps from the 1840s contrast starkly with Moule's, being plain and functional.
Tourist Approaches from the South. For the country north of Yorkshire and Lancashire the best road is undoubtedly the Great North Road from London to Doncaster, and this road should be chosen if at all convenient. For Newcastle go by Boroughbridge... So reads Harry Inglis' little book, The 'Contour' Road Book of England. It was published in 1911 and seems to have been written for tourists with motor cars at a time when motoring was still quite adventurous and hills had to be taken seriously. It describes itself as, A Series of Elevation Plans of the Roads, with Measurements and Descriptive Letterpress. With 500 Diagrams and Maps. The quality of road surface and gradients were of particular concern but 'Principal Objects of Interest' along the routes are also listed, albeit, briefly.
Click on this thumbnail to see Inglis' description of the Great North Road between York and Newcastle.
A great resource on maps and their makers is the online book, Antique Maps by Carl Moreland and David Bannister. Chapter 5 on road maps and Chapter 15 on English map makers are of particular interest. Antique Maps of the British Isles by David Smith is a fine reference book.John Warburton
According to the Blanchard Family History Society: In 1731, John Warburton, Somerset Herald (1682-1759) went on his famous tour of Yorkshire, noting all the landed and armigerous families of the county. The following year he produced his magnificent map of Yorkshire showing all the seats of the gentry in the County, and emblazoned around the map were hundreds of coats of arms of the families, referenced to the various seats.
The following was gleaned from Talking History: In 1749, Nathaniel Hill engraved two maps for John Warburton, Middlesex which is dated 1749, and Hertfordshire which is undated. At about the same time, Hill published a map of the country between Newcastle, to mark a proposed new route between these towns, but the map also included much information on the Roman antiquities of the region, particularly Hadrian's Wall. It is worth remarking that Warburton published a map of Northumberland in 1716, in which he included much information on Roman remains, and in 1753, Warburton published a book 'Vallum Romanum' covering much of the same ground, and Hill's map may be related to Warburton's activities. Warburton, John (16821759). Vallum Romanum: or the history and antiquities of the Roman wall, commonly called the Picts wall. 1753. The map of Yorkshire, by John Warburton, Somerset Herald, F.R.S., F.S.A., was made to a scale of two and a half miles to an inch from a survey by compass bearings and measured distances, the field books of which remain among the Lansdowne MSS. in the British Museum. Several volumes (Lansdowne MSS. 909-914) of Warburton's notes and memoranda contain references to Roman roads, and show that his map was produced after observation in all parts of the country. He had previously surveyed the Roman wall, and had published a map of Northumberland from actual survey, upon which Roman roads are laid down. The map of Yorkshire was published by subscription in 1720. A note on it says that The Roman military ways are shown by two unequal black lines, and when discontinued or broken off are not visible." The map shows that the meaning is that a pair of lines, a thick and a thin line, indicate a Roman road visible, and where the lines are broken, the road is not visible. Warburton's map is now very scarce, but there are copies in the Bodleian Library, and in the Bradford Free Library. A map of Yorkshire by Overton and Bowles, 1728, and other maps of the Ridings published about 1750 by E. Bowen, are evidently copied from it, the curiously expressed notes relating to Roman roads being repeated verbatim, except that a reference by Warburton in one of them to his map of Northumberland is omitted.
Warburton's map of Yorkshire shows roads in great detail. Only forty-five years since Ogilby's Britannia but this is a much more sophisticated map. Warburton was particularly interested in the Roman Roads, drawing them clearly but not always quite accurately, assuming that they were even straighter than they really were. An example is seen just north of Scotch Corner. He also marks Ricknield Street. A striking feature of the way Warburton has drawn the Roman roads is that they seem to be superimposed on a landscape with an existing road network that is largely independent of the Roman roads. It is as if the Roman roads had been abandoned and a new network had evolved, sometimes with roads running pretty much in the same direction. This is particularly evident in the Leeming lane / Dere Street section between Boroughbridge and Scotch Corner. Warburton's map suggests that by 1720 the Roman roads had been abandoned in favour of a local network. By 1776 Armstrong's relatively accurate map shows Leeming Lane being used on the old Roman line. Had the Roman road been reinstated or is Warburton grossly misleading? In other respects the Warburton map is inconsistent in its reliability, with some details precisely matching the existing geography while elsewhere it is miles out.
Tithe Farm Bed & Breakfast
B & B Lincolnshire B&B
©Biff Vernon 2001, 2002, 2003 | <urn:uuid:8d3420f3-a0c5-4967-a7bf-5db3be5bea25> | {
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Our BatchGeo world MAP shows the locations of green architecture, green building and renewable energy projects featured on Solaripedia.
A 2.2-mile (3.6-kilometer) long tunnel crossing Antwerp in Belgium is fitted with 16,000 245W solar panels covering 50,000 square meters, roughly eight soccer pitches. The project, known as the "Solar Tunnel", was the first railway infrastructure project in Europe used to generate green energy. Switched on in June 2011, the project supplies 3300 GWh of electricity annually, enough to power 4,000 trains -- the equivalent of a full day's worth of Belgian rail traffic. The electricity produced by the installation is used to power railway infrastructure, such as signals, lighting and the heating of stations. It also powers the trains using the Belgian rail network. Enfinity, the U.S based company the developed the project, said it would decrease CO2 emissions by 2,400 tons per year. The tunnel was originally built to protect trains from falling trees as they pass through an ancient forest. The installation covers a total surface area of 50,000m² (538,000 ft2). The high-speed international trains that travel through the tunnel link Paris and Amsterdam. By using electricity generated on-site, energy losses and transport costs are expected to be eliminated. Engineers began covering the 50,000 square meter surface area of the roof of Belgium's HSL4 high-speed rail tunnel with monocrystalline solar panels (rated at 245 Wp per panel) in the summer of 2010. The panels were installed using a special ballast tile structure that negates the need for rooftop perforations. Enfinity reports that the installation generates an estimated 3.3 GWh of electricity per year - equivalent to the average annual electricity consumption of nearly 1,000 homes. The cost of the project was around US$20 million in 2010-2011. The objective is to make rail travel by Belgian Railways more environmentally friendly.
Belgian Solar Tunnel Is an International “Milestone”
Posted on 28 October 2011 by Premier Construction
Infrabel, the firm responsible for building and maintenance of the Belgian rail network, embarked on a major initiative to build a 3.4km high-speed rail tunnel on the Brussels Amsterdam line. Crossing through swathes of dense forest, running past residential areas and alongside a highway, it was necessary to construct a tunnel around the track in order to protect people and wildlife, safeguard the railway from falling tress and to reduce noise pollution.
But when the structure was completed in 2009, it was not the end of the journey, as a spark of inspiration struck Luc Martens of Solar Power Systems (SPS), leading to an innovative project carried out on a grand scale: the Solar Tunnel was born.
He described the moment a thought flashed through his mind, as he took he daily commute through the tunnel: “Having watched the construction of the tunnel, creating 50,000m2 of flat space, a light bulb of inspiration switched on: why could the tunnel not be used to create green energy?”
Though it was originally his idea, Mr Martens also credits Richard Marcelis of Infrabel with “the commitment, knowledge and drive” which took the idea through to realisation, saying “I have the highest esteem and gratitude for him.”
Chloé van Driessche, spokeswoman for Infrabel, explained to Premier Construction how the project progressed.
Once the contacts between SPS and Infrabel had been established by the end of 2008, Infrabel undertook the necessary feasibility studies regarding the ecological impact of the project and the financial situation. When it was confirmed that the solar tunnel could become a reality, the partnership was cemented by the creation of the company SPS Fin.
SPS Fin is an incorporation of Infrabel, Enfinity and the financial departments of the communities of Schoten and Brasschaat where the tunnel is located. Enfinity are a large Belgian-based, international firm who provided a large portion of the finance, as well as design, engineering, site-co-ordination and now maintenance services.
“The installation was quite easy because there is just one flat platform to work on. Actually, we stood on the roof at a press event in September 2010 and the workers were progressing so quickly that we were asked to move because we were in the way.”
By December, installation was complete and the solar farm operational and connected.
However, at this point it was only wired up to the rail infrastructure services, meaning that the energy was only used to power lighting, screen displays, heating and signaling. It was in June 2011 that a new connection was created so that the energy was powering trains, both standard and high-speed.
The energy is now distributed and managed by Infrabel, who buy all the generated electricity and then sell it on to the companies who use it. In Belgium there are three companies who run the railway networks: Infrabel, who are responsible for the infrastructure; SNBC who operate the train services; and SNBC Holdings who run the main stations and manage the administration for all three companies.
Miss Van Driessche explained that each of these firms required the generated energy for their operations.
She also said that using the solar energy to actually power the trains was a momentous step forward:
“This is a milestone for Belgium and for the whole of Europe,” she said. “People have talked about the possibility of solar-powered trains for years, but with the idea of putting solar panels on the train. Now we have solar trains but without having to do any work on the actual trains, which is a big advantage. Also, the trains can run on a normal electricity supply at night.
“When people get on a train they are travelling in an ecologically friendly way because they are using public transport, but it does still use a lot of energy so we hope to continue in making that energy-use greener.”
She said that the Solar Tunnel had received great support from the local communities in the municipalities of Schoten and Brasschaat, but said that Infrabel hoped the enthusiasm for green energy would spread further within the Belgian rail network and internationally.
“We are considering carrying out other similar projects,” she said, “but we can’t comment on them now because we still have lots of feasibility studies to do. There is no other site which offers such a great opportunity as the tunnel, but there are many other projects that we are looking into.”
Other types of green practices that Infrabel are looking into include wind power, better insulation and also the way that they recycle materials when carrying out repairs.
Furthermore, the Solar Tunnel has received great interest from the international community, and Miss Van Driessche said that Infrabel are hoping to see authorities in many more countries exploring similar possibilities.
“This is a very interesting story,” she said, “and a project that progresses very quickly. Obviously you have to look at the individual situation in each country, but we hope that this will generate other ideas.”
“Solar is a relatively new technology on this scale”, said head of Enfinity UK Bart van adding that it still needs some incentives.
“However, photovoltaic generating costs have fallen by 30% to 40% in the past three years, and it is hoped that more large scale developments will bring further cost reductions so subsidies are not required for similar projects by 2015-16; according to van Renterghem, parity has already been achieved in southern Italy, where there is more sun” he added.
Infrabel is responsible for the management, maintenance, renewal and development of the Belgian railway network. The company is also responsible for train routes allocation for all Belgian and foreign operators. Infrabel was established on 1 January 2005, when Belgian Railways was broken up, and is part of the SNCB Group. The company now employs some 12,500 people with a turnover of approximately 1 billion euro (2009).
The company’s mission is to provide railway operators with a competitive railway infrastructure, which is well adapted to both current and future demands.
It aims at making an active contribution to provide lasting mobility within the European railway network, thus benefiting the economic and social development in Belgium.
In order to make Belgium the hub of Europe, Infrabel aspires to: Introduce optimal reliability and accessibility across the network; develop high performance technology and ensure the highest possible level of integration with other transport modes.
Enfinity is an established leader in renewable energy.
Enfinity develops, finances, constructs and operates photovoltaic solar and wind energy plants. Besides its own project development, Enfinity sells integrated solar installations to companies and individuals and acts as an EPC contractor. Founded in Belgium, Enfinity has operations and projects across Europe and has expanded into North America and Asia-Pacific.
Enfinity has five business divisions: Develop, Invest, Technics, Trade & Power
Enfinity Develop is an important international player in developing renewable energy projects including photovoltaic energy (PV systems) and wind energy.
Enfinity Develop has evolved a very strong competence in sustainable approaches for renewable energies implementation.
Enfinity Invest has developed a leading international position in financing solar and wind energy projects. Its extensive experience, strong international network and good reputation with financial institutions and investors make Enfinity Invest a reliable and professional player in the renewable energy industry.
Enfinity Technics delivers and installs large solar power installations for the business market and has a broad knowledge of and extensive experience in various technologies in the field of solar power installations.
Enfinity Trade delivers ready-made solar energy plants for the residential and business market.
Inspired Energy: Solar Power Systems
Solar Power Systems was incorporated by Luc Martens in 2008, and after just three years now turn over €21 million as they pursue what Mr Martens calls their “mission”, to install PV panels on everything from domestic and commercial buildings to vast projects like the solar tunnel, where they adopt a holistic approach.
Currently, Solar Power Systems install solar panels on five homes in an average day and on one business’s buildings a month. However they report a significant increase in interest since their involvement on the solar tunnel, with lots of customers seeking them out a reliable partner for their PV investments, which many see as the prize possession on their property.
Mr Martens says that the high-profile solar tunnel has impacted dramatically on the importance that Belgians ascribed to green energy, saying is has also “raised awareness of the importance of qualified suppliers and where to find them.”
Solar Power Systems have certainly proven their credentials as a driver behind the solar tunnel. They prepared the functional, technical and organisation road books as well as filing for the available subsidies necessary for the work to take place.
Now their innovation and experience is spreading the inspiration through the Belgian population and marking them out as the foremost supplier in the industry.
Luc Martens says that the firm is eager to continue to push both its own growth and the increase in renewable energy in Europe: “We are analysing further collaboration with the partners of this beautiful project,” he says, adding, “SPS is constantly looking for partners to continue our exponential growth and to ensure the future of generations to come.”
E-morrow is primarily a construction company that is currently focused on Belgium; however it aims to expand outside of Europe. They install a wide range of solar panels, including monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous solar panels.
Jurgen Himschoot from E-morrow said: “We will be an EPC contractor, we will do engineering procurement, and we will construct complete renewable energy packages – wind energy, biomass installation, solar panels, you name it.”
E-morrow played a very important role in the Solar Tunnel project. They executed the DC connection for the project, installing 16,000 modules on the tunnel roof over a length measuring 3.5km. These solar cells will supply enough energy for 4,000 trains a year.
Jurgen Himschoot said: “We are an organised and flexible company. We do the thinking together with the customer, and want to share our knowledge with our clients.
E morrow is a company of healthy contrasts: we have tons of experience, but our ideas are always fresh and innovative. We are a young company, yet pioneers in our profession. We have a solid foundation, but are always in search of greater efficiency. In short: we’re always on the move – for your business and your customers.
Together, we’re heading for a bright future.” | <urn:uuid:7da4f2ee-74ef-4c95-ae23-b1bfcb94b46e> | {
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- Resource Centers
Insomnia is a common problem for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Research has shown that daytime drowsiness because of insufficient sleep can lead to learning and attention problems.
A new clinical trial, posted November 2005 on the www.clinicaltrials. gov Web site, is recruiting children and adolescents with ADHD-related insomnia. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of a nonstimulating drug, atomoxetinewhich is indicated for the treatment of ADHDon ADHD-related insomnia. A majority of drugs indicated for the treatment of ADHD symptoms in children and adults are stimulating and can aggravate sleep problems. There is evidence that the trial's drug may improve sleep in children with ADHD. | <urn:uuid:8db19c87-fd32-4890-bfca-964116270132> | {
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Catching ZZZs: Study Reveals Brain ‘Takes Out Trash’ While We Sleep
In findings that give fresh meaning to the old adage that a good night’s sleep clears the mind, a new study shows that a recently discovered system that flushes waste from the brain is primarily active during sleep.
, which was published Oct. 17 in the journal Science
, reveals that the brain’s unique method of waste removal—the glymphatic system—is highly active during sleep, clearing away toxins responsible for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders. The findings could transform scientists’ understanding of the biological purpose of sleep and point to new ways to treat neurological disorders.
Suddenly craving a better night’s rest? Sleep medicine expert Dr. Wilfred Pigeon offers the following tips:
Maintain a regular bedtime as much as possible—and avoid naps. Sneaking some sleep on the side might feel good at the time, but can backfire, sometimes making it tricky to sleep later on.
As much as possible, avoid stimulating activities immediately before bed. That includes channel and web surfing, exhausting mental feats and, of course, physical exercise.
Keep the bedroom reserved for just sleep and sex—not lounging or watching TV.
Perhaps the best sleep tip: Get enough of it! While we’re quick to spout off eight hours as the magic amount of adequate sleep, the truth is the numbers are actually a bit fuzzy. Much depends on how sleep quantity is measured—and actually, several large surveys have found the overall average sleep duration to consistently clock in at just about seven hours per night. What’s more, it might be that we play catch-up on weekends, so not all nights are created equal.
Sleep, of course, is crucial to health—and life.
Chronic deprivation can diminish the production of growth hormone, and even disturb one’s ability to learn and recall information. In fact, over a relatively short time—just a week—the effects of nightly partial sleep deprivation can lead to performance reductions on cognitive and motor tasks that are right on par with the kind of decreases we observe in people with blood alcohol contents of 0.10 percent (that’s above the legal driving limit in all U.S. states).
At the extreme, prolonged total sleep deprivation in laboratory rats has been shown to weaken their ability to fight infection and regulate body temperature—and in drastic cases, has led to death in a matter of weeks. Although this may seem dramatic, it goes to show just how vital sleep is to life.
Wilfred R. Pigeon, PhD, is the author of "Sleep Manual: Training Your Mind & Body to Achieve the Perfect Night’s Sleep," and directs the Sleep and Neurophysiology Research Lab at the University of Rochester Medical Center. To learn more about the facility, click here, or call (585) 275-2900.
Lori Barrette |
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Why did the Government lie about the bombing of Darwin? FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS
HISTORY YEAR 10
•World War II
Case Study Resources
- Teacher Guide
- Print Resources (PDF)
- Downloadable High Quality Video
Case Study Overview
Students investigate one of the most significant episodes in Australia’s Second World War experience. Why was the bombing of Darwin ‘hushed up’ by the government? Was there a warning that was ignored? Was there looting and cowardice by soldiers? Was 19 February 1942 Australia’s ‘great day of shame’? Students visit the sites, analyse the maps, interrogate witnesses, sequence the events, and come to their own conclusions.
An interactive entitled, The bombing of Darwin, is also available for this case study.
Case Study unit of work inquiry structure (pdf)
- Teacher’s Guide
- Activity 1: Fire! What do you do?
Understanding the main concept(s) raised in the case study
- Activity 2: Images of war
Examining the strengths and weaknesses of photographs and a painting as evidence
- Activity 3: Video visit
Looking at the video segment of this case study and answering questions about it
- Activity 4: An inquiry
Examining the behaviour of key people during this event using a variety of evidence
- Activity 5: Was it right for the government to lie?
Determining arguments for and against the government’s decision to lie about the bombing of Darwin
- Activity 6: Creating images in wartime
Assessing four paintings of the event
About the Interactive
The bombing of Darwin
It is February 1942. A Japanese attack on Australia is expected. Can you prepare Darwin’s defences and
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