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Makam Gwang Tupuni
(Makam will triumph, Makam will rule, Makam will be the King)
Benjamin Gondaimei *
79th Death Anniversary of Haipou Jadonang on 29 August 2010 :: Pix - Rhingamlung Lamlee Kamei
Makam gwang tupuni was the slogan made by Haipou Jadonang, the vision, dream and ideology behind the slogan can be seen to some extent. Reference could be made to Zeliangrong movement which was inspired by the idea of safeguarding their land, people and unity as anti-bristish.
The movement of Zeliangrong which at first known as kacha Naga and kabui, was a counter product of British colonial rule. In 1891 the British conquered Manipur in the first Burmese war and then they compel the tribes to pay house tax direct to the govt( a tax which was never paid to the ruler of Manipur), supply free labour and provide travelling allowances in the form of cash and food for the touring officials.
Haipou Jadonang came forward to speak against the apathy of the British govt and he raised the voice freeing his tribals from the oppressive hold of the British and kuki who were both labelled by him as outsiders. He created the movement for social unity among the Zeme, Liangmai, Rongmei and Inpui and advised the people to abandon irrational social religious customs by taking them as empire.
It is also known as the Heraka cult with the object of creating Naga Raj, he organised his people and committed raid on the offices and treasuries. It is a scheme of countering the empire evading the people to conform to imperialist ways of living.
Identity: The Makam (ZLR) are the people who have distinct and unique history. Their ways of life are seen through their culture and traditions. Makam Gwang tupuni was a fight against the foreign force who tried to topple over the identity of the Makam by trying to enforce their way of life terming themselves to be of higher breed with their chauvinistic life style. The Makam also has a role to play on their soil and contribute to the world system with their distinct history that makes the world beautiful.
When the Britishers came to the land of Makam, Haipou could have already foreseen the impending danger of exploitations and endangering the identity of the people by the presence of the colonialist who wipe out the culture and traditions of the people and subjugate the people in their own interest and enforce them the foreign culture and ways of life.
Makam Gwang tupuni is a struggle for the identity and dignity of the people and humanization was the aim to let the people live a egalitarian community, peaceful existence and common wellbeing.
Socio-Economic: The Makam has a rich culture and customs in their everyday life. There is no social stratifications like the social class system that exist in the European countries. The Makam are also self satisfying and self sufficient people. The Land of the Makams has rich natural resources. Haipou having the vision for the Makams have resisted the colonialist to prevent them from exploitations of our rich resources. The resistance was to prevent the colonialist to control over the economy of the Makams.
The resistance was to throw the intruders out of the land and teach them that there is an owner over the land and owner over the resources of the land. Inspite of being rich in terms of natural resources and manpower, the Makam economic system was exploited by the British and controlled. Political and economic exploitation by the British colonial power have deprived their rightful claims.
Political: The polity of the Makams is very democratic who valued the existence of self-governance. The art and culture are part and partial the ways of life to the polity of the Makams. The colonialist came upon the Makam imposing their dominant and destructive pattern of govt who tried to subjugate the Makams. The imposition of outside rules to the Makams would have made them a second citizenship in their own land.
Haipou resisted the foreign rule with bravery fighting to safeguard his people and land against the mighty British. His resistance is a search for decentralization of power basing on socialism and communitarian existence and governance of the villages. The Naga raj movement have paved the way to Naga Nationalism with a view to creating a new nation foe the Makams independent and free. The politics of the people is about the politics of group identity and politics of resource preservation.
Religio-Cultural: The religion of the Makam still exists today, though in a modified form. In the daily life of the people there is no between what is sacred and secular for the people. The religion is well relatively knitted with the worldview they live. Religion and culture are the two sides of the same coin. The people have rich cultural heritage. Preservation of makam Culture and religion is the vision of haipou.
The imposition of the colonialist religion and worldview would destroy and wipe out the religion of the Makam leaving the people without identity. The Makams are scattered to different parts of their regions. It is a movement towards socio-cultural preservation and political unity to resist the empire.
Makam Gwang Tupuni as an Ideology of Resistance: Haipou setting up to resist the foreign domination, the Makam itself is a source of resistance who don't bow to the tyrant rule of the colonialist. The Makam are naturally free people who govern themselves for themselves in their own land. The Makams are the owner of the land they live, the protector against any intruders.
Makam Gwang Tupuni literally means; Makam will triumph, and it signifies that Makams don't tolerate on people who come to rule over them and resistance is the sole right to let their people live in freedom. The watch-word Makam Gwang Tupuni is a resistance tools used to fight the mighty British. If the British continue to rule the people, the land would have face acquit poverty. It is also a movement in solidarity with the poor which would have face marginalisation and impoverishment of the Makams.
It is a movement to liberate from personal and social sin, a fight for a new society an alternative society to capitalism. The Makam Gwang tupuni is not an Utopian dream but should be realized here and now. It is now our sole responsibility to carry through the dream of Haipou to greater meaning. Makam Gwang tupuni cannot be reduced to mere meanings, but Haipou could have seen and dream the slogan into a wholistic approach where every Makam land and people should be free from exploitation and subjugation.
The dream of self-rule and transformation of the people to greater height, peace and justice prevails among us. The victory slogan of Haipou should carry us to widen our approaches meeting the needs of our people. A land free from corruption, killing among us, a society built on truth, justice, love, brotherhood, equality and unity and that's where we will sing the victory song.
* Benjamin Gondaimei wrote this article for e-pao.net
The writer can be contacted at bgondaimei(at)gmail(dot)com
This article was posted on February 20, 2013
* Comments posted by users in this discussion thread and other parts of this site are opinions of the individuals posting them (whose user ID is displayed alongside) and not the views of e-pao.net. We strongly recommend that users exercise responsibility, sensitivity and caution over language while writing your opinions which will be seen and read by other users. Please read a complete Guideline on using comments on this website. | <urn:uuid:3210a7db-ec2f-4b9d-b333-dbee207db08b> | {
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If a page can have 27 items printed on it and number of items can be any positive number then how can I find number of pages if I have number of items, I tried Modulus and division but didn't helped.
FYI, I am using C# as programming platform.
If I understand the question correctly, isn't the answer just the number of total items divided by 27 and then rounded up?
If you had 54 total items, 54/27=2 pages, which doesn't need to round.
If you had 100 total items, 100/27=3.7 which rounds up to 4 pages.
If you had 115 total items, 115/27=4.26 which rounds up to 5 pages.
I'm not sure if I understood you correct. Assume you have int "items" that express the quantity of items to be printed.
wholePages expresses how much whole pages will be printed, totalPages tells on how many pages you will print something. "totalPages" is calculated in easy way; it can be made shorter
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Vol. 17 No. 25
SUMMARY OF THE NINTH MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS:
8-15 NOVEMBER 2005
The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP9) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was held from 8-15 November 2005, at the Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, Uganda. The theme of the Conference was “Wetlands and water: supporting life, sustaining livelihoods.”
Nearly 1000 participants representing 120 Contracting Parties, as well as a number of observer states, UN agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, attended the meeting. COP9, the first Ramsar COP held in Africa, adopted 25 resolutions on a wide range of policy, programme and budgetary matters, including: additional scientific and technical guidance for the implementation of the Ramsar wise use concept; engagement of the Convention in ongoing multilateral processes dealing with water; the Convention’s role in natural disaster prevention, mitigation and adaptation; wetlands and poverty reduction; cultural values of wetlands; and the emergence of avian flu. The COP also adopted the Convention’s budget and Work Plan for the 2006-2008 triennium, and reviewed its Strategic Plan 2003-2008. During COP9, there were two technical sessions on the wise use of wetlands in integrated water management and culture and knowledge in wetland management as well as an informal Ministerial Dialogue, organized by the Government of Uganda. Participating ministers adopted the Kampala Declaration, which emphasizes the role of the Convention in arresting continuing loss and degradation of wetland ecosystems.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RAMSAR CONVENTION
The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (also known as the Ramsar Convention) was signed in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971, and came into force on 21 December 1975. The Convention provides a framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Originally emphasizing the conservation and wise use of wetlands primarily to provide a habitat for waterbirds, the Convention has subsequently broadened its scope to address all aspects of wetland conservation and wise use. This shift in focus reflects the increasing recognition of the importance of wetlands as ecosystems that contribute to both biodiversity conservation and human well-being. Wetlands cover an estimated nine percent of the Earth’s land surface, and contribute significantly to the global economy in terms of water supply, fisheries, agriculture, forestry and tourism.
The Ramsar Convention is the only environmental treaty dealing with a particular ecosystem, and currently has 147 Parties. A total of 1524 wetland sites covering 129.2 million hectares are included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. Parties to the Convention commit themselves to: designate at least one site that meets the Ramsar Criteria for inclusion in the Ramsar List and ensure maintenance of the ecological character of each Ramsar site; include wetland conservation within national land-use planning in order to promote the wise use of all wetlands within their territory; establish nature reserves on wetlands and promote training in wetland research and management; and consult with other Parties about Convention implementation, especially with regard to transboundary wetlands, shared water systems, shared species and development projects affecting wetlands.
Contracting Parties meet every three years to assess progress in implementing the Convention and wetland conservation, share knowledge and experience on technical issues, and plan for the next triennium. In addition to the COP, the Convention’s work is supported by a Standing Committee, a Scientific and Technical Review Panel, and the Ramsar Bureau, which carries out the functions of a Secretariat.
There have been eight meetings of the COP since the Convention’s entry into force: COP1 in Cagliari, Italy (24-29 November 1980); COP2 in Gröningen, the Netherlands (7-12 May 1984); COP3 in Regina, Canada (27 May-5 June 1987); COP4 in Montreux, Switzerland (27 June-4 July 1990); COP5 in Kushiro, Japan (9-16 June 1993); COP6 in Brisbane, Australia (19-27 March 1996); COP7 in San José, Costa Rica (10-18 May 1999); and COP8 in Valencia, Spain (18-26 November 2002).
COP7: At COP7, delegates focused on the interrelations between human societies and wetland habitats. They considered the Convention’s implementation in each region and adopted 30 resolutions and four recommendations on policy, programme and budgetary issues. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ramsar Bureau and the UNESCO World Heritage Center.
COP8: With over 1000 participants, COP8 was the largest COP in the Convention’s history. Focusing on “Water, wetlands, life and culture,” delegates adopted more than 40 resolutions addressing policy, technical, programme and budgetary matters, including wetlands and agriculture, climate change, cultural issues, mangroves, water allocation and management, and the Report of the World Commission on Dams. They also approved the Convention’s budget and Work Plan for 2003-2005, and its Strategic Plan for 2003-2008.
The opening ceremonies for the ninth Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP9) to the Ramsar Convention were held on Tuesday evening, 8 November 2005. Antonio Fernandez de Tejada, representing Spain, COP8’s host country, handed over the Ramsar flag to Kahinda Otafiire, the Ugandan Minister of Lands, Water and the Environment. Commending the Government of Uganda for hosting the first Ramsar COP in Africa, Fernandez de Tejada drew delegates’ attention to new challenges facing the Convention and called for boosting international cooperation for the conservation of wetland ecosystems. Otafiire outlined Uganda’s progress towards conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, and assured delegates that the theme of COP9 and the aims of the Convention would be upheld during the Conference.
Highlighting the findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), Ramsar Secretary General Peter Bridgewater noted that the rate of wetland degradation surpasses that of other ecosystems, and outlined two major tasks for the Conference: identifying problems and promoting the Convention. He stressed the need to balance the desire to add more sites to the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance with ensuring their representativeness and effective management. He called for synergies among biodiversity-related conventions, better environmental governance frameworks and capacity building.
Bakary Kante, Director, Division of Environmental Conventions, UNEP, delivered an address on behalf of UNEP Executive Director Klaus Töpfer. He highlighted: enhanced cooperation between UNEP and the Ramsar Convention; wetlands’ contribution to poverty reduction, disaster prevention and mitigation; and opportunities created by market approaches to ecosystem services.
Speaking on behalf of Ramsar’s International Organization Partners (IOPs), Achim Steiner, Director General, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), congratulated Uganda on its achievements in wetland conservation and called for greater coherence among multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and broader stakeholder engagement.
A civil society representative reported on the Civil Society Forum held on 4 November 2005. She stressed the importance of wetlands for poverty reduction and their ability to provide support services for sustaining livelihoods. She also proposed developing legally binding mechanisms to hold Parties responsible for arrears in annual dues payments, and called on Parties to make information accessible to civil society organizations and local communities.
Speaking on behalf of donor countries, Kathelyne Craenen (Belgium) noted that wetland conservation continues to be a lower priority on the donor agenda. She requested that wetlands be put on national and international investment agendas and called on Parties to advocate for the wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Youth representatives presented their concerns and proposals, asking delegates to ensure that information is easy to understand and to remember that youth will be impacted by COP9 decisions.
Philippe Jacob, Secretary General, Danone Group, presented the triennial Ramsar Wetland Conservation Awards in the categories of science, management, and education, respectively to: Shuming Cai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; SH. A. Nezami Baloochi, Department of Environment, Province of Gilan, Iran; and a shared award between Reiko Nakamura, Ramsar Centre, Japan and the Wetlands Centre, Australia.
On Wednesday morning, 9 November, Antonio Fernandez de Tejada, Spain, officially opened COP9, inviting delegates to consider the agenda and other organizational matters. Delegates elected Kahinda Otafiire (Uganda) as COP9 President, and Tony Slatyer (Australia) and Flavio Cházaro (Mexico) as Vice-Presidents. Delegates adopted the agenda without amendment (COP9 Doc. 1, Rev. 2), and the rules of procedure (COP9 Doc. 2), with minor amendments.
The COP then established a Credentials Committee comprised of delegates from each of the six Ramsar regions, namely: Benin (Africa), Thailand (Asia), Switzerland (Europe), Peru (the Neotropics), Canada (North America), and New Zealand (Oceania). Delegates also established a Finance Committee, chaired by Trevor Swerdfager (Canada), with, Albania, Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, China, Colombia, Japan, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, the Russian Federation, Switzerland, the UK, and the US designated as members. The Secretariat noted that the Committee is open to all Parties and observers.
President Otafiire presented the list of registered observers (COP9 Doc. 31), stating this list would remain open as new observers are registering daily. Argentina objected to registering the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum as UK-based, as this non-governmental organization (NGO) relates to the Falkland/Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and rejected all references to these as UK territories. The UK reiterated its position on the sovereignty of the Islands.
REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE AND THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL REVIEW PANEL
On Wednesday, Gordana Beltram (Slovenia), Standing Committee Chair, presented the report on the Committee’s work during the 2003-2005 triennium (COP9 Doc. 3), highlighting work related to: preparation for COP9; review of work by the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP); financial matters relating to the implementation of the Convention; and creating synergies between the Convention and other MEAs. She called for greater attention to social and economic considerations related to wetland ecosystems in the Committee’s future work. The report was adopted with minor amendments.
Max Finlayson (Australia), STRP Chair, presented the report on the STRP’s work during the 2003-2005 triennium (COP9 Doc. 4). In providing technical advice for COP9, Finlayson highlighted the Panel’s work in preparing the following documents: additional scientific and technical guidance for implementing the Ramsar wise use concept (COP9 DR1); a Conceptual Framework for Ramsar’s wise use concept (Annex A); a revised Strategic Framework and Guidelines for further development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Annex B); an Integrated Framework for Ramsar’s water-related guidance (Annex C); ecological “outcome-oriented” indicators for assessing the Convention’s implementation effectiveness (Annex D); and an Integrated Framework for wetland inventory, assessment and monitoring (Annex E).
During the ensuing discussions, countries expressed general support for the frameworks prepared by the STRP. They also agreed to establish a contact group to consider Annexes A and B of the resolution on additional scientific and technical guidance for implementing the Ramsar wise use concept (COP9 DR1).
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL
On Wednesday, Secretary General Bridgewater reported on the implementation of the Convention at the global level over the 2003-2005 triennium (COP9 Doc. 5 and Doc. 6) and highlighted the prospect of reaching 160 Contracting Parties by COP10. Bridgewater noted that the Secretariat has managed to balance the Convention’s budget since COP8, but underscored the need to work “smarter, not harder” in the 2006-2008 triennium. Noting that 110 Parties had submitted national reports, a smaller number than desired, he stressed the need to simplify the national reporting format and continue regular communication between the Secretariat and Parties.
On the Strategic Plan 2003-2008, Bridgewater highlighted the need to focus on key issues in order to increase the percentage of attainable targets. He also highlighted six imperatives extracted from Parties’ national reports: understanding new international institutional frameworks and how Ramsar fits into them; reinforcing and developing the Convention’s strong scientific basis; effectively managing the List of Wetlands of International Importance; promoting integrated management approaches; developing a communication, education and public awareness (CEPA) programme that responds to the needs of local people; and ensuring the Convention is effectively managed intersessionally through the Standing Committee and the Secretariat.
REGIONAL OVERVIEWS OF IMPLEMENTATION
Delegates reviewed implementation of the Convention and draft resolutions on the COP9 agenda in regional group meetings held on Thursday, 10 November. On Friday evening, 11 November, the groups met to approve appointments to the Standing Committee.
AFRICA: Chaired by Fanuel A. Demas (Namibia), the Africa Regional Group’s discussions focused on making the most of the first Ramsar COP held in Africa. Ghana urged Parties to strengthen the region’s position and representation by fulfilling their credential requirements and paying their dues, as the region has the largest outstanding portion, and participating in the STRP and other Committees. On the draft resolutions, delegates called for inclusion of Africa-focused proposals in several resolutions, including on: engagement in multilateral processes on water; natural disaster prevention; and the Ramsar Endowment Fund. Regarding Ramsar sites no longer meeting criteria for listing, the Secretariat noted that, as drafted, more than half of the African Ramsar sites may be removed from the List with possible contractual ramifications for Parties.
THE AMERICAS: The Americas Regional Group, chaired by John Bowleg (Bahamas), reviewed regional positions on several draft resolutions. On scientific and technical aspects, Peru, supported by Canada, opposed language on water rights. Several delegates expressed concern with the draft resolution on [transboundary] [transnational] Ramsar sites, citing, inter alia, sovereignty issues. On natural disaster prevention, Cuba suggested language referring to the impact of extreme climactic events and the US emphasized pre-disaster management and prevention. The group opposed the draft resolution on wetlands of the Antarctic proposed by Switzerland.
ASIA: The Asia Regional Group, co-chaired by Yasaman Rajabkhah Shalmany (Iran) and Djismun Kasri (Indonesia) considered various draft resolutions. On the revised Strategic Framework and guidelines for future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance, one delegate noted that the guidelines should not deviate from national laws. The group approved the suggested amendments concerning ecological indicators. On designation and management of [transboundary] [transnational] Ramsar sites, delegates could not form a common position on use of terms “transboundary” or “transnational.”
On streamlining the implementation of the Strategic Plan, many countries said its targets are unrealistic. Regarding the revised modus operandi of the STRP, several Parties suggested country rotation in selecting experts. Many countries supported the Convention’s work on wetlands and poverty reduction and natural disaster prevention. Regarding an information text on managing wetlands and waterbirds in response to avian flu, some countries said the focus should be on waterbirds only, while others noted that some of the recommendations in the text are beyond the scope of the Convention.
On Friday morning, 11 November, the group considered financial and budgetary matters. Several Parties underscored the need for a strong Secretariat and adequate budget to implement the Strategic Plan. Parties also highlighted the need for mechanisms to resource the Small Grants Fund (SGF) and to fund regional projects.
EUROPE: Europe Regional Group Chair Gordana Beltram (Slovenia) opened the discussions on draft resolutions. On cultural values of wetlands, delegates favored recognizing cultural values in addition to the already established ecological character in identifying Wetlands of International Importance. The group supported the draft resolution on natural disaster prevention. Delegates also discussed priorities for the STRP’s programme of work for 2006-2008, noting that immediate priority tasks should be covered by the STRP’s core budget. The group also supported the revised draft resolution proposed by Switzerland on synergies between the Convention and the Antarctic Treaty, welcoming its extension to address the Arctic region.
OCEANIA: Navu Kwapena (Papua New Guinea) chaired the Oceania Regional Group, represented by Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji as an observer. Parties’ discussions included cultural criteria, national reporting, avian flu, and the wetlands of the Antarctic.
Two technical sessions were held in parallel on Saturday afternoon, 12 November, to share experiences and views on the wise use of wetlands in integrated water management and culture and knowledge in wetland management. On Monday, 14 November, delegates heard reports of the technical sessions presented by Kemi Awoyinka, Wetlands International, and Tobias Salathé, Ramsar Secretariat.
WISE USE OF WETLANDS IN INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT: Deputy Secretary General Nick Davidson briefed participants on Ramsar-related outcomes of the 13th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-13). Steve Mitchell, South Africa, presented Southern and Eastern Africa’s experience in integrated water resources management (IWRM). Mamoru Shigemoto, Japan, described actions to rehabilitate wetlands in the Tokyo Bay through application of IWRM and integrated coastal zone management approaches. On the EU Water Framework Directive, Bart Fokkens (the Netherlands) highlighted its complementarity and mutual supportiveness with Ramsar, while Gerhard Sigmund (Austria) outlined the situation in Austria and the Danube River basin.
On managing water for wetlands and agriculture, David Molden, International Water Management Institute (IWMI) highlighted food security and water resources linkages and the challenges faced in achieving poverty alleviation targets. Ger Bergkamp (IUCN) outlined research on determining values of wetland ecosystems and how to incorporate these values into decision making.
CULTURE AND KNOWLEDGE IN WETLAND MANAGEMENT: Secretary General Bridgewater stressed that it is more important to use culture in the management and wise use of wetlands than to use it as a criterion for site designation. Thymio Papayannis, Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos, reviewed activities of the Mediterranean Wetlands (MedWet) Cultural Working Group and, discussing changing cultural landscapes, noted loss of traditional activities. He emphasized incorporating cultural aspects into wetland management, while respecting social specificity of culture. Traditional elders from the Paroo River area in Australia highlighted aboriginal values identified in a cultural mapping project and the importance of building relationships among relevant stakeholders. Sansanee Choowaew, Thailand, emphasized a culture-based approach to managing wetlands, and highlighted, inter alia, joint efforts between temples and local communities, and marking temples as wildlife refuges. Mónica Herzig, Mexico, highlighted local community involvement in the planning process, and said culture is a broad term and a systematic approach has yet to be developed. Maria José Viñals, Spain, discussed progress made in the Mediterranean region for incorporating cultural values in wetland management through: restoring cultural heritage; increasing wetland awareness; conserving cultural landscapes; and valuing cultural tradition.
During the course of COP9, delegates heard several special presentations on wetland-related issues and activities.
ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF UGANDA: Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni addressed the COP on Monday afternoon, 14 November. President Museveni highlighted threats to wetland ecosystems, which cover 13 percent of the country’s land area and include the headwaters of the River Nile, and outlined possible solutions. He identified as threats: deforestation and silting of wetland ecosystems; conversion of wetlands into agricultural lands, including pastures, farms and rice paddies; international environmental NGOs for their opposition to energy plans, which he said leads to over-reliance on firewood; and predominance of the rural population and agriculture in Uganda. He noted as solutions: universal education; reafforestation programmes, which generate income for local communities; electrification through hydro, geothermal and solar energy projects; and industrialization.
MILLENNIUM ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT: On Saturday, 12 November, Rebecca D’Cruz, Synthesis Team Co-Chair, presented the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) synthesis report on “Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Wetlands and Water.” She stressed that ecosystem services are vital to human well-being, lamenting that many of these services are overused, mismanaged or degraded, and highlighted policy choices available to reduce wetland degradation while maintaining benefits. Distinguishing between free and economically valued services, she said many of the social and economic benefits have not been taken into account by decision makers. She said economic instruments promote conservation and wise use, and noted difficulties in valuation due to differing cultural values. Noting accelerated wetland degradation, D’Cruz highlighted a reduction of human well-being, especially in developing countries, coupled with an increased demand for wetland services. She said policy decisions must address trade offs between current and future use, and emphasized cross sectoral and ecosystem approaches. She noted the report would help set the future agenda for Ramsar, and could be used to raise awareness on wetlands.
WETLAND CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE IN UGANDA: On Wednesday, 9 November, Paul Mafabi, Uganda National Wetlands Programme, provided an overview of wetland conservation and sustainable use over the last 15 years in Uganda, noting that wetland management began with a ban on wetland drainage. He said that wetland issues were incorporated into a poverty eradication plan in 2000, and that a wetlands sector strategic plan was created in 2001. In describing current achievements, Mafabi highlighted: an increased level of awareness; best use practices; creation of policy and legal frameworks; and the creation of inventories, which have provided vital information for decision making. Mafabi also highlighted specific challenges for wetland policy, including the need to improve enforcement mechanisms. He underscored the need to: develop a solid knowledge base; create political and public interest by using the right arguments; build capacity at all levels for implementation; and adopt realistic policies and laws. Mafabi closed by highlighting the importance of ensuring institutional sustainability, and stressed that wetland ecosystems can play a vital role in peoples’ livelihoods and contribute to their income, and that wetland ecosystem services can “pay their own way.”
COP9 delegates considered 27 draft resolutions beginning on Wednesday, 9 November. These resolutions were submitted by Parties or prepared in advance by the Standing Committee and the STRP. Twenty-five draft resolutions were adopted by the conclusion of the meeting on Tuesday, 15 November. The draft resolution on wetlands of the Antarctic was withdrawn, and the draft resolution on [transnational] [transboundary] Ramsar sites was deferred to COP10. The following is a summary of the resolutions, including highlights of the negotiations and substantive amendments. Unless otherwise mentioned, the resolutions were adopted during the closing plenary on Tuesday, 15 November.
ADDITIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL GUIDANCE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE RAMSAR WISE USE CONCEPT: On Wednesday, 9 November, STRP Chair Max Finlayson (Australia), introduced the Panel’s main outputs contained in the draft resolution on additional scientific and technical guidance for implementing the Ramsar wise-use concept and its Annexes A-E (COP9 DR1, Annexes A-E), concerning various aspects of this guidance. Following extensive discussions in plenary, a contact group on Annexes A and B was established, and informal consultations were held on Annexes C, D and E. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1720e.html; http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1722e.html; http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1723e.html; and http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1724e.html.
Conceptual Framework for the wise use of wetlands and their ecological character: The COP considered Annex A of the draft resolution in plenary on Wednesday, establishing a contact group, which convened throughout the COP to reach consensus on the issue of ecological character.
On Saturday, 13 November, in the contact group, delegates discussed ecosystem services and whether to refer to ecosystem “services” or “benefits.” The contact group updated definitions of “ecological character,” “change in ecological character of wetlands,” and “wise use.” Delegates reached consensus on these definitions. The COP considered and adopted Annex A with amendments to wetland ecosystem terminology including “ecosystem benefits/services,” as well as the deletion of the MA table on ecosystem benefits.
Strategic Framework and guidelines for the list of Wetlands of International Importance: The COP considered Annex B on Wednesday, and a contact group was established. In the contact group on Friday, several Parties examined Criterion 1 for designating Ramsar sites, and debated whether to add a new criterion on cultural values, with most opposing. On Saturday, delegates suggested using the term “near” instead of “most” natural wetlands, and on Monday, after lengthy debates, delegates reached compromise text regarding artificial wetlands.
An integrated framework for the Ramsar Convention’s water-related guidance: On Tuesday, 15 November, the Secretariat introduced Annexes C, Ci and Cii, which contain an integrated framework and guidelines for the Convention’s water-related ecosystems. The COP adopted the annexes with minor amendments.
Ecological “outcome-oriented” indicators for assessing the implementation effectiveness of the Ramsar Convention: On Tuesday, 15 November, the Secretariat introduced Annex D, containing suggested amendments following informal discussions with interested Parties raised in the plenary session under Agenda item IX (Report of the STRP Chair). The COP adopted the annex as amended.
An integrated framework for wetland inventory assessment and monitoring: On Tuesday, 15 November, the Secretariat introduced Annexes E and Ei containing a framework and guidelines for the rapid assessment of inland, coastal and marine wetland biodiversity. The COP adopted the annexes without amendment.
Final Resolution: In this final resolution, the COP:
The final text of Annex A requests the STRP to report to COP10 on the harmonization of definitions and terms related to ecosystem benefits/services. The definition of ecological character, including the phrase “at a given point in time,” underscores that the concerned Party provide the ecological character of a site at the time of designation to the List. A change in ecological character of a listed site should be assessed against the baseline status presented in the Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) and the time of designation for the List. “Ecological character” is defined as the human-induced adverse alteration of any ecosystem component, process and/or ecosystem benefit/service.
Annex B defines wetlands using Article 1.1 of the Convention, which includes artificial ones. It highlights artificial Ramsar sites as having international importance for biodiversity. It notes, however, this should not justify the destruction or modification of “near-natural” wetlands. The annex also states that a wetland should be considered of international importance if it has a unique example of a “near” natural wetland type or if it regularly supports one percent of the population of a wetland-dependent non-avian animal species.
Annex C and its appendices contain an Integrated Framework for the Convention’s water-related guidance, with additional guidance on the analysis of case studies in river basin management and guidelines for the management of groundwater to maintain the ecological character of wetlands.
Annex D contains seven initial ecological “outcome-oriented” indicators for assessing the implementation effectiveness of selected aspects of the Convention. The approach is outlined as part of the integrated updating of monitoring and reporting processes under the Convention, including the intention to simplify the National Report Format for COP10. The initial indicators are:
The annex also outlines indicators recommended for further consideration by the STRP.
Annex E outlines an Integrated Framework for wetland inventory assessment and monitoring and Guidelines for the rapid assessment of inland, coastal and marine wetland biodiversity, and were prepared by the STRP and the Secretariat, and developed jointly for the Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) under the CBD/Ramsar Third Joint Work Plan and in response to the Ramsar Strategic Plan 2003-2008 and CBD COP6 Decisions VI/5 on inland waters and VI/6 on marine and coastal biological diversity.
FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE CONVENTION: This draft resolution (COP9 DR2) was first considered in plenary on Thursday, 10 November. The Secretariat introduced the draft resolution, noting that the STRP has identified its immediate and high priority tasks as contained in Annex 1, explaining that all tasks would be consolidated with those agreed under the revised Strategic Plan 2003-2008 into the Work Plan for 2006-2008. The EU requested inclusion of inland waterways in Annex 1.
Regarding Annex 2 on a schedule of actions for scientific and technical implementation of the Convention 2006-2011, Argentina requested removing reference to the defense and military sector. Delegates debated whether the task on wetlands and agriculture should be made an immediate priority.
Final Resolution: In this final resolution (COP9 DR2 Rev.1), the COP approves the immediate and high priority actions for the STRP for 2006-2008 and the schedule of actions for scientific and technical implementation of the Convention for 2006-2011. The COP requests the Secretariat to consolidate these actions and the schedule with the annex to the revised Strategic Plan 2003-2008 to form the Convention’s Work Plan 2006-2008.
The COP also urges Parties, donors, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), IOPs, national NGOs, and others to use this programme in deciding priorities for their financial and other support towards the future scientific and technical implementation of the Convention.
ENGAGEMENT OF THE CONVENTION IN ONGOING MULTILATERAL PROCESSES DEALING WITH WATER: On Thursday, Bridgewater introduced the draft resolution (COP9 DR3), stressing that it does not seek to transform Ramsar into a Convention on water but rather a Convention that understands its role in addressing water issues. He also noted the relevance of Ramsar’s work to the ongoing implementation cycle on water, sanitation and human settlements under the CSD, and the upcoming Fourth World Water Forum.
In the ensuing discussions, the resolution received broad support. Japan cautioned against exceeding the scope of the Convention. A reference to the Global Water Partnership in the preamble was proposed, and lack of data on wetland ecosystems’ demand for water was highlighted.
The COP considered and adopted the draft resolution on Tuesday with several editorial amendments and the addition of reference to “an ecosystem approach” in IWRM.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1721e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR3 Rev.2), the COP affirms that the conservation and wise use of wetlands is critical for the provision of water for people and nature, and that wetlands are a source of, and depend on, water. It calls on Parties to bring Ramsar’s water-related resolutions and guidelines to the attention of water management authorities for their integration into national IWRM plans.
The resolution instructs the Ramsar Secretariat to cooperate with the Fourth World Water Forum Secretariat and other relevant global and regional water initiatives to ensure that wetland ecosystems goods and services are recognized as a key element for effective management of water resources while maintaining the ecosystem functioning of wetlands. It further instructs the Secretariat to provide input to the CSD at its session in 2008, and report thereon to COP10.
CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FISH RESOURCES: During informal consultations on this issue (COP9 DR4) on Thursday and Friday, several Parties requested amendments to references concerning ecologically damaging fishing gear and practices. Some delegates highlighted the lack of accurate data on fisheries in wetland ecosystems and others urged greater assistance of IOPs in such data collection. The contact group agreed on a revised resolution, which was presented during the closing plenary on Tuesday and adopted by the COP.
Final Resolution: In this final resolution (COP9 DR4 Rev.1), the COP acknowledges that “fisheries resources” instead of “fish” are a vital source of food and income and can assist in the further reduction of poverty. This term was replaced throughout the text of the resolution. It confirms that this resolution covers issues in inland, coastal, and marine wetland fisheries within the scope of Article 1 and Ramsar sites within the scope of Articles 1 and 2.1 of the Convention. It further:
SYNERGIES WITH OTHER BIODIVERSITY-RELATED PROCESSES: On Friday, the Secretary General introduced the draft resolution (COP9 DR5). Many delegates welcomed national reporting synergies, some proposing common modules and formats, and one urging synergies for indicators, data collection and information sharing. Delegates debated which international processes and institutions the Secretariat should collaborate with. An informal group was established to consolidate amendments.
On Tuesday, the Secretariat outlined the amendments to the revised draft resolution, explaining that its annex had been changed to an information document (COP9 Doc. 32). The US stipulated harmonization of national reporting should be subject to the mandate of each individual Convention, and Parties agreed that the Secretariat liaise with the UNFCCC and UNCCD Joint Liaison Group. The COP adopted the resolution with these amendments.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1722e.html.
Final Resolution: In this final resolution (COP9 DR5 Rev.1), the COP requests the Secretary General to:
It further urges Parties to develop means at the national level of improving the liaison between the Convention’s administrative authorities and focal points for other related conventions and agreements and to report to the Secretariat on progress in harmonizing information management and reporting.
[TRANSBOUNDARY] [TRANSNATIONAL] RAMSAR SITES: On Friday, the Secretariat introduced the draft resolution (COP9 DR6), noting that historically it has been the Parties’ prerogative to designate Wetlands of International Importance in their territories only. Delegates could not reach consensus on use of terms “transboundary” versus “transnational,” and agreed during the plenary session on Monday to further consider the issue at COP10 and, in the meantime, consult with IUCN on legal, immigration and other implications of establishing transboundary sites.
GUIDANCE FOR ADDRESSING RAMSAR SITES OR PARTS OF SITES WHICH NO LONGER MEET THE CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION: This agenda item (COP9 Doc. 15) was introduced on Friday, 11 November, with a draft resolution (COP9 DR7) prepared by the Secretariat. Malawi called for assistance and measures to rehabilitate sites, rather than simply deleting them. On Monday, delegates considered the revised draft resolution and adopted it with a reservation by India that the resolution’s guidance should not impinge on the sovereign rights of a Contracting Party.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR7 Rev.1), the COP adopts the guidance contained in the annex to the resolution on addressing issues of Ramsar sites or parts of sites that cease to fulfill or never fulfilled the criteria for designation. The COP requests Contracting Parties to apply the guidance and procedures set out in the annex when contemplating the deletion of a site from the List of Wetlands of International Importance. The resolution urges Contracting Parties to provide developing countries with assistance, including capacity building, in order to help reverse the factors leading to consideration of deletion or restriction of a site. It also instructs the Secretariat, with the advice of the STRP, to report to COP10 on these matters, and urges Parties to provide the Secretariat with information on their experiences and lessons learned in their application of this resolution.
REGIONAL INITIATIVES IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE RAMSAR CONVENTION: On Wednesday, several Parties highlighted the importance of regional initiatives in the implementation of the Convention (COP9 DR8). Iran highlighted the role of the newly established Central and West Asia Regional Center. On Friday, the Secretariat introduced a revised draft resolution, amended with comments received from Parties. Several Parties requested references to specific initiatives, inter alia: the Plata Basin Initiative, the High Andean Initiative, the Nile Basin Initiative, and the Black Sea Wetlands Initiative. Nepal requested the Secretariat to further develop the Himalayan Initiative for COP10. On financial implications, the EU requested clarification on the purpose of funding, India called for additional financial and budgetary support, and the Secretariat expressed concern over lack of resources for new initiatives, noting core budget funds could “kick start” some initiatives. On Tuesday, the plenary adopted the resolution with several amendments.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR8 Rev.2), the COP endorses seven regional initiatives listed in Annex I.A, and recognizes the potential of four others contained in Annex I.B, which are subject to further development and consideration by COP10. It agrees to contribute financial support for seven regional initiatives listed in Annex I.C in the 2006-2008 triennium, and authorizes the Standing Committee to approve intersessionally qualifying initiatives that have zero implications for the Convention’s core budget. The resolution also renews its cooperation with the Government of Greece on its hosting the MedWet Coordination Unit in Athens, and adopts the budget for the operation of the MedWet Committee and Coordination Unit, as contained in Annex II of the resolution.
STREAMLINING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN OF THE CONVENTION 2003-2008: On Thursday, the Secretary General introduced the draft resolution (COP9 DR9), noting it provides a basis for the Secretariat and the Standing Committee to test a new approach in setting up priorities for the 2006-2008 Work Plan. Delegates stressed targets should be realistic and recognize Parties’ abilities and limited resources. They highlighted: the need to simplify the Plan for better monitoring at regional and national levels; setting clear directions for all organizations working on wetland conservation; new ways to develop future strategic plans; and use of the Plan as guidance for prioritizing implementation at the national level.
On Tuesday, the Secretariat introduced the revised draft, noting the annexed Framework will undergo review, editing and change during the 2006-2008 triennium. The EU proposed language specifying the Framework is a “working tool” and that the Standing Committee will carry out the review. New Zealand called for design of a simplified COP10 national reporting format harmonized with other relevant conventions and agreements. Delegates debated including as a Key Result Area assessment of the UNFCCC implementation on wetlands, agreeing this would be considered by the Standing Committee. The COP adopted the resolution with these amendments.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1721e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR9 Rev.1), the COP accepts the annexed Framework for the implementation of the Convention’s Strategic Plan 2003-2008 in the 2006-2008 period. The resolution instructs the Standing Committee to: develop and implement a comprehensive, inclusive process for development of the 2009-2014 Strategic Plan for COP10; use the Framework to design a simplified COP10 National Report Framework, taking into account the resolution on synergies with other conventions and collaboration and harmonization of national reporting, and urges Parties, the Standing and STRP Committees, the Secretariat and IOPs to use the 2003-2008 Strategic Plan and its appendices as a renewed challenge to promote, implement and monitor the Convention’s performance, including through the application of “outcome-oriented” indicators for the Convention’s implementation. The Framework outlines the Convention’s goals and the Key Result Areas and Key Performance Indicators.
THE ROLE OF THE CONVENTION IN NATURAL DISASTER PREVENTION, MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION: On Friday, Bridgewater noted the relevance of this draft resolution (COP9 DR10) following the Asian tsunami and recent hurricanes. Proposals included: paragraphs on impacts of extreme climatic events and mobilizing resources to restore affected wetlands; renaming the resolution to reflect the role of Ramsar in mitigating impacts associated with natural phenomena; reference to “affected people” instead of “local communities and indigenous people”; and paragraphs emphasizing pre-disaster planning.
On Tuesday, delegates reviewed the revised draft resolution. Wetlands International, supported by Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica and the Netherlands, proposed changing the resolution’s title to reflect natural phenomena induced or exacerbated by human activities. Japan supported deleting a paragraph on establishing mechanisms for emergency assessment. Switzerland, supported by Belgium and Albania, proposed reference to ecosystem “services” instead of “benefits.” Suriname suggested including both services and benefits. Armenia proposed a separate clause specifying the human activity of drainage as exacerbating natural phenomena. With the amendments by Wetlands International, Japan and Armenia, the resolution was adopted.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1722e.html.
Final Resolution: In this final resolution (COP9 CR10 Rev.1), the COP recognizes the important role of Ramsar in disaster avoidance and mitigation and post-disaster restoration, and the significance of synergies with other MEAs and agencies focusing on natural disasters. It also bears in mind the impacts on wetlands of extreme climatic events and the need for financial resources for, inter alia, prevention and early warning.
USE OF THE TERM AND STATUS OF THE “RAMSAR SECRETARIAT”: The COP considered the draft resolution concerning the use of the term “Ramsar Secretariat” (COP9 DR11) in plenary on Friday. Many Parties recognized that the resolution would harmonize terminology with similar MEAs. The COP considered and adopted amendments on the recognition of the Ramsar Convention as an IGO and on reporting outcomes of consultations with appropriate bodies to the Standing Committee. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1722e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR11 Rev.2), the COP decides that in its external relations the Bureau may use the descriptor “the Ramsar Secretariat” in its official statements and documents. It reaffirms that use of “Secretariat” shall not affect the Bureau’s functions provided for in the Convention text. It further instructs the Secretary General to consult with appropriate bodies regarding transformation of the status of the Secretariat to an IGO, while still maintaining its links with IUCN and the host country. Finally, it requests the Secretary General to report on the outcome of these consultations at the 34th meeting of the Standing Committee.
REVISED MODUS OPERANDI OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL REVIEW PANEL: The COP considered the draft resolution on revising the modus operandi of the STRP (COP9 DR12) on Friday. STRP Chair Finlayson introduced the draft resolution, which received general support, with several Parties stressing stronger national focal point’s engagement. Parties debated appointment of experts, several delegates saying nominees should not be limited to “globally-recognized” experts and urging equitable regional representation. One urged allowing Parties to propose high priority thematic work areas and another suggested the Panel identify capacity needs for the 2006-2008 triennium. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1722e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR12 Rev.1), the COP reaffirms the critical importance of the work and advice of the STRP to the Convention. It approves the annexed revised STRP modus operandi and establishes an STRP Oversight Committee, reporting to the Standing Committee and comprised of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the STRP and the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General. It also agrees that the Standing Committee will continue to have overall responsibility for STRP work, with the STRP Chair reporting to each Standing Committee meeting on the Panel’s progress and advising on adjustments to the programme. The COP further:
The annexed revised modus operandi includes: the establishment and responsibilities of the STRP Oversight Panel; criteria and characteristics of candidate STRP members and the composition of the Panel; the procedure for identification and appointment of candidates, Chair and Vice-Chair; rules in relation to observer organizations; and ensuring continuing national and regional applicability and continuity of Panel membership.
FINANCIAL AND BUDGETARY MATTERS: Delegates heard the financial report and proposed budget for the 2006-2008 triennium (COP9 DR13) in plenary, submitted by the Chair of the Subgroup on Finance of the Standing Committee and the Finance Committee Trevor Swerdfager (Canada). On issues for the 2006-2008 triennium, Swerdfager underscored the need to further discuss budget allocations, including the proposed four percent increase. Delegates requested the budget be maintained with zero increase in the next triennium, with others noting their flexibilities.
On Friday, the Finance Committee met in the afternoon to further consider the budget for 2006-2008. The EU proposed balancing budget lines, particularly between regional initiatives and the STRP, stressing the need for more scientific and technical services to the Convention. Several Parties expressed flexibility with a budget increase of less than four percent, and others supported an increase but opposed shifting budget lines between regional initiatives and the STRP.
On Monday, the Finance Committee Chair Swerdfager reported to plenary on progress made in discussing financial and budgetary matters. He noted that there is a shortfall in each fiscal year’s budget. Discussions focused on identifying reductions to balance the budget in areas, including the Ramsar sites database, communication, regional initiatives and CEPA operating costs.
During the closing plenary on Tuesday, Swerdfager presented the resolution on financial and budgetary matters for adoption. He outlined the resolution as well as the newly attached annexes, noting that Annex II contains the core budget for 2006-2008, based on the COP agreeing to a four percent increase.
Argentina, with Brazil, accepted the budget but requested to record their concerns over the increase in the report of the meeting. Delegates agreed to remove Annex III (Annual Contribution Arrears) from the draft resolution, and make it an information document for the COP. The African Group supported the budget and said the reallocation of the funds would allow the STRP to fulfill its tasks. One Party requested reflecting in the report that STRP funds allocated in the budget shall not be cut in the future. The Secretary General said that elements of STRP funds are combined and they do not indicate any cut.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1722e.html, http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1723e.html, http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1724e.html and http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1725e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR13 Rev.2), the COP approves the budget for the 2006-2008 triennium as attached in Annex I to enable the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Convention. The forecast income for 2006-2008 represents a four percent increase per year, based on the COP9 budgeted Party allocations for 2005. The total incomes for the three years are: 4,054,390 Swiss francs for 2006; 4,206,277 Swiss francs for 2007; and 4,365,094 Swiss francs for 2008. The COP decides that the Terms of Reference for the Financial Administration of the Convention shall be applied in toto to the 2006-2008 triennium.
The COP also:
EVALUATION OF THE RAMSAR ENDOWMENT FUND AS A MECHANISM TO RESOURCE THE SMALL GRANTS FUND: In plenary on Friday delegates considered the draft resolution on evaluation of the Ramsar Endowment Fund (COP9 DR14). During plenary on Monday, the Secretariat introduced a revised draft resolution. Highlighting funding constraints, Iran, supported by Israel, requested that the decision mention the Asia region specifically. Bridgewater said that the region’s concerns would be recorded in the COP9 report, and the draft resolution was adopted without amendment. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1724e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR14 Rev.1), the COP rescinds its decision in Resolution VIII.29 to establish a Ramsar Endowment Fund to resource the Small Grants Fund (SGF), and urges the Standing Committee to actively pursue alternative funding mechanisms. The COP further instructs the Secretary General to submit proposals to the Standing Committee at its 34th meeting for improving the status and resourcing of the SGF, with a focus on ensuring that dedicated sources of funding are developed, and calls on development assistance agencies and other organizations within the Asia region to support the establishment of such a mechanism. The COP also requests the Standing Committee to bring to COP10 new proposals for establishing a more vigorous mechanism to support the SGF, including the possible development of regional support funds.
WETLANDS AND POVERTY REDUCTION: On Friday, the Secretariat introduced the draft resolution on wetlands and poverty reduction (COP9 DR15), which received strong support from Parties. During the plenary on Tuesday, Bridgewater introduced a revised resolution. One Party suggested, opposed by several developing countries, including the term “extreme” before poverty. Ghana, Sudan, Nepal and Indonesia supported the words “poverty reduction” for the title of the resolution. Wetlands International, supported by the Netherlands and Switzerland, recommended new text concerning reviewing and improving existing finance mechanisms as well as encouraging new thinking in finance institutions for wetland management to help address poverty reduction. Bridgewater suggested this term be solved in DR1 Annex A, which will then set precedent for all other resolutions. The draft resolution was adopted as amended.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1722e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR15 Rev.1), the COP urges Parties to take action to contribute to poverty reduction, especially in the following areas: human life and safety; access to resources; ecological sustainability; governance; and economics. It further urges Parties to take or support action to:
The COP also encourages Parties to work with UNEP, UNDP, the UN Department of Social and Economic Affairs, the IOPs, national and international NGOs and others to enhance sustainable livelihoods utilizing a wise use approach towards wetlands and build capacity for communities in relation to activities designed to increase food security, diversify economies and add value to wetland products.
THE STATUS OF SITES IN THE RAMSAR LIST OF WETLANDS OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE: On Friday, Bridgewater introduced this draft resolution (COP9 DR16), noting a considerable increase in the quality and number of sites and highlighting a greater diversity in the types of designated wetlands. Parties provided updated information concerning Ramsar site designations since COP8, planned extensions to existing Ramsar sites, and future designations of new or extended sites. The Africa region requested the Secretary General to consider options for assisting and encouraging Parties in their actions in response to threatened changes in the ecological character of Ramsar sites. Following a proposal by WWF, supported by several Parties, delegates agreed to request that Greece provide information on its efforts to restore the ecological character of seven Ramsar sites included in the Montreux Record of Ramsar sites, where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur, with a view to removing these sites from the Record.
On Monday, the Secretariat introduced various amendments to the draft resolution. Delegates agreed to a suggestion by Portugal to include a table on missing information from RIS in the annex. A paragraph expressing concern over the number of third party reports received by the Secretariat was deleted, following a suggestion by Argentina. The resolution was adopted with these amendments. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1722e.html and http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1724e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR16 Rev.1), the COP notes an almost 20 percent increase in the number of Ramsar sites since COP8, but highlights concern that updated RIS are missing for 41 percent of sites. It encourages Parties to report changes in the status of sites in a timely manner, including their possible inclusion in the Montreux Record, and requests the STRP to prepare a set of measures to, inter alia, using the revised RIS format.
The resolution congratulates several Parties for reporting on changes in ecological character and boundary issues, and recommends that Parties listed in the annex do so as a matter of priority. It further instructs the Secretariat to consider options for assisting and encouraging Parties in their actions in response to change or likely change in ecological character of Ramsar sites.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION PARTNERS: On Saturday, 12 November, Parties welcomed inclusion of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) as a new IOP, and encouraged extending the listing to other organizations, especially those specializing in water management. The draft resolution (COP9 DR17) was adopted without amendment.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR17), the COP reconfirms IOP status for Birdlife International, IUCN, Wetlands International and WWF, and formally confirms IOP status for the IWMI. It also encourages other organizations to consider applying for IOP status and requests the Standing Committee to review IOP performance in supporting Convention implementation and to report back to the COP.
REVIEW OF COP DECISIONS: The COP considered the draft resolution on the review of COP decisions (COP9 DR18) on Saturday, 12 November. On Monday, a revised resolution was introduced by the Secretariat. One delegate stressed the review should be restricted to COP decisions only, not to Convention text, and urged Terms of Reference be developed and a timetable set to complete the review before COP10. Another suggested STRP’s participation in the review, while another said it should be reflected in the budget. The COP adopted the revised resolution with these amendments.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR18 Rev.1), the COP instructs the Secretariat, the Standing Committee and the STRP to review the decisions taken since COP1 to identify areas of conflicting advice or policy, redundancy and differing interpretation or conflict, and for the Standing Committee to present the review results to COP10. It also instructs the Secretariat to develop Terms of Reference and, if appropriate, identify potential service providers for review by the Standing Committee at its 34th session. It further agrees that the review should focus on COP resolutions and recommendations and not on the text of the Convention.
CEPA OVERSIGHT PANEL: On Saturday, delegates addressed the draft resolution on establishing an oversight panel for communication, education and public awareness (CEPA) activities of the Convention (COP9 DR19) in plenary. Iran, supported by many, proposed setting priorities on communication, education and capacity building, and adding language to the terms of reference on identifying gaps between capacity-building opportunities and needs for wetland professionals and stakeholders. Canada expressed concern over budget implications. On Monday, Mexico requested an explicit reference to the Panel reporting to the Standing Committee. The resolution was adopted as amended.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR19 Rev.1), the COP recognizes that financial restrictions have inhibited full implementation of CEPA. The COP: instructs the Standing Committee at its 34th meeting to establish an Oversight Panel to monitor and report on CEPA Programme implementation and to set priorities for communication, education and capacity building in collaboration with the Wetlands International CEPA Specialist Group and the Ramsar Advisory Board on Capacity Building, and to report to COP10 on the Panel’s activities; and requests the Secretariat to liaise with the Institut de l’energie et de l’environnement de la Francophonie in order to share all relevant information on the Ramsar Convention.
An attached annex includes the Terms of Reference for the Panel, which outlines its functions, composition and modus operandi. The functions state that the Panel will clarify the broad role of the two national CEPA focal points, identify gaps between capacity building opportunities and needs for the range of wetland stakeholders, and advise the Standing Committee on the form and function of the next CEPA Programme for 2009-2014. The modus operandi states that the Panel will play a liaison role with other MEAs and operate as much as possible through electronic means, and that CEPA focal point representatives should seek input from government and NGO CEPA focal points.
REGIONAL WETLAND SYMPOSIA: The COP considered the draft resolution on importance of regional wetland symposia in implementing the Convention (COP9 DR20) in plenary on Saturday. Several Parties advocated using the Asian Wetland Symposia (AWS) as a model for other regions, with others proposing the organization of subregional meetings to prepare for regional fora, with one Party supporting the resolution as long as there were no financial implications. The COP adopted the revised resolution on Monday morning in plenary with minor amendments. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1723e.html and http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1724e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR20 Rev.1) the COP encourages all Contracting and non-Contracting Parties in the Asia Region to give full recognition to the effectiveness of the AWS. It endorses the continuation of the periodic AWS; requests Parties to facilitate participation in the AWS by a wide range of stakeholders, noting that this will not have any financial implications for the core budget; requests the Secretariat and Standing Committee to encourage linkages between Ramsar regional meetings, including subregional meetings; and recommends that Parties, international NGOs, and other relevant scientific and technical organizations consider the usefulness of establishing similar periodic regional scientific and technical fora where they do not already exist.
INTEGRATED, CROSS-BIOME PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF WETLANDS, ESPECIALLY IN SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES: On Saturday, Samoa, with the endorsement of the Oceania region, introduced the draft resolution (COP9 DR21), noting it would assist small island developing states (SIDS) in fulfilling obligations under various agreements. Cuba noted reservations regarding use of the term “cross-biome.” On Monday, the resolution was adopted without minor editorial amendments.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR21 Rev.1), the COP notes the ecosystem approach adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is mindful of resource constraints of developing countries, and SIDS in particular, notes WWF’s development of a prototype cross-biome programme integrating the CBD’s work programmes, and acknowledges the related work of UNEP’s “Hilltops to the Oceans” initiative and Pacific-Asia Biodiversity Transect (PABRITA).
The resolution welcomes the initiatives of WWF, UNEP and PABRITA as tools to assist Parties to take a holistic, cross-biome approach to wetlands management, instructs the STRP to consider the relevance and applicability of the tools and approaches, and invites WWF to prepare an information paper on the subject and, if appropriate, for the CBD Secretariat, to submit this paper to CDB COP-8 as a contribution towards achieving greater harmonization between the two Conventions. It also reiterates efforts and capacity-building requirements of Parties, particularly SIDS, with implementing integrated management approaches, and requests donors to give priority to training and capacity building in the field. Finally, it encourages Parties to include within planning the development of site networks of protected areas, to ensure that the ecosystem services/benefits delivered by various biomes are recognized and incorporated into management regimes and land- and water-use activities.
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE CULTURAL VALUES OF WETLANDS: First introduced to plenary in conjunction with the resolution on additional scientific and technical guidance for implementing the Ramsar wise use concept, the COP formally considered the draft resolution (COP9 DR22) on Tuesday. However, the issue had been addressed in regional meetings and a contact group, which met throughout the COP.
During contact group discussions on Saturday, delegates agreed that cultural values should be considered when designating Ramsar sites, while some supported the addition of a criterion on cultural values. On Monday, delegates agreed to language on measures being consistent with rights and obligations under other international agreements.
The COP considered and adopted the resolution on Tuesday, with amendments on local communities and indigenous peoples, and relevant cultural characteristics for designation of sites, and the deletion of a complementary criterion taking into account cultural values.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1721e.html; http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1723e.html and http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1724e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR22 Rev.2), the COP:
RAMSAR SITES AND SYSTEMS OF PROTECTED AREAS: On Saturday, Nigeria introduced its proposed resolution (COP9 DR24), noting it represents an example of harmonization between Ramsar and CBD reporting requirements. Delegates disagreed on the issue of references to the IUCN protected area categories, with the US and others proposing them, and Brazil opposing. An informal contact group was established on Saturday, and a compromise was reached on Monday evening.
On Tuesday, the Secretariat submitted the draft resolution for adoption by the COP. The US requested, and delegates agreed to, deleting two bracketed preambular paragraphs referring to the outcomes of the Vth World Parks Congress. The draft resolution was adopted as amended.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR24 Rev.1), the COP agrees to include as extra data fields in the approved RIS protected area categories, if any, for the site, as established by each Contracting Party, and/or IUCN categories (1994 version), if appropriate, and any other relevant designations. It calls upon Parties to integrate efforts aimed at broader protected areas system development in designating future Ramsar sites, including through World Heritage sites nominations and identification of Biosphere Reserves.
It further encourages coordinating approaches with the CBD, through, inter alia, criteria for identifying Wetlands of International Importance, and implementing the CBD’s programmes of work on marine and coastal biodiversity and protected areas.
MANAGING WETLANDS AND WATERBIRDS IN RESPONSE TO HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA (HPAI): On Thursday, the Secretariat circulated an information text on avian flu for consultations. Delegates discussed this issue in regional meetings on Thursday. On Saturday afternoon, the contact group, chaired by David Stroud (UK), met to further consider a draft resolution (COP9 DR25). Participants agreed to add a new operative paragraph underlining the importance of developing and implementing national contingency or action plans. In deleting the paragraph on developing guidelines for landscape planning, the group added paragraphs requesting the STRP to provide relevant input related to practical measures to reduce the risk of disease transmission between wild and domesticated birds to agencies developing contingency and wetland management plans and to assist in sharing information.
On Monday, the contact group met in the evening to consider the resolution’s first revision. Several amendments were suggested, including: adding the word “captive” before the word “birds;” deleting a paragraph on providing information on instances of waterbird mortality to national authorities; and requesting a report on the Secretariat and STRP’s work with relevant agencies at COP10.
During the closing plenary on Tuesday afternoon, Chair Stroud submitted a second revision for consideration by the COP. In response to the Russian Federation’s concern about the phrase “considerable misinformation” regarding the risks posed by avian flu, the Secretary General suggested to replace it with “misunderstanding in some countries.” The Convention on Migratory Species praised the COP’s work on avian flu. In response to Peru’s intervention, delegates agreed to change the title of the draft resolution to “HPAI and its consequences for wetlands and waterbirds and their management and conservation for the benefit of human well-being.” The draft resolution was adopted as amended.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR25 Rev.2), the COP calls for fully integrated approaches to address avian flu, and requests the Convention’s continued participation in the Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza. The COP also: underlines the importance of developing and implementing national contingency or action plans related to the potential risk of disease transmission, and the need for national preparedness to instances of detection of HPAI in birds in wetlands; requests the Secretary General to explore possibilities of establishing partnerships to support the development of long-term funding for monitoring schemes; and urges the STRP, with the Task Force, to provide relevant input on practical measures to reduce the risk of disease transmission between wild, captive and domesticated birds, to those agencies developing contingency and wetland management plans related to avian flu.
IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF THE RAMSAR CONVENTION: On Monday, Canada introduced a proposed draft resolution (COP9 DR26), noting it seeks to establish a Management Working Group to review the Convention’s decision-making mechanisms and generate recommendations for COP10. Several Parties stressed the need for the group to be small-scale, self-financing and time-bound, and have equitable regional representation. Delegates discussed the composition of the group and its status, as well as specific tasks assigned to it. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s coverage of these discussions can be found at: http://www.iisd.ca/vol17/enb1724e.html.
Final Resolution: In the final resolution (COP9 DR26 Rev.1), the COP establishes an ad hoc Management Working Group to examine and review the Convention’s various management structures and systems, and report to COP10 its recommendations on:
It also identifies the composition of the Management Working Group as follows: Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Standing Committee and the STRP established at COP8 and COP9; Chairs of the Subgroup on Finance for COP8 and COP9; Secretary General ex officio; any other interested Parties or IOPs, and an appropriate expert on organizational review, to be determined by the Working Group, subject to there being no implications for the Convention’s budget.
THANKS TO THE HOST COUNTRY: On Tuesday, 15 November, delegates adopted a resolution (COP9 DR28) thanking the host country. In this resolution, the COP congratulates Uganda for its pioneering efforts in wetland wise use and conservation and sustainable natural resources management, draws attention to the Kampala Declaration, expresses gratitude to the Government and people of Uganda, NGOs and the private sector and local staff.
DATE AND VENUE OF COP10
On Tuesday, 15 November, Bridgewater introduced the agenda item on the date and venue of the next COP (COP9 Doc.27), noting the Republic of Korea had offered to host Ramsar COP10.
The Republic of Korea’s Environment Minister Lee Jaeyong and Tae Ho Kim, Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do Province, extended the country’s invitation to host COP10 in the city of Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, in 2008. Supporting the bid, Japan noted currently 17 out of 43 Asian countries are not signatories to the Ramsar Convention, representing the largest gap in the world, and that hosting COP10 in Asia will offer an opportunity to further promote the Convention in the region. The COP accepted Republic of Korea’s bid by acclamation.
ELECTION OF PARTIES TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE
On Monday, 14 November, the COP elected Parties to the Ramsar Standing Committee. The following countries were selected to represent Ramsar’s six regions in the Committee: Samoa for Oceania; US for North America; Bahamas, El Salvador and Ecuador for the Neotropics; Austria, Czech Republic, Georgia and Slovenia for Europe; Benin, Gabon, Kenya and Malawi for Africa; and China, Iran and Thailand for Asia. Uganda and the Republic of Korea will serve on the Standing Committee as the COP9 and COP10 host countries.
MINISTERIAL DIALOGUE: On Saturday, 12 November, COP9 President Otafiire chaired an informal Ministerial Dialogue on the sidelines of COP9, attended by ministers and high-level representatives from 19 countries. The meeting: endorsed the outcomes of CSD-13 and the 2005-2015 “Water for Life” Decade; focused on Convention implementation; urged support of regional initiatives; and considered and agreed the Kampala Declaration.
THE KAMPALA DECLARATION: In the Declaration, the ministers, inter alia, emphasize: active community participation in wetlands supporting livelihoods, calling on the private sector and civil society to promote and sustain the wise use concept; innovative economic incentives in promoting wetland wise use and conservation; and further research and exchange of information on avian flu in relation to wetlands. They also: undertake to address the World Summit on Sustainable Development’s (WSSD) Johannesburg Plan of Implementation’s 2010 biodiversity loss goal and to strengthen the List of Wetlands of International Importance as a contribution to the global network of protected areas initiated at the WSSD; affirm the need for synergies between the Ramsar Convention and other relevant conventions; call for cross agency and cross donor cooperation; urge development and implementation of transboundary and cross national systems and approaches to wetland ecosystems; and urge the Secretariat and IOPs to liaise with development partners and multilateral organizations to identify sustainable funding mechanisms for the implementation of the Convention in Africa.
Delegates convened for the closing plenary on Tuesday evening, 15 November, adopting the report of the meeting without amendment.
Noting COP9 was a “Children’s COP” because of the presence of youth throughout the meeting, Secretary General Bridgewater said his expectations for the COP had been fulfilled and that he was satisfied with the meeting’s outcomes. He thanked the Standing Committee, the Secretariat, the Government of Uganda and particularly the Ministry of Water, Land and the Environment, and finally, the delegates.
Iraq announced its intention to become a Ramsar Contracting Party before COP10, and to designate the eastern part of the Mesopotamian marshes as its first Ramsar site. Grenada said it also hopes to join the Ramsar Convention before COP10.
Romania submitted its bid to host Ramsar COP11. Ghana congratulated Uganda on successfully hosting COP9, and encouraged other African countries to follow its lead in hosting a Ramsar COP.
An NGO representative urged Parties to engage NGOs at the national level in order to achieve the shared objective of ensuring the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
An indigenous peoples representative expressed concern over low participation by indigenous peoples at COP9, highlighting their important role in conserving wetlands. He also stressed the need to ensure their full participation in law and policy making for wetlands.
Birdlife International, on behalf of the IOPs, commended the COP’s attention to tackling poverty, the Convention’s governance, and rapid responses to avian flu and natural phenomena. He highlighted identified priorities for action before COP10, including IWRM, dealing with changing ecological character and outreach. He called for raising awareness about the Convention at all levels to achieve a greater political impact. He said that Ramsar was legitimate in the eyes of the world and that, while IOPs are global, they act locally as well, through distributed networks, technical programmes and civil society engagement.
COP9 President Otafiire congratulated participants on a successful COP and noted additional Ramsar sites recently designated by Uganda. The meeting was gaveled to a close at 7:20 pm.
A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF COP9
“The times they are a changin’” Bob Dylan
Opening the COP with this 1960s song by Bob Dylan seemed fitting for a Convention that has undergone a remarkable transformation in its 34-year-long history. From a North-centric convention focused on the technical and scientific aspects of the conservation of wetlands and waterfowl, the Ramsar Convention has become one that actively addresses a broad range of often political issues related to conservation and wise use of wetlands throughout the world, from cultural diversity to water management to ecosystem services. COP9, the first Ramsar COP held in Africa, is indicative of this evolution to accommodate broader concerns such as poverty alleviation. In addition, COP9 served to underscore Ramsar’s drive to become a more active player in the international agenda, reflected in the adopted resolutions addressing avian flu, natural disasters and water issues.
This brief analysis focuses on the key theme of COP9, that of streamlining the Convention, highlighting its most hotly debated issues, and looks ahead to the Convention’s future.
STREAMLINING THE CONVENTION
In his opening statement, Ramsar Secretary General Peter Bridgewater referred to “quality, not quantity,” a theme that was echoed throughout the conference. While the Convention’s Strategic Plan includes listing 2,500 Ramsar sites by the year 2010, many believe that the rush to list too many sites may take energy away from the management of already existing sites, which could result in many listed sites lacking adequate management plans, and becoming less attractive to donors. COP9 attempted to find a way to expand the number of Ramsar sites without compromising their effective management.
The Secretariat also attempted to streamline the organization of the COP itself. COP9 was two days shorter than COP8 and adopted far fewer resolutions, 25 rather than 45. The number of resolutions at this COP was partly due to preparatory work by the Secretariat to consolidate submissions by Parties, but some delegates felt that the “streamlining” was superficial, noting that this consolidation resulted in a “mega-resolution” on additional scientific and technical guidance, which ended up consuming a great deal of time.
Unlike COPs for other conventions, where budget issues plague debates and often stall progress, budget discussions at COP9 were relatively straightforward with no late-night negotiating sessions. For instance, currency conversion issues, which have posed problems for some other Conventions, were not a problem here as contributions are paid in Swiss francs. Instead, the budget debate focused on how to allocate funds, with regional initiatives coming into play.
The functioning of the Convention is being streamlined and decentralized through regional initiatives and national focal points, which have become more prominent. Ramsar has a historically small and centralized Secretariat with a narrow mandate, so addressing issues at the regional level frees up some of the burdens on the Secretariat and allows for more focus on specific issues and needs of different regions. The recent opening of the Ramsar Regional Center for Training and Research on Wetlands Western and Central Asia shows that Ramsar is mature and robust enough to incorporate this evolution and that Parties are serious about decentralization. Many other initiatives are formally recognized by the COP as having potential, such as the Himalayan Initiative and the Nordic-Baltic Wetlands Initiative, and others were proposed for future consideration.
EMERGING ISSUES: RISING TIDES
Ramsar’s broadening scope has resulted in increased calls to include emerging issues on the agenda. This was particularly prominent at COP9, as demonstrated by the emergency resolution on avian flu and Ramsar’s active involvement in the recently established Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza, under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). One delegate pointed out that the avian flu resolution would give more prominence to Ramsar’s bird experts who might be able to access funding to study links between migratory patterns of birds and avian flu. He suggested that while billions of dollars are being put into developing drugs to combat human strains of avian flu before it has even reached humans, much more could be done stop the flu at its source. In a gesture of support, the CMS Executive Director Robert Hepworth dropped in on his way to the CMS COP to be held next week in Nairobi.
In a year marked by tsunamis, hurricanes and droughts, a draft resolution on natural phenomena and the acknowledgement of wetlands as buffers against flooding and mitigation against other natural disasters indicated Ramsar’s broadening agenda and increasing importance. Investing in conservation, management and wise use of wetlands can save millions of dollars in rebuilding efforts. For example, according to scientific estimates, had the wetlands surrounding New Orleans not been degraded, the city itself would not have flooded to the extent it did during Hurricane Katrina, and millions of dollars would have been saved in reconstruction.
In addition, there is a greater acknowledgement of the “benefits/services” that wetlands provide and that investing in them makes sense. In COP9’s host city Kampala, for example, officials have saved money by investing in wetlands to provide water purification services rather than building an expensive water purification plant. Another local example of an ecosystem service provided by wetland biodiversity is the iconic African bird, the Marabou stork, which acts as a Kampala street cleaner.
The fact that more delegates from water ministries are attending Ramsar COPs and that the International Water Management Institute was added to the list of International Organization Partners, highlights Ramsar’s role in addressing water issues in that water supplies are dependent upon the protection and sustainable use of wetland and related ecosystems.
Another emerging issue that was hotly debated in the corridors, and eventually dropped, was a Swiss proposal to extend the effects and benefits of Ramsar to the wetlands of the Arctic and the Antarctic, in the hope that it would lead to increased coherence in international action on Polar wetlands. The Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty strongly opposed this proposal, feeling the Consultative Group on the Antarctic was still in its infancy, and that the international community has not been effective in managing the region. The issue will likely emerge again at future COPs now that attention has been called to the fact that wetlands not only exist in these areas, but may be in need of greater international attention.
CULTURE: ROUGH WATERS
COP9 was the first COP where everyone agreed that culture must be discussed. This resulted in an agreement to establish a multi-disciplinary working group on cultural values of wetlands. Prior to the adoption of this resolution, however, delegates debated the role culture should play in determining site designation. Politicized issues such as trade and conflict with national interests crept into the debate on whether culture should be a separate criterion for designating a site, with a number of European delegates strongly supporting this proposal, and others advocating that Ramsar is primarily an ecologically-based convention. Officials from Ministries of Foreign Affairs, who wished they had been in Valencia to help stop the Convention from going into “dangerous waters” and to “steer the culture issue in the right direction,” showed up in Uganda, mainly to avoid the subsidization in agriculture and fisheries that they felt the culture-related protectionist measures by governments could bring about. In the end, delegates concerned with trade implications insisted on adding language on consistency with obligations under other international agreements to the resolution on culture, an implicit reference to the WTO which takes into account concerns that protecting culture could have impacts on trade.
NAVIGATING RAMSAR’S FUTURE BEFORE DOCKING AT COP10
COP9 proved to be less contentious than COP8, where delegates debated at length such issues as agriculture, invasive species and the report of the World Commission on Dams and negotiated the Convention’s Strategic Plan. This time, COP9 addressed a broad range of issues that show the increased ability of Ramsar to respond to broader sustainable development goals and targets. It was noted for example that, at COP9, there was less talk of waterfowl than at any other COP. Ramsar’s contributions to achieving Millennium Development Goal 7 on environmental sustainability, the upcoming 4th World Water Forum, achievement of the 2010 biodiversity target, and implementation of decisions from the thirteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development on water and sanitation were recognized in the Framework for Implementing the Strategic Plan.
Since it is not a UN convention, Ramsar avoids some of the bureaucratic red tape that often bogs down other conventions, with one impressed delegate pointing out that COP9 participants refrained from “engaging in endless dialectic” much to the chagrin of “contact groupies.” This should hopefully enable the Convention to continue to address broader issues and link wetland ecosystems with human well-being – an issue that will no doubt be examined in more depth at COP10.
The fact that some contentious issues were not discussed or were deferred to COP10 does not mean that these issues will continue to be sidelined in the future. History shows that emerging issues may need to “simmer,” allowing Parties to warm up to them. For instance, water issues were first addressed at COP6, but have only now gained the full attention of all delegates at COP9. One likely issue to rise again to the surface is transboundary Ramsar sites, which was deferred to COP10. Culture was more comprehensively addressed during this COP than at previous ones, so while progress may seem slow at times, there is no doubt that Ramsar’s methodical and scientific approach has proven to be effective.
Now that a Ramsar COP has been held in Africa, the impetus may exist for more countries in the region to further engage in the Convention. The Oceania Region is diving deeper into the process, and Asia is gearing up to host COP10. At COP9, several developing countries announced that they will soon ratify the Convention. As noted by the Secretary General, there could very well be 160 Ramsar Contracting Parties by the next COP. This not only signals the increasing importance of the Convention, but also demonstrates developing countries’ recognition of the role of wetlands, and their desire to play a more integral role in the process. With this steady growth in the number of Parties and sites as well as its geographical, cultural and topical diversification, the Convention’s transformation into a modern and mainstream sustainable development agreement seems to have “whet” the appetite of the Parties.
EIGHTH CONFERENCE OF PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON MIGRATORY SPECIES (CMS): The eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CMS will convene from 16-25 November 2005, in Nairobi, Kenya, with the theme “On the Move to 2010.” For more information, contact: UNEP/CMS Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-2401; fax: +49-228-815-2449; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.cms.int/bodies/COP/cop8/cop8_mainpage.htm
SEVENTH GULF WATER CONFERENCE: This meeting will be held from 19-23 November 2005, in Kuwait City, Kuwait. This conference aims to review and assess the progress made in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries towards the adoption and implementation of comprehensive policies and strategies for integrated water resources management and their active implementation. For more information, contact: Muhammad Al-Rashed, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research and Water Sciences; tel: +965-483-6100; fax: +965-483-4712; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.kisr.edu.kw/conference_details.asp?ID=29
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS ON WETLAND MANAGEMENT: This workshop will take place from 21-23 November 2005, in Venice, Italy, with focus on practical implications of international conventions on wetland management. For more information, contact: Dwight Peck, Ramsar Secretariat; tel: +41-22-999-0170; fax: +41-22-999-0169; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://ramsar.org/wn/w.n.italy_servolo.htm
XII WORLD WATER CONGRESS: This conference will be held from 22-25 November 2005, in New Delhi, India. The theme is “Water for sustainable development – towards innovative solutions.” For more information, contact: G.N. Mathur, Member Secretary, Adhering Committee of International Water Resources Association; tel: +91-11-2611-5984; fax: +91-11-2611-6347; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.worldwatercongress.org
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON RECENT ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT (RAWRDM-2005): This meeting will take place from 23-25 November 2005, in Roorkee, Uttaranchal, India. For more information, contact: Deepak Khare, Indian Institute of Technology; tel: +91-1332-285393; fax: +91-1332-271073; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.iitr.ernet.in/departments/WRT/rawdrm.pdf
FIRST INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE ON THE WORLDWIDE WATER CRISIS: This meeting will take place from 24-25 November 2005, in Seville, Spain. This dialogue will address water management and armed conflicts, and water as a fundamental human right. For more information, contact: Green Cross Spain; tel: +34-91-399-0501; fax: +34-91-399-0865; e-mail: central@greencrossspain; internet: http://www.greencrossspain.org/doc/Crisismundialagua.pdf
INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OF THE MEKONG RIVER BASIN: This conference will be held from 29-30 November 2005, in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Participants will address how inter alia: sufficient cooperation can be obtained to yield sustainable water resources development; and IWRM can be successfully implemented to yield clear sustainable development outcomes. For more information, contact: Secretariat, Mekong River Commission; tel: +856-21-263-263; fax: +856-21-263-264 e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.mrcmekong.org/waterforum.htm
SECOND MEETING OF THE UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE�S (UNECE) WORKING GROUP ON INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: This meeting will take place from 8-9 December 2005, in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting will meet to discuss flood protection, prevention and mitigation and implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive. For more information, contact: UNECE; tel: +41-22-917-2373; fax: +41-22-917-0107; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.unece.org/env/water/welcome.html
FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WATER RESOURCES IN THE 21ST CENTURY: This conference will occur from 26-28 December 2005, in Alexandria, Egypt. Participants will discuss: water supply and demand, river basin management, droughts, flood hazards and disasters, scarcity, security and sufficiency, ecology and ecosystem assessment, and management and planning of regional water resources. For more information, contact: Conference Secretariat; tel/fax: +20-50-2255566; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.ewra.com/pages/2005/contents.htm
FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE IN LAKES, LAGOONS AND WETLANDS OF THE SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN REGION: This conference will be held from 4-7 January 2006 in Cairo, Egypt. For more information, contact: Conference Organizers; Dr Mahmoud H. Ahmed, National Authority for Remote Sensing & Space Sciences; tel: +20 (0) 2622 5815; fax: +20 (0) 2622 5800; or Dr. Roger Flower and Caroline Chambers, University College London, tel: +44 207 679 5545; fax: +44 207 679 4293; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/melmarina/ecollaw2006/
THIRD GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON OCEANS, COASTS AND ISLANDS: This conference will meet from 23-27 January 2006, in Paris, France. The Forum also seeks to improve global, regional, and national policies related to oceans, coasts and islands. For more information, contact: Global Forum Secretariat; tel: +1-302-831-8086; fax: +1-302-831-3668; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.globaloceans.org/
WETLANDS, WATER AND LIVELIHOODS WORKSHOP: This workshop will meet from 30 January - 2 February 2006, in St. Lucia, South Africa. This workshop hopes to strengthen partnerships among government, non-government, academic and private environment and development/aid agencies in sharing knowledge and experiences in the integration of livelihoods, poverty and environment issues. For more information, contact: Maria Stolk, Wetlands, Water and Livelihoods Workshop Secretariat, Wetlands International; tel: +31-317-478854; fax: +31-317-478850; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.wetlands.org/news&/NewsItems/WWLWorkshop_files/second_ann.htm
SHARING THE FISH CONFERENCE 2006: This conference will be held from 23 February - 2 March 2006, in Perth, Australia. This conference will focus on resource allocation and the sustainability of fisheries and will provide a neutral forum for the multi-disciplinary discussion of the elements of effective allocation of fisheries resources to ensure their sustainability. For more information, contact: Conference Secretariat; tel: +61-8-9387-1488; fax: +61-8-9387-1499; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.fishallocation.com.au/
FOURTH WORLD WATER FORUM: LOCAL ACTIONS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE: The Fourth World Water Forum will take place from 16-22 March 2006, in Mexico City, Mexico. This conference aims to raise awareness on water issues all over the world. For more information, contact: Secretariat of the 4th World Water Forum; tel: +52-55-5174-4480; fax: +52-55-5174-4722; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.worldwaterforum4.org.mx
EIGHTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES OF THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: COP-8 will take place from 20-31 March 2006, in Curitiba, Brazil. For more information, contact: the CBD Secretariat; tel: +1-514-288-2220; fax: +1-514-288-6588; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.biodiv.org
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON WATER AND LAND MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE: This symposium will meet from 4-8 April 2006, in Adana, Turkey. The symposium will seek to identify best management practices to harmonize the sustainable use of water for agricultural production and livelihoods with well-functioning ecosystems. For more information, contact: Attila Yazar, Cukurova University; tel: +90-322-3386516; fax: +90-322-3386386; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://symp2006.cu.edu.tr/
22ND INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON WORLD DAMS CONGRESS: This meeting will be held from 18-23 June 2006, in Barcelona, Spain. This meeting will address: technical solutions to reduce time and costs in dam design and construction; management of the downstream impacts of dam operation; and flood and drought evaluation and management. For more information, contact: ICOLD Secretariat; tel: +34-93-4016-478; fax: +34-93-4017-357; e-mail: [email protected]; internet: http://www.icold-barcelona2006.org
TENTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE RAMSAR CONVENTION:
COP10 will be held in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea
in 2008. For more information, please contact: Ramsar Secretariat; tel
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Clusters of galaxies are the largest bound systems and the most important link to the large scale structure (LSS) of the Universe. The detailed properties of clusters, such as the distributions of their various mass constituents - dark matter, hot intracluster (IC) gas, and galaxies - dynamics, and thermal structure, are of much interest both intrinsically, and for the understanding of the formation and evolution of the LSS. Moreover, detailed astrophysical knowledge of clusters is essential for their use as precise cosmological probes to measure global parameters, such as H0, M, & , and parameters characterising the primordial density fluctuation field.
Recent observations of many clusters of galaxies with the Chandra and XMM satellites at energies 10 keV, have significantly advanced our knowledge of the morphology and thermal structure of hot IC gas, the source of the cluster thermal Bremsstrahlung emission. The improved determinations of the gas temperature, density, and metal abundances from these observations significantly improve estimates of such important quantities as the total cluster mass and its gaseous and baryonic mass fractions.
As has been the case in galaxies, in clusters too a more physically complete understanding of these systems necessitates knowledge also of non-thermal (NT) quantities and phenomena in the IC space. Observational evidence for the relevance of these phenomena in clusters comes mostly from measurements of extended regions of radio emission, and from Faraday rotation (FR) of the plane of polarisation of radio sources seen through (or inside) clusters. Since the observed radio emission is clearly synchrotron-produced, its level and spectrum yield direct information on IC relativistic electrons and magnetic fields. Information on cluster magnetic fields (separately from relativistic electron properties) is obtained also from FR measurements. Compton scattering of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons by the radio-emitting relativistic electrons boosts photon energies to the X-and- regions (e.g., Rephaeli 1979). The search for cluster NT X-ray emission has begun long ago (Rephaeli et al. 1987), but first clear indications for emission at energies 20 keV came only after deep dedicated observations of a few clusters with the RXTE and BeppoSAX satellites (beginning with analyses of observations of the Coma cluster (Rephaeli et al. 1999, Fusco-Femiano et al. 1999). Radio and NT X-ray observations provide quantitative measures of very appreciable magnetic fields and relativistic electron densities in the observed clusters. These results open a new dimension in the study of clusters.
This is a review of cluster NT X-ray observations and their direct implications, including prospects for the detection of -ray emission. The literature on cluster NT phenomena is (perhaps somewhat surprisingly) quite extensive, including several reviews of radio emission (e.g., Govoni & Feretti 2004) and cluster magnetic fields (e.g., Carilli & Taylor 2002), and a review of the current status of radio observations by Ferrari et al. 2008 - Chapter 6, this volume. In order to properly address the comparison between magnetic field values deduced from radio observations and jointly from NT X-ray and radio measurements, we include here a brief summary of cluster radio observations. Measurements of EUV emission in a few clusters, and claims that this emission is by energetic electrons, are reviewed by Durret et al. 2008 - Chapter 4, this volume. NT radiation processes are reviewed by Petrosian et al. 2008 - Chapter 10, this volume, and relevant aspects of particle acceleration mechanisms are reviewed by Petrosian & Bykov 2008 - Chapter 11, this volume. | <urn:uuid:6b89f01b-8ba0-498d-89d0-2da831597145> | {
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It usually is far better to install your panels at an angle which will get the sun's rays. Check to make sure that there are no trees aren't overgrown and blocking the daylight you may need for your panels from receiving sunlight.
Change solar power angles through the seasons, this indicates 4x annually gem energy queensland solar panels. The amount and direction of sunlight changes with every season. Should you affect the panel angles, you stand a high probability of optimizing the force that you can capture, therefore you can get your money's worth.
You'll need to invest in a battery to store the energy generated because of your solar power systems. A good battery is one area that stores plenty of power for a long time or selling energy produced to power companies might be great ideas.
These fans have temperature sensors that start immediately when the attic reaches some temperature. This helps slow up the heat at your residence which ends up in lower cooling costs. Just as one additional incentive, being solar-powered, which suggests they themselves add nothing to your utility bill.
If you might rather transition to solar technology slowly, think about smaller applications. There are a handful of ways that one could build a storage shed. The foremost is to watch out for window-mounted panels that can use to charge your electronic devices. The next way is to apply solar-powered equipment that is solar powered. Every little device one does will make your utility bill.
Everybody is gaining interest in solar energy. The simplest way to become a professional on solar technology would be to spend time learning all you can about its true potential. This article that follows is a superb starting point for. | <urn:uuid:ea0fb73f-d877-40e5-b564-81f511568764> | {
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Coffee is a beloved drink and has a special place in the Turkish culture. A fruit indigenous fruit to Ethiopia, it has a long story before it became to be known as the “Turkish Coffee”.
Coffee first appeared as a food item, then it became a drink. Out of Ethiopia, it first made it’s way to Yemen, then on to Mecca and Egypt, lands all of which were within the Ottoman Empire then. Early consumers of coffee were sufi’s, Muslim mystics who used it as a stimulant and benefited the energizing effects to resist sleep over the nighttime devotions.
Coffee must have reached Istanbul during early 16th century or before as by mid 16th century there were already laws and disputes about consumption. The disputes were due to two clashing opinions, some considered coffee consumption as an essential part of prayer and reflection, while others claimed it must have been forbidden by religion as gossip, vulgar language, gambling and other culturally and religiously unacceptable behaviors became common at coffee shops.
Ottomans allowed coffee surplus to be sold to Europe, as a result coffee consumption spread. First coffee shop of Italy was in Venice, probably dating back to first half of the 17th century.
Popularity of the drink triggered colonial production and by the 18th century “new coffee” was a mass traded item.
The coffee route
While coffee impacted many cultures, Turkey is the only that a meal was created for sake of it’s consumption coffee. Turkish word for breakfast is “kahvaltı” meaning “before coffee”, a meal that did not exist but created so people can take a bite before coffee!
For Turks, coffee is a digestive drink after the meals. “Turkish coffee” is not a different plant, but pure Arabica beans from Ethiopia and Yemen, what makes it the “Turkish coffee” is the roasting, grinding and cooking of it. Turkish coffee needs to be a dark roast grinded very finely, almost to powder form and cooked slowly using a small pot called “cezve”.
Here is the recipe:
• Get a cezve, if you don’t have one use the smallest pot you have at hand.
It is common to see the traditional pot at the restaruants, especially those receiving international clientele, but nowadays Turks use steel pots at home.
• Use your cup to measure the amount of water and put the water in the pot. Turkish coffee cups are very slightly larger than espresso cups. Ideally, cook one or to cups of coffee in a pot, as if you cook more, this means you will have to split the foam (better known as cream in Western cultures) that accumulates on top to more number of cups, but Turkish coffee is more palatable and desirable with more foam.
Commercially 3 different sizes of coffee pots are available and usually they are sold as a set.
• If you like any sugar in your coffee this is the time to put it in the pot. You can’t add any sugar to coffee once it starts to cook or after it cooks, it always needs to go in the pot right after the water. For medium amount of sugar, one sugar cube per cup will suffice. If you have a sweet tooth, you can add two cubes per cup. Probably, you already figured it, if there are two people to drink coffee and one wants it black and other with sugar, it means that they have to be cooked separately!
• After the sugar, it is the time to add the coffee in the pot. Right amount of coffee per cup is one tea spoon full, roughly 6 to 7 grams.
• Then, with a small spoon (smaller than tea spoon, size of an espresso spoon), stir all until the sugar melts and clumps of coffee are broken up.
• Put the pot on top of low heat and let it cook slowly. Don’t stir, just watch so that it does not overcook and boil.
• Before the coffee reaches to a boiling temperature, you will notice that tiny tiny bubbles are forming the foam and it is gathering on the surface, this is the time to move the pot from the heat and pour the foam into the cup. Fill the cup only half way, with the foam.
• Replace the pot on the low heat once more, and cook till the coffee comes to a boil, then remove the pot immediately off the heat and fill the rest of the cup!
Pouring the coffee in to the cup.
• All the guests need to be served with equal amount of foam in their coffee, otherwise is against the hospitality. You can do this by either distributing the foam with a spoon to the cups before pouring, or with skillful pouring. This will not affect the taste, but the appearance of each cup.
• Serve the coffee with a small glass of water so the drinker can cleanse her/his palate. Small piece of Turkish delight is a good assortment to serve along.
• Don’t stir the coffee when you are drinking it, the coffee grounds are supposed to sink to the bottom of the cup.
• Enjoying coffee with a good story teller is much more fun as “reading” the coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup is an entertaining form of fortune telling! | <urn:uuid:ac0de5ef-6853-4d85-a7b3-ed602439b450> | {
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|Why Restore Wetlands?
Wetlands are widely known to be effective in protecting water quality, providing wildlife habitat, mitigating floods, and providing many other functions. Although New Hampshire has been relatively successful in protecting wetland resources, many have been degraded by past and current land uses. Restoration of these degraded areas holds great potential to help improve New Hampshire’s water quality, wildlife habitat and general quality of life.
What is the ARM Fund?
The recent development of the “Aquatic Resource Mitigation Fund” (ARM Fund) has provided a promising new source of funds to help with the effort. These funds are available to NH cities and towns to implement programs to restore, protect or create aquatic habitats. The fund accepts payments made by applicants for wetland dredge and fill permits, who pay into the fund to help offset the impacts of their proposed projects. These funds are then pooled on a watershed basis and managed by NHDES and a Site Selection Committee made up of watershed stakeholders. The intent of the fund is to provide grants to environmental and community organizations to conduct worthwhile restoration projects.
How does the Merrimack River Watershed Wetland Restoration Strategy fit into the Picture?
Over the years, a great deal of information has been developed on ecologically important areas in NH with a focus on preservation. And, excellent progress has been made in NH’s coastal region on restoring salt marsh habitat. But relatively little is known about potential wetland restoration sites in the Merrimack River Watershed and other watersheds in the state. The NHDES, therefore, working with its partners at the NH Fish and Game Department, the US Environmental Protection Agency and others, commissioned a study of the Merrimack River Watershed. The study built a GIS model of the watershed to identify wetlands that may be impacted by past land uses and which may benefit from environmental restoration. The resulting map information can be used by concerned citizens and community organizations to identify promising wetland restoration projects This website contains the results of this study, and it is hoped that the results will be helpful to those concerned about wetlands in the watershed who want to help protect and restore wetlands.
How can I get more information?
- Explore this website. It contains a useful report on the study, maps of each community in the watershed, with possible restoration sites shown, and an interactive GIS tool that can tell you more about the sites in your town.
- You can talk with the Mitigation Coordinator at the NH Department of Environmental Services: Contact Lori Sommer at (603) 271-2147 or [email protected] | <urn:uuid:076444c0-af4d-4f7b-b80f-7d2312e1cdfa> | {
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Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, just above your collarbone. It makes hormones that help the body work normally. There are several types of cancer of the thyroid gland. You are at greater risk if you
- Are between ages 25 and 65
- Are a woman
- Are Asian
- Have a family member who has had thyroid disease
- Have had radiation treatments to your head or neck
You should see a doctor if you have a lump or swelling in your neck. Doctors use a physical exam, blood tests, imaging tests, and a biopsy to diagnose thyroid cancer. Treatment depends on the type of cancer you have and how far the cancer has spread. Many patients receive a combination of treatments. They may include surgery, radioactive iodine, hormone treatment, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.
NIH: National Cancer Institute | <urn:uuid:8f384d47-855a-49d3-8015-f47c541895b9> | {
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Working on the line at General Motors in Flint was a job many men
needed desperately in the 1930's, but it was also tremendously difficult.
Terrible working conditions, combined with unfair and devious payroll
practices, made the auto plants of Depression-era Flint into ripe
locations for union organization.
Strikes had been attempted in Flint in 1930 and 1934, but had been
viciously broken up by company stooges and the Flint police force.
In 1935 Congress passed the Wagner Act, which legalized strikes
and invigorated the new Congress of Industrial Organizations under
the leadership of John L. Lewis. Among the first attempts at establishing
independent unionization in industrial plants were the strikes at
Cleveland's White Motors and Toledo's AutoLite factories in 1934
and 1935. These strikes were notable because of their use of a new
tactic - the sit-down.
Workers did more than picket outside the plant and risk replacement
by scabs; they actually occupied the plant itself in order to prevent
further production. This gave labor an edge in negotiations that
they had not enjoyed before. However, due to its infringement of
the property rights of the company, it was a tactic that scared
most Americans. Even after the strike was successful, some workers
were uneasy about their participation in such an activity. Nevertheless,
it proved to be a very effective strategy. And after years of abuses
and failures to get the company's ear, most of the men were ready
During the summer of 1936, Wyndham Mortimer, who had been a leader
of the White Motors strike, came to Flint at the behest of the infant
UAW to attempt an initial organization of workers there. It was
a challenge no other organizer wanted, since the town of Flint was
almost entirely controlled by General Motors. Yet Mortimer recognized
that if Flint could be won for the union, the CIO and UAW would
have established their most important beachhead within industrial
America. Working from the obscurity of a hotel room, he began to
send letters to workers whom he felt might be sympathetic, while
in the evenings he held secret meetings in workers' homes in order
to elude the notice of company spies. Gradually, the union grew.
In October, tensions within the national UAW leadership forced
Mortimer out of Flint. He was able to name his own replacement,
though, and his choice for the job was Bob Travis. Travis had been
a strike leader in Toledo, and was very good at convincing others
of the value of a union. Though not a great public speaker, he had
a genius for organization and for motivating small groups into action.
His personality made it hard for people to dislike or distrust him.
In retrospect, Mortimer could not have made a wiser choice. With
the help of other transplanted leaders like the Reuther brothers
- Victor, Roy, and Walter - Travis continued to hold meetings and
sign up members throughout the fall and early winter of 1936, building
on the foundation that Mortimer had established.
Travis's major challenge was to contain the growing strike fever
among the workers until the time was right, which he thought might
be just after the new year. Workers would not be cheated out of
their Christmas bonuses if they waited until then, and besides,
a liberal, New Deal governor, Frank Murphy, was to be sworn into
office on New Year's Day. For the strike to begin before all the
pieces were in place would be potentially disastrous.
Things didn't quite work out as planned. On December 29, word came
to Travis that the company, in anticipation of a strike, was removing
from the Fisher II plant the huge dies that were used for casting
car bodies. If these dies were removed, GM would be able to produce
car bodies elsewhere and weaken the union's strategic position.
Travis gave the word that the dies were to be protected at all costs
and that the workers at Fisher II should occupy the plant to prevent
any further company subterfuge. With this directive, the strike
was on, two days early. The next day, workers at Fisher I sat down,
and GM knew that it had something serious on its hands. | <urn:uuid:335cb556-8eb3-4431-ab60-da84f7d5c8fa> | {
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Aim To evaluate the role of historical processes in the evolution of Sclerurus leaftossers by integrating phylogenetic and phylogeographical approaches.
Location Humid forests of the Neotropical region.
Methods We reconstructed the evolutionary history of Sclerurus based on DNA sequences representing all species and 20 of the 26 recognized subspecies using one autosomal nuclear locus and three protein-coding mitochondrial gene sequences. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using Bayesian and maximum-likelihood methods. We used Bayesian coalescent-based approaches to evaluate demographic changes through time, and to estimate the timing of diversification events. Based on these results, we examined the temporal accumulation of divergence events using lineage-through-time plots.
Results The monophyly of all Sclerurus species was strongly supported except for Sclerurus mexicanus, which was paraphyletic in relation to Sclerurus rufigularis, and for the sister pair Sclerurus scansor–Sclerurus albigularis, which were not reciprocally monophyletic in the nuclear tree. We found remarkably deep phylogeographical structure within all Sclerurus species, and overall this structure was congruent with currently recognized subspecies and Neotropical areas of endemism. Diversification within Sclerurus has occurred at a relatively constant rate since the Middle Miocene.
Main conclusions Our results strongly support the relevance of physiographical (e.g. Nicaragua Depression, Isthmus of Panama, Andean Cordillera, great rivers of Amazonia) and ecological barriers (open vegetation corridor) and ecological gradients (elevational zonation) to the diversification of Neotropical forest-dwelling organisms. Despite the high congruence among the spatial patterns identified, the variance in divergence times suggests multiple speciation events occurring independently across the same barrier, and a role for dispersal. The phylogenetic patterns and cryptic diversity uncovered in this study demonstrate that the current taxonomy of Sclerurus underestimates the number of species. | <urn:uuid:87b028ea-3c3a-4cc0-abe4-ba9d7bb21bf3> | {
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Proponents created public charter schools, in part, to use them to incubate new educational approaches, then replicate the successes. Charters started in Minnesota about 20 years ago, and today there are thousands of them with nearly a million students nationwide.
But not nearly enough of the highest-quality programs have been emulated. For a variety of reasons, few schools have used the best charter school strategies to improve learning for more students.
That’s why a proposed federal bill that would encourage states and districts to help grow high-quality charter programs merits support. The measure was sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., who serves as chairman of the House education committee, and U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the panel, which passed the bill in a 36-3 vote last month.
Charter programs are public schools that are created and operated outside traditional public school districts by independent boards. Under state law, charters can set some of their own labor and curriculum rules to find innovative ways to improve student achievement.
Currently, the federal Department of Education operates two general grant programs for charter schools. Under the new bill, called the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, those programs would be consolidated into one and refocused. The DOE would continue to award grants to high-quality charters and facilities assistance through the states.
However, a significant difference is that the bill would expand an existing DOE grant competition for charter management organizations. That would open up opportunities for charters in states that don’t win or compete for federal funding.
The measure also clarifies states’ ability to use “weighted lotteries,” which give preference to low-income students and other disadvantaged children in admissions. In addition, it would allow students who graduate from one charter school to continue in an affiliated school in higher grades without having to go back through a lottery.
And the federal department could more actively disseminate information about successful programs to help other public schools improve.
The revamped program would wisely offer incentives for states to help develop charters and make it easier for the successful ones to open more schools. Currently, charter operators can get federal grants to open new schools, but not to expand existing, successful models.
And Kline’s bill would increase federal financial support for charters. It would authorize about $300 million per year in spending on help for charters, up from the roughly $250 million spent in the most recent budget.
Charter opponents note that the proposal fails to address concerns about failing charters — though the bill states that funding goes only to high-quality, effective schools. As the congressman points out, states and authorizers have and must use the ability to close programs that aren’t working.
Nearly the same legislation was proposed in 2011 as part of the much-needed overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act. The charter school portion had broad bipartisan support then. But the larger bill to renew NCLB never made it to the Senate floor.
The House and Senate have not been able to reach agreement on an overall education bill — even though the reauthorization is several years overdue. And while it would be preferable get the larger bill done, passing the smaller charter school portion would be better than getting nothing at all accomplished.
Kline’s bill is scheduled to be heard on the House floor this week, which also happens to be National Charter Schools Week. That should be perfect timing for legislation that would help charters fulfill the lofty goals of their supporters.
NOTE: According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, approximately 2.5 million children are enrolled in charter schools nationwide.
To learn more about the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, which the House is expected to consider later this week, click here.
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Does Drinking Water Help Weight Loss
Many studies revealed that drinking more water helps to lose weight not to mention the fact that it makes the skin looks younger and healthier.
Do you know that almost 60% of our body’s component is water? It is an important element for every single cell to function properly. Drinking water really helps to lose weight and can be a great support for your dieting efforts and to cleanse your body.
The importance of water
A person can live for weeks by drinking water alone. It’s not only vital for bodily function but also to keep your body properly hydrated. Otherwise, if you’re not drinking enough water it would be difficult to flush out toxins. This can make a person prone to disease or sickness, premature ageing, and weight gain.
Here’s how drinking water helps you lose weight:
Burn more calories
Drinking water allows your body to burn more calories or increase the resting energy expenditure. Almost 30% increase in resting energy expenditure in adults is possible within 10 minutes of drinking water.
According to a study, an overweight woman drinking more than 1 litre of water a day in a year had resulted in losing 2 kg. Likewise, a substantial reduction in waist circumference, body mass index, and body fat is also noticeable.
Drinking water may help you lose weight if it is done prior to eating a meal. It follows that water reduces appetite. Studies support this benefit in which older adults drinking water before a meal are known to loss 2 kg within 12 weeks.
It makes sense drinking water before eating breakfast to reduce the caloric consumption by 13% during the meal that is the key to weight loss. But, this is more beneficial for both older and middle-aged people.
Lessen the risk of gaining weight
Since drinking water reduces calorie intake, it follows that it also lessens the risk of gaining weight. That’s why it’s important to drink water instead of sugary and high-calorie content beverages. Likewise, drinking water also prevents long-term weight gain.
Thus, it’s necessary to encourage children to drink water to prevent from becoming obese or overweight.
How much water intake is required?
The recommended daily intake of water is about 2 litres or 8-oz glasses. But, water requirements depend on the needs of an individual.
If a person exercises regularly or sweats a lot, most likely more water is needed as compared with those who aren’t very active. Likewise, breastfeeding women and older people should also increase their water intake.
In spite of the fact that you’re also getting water from other beverages and foods, it’s essential to drink water not only to quench your thirst but also to increase water intake. Likewise, drinking sufficient amount of water isn’t only to keep you hydrated and lose weight. You should drink more water when you experience a headache, in a bad mood, or have trouble concentrating.
Based on studies, you can expect to lose weight by drinking 1 to 2 litres of water a day. But, it’s not recommended to drink too much water because it can lead to water toxicity.
Indeed, water is really helpful for weight loss. Water is 100% calorie-free and it helps to burn more calories and suppresses appetite. To obtain the benefits of water, make sure to consume it plain and not with sugary beverages.
About the author
Mounota Rahman is a dietitian and writing regularly at HealthyNaturalDiet.com. She believes that food has healing powers and eating good food is the best way to lose weight. Mounota would like to share her knowledge and experience with the world. When she is not working, she loves to cook healthy food, watch movies, travel, workout, and read Bengali literature. | <urn:uuid:91f5ee91-d005-46d5-a7de-d1e810208d5c> | {
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Napatan Period, reign of Anlamani
Findspot: Sudan, Nubia, Nuri, S. E. corner of Pyramid 6, foundation deposit
Height x diameter (rim) x diameter (base): 8.3 x 5.5 x 3.5 cm (3 1/4 x 2 3/16 x 1 3/8 in.)
Medium or Technique
Not On View
Beakers of this type were often included in foundation deposits below the royal pyramids of the early Napatan period in Nubia. The flat-based beaker of pale blue faience has slightly asymetrically concave sides flaring to a wide mouth with a slightly rolled rim. There is an incised line around the rim. Below, the beaker is inscribed with two columns of hieroglyphic text, one of which includes a cartouche of king Anlamani. Some areas of the surface glaze are worn down to the underlying faience paste and the rim is chipped.
Column 1 reads: “The Good God, Ankhkare [i.e. Anlamani]”. The second column is unreadable due to the condition of the glaze. Many areas of the surface glaze have flaked away, exposing the underlying faience paste. Part of the rim is broken off, while another small section was broken but has been mended.
From Nuri, pyramid 6 (tomb of Anlamani), S.E. foundation deposit. 1917: excavated by the Harvard University-Museum of Fine Arts Expedition; assigned to the MFA by the government of the Sudan; 1920: received by the MFA. (Accession Date: March 1, 1920)
Harvard University—Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition | <urn:uuid:af6b60d4-15fd-4db6-a474-1e8d5bec70d0> | {
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I will start with the obvious question first, what are nanoparticles? Well, the reason they have the name nanoparticle is because they typically have lengths of 1 to 100 nanometers. To give you an idea of the size, it takes roughly 300 million nanometers to make 1 foot of length. These particles are close to the scale of individual molecules, which makes them ideal for all kinds of applications.
The tiny size of these particles means that in some cases the nanoparticle version of the material behaves differently than the normal sized material. For instance, aluminum can "outshine" gold or silver at the nanoparticle level.
What nanoparticles do is more interesting than what they are however. Nanoparticles have found boundless applications to many areas of science, but perhaps the most intriguing area is medicine. Nanoparticles seem to be able to do it all when it comes to medicine. They have been shown to be able to identify where a disease is and even better treat that disease at the site, thereby reducing damage to surrounding regions.
It is this ability that has scientists excited.Cancer could be treated without chemotherapy, for instance, and would not create the same adverse side effects. Another idea that has cropped up is that perhaps one day we will all have nanoparticles roaming our bodies, searching out disease and killing it on contact. This of course would reduce our need to visit the doctor and would allow us to live longer healthier lives.
So are nanoparticles too good to be true? Well maybe they are. In the deluge of excitement over nanoparticles researchers may have overlooked an important detail, at least initially. Are nanoparticles safe to be used in humans? Believe it or not, this topic is being studied nearby at Clarkson University. A research group at Clarkson recently received a sizable grant (over $300,000) to study the effects of nanoparticles on zebrafish.
Why zebrafish? It turns out they have very similar digestive tracks to humans, which means that if they digest nanoparticles they will process them in a similar manner to the way humans do. The initial results have not looked good (although they are certainly not done researching yet as they have just started). It seems that in large quantities nanoparticles are quite toxic, but perhaps worse than that in small quantities nanoparticles led to longer term ailments for the zebrafish.
Of course, if these nanoparticles are hazardous to our health, even in small amounts, this has profound implications. Not only would this mean that the grand plan of having nanoparticles roam our bodies will have to be altered, other things would have to change as well. Nanoparticles have also found their way into products that we use such as suntan lotion, lipstick, deodorants and other products. Certainly the producers of these products would have to change the products to make us consumers more safe.
As I mentioned this study is far from over, and even if it turns out that some nanoparticles are harmful, it does not necessarily mean that they all are. But if there is a lesson to be learned here it is that you can't be too excited about something until it has truly proven its worth.
Jeremie is a Wilmington resident and Clarkson University graduate student. He can be contacted at [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:ad594c6a-3e59-44b9-be3d-046c1cb0e3fb> | {
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King of the North, the Alaskan Malamute never backs down from a challenge---at least, not when it comes to feats of strength and endurance.
According to DNA evidence, Malamutes are one of the most ancient breeds. First known as Mahlmuts, from Mahle (Inuit tribe name) and mut (dog), they were developed in Alaska to hunt seals and polar bears and to haul heavy loads. The breed was almost lost to interbreeding with other dogs during the Alaskan Gold Rush. They were revived in the 1920s.
Malamutes have been key players in several adventures, including Admiral Byrd's 1933 trek to the South Pole. They also served in World War II as freight haulers, pack animals and search & rescue dogs.
Malamutes are independent but fun loving. They have a habit of causing mischief unless they're adequately entertained. They enjoy tough---really tough---toys.
The Malamute's large size brings some special concerns, including joint problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia. Feeding a diet formulated for large breed puppies during the first year of life will help decrease the possibility of hip dysplasia, and probably elbow dysplasia. These diets allow the puppy to grow more slowly, while still achieving the same adult size---just a little later. Joint supplements, such as glucosamine chondroitin supplements, are also vital for protecting joint health throughout life.
Be careful to keep your adult Malamute at a lean weight. Too much weight stresses the joints, and can worsen arthritic changes. You may need to feed a low-calorie food. When dieting a dog, you must make sure he gets enough vitamins. We suggest supplementing with a good multi-vitamin, probiotics and, if the coat is dry, a fatty-acid supplement.
One of the Malamute's largest concerns is bloat or gastric torsion, a condition in which the gases accumulate in the stomach and can't escape. The stomach may then twist, totally cutting off any ability for anything to leave the stomach. The dog's stomach enlarges as gases continue to accumulate, and the dog is restless and tries unsuccessfully to vomit. This is an extreme emergency that needs immediate veterinary attention to save the dog. Nobody knows exactly how to prevent it, but many veterinarians advocate feeding an anti-gas pill with every meal.
Like all Northern breeds, Malamutes can develop a coat problem related to insufficient levels of zinc in the diet. Adding a multi-vitamin daily may be helpful in some cases.
Use a shampoo designed to build body. A whitening shampoo can help bring out the coats highlights.
As Malamutes age, they may form calluses on their elbows. Encourage your dog to rest on soft surfaces (even carpeting can be abrasive, but is still better than hard tile). Using a cooling blanket or simply placing a fan so it blows over a soft cushion can help steer him to the better surface. Moisturizers applied to the calloused area can also help, as can wrapping the elbows with padding.
Brush the teeth daily.
Clip the nails every two weeks or so using a heavy-duty dog nail clipper.
Malamutes may be affected by age-related physical changes, such as arthritis, at an earlier age compared to smaller dogs. Besides any intervention recommended by your veterinarian, a soft cushion to lie on and glucosamine chondroitin supplements added to the diet can help soothe aching joints, and keep him going strong! | <urn:uuid:2b2e93a0-9f67-4ae1-806d-28b652ba9846> | {
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A warrior is one who is engaged aggressively or energetically in an activity, cause or conflict. Native American warriors were known for their aggression, but their aggression was fueled by their honor, pride, and sense of self-preservation. The Battle of Little Bighorn exemplifies the warrior motif. Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors joined forces in southern Montana to defeat twelve companies of the U.S. 7th Cavalry, famously led by Lt. Col. Custer. Those determined warriors proudly fought for their way of life with bravery and honor. To recognize their tenacious spirit, an Indian Memorial was erected at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. The artwork in the photo depicts how different cultures can come together to understand the past and work toward a better future.
Ripley Warriors are also energetically engaged in activities, causes, and conflicts on our ball fields and basketball courts and in our student organizations and classrooms. We aggressively engage our education and co-curricular activities with honor, integrity, and bravery like those proud Native American warriors from long ago. We embrace their spirit and honor their memory.
We are the Ripley Warriors. | <urn:uuid:a2d6c62e-0203-41fb-a1e8-7bd3ae13387a> | {
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As artificial intelligence proliferates, so does concern about its use in areas ranging from criminal justice to hiring to insurance. Many people worry that tools built using “big data” will perpetuate or worsen past inequities, or threaten civil liberties. Over the past two years, for instance, Amazon has been aggressively marketing a facial-recognition tool called Rekognition to law-enforcement agencies. The tool, which can identify faces in real time from a database of tens of millions, has raised troubling questions about bias: Researchers at the ACLU and MIT Media Lab, among others, have shown that it is significantly less accurate in identifying darker-skinned women. Equally troubling is the technology’s potential to erode privacy.
Privacy advocates, legislators, and even some tech companies themselves have called for greater regulation of tools like Rekognition. While regulation is certainly important, thinking through the ethical and legal implications of technology shouldn’t happen only after it is created and sold. Designing and implementing algorithms are far from merely technical matters, as projects like Rekognition show. To that end, there’s a growing effort at many universities to better prepare future designers and engineers to consider the urgent questions raised by their products, by incorporating ethical and policy questions into undergraduate computer-science classes.
“The profound consequences of technological innovation…demand that the people who are trained to become technologists have an ethical and social framework for thinking about the implications of the very technologies that they work on,” said Rob Reich, a political scientist and philosopher who is co-teaching a course called “Computers, Ethics, and Public Policy” at Stanford this year.
Coursework on the ethics of technology is not entirely new: It emerged in universities in the 1970s and ’80s, with engineers collaborating with philosophers and others to develop course materials. ABET, an organization that accredits engineering programs, has required for decades that programs provide students with “an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.” But how the requirement is carried out varies widely.
Casey Fiesler, a faculty member in the Department of Information Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, said that a common model in engineering programs is a stand-alone ethics class, often taught towards the end of a program. But there’s increasingly a consensus among those teaching tech ethics that a better model is to discuss ethical issues alongside technical work. Evan Peck, a computer scientist at Bucknell University, writes that separating ethical from technical material means that students get practice “debating ethical dilemmas…but don’t get to practice formalizing those values into code.” This is a particularly a problem, said Fiesler, if an ethics class is taught by someone from outside a student’s field, and the professors in their computer-science courses rarely mention ethical issues. On the other hand, classes focused squarely on the ethics of technology allow students to dig deeply into complicated questions. “I think the best solution is to do both…but if you can’t do both, incorporating [ethics material into regular coursework] is the best option,” Fiesler said.
The new generation of tech-ethics courses cover topics like data privacy, algorithmic bias and accountability, and job automation, and they often draw on concrete, real-world cases. For example, some classes consider criminal-justice algorithms, which many jurisdictions across the United States use to predict the chance that someone accused of a crime will be rearrested or fail to appear in court if they are released pending their court hearings. Pretrial risk-assessment algorithms often recommend that judges detain those with “high” risk scores in jail and release those with “low” risk scores. Proponents of such tools argue that they can help to reduce the number of unconvicted people that are held in jail. (Currently that number is nearly half a million on any given day across the country.) But exactly how such algorithms are designed and implemented—as well as overseen—is a major area of concern among advocates and researchers. For instance, by drawing on data like past arrests, these programs can perpetuate the racial skew that is already present in the criminal-justice system. Fixing this issue is far from straightforward: Work by academic researchers suggests that it’s not always easy to determine what algorithmic “fairness” means in the first place.
Several new programs are designed to assist computer-science professors and others with technical backgrounds who may not feel prepared to teach on philosophical and policy issues. Embedded EthiCS is an initiative at Harvard University in which philosophy faculty and grad students develop and teach ethics course modules in computer-science classes, in close collaboration with computer scientists. Another initiative, the Responsible Computer Science Challenge, a partnership between Omidyar Network, Mozilla, Schmidt Futures, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, will award up to $3.5 million in grants for “promising approaches to embedding ethics into undergraduate computer-science education.”
Philosopher Shannon Vallor of Santa Clara University and computer scientist Arvind Narayanan of Princeton University have co-authored modules to embed ethics material in software-engineering classes, and made them available to other educators. Professors at more than 100 universities have requested to use them, according to Vallor. The goal of this kind of embedded ethics is to make such considerations part of students’ routine. “Habits are powerful: Students should be in the habit of considering how the code they write serves the public good, how it might fail or be misused, who will control it; and their teachers should be in the habit of calling these issues to their attention,” Narayanan and Vallor write.
Other academic programs are incorporating tech ethics by offering classes co-taught by faculty members from multiple fields. An example of this approach is this year’s “Computers, Ethics, and Public Policy” course at Stanford University, developed by Rob Reich, computer scientist Mehran Sahami, political scientist Jeremy Weinstein, and research fellow and course manager Hilary Cohen. The course was first developed in the late 1980s. But this year’s version, with 300 students, includes faculty members and teaching assistants from a range of disciplines, allowing for deeper dives into ethical, policy, and technical topics. Students are given assignments in three areas: coding exercises, a philosophy paper, and policy memos.
Part of the impetus for developing a new version of the class, Rob Reich said, is the huge popularity of computer science at Stanford in recent years. The class aims to both help give engineering students familiarity with ethical and policy questions and to impart technical understanding of algorithms and other tools to students in non-technical fields. The latter is critical as well, Reich emphasized. Students who go to work in public policy and other fields need to have familiarity with technology—as demonstrated by recent congressional hearings at which some legislators seemed unaware of basic facts regarding Facebook, like how the company makes money.
In approaching philosophical questions, Reich said, the course emphasizes that ethical awareness is an ongoing habit, not a fixed set of rules. “One of the big-picture messages that we want to get across through considering the complicated ethical terrain is that there’s no such thing as having an ethical checklist. [It’s not the case] that after you go through some exercise, you’re done with ethical compliance and you can stop thinking of the ethical dimensions of your work,” Reich said.
Vallor endorses the idea of ethics education as helping students develop moral awareness. In her book Technology and the Virtues, she argues that to be prepared to navigate ethical challenges posed by new technology, students need to develop “practical wisdom”—a concept from the work of Aristotle and other philosophers. This involves cultivating a disposition to judge and respond wisely, rather than leaning on moral scripts. When a new technology comes out five years from now that we didn’t anticipate, Vallor said, what will be important is having developed the skills to be able to navigate relevant ethical issues.
In addition to the movement toward ethical training in universities, researchers are forming new venues for socially and ethically aware research on technology. Solon Barocas, a faculty member in the Department of Information Science at Cornell University, co-founded a group called Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency in Machine Learning in 2014. Over the past two years, the group has held interdisciplinary conferences in which hundreds of people from fields including computer science, social sciences, law, media and information studies, and philosophy—many of them students—gather together to discuss tech-related ethical and policy issues.
Just a few years ago, Barocas says, work on these topics was relegated to workshops within larger machine-learning conferences. But now, ethical questions have entered the mainstream and are seen as urgent research questions for the field to grapple with. More than ever, Barocas says, students are motivated to combine their interest in social change with their interest in computing. As compared with even just a few years when he was in graduate school, there is now a much clearer path for them to do so.
Even with the increased attention and support for the ethics of technology, much work remains to be done. There’s a need, for example, to reach people beyond those involved in higher education. Within the tech industry, Barocas and Vallor said, some companies are looking for ways that they can engage in the ethical implications of their work, and are hiring people to focus on these issues. (Both have personal experience with this: Barocas is taking a year off from Cornell to work at Microsoft Research, and Vallor is an AI ethicist/visiting researcher at Google). In collaboration with colleagues at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Vallor has also developed tech-ethics modules for companies to use in staff training. And nearly 400 people—many of whom work for tech companies in Silicon Valley—have enrolled in the Ethics of Technological Disruption, a Stanford continuing-studies course, featuring many guest speakers and taught by the same group of faculty that developed the tech-ethics course for undergraduates.
There’s also a need to bridge the gap between the academic and industry conversation about tech ethics and the wider community, particularly those most likely to be impacted by potential bias in tools such as predictive policing and risk-assessment algorithms. While advocates and researchers are doing some work to reach out to impacted communities, Barocas said, “there’s still not nearly enough interaction between the communities that are most deeply affected by these kinds of problems, and the people doing research on them.”
Finally, some experts argue that tech ethics must also consider cases in which technology shouldn’t be emphasized as a solution. In a recent session of the Ethics of Technological Disruption, guest speaker Safiya Umoja Noble brought up the enormous and disproportionate toll that the mortgage crisis took on African-American wealth. Noble, author of the book Algorithms of Oppression and a faculty member at the University of Southern California, said, “We could say that we need to tweak the algorithm. But I think there’s a different set of conversations that we need to have, about the morality of projects that are just everyday business.” As Noble and other researchers like Virginia Eubanks argue, part of the conversation, and part of tech-ethics education, should include thinking through how to put technology in its proper place. | <urn:uuid:fdfcb396-aaa2-4eed-80d9-d13ff3ff1280> | {
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NCDC Releases October Global Climate Report
According to NOAA scientists, the globally averaged temperature for October 2012 was the fifth warmest October since recordkeeping began in 1880. It marked the 36th consecutive October and 332nd consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last below-average October temperature was October 1976, and the last below-average temperature for any month was February 1985.
Higher-than-average monthly temperatures were observed across much of Europe, western and far eastern Asia, northeastern and southwestern North America, central South America, northern Africa, and most of Australia. Meanwhile, much of northwestern and central North America, central Asia, parts of western and northern Europe, and southern Africa were notably below average.
This monthly analysis (summary, full report) from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides to government, business, and community leaders so they can make informed decisions.
- October 2012 Global Hazards
- Selected Significant Climate Anomalies and Events for October 2012
- October 2012 El Niño Southern Oscillation Analysis
- October 2012 Global Snow and Ice Analysis
- October 2012 Blended Land and Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies Map
- October 2012 Blended Land and Sea Surface Temperature Percentiles Map
- October 2012 Land-Only Precipitation Percent of Normal Map
- October 2012 Land-Only Precipitation Percentiles Map | <urn:uuid:8d1c6bcc-a4b9-4aa0-b900-9d14f07bf562> | {
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Stellar Ticking Time Bomb Explodes on Cue
Using observations from NASA’s Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), an international team of astronomers has discovered a timing mechanism that allows them to predict exactly when a superdense star will unleash incredibly powerful explosions.
"We found a clock that ticks slower and slower, and when it slows down too much, boom! The bomb explodes," says lead author Diego Altamirano of the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
The bursts occur on a neutron star, which is the collapsed remnant of a massive star that exploded in a supernova. The neutron star belongs to a binary system that can be described as a ticking time bomb. Hydrogen and helium gas from a companion star spirals onto the neutron star, slowly accumulating on its surface until it heats up to a critical temperature. Suddenly, the hydrogen and helium begin to fuse uncontrollably into heavier elements, igniting a thermonuclear flame that quickly spreads around the entire star. The resulting explosion appears as a bright flash of X-rays.
These bursts, which can occur several times per day from the same neutron star, release more energy in just 10 to 100 seconds than our sun radiates in an entire week. Put another way, the energy is equivalent to 100 fifteen-megaton hydrogen bombs exploding simultaneously over each postage-stamp-size patch of the neutron star’s surface.
Scientists have observed thousands of these X-ray bursts from about 80 different neutron stars. But until now, they had no way to predict when they would occur.
The key to this discovery is RXTE, which makes extremely precise timing measurements of rapidly flickering X-ray-emitting objects. As gas gradually builds up on the neutron star’s surface, hydrogen and helium atoms sometimes fuse into heavier elements in a stable and almost perfectly repetitive fashion. This mode of fusion produces a nearly regular X-ray signal known as a quasi-periodic oscillation, or QPO for short. Theory predicts that the frequency of the cycle should be about 0.009 cycles per second (9 Millihertz, or one cycle every two minutes). This is very close to the QPO frequency in 4U 1636-53 measured by Altamirano and his colleagues using extensive RXTE observations.
But the team also found that the QPO frequency decreased over time from about 12 Millihertz to 8 Millihertz. In a paper published in the January 20 Astrophysical Journal Letters, the authors demonstrate that every time the QPO frequency slowed down to about 8 Millihertz (one cycle per 125 seconds), the neutron star in 4U 1636-53 let loose a powerful X-ray burst.
"We are able to predict when these explosions are happening. We have a clock that tells us when the bomb will explode!" says Altamirano.
"We do not yet know if this sequence of events means the oscillations cause the explosion, or if they are just telling us the time has come for an outburst. Further observations from RXTE will be essential to figure this out," adds coauthor Michiel van der Klis, who also works at the University of Amsterdam.
The same group is now studying more than 50 other neutron stars to see if it can identify similar behavior. The 4U 1636-53 system is located about 20,000 light-years away right near the border between the southern constellations of Ara and Norma.
"It's an exciting discovery," says astrophysicist Tod Strohmayer of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "The QPO frequencies are related to the mass and size of the neutron star, so we may be able to use them to pin down the masses of some neutron stars. It gives us a new tool to study these fascinating objects."
Goddard Space Flight Center | <urn:uuid:8e1d0261-48af-4c6a-9185-cf4676d4fb3e> | {
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Please browse through the list of questions on the left side of this page to find the answers to any of your questions.
What is an IP address?
The IP Address is a unique number assigned to your computer connection by your home or office or employer's Internet Service Provider (ISP). This unique number serves as the ID of your connection when it's accessing the Internet. It functions like your street address—if someone wants to send you mail or you order a pizza, your address is needed for the postman or delivery person to find your home. The same process applies to your computer, your IP address is used to route information from the Internet to your computer.
Depending on the type of ISP service agreement you have, the IP Address is assigned to your computer's connection on a provisional basis and usually changes whenever you reboot your router.
An IP Address is a way to measure a user's unique identity. It is a number that is allocated to your browser by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or employer, when you log on to the internet. It is usually allocated on a temporary (or dynamic) basis ie it is only allocated to your browser for the duration of that session online. It is the 'address' of your computer while you are online. Without an IP address, servers would not be able to deliver content to you, because they would not be able to locate your computer. | <urn:uuid:c8a606b8-debe-486f-bced-a5fc6dce7d3a> | {
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|Notes on SCHOOLS AND PODS||view bio|
The Akule or "big-eyed scad" are named for their saucer-like eyes, cartoonish against the silvery blue-green of their bodies. But en masse, the thousands of Akule appear like a living sculpture, nature's most elegant exercise in pointillism. Before diving down to find them, award-winning ocean photographer Wayne Levin would hike high above Kealakekua Bay on the Kona coast of Hawaii, hoping to spot a dark mass in the clear waters below. After hiking back down, Levin would enter the water facing away from the school, so as not to startle them. Then he would slowly turn towards them. "You'd think they would move away from you," he says, "but in fact they move towards you...basically through you, opening up like a tunnel."
To view or purchase Wayne Levin's new book, Akule, go to besspress.com | <urn:uuid:ea2477d6-bae2-4f8e-90f8-6a02a81855fc> | {
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Decoding Sweeteners From Stevia To Coconut Sugar: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Americans eats an average of 765 grams of sugar every five days—and much of it comes from not knowing where sugar is lurking or what alternative name it's going by! Compare that number to the year 1822, when Americans ate just 45 grams in the same time period. Every person eats and drinks 130 pounds of added sugar every year, an average of 3,550 pounds in a lifetime. That is equal to eating 1.7 million Skittles or an industrial-sized dumpster full of sugar.
Wherever you look in the grocery store or restaurants, sugar and natural sugar substitutes are added to just about everything—it's in nut butter, condiments, kombucha, crackers, popcorn, and most everything else that comes in a package. The sweet drug of choice comes by many names, even super-healthy-sounding euphemisms, so it can be hard even recognizing sugar in all its varying forms. What's someone interested in maintaining a healthy body and living green to do?
As a functional medicine doctor, my job is not only to make people healthy but also to make it realistic for them to stay healthy. Not many people want to live a sugar-celibate life. So let's get practical. I will give you exactly which natural sugar substitutes to avoid and the ones that are the recreational drugs of the sugar family: to be used responsibly, with caution and in small amounts. Get your fix, right here.
These are the worst of the worst. The most common culprits and whose colorful packages you often see at any coffee bar are:
- Sucralose – Splenda
- Aspartame – Equal, NutraSweet
- Saccharin – Sweet N’ Low
- Neotame – a chemical derivative of aspartame found in various food products
- Acesulfame – often found in sodas and fruit juices as well as dairy and ice cream products
I have written in the past about the link between artificial sweeteners and health problems. According to studies, these chemical sweeteners actually changes the bacterial makeup of your microbiome. This can be a trigger for autoimmune problems, diabetes and metabolic disorders.
High-fructose corn syrup
This sweetener is so widely used it can be shocking to learn just how many products actually contain it; even foods that you wouldn’t think would contain any sweetener. It is derived from stalks of corn through an intensive chemical process that is anything but natural. Due to its chemical makeup it does not need to be digested by your body and quickly enters your bloodstream leading to insulin spikes that contribute to hormonal problems like leptin resistance, which increases weight gain and weight-loss resistance.
Because it is low on the glycemic index, a way of measuring how fast certain carbohydrates will raise your blood sugar, it is often touted as a healthier alternative. In my opinion, this is an overy simplistic way of determining whether a food is “bad” or not because you aren’t considering any other factors. Agave nectar is still high in fructose, which can delay damage to the body. Although a slower process, your body still converts fructose into glucose, glycogen, lactate, and fat in your liver. This places stress on your liver and can contribute to insulin resistance and fatty liver disease.
Also known as raw cane sugar, this type of sugar is not so “raw” and unrefined. It still undergoes processing, which removes some of its natural impurities as well as nutrients. While it's still far less processed than refined white sugar, it's still not much better for you.
This sweetener is made from the combination of brown rice and enzymes. The enzymes break down the starch, and then it is boiled down to create a syrup. The fermentation actually makes the sugars easier to digest. The big issue though is that barley enzymes are often used, which contain gluten. Unless you are specifically looking for gluten-free brown-rice syrup, you could be unknowingly perpetuating health problems if you are sensitive to gluten.
It is important to note that arsenic can start to build up in large amounts of rice. Studies have shown that arsenic levels have been found to be high in organic brown-rice syrup used in a lot of different products. Make sure to limit your packaged products where this sweetener is used to decrease toxin exposure.
A zero-calorie low-glycemic sweetener that’s also natural?! It sounds almost too good to be true—and it kind of is. It all depends on what kind of stevia you are buying. Make sure you are getting raw organic stevia that is still in its green form. Otherwise, in other conventional stevia brands, which may be heavily processed and are often bleached, you're still exposing yourself to other chemicals and toxins, which are added as preservatives. Plus, a few studies show stevia's ability to impact hormones.
We aren’t talking about your bottle of Mrs. Butterworth’s. Instead, we are talking about 100% pure organic maple syrup. What makes this a much better alternative to traditional sugar is the fact that it actually contains good-for-you minerals like zinc and inflammation-fighting polyphenol antioxidants. And since it's sourced straight from tree sap it goes through minimal processing to reach its conventional form. The darker the maple syrup, the better, because it contains higher amounts of antioxidants—up to 24 different kinds!
This is one of the best options when you need to add a little sweetness to your life. Honey's benefits are enormous, as long as you purchase it in its raw unpasteurized, unfiltered form. It contains a wide range of powerful antioxidants like polyphenols, which have been shown to help combat cancer and promote heart health. It is also great for fighting off sickness since it also still contains bee pollen, which has been shown to boost the immune system.
Manuka honey from New Zealand is the absolute best raw honey you can buy, because its nutritional content is so much higher than regular raw honey and has intensive antimicrobial properties.
This sweetener is made by boiling raw sugar down to remove the sucrose. This leaves behind the thick syrup we know as molasses. Blackstrap molasses is the most nutrient-dense form of molasses and is achieved by processing the syrup three times to remove as much sucrose as possible.
Blackstrap molasses contains more iron than any other natural sweetener. Iron is important to help fight fatigue since it helps with red blood cell health.
These sweet fruits are completely unprocessed and can be eaten fresh or dried or pureed into a paste to add to many different recipes. Since they are very high in fructose it is still important to keep their intake to a minimum.
Dates can help those struggling with constipation and help improve overall digestive health by increasing growth of beneficial bacteria thanks to their high fiber content.
Although fruit contains fructose, which is still a sugar to your body, it can be better than other types since it's naturally occurring in the fruit and not processed. Because of the other healing properties that come along with fruit like antioxidant-containing cherries, it makes for a good alternative as long as it is in moderation—and as long as it's 100% fruit juice and not laden with additional sugar.
Often found in “sugar-free” foods, these would include sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol and are derived through chemically processing the carbohydrates found in fruits and berries. These don’t even have to be included on a product label unless it is specifically labeled “sugar-free.” Unlike other sugar-free sweeteners that have zero calories, sugar alcohols do contain up to three calories per gram. Along with stevia, these sugar alcohols are still decent options for people looking for natural sugar-free options.
But they don't work for everyone. Sugar alcohols have a laxative effect and can seriously flare up digestive problems like IBS and SIBO. Your body does not completely absorb these, and they end up fermenting in the large intestine, which can cause gas and bloating.
Monk fruit sweetener
Like stevia and sugar alcohols, monk fruit sugar or luo han guo fruit is another low-carb sweetener option. It's fermented from the pulp of the fruit, which removes the sugars but leaves a residual sweet flavor. Used for hundreds of years in Asian countries where it is harvested, monk fruit contains beneficial antioxidants called mogrosides. Because of this, our little friend monk has been used as a natural anti-inflammatory tool for centuries in Chinese medicine. You have to be aware of what kind you are purchasing because some commercially available options have additives, so read the labels and stick with pure monk fruit. Just like sugar alcohols like xylitol, too much luo han guo can trigger stomach issues in some people.
Coconut sugar + nectar
These sweeteners are derived from the coconut blossoms of the coconut tree, not the coconut itself. Overall this is still a better option than regular sugar because it does contain a small amount of nutrients like zinc, potassium, and short-chain fatty acids. But you’d have to eat a lot to make a difference so you'd be better off with completely natural options since this sweetener is still processed.
Coconut sugar contains inulin fiber, which has been shown to help improve diabetic health, because it helps to slow the absorption of glucose and keep blood-sugar levels balanced.
The Bottom Line
When my patients are looking to add sweetness to food I first recommend raw organic stevia, monk fruit, maple syrup, molasses, and dates. With any of these, moderation is still important—no more than a couple tablespoons per day is ideal. The bad and ugly sweeteners should still be avoided as much as possible for a thriving health.
Like with anything, however, every person is very different, and for those with chronic health conditions even some of these decent sweeteners need to be avoided entirely or for a certain time. Make sure to work with a functional medicine doctor to determine your individual needs.
Do you know what 3 health food myths are keeping you sick? Removing them from your diet is key for calming inflammation, healing your gut, and ditching fatigue & poor digestion for good. Register now for functional medicine expert Will Cole’s FREE webinar! | <urn:uuid:2493b00b-276d-4778-8c80-8fc370eceef1> | {
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Catholic Activity: Patron Saint: Ann
For those named Ann, Anne, Anna, Annamarie, Nancy, Lillian, Nanette, Anita, Aine, Joann, and Marianne, here are some ideas on how to celebrate your nameday, July 26, the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, grandparents of Jesus, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Includes prayers, symbols, devotion history and recipe and celebration ideas.
Anne ranks fourteenth among the most popular names for girls; its diminutive form, Nancy, ranks twelfth. The name goes back to biblical times. In Hebrew it is Hannah, which means "grace." In the first book of Samuel we read of pious and patient Anna, who vowed that if God would end her long sterility, she would consecrate her child to Him. The birth of her son Samuel was the answer to her prayers and tears. She brought the child to the high priest to be consecrated to God. In her joy she chanted the sublime Canticle of Anna (1 Sam. 2). The song of every barren woman made fruitful, it begins: "My heart has rejoiced in the Lord." Further on we read how she raised Samuel: "The child advanced and grew on, and pleased both the Lord and men." Samuel was the last judge of Israel. The apocryphal stories of St. Anne's conception of the Virgin Mary bear a startling resemblance to the opening chapters of First Samuel.
In Tobias 1:9 we come across another Anna: "But when he (Tobias) was a man, he took to wife Anna of his own tribe, and had a son by her, whom he called after his own name." She was taken into captivity with him.
At the presentation of the Child Jesus in the temple we find Anna the prophetess, whose feast occurs on September 1: "There was also Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher....And coming up at that very hour, she began to give praise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all who were awaiting the redemption of Israel" (Luke 2:36-38). The Greek Church keeps her feast on February 3.
Blessed Anne Marie Taigi lived the normal life of a married woman of the Italian working class and was endowed with the gift of prophecy. Blessed Anne Line, an English convert, was sentenced to death for harboring priests during the Reformation.
Most girls by this name claim Anna, the wife of Joachim and mother of Our Lady, as their patron. Her cult goes back to the sixth century in the East, and to the eighth century in the West. She is often shown in art teaching Our Lady to read the Scriptures. Through the ages she has been depicted wearing a green mantle and a red dress, colors symbolic of immortality and divine love.
Rev. Edgar Schmiedler in Your Home: A Church in Miniature mentions the custom in Louisiana of children of French extraction named Anne wearing red and green ribbons in her honor. These are colors to bear in mind for party decorations on her feast. There is no need to look "Christmasy" by using equal amounts; rather, use cool green for the main color scheme with accents of red.
Devotion to St. Anne was brought to Louisiana by French priests from Brittany and fostered by Canadian priests sent to labor in the South among the French-speaking people. St. Anne d'Auray and St. Anne de Beaupre, famed shrines in Brittany and Canada respectively, inspired the people of Louisiana to dedicate parishes and societies to her, particularly in New Orleans, where her feast is kept with solemnity and where there is an Archconfraternity of St. Anne and an official publication, "St. Anne's Herald." Other immigrants brought devotion to St. Anne from the Old World shrines in Duren in the Rhineland and Apt in Provence. Here in New York are a shrine church of St. Anne on East 12th Street and a shrine in St. Jean Baptiste's on Lexington Avenue at 76th Street, which used to be known as "St. Anne des Canadiens." In Scranton, 150,000 pilgrims visit St. Anne's Passionist Monastery on her feast. There is remembrance of St. Anne on tiny Isle Lamotte in Vermont, where Mass was first offered in New England in 1666. St. Anne has been honored in song and poetry through the ages. Geoffrey Chaucer in the fourteenth century wrote:
Oh thou that art so fair and full of grace, Be thou my advocate in that high place, There, as withouten end is sung Hozanne, Thou Christes mother, daughter dear of Anne!Thomas Moore, "poet of the people of Ireland," composed in Gaelic the "Canadian Boat Song" sung by Canadian boatmen as they left the shrine and reached the river rapids:
We'll sing to Saint Anne our parting hymn, Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast, The rapids are near and the daylight's past.On St. Anne's feast the family prays:
Father: We all rejoice in the Lord, As we keep holiday in honor of blessed Anne, Of her whose feast fills angels with joy, And sets them praising the Son of God.
Father: Spotless Anna, Juda's glory, Through the Church from East to West Every tongue proclaims thy praises, Holy Mary's mother blessed.
All: From thy stem in beauty budded Ancient Jesse's mystic rod; Birth from thee received the Mother Of the almighty Son of God
Father: Let us pray. O God, You were pleased to bestow Your grace upon Anne so that she might fitly become the mother of her who was to bear Your only-begotten Son; grant that we who keep her feast will be helped by her protection. Through Christ, our Lord. All: Amen. Christ conquers, Christ reigns!
Dessert and decorations. Several symbols including the book cake decorated with a flowering rod suggest themselves for St. Anne's nameday cake. A tiny statue of Our Lady or St. Anne teaching the child Mary to read may top the cake. Green place-mats and paper plates accented with red roses will bring out the colors proper to St. Anne. A light green frosting and pink icing roses are also suggested.
Many beautiful reproductions of paintings of St. Anne are available. You can get a reproduction of De La Tour's St. Anne with the Virgin". Sepia prints of The Madonna and Child with Saint Anne by Bernandino Luini, Milan, are available. Other paintings of St. Anne include The Nativity of Mary in the Church of Saint Severin, Paris; Murillo's Saint Anne Teaching the Virgin, Prado Gallery, Madrid; and The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne by Leonardo and pupils, the Louvre, Paris.
For a nameday gift a signed Serraz makes a perfect statue for a child's altar, or an inexpensive statue from Italy with the traditional green mantle or an imported handcarved wooden statue painted in delicate colors, a gift to save up for during the year. The book St. Anne by Anne Parkinson Keyes makes a nice gift for Ann, Annamarie, Nancy, Lillian, Nanette, Anita, Aine, Joann, and Marianne; Anne by M. K. Richardson is a book to read to little girls; the text is suitable for an eight-year-old to read by herself.
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Columbus Day News Roundup
Today is Columbus Day. It’s an official federal holiday in the U.S. But many question the wisdom of celebrating Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the new land. Stories of his sea faring explorations are shrouded in myth and misinformation (contrary to popular belief, he never did set foot in what has become the U.S.A. Rather, he landed on the island of Hispanola—what is now known as Haiti and the Dominican Republic.) And he has the dubious distinction of founding the first ever trans-Atlantic slave trade.
To this day, slave trade continues. There are more slaves today than ever before in history—27 million. This fact goes against another popular myth: that slavery has been abolished from American shores.
So this Columbus Day, rather than lionizing the founder of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, why don’t we delve into the various myths that surround this elusive Italian explorer? (That’s another thing. Some say that Columbus may not have been Italian at all.) Enjoy this news roundup of Columbus Day critiques.
Washington Post: “Stuff You Should Know About Columbus” by Valerie Strauss:
A lot of what people think they know about Christopher Columbus is myth. Here are some things about the explorer who didn’t discover America that may surprise you:
…For various reasons, many places have changed the name of the holiday. Berkeley, California, replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day in 1992 to honor the original inhabitants of the islands where Columbus landed.
In 1989, South Dakota started calling the holiday Native American Day.
Alabama celebrates a combination of Columbus Day and American Indian Heritage Day.
Hawaii calls it Discovery Day.
Huffington Post: “Columbus Day? True Legacy: Cruelty and Slavery” by Eric Kasum:
“One of Columbus’ men, Bartolome De Las Casas, was so mortified by Columbus’ brutal atrocities against the native peoples, that he quit working for Columbus and became a Catholic priest… Christopher Columbus derived most of his income from slavery, De Las Casas noted. In fact, Columbus was the first slave trader in the Americas. As the native slaves died off, they were replaced with black slaves. Columbus’ son became the first African slave trader in 1505.”
NaplesNews.com: “Columbus Day–2010” The Social Critic by Eddie Filer:
“In 1495 during his second voyage, he transported some of the Indians to Spain as slaves and many of them died en route. He later wrote “Let us in the name of the Holy Trinity to go on sending all the salves that can be sold.” A Catholic Priest wrote in his multi volume History of the Indies that the Spaniards were driven by insatiable greed, killing, terrorizing, afflicting and torturing the native Peoples.”
Santa Barbara Independent: “The Bold Marauder: Challenging the Columbus Myth” by Corine Fairbanks from the American Indian Movement of Santa Barbara:
“Internationally (except perhaps in Spain and Italy), Columbus is recognized as an instigator of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and he set in motion one of the largest intentional ethnic cleansing efforts known in history—also one of the least known. By some accounts, over 95 million indigenous peoples throughout the Western hemisphere were enslaved, mutilated, and massacred.” | <urn:uuid:1a8fcd7e-3833-44d0-81ba-7db41024350e> | {
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Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a priority that the entire world should address now; it is the only long-term answer for stabilizing the global climate. Without immediate action, we risk causing irreversible impacts on people and the environment.
IUCN believes one of the top priorities is to make new, ‘fast-track’ funding available immediately, for both climate change adaptation and mitigation. Donor Parties need to make tangible moves towards establishing long term funding arrangements.
One of the most immediately accessible and affordable solutions to reduce carbon emissions is to stop the loss and degradation of tropical forests.
“The Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (known as REDD) mechanism developed under the post 2012 UNFCCC regime, whereby developed countries pay tropical developing countries to conserve and restore their forests, is one of the most promising developments in the past three years of negotiations,” says IUCN’s Climate Change Coordinator, Ninni Ikkala.
Adaptation, in particular how to fund adaptation measures, is high on the UNFCCC’s agenda. IUCN supports the establishment of a strong, action-oriented Adaptation Framework as part of the 2012 regime, and for the formal inclusion of Ecosystem-based Adaptation. This refers to the management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems to ensure they continue to provide services such as flood control that enable people to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The debate continues over emissions reductions. Developing countries want to see clear commitments from developed countries and a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol. On the other hand, several developed countries are keen for major developing economies to take commitments on emissions reductions and to agree to monitoring and reporting on these reductions.
“It is unclear if countries will agree to decisions on other issues in Cancun unless there is agreement on these main hurdles,” says Ikkala.
IUCN experts will be attending the conference, engaging with Parties and observers and ensuring that the latest science underpins the decisions being taken. We’ll be reporting live from Cancun on the state of negotiations. | <urn:uuid:175029ac-4ed2-403d-a09c-21b354d82583> | {
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Take Action: See a Doctor
Help your child make healthy choices and learn healthy habits.
Ask the doctor to screen your child for obesity.
Your child’s doctor or nurse can calculate your child's BMI (body mass index) and say if your child is at a healthy weight. If your child is overweight or obese, ask the doctor or nurse to help you find a weight-loss program for your child.
Look for a weight-loss program that includes counseling to help kids:
- Make healthy choices about food
- Get more physical activity
What about cost?
Obesity screening and counseling are covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, your child may be able to get these services at no cost to you.
Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan. For information about other services for children that are covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.
Take Action: Physical Activity
Make sure your child gets at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity every day.
It doesn’t have to be 60 minutes all at once – it can be shorter activities that add up to 1 hour a day. Fun and simple activities, like playing tag, are great ways for kids to get moving.
Be sure your child is doing different types of activity, including:
- Aerobic activities, like running, skipping, or dancing
- Muscle-strengthening activities, like climbing playground equipment or trees
- Bone-strengthening activities, like jumping rope or playing basketball
Find out more about physical activity for kids.
Make getting active a family project.
Get more ideas on how to increase your family’s daily activity.
Take Action: Screen Time
Limit screen time.
Keep inactive (sitting down) screen time to 2 hours or less a day for kids age 2 and older. Screen time is time spent using computers or smart phones, watching TV, or playing video games.
Take Action: Healthy Meals
You can be a role model for your child by eating healthy. Plus, a healthy diet can help protect you from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Shop, cook, and plan for healthy meals.
Buy and serve more vegetables, fruits, and whole grain foods. Here are some tips and ideas:
Get more tips for smart food shopping. If you need help buying food, ask your child’s doctor about a program called WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) – a government program that can help you get healthy food for yourself and your child.
Sit at the table and eat together as a family.
Plan healthy, affordable meals and enjoy them as a family. When families eat together, children eat more vegetables and fruits and less junk food. Let children help pick out healthy foods, prepare meals, and set the table.
Take Action: Breakfast and Snacks
Start the day with a good breakfast.
Skipping breakfast can make kids hungry and tired, and it may lead them to snack on junk food later in the day. Give your kids whole-grain cereal with fat-free or low-fat milk and fruit instead of sugary cereal.
Make healthy snacks.
Healthy snacks give kids important nutrients and help control hunger between meals.
Take Action: Sleep
Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
If kids don’t get enough sleep, they are at higher risk of being overweight or obese.
- Teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night.
- School-aged children need 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night.
- Preschoolers need to sleep between 10 and 13 hours of sleep each day (including naps).
- Toddlers need to sleep between 11 and 14 hours a day (including naps).
- Babies need between 12 and 16 hours of sleep each day (including naps).
Set a bedtime schedule and remind your child when it’s time to get ready for bed. | <urn:uuid:a7f431ca-b684-403f-9dc2-125c05491f12> | {
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On this day in 1942, a bill establishing a women’s corps in the U.S. Army becomes law, creating the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAACs) and granting women official military status.
In May 1941, Representative Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts, the first congresswoman ever from New England, introduced legislation that would enable women to serve in the Army in noncombat positions. Rogers was well suited for such a task; during her husband John J. Rogers’ term as congressman, Rogers was active as a volunteer for the Red Cross, the Women’s Overseas League, and military hospitals. Because of her work inspecting field and base hospitals, President Warren G. Harding, in 1922, appointed her as his personal representative for inspections and visits to veterans’ hospitals throughout the country. She was eventually appointed to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, as chairwoman in the 80th and 83rd Congresses.
The bill to create a Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps would not be passed into law for a year after it was introduced (the bombing of Pearl Harbor was a great incentive). But finally, the WAACs gained official status and salary—but still not all the benefits accorded to men. Thousands of women enlisted in light of this new legislation, and in July 1942, the “auxiliary” was dropped from the name, and the Women’s Army Corps, or WACs, received full Army benefits in keeping with their male counterparts.
The WACs performed a wide variety of jobs, “releasing a man for combat,” as the Army, sensitive to public misgivings about women in the military, touted. But those jobs ranged from clerk to radio operator, electrician to air-traffic controller. Women served in virtually every theater of engagement, from North Africa to Asia.
It would take until 1978 before the Army would become sexually integrated, and women participating as merely an “auxiliary arm” in the military would be history. And it would not be until 1980 that 16,000 women who had joined the earlier WAACs would receive veterans’ benefits. | <urn:uuid:5e01557b-ce06-4546-aba2-97e7eb3ce533> | {
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Most Americans never see the source locations of the oil on which their country is so utterly reliant. Nor do many see the feedlots from which almost all beef consumed in this beef-addicted nation hails. The beef and oil industries generate two of the United States’ most precious commodities, and both industries’ practices are often hidden from public view.
In two distinct but interlinked series, Manchester, England-based photographer Mishka Henner presents stunning patchwork compositions of aerial images American oil fields and feedlots. To make these large-scale pieces, Henner scours Google Earth’s publicly available satellite photographs, then knits them together. “I’m exploiting loopholes in the vast archives of data, imagery and information that are now accessible to us, connecting the dots to reveal things that surround us but which we rarely see or don’t want to see,” Henner says in a statement.
The vast oilfields of Texas and Utah alternately appear like abstract paintings, intricate circuit boards, and bleakly beautiful mosaics. The process of making these images turned Henner, an artist, into an environmental activist. “In certain parts of the USA, the country’s unquenchable thirst for oil has altered the landscape beyond recognition,” Henner writes in his artist’s statement. His work urges viewers to consider the unsavory origins of their burgers and diesel, but the commentary is far subtler than, say, PETA’s. In his current solo show, Black Diamond, on view at London’s Carroll Fletcher Gallery, the photos are presented next to research documents used in developing both series, including geological mapping data of gas and oil fields from the ’70s and ’80s.
The beef industry, like most industries, is itself heavily reliant on oil, as author Michael Pollan writes:
“The feedlot’s ecosystem … revolves around corn. But its food chain doesn’t end there, because the corn itself grows somewhere else, where it is implicated in a whole other set of ecological relationships. Growing the vast quantities of corn used to feed livestock in this country takes vast quantities of chemical fertilizer, which in turn takes vast quantities of oil. So the modern feedlot is really a city floating on a sea of oil.”
Up close, these industries’ practices are, as Pollan describes more lengthily in The Omnivore’s Dilemma, decidedly grisly. It’s all the more unsettling, then, that from miles above, they look so eerily gorgeous. | <urn:uuid:804dff1c-3051-4c85-8a19-cd9c764ff8ec> | {
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In part 1 of this series, we looked at the membership card and got a general feel for the information it contained. In this part, we will look at the 1930 census to see what information we can find.
I have two options easily available to me to look for the 1930 Census for Texas: FamilySearch.org and Footnote. I could also check Heritage Quest at the local library or access Ancestry.com at a Family History Center. Turns out that Record Search on FamilySearch does not contain the 1930 US Census for Texas, so let’s look at Footnote.
For those with a subscription to Footnote, you can find the image here.
For Taylor county, Texas in precinct 7 we find James V. Ross (age 7) with his older brother Cecil W Ross (age 9) and their mother Lizzie N Ross (age 40). Lizzie is divorced living with her parents, William S & Mary E Burton. To be exact, Lizzie is listed as the daughter of the head of household, William Burton. It is possible that Mary is not her mother. We would have to find the family in the 1880 – 1920 census to confirm.
Using the Standard Finder on http://labs.familysearch.org/I determine that Corsicana, TX is in Navarro county. Using Ancestry’s Red Book, we learn that Taylor county was formed in 1858 and Navarro county in 1846.
This map shows the location of the two counties:
The question is, how did James end up in the Corsicana State home in 1935 when he was over 200 miles away in Taylor county in 1930?
Let’s see if we can find the other people mentioned on the Boy Scout membership card in the 1930 census. First, let’s look for E E English. On Footnote, I do an advanced search for E English in Texas in the 1930 census as follows:
The search returns 61 matches, so I look through them to see if I can find EE.
There are four men that match the name pattern for E E English:
- Emerett E English age 39: Texas » MIDLAND » JUSTICE PCT 1 » 165-3 » Sheet 10B
- E E English age 60: Texas » PALO PINTO » MINERAL WELLS CITY » 182-11 » Sheet 5A
- Edgar E English age 32: Texas » NAVARRO » TEXAS STATE ORPHAN HOME » 175-14 » Sheet 1B
- Edward E English age 34: Texas » CLAY » PETROLIA TOWN » 39-5 » Sheet 3A
It looks like Edgar E English is our man. The census sheet is from the State Orphan home and Edgar is listed as an employee, married, and with the occupation of florist.
I wonder if Eva and Thomas English listed below Edgar is his family and if they all live at the State Home. Here is a link to the page on Footnote for those with a subscription:
A Boy Scout troop is associated with an organization whether it be a church, school or other organization. It appears that Troop 253 is associated with the State Orphan Home. It makes sense that the Scoutmaster for the troop would be an employee of the home or school.
So, who was the guardian J.S. Halley?
If we flip back a page in the census to the beginning of the entries for the State Orphan Home, we find the head of “household” was J. Stanford Halley and he was the Superintendent of the home. His wife, Mable and daughter Frances live at the home as well.
The last person that we need to find in the 1930 census is J. F. M. Stephens. He might be an employee of the Boy Scouts of America or a volunteer. It is likely that he lived outside Corsicana, maybe even in Dallas.
Using the advanced search on Footnote, we find 216 matches for J Stephens in the 1930 census but only 4 match first name that starts with J and either initials that match F M or nothing that would conflict with them:
- J F Stephens age 26 – Texas » WICHITA » ELECTRA CITY » 243-50 » Sheet 12B
- J M Stephens age 15 – Texas » COLLIN » JUSTICE PCT 4 » 43-23 » Sheet 3A
- J M Stephens age 42 – Texas » BEXAR » SAN ANTONIO CITY, WARD 7 » 15-135 » Sheet 15A
- J Stephens age 44 – Texas » GRAY » JUSTICE PCT 3 » 90-10 » Sheet 4B
None of these seem like the correct person. The only county that is close to Dallas county is Collin but the J M living there is too young. Maybe our J F M Stephens didn’t live in Texas in 1930 but moved there before 1935. Maybe I made a mistake? Is there an error in the index? I am stuck on this individual for now, but will likely return to search for him in another post.
You are all invited to do some more searching for Mr. Stephens. Please let me know what you find. In April 2012 we can check the 1940 census to see which of these people are listed. Can you find more information in other records about James Ross, Elizibith Ross, Edgar E English, and J Stanford Halley? I am really curious to find out what happened between 1930 and 1935 that resulted in James being at the State Orphan Home.
In our next part, we will try to learn more about Corsicana, TX and the state home. | <urn:uuid:0aada274-fa17-49c0-8b10-029c35484e18> | {
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Isis in Central America ©
The Genesis of Isis went everywhere.
The Temple of Isis spread enlightenment to the whole world in a Golden Age before the dawn of monotheism.
The Temple of Isis had missionaries all over the world in ancient times. It wasn't necessarily called "Temple of Isis" in all the cultures that adopted that religion. While some of her missionaries were teaching the arts of civilization to the known world, others were out exploring the rest of the world. Pagan religion and genealogy were more widespread in the ancient world than Christianity is now.
The religions and cultures of pre-Columbian Central American civilizations were intimately related to the Pagan religion and culture of Egypt. Spanish priests identified the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas as "Pagans." They burned their books along with any literate people and teachers who were the readers and keepers of the books. Those Spanish priests who identified Mesoamerican Indians as Pagans were correct. The "isolationist" scholars of today who deny pre-Columbian contact between the Americas and Mediterranean civilizations are in deep denial. All of the evidence is clearly there for anyone who wishes to see it. None are so blind as those who choose not to see.
According to the Pagan foundation legend, Assur was the first king of the first kingdom on earth. Isis resurrected Assur from the dead. A great world wide religion grew out of the resurrection of Assur. Isis had union with her resurrected king. Their son, Heru was born of the union of Isis and Assur. The royal bloodlines of divine kings the world over sprung from the ancestry of Isis and Heru. That was the Genesis of Isis.
According to the foundation legend, Assur raised his own people up from savagery. After he raised his own people up out of ignorance and savagery, he went about teaching the arts of civilization to the "whole world." Assur's legendary travels carried the Genesis of Isis all over the world. It is well to bear in mind that those missionary travels of Assur were going on AFTER Isis resurrected him from the dead. That is to say, those travels of Assur were minions of ISIS carrying the arts of civilization to the rest of the world. When they had gone as far west as they could go on foot, they took to the sea.
The minions of Isis who carried the arts of civilization to the rest of the world were bearded UrReans.
The UrReans were followers of hawk god/sun god religion. (See the Sunwing page on this web site for a descriptive discussion of who were the UrReans.)
"The earliest civilization in Central America—and possibly the earliest civilization in the Americas—was the Olmec civilization which arose sometime between 1200 and 1000 BC. They originally lived in the Gulf Coast region of southern Mexico, but soon expanded into Guatemala. . ."
"The Olmec were Mesoamerica's first civilization. They were
located in Laguna de los Cerros, tres Zapotes, San Lorenzo, La Venta,
and the Tuxtla Mountains, in Mexico. . ."
Itzamna, ancestral deity of the Itza-Maya culture or civilization..
"Itzamna is said to have come in his boat across the eastern waters. One of his titles was Kakin-Chan, 'serpent of the East.' . . . "
As the inventor of writing and books, Itzamna was, by extension, creator of the calendar and chronology.
This is the finest sculptured face yet found in the Maya area, which some claim represents Itzamna. This face has an Egyptian appearance. The pendant beard is strikingly like those shown on the sculptured faces of the Pharaohs of Egypt. The stela on which this face appears was found in the southern area, or what is termed the Old Empire.
The Itza-Maya were one of various semi-independent tribes of Mayas. Chichen Itza was their main religious and cultural center. It seems that Chichen Itza went through a number of declines or "crashes" that may even have left the city deserted. Chichen Itza recovered from one such decline under Toltec influence. Toltec images of Itzamna frequently depict him as an old man with a few jagged teeth and no beard. However, that "toothless old man" imagery may symbolically represent an old and feeble dynasty that decayed and fell. Later images of the bearded Toltec deity, Kukulcan, may represent a religious renaissance, or a new invigorated ruling dynasty. The Itza-Maya may have brought Toltecs into their genealogy to reinvigorate their royal bloodline. Some people believe that this bearded image represents Itzamna in his prime. It was found outside of the Toltec area of influence.
The image to the left is Itzamna arriving from the east paddling a canoe (c. 1200 BC). The image to the right is the galleon of Rameses III (c. 1175 BC). The Maya used canoes. They didn't have ships. Notice the row of "wings" along the side of the canoe that Itzamna is paddling. The Mayan artist who made this image had almost certainly never seen a ship. The artist was probably working from a verbal description of a "canoe" with rows of oars along the sides and sails that enabled it to "fly" before the wind.
The bearded god, Kukulcan, of Chichen Itza probably represents a later "incarnation" of Itzamna.
Kukulcan was "The Maya supreme god, to whom the Maya attributed many functions. Not only was he a god of the four elements, he was also a creator god and the god of resurrection and reincarnation. He originated from Toltec myth, where he was a divine hero who taught the Toltecs laws, fishing, healing, the calendar, and agriculture. He emerged from the ocean, and disappeared in it afterwards." (Mica F. Lindeman in Encyclopedia Mythica, 2002)
The biographical sketch of Kukulcan from the Encyclopedia Mythica matches very well the story of Itzamna. Both stories match very well the legend of Assur as written down by Herodotus, Diodorus, Plutarch and others.
Pagan religion was "ancestor worship" religion. The original ancestors were Assur, Isis, and Heru. Pagan religion over the world was not as uniform as is Christianity or Buddhism. Different cultures around the world had different ancestors and different cultural traditions before they came into contact with Pagan culture and genealogy. Different cultures around the world continued to have different ancestors and different cultural traditions after they came into contact with Pagan culture and genealogy. Nevertheless, they were Pagan descendants of the Genesis of Isis.
Pagan religion made no distinction between genealogy, religion, and politics. Paganism was an ancestral religion that was the basis of political power, and political power originated from genealogy. However, genealogy diffuses over time and is no match for military might. Through conquests, merging civilizations, changing languages, and changing dynasties, the ancestral pantheons of ancient cultures were ever branching and growing. They are often very confusing.
Itzamna, Kukulcan, and Quetzalcoatl were all bearded "Plumed Serpent" ancestral deities. They all shared the common Egyptian Pagan ancestry of bearded Assur, Isis, the "Serpent Goddess," and Heru, the "Hawk God."
Another youthful Itzamna?.
This vase with the bearded face is from the Mayan "Old Empire" (c.430 AD). This Mayan figure from Honduras may be Itzamna in his youth. It could be Itzamna by a different name. Or it could be a different ancestor altogether. The Maya were divided into numerous tribes who spoke different languages. They all shared some common ancestors, while at the same time they had different ancestors. The different names of their deities may represent different entities, or they may represent the same entities by different names. Despite their different genealogies, different languages, and different cultures, the pre-Columbian civilizations of Central America shared a common bearded plumed serpent deity now most commonly known as "Quetzalcoatl."
Quetzalcoatl, the "Plumed Serpent" god..
The "quetzal" is a fabulous plumed bird of the Central American highlands, also known as the "Bird of Paradise." Its plumage was highly valued in Central American cultures. Its plumage may have been reserved exclusively for the adornment of royalty. The great plumed headdresses of Mesoamerican rulers and dignitaries represented accumulations of great wealth. "Coatl" is a word for serpent. Together, they add up to a winged serpent "dragon" symbol of the same genealogy of other dragons around the world.
Heru was the "Hawk God." Isis was the "Serpent Goddess." The Genesis of Isis went everywhere. Winged serpent dragon imagery from all over the world originates in the Pagan ancestral religion of Isis and Heru.
Lifelike visage of bearded Olmec deity or ancestor..
"The Olmecs, as far as we can tell, are the first chain in the development of Mesoamerican culture."
"The Olmec were a mother culture to later civilizations. The
culture of the Olmec started in Mexico's Gulf Coast between 1200 and
1400 B.C , approximately between the Trojan War, and the golden age of
Athens, and ended about 3000 years ago. . . "
"The Olmec were the mother culture of later civilizations." This Olmec figurine was clearly modeled from a living human being. Similar bearded figures from other Mesoamerican civilizations could be later day copies of earlier artifacts. The later day Aztec and Inca visages of Quetzalcoatl and Kon Tiki are never as clearly lifelike as is this visage of a visitor who arrived on Olmec shores from the east.
Then came the Conquistadors!
"With my own eyes I saw Spaniards cut off the nose, hands and ears of Indians, male and female, without provocation, merely because it pleased them to do it. ... Likewise, I saw how they summoned the caciques and the chief rulers to come, assuring them safety, and when they peacefully came, they were taken captive and burned."
"[The Spaniards] took babies from their mothers' breasts, grabbing them by the feet and smashing their heads against rocks. ... They built a long gibbet, low enough for the toes to touch the ground and prevent strangling, and hanged thirteen [natives] at a time in honor of Christ Our Savior and the twelve Apostles. ...Then, straw was wrapped around their torn bodies and they were burned alive."
"As the Spaniards went with their war dogs hunting down Indian men and women, it happened that a sick Indian woman who could not escape from the dogs, sought to avoid being torn apart by them, in this fashion: she took a cord and tied her year-old child to her leg, and then she hanged herself from a beam. But the dogs came and tore the child apart; before the creature expired, however, a friar baptized it."
"They would cut an Indian's hands and leave them dangling by a shred of skin ... [and] they would test their swords and their manly strength on captured Indians and place bets on the slicing off of heads or cutting of bodies in half with one blow. ... [One] cruel captain traveled over many leagues, capturing all the Indians he could find. Since the Indians would not tell him who their new lord was, he cut off the hands of some and threw others to the dogs, and thus they were torn to pieces."
"The Spanish treated the Indians with such rigor and inhumanity that they seemed the very ministers of Hell, driving them day and night with beatings, kicks, lashes and blows, and calling them no sweeter names than dogs. ... Women who had just given birth were forced to carry burdens for the Christians and thus could not carry infants because of the hard work and weakness of hunger. Infinite numbers of these were cast aside on the road and thus perished."
"They threw into those holes all the Indians they could capture of every age and kind. ... Pregnant and confined women, children, old men [were] left stuck on the stakes, until the pits were filled. ... The rest they killed with lances and daggers and threw them to their war dogs who tore them up and devoured them."
"Because he did not give the great quantity of gold asked for, they burned him and a number of other nobles and caciques... with the intention of leaving no prince or chieftain alive in the entire country."
"When the Spaniards had collected a great deal of gold from the Indians, they shut them up in three big houses, crowding in as many as they could, then set fire to the houses, burning alive all that were in them, yet those Indians had given no cause nor made any resistance."
These descriptions of Christian behavior in Central America are eye witness accounts of Don Frey Bartolomé De Las Casas (1552). Frey De Las Casas, was a Catholic priest who was appalled at the behavior of his countrymen in the "Indian lands of the west." He wrote books and numerous letters pleading for fairer treatment of the "Indians" and denouncing the atrocities he witnessed being inflicted upon them.
Bartolomé De Las Casas began his career in America as a soldier and encomendero. He sailed to the "Indies" with Nicolas de Ovando's fleet in 1502. He returned to Europe where he was ordained a deacon in Rome. In 1512, he was the first Catholic priest to be ordained in the new world. He served as a chaplain in the armies of Diego de Valesquez and Panfilo de Narvaz in their conquest of Cuba. He was awarded lands and slaves for his service. As a land owning, slave owning, encomendero he had a spiritual awakening. He freed his slaves and began to campaign for the abolition of slavery and repatriation of the Indians. His critics accused him of treason.
Thor Hyerdahl crossed the Pacific Ocean in 1947 on a balsa raft named "Kon Tiki." The Kon Tiki was named after a bearded Peruvian ancestral deity. In 1970, Heyerdahl crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a reed boat to prove that a pre-Columbian connection between Mediterranean and Mesoamerican civilizations was possible. Ancient reed boats were virtually unsinkable. Even if they broke completely apart in bad weather, they would continue to float. They could only sink if the reeds became completely waterlogged, which would take a long time.
Hyerdahl's trips on rafts and reed boats weren't really necessary to make his point. People have been sailing the seas in boats with sails and rows of oars as long as they have been riding horses. Queen Hatshepsut, the "female Pharaoh" of the 18th Dynasty, reigned from 1504 to 1482 BC. In the summer of 1493 BC, she sent a fleet of five ships with thirty rowers each from Kosseir, on the Red Sea, to the Land of Punt, near present-day Somalia. A beautiful and detailed Mural of one of her ships adorns a wall of her temple at Deir el-Bahri, Egypt. That was not Egypt's first sea venture. Hatshepsut was resuming trade relations that had been interrupted in earlier dynasties. Hatshepsut was a descendant "daughter"/priestess of Isis. The earliest Mesoamerican civilizations arose centuries after Hatshepsut's reign.
Columbus' ships, the Nina and the Pinta were no greater ships than Hatshepsut's. The Nina and Pinta were small ships. Carla Rahn Philips, puts the length of the Niña at 15 meters. She puts the length of the Pinta at 17 meters. The total crew aboard the Pinta was twenty-six people. That included the owner of the ship, the captain, a master, a pilot, a steward, a cabin boy, and a hold loaded with live chickens, pigs, and cattle in addition to water barrels and provisions. The cattle had to be slung in slings to keep them from falling or crashing about in heavy seas. They didn't have room for thirty rowers! Twenty people sailed aboard the Nina.
The ships of Columbus' time were "high tech" compared to the ships of tree thousand years earlier. They carried more sails and were more efficient at sailing. They didn't require labor to row them. The ships of Queen Hatshepsut's time were primarily muscle powered row boats that carried auxiliary sails to supplement the available human power. The ships of Columbus' time were purely wind powered sailing ships that may have carried oars, but only for emergency use. The rowed ships of earlier times that carried auxiliary sails were OK for sailing downwind. They couldn't travel upwind without muscle power. They were capable of ocean crossings, but not efficiently. The Niña and the Pinta were "caravels." Their superior rigging enabled them to sail upwind on wind power alone. The Niña was the best of the three ships at tacking upwind.
Native American art and religion clearly connects Mesoamerican native cultures to the Pagan cultures of Egypt and the "old world" UrRean civilizations.
This carved wall panel from a Mayan temple in Central America is a Mayan version of the classical Egyptian Judgment Scene. They contain common elements.
Hawk, serpent, and sun symbolism were common to Pagan religion of Isis genealogy everywhere.
The bearded judge and the arm of a supplicant are nearly a perfect match in both scenes.
In the Egyptian Judgment Scene, Isis, the "twice-wise" serpent goddess is behind the judge. In the Mayan scene, the figure behind the judge is holding two plumed serpents. In the Egyptian scene, Heru is pleading the case of a bearded Egyptian before Assur. In the Mayan Judgment Scene, a beardless Mayan is pleading his case before a bearded judge. The Mayans were beardless people who traced their religious origins to bearded gods.
The "plumed serpent god" Quetzalcoatl was an American dragon of the Heru and Isis family of dragons.
Heru was the Hawk God, Isis was the Serpent Goddess. Hawk and serpent symbolism in the form of winged serpent "dragons" spread over the world with the Genesis of Isis. Heru, the hawk god, and Isis, the serpent goddess, were the main forces in the Pagan religion. Assur was their 'founding father' ancestor, but he was a dead ancestor. The mother and the son were the active forces. Isis was "twice-wise." She was the goddess of double-wisdom. Her double-wisdom symbol was the serpent; and frequently her symbol was two serpents. Heru was the god of wisdom-in-action. His symbol was the hawk. The hawk god and serpent goddess together are the source of the winged serpent dragon symbols seen in cultural art from all over the world.
The name Assur is a compound of the names of the mother and the son, Isis and Heru. The name Isis is composed of Hiss Hiss, two hisses of the Sacred Asp of Isis. The name Heru is derived from the Ur sound of hawk's wings. The name Assur is composed of Hiss+Ur, the hiss of the asp + the whirr of hawk's wings. Hiss+Ur is the dragon sound. Assur is the dragon's name. Chinese dragons, Celtic dragons, Siamese dragons, and American dragons were all descendants of the original UrRean dragon, Assur.
The Genesis of Isis went everywhere. In the 3000 years after her birth, minions of Isis carried her enlightenment and her genes to all parts of the earth.
Resurrect Isis. There was a WorldFamily of EarthMother's children living in peace in a Golden Age in the past. Let us have a Golden Age civilization based on love, wisdom, and cooperation living in peace in the future.
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Links to related topic pages: | <urn:uuid:42a1b600-f67f-467f-9aa3-06026526da71> | {
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Throughout Mexican modern history, millions have gathered in the country’s central squares every year on the eve of our Independence Day, September 16, to give out the traditional “shout” of independence. This year, the celebration turned into tragedy in the city of Morelia, when two hand grenades thrown into the crowed killed seven civilians and wounded dozens, adding to the rampant violence that increasingly permeates Mexican society.
The Mexican government’s prime suspects are drug traffickers, while the opposition leftist party, the Democratic Revolutionary Party, has called for additional lines of investigation, including the possibility that the killers were far-right fascists. Whoever is responsible, the Mexican government will likely exploit this latest explosion of violence to justify further security crackdowns — and further dependence on the United States.
Indeed, for most Mexicans, celebrating the country’s independence has become a sad contradiction with reality.
Although of course Mexico has never been completely independent from the giant to the north, these days, the concept of “national independence” appears shakier than ever. Under the two consecutive presidencies of the National Action Party (PAN), Mexico has become even more dependent on the U.S. economy and even more vulnerable to pressure from large U.S. corporations bent on exploiting Mexico’s most valuable resources.
In the framework of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America, Calderon has negotiated a massive U.S. “aid” package aimed at combating the drug trade. The increase in drug-related violence is a huge issue for Mexicans. As a recent Washington Post editorial points out “more Mexican soldiers and police officers have died fighting the country’s drug gangs in the past two years than the number of U.S. and NATO troops killed battling the Taliban.” More than 3,500 people have died in drug-related violence this year alone, including at least 500 police.
However, the aid package, called the Merida Initiative, is misdirected and an intrusion into Mexican sovereignty. The funding priorities in the Merida Initiative focus more on hardware, including military equipment and technology, than on supporting much-needed reforms to Mexico’s judiciary and civilian public security institutions. The Merida Initiative also does not include any additional commitments to reduce U.S. demand for drugs and arms trafficking into Mexico.
Mexico has also become even more dependent on the United States for jobs. And rather than focusing on creating economic opportunities, the 2009 budget will increase security spending by 39 percent. In Calderon’s words, the expected result of this budget adjustment will be to “clean house,” but most likely it will be an increased rate of migration, which has steadily grown since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect in 1994. The former ruling Institutional Revolution Party claims that Calderon’s government has broken the record for the number of Mexicans who have migrated to the United States — 1,300,000 in two years. For 2008, prospects for job creation seem bleak. According to the United Nations, Mexico’s growth rate is expected to be 2.5 percent, the lowest in Latin America.
In large part due to NAFTA, Mexico is also more dependent on the United States and other countries for food. In the first half of this year alone, Mexico spent $10.4 billion on food imports — 30 percent more than the previous year. That’s about the same amount as the $10.5 billion that entered the country through foreign direct investment in the same period. If Mexico continues to increase its food imports at the present rate, by the end of Calderon’s regime in 2010, imports will make up as much as 60 percent of national consumption. This alarming loss of food sovereignty and security is the reason why Mexican rural producers are demanding an urgent renegotiation of the agricultural chapter of NAFTA.
Mexico’s publicly owned oil company, PEMEX, has long been a source of national pride and a cash cow. But the federal government aims to privatize operations and infrastructure for oil extraction, a move that could put the country’s most treasured resource in the hands of foreign oil companies. Mexico’s left-of-center opposition parties, grouped in the Broad Progressive Front (FAP), have developed an alternative proposal, based on recommendations made by academics and civil organizations, which would keep a reformed and strengthened PEMEX in public hands and free it from the excessive taxes which have subsidized the Mexican State for years.
The next U.S. administration should recognize that a more independent and stable Mexican economy would be good for both countries. A new approach to integration should be based on a different vision, one that recognizes the root causes of the inequality, poverty and lack of opportunities that provoke migration and cause many to join the ranks of the drug traffickers. Mexico should be aided to strengthen its internal economy, supporting small and medium companies in the rural and urban areas so they can also benefit from external trade. This is the right economic policy for meaningful job creation, helping Mexicans retain their livelihoods peacefully at home. An increasingly less dependent and less violent Mexico is something we should all be able to celebrate. | <urn:uuid:f07dbbe7-cd77-49fd-b5a8-ee373364b703> | {
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Abstract The visual memory of honey bees is stored pictorially. Bees will accept a mirror-image reversal of a familiar pattern in the absence of the original, but prefer the original over the reversal; the matching system of bees, therefore, does not incorporate a mirror-image ambiguity. Bees will not accept a rotation of a familiar vertical pattern, but readily recognize any rotation of a horizontal pattern; the context-specific ability to make a mental transformation seems justified by natural contingencies. Bees are able to construct and use cognitive maps of their home area, though it is possible to create conditions under which they lack useful cues. Other experiments suggest that recruits, having attended a dance in the hive specifying the distance and direction of a food source, can evaluate the “plausibility” of the location without leaving the hive; this suggests a kind of imagination. | <urn:uuid:2fedea5c-a9ef-47cf-8c75-091b74433b13> | {
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Without water, humans cannot live. Since time began, we have lived by the water and vast tracts of waterless land have been abandoned as too difficult to inhabit. A new machine which extracts water from air could change that … One evening 20 years ago, James J Reidy checked on his new dehumidifier and as he poured the contents down the drain, he reflected on how pure it looked. Two decades on, the idea which was spawned from that moment could influence where and how people live on Planet Earth. Reidy’s idea was simple – it is possible to extract drinking water from the air and there is a market for machines which can do it.
« Back to Extracting Water from the Air | <urn:uuid:35391fd4-b3bb-4c07-a4d7-f01a195f3560> | {
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Early Childhood Educator Job Profile and Description
Teaching pre-school kids from age 18 months to 5 years can be more challenging than teaching regular grade school and secondary kids. As a specialization in the profession of Special Education Teachers, Early Childhood Educators are trained to use teaching programs centered on learning-through-play theories. They can be administering nurseries and daycares, child recreation centers and kindergarten schools, as well as tutor kids at home on a personal basis.
Early Childhood Educator Duties and Responsibilities
- Plan and develop programs and activities suitable of children at each level between 12 months and 5 years.
- Design and develop learning programs to meet children’s physical, intellectual, social, cultural, creative and emotional needs.
- Regularly communicate with parents and guardians regarding their kid’s development needs and learning progress.
- Provide school materials containing re-school programs and schedule
- Maintain and update individual record of children handled taking note of the program’s positive and negative results.
- Develop listening, comprehension and motor skills using approved subjects in storytelling, role playing, games, music and creative art activities
- Supervise both indoor and outdoor play times including community trips to museums, zoos and parks.
Early Childhood Educator Skills and Specifications
- Must have genuine interest in educating young children
- Must have high level of teaching skill and patience
- Must have excellent interpersonal and people management skills
Early Childhood Educator Education and Qualification
- A bachelor’s degree or higher education is basic plus passing the state’s certification or accreditation as an educator
- Passing an accreditation for a Specialist Education in any of the six areas of disability, with Early Childhood Education (ECSE) as relevant to this position.
- 2-3 years of experience in a similar management capacity is an advantage.
Early Childhood Educator Education Teacher Salary
A Special Education Teacher specializing in ECSE can earn an annual salary of $41,960 for entry level workers, and $76,940 for experienced workers. In California, the 2010 median is $63,340 with the middle 50% earning from $49,900 to $77,300.
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Every once in a while someone will publish a roadmap for running the world (or a state) on 100 percent renewable energy by some date, say 2030 or 2050. The latest considers what it would take to run New York State with sources such as wind and solar. The resulting headlines look great, and a lot of people walk away with the general impression that, if we wanted to, we could easily drop fossil fuels and nuclear power.
But delve into these roadmaps, and you’ll often find jaw-dropping numbers of solar panels and wind turbines, radical changes to existing infrastructure, and amazing assumptions about our ability to cut energy use that make switching to renewable energy seem more daunting.
This post isn’t the place for a detailed analysis of these reports, although that should follow in a future story. But for now, it’s worth pointing out that in evaluating these sorts of studies, it seems like we should ask a few questions.
First, can we really reduce energy consumption as much as these studies often claim? In order to produce enough energy from wind and solar and other renewable resources, these studies typically posit a scenario in which we will actually use less energy in the future than we do now because of improvements in efficiency. The New York State one estimates a 37 percent drop in energy demand. Is this really possible, not just in theory (we certainly waste a lot of energy) but also in practice? The New York study proposes using district heating as a way of storing energy from wind turbines, but installing the underground steam pipes and other equipment needed for such systems is a costly and likely very slow process—especially if the system needs to be retrofitted to existing cities. If we look at the situation worldwide, reducing energy demand will be particularly difficult as poor countries try to bring basic energy services to their people, which could actually double energy demand.
The other big question is, how much will the switch to renewables cost compared to the cost of continuing to use fossil fuels? When talking about the cost of switching, studies sometimes include estimates of externalities associated with fossil fuels, which is important and necessary. The New York State study estimates that air pollution plus the impacts of climate change actually double the cost of power from coal. Yet no one really knows how much damage will come from global warming, so the estimates could be inaccurate. If we do switch aggressively to renewable energy, presumably the cost for fossil fuels will drop. By how much? What does that do to our calculations about the true cost of fossil fuels, including externalities?
If the policy that drives the switch to renewables depends on adding a price for carbon emissions, falling fossil fuel prices could require an ever higher carbon price to prompt a switch. If our policy is a mandate that limits the use of fossil fuels, at what point does prohibiting fossil fuels hurt poor people who could benefit from a cheap source of energy more than they’re hurt by externalities?
Another key question about costs has to do with financing. When we’re talking about renewable energy, we’re talking essentially about paying for all of the power we’ll use over the lifetime of a solar panel upfront. The cost savings from efficiency measures also require an upfront investment. The cost and availability of financing will have a big impact on the cost per kilowatt hour of renewable energy, or whether battery-powered vehicles pay for themselves in fuel savings.
And a big unknown is just how much it will cost to integrate huge amounts of intermittent renewable sources of energy to create reliable power. The New York study gestures to this problem, but the methods proposed are untested on a large scale, and the challenge will vary considerably depend on renewable resources in a given region. In some parts of the world, doldrums set in for entire seasons, making wind power a terrible option.
I suspect the answers to these questions will suggest that switching to renewables—especially if low-carbon nuclear power is left out of the mix—is more difficult than it might seem at first, but I don’t know for sure. It’s worth a close look. | <urn:uuid:c3f6e1ae-85c3-46aa-ac06-55bae99b958b> | {
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Reality 21st century style
There are some substantial differences between our society in the early 21st Century, and America in the 1930s. With these differences, our society is now much more fragile and vulnerable to collapse. Here are a few that come immediately to mind:
Consider the Attributes of America in the 1930s :
A largely agrarian and self-sufficient society. (Now, just 1% of the population operating farms and ranches feed the other 99%.)
Not heavily dependent on computing and communications, technology, grid power, and petroleum-based fuels.
Shorter chains of supply. Most food was grown within 100 miles of where people lived.
A very small underclass that was dependent on charity or public welfare.
Lower property tax rates and lower (or nonexistent) license fees, vehicle registration fees, et cetera.
The majority of workers lived near their work.
Most displaced workers were willing to accept lower-paying jobs--even doing hard physical labor.
The entire nation was economically self-sufficient and could carry on without many imports.
Far greater self-sufficiency at the household level (domestic water wells, windmills, wood burning stoves, home vegetable gardens, home canning, and so forth)
A much lower level of indebtedness (public and private). At the outset of the Depression most families had cash savings. (We are now a nation of debtors.)
A sound currency, still backed by specie. (Although FDR's administration seized most privately-held gold in 1933, the currency was at least still fully redeemable in silver coinage until 1964.)
Lower percentage of corporate employment--so there were less risk of huge layoffs that would devastate communities
A significantly more moral society that still had compunctions and a prevalently law-abiding attitude.
A homogeneous population that largely shared common Judeo-Christian values. A much larger portion of society attended church regularly
A simpler, less extravagant lifestyle, with tastes in cooking and entertainment that did not require large outlays of cash.
Most families owned only one car (with proportionately lower registration and insurance costs), and they lived in smaller homes that were less expensive to heat.
In summary, in the 1930s it cost a lot less to live (as a percentage of income) and people were willing, able, and accustomed to "making do" without. When people lost their jobs, in many cases they didn't lose their homes because they were paid for. Many folks could simply revert to a self-sufficient lifestyle and earn enough with odd jobs to pay their property taxes.
The bottom line: If America were to experience a Second Great Depression, given the high level of debt and systems dependence, there would be enormous rates of dislocation and homelessness. And with modern-day immorality and the prevalent "me first " attitude, I have no doubt that riots and looting would absolutely explode. | <urn:uuid:17098576-4666-4ac6-8999-20cd2b153fd6> | {
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What Is It? | Why Does My Horse Need Wellness Care? | What Is Equine Wellness Care? |
What Should Wellness Care Include?
What Is It?
- The goal of equine wellness care is to help prevent health problems or detect them early, when they are most treatable.
- Wellness care typically involves a complete annual physical examination of your horse.
- Parasite control and management is an important part of any equine wellness care program, as is regular dental care.
- Vaccinations against equine infectious diseases are typically administered in the spring and fall, but your veterinarian can make specific recommendations for your horse.
Why Does My Horse Need Wellness Care?
Wellness care is an investment in your horse's health. Ensuring that your horse receives proper wellness care can enhance your horse's longevity, productivity and physical condition. Wellness care can also be good for your financial health. Staying current with vaccinations, following your veterinarian's recommendations for parasite control, and screening your horse for signs of illness or lameness can help prevent small problems from becoming major ones and reduce the need for emergency care.
What Is Equine Wellness Care?
The role of equine wellness care is to help prevent health problems or detect them early, when they are most treatable. A typical equine wellness care program will include seasonal routine visits (typically in the spring and fall) when your veterinarian will examine your horse, work with you to determine your horse's disease risk factors and to build a vaccination program, perform routine diagnostic tests, and discuss any health concerns you might have about your horse.
What Should Wellness Care Include?
Good, basic wellness care typically involves an annual physical examination that is usually timed to coincide with spring vaccinations. During this examination, your veterinarian will evaluate the following:
- Body condition: Is your horse at the proper weight? Your veterinarian will discuss proper nutrition with you.
- Skin and haircoat: Does your horse look healthy? Are there any dermatologic (skin) problems that need to be investigated?
- Eyes: Your veterinarian will perform an ophthalmic (eye) exam.
- Teeth and mouth: Your veterinarian will perform a dental exam. Does your horse have teeth that need to be floated (filed down)? Horses typically need to have the sharp edges on their teeth floated every 6 to 12 months.
- Lungs and heart: Your veterinarian will evaluate your horse's circulatory and respiratory systems. Do your horse's lungs sound clear? Does your veterinarian hear evidence of a heart murmur?
- Digestive system and manure output: Do these appear to be normal?
- Musculoskeletal system: Is there soreness or swelling that indicates an impending problem. Is a more comprehensive lameness exam needed?
Each year, a blood test called a Coggins test is performed to detect Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), a serious viral disease. Horses often require a negative Coggins test result to cross state lines, and most boarding, training, and show facilities will not allow a horse on the premises without a current, negative test result.
Additional diagnostic tests, including laboratory tests, blood tests, and radiographs (x-rays), may be recommended by your veterinarian during a routine examination based on exam findings or intended use of the horse (i.e., special diagnostic procedures for broodmare or stallion breeding soundness, special disease screening tests to satisfy horse show entry requirements, etc).
Parasites can be a significant cause of serious illness in horses. At best, parasites cause a loss of body weight and condition in horses. At worst, parasites are a leading cause of colic—a serious and potentially fatal digestive disorder that can require expensive treatment and even surgery.
Therefore, during a wellness care exam, your veterinarian will discuss recommended parasite control measures with you. A Fecal Egg Count (FEC) is the cornerstone of building a parasite control program and is required to determine the parasite status of your horse. Based on the results of the FEC, specific de-worming strategies can be formulated to match the specific needs of your horse.. In addition to medicinal deworming strategies, which include scheduled paste dewormers and/or daily, in-feed dewormer medications administered seasonally to target specific internal parasites that are prevalent at particular times of the year in your area, your veterinarian can help you recognize parasite infection risk factors that you can mitigate through management to reduce your horse's exposure to infective parasites.
Your veterinarian will recommend vaccinations that should be administered to your horse according to (1) his or her lifestyle and travel and competition plans and (2) the infectious diseases that are prevalent in your area. Horses are typically vaccinated twice a year—in the spring and fall.
The following vaccines are commonly recommended:
- Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis*
- West Nile virus*
- Equine influenza
- Potomac horse fever
*These vaccines are considered core vaccines—those that the American Association of Equine Practitioners [AAEP] considers essential to maintaining the health and well-being of the average horse or necessary to safeguard human health. Risk-based vaccines are recommended based on regional infectious disease concerns and individual lifestyle.
Whether your horse is used for pleasure riding, work, or competition, illness and lameness can reduce the time you spend in the saddle enjoying your horse. Thanks to better care and veterinary advancements, today's horses can be kept happy, active, and useful well into their late twenties or even early thirties. Wellness care is a well-spent investment in that future. | <urn:uuid:9ce7c32f-eb0e-4a43-b8e5-fd84cd1fd0b6> | {
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Education worldwide is undergoing a profound shift in emphasis from teaching to learning. Much of this is linked to the rise of massive open online courses (MOOCs), which are generating both excitement and concern around the role of digital technology. After several years of false starts, universities like MIT, Harvard and Stanford have cracked early elements of a broader code to success. Enterprises like Coursera, EdX and Udacity are partnering with these and many other universities to launch classes connecting faculty and students around the world.
The success stories are inspiring. Last year more than 150,000 people signed up for MIT’s first MOOC on “circuits and electronics,” in which a teenage boy from Mongolia achieved a perfect score. Coursera now has nearly 5 million students taking 400 courses in seven languages. Meanwhile Michael Sandel’s online Harvard ethics class is so popular that he has achieved celebrity status in countries like China and Korea, thousands of miles away from his Massachusetts lecture hall.
The backdrop is a university delivery formula that had changed little over several centuries. I call it the “One to N” experience, meaning one teacher in a room, standing in front of some N number of students. Historically, a small N has been preferred for its richer presumed student-teacher interaction, although this is subject to luck regarding the quality of the relevant professor. Today the formula has been flipped. MOOC efforts focus on both growing the N and limiting the role of luck. The core idea is that any number of people, even millions at a time, should be able to take a course with the best professors in the world.
The natural worry is that large-N courses become too mechanized, sacrificing quality for quantity. World class lectures might help students in the first instance, but if a million people take the same class then only a tiny fraction get the chance to interact with the professor. What are the broader social learning consequences if a million students “go to school” together via an equal number of disparate video screens scattered around the world? And how can the institutions without superstar professors survive?
These are legitimate concerns, but they misframe both the problem and the opportunity. When I was on the faculty of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, I coordinated an experimental “global classroom” that leveraged low-cost online technology to connect faculty and students in a unified course spanning a dozen universities across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. The experience prompted me to identify and discard my own “One to N” presumptions. It also led me to recognize and unbundle at least five distinct learning products that modern university learning systems need to provide, each with its own formula of providers and participants.
Product 1 is Motivation. This is the winner-take-all realm of the superstar professors and lends itself to “One to Large-N” experiences. Students feel tremendous inspiration by being able to access live lectures given by world leaders in any particular field. For example, someone studying globalization and inequality wants to hear what Nobel economists like Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz have to say. In a class on genetics, students will likely want to listen to legendary MIT professor Eric Lander, pioneer behind the Human Genome Project. Even if only a few of the massive-N audience are able to ask live questions, being part of an interactive classroom with a world leader can prompt a sense of accessibility and motivation for further study of which previous generations could only dream.
Product 2 is Explanation. The most famous researchers and professors are not necessarily the best explainers of material. People like Salman Khan of Khan Academy and Hans Rosling of Gapminder have developed enormous global followings by pioneering innovative ways of explaining topics through online videos. Equally importantly, there is no single best method of explanation for any topic, since students have so many different learning styles. Hence this is also a One to Large-N product, but the One might differ for each student in each subject. As the global library of online explanations grows, students will have even more opportunities to find the best One for them.
Product 3 is Tutorship. This is where the N gets small again. Even with access to the world’s most inspiring and lucid instructors, students still need the opportunity to ask questions, feel directly engaged and explore certain topics in more detail with a professor who has mastered the material. MOOCs do not kill the local classroom; they only focus its role. The local lecturers’ monopoly on content provision is over, but their role in enhancing learning is more targeted and open to be enhanced.
Product 4 is Interaction. Students need a chance to discuss concepts among themselves. This seems to grow in importance as they mature and acquire greater autonomy and skepticism towards authority figures, including through professional experience. A relevant generational shift might also be underway for youth who have grown up with the world’s information at their digital fingertips. This learning is “N to N” among students themselves. The scale of the group depends on the means of interaction. In-person groups are scaled to local class size. Online interactions can be as vast as any platform allows.
Product 5 is Feedback. Most people appreciate objective comments when framed in the right tone. And learning outcomes need to be assessed, so that students can understand their own progress and how to improve. Traditionally this has come down to grading, where N was constrained by an individual instructor’s available time. Technology is fast improving in this realm, with new machine-reading technologies even marking essays. It is unclear how far automated grading can go, but the odds are that it will soon cover a larger N with higher quality than most of us currently imagine. One potential implication is that local professors will shift time allocations from ex-post evaluation towards ex-ante coaching. Instead of “how did you do yesterday?” the question becomes “how can you do better tomorrow?”
These five products might well be universal. Nonetheless, one must be cautious in predicting trends in a realm subject to such profound innovation. The changes may reshape many universities’ core business models. But the key point is that this suggests the death of neither the university nor of the classroom. Instead it should be seen as a source for targeted renewal. As the ancient overarching One to N model is unbundled, professors and institutions can refine their products to compete on the areas where their relative offerings are best. Some schools might face a hard time keeping pace with the need for change. But in the end, where things go well, the outcome should be dramatically improved opportunities for those who matter most: the students of generations to come.
Read more blogs on education.
Author: John McArthur is a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Senior Fellow at the UN Foundation. He chairs the Global Agenda Council on Poverty and Sustainable Development and is a Young Global Leader. Follow him on twitter @mcarthur.
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Making Tracks on Mars
This image shows the tracks left by NASA's Curiosity rover on Aug. 22, 2012, as it completed its first test drive on Mars. The rover went forward 15 feet (4.5 meters), rotated 120 degrees and then reversed 8.2 feet (2.5 meters). Curiosity is now 20 feet (6 meters) from its landing site, named Bradbury Landing.
This image was taken by a front Hazard-Avoidance camera, which has a fisheye lens.
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BSRA - Bracken School Readiness Assessment. One of the tests used by the DOE to assess children for placement in the Gifted and Talented Program. It is used with the Otis Lenon School Ability Test. It counts for 25% of the grade. The test is a colorful flip book that covers things like colors, letters, shapes and sizes.
Charter School - A independent neighborhood school that receives taxpayer funding but is not bound by many DOE regulations. It has it’s own charter, Board of Trustees and admits students by lottery.
CTT - Collaborative Team Teaching. In an inclusion class setting, two teachers working together one of which has special training for children with special needs.
District 75 - a citywide district that serves special needs children in special schools and programs around the city.
ELA - English Language Arts.
ESL - English as a Second Language. Children are removed from the general classroom for English language instruction for a period of time during the day. They are taught completely in English.
Gifted and Talented Programs - At age four the DOE tests students with the OLSAT and BRSA assessments. If the student places in the 90th percentile nationwide, they will be offered a seat in one of their District’s Gifted and Talented program in Kindergarten. If the student places above the 97th percentile nationwide they may be offered a seat at a citywide Gifted School. These schools are Anderson in the Upper West Side, TAG in East Harlem, NEST+M on the Lower East Side, Brooklyn School of Inquiry on Ave. P in Bensonhurst and STEM at PS 85 in Queens.
Heterogeneous Grouping - Classes made up of children of all ability levels.
Inclusion Class - A class that incorporates a specific percentage of students with special needs in a general ed classroom. The class is usually set up with collaborative team teaching (CTT) or the student is assisted by a Paraprofessional that is assigned to that child.
IEP - Individual Education Plan. When a child has been identified as needing special education services, it is the official document that contains all the information about the child's current levels of performance, and all other issues related to their future schooling.
Magnet School - A school that receives government funds for special programs that will attract students from many neighborhoods to achieve racial integration and fill the school.
OLSAT - along with BSRA, the Otis Lenon School Ability Test is used to help assess a student's qualification for entrance into the reorganized Gifted and Talented program. The OLSAT comprises 75% of the test. It is unlike the ERB or Stanford Binet in that it is not a test of verbal expression. It requires a child to listen and interpret pictures.
Para - A paraprofessional is a classroom assistant who may work with an entire class or one student with a disability.They are not certified teachers.
Parent Coordinator - A member of the school staff that is the liaison between the parents and the school administration and teachers. They are an invaluable resource for the parents and the first line of communication into or out of the school.
PreKindergarten (PreK) - the fours year. Nursery/Preschools "fours" year may be called "prek". Many public schools have a prek class. It is a free program for children who turn four between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 in the calendar year that the student would attend school. It is not a mandated grade and there are often not enough seats for all zoned families. There is a lottery process throught the Dept. of Education for these seats.
SBO - School Based Option. If 55% of the school's professional staff votes to adopt the Option, the school can modify provisions in the UFT contract. One option is that incoming teachers can be selected by a committee of administrators, teachers and parents.
School Grade ("Progress Report") - The controversial letter grade assigned to a school that is based mainly on tracking test performance. It compares schools in similar cohorts. Schools that have sudden changes in their population's demographics from at risk children to children that are not at risk see skewed results. The main grading factor is the children's progress from 4th to 5th grade. Experts find this an unreliable measure. It also favors schools that have test scores in need of improvement. Many high performing schools have less room to improve on test scores. The parent survey was controversial because parent groups felt that the DOE didn’t ask questions that represented the true interests of the parents.
SLT - School Leadership Team. A group of parents, teachers and administrators that writes and updates the CEP (the school’s business plan). They can also be a conduit for communication between the administration and the parent body. The SLT parent members are elected by the PTA.
TERC - The elementary math curriculum that uses manipulatives, different strategies and a cyclical approach to math concepts.
Title 1 - Shorthand for the section of Federal law authorizing funding to high-poverty area schools with students who need academic help.
Tracking (or homogeneous grouping) - the practice of grouping students of like abilities together. This practice has fallen out of favor at the elementary level. The thinking is that students who may be strong in one area may need help in another, and students with different strengths have been found to make a rich classroom experience that can be very good for everyone.
Whole Language and Phonics - Most schools use a combination of the two techniques for early reading and writing. Phonics is the traditional method of teaching letter sounds and language structure. Whole language encourages children in the earliest stages of writing to use whole words (often with invented spelling) to write as much as possible. While whole language gives children power and often a very individual voice, they sometimes don’t understand the basics of sentence structure and spelling.
Writer’s Workshop - the Columbia Teacher’s College model that has been adopted by the NYC schools for the ELA curriculum. The children have many writers notebooks and journals. They are constantly writing, editing and “publishing” their work. Parents are encouraged to participate in “writing celebrations” where the published work is read and displayed.
Zoned School - your local neighborhood elementary school has a small (often oddly shaped) zone within which your address falls. You MUST check to make sure you are in the zone that you think you are in. Call 311 with your address to get that information. Sometimes it is not the school that is closest to your address. In Brooklyn it is common that there are enough seats for all zoned families who want one in their zoned school for Kindergarten. Often schools have a pre-k class. You may try and get a seat, but you are not guaranteed one. It is possible on occasion to gain acceptance to a school that is not your zoned school. You need to submit a “Variance” (also known as a Placement Exception Request) to your local Enrollment Office. | <urn:uuid:d200ff40-599c-472d-9c57-d2deec07f365> | {
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The British Heart Foundation has called for a ban on junk food ads before the 2100 GMT watershed.
A survey conducted by the foundation showed that 70% of parents with children aged four to 16 were immediately pressured to buy junk food their children saw advertised on TV.
The poll of over 2,100 UK parents with children aged 16 and under, also revealed that 43% were "badgered by their children at least once a week" for more junk food.
"Regulations for TV and online advertising in the UK are weak. Loopholes in the system mean that every day millions of children are exposed to sophisticated marketing techniques specifically designed to lure them into unhealthy eating habits," said Mike Hobday, director of policy at the British Heart Foundation.
"This evidence shows that junk food ads are having a detrimental impact on children's behaviour and are hindering parents' efforts to get their children to eat healthily.
"We cannot allow companies to continue exploiting holes in the system at the expense of our children's health. The Government must act now to help give children a stronger chance at fending off future heart disease."
Britain's obesity epidemic currently costs the NHS billions of pounds each year. Government figures show that type 2 diabetes, which is closely linked to being overweight, costs over £1.5m (€2m, $2.3m) an hour, or 10% of the NHS budget for England and Wales.
Moreover, 15% of the population aged 15 and under are still obese.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Economic and Business Research warned Britain that the country faces a whopping £18.4bn in costs related to heart disease by 2020.
Britain's main opposition Labour recently unveiled plans to heavily regulate food marketed to children to tackle Britain's growing obesity crisis.
In a speech, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said that Labour would set maximum limits on levels of fat, salt and sugar in food marketed to children, in a bid to protect them from obesity if it won the general election in 2015.
Burnham said he wants a "traffic light" system to make it easier for parents to understand the amount of fat, sugar and salt in the foods they buy for their family. | <urn:uuid:a3e486d9-a434-4198-85e1-0d11f0da2822> | {
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Pittsburgh Then and Now Penn Incline, Hill District
Grab and drag the green handle on the image above
The Penn Incline was one of more than a dozen inclines that transported people and freight up and down the hills of Pittsburgh in the early part of the 20th century. Built in 1883, the Penn Incline traveled from Ledlie Street in the Hill District to 17th Street in the Strip District. The 20-ton coal freight car, which also transported people, stopped service in 1953 and was dismantled. The early picture was shot sometime between 1938 and 1953.
(Then photo copyright 2004 Carnegie Museum of Art, Charles "Teenie" Harris Archive; contemporary photograph by Rebecca Droke/Post-Gazette.)
We'd love to hear from you. Share your comments and suggestions on the Pittsburgh Then/Now Facebook page or send us an email. | <urn:uuid:af7f5a3a-efa6-4164-9532-f14cbc14ad7a> | {
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And that is the last bit of surface flow in the Mojave River after coming off Deep Creek before it goes underground. Does not look very good for a beaver? No riparian corridor but Lawrence of Arabia amounts of sand. Until the river does something miraculous and resurfaces about 8 miles downstream at Mojave Narrows Regional Park where a confluence of geology forces the water back up. And discovering this amazing desert oasis are beavers from the nearby San Bernardino mountains where several translocations took place last century.
And they seem to like the desert.
Victorville looks like a veritable haven for beavers smack dab right in the middle of one of the most well known deserts in the world.
Look at that big body of water, the whole pond is about 750 feet long!!
You can actually back up and see the swath of riparian green - largely created by the beavers - contrasted sharply against the desert from outer space!! Beaver can attenuate waning surface flows and even more substantially increase subsurface flows.
A little bit after Victorville the river submerges underground again and the river become a wide sandy wash as pictured below.
So pretty cool little desert population of beaver. In the areas with surface flows the beaver have found them and greatly augmented the habitat for plants and wildlife, and deepened and widened the channel for more persistent year round flows and groundwater percolation. The Mojave River is a noted habitat for several endangered reptiles and amphibians - especially western pond turtles - and doubtless multitudes of bird species. Unfortunately the lone native fish - The Mojave Tui Chub - has more or less been pushed to the brink of extinction by its non - native introduced relative the Arroyo Chub. Interestingly the Mojave Tui Chub is an ice age holdover from when the Mojave river used to flow into a permanent lake so beaver would have likely benefited this fish as they prefer slow moving, lentic waters.
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My other blog antediluviansalad.blogspot | <urn:uuid:a16617d7-d67a-42ba-8c91-b0feeacb65ed> | {
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1. Why do I only remember "dominate over something"? Once I said "when Japan dominated Korea", which was corrected by a native speaker "dominated over", and it became a streotype for "dominate". But I found "dominate" in a dictionary, and it says only "dominate", so what do you think is the difference between "dominate" and "dominate over"?
2. I have never seen "post" go with "score". Is it common?
10)Kim Yuna: the Best is Yet to Come. She immediately began to dominate older skaters, eventually becoming the youngest female to win the Korean senior national championship at the age of 12. The teen captured the world's attention by winning a series of international competitions, including the 2007 World Championship in Japan, where she posted the highest score ever earned....
This thread is a duplicate and has responses already on the other one. To avoid potential confusion, I'm closing this one.
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Below is a guest post by Wendy DesChene and Jeff Schmuki, who hosted their event titled the Moth Project, during National Moth Week in 2016. Below, they describe their project and event, which consisted of projecting photos of moths and kaleidoscopic designs to attract moths!
Working under the guise of PlantBot Genetics, artists Wendy DesChene and Jeff Schmuki collaborate with various partners to empower audiences through art and citizen science, promoting environmental literacy and backyard naturalism. This past National Moth Week, they partnered with Entomica, an insectarium based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Canada to host a one-night Moth Project right on the banks of the St. Mary’s River. This public event attracted hordes of newly hatched caddis flies, 30 participants, and a small collection of moths, some of which were easily identifiable.
During the Moth Project, kaleidoscopic videos of moths and their wing patterns are projected onto reflective tents and even buildings to attract both moths and curious people. Often an accompanying 18′ solar powered trailer or “ArtLab” acts as the stage for these public engagements providing hands-on activities and information on a broad range of environmental topics. Longer programs feature field guides identifying the moths and useful information on how we can support their numbers whether it be planting pollinator friendly plants or refraining from spraying pesticides on a windy day. Audiences are often surprised how easy it is to survey moths in their backyard using various UV emitting lights, a white sheet, and field guide.
Both art and science have the potential to alter perception, foster dialogue, and inspire social change. Each Moth Project is directly linked to the community with moth surveys allowing any participant to become co-investigator and author of localized data. Moths play a vital role in telling us more about the health of our environment. They are widespread, found in diverse habitats, and monitoring their numbers and ranges can give insight into the effects of farming practices, pesticides, air pollution and climate change. Immediate outcomes of these programs allow communities to learn and identify a few local moths which connect people to their own yard and builds a stronger connection between them and nature.
Events such as National Moth Week not only provides an opportunity to share the incredible diversity of moths but the decline of the pollinator populations and the need to preserve the environment while short-circuiting doomsday predictions. Wendy and Jeff gently share simple steps that any individual can take to nurture local pollinators — an activity that empowers the community long after the event and artists and collaborators have moved on. | <urn:uuid:f669ce88-da67-4b2c-9da3-b2a5aac4815c> | {
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|Rangkaian Lampu otomatis menggunakan photocell (LDR)|
connected through the relay contact glows. The diode D1 works as a freewheeling diode.
A light sensor (photodetector) that varies its resistance between its two terminals based on the amount of photons (light) it receives. Used for photographic light meters, automatic on-at-dusk street lights and other light-sensitive applications, it is also called a "light dependent resistor" (LDR) and "photoresistor."
The photocell's semiconductor material is typically cadmium sulfide (CdS), but other elements are also used. Photocells and photodiodes are used for similar applications; however, the photocell passes current bi-directionally, whereas the photodiode is unidirectional.
Photocells come in a variety of packages such as this assortment from PerkinElmer. As the photocell receives more photons, the resistance is lowered between the two terminals. | <urn:uuid:d8bcb6bb-02ef-4338-bab3-728a5993fd7c> | {
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Columbia Journalism Review's Curtis Brainard and I had a somewhat lengthy back-and-forth on Twitter about his view (10/30/12, 11/1/12) that some journalists and environmental activists are misleading the public by pointing to superstorm Sandy as an outcome of human-caused global warming. I argued on FAIR Blog (11/1/12) that saying that global warming caused Sandy is simply accurate–and later tried to make my point via tongue-in-cheek metaphor in a tweet.
I don't think I convinced Brainard–"Wow. You're spinning words like tops," pretty much summed up his reaction. But I thought I'd try to explain what I was saying in a medium not limited to 140 characters–along with a better metaphor.
My argument was that climate change caused Sandy in the straightforward sense that without global warming, Sandy wouldn't have happened. Weather is a chaotic system, meaning that small changes in initial conditions produce vast changes in outcome. We live on a planet where the atmosphere has been altered not slightly but dramatically by human actions, changing the climate and therefore all weather derived from the climate. Without climate change, Sandy wouldn't be weaker or have a smaller storm surge or strike somewhere else; there would be an entirely different weather pattern, most likely an entirely unremarkable one.
This is not, I don't think, the point climatologist Kevin Trenberth, quoted by Brainard, is making when he says, "All weather events are affected by climate change because the environment in which they occur is warmer and moister than it used to be." He's saying that if you imagined Sandy without climate change, you would have a cooler, drier Sandy. What I am saying is that whenever you alter the conditions of the atmosphere in a significant way, in whatever manner, you will automatically end up with a different set of weather events–and the odds against these weather events without alteration would have produced something resembling Sandy are astronomical.
Believing that a Frankenstorm of some sort would have manifested itself in late October 2012 if people hadn't started pumping carbon into the atmosphere in the 1800s is like believing that if chimpanzees instead of Homo sapiens had evolved into the dominant species on Earth, a chimp named Abraham Lincoln would have been elected president of the United States of America in 1860.
Now, you might say to me, "Yeah, yeah–so what?" One could argue that this kind of "cause" is trivial, because it applies equally to all weather events–that pleasant day in August, the first big snowstorm last winter, the lightning that hit the old barn two years ago–all these events were "caused" by climate change, in that the hypothetical world without climate change had entirely different weather events.
But I think it's important to understand this about weather: There aren't some weather events that are the result of climate change and some that aren't. There are no weather events that are made better or worse by global warming. Without global warming, there would be an entirely different set of weather events.
What people think of as the interesting questions about climate change and extreme weather involve comparing the weather events we actually have with the weather on an imaginary Earth, where the climate hasn't been altered by greenhouse gases. Would they have similar kinds of weather events there? More of some, less of others? More or less severe, on average? More specifically: Could the kind of storm that Sandy was have struck the East Coast at some point in time in a world free of global warming?
These are very hard questions to answer, obviously–since we're unable to observe the weather on an imaginary planet–and scientists furiously debate the answers. I would note that if we're talking about a weather phenomenon that's never been seen before, we should be more skeptical of claims that such things happen naturally on hypothetical Earth X. And people who have been predicting that one of the things to expect from increasing climate change is an increase in the severity of storms should be listened to seriously when a storm of unprecedented severity occurs–just as people who recognized the housing bubble early on should have been listened to for advice on what to do after it popped.
But the one thing we can say for sure is that Sandy would not have occurred here and now without climate change. Is that a useful thing to say? Here's a thought experiment: Imagine we live in that world with no climate change. (Maybe the industrial revolution developed with wind and water power until a Thomas Edison analogue invented the solar panel.)
In this world, researchers come up with a way to alter local weather. Some scientists warn against trying this out, saying that it could cause irrevocable changes to the climate, including severe storms. But the researchers say, no, while it will unavoidably randomize the weather all over the world, it won't change the climate: You'll get a different mix of weather after the alteration, but it will be the same mix of weather that existed before.
They go ahead and do the experiment–making sure, say, that there's sunny skies over the Super Bowl–and then, within a year, a devastating hurricane wrecks Miami.
It's hard to say how to answer the question of whether the experiment made the hurricane worse or not: It's one data point, and one that could be found in an ordinary hurricane season–though it's consistent with the prediction that the experiment would exacerbate storms.
But did the experiment cause the hurricane? In the sense that that hurricane would not have happened without the weather alteration, yes–the researchers are responsible for the hurricane striking Miami. That's the way the courts would presumably view it, and that's surely how the newspapers on Earth X would report it.
I put it to you that this Earth's media ought to give the same treatment to the consequences of the real-world experiment we call global warming. | <urn:uuid:0614b5a3-5a74-4da7-97d7-2ed7e8283d71> | {
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Hering – 1875
In 1875, Hering published the first volume of Analytical Therapeutics of the Mind in which he stated that “only such patients remain well and are really cured, who have been rid of their symptoms in the reverse order of their development”. (page 24) (14) Here Hering makes no mention of the three other propositions regarding the direction of cure: from above downwards, from within outwards and from the more important to the less important organs. Why? Were they not considered as important to evaluate the direction of cure as stated in previous years?
In the same work, Hering also explains that he adopted Hahnemann’s arrangement of the materia medica: “First inner symptoms, then outer ones. This order we have now uniformly preserved throughout the whole work.” (page 21) In explaining why he adopted this arrangement he says: “The arrangement as well as the style of printing, has the one object especially in view, viz.: to make it as easy as possible for the eye, and through the eye, for the mind to find what is looked for.” He makes no mention of this arrangement corresponding to a direction of cure, as it has been suggested by some well wishing homeopaths.
The origin of the term “Hering’s law”
Where does the term “Hering’s law” come from as it seems never to have been mentioned in the literature during Hering’s time? The earliest mention I have been able to find in the homeopathic literature dates from 1911, in an article published by Kent in the first volume of the Transactions of the Society of Homœopathicians called “Correspondence of Organs, and the Direction of Cure”. Kent writes:
- “Hering first introduced the law of direction of symptoms: from within out, from above downward, in reverse order of their appearance. It does not occur in Hahnemann’s writings. It is spoken of as Hering’s law. There is scarcely anything of this law in the literature of homœopathy, except the observation of symptoms going from above to the extremities, eruptions appearing on the skin and discharges from the mucous membranes or ulcers appearing upon the legs as internal symptoms disappear.
- “There is non-specific assertion in the literature except as given in the lectures on philosophy at the Post- Graduate School.” (15)
It is reasonable to assume that Kent was the one that officialized the term “Hering’s law” and so inadvertently popularized the concept of the existence of a clear and precise law of direction of cure. (At least up till 1899, at Kent’s Post-Graduate School of Homeopathics, the directions of cure were still called “the Three Directions of cure [given by Hahnemann].) (16) By using the name of Hering it is reasonable to say that Kent thus created false and misleading historical assumptions. Since H.C. Allen had died two years previously (1909), the profession, at least in North America, had no other leaders capable to refute Kent and defend the classic Hahnemannian tradition. (It is to be remembered that in 1908 H.C. Allen had severely criticized the materia medica of the new synthetic remedies that Kent had been publishing since 1904 in The Critique. Kent was at the time the associate editor of this journal in which, almost monthly, he had been publishing the materia medica of a new synthetic remedy, each of very questionable value. During an open session at the annual meeting of the International Hahnemannian Association, Allen and G.P. Waring accused Kent of publishing materia medica that was “without proving or any clinical experience”, which would have been completely contrary to the strict inductive method intrinsic to homeopathy. (17)
Kent then stopped permanently the publication of these synthetic remedies, even the ones that he had previously promised for upcoming publication in The Critique. (18) Although Kent continued to publish regularly in The Critique until 1911 he restricted his articles to reporting clinical cases rather than materia medica. Never was a synthetic remedy ever published by Kent after the initial criticism of Allen even in his own journal, The Homœopathician, that he founded in 1912. Furthermore, when Kent published the second edition of his Lectures on Homœopathic Materia Medica in 1912 [the first edition was in 1904], all the synthetic remedies published between 1904 and 1908 were omitted.)
In this same article, Kent says that in the course of treatment of a patient suffering with a psychic disease of the will (problems of affections, grief, anger, jealousy, etc), the heart or liver will be affected as the treatment progresses.
While in a patient suffering from a mental disease (problems of the intellect), the stomach or the kidney will be affected during appropriate homeopathic treatment. Were these comments on the direction of cure and correspondence of organs based on Kent’s impeccable and meticulous observations or was he rather formulating hypotheses? He does not explain further but he does mention later in the same paper that “through familiarity with Swedenborg, I have found the correspondences wrought out from the Word of God harmonious with all I have learned in the past thirty years. Familiarity with them aids in determining the effect of prescriptions.” (15)
Nowhere was I able to find in the writings of Kent, including in a collection of not yet republished lesser writings, any other mention of Hering’s law as to the direction of cure.
Discussion and Conclusion
First let us briefly review the highlights of what has been so far demonstrated:
- Between 1828 and 1843, Hahnemann enunciated his theories of chronic diseases and described his observations and rules about the progression and resolution of these chronic diseases. One key point of his theory is that a skin eruption is the first manifestation of psora, which is the source of all chronic diseases of non-venereal origin. In chronic disease the presenting symptoms of the patient (“those ailments which have been most constant and unchanged”) may aggravate and will disappear in the reverse order of their appearance with the correct antipsoric remedies in the correct posology. Possibly, old symptoms may return during an antipsoric treatment. In all diseases, if after a homeopathic remedy the psychic symptoms are the first to improve or aggravate it is a most certain sign of curative change. For Hahnemann this inside outward improvement was not a law but rather a most certain sign of curative change. Finally not all diseases progress from outside inwards but certain diseases (psychosomatic diseases) can progress from within outwards.
- In 1845, Hering enunciated the original observations of Hahnemann as a law of order in a work never to be published. In this law he mentions essentially four points, that “the improvement in pain takes place from above downward; and in diseases, from within outward… Chronic diseases if thoroughly cured, always terminate in some cutaneous eruption” and lastly “the thorough cure of a widely ramified chronic disease in the organism is indicated by the most important organs being first relieved; the affection passes off in the order in which the organs had been affected, the most important being relieved first, the less important next, and the skin last”. As a reader I do not clearly sense that Hering is officially proclaiming the original observations of Hahnemann as an absolute law but rather that there is a “law of order” during a curative process. Also I was unable to find Hering or any of his contemporaries referring further to this unpublished work or to a law of direction of cure.
- In 1865, Hering described these observations not as a law but as Hahnemann’s general observations or as plain practical rules. Essentially he emphasizes the proposition that the symptoms should disappear in the reverse order of their appearance during the treatment of patients with chronic psoric diseases.
- In 1875, Hering now discussed only one proposition, that the symptoms will disappear in the reverse order of their appearance. The three other propositions are now not mentioned at all.
- All the illustrious contemporaries of Hering seems to remain silent on this point, at least from my review of the literature.
- In 1911, Kent, almost arbitrarily, calls the original observations of Hahnemann “Hering’s law”.
Now, with Kent’s powerful influence, most modern works and presentations on homeopathy began to declare Hering’s law as an established fact and seemingly assumed that it has been thoroughly verified since the beginning of homeopathy, although no author, to my knowledge, has so far been able to substantiate what each is repeating from the other. Here is one clear sign which indicates how profoundly the homeopathic profession of today has been cut off from its original and most essential sources. During the years of its decline in the U.S. the profession experienced a gradual discontinuity from its original foundation and started to rely more and more on a neo-foundation dating back to the turn of the present century. Each new generation of homeopaths has readily accepted Hering’s law as a perfect law of cure and so unintentionally perpetuated a misleading assumption. For students it is an attractive concept but we clinicians must stand up and report our observations even if they are contrary to the teaching we have received.
From reviewing the literature, it seems unlikely that the law formulated by Kent in 1911 is a fair represention of Hering’s overall understanding of a direction of cure and that neither Kent nor anyone else has been able thus far to clinically demonstrate that the original observations of Hahnemann constituted in fact a perfect law of nature. But if we assume, for a moment, that the law formulated by Kent is true, would all symptoms then have to disappear, not only in the reverse order of their appearance, but also from above downwards, from within outwards and from more important to less important organs?
To comply with this law it would mean that all diseases to be curable must proceed from outside inwards, from below upwards and from less important to more important organs. Many acute diseases and a whole list of chronic diseases such as psychosomatic diseases and others that develop from within outwards (for example cases of arthritis followed by psoriasis), or diseases that develop from above downwards, as in certain cases of polyarthritis, would then be theoritically incurable. Or (since we know this not to be the case) they are curable, but represent notable exceptions to Kent’s formulation of a law of direction of cure.
In many cases of chronic disease the direction of disappearance of symptoms will contradict at least one of the four propositions. I assume that we all agree that the enunciation of a law must be based on impeccable observations. A law, if it is to be called a law, must explain all observable phenomena of direction of cure. It is unacceptable to use limited or even selected clinical phenomena to confirm a supposed law.
This situation appears to exist when certain homeopaths in their attempts to defend “pure” homeopathy subscribe to the position that what is observed as contrary to Hering’s law, as formulated by Kent, is only due to poor prescribing, suppressive at times, palliative at best but surely not curative. For them what is wrong, is not the law but the prescription: “the simillimum was not given.”
Personally I use and can daily confirm the original observations of Hahnemann concerning the direction of cure and have found them extremely helpful to evaluate the evolution of diseases or of cure but I have not been able to substantiate these observations as a law and have not yet found a colleague with such substantiation. I use them as plain practical rules.
Probably by the end of my career, homeopathy will have become widely accepted. I would then resent it if a group of objective scientists clinically investigate the principles of homeopathy, and find numerous exceptions not abiding to our idealistic or dogmatic conception of Hering’s law; thus renderiing it only “a plain, practical rule“. I would similarly resent having a group of scientists saying that for the last hundred or more years the homeopathic profession has been blindly erring in assuming that Hering’s law was an irrefutable fact.
Five of the many plagues that have hindered the growth of homeopathy are ignorance, egotism, dogmatism, idolatry and the diversion from the inductive method. In his last address to the profession in an article published in the August 1880 (Hering died on July 23, 1880.) issue of the North American Journal of Homœopathy, Hering warned us that “if our school ever gives up the strict inductive method of Hahnemann we are lost, and deserve to be mentioned only as a caricature in the history of medicine.” (19) Indeed, since its early beginning the tendency to rationalize the practice of medicine has also constantly threatened homeopathy. Hahnemann, who had a thorough understanding of the history of medicine, knew that the only sure way was based on the experimental method. Hering demonstrated the same rigor. Unfortunatively, we can not say the same of Kent. Let us now start carefully observing and reporting any facts that would help to perfect Hahnemann’s original observations. If a direction of cure can be expressed within the context of a law, then so be it. But until demonstrated otherwise, it should remain “a plain, practical rule”. The law that we suspect still needs to be rightly formulated.
At present it seems appropriate to refer to these observations as the rules of the direction of cure. To refer to these as Hahnemann’s or Hering’s rules may further prolong the confusion. From my personal experience, it appears that the four rules are not applicable to all cases and that there is a hierarchy among them, i.e., they do not have equal value. The first indication that a disease is being cured under homeopathic treatment is that the presenting and reversible (Many symptoms related to irreversible lesions can not be expected to totally disappear; consequently the more a symptom is related to organic changes, the less likely, or more slowly it will disappear. The greater the irreversibility of the pathology the greater the symptoms will linger. The practitioner can easily be confused by these important exceptions, which are often not well perceived. Therefore this rule [of symptoms disappearing in the reverse order of appearance] is generally less applicable to symptoms deriving from organic lesions.) symptoms of the disease will disappear in the reverse order of their appearance.
This confirms the observations as pointed out originally and plainly by Hahnemann in The Chronic Diseases and later by Hering in 1865 and 1875. This means that during the treatment of patients suffering with chronic diseases of non-venereal origin and also at times with acute diseases, the presenting symptoms of the patient’s chronic dynamic disease (as opposed to the symptoms resulting essentially from gross error of living) will disappear in the reverse order of their appearance. So the presenting symptoms that have developed in the order of A B C D E seem to consistently disappear in the order of E D C B A. This rule seems to have supremacy over the other three rules: from more important to the less important organs, from within outwards and from above downwards.
The word “presenting” is here emphasized in order to state perfectly clearly that the symptoms that will disappear in the reverse order of the their appearance are only the presenting symptoms, and that it is not at all expected that every ailment experienced by the patient in his past will again be re-experienced under homeopathic treatment. In fact only a few of these old symptoms and conditions will reappear during a homeopathic treatment, usually the ones that have unmistakably been suppressed by whatever influences. Beside antipathic treatment that will suppress symptoms and normal functions of the organism (perspiration or menses) there are other measures which will cause suppression of symptoms, first, dissimilar diseases, natural or artificial; second, external influences such as exposure to cold temperature, (i.e., suppressed menses from getting the feet wet); and lastly, internal influences that cause the person to suppress emotions such as anger or grief. This rule concerning cure in the reverse order of appearance of the presenting and reversible symptoms of the disease is the most important of the four as it is observable in almost all cases. The importance of this rule is well emphasized by Hering in 1865 when he mentioned:
- “This rule enables the Hahnemannian artist not only to cure the most obstinate chronic diseases, but also to make a certain prognosis when discharging a cases, whether the patient will remain cured or whether the disease will return, like a half-paid creditor, at the first opportunity.” (12)
The second most important (applicable) rule in the hierarchy is that cure will proceed from more important to less important organs. Third in importance is the rule that cure will proceed from within outwards. Fourth, least important and least often observable, the cure will proceed from above downwards. Hahnemann’s observation thatof all the signs that indicate a small beginning of improvement, the psychic condition of the patient and his general demeanor are the most certain and revealing is seen as the source of the last three rules. “The very beginning of improvement is indicated by a sense of greater ease, composure, mental freedom, higher spirits, and returning naturalness.” (paragraph 253) 10 This original observation of Hahnemann, which is verified daily, does not contradict the first rule in any case because the first sign of improvement can be and is often different than the symptom that would first disappear.
Consequent to Hahnemann’s theory, (that all diseases, acute and chronic of non-venereal origin, come from the original malady called psora and its first manifestation is a skin eruption) all cases of chronic disease of dynamic origin must develop a skin eruption to be totally cured. As it seems unfeasible to demonstrate, it should at best be used as a working hypothesis and not as a law. For a law to exist it must be demonstrable without exception. Hahnemann had a clear opinion about the role of the physician as theorist when he wrote in the preface to the fourth volume of The Chronic Diseases:
- “I furnished, indeed, a conjecture about it [on how the cure of diseases is effected], but I did not desire tocall it an explanation, i.e., a definite explanation of the modus operandi. Nor was this at all necessary, for it is only incumbent upon us to cure similar symptoms correctly and successfully, according to a law of nature [similia similibus curantur] which is being constantly confirmed; but not to boast with abstract explanations, while we leave the patients uncured; for that is all which so-called physicians have hitherto accomplished.” (8)
To end this thesis, I would like to leave you with the spirit of some pertinent thoughts of Constantine Hering. In 1879, in the last two paragraphs to the preface of his last work, The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica, he writes:
- “It has been my rule through life never to accept anything as true, unless it came as near mathematical proof as possible in its domain of science; and, in the other hand, never to reject anything as false, unless there was stronger proof of its falsity.
- “Some will say, “but so many things – a majority of all observations – will thus remain between the two undecided.” So they will; and can it be helped? It can, but only by accumulating most careful observations and contributing them to the general fund of knowledge.” (20)
And finally he wrote in 1845 in the preface of Hahnemann’s Chronic Diseases:
- “It is the duty of all of us to go farther in the theory and practice of Homœopathy than Hahnemann has done. We ought to seek the truth which is before us and forsake the errors of the past.” (page 9) (11)
- Kent JT. Lectures on Homœopathic Philosophy. 2nd Ed. Chicago: Ehrhart & Karl, 1929.
- Close S. The Genius of Homœopathy. Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel, 1924.
- Roberts HA. The Principles and Art of Cure by Homœopathy. 2nd Revised Edition. Rustington: Health Science Press, 1942.
- Boericke G. A compend of the Principles of Homœopathy for Students in Medicine. Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel, 1929.
- Raue CG, Knerr CB, Mohr C, eds. A Memorial of Constantine Hering. Philadelphia: Press of Globe Printing House, 1884.
- Eastman AM. Life and Reminiscences of Dr. Constantine Hering. Philadelphia: Published by the family for private circulation, 1917.
- Knerr CB. Life of Hering. Philadelphia: The Magee Press, 1940.
- Hahnemann SC. The Chronic Diseases. Trans. by LF Tafel. Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel, 1896.
- Hahnemann SC. Organon of Medicine. Trans. by W Boericke. Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel, 1920
- Hahnemann SC. Organon of Medicine. Trans. by J Kunzli. Los Angeles: J.P. Tarcher, 1982.
- Hering C. Preface. In Hahnemann SC. The Chronic Diseases. Trans. by CJ Hempel. New-York: William Radde, 1845.
- Hering C. Preface to the first American edition. In the Organon of Homœopathic Medicine. New-York: William Radde, 1836.
- Hering C. Hahnemann’s Three Rules Concerning the Rank of Symptoms. Hahnemannian Monthly 1865;1:5-12.
- Hering C. Analytical Therapeutics of the Mind. Vol 1. Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel, 1875.
- Kent JT. Correspondence of Organs, and Direction of Cure. Trans Soc. Homœopathicians 1911;1:31-33.
- Loos JC. Homœopathic Catechism. Journal of Homœopathics 1898-1899;2:480-488.
- Mastin JM. Editorial. Critique 1908;15:277-278.
- Mastin JM. Editorial. Critique 1907;14:228-229.
- Hering C. Apis. North American Journal of Homœopathy 1880;29:29-35.
- Hering C. The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica. Vol 1. Philadelphia: The American Publishing Society, 1879. | <urn:uuid:cf51d5b0-c901-48d2-b518-8da7576562a4> | {
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America's Swamp: the Historical Everglades Project: Governor Broward
Interest in draining and “reclaiming” land in the Everglades began as early as the 1880s, but major drainage activities were not undertaken until the first two decades of the 20th century. Two Florida Governors, William Sherman Jennings and Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, would serve as the primary designers and spokespersons for the draining of the Everglades. In 1904 Governor Broward famously promised to create an "Empire of the Everglades." Of course, in fulfilling this promise the state would have to destroy the ecological systems by dredging, creating canals, and altering the flow of water in the world’s most famed wetlands. Alarmed at the potential loss of the Everglades several early conservationists, including Florida’s May Mann Jennings, began pushing for the preservation of portions of the Everglades.
The drainage work started by Governors Jennings and Broward was of great interest internationally, and soon real estate dealers and settlers from around the world rushed in to profit from the project. The land sales boom in South Florida at the start of the 1920s was almost unprecedented in the history of the world. So was the rapidity with which it had collapsed by the end of the decade. Two catastrophic hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 effectively ended the boom, but many people had already declared the drainage program a bust. By the time the Depression began in 1929, sales had ceased and the state was forced to halt drainage and dredging activities.
Each of the six collections provides unique and valuable historical evidence regarding the Everglades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and it is difficult to research early drainage and conservation efforts without consulting these collections. The papers of Governor Broward and Governor Jennings form the nucleus of the project as they were the primary architects for the drainage and reclamation project. Jennings started the project rolling during his term, drumming up widespread support and resolving a myriad of legal issues, primarily pertaining to land claims made by the Flagler and Plant railroads. However, it was Broward who became the driving force for the project. His popularity, his larger-than-life persona, his attention to the smallest details, and his passion for the project, all combined to make him the perfect man to spearhead the effort. The two Progressive Era southern democrats were friends and political allies, and their common goals and accomplishments are documented extensively in their papers. | <urn:uuid:1d1fdf00-6d93-4d91-91f7-ebb76af9a943> | {
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Practices Improving Soil Health Also Reduce Erosion in Extreme Weather
Indianapolis, IN—June 14, 2013 - From drought to flood conditions, it seems there is no longer a “normal” growing season for Indiana farmers. A year of extreme heat and drought in 2012 was followed by a cool, wet spring. These types of weather extremes can be very damaging to Indiana’s soils, but farmers who are applying soil health practices like cover crops and no-till are benefitting the most.
Besides cover crops and no-till, conservation practices that improve soil health include crop rotations, and responsible nutrient and pest management applications.
April 2013 set records in terms of rainfall for parts of Indiana, with several central Indiana counties receiving four to six inches on April 19. Traditional erosion control practices – like buffer strips, filter strips, and grassed waterways –held up well during these rains. The rains have continued to fall, but Barry Fisher, State Soil Health Specialist, with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Indianapolis, says soil health practices provided additional protection from erosion caused by heavy rains.
“In fields where the soil was disturbed through tillage, there are some rough areas with a lot of soil erosion,” said Fisher. He further explains, in fields with high amounts of crop residue left from no tillage, “there was significantly less erosion, and in fields with no-till plus cover crops, there was little to no erosion.”
Thousands of Indiana farmers have attended the over sixty annual workshops put on by the Indiana Conservation Partnership (ICP) and the Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative (CCSI). These workshops focus on ways to integrate cover crops, no-till, nutrient management and precision farming into successful cropping systems that improve soil health and resilience to extreme weather. As a result, the ICP estimates that farmers planted over 500,000 acres of cover crops in last fall.
“This is a difficult number to estimate,” said Fisher, “but in my conversations with numerous seed industries, agricultural retailers, agencies and groups who are tracking these acres, I feel this estimate maybe conservative.”
Fisher says that cover crops with no-till will undoubtedly help reduce the impact of heavy spring rains. “We are promoting cover crops to increase soil organic matter and water infiltration rates, and to limit nitrogen leaching,” he said, “but erosion reduction is an additional benefit during heavy fall and springtime rains.”
One farmer who reaped the erosion control benefits of cover crops is Larry Timm who farms in Putnam County where some of the heaviest rains have fallen. His cover crop acres protected the soil very well after receiving more than five inches of rain in 24 hours. In areas where he has no-till fields, but no cover crops – erosion was visible.
“Where rye grass was part of the cover crop system this spring even with the heavy rains there is no erosion showing up,” said Timm, adding, “The rye grass even continued to pull excess soil moisture in the early spring, which allowed me to plant earlier than on fields without cover crops.”
Timm expects to see even further benefits from cover crops as the year goes on, especially if the weather turns hot and dry.
According to NRCS District Conservationist Matt Jarvis, farmers planted more than 2,315 acres of cover crops in Putnam County last fall. Most of the acres were planted as part of one of NRCS’s programs, however Jarvis explains that many farmers see the benefit and plant cover corps on their own.
“Ironically, many of our farmers used 2012 drought assistance funding to plant cover crops to help feed the soil and to take up excess nitrogen. This spring those cover crops are also protecting the soil from erosion,” said Jarvis.
Shannon Zezula, state resource conservationist for NRCS in Indiana, says the “cover” that cover crops provide is only part of the erosion control benefit. Zezula points out, “Any ground cover protects soil from taking a beating from the force of falling raindrops. Crop residue and living plants protect soil aggregates from crumbling under the hammering energy of raindrops.”
Zezula recommends cover crops because they provide food for microorganisms, which in turn provide “sticky” substances that stabilize soil aggregates. “This also improves water infiltration and aeration,” he says.
Indiana’s growing numbers of soil health farmers are well into planting since the rains have let up, but as you can guess, they are already planning for fall cover crop plantings.
For more information about practices to help improve soil health, visit your local NRCS office or go online to www.in.nrcs.usda.gov.
Jane Hardisty, State Conservationist, 317.295.5801 ([email protected] )
Barry Fisher, Indiana Soil Health Specialist, 317.295.5850 ([email protected] )
Shannon Zezula, State Resource Conservationist, 317.295.5888 ([email protected])
Matt Jarvis, District Conservationist, 765-653-5716 ([email protected])
Rebecca Fletcher, State Public Affairs Specialist, 317.295.5825 ([email protected]) | <urn:uuid:4d82994d-5ed9-48a7-961a-e21b60f489a0> | {
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The Biedermeier Style
German secretaire, mahogany, circa 1815
A remarkable example of how furniture design can reflect great historical events is provided by the emergence of the Biedermeier style after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815. The mood of the people of Europe changed - and the style of the furniture altered dramatically to match this mood. As Napoleon had conquered most Europe, the pompous, magnificent Empire style with its grand, monumental mahogany furniture had become extremely fashionable, and palaces and houses were accordingly redecorated throughout the continent.
But after Napoleon's final defeat, Europe settled down to a long period of peace. The middle classes, who were prospering, wanted a simpler style, which could be functional as well as beautiful. This style, later known as 'Biedermeier', is essentially Empire furniture shorn of its ormolu mounts, excessive gilding and aggressive self-importance. Its original geometric shape often leads it to being described as the forerunner of modern furniture.
Like most styles, it did not have a name while it was being made, but was only given one after it had been and gone. The term 'Biedermeier' is often wrongly assumed to be the name of a cabinetmaker or designer of the period. During the late 1840s in Austria and Germany, the preceding era (1815-1848) was subject to a barrage of satire, which finally led to the very furniture being mocked. The painter-poet Josef Victor von Scheffel published in 1848 cynical poems with titles as'Biedermann's Evening socialising' and 'Bummelmaier's Complaint' in the Viennese satirical magazine 'Fliegende Blätter' (Flying Leaves). These names were combined into the pseudonym 'Gottlieb Biedermaier' by Ludwig Eichrodt, who together with Adolf Kussmaul published poems by the schoolmaster Samuel Friedrich Sauter under this name. The spelling finally changed into 'Biedermeier' in 1869 when Eichrodt published 'Biedermeier's Liederlust'.
The term 'Biedermeier' came to symbolise the middle classes - reliable, with lots of common sense, in fact very boring! 'Bieder' is a German word meaning common-or-garden, everyday, plain 'Meier' (or Meyer) is a common German surname like Smith.
The misconception that Biedermeier furniture is 'bourgeois' owes everything to the caricaturist and nothing to reality. Many elaborate interiors contained Biedermeier furniture, of course, but the style was adopted at all social levels, from the mercantile to the royal, and its applications varied from the austere to the extravagant.
The most influential furniture designer of the period was Josef Dannhauser (d.1830) who produced many flamboyant pieces. He was the owner of a factory in Vienna (from 1804) with up to 350 workers producing furniture, sculpture and interior decoration. Dannhauser made important pieces of Empire furniture for the Austrian Imperial family. For the middle classes he produced many pieces in the Biedermeier style; there are about 2,500 drawings in the Österreichisches Museum für Angewandte Kunst (the Museum of Applied Arts), as well as numerous printed catalogues with his furniture designs. After his death, his son Joseph took over, but he closed the firm in 1838. Very few pieces survive that are signed, so numerous optimistic attributions to Dannhauser have been made, based on the widespread use of his published catalogues used as pattern books, not only throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but in many other countries as well.
Pair of chairs and table attributed to Josef Dannhauser. Mahogany, Vienna c1820.
Biedermeier furniture should not be imagined as an individual movement, but rather as a series of ideas stretching from Vienna to Stockholm, encompassing most of the German speaking lands, Scandinavia, Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the early nineteen century, there was a tradition of craftsmen travelling around Europe seeking work, which greatly facilitated the spread of these ideas. There are, however, many regional variations to the furniture. South Germany and Austria produced pieces quite unlike those made in Berlin after the designs of Karl Friedrich von Schinkel (1781-1841), the great Prussian architect and designer. North Germany and Denmark were different again.
Hamburg in North Germany, Copenhagen in Denmark and Gothenburg on Sweden's west coast all had close trading links with Britain, so the furniture in these regions often shows the strong influence of the English Regency style. In Sweden this furniture is usually known by the name'Carl Johan' after the monarch of the time, Carl XIV Johan (1818-1844). The term 'Biedermeier' is less frequently used in Sweden. One noteworthy Swedish feature is the popularity of the native Scandinavian blond woods, especially birch.
Biedermeier furniture and interior decoration have enjoyed an upsurge in popularity in Britain and America since World War II. In continental Europe, however, they have exerted a virtually continuous influence upon architects and designers since their rediscovery at the end of the nineteenth century. During this period, the furniture came back into fashion throughout Germany, Austria and Scandinavia and considerable quantities of Biedermeier Revival furniture was made. This continued into the early years of the twentieth century, when it began to influence Josef Hoffmann, the Bauhaus school, Art Deco, Le Corbusier and others.
In 1979 the Victoria and Albert Museum staged an important exhibition called 'Vienna in the Age of Schubert', which introduced the British public to the Biedermeier style.
As Biedermeier is not a traditional Anglo-Saxon style, it often appeals to people in creative professions such as advertising and the music and film industries. Elton John furnished his whole house in London with blond Biedermeier furniture and a few Art Deco pieces. Another rock artist to appreciate the style was the late rock singer Freddie Mercury from the band Queen. The actor John Cleese and the producer David (now Lord) Puttnam are two people from the film industry who have discovered the beauty of Biedermeier. Much of the contemporary furniture designed by Lord Linley in Britain today is inspired by Biedermeier designs. And as he often uses blond woods, his pieces mix very well with antique Biedermeier originals.
The blond Biedermeier furniture is currently the most sought after. Furniture produced in Austria was usually made in cherry and walnut, as these woods were indigenous to the country. Mahogany was used less often, as it had to be imported. Pieces from Hungary were often made in ash. The South Germans used cherry wood and mahogany most often, but also walnut. In North Germany birch wood and mahogany are most usual, but elm was also popular. In Sweden and Finland birch was the most popular wood, whereas mahogany was mostly used for the grander pieces. The Russians loved their indigenous blond Karelian birch and poplar, but they were often made on the aristocrats' estates by their serfs.
Biedermeier today in the US and Britain is an urban style for modern people. New York designers and decorators led the trend before the Europeans rediscovered the style: New York and Chicago are the main centers for the Biedermeier style today. In Britain most Biedermeier furniture is found in London, as there are few collectors or dealers in the rest of the country.
Biedermeier's subtle appeal lies in its simplicity, which is so easily combined with both Art Deco and contemporary furniture, creating a relaxed mood and informal atmosphere, unlike the many antique styles, which demand a more formal setting.
Armoires & Wardrobes
Cabinets & Cupboards
Chairs & Armchairs
Chests & Trunks
Desks & Secretaries
Dressers & Vanities
Hall Trees & Stands
Rugs & Carpets
Sideboards & Buffets
Sofas & Chaises & Couches | <urn:uuid:2d05bc88-f270-447d-8bff-19a587501e4d> | {
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(Science: psychiatry) A mental disorder or heterogeneous group of disorders (the schizophrenias or schizophrenic disorders) comprising most major psychotic disorders and characterised by disturbances in form and content of thought (loosening of associations, delusions and hallucinations) mood (blunted, flattened or inappropriate affect), sense of self and relationship to the external world (loss of ego boundaries, dereistic thinking and autistic withdrawal) and behaviour (bizarre, apparently purposeless and stereotyped activity or inactivity).
The definition and clinical application of the concept of the concept of schizophrenia have varied greatly. The DSM III R criteria emphasise marked disorder of thought (delusions, hallucinations or other thought disorder accompanied by disordered affect or behaviour), deterioration from a previous level of functioning and chronicity (duration of more than 6 months), thus excluding from this classification conditions referred to by others as acute, borderline, simple or latent schizophrenia. Originally called dementia praecox and characterised as a psychosis with adolescent onset and a chronic course ending in deterioration. The term schizophrenia was introduced by Bleuler because neither early onset nor terminal deterioration is an [[essenti 441 al]] feature, he emphasised the splitting and lack of personality integration seen in the disorder.
Origin: Gr. Phren = mind | <urn:uuid:97229bb0-a3d3-4e7d-9281-1a08cf76d681> | {
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The Interactive Science Notebook
Interactive Notebooks are great for students to reflect on what they have learned. Encourage them to record their ideas and findings!
Here is the method I use for what goes on each page in the notebook:
First, I give them some sort of input in the form of notes or a diagram. Then, I give them an activity to use what they know and process the information I have given them. This will be more of a creative or discovery/ investigation type of activity.
*Right Side- teacher directed notes
*Left Side – Student directed processing and creative activities
The reason I have them put the notes on the right and the creative activity on the left is to cross the mid-line. Since the right brain typically processes creatively and the left brain typically processes logic and language. This is thought to make the brain more alert and help improve learning.
What To Do In Your Interactive Science Notebook
I know it is challenging to think up something new and interesting to do each day of the school year. For me, I often have more days of teaching than exciting ideas in my head. I wanted to compile a simple list for you to have to pull ideas from when using your interactive science notebook. The great thing is that you can use the student directed processing activities as formative assessments to see where your kids are in their understanding! (So, this list may even give you ideas for formative assessments. These don’t have to go in a notebook if you have a different idea in mind.)
All of these ideas can be printable for students to glue into their notebook, but you can also make your notebook completely student hand written. I know that I have been at schools that had us on copy budgets, and really limited how many copies we could make. For the most part, I always had students write and draw in their notebooks. Not only to save my copy budget, but to save on class time as well. Modify these activities to fit your time and resources, and you will have class running smoothly.
First let’s cover a few methods of giving information to your students.
Teacher Input Ideas:
Notes can be the standard style in which you and your students write down new information, facts, or details. Notes can also come in the form of a graphic organizer to provide a visual representation of how the new information is organized. And don’t forget to use labeled diagrams for demonstrating new information. Shake up standard note taking by adding in a new medium. Have students use a fun note taking form, note cards to glue in their notebook, labels or sticky notes to stick in their notebook, and a variety of artistic utensils to take their notes.
2. Observe a model or a lab.
Real life, hands on experiences will stick in kids’ memories much better than simply reading about them. Using a lab write-up or scientific method form for students to record observations and data from a lab will give them a place to reflect on what they have seen. Drawing or labeling a diagram and taking notes on their observations will help them record what they saw happen with a model.
3. Informational Texts
A short printout of an informational text that students can glue in their notebooks provides a great reference resource for information. Have students underline, highlight, and take notes as they read. They can complete a reading map or graphic organizer as they read to help them collect the main idea, important facts, and details.
4. Booklets and Folding Page Activities
Anything students can manipulate and “play” with will make a big impact in how they receive new information. Take notes to the next level by handing them out as something to cut, fold, and play with. There are way to many folding templates you can use for me to list here today. Maybe that will be my next big list! For some good freebie printable templates check out this post.
Now, for the fun stuff.
Student Processing Activities (Student Output):
1. Group Discussion/ Think-Pair-Share
One thing that I think we could all agree on is that kids love to talk. Feed into their social needs by guiding them to talk to each other about the new information or observations. Give them a specific topic, question, or problem to solve together. I like the idea of a think-pair-share because the students can take the time to think about their own response before entering into a discussion with a partner or group. Ask students to record their thoughts before sharing, then take notes on the group discussion. A fun form would be nice to have for these, but they could simply write this all in their notebook to save you from making copies.
2. Quick Write/ Summary Writing
This works really well to get an idea of what students grasps from the new information, and only takes a few minutes. For a quick write, give students a topic from the day and ask them to write a paragraph or two showing what they know about that topic. It’s almost a brain dump of everything they retained from the new information. A professor of mine in college would ask us to write half a page about what we just read or discussed, and she would give us two minutes to do it. I really like the simplicity and output of this idea and have used it often with great success. It can get boring to the students if you do this every day like my professor. Summary writing is an important skill for students to have. Using this form of output not only provides you with a look into the students’ perception of this new information, but also builds skills they need for Language Arts and literacy. A summary will work best for the days you give them something to read. Enrich the summary writing experience by giving your students a few key words from the reading to incorporate into their summary.
3. Critical Thinking Question
Of course the best way to figure out what a student knows is to give them plenty of opportunity to share their thoughts. Give them a question that really gets them thinking and let them explain away. You will know the extent to which they understand a topic through their explanation. Make sure to use a rubric or guidelines for the students’ writing to meet so you can get the best results. Now, what if you really need to work on multiple choice questions to get ready for those wonderful standardized tests? Multiple choice questions don’t elicit the most critical thinking responses… But, they can! Give the students the multiple choice question to glue in their notebook. Have them answer it, and then have them write a good explanation of how they know they picked the correct answer. This method of practicing multiple choice questions teaches them a great habit of thinking through their answer, even when its as simple as picking A, B, C, or D.
4. Reading Response Log
When you use an informational text for your teacher input, students can use a reading response log for their output. A reading response log can look different depending on ability and grade levels. You can simply provide them a place to record facts they learned while they read, or you can give them a more advanced template with many things to look for in their reading. This could look like a chart with Pre-Reading ideas, Thoughts and Questions During Reading, and Ideas or Conclusions After reading sections. You can also give them questions to answer, have them illustrate what they read, or a nonfiction text outline to fill in.
5. Visual Representation
We all love to draw and color, no matter how old we are. Having students illustrate something they have read or observed can give your students just as much insight as writing. Structure the visual representation activity with a rubric and include some writing such as labels or descriptions to get their explanations and thinking going. A visual representation can be a diagram, an illustrated storybook, a flip book, a comic strip, an infographic, a map with illustations, labels, and descriptions, word art, or just a simple drawing.
6. Journal Entry
A journal entry can be as simple as letting kids free write about what they have learned or observed in class that day. I always kept a standard Science Writing Rubric posted in my classroom that would help students know my expectations for writing. I have this rubric included in each of my Science and Literacy Lesson Sets. Writing prompts can help guide students to know what to write as wells as give you more specific thoughts from your students. Maybe incorporate your essential question or “I can…” statement from the day into a writing prompt and really tie back into your learning goals.
7. Foldouts and Booklets
These work great as a medium for both input and output. Keep parts blank for students to fill in, and you have a student output foldout or booklet! I love using the foldouts for both input and output because they are more fun for students to come back and look at. They can be created and then glued or stapled into their notebooks for safe keeping.
Honestly in the past year or two that I have been out of the classroom this term “craftivity” has shown up all over teacher blogs and Pinterest. I love them! Let the creative juices flow and allow students to use mixed mediums to create a representation of what they have just learned. I know this is most commonly used in Pre-K and Kinder, but my 5th graders would have loved a craftivity to express their learning. Anytime I allowed them to make things (like a craftivity), they were in the learning zone that day. They really asked questions and researched to get the best, accurate information into their masterpiece. Now that I have come across these craftivities, I have some ideas I would love to incorporate into the science classroom (all grade levels). You can make these very structured so students can get the most out of the craftivity. A rubric and even a printable template would help a craftivity become a useful tool with older kids. Think students cutting out and putting together a representation with moving parts! I am really going to start working on a collection of meaningful craftivities for older kids. Coming soon 🙂
Want to know the great thing about all these interactive notebook activities? You could use them in any aspect of your teaching! These don’t have to be used in a notebook. Any of these activities would make a great student output outside of using notebooks. So even if you haven’t started using notebooks in your classroom, you can use these activities to make the most out of your students’ learning. AND, these work for any subject, not just Science. I like to keep a list like this printed and handy for when I need to come up with lesson ideas, or just when we have extra time in the class and I have already gone through my whole lesson. | <urn:uuid:1bcac90d-7ccb-4166-b337-7c582b3cc97f> | {
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Americans are awash in information from myriad sources — newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and the exponentially expanding digital galaxy. But often the right information is not getting to the right people, a new study shows. "News deserts" are beginning to crop up across the American landscape.
The research was conducted for the Federal Communications Commission, which wanted to take stock of people's basic information needs and see how they are being met.
Despite the proliferation of technology that seems to shrink the world by the hour, Americans’ lives are still grounded in the communities where they live, and they require a set of basic information to navigate daily life, said Lewis Friedland, one of the study researchers.
It appears that those needs are not being met because of a disconnect between available communications vehicles and the audiences that need that information, said Friedland, a professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
As an example, Friedland cited a tornado that struck in Texas. Officials knew the tornado was coming but could not alert many members of the community because there was no local Spanish-language radio or TV station in the threatened area.
"We're seeing news deserts start to emerge in different areas of the U.S.," Friedland told BusinessNewsDaily. "The problem is when you get these gaps in local areas, it's like any other ecology: You get a vicious spiral. People become less informed and then they become less engaged."
Friedland, Ernest Wilson, dean of the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and Philip Napoli, a professor at Fordham University, led the research, which the FCC commissioned in order to identify the American public’s information needs, as well as barriers into participation in the communication industry.
"We wanted to look at the kinds of things that most Americans in most American communities would need to live," Friedland said.
The study determined there are forms of information necessary for people to live safe and healthy lives; have full access to educational, employment and business opportunities; and fully participate in civic life in their communities. To meet those needs, communities need access to information about emergencies and risks; health and welfare; quality of local schools; transportation, including alternatives and schedules; economic opportunities, including job listings and training; the environment, along with air and water quality; and civic and political information.
Gaps in the information process are not due to a lack of raw material. "The question is if it's being offered in an accessible and useful form," Friedland said. | <urn:uuid:08c64f69-7bfd-4777-b1e8-0cf048c61e35> | {
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(CNN) -- Tensions magnified among the world's top three economies over China's controversial new air defense zone.
The issues range from disagreements on air space as well as disputed islands between China and Japan.
On Saturday, China declared the creation of an air defense identification zone in the East China Sea, eliciting strong criticisms from the United States and its close ally, Japan.
Both countries refuse to recognize China's newly created zone.
What is China's "Air Defense Identification Zone"?
China released a map and coordinates that identify its air defense zone on November 23.
It declared that aircraft in the area must report their flight plans to China, maintain two-way radio and clearly mark their nationalities on the aircraft. The new rules went into effect 10 a.m. that day, Xinhua reported.
This space included a swath of the East China Sea, including a disputed island chain known as Daioyu in China and Senkaku in Japan.
China vowed to "adopt defensive emergency measures to respond to aircraft that do not cooperate in the identification or refuse to follow the instructions."
What is an "Air Defense Identification Zone" or ADIZ?
The ADIZ is not a new concept. It's essentially a buffer zone outside a country's sovereign airspace.
Several countries including the United States and Japan have established ADIZ in international airspace next to their nations. A foreign aircraft traveling in an ADIZ can be required to identify itself for entry into that country's airspace.
It is unilaterally imposed, so it doesn't really have a legal basis and isn't based on negotiation with neighbors, said James Hardy, the Asia-Pacific Editor of IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. "It's purpose is to give the country an early warning zone in which it can intercept potentially unfriendly aircraft."
What islands does China's ADIZ affect?
The Chinese defense ministry said the new air defense zone was not directed toward a specific country. The map and coordinates released by China show the zone covers parts of the East China Sea, as well as the Daioyu/Senkaku islands.
Japan and China both lay claims on Daioyu/Senkaku islands. And China's new zone overlaps with Japan's, which was formed on August 29, 1968. China contests the Japanese air defense zone as illegal, Zhang Junshe, who is with the Chinese Navy, told Xinhua.
China also has stirred its South Korean neighbors. A reef called Ieodo in the Yellow Sea sits about 149 kilometers southwest of Korean and 287 kilometers east from China, and is partially covered by the Chinese ADIZ. The Koreans have established an Ocean Research Station on Ieodo.
How have China's neighbors reacted?
Japan on Sunday slammed the Chinese announcement, saying it had "no validity whatsoever." The nation's Minister for Foreign Affairs called China's measure "profoundly dangerous acts that unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea, escalating the situation, and that may cause unintended consequences."
In South Korea, the nation's defense ministry spokesman, Kim Min-seok said the country's jurisdiction over Ieodo remains unchanged.
"China has unilaterally set up its ADIZ," Kim said. He said it overlaps with Korea's jurisdiction.
The Korean government would fly over such areas without informing the Chinese side, he added.
Sounds like an Asia conflict, so why is the U.S. involved?
The United States interprets the ADIZ differently than China.
As stated in Xinhua, China's new aircraft identification rules don't distinguish between aircraft flying through the zone with no intention of flying into China's airspace and those that do, the Center for Strategic and International Studies points out.
This is not how the United States interprets the ADIZ, as stated by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's on November 23: "The United States does not apply its ADIZ procedures to foreign aircraft not intending to enter U.S. national airspace. We urge China not to implement its threat to take action against aircraft that do not identify themselves or obey orders from Beijing."
The United States has said it won't recognize the zone -- nor China's call that aircraft entering it identify themselves and file flight plans.
"Freedom of overflight and other internationally lawful uses of sea and airspace are essential to prosperity, stability, and security in the Pacific. We don't support efforts by any State to apply its ADIZ procedures to foreign aircraft not intending to enter its national airspace."
To the United States, the newly formed air zone becomes more than an island dispute between China and its longtime ally, Japan, but a controversy over international airspace.
"The U.S. is very concerned with freedom of navigation, whether that be sea or sky," said Greg Waldron, Asia managing editor of Flightglobal, an aviation and aerospace industries news site.
What are countries doing in response to the new zone?
After the United States thoroughly expressed its displeasure with China's ADIZ, two U.S. military aircraft flew into the newly claimed air defense zone without notifying China. The flight came just two days after China's announcement of its new zone.
Meanwhile, a flurry of strong words have been exchanged amongst various countries. The United States' warning that the zone heightens the risk of "misunderstanding and miscalculation" drew a sharp Chinese rebuke, calling the U.S. remarks "irresponsible."
In an editorial in state-run media Xinhua, one commentary writer denounced the U.S. and Japanese objections as a case of "they can do it while China cannot," referring to the countries' existing ADIZ.
South Korea and China defense officials are expected to hold talks this week regarding the overlapping ADIZ that includes Ieodo.
Are commercial flights affected in China's new air defense zone?
As defined by China's announcement, the air defense zone's requirements appear to apply to all aircraft. But details are murky.
Such planes are probably not required from a legal perspective to notify China, but it might be a good idea from a safety perspective, said Waldron.
In the meantime, Japanese airliners, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) announced Wednesday they would not submit flight plans for their flights through the affected areas.
Back to the islands -- why have Diaoyu/Senkaku islands been so contentious?
China says its claim on the islands extend back to 1400s, which was used as a staging point for Chinese fisherman.
Japan says it saw no trace of Chinese control of the islands in an 1885 survey, so formally recognized them as Japanese sovereign territory in 1895. Japan then sold the islands in 1932 to descendants of the original settlers. The Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945 only served to cloud the issue further.
The islands were administered by the U.S. occupation force after the war. But in 1972, Washington returned them to Japan as part of its withdrawal from Okinawa.
According to Xinhua, China and Japan "agreed in 1978 to put the issue aside and solve it in the future."
The dispute intensified last year as protests erupted in China after Japan announced it had bought several of the disputed islands from private Japanese owners. Anti-Japanese demonstrations turned violent as protesters hurled bottles at the Japanese embassy in Beijing, overturned Japanese cars, ransacked Japanese stores and restaurants.
What's so appealing about the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands?
It's uninhabited and may look like a bunch of rocks. But ownership of the islands would allow for exclusive oil, mineral, and fishing rights in surrounding waters.
CNN's Barbara Starr in Washington, Jethro Mullen in Hong Kong, Junko Ogura in Tokyo and KJ Kwon in Seoul contributed to this report. | <urn:uuid:ccca0c47-1c55-4f16-87b2-0f7c188df8f8> | {
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While 3D printing still seems like magic for some people, the novelty has worn off for others – but I doubt that’s true for many people regarding 4D printing. 3D printed objects that move or change shape in response to stimulus are still incredible to learn about, and the technology just keeps advancing and becoming capable of creating more complex objects.
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed 4D printed objects that not only change their shape, but do so in a completely controlled manner that allows the researchers themselves to direct how the material reacts. The objects were developed by Kristina Shea, head of the Engineering Design and Computing Lab at ETH Zurich, and her lab.
“The flat structures we produce do not change their configuration randomly, but rather exactly in the way we design them,” explained Tian Chen, a doctoral student in Shea’s group.
The structures are also capable of bearing weight. The ETH Zurich team is the first to create these kinds of load-bearing 4D printed structures.
The researchers developed an actuating element that stimulates the 4D printed structure to either retract or extend. Those elements were then combined to create more complex structures. As the structures can only take on one of the two states – retracted or extended – at a time, the researchers could predict the structure’s stable three-dimensional form. This also allowed for structures that can take on multiple stable forms. Simulation software created by the researchers enabled them to predict the shapes the structures would take, and the stimulus that needed to be applied to get them to take those shapes.
A multi-material 3D printer was used to print the objects, which were created using two different materials: a rigid polymer that composed most of the structure, and a flexible elastic polymer that made up the moving parts. All of the parts were 3D printed in a single step.
“4D printing has several advantages,” said Shea. “Printing a flat initial form with rigid and elastic sections in a single step is highly efficient. It would be much more complex and time-consuming to produce the three-dimensional object or assemble it from separate components.”
In addition, structures can be transported in flat sheets and then expanded once they reach their destinations. Aerospace is a common application for this type of technology, but the ETH Zurich researchers are also looking into devices such as valves that open and close, or medical stents.
Currently, the researchers are manipulating the structures by hand, but they are working on a technique that will enable the objects to extend in response to temperature. They’re also looking into pneumatic tubing or swelling materials that change shape in response to humidity. The research has been published in a paper entitled “Integrated Design and Simulation of Tunable, Multi-State Structures Fabricated Monolithically with Multi-Material 3D Printing,” which you can access here. Authors include Tian Chen, Jochen Mueller and Kristina Shea. Below, you can see some of the 4D printed structures that the researchers designed:
Discuss in the ETH Zurich forum at 3DPB.com.[Source: ETH Zurich]
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View our broad assortment of in house and third party products. | <urn:uuid:0eed5e32-e444-4e02-a922-d7eaed208026> | {
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Several of my topics in the past have dealt with gauging and measurement. Most of the systems I have worked on in the past used LVDTs, encoders, optical sensors or machine vision when it came to accurately measuring the physical dimensions of an object.
The decision on what kind of measurement technique may be used to measure an object involves several considerations. Can the object be touched? If not, optical methods such as machine vision, photoeyes or lasers may be used. If the object can be contacted physically methods such as LVDTs, encoders and magnetostrictive methods can be used. LVDTs are quite accurate but typically have a very short range. Since the output is analog, resolution can also be a problem if precision is needed over a large dimension.
An excellent option for measuring distance is time-based magnetostrictive position sensing. Magnetostriction uses a ferromagnetic measuring element known as a waveguide, along with a movable position magnet. The magnet generates a direct-axis magnetic field within the waveguide. When a current or “interrogation pulse” is passed through the waveguide, a second magnetic field is created radially around the guide. The interaction between the two fields generates a strain pulse that travels at a constant speed from its point of generation at the magnet (the measuring point) to the end of the waveguide. A sensor detects the pulse and generates a highly accurate positional reading through the electronics of a high-speed counter.
Magnetostrictive sensors provide an absolute position reading that never needs recalibration or homing after a power loss. This can be a significant advantage over using LVDTs and encoders. The only limitation of this technology is that it cannot be used for short distance dimensional measurements; the minimum range is about 25mm. A well-known manufacturer and the first to develop products using this technology is MTS Systems, developer of Temposonics sensors.
Magnetostrictive sensors are also often used in motion control applications where the stroke of an actuator is defined. The sensor can be built right into the axis or easily adapted. Though somewhat more expensive than an encoder or resolver, they are very useful in the right motion application. | <urn:uuid:c3649e28-cff6-4fae-9c4d-795a9fc0ca8d> | {
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It’s a snuggly Winter’s night. I have a bowl of ice cream in my lap, a steaming cup of camomile tea on the bedside table and I’m are snuggled up in bed watching my latest binge series. Face serum on, pj’s donned all is well in the world.
Or is it?
Apparently, while relishing my escapism I’m also, according to dermatologists and scientists, damaging my skin…considerably.
There is even a new term for it- Netflix face. (Obviously not a scientific classification. Perhaps we will soon say, “She’s been Netflixed.” or the cure will be “Netfixed”. Sorry, I’m digressing again.)
Do you have the dreaded Netflix Face?
Scientists and dermatologists have just started to measure the effects of a “screen” on our skin.
Apparently, if you have:
- sagging skin
- fine wrinkles
- Use sunscreen when you go outside
- Use a computer and devices a lot
Then, we are in trouble.
Ongoing exposure to a computer screen, ipad screen, mobile screen and mobile device “screen” may lead to pigmentation, rashes, blotches and skin sensitivities. There is evidence that suggests that ongoing exposure to device and computer screens causes photoageing.
As if the sun and ageing wasn’t enough!
If your skin is already a little sensitive, then you are at even more risk.
There are two main theories circulating.
The first and most sinister is, that it is the combination of electromagnetic radiation and HEV light is doing damage at a cellular level and the skin cannot repair itself.
Olle Johansson, Swedish associate professor at the Experimental Dermatology unit at the Karolinska Institute, has written extensively on the subject.
His terminology for the condition is “screen dermatitis” in which skin cells come under stress due to ongoing exposure to light and electromagnetic fields.
There have been a few minor studies to back this up, but more extensive work needs to be done specifically focussing on this area.
Some scientists and dermatologists, however, feel that it is just the exposure to the ultra blue light (HEV light) that does the damage. The theory being that the light penetrates the skin more deeply that UV light. Justine Hextall in an article from the UK Express said that when the HEV penetrates the skin it results in free radical damage. More work still needs to be done in wider studies.
However, given the chunks of delectable time we place our cute little noses in front of a screen, I don’t care which theory is true, it’s obvious there is a problem and it’s time to take heed!
The dilemma we have folks, is that we do not at this stage know which theory is correct and the advice given by dermatologists to treat and prevent it differs.
So, I suggest we incorporate both and that we we have our bases and faces (How nice . A little rhyme) covered.
- Slather your face in your antioxidant serum every two to three hours when using a screen. Vitamin C serum is one of the most popular. The vitamin C serum acts as a barrier to prevent the light penetrating through and doing damage at that cellular level. I am a huge fan of Mukti Organics.
- Wear a broadspectrum sunscreen. We need one that has both UVA and UVB protection. Apply it to hands, neck, decolletage (such a beautiful word) and face.
- Put the yellow screen night filter on your device for night viewing. (You’ll sleep better as well.)
- Drink lots of water. (Are you as hopeless at this as I am? )
- Take sustainable sourced fish oil to keep you skin plump and moist.
- Spritz your face with a Moisture Facial Hydrator like this one.
- Apply hand cream.
As technology progresses and there is no doubt that we are going to discover more and more about the effects of it at a cellular level on our health. We live in one of the most exciting generations and we want to be able to utilise it to enjoy our lives and the beauty in them as much as possible. Thankfully, we have the knowledge and innovations to be able to have beautiful skin and our technology at the same time. So don your antioxidant serum and apply sunscreen at night and let’s binge.
Have you heard of Netflix face? Do you do anything to keep your skin healthy when you use a screen?
P.S. If this article bought a little more beauty into your day then please share with someone who would enjoy it. | <urn:uuid:98dc87e7-4021-4eda-958c-e1d74c388913> | {
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Organised by the Raynaud’s and Scleroderma Association, this month aims to raise awareness of these disorders and offer help and advice not only to sufferers, but to their friends and families too.
Raynaud’s is a common condition in which blood is prevented from reaching the extremities of the body (mainly the fingers and toes) on exposure to the cold or any slight change in temperature. A small number of people who have Raynaud’s also develop scleroderma – which means ‘hard skin’. However, the hardness is not limited to the skin – the internal organs and their blood supply may also become damaged, and this can be devastating not only for the person who has the condition, but also for the families concerned.
For further information, or for details of how you can help spread awareness, please click here. | <urn:uuid:6a3e6484-4eb5-4be6-a06a-f9da94f0cf63> | {
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News is when people talk about current events (things that are happening right now).News Media is a portrayal of current affairs, perspectives and social influence. News can be given in newspapers, television, magazines, or radio. There are several news channels on cable television that give news all day long, such as Fox News and CNN. There are several news magazines, such as Time, The Economist, and Newsweek. A newsman is a person who helps out with the news. For example, Brian Gotter is a newsman. News Media can be viewed in many forms, such as newspaper, television and radio. | <urn:uuid:6e5c63e2-7a5e-4843-9e9a-1c8e38e5ebaf> | {
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Reversal strategies suggest that markets tend to revert, i.e. a negative movement will be followed by a positive movement, and vice versa. To examine whether markets tend to be trend revert or trend succeed (i.e. a positive movement is followed by a positive movement and a negative movement also by a negative one), we need to check historical prices for evidence of such behaviour. Then, we need to examine whether this behaviour is more likely to occur compared to a random selection, such as a coin toss.
To do this, we first need to understand the notion of probability. In general, probability is the possibility of an event occurring, expressed as a percentage of total possible events. For example, the probability of tossing a coin and getting heads is the possibility of that event, i.e. 1 out of the 2 possible outcomes (heads or tails). Thus, the overall probability is ½ or 50%. In a similar setting, the probability of getting the number 12 in the roulette is 1 out of a total of 36 outcomes, hence the probability is 1/36, i.e. about 3%.
An interesting complication of probabilities is that if they are independent, i.e. if the previous outcome does not affect the current outcome, such as in coin tossing, roulette, and the lottery, then we can simply multiply the events to get total probability. For example, the probability of getting two consecutive heads is ½ multiplied by ½ which gives us a total probability of ¼ or 25%. This is useful in understanding how often price movements can be viewed as random or as following a statistical pattern.
To elaborate on this, I have employed EURUSD data to examine whether there is evidence of a reversal activity in the pair. As the table below shows, there is evidence of such behaviour only in the 1-minute chart, where reversals are observed in the data. Otherwise, the percentage of trend reversals appears to be very close to 50%, i.e. being random.
The same holds for the USA500 index as the table below shows, albeit it suggests that reversal strategies can be non-random at the 30-minute interval as well. However, despite their statistical appeal, these strategies are not as successful as expected. As the graph above shows, the strategy can be successful during some periods while it can be terribly disastrous in others. For example, while it worked for the 1-minute chart in the EURUSD, at times very successful, reaching gains in excess of 3%, it dropped to just above 1% in the end.
The USA500 1-minute and 30-minute charts record a similar response: the 30-minute chart, when the probability is closer to 50%, records much worse performance, while the 1-minute chart provides a good start but ends in disappointment.
So what does this tell us? Like all trading strategies, reversal strategies can be successful in some instances and unsuccessful in others. The analytics above suggest that reversal strategies are unsuccessful in longer horizons and hence there appears to be no reason to follow such a strategy. In contrast, 1-minute charts allow for a better implementation of such strategies, as historical data show. The success of the strategy appears to be more pronounced in the EURUSD case, albeit also having its ups and downs. Consequently, in addition to specifying a correct timeframe, traders need to be very careful in drafting their strategy and adjust it quickly to how the market reacts. Remember that no strategy is foolproof and fast adjustment is something which can make or break a trade.
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Dr Nektarios Michail
Disclaimer: This material is provided as a general marketing communication for information purposes only and does not constitute an independent investment research. Nothing in this communication contains, or should be considered as containing, an investment advice or an investment recommendation or a solicitation for the purpose of buying or selling of any financial instrument. All information provided is gathered from reputable sources and any information containing an indication of past performance is not a guarantee or reliable indicator of future performance. Users acknowledge that any investment in FX and CFDs products is characterized by a certain degree of uncertainty and that any investment of this nature involves a high level of risk for which the users are solely responsible and liable. We assume no liability for any loss arising from any investment made based on the information provided in this communication. This communication must not be reproduced or further distributed without our prior written permission. | <urn:uuid:6610a04b-2845-473b-a54a-1dfd65baf64a> | {
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news & tips
A collection of helpful articles on teachers and teaching
Soda Pop Science
In my chemistry class we have been measuring the density of lots of different liquids. By far the most interesting seems to be soda pop. Regular Pepsi will float in a tank of water and diet Pepsi will sink. We have found a few diet sodas that sink and a couple of odd drinks that will float even though they have sugar.
The key is that sugar in regular pop has a greater mass than the artificial sweeteners they put in diet sodas. That makes the regular pop more dense.
There is a ton of science in there with the sweetness factor of sugar as compared to artificial sweeteners. But for today the interesting conversations in my room centered on how pop is made and what kids exist. Perhaps this interest stems from the fact that we Americans drink 49 gallons of pop per person each year and about 35 gallons of water. That is a lot of pop! We call it soda in some states and pop in others. Some places they call every soda by the trade name Coke even though it is something else. Whatever you call it pop is about 94% carbonated water. Carbon dioxide is pumped through water to give it that sparkle and bite. They use CO2 because it is low cost, inert, non-toxic and it liquefies easily.
Sugar is the second main ingredient by mass and it can be 5% up to 18% of the total mass of the product. It is difficult to measure the CO2 in your lab but you could measure most of the sugar by heating the pop gently until it dries out. Most of the solid residue left after the water and CO2 evaporate will be sugar.
You can check out the history of soft drinks at: http://inventors.about.com/od/foodrelatedinventions/a/soft_drinks.htm
A great general background on all sodas is located at: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Soft-Drink.html
Aside from the sugar and density tests there is a lot of chemistry in the flavorings. We in America tend to favor fruit and cola flavorings. Around the world there are some bizarre flavors. On the web we found a Pepsi that is cucumber flavored, soda that is salad flavored, one called Bon Bon which is grape juice with real grapes in the can, and my favorite “diet Water”. Smithsonian magazine online has a good article about carbonated milk and other odd sodas (http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2009/08/10/the-department-of-weird-soft-drinks-carbonated-milk/)
A good part of science is bold invention. It might be a good time to look in the fridge and see what flavors you would like to try in your pop? Keep an inventors journal in case you come up with something really good. Anyone for watermelon cola? | <urn:uuid:33cc4356-4b62-4840-866e-1b0691c73e16> | {
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There are about 150 species of spikerushes worldwide, many aquatic, with about 2 dozen species native to Florida (Wunderlin, 2003). They may be encountered as floating tangled mats or dense clumps in the mud or as rooted green spikes emersed from a few feet of water, covering many acres. Some are cultivated as human food; some species are major food plants of birds and other animals.
Spikerushes are sedges. Stems unbranched, many gas canals in cross section; leaf blades none, just sheaths at the base of the stem; inflorescence a single spikelet, on stem tips, no bracts; spikelets of various sizes, overlapping scales, few-to-many flowers.
For brief control information, see Efficacy of Herbicide Active Ingredients Against Aquatic Weeds by K. Langeland, M. Netherland, and W. Haller. | <urn:uuid:26276dd7-8947-43f1-bfd3-0f5e63f6b5ff> | {
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(a) Excludes rice
(b) Cotton lint only
(c) Vegetables for human consumption only
(d) Includes dairy cows in milk and dry; excludes dairy cattle intended for beef production
The total Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production (GVIAP) for Australia was $14.6 billion in 2013-14, an increase of 9% from 2012-13. The total Gross Value of Agricultural Production (GVAP) was $50.9 billion, an increase of 6% from 2012-13.
The three commodities with the highest GVIAP were:
In 2013-14, drought-like conditions in eastern Australia resulted in increased water usage in both Queensland and Victoria, which were the two largest users of water for agricultural purposes behind New South Wales. Increases in gross value across a number of commodities (including dairy, the largest contributor to GVIAP) drove the increases seen in the states/territories where water usage dropped.
The increase in GVIAP was largely driven by increases in the irrigated value of dairy production, meat cattle and sheep and other livestock. The GVIAP for dairy production was up 44% on the 2012-13 estimates, driven by an increase in the gross unit value for milk, which was supported by strong overseas demand and a drop in the Australian dollar. An increase to the number of businesses that reported irrigating their grazing land also contributed to the increase in GVIAP.
The GVIAP for both meat cattle and sheep and other livestock increased between the 2012-13 and 2013-14 financial years, although they contributed to only 10% of total GVIAP. The increases seen in these categories were driven by adverse weather conditions, which saw large numbers of stock turned off leading to an increase in the gross value of slaughter, and like diary, an increase in the number of businesses irrigating their pastures for grazing.
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ERIC Number: ED225878
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1982
Reference Count: 0
Energy 83. Revised and Expanded.
Lord, John, Ed.
Energy 80 is an energy education program for middle/junior high school students. This document is a booklet of energy topics designed for student use in the program. Topics considered in this booklet include: forms of energy; energy rules; solar energy; food energy; fossil fuels; coal; oil and gas production and consumption; nuclear fission; renewable energy sources; history of United States energy; energy production and consumption (in flowchart format); investing in energy; buying energy abroad; saving energy at home; climate and comfort; energy conservation techniques; insulation; home energy heating sources; energy and happiness; and energy conservation in business and industry. Colorful drawings are provided to illustrate the energy topics and concepts discussed in each section. Several review sections and a list of questions to answer at the beginning of the booklet are also included. Although designed for junior/middle school students in science and social studies classes, the booklet and other materials in the program can be used in high school classes and in upper elementary grades. (JN)
Descriptors: Coal, Economics, Elementary School Science, Elementary Secondary Education, Energy, Energy Conservation, Environmental Education, Fuels, Junior High Schools, Natural Resources, Nuclear Energy, Power Technology, Secondary School Science, Social Studies, Solar Radiation, Utilities
Enterprise for Education, 1320A Santa Monica Mall, Suite 205, Santa Monica, CA 90401 ($1.25).
Publication Type: Guides - Classroom - Learner
Education Level: N/A
Authoring Institution: Enterprise for Education, Santa Monica, CA.
Identifiers: Energy Education
Note: For related documents, see ED 224 685 and SE 040 701-704. | <urn:uuid:7f16beb4-224f-4443-ac03-da1255edad3a> | {
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High Potassium Foods – Cereal, Grains, and Pasta
Cereal grains have a great potassium to sodium ratio. Almost all of them have greater than the Institute of Medicine’s recommended 3 to 1 ratio. This ratio has been shown in multiple studies to give the health benefits of reduced blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, increased bone density and reduced chance of kidney stones. These high potassium foods also have a great many other characteristics that make them healthy foods.
Before grinding, the whole grains are slow to digest, giving them a low glycemic index and reducing the spike in blood sugar that occurs after a high glycemic index meal. After grinding into flour, they lose this characteristic, but still have a favorable 3 to 1 ratio of potassium to sodium. They are low in saturated fat, making them favorable for your blood cholesterol. This effect is in addition to the favorable effects of the potassium on blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. These high potassium foods are high in fiber, aiding intestinal health by speeding the passage of food through the system. And they have plenty of vitamins and other minerals besides potassium.
A problem in reading about whole grain is that whole grain has 2 meanings, depending on who is writing about it. It can mean the intact grain as it comes off the stem, or it can mean the flour made from grinding up the intact grain. Grinding the grain has no effect on the potassium content of the grain. The only effect of the grinding on health effects is the increased access of the body to what is in the grain. The stomach acids and enzymes of the body can penetrate the food more quickly. This means the carbohydrates are absorbed more quickly, contributing to the increased glycemic index. On the plus side, for some foods it may mean that the vitamins come out of the grain to be absorbed more readily, and thus help prevent vitamin deficiency.
The table in the immediately preceding post shows a number of interesting facts about these grains. We mentioned some in the post accompanying the table. But some we didn’t discuss are the relative amount of potassium you can get from a serving of the cereal as a whole, intact grain, or how these high potassium cereals should be eaten to maximize their favorable, healthy characteristics. Another aspect is that, for almost all the grains, bran has more potassium than the remainder of the grain. The only exception is corn, whose bran is low in potassium. Wheat has the most potassium in the germ, but a great deal is nontheless present in the bran.
White rice is low in potassium, but its bran is loaded with potassium. When the bran is left on, it is brown rice, and the rice is far richer in potassium, and B vitamins. Parboiled rice is rice that has been steamed while the bran is still on the grain. This process drives many of the nutrients into the endosperm (white portion) making it a healthier choice.
Here is a short list of the cereal grains with the very highest potassium content (including pseudo grains like amaranth and quinoa), highest amount to lowest – rice bran, wheat germ, amaranth, quinoa, rye, hulled barley, and wheat. Even whole grain corn has a terrific amount of potassium, having 476 mg in a serving.
The flour of most of the grains, especially if whole grain flour, is high in potassium. However, when a product is made from the flour, almost always sodium is added in the form of baking soda or baking powder to get the dough to rise. Sodium counters many of the health effects of potassium, by its actions affecting aldosterone and some of the paracrine hormones, such as the prostaglandins.
Cooking itself has little effect on potassium. How a grain is cooked has a great effect, though. The potassium ion is water soluble. If cooked in water and the water is discarded, much of the potassium is lost in the water because the potassium is leached into the water. However, if just enough water is added to soak and be absorbed by the grain, and then the grain is cooked, the water is not thrown out. The potassium stays in the food. Since you consume the water that was simply absorbed by the grain, you will get all the potassium that is in the grain.
A great way to have oats is based on this method of just adding enough water to soak the grain prior to cooking. A quick and nutritious breakfast can be made from whole (old fashioned, not instant) oats. By adding enough water to just cover the oats in the bowl, mixing it with the oats, and then cooking in the microwave, you can have a nutritious, high potassium breakfast in 2 1/2 minutes. Oat bran can be mixed in to give its favorable effects, if desired. I like it plain, but you can add fruit or cinnamon for flavor.
Quinoa can make a great meal if prepared in a similar fashion. Just add a cup of water to 1/2 cup of whole grain (not ground up flour) and cook in the microwave.
The health value of the pasta products depends on how much sodium is added. For many types of pasta, sodium is added in the form of baking soda. The ratio of potassium to sodium shifts so much that many pastas are not listed in the table in the previous post. Those that have a favorable potassium to sodium ratio are listed in that table. Another consideration beyond the potassium benefits is the effect on blood sugar by the pasta. The grinding of the whole grain means the carbohydrates in the grain are absorbed faster, and thus a pasta, bread or cake has a higher glycemic index, indicating a higher blood sugar spike than the actual intact whole grain. | <urn:uuid:e82922e5-f660-49d5-b43b-39f73eb4120a> | {
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Shakespeare, King Lear
The Metaphysical Poets
Directions: After reading the lecture, answer one of the questions below. This answer is due no later than Thursday, Apr. 12.
Your responses to other students' answers are due by midnight on Sunday, Apr. 15. Remember: in order to get the full 20 points, you MUST respond thoughtfully to at least 2 other people's postings.
This set of discussion questions is worth a possible 20 points. Late answers receive 0 points, so post early :)
We will be using the Canvas Discussion Board for this class. Click on the link below to get to the Canvas portal, sign in, and then click on the box for this class. You will find the "Discussions" link on the left side of the screen:
Just answer one of the following questions.
1. In Shakespeare's King Lear, Cordelia refuses to flatter her father and is disowned. Do you think she was right or wrong in refusing to tell him what he wanted to hear?
2. How is the theme of "blindness" explored in this play?
3. How does the subplot of the play (the story of Gloucester, Edgar, and Edmund) serve to support the main plot of the play?
4. Most writers and critics of the 18th and 19th centuries disliked the Metaphysical poets, for a variety of reasons. (They were not taken seriously until T. S. Eliot championed them in the early 20th century.) The criticism levelled against them the most often was that their appeal was to the intellect rather than to the emotions. Matthew Arnold, a Victorian poet and critic, for example, argued that they were inferior poets, since "...their poetry is conceived and composed in their wits, genuine poetry is conceived and composed in the soul. The difference between the two kinds of poetry is immense" (Matthew Arnold, Essays in Criticism, 1865). Do you agree with this assessment? Give specific quotes and examples from the poems to support your opinion.
For further information on these works, see the Links page. | <urn:uuid:04450afa-f18d-4e89-a500-07bf29d69357> | {
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Cardiovascular Genetics Clinic Services
Appropriate treatment of inherited cardiovascular diseases is most effective when directed by individuals who have expertise in this unique area of cardiovascular disease. Unlike more widely known forms of heart and vascular disease that may develop over time because of diet or other lifestyle factors, inherited cardiovascular disease may result from a gene mutation. Gene mutations can lead to weakness of the heart muscle, known as cardiomyopathy, irregular heart rhythms or vascular disease. Specialists at the University of Chicago have the focused knowledge and the resources to address these unique conditions in individuals who are known to have the condition and in family members who are at risk.
The program here combines the best of standard treatments and the latest in testing to diagnose and treat inherited forms of cardiovascular disease. With the use of genetic testing, we may be able to diagnose those who are at risk for heart disease before it has developed. We make therapy recommendations to prevent heart disease in those who are at risk. In addition, research-based studies may be available, if patients choose to participate.
Our comprehensive services include diagnosis/risk assessment, treatment and prevention/risk reduction.
Prior to your visit, we will work with you to gather medical record information, including results from prior imaging tests. We will then coordinate your visit so that comprehensive testing, if needed, can be offered on the day of your visit.
The first step in effective treatment is properly identifying the problem and its cause. The University of Chicago Medicine uses the latest findings to guide the use of genetic testing. Genetic testing can identify gene abnormalities associated with specific types of cardiovascular disease.
Diagnosis may include: Review of medical records, cardiovascular imaging and testing, gathering extensive family history to identify patterns of heart disease within the family tree. Based on the family tree and clinical diagnosis, genetic testing may be recommended to identify genetic mutations associated with cardiovascular diseases within a family. These analyses also help us identify family members who are at risk for inherited cardiovascular disease.
Once a diagnosis is established, we generate a treatment plan to reduce symptoms and the risk of future disease. This plan may include recommendations for managing heart failure, irregular heart rhythms and for treating vascular disease. In some instances where advanced-level care is required, we work in consultation with other cardiologists to recommend a treatment plan.
Genetic counseling and family education are important complements to the genetic testing process. We want to make sure that patients and family members clearly understand the results, and use the findings and all available medical information to make decisions they’re comfortable with regarding treatment or other interventions.
Preventing or reducing heart disease when possible is a key goal of this program. Because of the inherited aspect of these diseases, our approach welcomes the patient’s immediate or extended family members by encouraging prevention and treatment options when available. Where appropriate or desired, we also may perform genetic testing on family members to determine their risk for specific types of heart disease, so that we can recommend preventive steps to lower their risk.
- Services Offered | <urn:uuid:7ecc1400-4bdb-45ff-a0f4-004b3c434e92> | {
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Following a record-setting dry year in 2013, Governor Jerry Brown issued a drought declaration for the State of California, urging all Californians to reduce water usage by 20%. In response to the current situation, the City of Santa Clara’s surface water providers, Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), have set water use reduction targets of 10%. Santa Clara, with groundwater from the City’s 27 wells and through careful planning with SCVWD and SFPUC, currently has sufficient water supplies to meet the City’s demand. Although the City of Santa Clara is not imposing water use reductions at this time, the City does ask that water be used wisely and efficiently during this time of drought.
To help conserve you can:
for water saving tips
Sign up for a free Water Wise House Call
Qualify and apply for Rebates
on water saving fixtures and appliances
As more drought and water supply data becomes available, updates and notifications regarding required water restrictions, if any, will be provided through this web site and other means. Thank you for your efforts to conserve water and use water wisely. | <urn:uuid:b884ecaa-7fb0-4d62-a460-4cc32509f1c7> | {
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In addition to characterising root architecture, evaluating root water uptake ability is important for understanding drought response. A series of three lysimeter studies were conducted using the OryzaSNP panel, which consists of 20 diverse rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes. Large genotypic differences in drought response were observed in this genotype panel in terms of plant growth and water uptake. Total water uptake and daily water uptake rates in the drought-stress treatment were correlated with root length density, especially at depths below 30 cm. Patterns of water uptake among genotypes remained consistent throughout the stress treatments: genotypes that initially extracted more water were the same genotypes that extracted more water at the end of the study. These results suggest that response to drought by deep root growth, rather than a conservative soil water pattern, seems to be important for lowland rice. Genotypes in the O. sativa type aus group showed some of the greatest water uptake and root growth values. Since the OryzaSNP panel has been genotyped in detail with SNP markers, we expect that these results will be useful for understanding the genetics of rice root growth and function for water uptake in response to drought.
Gowda, V.R.P.; Henry, A.; Vadez, V.; Shashidhar, H.E.; Rachid Serraj. Water uptake dynamics under progressive drought stress in diverse accessions of the OryzaSNP panel of rice (Oryza sativa). Functional Plant Biology (2012) 39 (5) 402-411. [DOI: 10.1071/FP12015] | <urn:uuid:1d472304-d28e-4b53-8fc4-5a10fcb60c6b> | {
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Posted by princess on .
Question 1: Kinetic Theory (7 points)
a. Briefly state what the kinetic theory says. (2 points)
b. Put the following molecules in order from least kinetic energy to greatest. (2 points)
Cool water _____
Frozen water _____
Warm water _____
Water vapor _____
c. What temperature is absolute zero? (1 point)
d. How are temperature and kinetic energy related to each other? (2 points)
chemistry- Energy in Matter -
I'm sorry but isn't all of this information readily available in your text or notes (or google some of them). Google kinetic molecular theory and you'll get a ton of info.
The question about absolute zero makes to sense to me. It's zero (K), of course. | <urn:uuid:a7175fae-d343-4fda-bee5-75274f73dc68> | {
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Researchers from George Mason University and the University of Illinois conducted their study on college students in a psychology class. Some of the students were shown how to meditate before listening to a lecture, while others didn't meditate before the lecture. Then, after the lecture, they all took a quiz -- and those who meditated did better on the quiz than those who didn't.
Specifically, one of the experiments conducted in the study showed that meditation had such a strong impact on the quiz scores, it was even able to predict students' passing or failing the quiz.
Interestingly, researchers found that the meditation's effect was even more pronounced in freshmen classes.
"Personally, I have found meditation to be helpful for mental clarity, focus and self-discipline," study researcher Jared Rambsurg, who is a doctoral student at the University of Illinois, said in a statement. "I think that if mindfulness can improve mental clarity, focus and self-discipline, then it might be useful in a variety of settings and for a variety of goals."
This is certainly not the first time mindfulness has been shown in a study to help with academics. A study published last month in the journal Psychological Science showed that mindfulness helped students' memory and reading comprehension before taking the verbal reasoning portion of the GRE.
"Our results suggest that cultivating mindfulness is an effective and efficient technique for improving cognitive function, with widereaching consequences," the researchers of that study, from the University of California, Santa Barbara, wrote.
ALSO ON HUFFPOST:
Start your workday the right way with the news that matters most. Learn more | <urn:uuid:5aa71792-606d-4d83-b89a-8eabb9dfb6c6> | {
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[this article originally written in 2000, before the widescale implementation of dsl and other broadband technologies]
Lots of people ask why I regularly let off steam about dialup SMTP as a method for downloading email from their ISP. Here's a quick outline of my main gripes about it.
What SMTP is
SMTP is a "push" oriented mail transport mechanism. This means that when you send an email from your workstation to an SMTP server, that server will attempt to deliver it or push it to the recipient's mail host. If it can't do this, it may send the email to a backup system, which can then forward or push the email to the correct destination at its convenience.
What dialup email needs.
Dialup email, on the other hand, requires a "pull" based protocol, so that it can connect to the ISP's mail system, pull all the mail down from it, and then disconnect. In addition to this, it also needs a mechanism to ensure that once the transaction has been completed successfully, you are guaranteed that
- all of the mail at the remote end is delivered to you correctly, and
- all of your mail has been uploaded correctly to the remote end.
Virtually no commonly-used production SMTP mailing system currently support this functionality (with the possible exception of CommuniGate Pro which provides some, but not all of this functionality). So in order to make dialup SMTP work at all, kludges are put in place by ISP's to make things work as well as they can.
Square pegs into round holes.
When a dialup customer logs into an ISP with their modem, the mail system must be notified that it should make some attempt to deliver email to that customer. There are normally two ways of doing this: either the ISP can correlate the customer's login to their domain name and then fire off a delivery attempt, or else they can leave it to the customer to tell the mail system that they want email delivered to them now, please, if they wouldn't mind.
Both of these methods are problematic. In the first case, many badly designed pieces of software do not start listening for incoming SMTP connections immediately, and when the mail system attempts to deliver mail to them, it fails and will often mark the host as being unavailable. This can lead to delayed mail which irks customers no end.
In the second case, the normal procedure is to use the extended SMTP ETRN command (documented in RFC-1985). Alternatively, the ISP will listen to queue-run requests on another TCP port (often "finger"). Regardless of which method is used, an unauthenticated signal is sent to the ISP's mail system to start a queue run.
Either way, control methods need to be built in to ensure that one the one hand, denial of service attacks or stupid customers cannot bring down the system or deny service to other people by making multiple requests, and on the other hand, so that legitimate customers can get their mail downloaded in a timely manner. Currently there is no off-the-shelf mail software which will do this.
In both cases, the "thundering hoardes" problem occurs. At certain well-defined times of the day, it is normal to get large jumps in the number of people logging in and wanting to download their email. This is because people use automatic schedulers to kick off mail download sessions, and the login/download times do not vary from day to day for each customer. A few minutes past the hour is a common enough time for half the world to log in. It has been speculated that people log in at a few minutes past the hour, because surely everyone is going to log in at exactly the hour, no? Whatever the psychology, the effect is very real and causes very real problems.
When does the modem get hung up?
Beats me. Most systems figure this out by deciding when the modem link has been quiet for more than a pre-determined length of time. However, in an era of per-second phone billing, this is wasteful of resources. It is also an approximation of whether all of the email has been downloaded, because there is no mechanism in SMTP to tell the remote host how many emails remain to be downloaded. Whatever the method used, the outcome is unsatisfactory.
Many SMTP mail systems still cannot limit the number of concurrent connections to a remote host. In the case of dialup systems, if multiple delivery attempts are made to the dialup host - and this often happens - then the dialup link can be completely swamped, rendering it useless for other traffic (e.g. web, ftp, etc).
With the exception mentioned above, there are no commonly used packages which implement everything necessary to implement dialup SMTP in anything except an insane manner, hacked together with often fragile kludges. Providing commercial services over kludged systems is rarely scalable and almost always bad for customers.
SMTP mail queueing
When you send an email destined to a dialup SMTP host, it will normally get put into a mail queue on the ISP's mail system to be delivered to the recipient site as soon as they're on-line. If you're in luck and they're already on-line, the mail might even be delivered to them immediately. But most likely, the email is going to be put into a queue for later delivery. On most mailing systems, there are normally a very limited number of queue, which means in all likelihood, your email is going to be bundled in the same queue as all or most of the other emails on the system
Once the email is in the queue, the mailing system will then attempt to deliver it. Most mail systems are pretty unintelligent about how they manage their queues (that's the subject of a future rant), and normally have a small number of simplistic algorithms for figuring out how to deliver things in an efficient manner. Common to most mailing systems, though, is the fact that they do not sort mail into any useful order before they put it into a queue. This is a serious shortcoming, as we'll see later.
In addition to this, most mail systems also note whether delivery attempts were successful or not. The purpose of this is to create a list of all the remote hosts that the mail system talks to, so that it can make a sensible decision about whether to attempt to deliver another mail to the same host within a short period of time. Obviously, if there's 100 emails in a queue for a particular destination, there's no point in attempting to send each of them in turn if the remote host is refusing mail connections in the first place.
So you've got a queue full of emails which need to be delivered. What happens then is that the SMTP delivery program will sweep down through the mail queue, decide which emails it's going to try to deliver and will then attempt to deliver the emails. For non-dialup recipients, this works reasonbly well in most cases.
Why is intelligent queueing is necessary for dialup SMTP
Ok, so you've got a queue full of email destined to the world and his wife, including (somewhere in there) mails for your domain. Most mail systems don't maintain a useful index of all these emails, so the queue sweeper program must go down through each mail separately and decide whether it's destined to your domain or not. This sweep normally consists of the following actions:
- get a complete list of all of the files in a directory or directory tree,
- open, read and close the delivery data file for each email, and
- attempt to deliver the email.
If your queue is largish - say 10,000 emails - and you have a large number of dialup users - say one per second, this means that once every second, your queue sweeper program has to fire off a process to do the things listed above. This means huge disk i/o requirements, and more importantly, disk requirements which exist purely because of bad systems design.
This is a problem which is not just restricted to dialup SMTP, but rather which is exascerbated by dialup SMTP, even if it can sometimes be a problem with other mail relay systems. There are some mail systems which are well-designed and which have clever queue management systems, but they are among the mainstream mailing systems yet.
In short, SMTP is trying to do a job which it really wasn't meant to do. In any situation, this is going to cause problems and in the case of the Internet, it is inevitable that - however unsatisfactorily - existing protocols are going to be patched up rather than new ones created.
Alternatives exist which include using UUCP, a protocol which is still arguably better than overloading the SMTP protocol to do things that it really wasn't meant to do in the first place.
Light at the end of the tunnel
If dialup SMTP were a horse, it would have been taken outside a long time ago to be shot. People are forced to use it because it's the only service that their ISP uses for providing domain based email. This is a Bad Thing of itself.
Fortunately, RFC-2645 has taken some good steps to provide an overlay protocol for SMTP to alleviate most of the problems described in this document. Let's hope that people implement this as widely as possible, as soon as possible. | <urn:uuid:33b2614d-4b2d-47b7-aa79-9a63b81a7a51> | {
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This interactive, online activity introduces the idea that everything emits electromagnetic radiation, including students. Students discover how the light emitted from an object (a robot) changes as the object is heated. A graph shows the amount of light the robot emits in each wavelength region as the robot reaches higher temperatures. Students are challenged to relate the peak of the emitted light from the robot to the color it appears, thus connecting the temperature of an object with the color of light it emits. Students apply this information by plotting the peak wavelengths of four stars of their choice, and then determine the temperature of each. Upon completion of this activity, students will have identified peak wavelengths from graphical data and applied this concept to determine the relationship between temperature and star color. Students may complete this activity independently or in small groups. Detailed teacher pages, identified as Teaching Tips on the title page of the activity, provide science background information, lesson plan ideas, related resources, and alignment with national education standards. This activity is part of the online exploration "Star Light, Star Bright" that focuses on the electromagnetic spectrum and that is available on the Amazing Space website. | <urn:uuid:3aad5bb7-dd44-4f48-8515-c2758ed868fd> | {
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Harassing fire was nothing new for the Union gunboats that patrolled Hampton Roads during the Civil War.
More than one Yankee sailor felt the sting of a rebel rifle fired from the shore, and — despite armor shields that rivaled anything seen on the Humvees of Iraq or the gun trucks of Vietnam — some of those wounds proved fatal.
Not until late January 1864, however, did a near-disastrous grounding sparked by shots from the James River's banks give Federal commanders reason to respond with unprecedented muscle.
Assembling four gunboats, an armed transport, two armed Navy launches and a detachment of infantry, cavalry and artillery, the Union landed at Smithfield and near Chuckatuck on Jan. 31 in a two-pronged sweep for the shooters.
But after some early success, the Smithfield contingent retreated back to town, where their exposed position on Main Street invited a Confederate attack so fiery and fortunate that — by the end of Feb. 1— more than 100 Yankees had been captured.
Left burning in the Pagan River was the battered wreck of the gunboat Smith Briggs, which was stripped and looted before exploding so violently that it shattered windows all over town.
"The Battle of Smithfield will not be found in any of our history books," noted Smithfield physician Herbert S. Southgate, whose grandfather took a gilded eagle figurehead as a trophy.
"But it surely must have been the most exciting and memorable (day) in the whole 200-odd years of our town's history."
A wig-wag war
Though the Confederates evacuated the south shore of the James after the Union capture of Norfolk in May 1862, it remained critical to the scouts and signalmen left behind to monitor the enemy's movements.
Building "wig-wag" towers to take advantage of the vista, they used flags to report on Yankee vessels entering and leaving Hampton Roads, landing at Fort Monroe and Newport News Point and moving on the James, Elizabeth and Nansemond rivers.
"From Cherry Point (on Chuckatuck Creek) you could see all the way to Norfolk and across to Old Point Comfort," says Albert P. Burckard Jr. of the Isle of Wight Sesquicentennial Committee.
"It was an unobstructed view."
Despite the abandonment of Forts Huger and Boykin, the surrounding countryside still held considerable value, too.
Loyal farmers continued to grow crops on thousands of acres that lay just beyond the reach of Union raiders, making the region an important source of food for the Confederate army and the capital at Richmond.
"It's odd that the Federals never moved against Smithfield before this," historian John V. Quarstein said.
"This area had all sorts of agricultural resources — and they were all being funneled to the South."
That relatively peaceful isolation ended on Jan. 30, 1864, when the Union gunboat Flora Temple entered Chuckatuck Creek in an attempt to divert attention from the landings at Smithfield and Holliday's Point on the Nansemond River.
Hampered by fog, however, the vessel ran aground, forcing Union commanders to delay the operation.
The resulting danger to the stranded ship was not imagined, Quarstein said.
Southern scouts quickly passed word to the Blackwater River line near Ivor, from which a column of artillery, infantry and cavalry marched overnight in the hopes of attacking one of the hated Yankee vessels.
"The gunboats were always a big thorn in the Confederates' side," he says. "So this opportunity couldn't be ignored."
When Capt. Nathaniel Sturdivant's men arrived early the following day, however, the Flora Temple had departed.
Both prongs of the Union attack were already steaming toward their landings.
By the time the graycoats turned around, Smithfield's Christ Church had emptied after reports of Yankee gunboats on the Pagan River.
Not long afterward, 90 men led by Capt. John C. Lee of the 99th New York Infantry disembarked at the town wharf, then marched up Main Street and headed toward Chuckatuck.
They'd logged nearly five miles before running into the advance elements of Sturdivant's column near an abandoned cotton mill and killing a sleeping Confederate cavalry trooper.
"Sturdivant's men had been marching since 8 p.m. the night before," Burckard said. "That's why the trooper was asleep on his horse."
Bringing up their 12-pound howitzer, the Federals fired down the hill at their disorganized foes, forcing them to withdraw after only 15 minutes.
The clash could be heard as far away as Chuckatuck, where the second Union force halted, then turned back to Holliday's Point after waiting two hours.
By then, Lee and his men had withdrawn, too, marching back to Smithfield instead of continuing on to Chuckatuck.
The captain would later report that local sources told him "heavy reinforcements were coming from Ivor Station" to cut him off.
"He was deep in Confederate territory," Quarstein said, "and he was worried about being isolated and captured."
Main Street duel
That evening the Federals "barricaded the main street with wagons, buggies, boxes, barrels and every conceivable thing we could secure, leaving a 'port hole' in the center for the use of our 12-pounder," one soldier later recalled.
Their fears came true the next morning, when Sturdivant appeared at the west end of Main Street with 200 infantry and cavalry and two artillery pieces.
Flexing his superior muscle, the Confederate officer demanded the bluecoats' surrender, then made such a show of force that Lee pulled back and re-barricaded his gun at the top of Wharf Hill.
Outnumbered and fearful of being enveloped, he was preparing his men for surrender when the Smith Briggs steamed into view, convincing the Federals to stand and fight.
Moments later, Sturdivant began firing down the street from Spratley's Hill, sparking a brisk exchange until two of his detachments emerged from the hidden ravines on either side of Lee's position.
"It all fell apart pretty rapidly after that," said David Sawyer of the Isle of Wight Sesquicentennial Committee.
"They really bugged out."
Fleeing down Wharf Hill, then east along the water, the Union men made a stand under the Smith Briggs' two 32-pound guns. But musket fire pouring down from Church Street left nearly two dozen killed or wounded.
Then a fortunate shot from a Confederate cannon at the bottom of Wharf Hill dealt the vessel a mortal blow, puncturing its steam chest and scalding numerous sailors.
Though Lee and several others escaped into the marshes, more than 100 Union men were captured.
The stricken gunboat exploded later that day, with two tons of powder fueling a violent blast that took out scores of windows.
Marched off to Ivor, then sent to Richmond by rail, many of the Union prisoners would end up in the newly opened yet soon to be notorious Confederate prison at Andersonville, Ga.
"They were some of the first ones marched in," Sawyer says.
"Most of them didn't march out."
Erickson can be reached at 757-247-4783. Find his Hampton Roads history stories at dailypress.com/history and Facebook.com/hrhistory.
Want to go?
Battle of Smithfield Sesquicentennial observances
What: New exhibits, talks, walking tours and living history demonstrations keyed to the 1864 Battle of Smithfield
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1
Where: Isle of Wight County Museum, 103 Main St.; Christ Episcopal Church, 111 S. Church St.; 1750 Courthouse, 130 Main St.; and Windsor Castle Park, 301 Jericho Road, all in Smithfield.
Information: 757-356-1223 and http://www.historicisleofwight.com | <urn:uuid:a7c89ea3-5e57-429e-8188-35117939796b> | {
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Why do the samples above look the same under one lighting condition but different under another? These samples exhibit metamerism, which means they match under some lighting conditions but not others. This can be a serious problem for manufacturers, especially those who combine various parts of different materials or sources into one product. Customers expect all parts of the products that they purchase to match in daylight as well as under the fluorescent lights of department stores or the tungsten light of their home.
As a result of this phenomenon, a Metamerism Index (MI) has been developed. The MI is a single number index that indicates how well two samples that match under one illuminant will match under another illuminant. The MI is calculated with the ΔL, Δa, and Δb values of a sample and a standard under a reference illuminant and a test illuminant. Usually the D65 illuminant (daylight) is used as the reference illuminant. For the MI to be meaningful and accurate the samples should be a good match under the reference illuminant.
HunterLab instruments and software have the ability to measure L a b values under a wide variety of illuminants and are well suited to measuring MI values. This allows HunterLab customers to evaluate their product under different lighting conditions to ensure that their product will meet their customer’s needs. | <urn:uuid:1b7c4bfa-2069-44d0-a916-1c9b6fe70e03> | {
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Earth Tremors in Kenya 2019 Experienced.
A quake, tremor or temblor is the shaking of the earth’s surface. Mostly, It results from the sudden release of energy in the Earth’s lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Also, some human activities may trigger an incidence of an earthquake or tremor e.g mining, constructions etc.
While most earthquakes are caused by movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates, human activity can also be a reason.
As a result, Earth tremors have been experienced in Kenya across several counties on 24th March 2019. Some of the counties include Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Mombasa, Nyeri, Meru, Taita-Taveta(Voi Sub County) and Makueni. | <urn:uuid:fea62a4e-a713-4747-83d7-7f92c1a18ef1> | {
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John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu
|Duke of Montagu|
The 2nd Duke of Montagu, Godfrey Kneller, 1709
|Duke of Montagu|
1709 – 5 July 1749
|Predecessor||Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu|
Isabella (d. 20 December 1786).
George (died in infancy)
Mary (c 1711 - 1 May 1775).
|Father||Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu|
|Died||5 July 1749|
He went on the grand tour with Pierre Sylvestre. On 17 March 1705, John was married to Lady Mary Churchill, daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough.
On 23 October 1717, he was admitted a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1719, and was made Order of the Bath, a fellow of the Royal Society in 1725, and a Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England. On 22 June 1722, George I appointed him governor of the islands of Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent in the West Indies.
In 1739, the country's first home for abandoned children, the Foundling Hospital was created in London. Montagu was a supporter of this effort and was one of the charity's founding governors. He also financed the education of two notable Black British figures of the age, Ignatius Sancho and Francis Williams, sending the latter to Cambridge University.
He was a notorious practical joker, his mother-in-law writing of him that "All his talents lie in things only natural in boys of fifteen years old, and he is about two and fifty; to get people into his garden and wet them with squirts, and to invite people to his country houses and put things in beds to make them itch, and twenty such pretty fancies as these."
The duke's country place, Boughton House, Northamptonshire, was laid out by him as a miniature Versailles, and now belonging to the Buccleuch family. After his death, his town residence, Montagu House, Bloomsbury, on the present site of the British Museum, received and for many years held the national collections, which under the name of the British Museum were first opened to the public in 1759.
Montagu and his wife Lady Mary Churchill were parents to five children:
- Isabella (d. 20 December 1786). Married first William Montagu, 2nd Duke of Manchester (no issue) and second Edward Hussey-Montagu, 1st Earl of Beaulieu (had issue).
- John (1706-1711)
- George (died in infancy)
- Mary (c 1711 - 1 May 1775). Married George Brudenell, 4th Earl of Cardigan (had issue).
- Edward (27 Dec 1725 - May 1727)
As none of Montagu's sons survived him, his titles became extinct upon his death in 1749. His estates were inherited by his daughter Mary, whose husband, George Brudenell, 4th Earl of Cardigan assumed the name and arms of Montagu, and in 1766 was created 1st Duke of Montagu (second creation). In 1790 this second creation dukedom of Montagu also became extinct; his only son, who had been created Baron Montagu of Boughton, having predeceased him. His daughter Elizabeth married Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch, 5th Duke of Queensberry who thus acquired all the unentailed property of the Dukes of Montagu.
- Chichester 1894.
- Metzger 2004.
- quoted in Martin C. Battestin's "General Introduction" to Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews. Middleton, Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press, 1967: xxvin. Montagu is believed by some literary critics to be the model for Fielding's "roasting squire," the vicious squire who plays practical jokes.
- Battestin, xxivn.
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chichester, Henry Manners (1894). "Montagu, John (1688?-1749)". In Lee, Sidney. Dictionary of National Biography 38. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- Metzger, Edward Charles (2004). "Montagu, John, second duke of Montagu (1690–1749)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press.
- John Montague, 2nd Duke of Montagu presenting the Roll of Constitutions and the compasses to Philip, Duke of Wharton | <urn:uuid:8c6df56e-1c15-4cd9-8cef-c4ffa206bc52> | {
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Now if you want to speculate even further into the future, cumulative effects of the merger will eventually destroy the solar system due to gravitic disruption of the neighboring stars..
Gravitational effects of nearby stars are unlikely to be felt at all. The gravitational effects of the galaxy as a whole will be tremendous, but they would barely differ from one side of the solar system to the other. The solar system won't notice any of them as a result. Aside from ejecting the entire system, or grabbing it, Andromeda will hardly affect a single orbit in it. | <urn:uuid:973c59f8-ea04-40bf-b577-af3cfaf39472> | {
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and Site Map
Editing is easy, all you have to do is cross out
the wrong words.
Ideas to Help
with the Difficult and Scary Process of Writing
How to Write a Great Research Paper (34:24)
Writing and Pain: includes tips for making writing a less painful experience.
These notes cover common errors and bad habits to look out for, focusing on
careful word choice, as well as tips for grammar, metaphor, tone, structuring
Professor Charles King's essay
Battling the Six Evil Geniuses of Essay Writing, PS Online, March 1998
The Write Stuff: Writing as a Performing and Political Art
Essay Writing Center
What Is a Research Paper?
Georgetown University's How to Write a Research Paper
Indiana Writing Guides
Identify and Develop Your Topic
Developing an Outline
Strategies for Writing a First Draft
Creating Strong Introductions
Writing the Introduction and Conclusion
Paragraphs and Paragraphing
Creating Smooth Transitions
Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing
Guide to Grammar and Writing
Editing and Proofreading
Proofreading Your Writing
A Guide to Evaluating Your Own Writing (PDF)
Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It
Plagiarism vs Paraphrasing
Read Irving Hexham's
The Plague of Plagiarism if you are uncertain what constitutes plagiarism.
OWL, a multimedia online writing lab that helps students with the writing
process, documentation, grammar, avoiding plagiarism and other topics. The lab
can be accessed from computers, tablets or smart phones. An independent study
found students who used the OWL improved their writing skills and processes,
and increased their final grades by an average of 6.6 points.
Be clear about your message and who your audience/community is. Keep
your core message in mind to keep your writing on-target and relevant.
your point clearly, you first must have a clear point to make.
paragraphs are better.
easy on the jargon. Avoid sounding like those generic jargon-spouting
executives that the “Dilbert” cartoon pokes fun at. If you use legal,
technical or foreign jargon, will your readers know what you mean? If
there’s no other term but the jargon, be sure to define the terms. Make
your website content (and other messages) accessible to those who don’t
know your topic as well as you do.
R-E-C-E-S-S Model for editing your own work
of Carl Sessions Stepp, University of Maryland)
the whole piece: What’s the message?
(key points clear, logical, consistent?)
(grammar, punctuation, spelling, style, usage)
off (re-read it one last time to make sure you haven’t added new errors)
Write like a spy: follow the CIA’s Style Manual & Writers Guide for
Weird Al “Word Crimes” video (3:45)
latest list of
overused buzzwords (July 2014, Mashable)
Why we make typos
Snowclones Database (snowclone: a type of cliché which uses an old idiom
formulaically in a new context … have two-part histories, a first phase in
which a fixed model gains currency and a second in which variations are
played on the model … examples: (1) Got milk? led to the model Got
X? as in Got sand / girls / looks / etc? (2) If loving you is
wrong I don’t want to be right. led to the model If loving X is wrong
I don’t want to be right. as in If loving the Buckeyes / coffee /
soap / etc is wrong I don’t want to be right. (3) not the sharpest
knife in the drawer led to the model not the Xest Y in the Z as
in not the brightest / quickest / etc bulb / bunny / etc in the room /
forest / etc)
UNLV Writing Center (Try also the Writing Links and Writing
Presentations links on the left.)
How do I format
Documentation Styles (Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological
Association (APA), and The Chicago Manual of Style)
Citations and Writing
Citelighter: An academic research
platform that allows students to save, organize and automatically cite content.
Students can open Citelighter in a Google doc to have their research appear
next to their writing.
EasyBib: This bibliography generator
helps students determine what style they need and how different citations appear.
Citing Online Sources
Bibliographic Citations: Resources and Guides
APA Style [PDF]
APSA Style [PDF]
Tutorial: Basics of APA Style
APSA Style Guide for Citations and References
The Chicago Manual of Style Online
Guide to Formatting Your Turabian-Style Paper Using Word
Turabian Citation and Format Style Guide
If people cannot write well, they cannot think
well, and if they cannot think well,
others will do their thinking for them.
Secrets of My Research Success
The Research Process
Research Strategy: The Seven Steps of the Research Process
Reference Identification Tools: A Skill Guide
The Research Assignment Calculator (TRAC)
Research Project Calculator
On its website,
Kentucky Virtual Library provides a
detailed, student-friendly interactive map of the research process, called
How To Do Research, which spells out the steps for making the most of the
research process, from planning to searching to taking notes and ultimately
using gathered information effectively.
Selecting a Research Topic
Developing an Hypothesis
Researching in the Social Sciences
Research at Cornell
Research Workshop 101
How the Research Literature is Structured
NoodleTools: Users can use one tool for note-taking, outlining, citations,
research and more.
Guide ($.99): a quick reference guide filled with general grammar rules, hints
Scrible: Makes online reading and research apps. Its web app lets users
annotate web pages in their browser and then save, share and manage them in
Write an Annotated Bibliography
How do I find references?
Researching Your Topic
Research and the Internet
Locating Information on Your Research Topic
Databases? Google? Minerva? What's the Difference?
Google and Beyond
From Google: Better Search Results
Getting the Most from Google
Beyond Google: Other Good Search Engines
Web Evaluation Questions
Web Search Strategies
Internet Detective Tutorial: Using the Internet for Research
Searching the World Wide Web
Online Searching: Boolean and Relevance
Seven Steps to Effective Library Research
How to Find Articles
How Do I Find Journal Articles?
How to Read Citations (1:49)
How do I evaluate references?
There are many popular sources
of information that can provide an excellent starting point for your research.
However, if you will be writing a college-level paper, chances are your professor
will require that most, if not all, of your sources be scholarly. The following
links can take you to some good general information on evaluating your references.
Eventually, though, you are going to have to be able to differentiate scholarly
sources from other sources and be able to use your library to find scholarly
sources. The next two sections deal with those topics.
Evaluating Sources of Information
Research Minutes: How to Identify Scholarly Articles (Video)
Distinguishing Scholarly from Non-Scholarly Periodicals
Identifying Scholarly Journals (Video)
Search for a title in
Ullrich’s Periodicals Directory
in your College library. Once you find it, check the document type for
the terms academic/scholarly (what you want) OR consumer/popular (not what you
10 C'S for Evaluating Internet Resources
Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools
Evaluating Web Sites
What are scholarly journals and books?
In order to choose the best references for your
research, you need to understand the difference between popular publications and
scholarly publications, and be able to identify a sources as one or the other.
Scholarly (or academic) publications
are peer-reviewed or refereed publications. Scholarly journals
and books (1) are used to distribute
research throughout an academic discipline such as Economics, Geography, Political
Science or Sociology, and (2) are usually not available for free online and are
never available for purchase at Wal-Mart. However, all college libraries purchase
access to scholarly journals and books
so students will have access to them. The following chart should help you differentiate
between scholarly sources of information and popular sources of information.
Staff writers and journalists
Scholars, including college students
Editorial board made up of other
scholars and researchers ... scholarly journal articles are ALWAYS peer-reviewed
and tell you that
Shorter articles written to entertain,
inform or elicit an emotional response
Longer articles written in a formal,
scholarly style to share facts and research with the academic community
None or a website for more information
Footnotes/endnotes and bibliography/reference
(often also includes methodology – how the author did what he/she did)
Usually published frequently (weekly
Usually published less frequently
Numerous ads for a variety of
If there are any ads, they are
usually for scholarly products such as books or academic software
Usually numerous and with every
Fewer, often include charts and
graphs to support research findings
Usually glossy and larger in size
Usually smaller in size, thicker
and have a plain cover
in College Libraries and Databases
Yes, and more often than scholarly
Yes, but not every academic source
is in every library
Always a .org or .com site and
often has free limited access
Usually a .edu site (rarely .org,
never .com) with no free access beyond article titles
(but having a .edu site does NOT make it a scholarly source)
Psychology Today, Rolling Stone,
New York Times,
Wall Street Journal, Smithsonian, National Geographic,
National Review, Atlantic Monthly (magazines you might
subscribe to or buy at a newsstand)
Journal of Southern History,
Annual Review of Psychology,
American Literature, New England Journal
following are not scholarly publications.
information from publisher sites
information from educational sites
information from online or F2F lecture notes / materials
reference books: dictionaries, encyclopedias and etc.
online reference sites
governmental agency publications
think tank publications
interest group publications
information from news bureaus: AP, UPI and etc
working papers, reports, briefings or etc from an organization
How do I find scholarly publications?
When colleges purchase access to a scholarly source, it
usually means they purchased access to a database, which contains thousands
of titles that can be searched for specific information.
Not every title in a database is a scholarly publication.
When searching for articles, most databases give you the option of limiting your
search to refereed, scholarly or peer-reviewed publications,
all of which are scholarly publications.
Choose a database.
Databases are collections of thousands of publications organized by subject.
Libraries have many different databases covering every academic discipline. Some
databases are multidisciplinary, containing publications that cover a broad
range of subjects and include both popular and scholarly sources. Other databases
are subject-specific and include mainly scholarly
and specialized articles. The following
multidisciplinary databases are good places to start research.
Academic Search Complete, 1990-present: scholarly, popular
and newspaper articles from across
disciplines, includes full text
Academic One File, 1980-present: scholarly, popular
and newspaper articles from across
disciplines, includes full text
Info Trac Custom Newspapers:
full-text articles from over 100 newspapers
LexisNexis Academic and
JSTOR are also good multidisciplinary databases.
To find a subject-specific database or other multi-disciplinary databases, ask
your librarian. You can access most databases online from home with a user name
and password provided by your library. I’ve listed just a few of the databases in
my fields in the table below.
To search a database, choose keywords which
represent the main concepts of your topic. In order to find the best articles for
your research, choose a number of keywords for each concept, including synonyms
and related terms. Then combine them using AND
AND narrows your search by looking for
articles that contain all of the keywords.
OR broadens your search by looking for
articles that contain any of the keywords.
Search for information about female college students with eating disorders.
female college students
the complete article.
When you find an article you like, it's very important that
you actually look at the hard-copy or electronic version of the complete
article and not just the summary given in the database. The database gives you the
information you need for your reference list. It does not give you the information
you need for your paper.
All databases list citations which you
can use to find the entire article. Some also provide abstracts (brief summaries)
of articles, while others contain the full text of the article. If the article is
not full-text in the database, make sure you write down all of the information necessary
to find it -– title, author, journal name, date of issue, etc.
When you click on the database link a number of things
may happen. You may go (a) directly to the article, (b) to information about the
journal volume/issue the article is published in and the have to use the information
to find the article or (c) to the database search screen and search the database
using the title of the article. Be sure to check the date ranges of the database
against the article’s information to make sure the full text of your article is
contained in that database.
If your library doesn’t own the journal or magazine
you need, you can request the article for free through Inter-Library Loan by filling
out a request form. Your library will get the article from another college.
Databases Your College Library Might
Business Abstracts with Full Text
Business Source Complete
Foundations and Trends
in Business and Economics
Market Line Advantage
National Bureau of
Economic Research (NBER)
of the United States
World Agricultural Economics Abstracts
Arctic and Antarctic Regions
Columbia Gazetteer of the World
Dictionary of Geography
General Science Abstracts
Water Resources Abstracts
Air University Library Index to
Bibliography of Asian Studies
Chinese Academic Journals (in
Eastview Universal Database (in
Reports: Latin America
HAPI: Hispanic American Periodicals
HLAS: Handbook of Humanities and
International Political Science
Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
Annual Review of Sociology
Annual Reviews Online
of Sociology Online
Family Studies Abstracts
Roper Center for Public
RAMBI: Index of Articles on Jewish
Rural Sociology Abstracts
Social Services Abstracts
What is a research paper?
A research paper is not "about" a subject.
paper should have a thesis, a clear point of view. It is not simply a generalized
discussion of an issue. The focus of the paper is not the views of others but
your opinions and interpretations.
A research paper is not a summary of everything you can find.
is not to collect everything you can find out about a subject and summarize
it. Although you should review as much material as possible, you should select
sources that directly support your thesis. A research paper has a clear focus.
The more narrow you make your subject, the easier your paper will be to write.
A research paper is not a list of quotes.
of your paper is your point of view, your commentary. Direct quotations, facts
and statistics may be woven throughout your paper, but they should support your
position. Your commentary should do more than simply introduce or link quotations.
A research paper does not support a pre-conceived point of view.
up facts that support what you already believe is not genuine research. You
should examine evidence then form an opinion. A research paper comments on the
quantity and quality of sources. It distinguishes between reliable and biased
sources, between authoritative and questionable statistics, between fact and
A research paper does not present the ideas of others without documentation.
papers must use documentation methods to prevent writers from plagiarizing sources.
Do not borrow ideas, statistics or facts without noting their original source.
Is there an easy
way to complete my footnotes/endnotes and references?
1. Create a new file in your computer called references.doc
2. Whenever you start to read a book, article or government document,
open references.doc and type in the full citation.
3. Take the time now to format the citation correctly. You have
to do it sometime, why not now? After a while, you'll get used to the formatting
style and do it automatically.
4. Whenever you take notes, make sure that you keep track of the exact
page number from which you are taking notes, even if you are not taking exact
5. Generally, it is better to carefully write down the full and exact
quotes rather than to paraphrase. If you keep the full quote, you can paraphrase
later without re-looking at the source.
6. Once you start writing your paper, make sure you include appropriate
citations as you go along, including page numbers. It really will
be a hassle later (trust me) if you don't do this as you write.
7. In-text citations with a reference list at the end is by far the easiest
way of doing your citations.
8. If you keep a correctly formatted reference list of all your potential
sources from the beginning, then your reference list will be done when your
note-taking is done. If you include good citations as you write, then your footnoting/endnoting
will be done when you finish your writing. Much easier than saving them to the
What makes a paper good?
1. A paper of just about any kind has to be based around a clear, simple
thesis which (a) makes one simple point and (b) sums up your reasons
for reaching that conclusion. The body of the paper is designed to use the evidence
at your disposal to convince the reader you're right.
2. In many cases (especially if you aren't terribly self-confident about
writing), your final paragraph will really be your thesis. If it is noticeably
more profound, interesting, detailed, etc. than your first paragraph, cut and
paste it at the top of your paper and edit your paper with that as your thesis.
3. Work on the assumption that you need to leave yourself time to write
at least two drafts. Many people write six or seven before they have things
the way they want them.
4. Each concrete point you raise in the body of your paper should be used
to show the reader explicitly (a) how it helps support your thesis and (b) how
it is connected to the other points you raise.
5. There should be one idea per paragraph and one paragraph per idea.
6. Write with an audience in mind: someone who is (a) smart, (b) likes
you and (c) doesn't know much about the material.
7. Only use phrases, words and expressions which you'd include in normal
conversation (profanity aside, of course). In short, if you write the way you
speak, you'll communicate the most effectively. | <urn:uuid:307dafac-1574-41c5-ad1c-7f7edbca596f> | {
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- Chemistry: BaTiSi3O9, Barium Titanium Silicate.
- Class: Silicates
- Subclass: Cyclosilicates
- Uses: As a gemstone and as a mineral specimen
Benitoite is a somewhat obscure, but wonderful gemstone mineral that was only discovered at the beginning of this century. It has a sapphire blue color and was first thought to be a variety of sapphire. But x-ray studies showed that the crystal structure was unlike any mineral previously discovered. It is one of only a few minerals to crystallize in the bar 6 m 2 class called the ditrigonal-dipyramidal symmetry class. While this class is techically hexagonal, it produces trigonal (triangular) looking crystals. Additionally benitoite is also a fluorescent mineral. Nearly all specimens of benitoite will fluoresce a beautiful pale blue color under UV light (see above).
Benitoite is associated with a few rare minerals such as black-red neptunite, snow white natrolite and brown-yellow joaquinite. The only source of this rare combination occures at San Benito, California. They are formed in fractures of a serpentine rock from hydrothermal solutions. These solutions contained a number of unusual elements such as barium, titanium, fluorine, iron, cesium, niobium, manganese and lithium in relatively high concentrations. How such a solution occurred and what other conditions caused the crystallization of these rare minerals is still not well understood. The rare clusters of blue benitoite and black neptunite on top of a crust of white natrolite produces a truly fantastic and a one of a kind mineral combination that is a must have for a serious mineral collector.
- Color is typically blue, but also colorless and yellowish.
- Luster is vitreous.
- Transparency: Crystals are transparent to translucent.
- Crystal System is hexagonal; bar 6 m 2
- Crystal Habits include the flattened six faced dipyramid that has a distinct triangle shape often modified by minor faces. Also found as small grains.
- Cleavage is absent.
- Fracture is irregular.
- Hardness is 6 – 6.5
- Specific Gravity is approximately 3.6 (above average)
- Streak is white.
- Other Characteristics: Nearly all specimens fluoresce blue under UV light.
- Associated Minerals include serpentine, neptunite, natrolite, joaquinite, sanbornite, taramellite, albite and fresnoite.
- Notable Occurrences include only the mines of San Benito County, California, USA for good excellent crystals. SW Texas produces tiny grains in eocene sands as well as some other California localities.
- Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, fluorescence, color, associations and locality. | <urn:uuid:267bf7d0-53a4-4b96-a6a0-9729835c6abf> | {
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Russian mass immigration to the United States took place in four major waves, with the first taking place just before World War I, notes the Library of Congress. There are an estimated 750,000 Americans of ethnic Russian descent but only 242,000 are fluent in Russian.Continue Reading
The first wave of mass Russian immigration took place in late 19th century and early 20th century. This wave of immigration was started by the hardship that developed due to religious persecution. Immigrants who moved to the U.S. quickly enrolled their children in school and started small businesses to help them sustain their families.
The second wave of immigration took place as a result of the Russian Revolution and Civil War, which took place between 1917 and 1921. Unrest in the country led to destruction of property, loss of jobs and heightened levels of insecurity. Families fled to the U.S. in search of peace and better opportunities.
The third wave of immigration took place as a result of the Promise of America. America was increasingly becoming popular as a land of prosperity and peace. The freedoms and opportunities in America played a significant role in pulling these immigrants. The immigrants included farm laborers, teachers, government employees and other industrial workers.
The fourth wave of immigration to the United States began in 1969, according to Countries and Their Cultures. It was mainly because of constant government control over citizens, poor economic prospects and failure of the government to guarantee human rights.Learn more about Immigration | <urn:uuid:34a562be-db81-45fe-9372-7a5ee35a4945> | {
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“It sounds like a paradox, but it is a very simple truth that when to-day we look for ‘American art’ we find it mainly in Paris. When we find it out of Paris, we at least find a great deal of Paris in it.”
-Henry James, 1887
To American collectors, Daniel Ridgway Knight’s beautifully rendered painting of French peasant girls demonstrated that America had arrived culturally. The American wealthy class that emerged from the Civil War emulated European tastes. Attempting to prove that Americans could compete culturally with Europe, artists felt compelled to learn French styles. Knight mastered the academic style; he won many accolades in the French salons as well as popular success for his peasant paintings, was accepted into the 1892 Salon in Paris and was honored as one of the few works to be illustrated in the catalog. Sentimental peasants like these were one of the most popular subjects in the French salons. Knight’s idealized peasant girls inhabit a picturesque landscape untouched by urbanization. | <urn:uuid:87d6a6f1-9d9d-488c-b5c2-436e1323083a> | {
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Though it’s somewhat of a rigorous process, home canning has been passed down from generations back. It has given families the opportunity to preserve their own foods for years right from the comfort of their own kitchen. Fruits, vegetables, meats, and poultry can be preserved and savored year-round with this unique way of preserving foods. The great part of canning your foods is the reassurance that you will have of opening your can goods months later and guaranteeing the freshness and quality you come to expect from this process.
Pressure canning is the process one must take in order to can their foods. This blog gives you an overview on do’s and dont’s for the novice canner. You should first understand the acidity and spoilage factors of the food you wish to can. Low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, poultry, and seafood) and high-acid foods (fruits and tomatoes) are both preservable products; however, the USDA only deems low-acid foods safe for canning.
Food spoilage is common if food is left out over time. Microorganisms in the air naturally cause such food spoilage. There are four basic types of agents that act as a catalyst to food spoilage—enzymes, mold, yeast, and bacteria. The canning process naturally interrupts the spoilage cycle of foods. Enzymes, mold, and yeast are destroyed at 212ºF. Bacteria actually thrive on low acids in the absence of air which must be processed at a temperature of 240ºF. This temperature can only be reached with a pressure canner.
Before you start the canning process make sure your pressure canner is thoroughly inspected by the county extension office for proper use. If this is your first canning project, it is recommended to do a test run with water to determine how the canner should function.
Regardless of the canning recipe you are using, make sure it is up to date. No matter how sentimental one might feel about an old canning recipe passed down from their grandmother or great-grandmother, these antiquated recipes usually provide no scientifically-tested processing for safe canning. A more recent recipe usually will.
Make sure you assemble all your ingredients and supplies needed for your canning project. Carefully read the recipe and canning instructions as directed. Never try to substitute or leave out any ingredients.
Mason jars are made of heat-tempered glass for durability and reuse. They are available in standard sizes and will withstand the heat of a pressure canner. Always use these jars. Never use an empty commercial jar of mayonnaise or ketchup for canning. These jars are not made of the same materials and are not designed to preserve foods. The jars should be washed thoroughly in hot water prior to canning. Make sure the jar is thoroughly cleaned before use.
Make sure you use a flat metal lid with a rubber-like seal on the underside. The threaded metal screw band will secure the lid on top of the mason jar. This is called a vacuum cap and can be used repeatedly if kept in good condition. Avoid closures such as zinc caps and glass lids that require a jar rubber. These do not properly determine whether the seal is safe. Avoid commercial one-piece caps if they have a rubber-like gasket because they are intended for one-time use only.
Make sure to determine your headspace for the food being canned. Headspace is the amount of air space between the top of the food or its liquid and the lid. Leaving too much headspace can result in under processing, because it may take too long to release the air for the jar. Leaving too little headspace will also result in inadequate seal. A general rule of thumb is to allow ½ inch of headspace for fruits and tomatoes and 1 inch for all vegetables, meats, poultry, and seafood.
Once the food has been packed in a mason jar, remove air bubbles that are trapped between pieces of food with a clean, nonmetallic spatula. Wipe the sealing surface with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue. Apply the lid. Once you have used a lid, it’s ideal to buy a canning lid rack in order to wash and sterilize your lids for reuse. For those of you who decide to make several mason jars of preserved foods, a canning rack is ideal for those jars that have just been pressure canned in order to separate them apart in storage and prevent breaking.
Join our Blog | <urn:uuid:7205a0a5-77d5-4b23-8b63-658fdb7ce537> | {
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After Russia approved a draft bill that would recognize Ukraine’s autonomous region of Crimea as an independent state, another former Soviet republic, Moldova, fears that it may face the same fate, as its ethnic Russians living in a breakaway territory within the country make moves to join Russia.
The breakaway territory, known as Transnistria, is not recognized as an independent state by any U.N. member; Moldova considers it an autonomous region. It has a majority of ethnic Russians, and on Monday representatives of the local parliament adopted a resolution asking Russia’s legislative assembly to grant them citizenship and admission into the Russian Federation.
"[Transnistria] appealed to the Russian Federation leadership to examine the possibility of extending to Transnistria the legislation, currently under discussion in the State Duma, on granting Russian citizenship and admitting new subjects into Russia,” Irina Kubanskikh, a spokeswoman for the Transnistria parliament, said, as reported by Russia's Itar-Tass news agency.
In 1992 a conflict erupted between Moldova’s government and ethnic Russian separatists, leaving 300 people dead. Later that year a cease-fire was brokered, which led to a demilitarized zone that was enforced by the Russian army.
To date there are around 2,000 Russian troops stationed in Transnistria, who guard huge weapons and ammunition stockpiles.
While the majority of Moldovans see themselves as culturally close to Romania, 200,000 people in Transnistria are ethnic Russians and have Russian citizenship, which could serve as a pretext for Russian action. Moldova's population is around 4 million.
In the past, Russian leaders have asserted the right to intervene militarily in other countries to protect fellow Russians, according to a 2013 Congressional Research Service report.
“In Crimea, Ukraine is confronting the same problem that Moldova did 20 years ago," Iurie Leanca, Moldova’s prime minister, said on March 10, referring to the conflict and continued Russian troop presence in the border region.
This is not the first time Transnistria asked to join Russia. Back in 2006 Transnistria held a referendum favoring Russian accession, which coincidentally had the same percentage of pro-Russia votes as Crimea’s referendum had on Sunday, which was 97 percent. | <urn:uuid:4b232d57-dabb-4442-a8d4-639051c5ce91> | {
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Zooming in on Second-Brightest Star in Milky Way
This movie begins by showing a stretch of the dusty and frenzied central region of our Milky Way galaxy. It then zooms in to reveal the "Peony nebula" star -- the new second-brightest star in the Milky Way, discovered in part by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.
If the Peony star is so bright, why doesn't it stand out more in this view? The answer is dust. This star is located in a very dusty region jam packed with stars. In fact, there could be other super bright stars still hidden deep in the stellar crowd. Spitzer's infrared eyes allowed it to pierce the dust and assess the Peony nebula star's true brightness. Likewise, infrared data from the European Southern Observatory's New Technology Telescope in Chile were integral in calculating the Peony nebula star's luminosity.
The Peony nebula, which surrounds the Peony nebular star, is the reddish cloud of dust in and around the white circle.
This is a three-color composite showing infrared observations from two Spitzer instruments. Blue represents 3.6-micron light and green shows light of 8 microns, both captured by Spitzer's infrared array camera. Red is 24-micron light detected by Spitzer's multiband imaging photometer.
Browse Videos in Science Animations | <urn:uuid:4d7b398c-858d-43a0-9b01-66571fb65975> | {
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|© NBC News|
Mar 29, 2013 | Global Research | Kate Randall
A record number of Americans are using food stamps, known today as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Despite official proclamations that the recession has ended and an economic recovery is underway, families are turning to SNAP benefits in record numbers. The working poor comprise a growing number of food stamp recipients, and about half of those receiving benefits are children.
Enrollment in the food stamp program has increased by 70 percent since 2008, to a record 47.8 million people as of December 2012, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The biggest factor driving the increase is the stagnating job market and a rising poverty rate. This means that a staggering 15 percent of the US population receives food stamp benefits, nearly double the rate of 1975.
In 2008, at the onset of the recession, 28.2 million people were enrolled in SNAP. While the official jobless rate, which peaked at 10 percent in 2009, had dipped slightly to 7.7 percent as of February this year, the SNAP program has continued to grow. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicts that food stamp usage will drop only marginally, to 43.3 million people, by 2017. Even this estimate is predicated on the unemployment rate dropping to 5.6 percent over the next four years.
The number of people using food stamps roughly corresponds to the number of Americans living in poverty, which rose to just below 50 million people in 2011. Utilizing the Supplementary Poverty Measure (SPM), which factors in expenses for food, clothing, shelter, health care and other essentials, the US Census Bureau estimates that nearly one in six people in the US is living in poverty.
The average monthly benefit per person receiving SNAP benefits was only $133 last year. In order to qualify, a household’s income cannot be more than 130 percent of the poverty level, which is about $25,000 for a family of three, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).
Enrollees receive benefits on a debit card, which can to be used to purchase cereal, meats, fruits, vegetables, bread, milk and other staples. When food is running low, recipients often seek out 24-hour grocery stores, waiting for 12 a.m. for their monthly benefits to kick in.
The fact that 15 percent of the population must rely on SNAP benefits has received little attention in the media or from politicians of either big business party. Earlier this week, President Obama signed a bill making permanent $85 billion in sequester cuts, which will slash billions of dollars from programs benefiting the poor, including Head Start, special education, housing and many other programs.
While SNAP technically evaded the sequester ax, other nutrition programs are facing deep cuts. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, could be forced to cut almost 600,000 mothers, infants and children from its rolls. About half of all infants born in the US qualify for WIC benefits, and mothers use them to purchase food, formula and other vital necessities, as well as to access nutrition education and other services.
Due to the sequester cuts, about 4 million fewer meals will be delivered through Meals on Wheels programs, which provide daily meals to homebound seniors. For many recipients, it is not only their only hot meal of the day, but their sole connection to others in the community.
Millions of the long-term jobless—who have been forced to turn to food stamps—will also see an 11 percent cut to their extended unemployment benefits. The sequester cuts—which will constitute the baseline of future allocations of federal spending—come as the need for social programs benefiting working families is increasing at a rapid pace due to falling wages, unemployment and growing poverty.
The US government spent a record $74.6 billion on SNAP benefits last year, more than double the $30.4 billion spent on the program in 2007. Rules adopted under the Clinton administration allowed some leeway for states in allowing residents to qualify for benefits.
In 2001-2002, six states eased the income and asset requirements for SNAP benefits, making it somewhat easier for people to qualify if they had a low-wage job, or some savings. By 2009, in response to the recession, 17 states and US territories eased their eligibility requirements. Today, three out of four households receiving SNAP benefits include at least one person who is working.
The Obama administration’s 2009 stimulus bill expanded the SNAP program, raising the level of benefits recipients can receive, and allowing people to keep their benefits longer. This expansion is set to expire on October 31, and there are no moves afoot to extend it. The CBPP estimates that food stamp benefits will decrease by $8 per month per person with this expiration.
As of November 1, SNAP benefits will be returned to the level of the so-called Thrifty Food Plan, the lowest of four nutrition estimates calculated by the US Department of Agriculture. The four plans—Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate Cost, and Liberal—vary widely in cost. In February 2013, a family of four with two children on the “Thrifty” plan was expected to budget $636 a month for food at home, while the same family on the “Liberal” plan would spent $1,257—almost double the amount.
As with all aspects of social life in America, there is one standard for the working class and another for the wealthy. In this case the divide is between those who struggle to provide adequate nutrition for their families under conditions of rising costs for housing, utilities and other necessities, and the tiny elite who think nothing of splurging on a restaurant meal with a tab far in excess of the “Liberal” monthly budget for a family of four.
Almost half the children presently receiving SNAP benefits—some 10 million—already live in extreme poverty, which means household income is less than half the official poverty level, already set an unrealistically low level. Another 9 million receiving food stamps are elderly or have a serious disability. The cuts in SNAP benefits will quite literally take food off the table for millions of American families at a time of deepening poverty and burgeoning social inequality. | <urn:uuid:733d364e-d31d-4e19-8a23-3ccab0ec3068> | {
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Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelash follicles, along the edge of the eyelid. The cause is overgrowth of the bacteria that is normally found on the skin.
Blepharitis is usually caused by seborrheic dermatitis or a bacterial infection, and sometimes it is a combination of both. Allergies and eyelash infestation with lice may also cause blepharitis, although these causes are less common.
This condition is characterized by excess oil production in the glands near the eyelid. Too much oil creates an environment where the normal bacteria found on the skin can overgrow. The eyelids appear red and irritated, with scales that cling to the base of the eyelashes.
Blepharitis may be connected to repeated styes and chalazia. Risk factors are seborrheic dermatitis of the face or scalp, rosacea, lice, and allergies.
- Eyelids have the following symptoms:
- Blinking causes a granular sensation (like sand or dust in the eye)
- Loss of eyelashes may occur
An examination of the eyelids during an eye examination is usually enough to diagnose blepharitis.
The likely outcome is good with treatment. Continued attention to lid cleanliness may be required to prevent repeated problems. Continued treatment will typically make the eyes less red and more comfortable.
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms worsen or do not improve after careful cleansing of the eyelids for several days.
- Injury to the eye tissue (corneal ulcer) from irritation
- Inflammation of the surface of the eye (conjunctivitis)
- Loss of eyelashes
- Scarring of the eyelids
The primary treatment is careful daily cleansing of the edges of the eyelids, to remove the skin oils that the bacteria feed on. Your health care provider might recommend using baby shampoo or special cleansers. Antibiotic ointments may also be helpful in controlling bacteria on the lids.
If seborrheic dermatitis or rosacea are causing the problem, seek treatment for those conditions.
Cleaning eyelids carefully will help prevent blepharitis. If a specific skin condition is present, it should be treated.
Papier A, Tuttle DJ, Mahar TJ. Differential diagnosis of the swollen red eyelid. Am Fam Physician. 2007 Dec 15;76(12):1815-24.
Fay A. Diseases of the visual system. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: sect XXVI, chap 449.
Olitsky SE, Hug D, Smith LP. Abnormalities of the Lids. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th Ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 623.
Review Date: 7/17/2008
Reviewed By: Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Maternal & Child Health Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. | <urn:uuid:ec913258-5e2d-4a42-8a42-aaed89762bbf> | {
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Monday, December 17th, 2012
Archaeologists excavating the hill of Aghia Petra on the outskirts of the eastern Greek city of Didymoteicho has revealed an elaborate mosaic depicting sea creatures both beast and divine, Nereids, a river god and the Empress Pompeia Plotina, wife of Trajan. The mosaic once adorned the floor of a triclinium, the formal dining room of a Roman villa, and dates to the 2nd or 3rd century A.D. The characters are centered in the middle of the floor, while the rest of the vast space is dominated by geometric designs and a wide border with a black vine motif on a white background.
Pompeia Plotina is on the right side of the above picture, in the corner where the two walls meet. Next to her is the god of the Evros river. Frolicking in a border around them are Nereids riding dolphins, ichthyocentaurs (deities with the upper body of a man, the front legs of a horse and the tail of a fish), mermaids, mermen and if you look really closely to the left of Plotina right next to the wall you’ll see two handsome green tentacles.
“The continuity of the central scene to the [left in the above picture], in particular part of the zone with the sea monsters figures, where the ichthyocentaurs and the Nereids are portrayed, also was revealed”, as [lead archaeologist Matthaios] Koutsoumanis said. “Both [creatures] are seated on a dolphin, and one of them is holding a scarf over the head like a peplos. It is certain by now that the scene with the Evros river and Plotinopolis is not the only one, as a second panel is coming to light. For the time being, we cannot say what it depicts, as it is covered by the later Early Christian wall. One thing is for sure, however: next year’s excavation has a lot of surprises in store for us,” the archaeologist added.
The mosaic is in excellent condition, despite later subdivisions of the home, with only a few places where the tesserae have been lost. The Early Christian walls cut the room into quarters, it seems, but since the panels on the east side of the higher wall have survived, the team hopes they’ll find the rest when they excavate the west side. Archaeologists estimate that the entire work may be 1400-1500 square feet in area.
The partial remains of a fresco were also found on the site, although too fragmentary to recognize a specific motif at this juncture. A number of coins discovered may help narrow down which parts of the structure were built when.
The city of Didymoteicho, called Dyme in the Hellenistic era, was conquered by Rome in 204 B.C. Three hundred years later in the early 2nd century A.D., Emperor Trajan founded a city next to it a mile from the Evros river and named it Plotinopolis after his wife, a woman with an impeccably virtuous reputation who was known as an adherent to the Epicurean school of philosophy. The town came into its own after its renaming, becoming a major trading post between Trajanopolis (now incorporated into the modern city of Alexandropolis) on the Aegean coast and Hadrianopolis (now Edirne in Turkey) to the north.
Plotinopolis had its own self-governing assembly and prospered financially, leaving behind an immense archaeological wealth even after its decline. One of the most spectacular finds of the Roman world was made in Plotinopolis. In 1965, soldiers digging a trench unearthed a beaten gold bust of Septimius Severus, now on display at the archaeological museum of Komotini. Regular excavations of the Aghia Petra hill began in 1977 and have continued off and on ever since.
The current excavation project under Matthaios Koutsoumanis began in 1996 and has revealed a number of impressive finds, including inscriptions indicating Plotinopolis was inhabited from the 2nd through the 6th century A.D. The high quality of the recently unearthed mosaic underscores the ancient importance of the city and cements its position as one of the richest archaeological sites in the Greek province of Thrace. | <urn:uuid:81d7b714-fb6c-4c17-9e20-3b96d40858ac> | {
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- Text Structure Practice
- Library to find a research book
- Pick research topic!
Homework: Finish text structure worksheet if not finished in class.
- Independent Reading/Read Research books
- Research- Narrowing down topic by making categories
- Asking research questions
- We will model and practice making categories and asking questions with our class topic first, then students will do it with their own topic
Homework: Making research categories and asking questions if not completed in class.
- Membean.com assessment
- Set up notebook for note taking- talk about different note taking strategies
- Research Cycle to take notes
- Independent Reading
- Evaluation sources- internet and book sources
- Note taking
- Library/computer lab to gather resources
Homework: Not taking/Researching
Friday: Today is a half day of school!
- Research and note taking | <urn:uuid:1049db5f-ab21-41fe-918b-5704fccb9672> | {
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There is a report on the Bowdoin College (Brunswick, Maine, USA) webpage about a public lecture I gave there last month, ‘How Some (But Only Some) Church Leaders Helped Build Peace in Northern Ireland.’
Bowdoin College is the alma mater of Senator George J Mitchell, who chaired the peace talks that produced the 1998 Good Friday/Belfast Agreement.
Bowdoin staff reporter Tom Porter focuses on my account of the peacemaking work of Fr Alec Reid and Fr Gerry Reynolds at Clonard Monastery; as well as the efforts of the group Evangelical Contribution on Northern Ireland (ECONI).
Porter concludes the article with some of my thoughts on the lessons that can be learned from Northern Ireland in terms of the role religion can play in making peace, which I have reproduced below. And while I by and large stand by my comment that ‘mainstream’ church leaders could have done more to make peace, I would add a caveat here that there was not enough time in my lecture to analyse the contributions that were made by other church leaders and even by some of the denominations themselves. Such could be the subject of many more books!
Does Religion Have a Role in Keeping the Peace? – Excerpt from Bowdoin College Report
There are some important lessons to be learned from the Northern Ireland experience about conflict resolution, said Ganiel. “One key point is that in situations where religion has played a role in the conflict, it also needs to play a part in the solution. Another key take-away is that you cannot make any progress until you’re prepared to talk to the practitioners of violence.”
These are not lessons that everyone has taken on board, she added. Although the peace has, by and large, held in Northern Ireland, the province remains a deeply segregated society, and the church on both sides of the divide shares some of the blame for this, said Ganiel.
“Religious leaders like those in ECONI and the Clonard Monastery played a crucial role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland, but they were outliers. It was left to individuals like Reid, Reynolds, and others, to do what the mainstream church leaders themselves should have been doing. Many say the churches lost legitimacy during the troubles, and they have a point.”
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[* At her departure from the Cape, it was generally conjectured that she would never reach the settlement; but her commander, Lieutenant William Kent, considered and felt the design of his voyage to be of so much importance to the colony, that he determined to run every risk; and fortunately, though with great difficulty, he succeeded.]
A most unexpected and unaccountable desertion took place in the night after the arrival of the Reliance. Two boys belonging to that ship carried away a small two-oared boat, in which they intended to proceed to the southward, and there join the natives. Being pursued, they were brought back, and gave the above account of their scheme; to effect which, they had provided themselves with a boat-cloak to sleep in, a pair of pistols, a small quantity of gun-powder, and 50 cakes of portable soup. That any one who had been accustomed to the habits of civilised life should find charms in that led by the savages of this country, was unaccountable; for, admitting that idleness was the inducement, yet whoever associated with them must accompany them wherever they went, and they were generally on the move either by day or night. They were seldom provided with more food than was sufficient for the day; and in their treacherous visitations at night, for the purposes of revenge, the European might be easily mistaken for, or confounded with, the savage. But thus it was, to the great evil of the community to which these unthinking wretches belonged.
The inhabitants of the town of Sydney having been assessed to supply thatch for the roof of the new gaol, and completed their respective proportions, the building was enclosed during this month with a strong and high fence. A building such as this had certainly been long wanted. It was 80 feet in length; the sides and ends were constructed of strong logs, a double row of which formed each partition. The whole was divided into 22 cells, the divisions of which were logs. The floor and the roof were of the same solid materials, over which was a coat 8 inches deep of stiff clay, and the roof besides was thatched. Every accommodation for prisoners was to be found in separate buildings in the prison yard, in which also was a distinct brick building for debtors, fenced off from the felon side (to use an Old Bailey distinction) by a strong and high paling.
This, enclosing a spot of ground which had been marked out on the west side of the Cove for a ship-yard, landing provisions from the transports, and completing the granary, formed the principal labour in which the public gangs were employed this month at Sydney.
The weather was remarkably dry.
The Francis returns from the wreck of the Sydney
The Eliza long-boat missing
Gale of wind
Cattle from the Cape landed
An officer dies | <urn:uuid:1b64a0a6-0883-4e06-89cd-07379eb366e8> | {
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6 weeks prior to visit
Review timeline, access online materials
4 weeks prior to visit
Present resources and online educational materials to your school's teachers at a faculty meeting using the website for Tree to Form
- Introduce Tree to Form exhibit using the information provided About the Exhibition.
- Open For Teachers and Parents
- Go over class pre- and post-visit activities via online access
- Review Tree to Form Interactive Glossary with Words in Action
- Open site for students using the “Have Fun” tab and discuss the Do It Yourself Projects and Woodworking Online Games for kids
We understand that your curricula are filled and time is tight.
- Most pre-visit activities are intended to take 15 to 30 minutes.
- The post-visit activities can be short, or longer, depending upon teacher preference.
- All resources and curricular activities have the links you need.
- By aligning the activities to fit into the Pennsylvania’s Department of Education’s Standard Aligned System we encourage incorporation into your current classroom curriculums. Each activity can be used by itself or as a platform to encourage cross-curricular thinking or real life application.
3 weeks prior to visit
1 week prior to visit
Begin to make announcements of Fun Facts About Wood. | <urn:uuid:da547e9e-6344-4eb6-8cfd-a6e42e7d088d> | {
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The training and deployment of specialist Wildlife Protection Units is a critical component of KWCI. The on-going poaching and extraction of endangered species from protected areas in Myanmar and neighbouring countries in the region presents a serious and immediate threat to the high value biodiversity of Karen State.
Insatiable demand for wildlife and pressure from illegal logging continues to increase as black markets in Asia expand. Myanmar and Thailand are major regional hubs that facilitate both the extraction and trade of endangered wildlife to supply these markets. To counter these threats and effectively secure protected areas in Karen State, two highly trained teams of rangers were deployed in December 2013. Operating under the Karen Forestry Department (KFD), these teams conduct continual monitoring and surveillance operations to ensure local and National Conservation Laws are effectively enforced.
Experts from the African Field Ranger Training College were engaged to conduct the initial training and establishment of these elite teams. More training is scheduled for 2014 and will remain an on-going priority for KWCI to ensure the effective protection of wildlife in Karen State. | <urn:uuid:5fad6833-2f2d-44eb-b2c5-b318cbae4717> | {
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(Submitted September 22, 1997)
What does the evidence tell us about the origin of the Universe and what
is the evidence that concludes this point?
The cosmological model of the origin of the Universe is a big
subject, and I will only be able to give you a short sketch in this email,
but there are many excellent books written by researchers for the general
public that you can refer to.
In 1912 American astronomer Vesto Slipher noticed that virtually
every spiral galaxy he observed had a redshifted spectrum. The
instrument he used split the light from the galaxies into a spectrum, in
the same way a prism splits the light from the Sun into a rainbow. Looking
at light in this way, you can measure the intensity as a function of wavelength.
Elements found in the galaxies each have "fingerprints": the spectral lines
they emit. Since it is straightforward to measure the wavelength at which
these spectral lines are emitted in different elements in the laboratory,
looking at the spectrum of galaxies can give us a tremendous amount of
In addition to seeing that the lines appear, astronomers can measure
how far the wavelength we see them at differs from the "rest" wavelength. If
the galaxy is moving, the lines will be Doppler shifted: they will appear
at shorter wavelengths (bluer) if moving toward us, and at longer wavelengths
(redder) if moving away. Edwin Hubble realized in the 1920s that when we
look at the motions of all of the galaxies, measured in this way, there is
a definite trend. The galaxies are speeding away from each other, consistent
with a general expansion of the Universe. This was the first observational
evidence to indicate an initial starting point of the Universe as a sort of
explosion, from which everything is now still expanding. This is called the
Big Bang. Hubble noticed that the measured recession velocity of a galaxy
was proportional to its distance from us. This is called Hubble's Law, and
the constant of proportionality is called the Hubble constant---the value of
which is currently still a very active area of modern observational astronomy.
Hubble's Law has a very interesting implication for the history of
the Universe. If we know how fast something is traveling away from us, it
is a simple matter to calculate how long it has taken that thing to reach
its present distance. If we assume the velocities of the galaxies we measure
have been constant in time, then we can conclude that at a time= 1./(Hubble
constant) all the galaxies were virtually at the same location, starting their
expansion. This time turns out to be about 13 billion years (using a value
of the Hubble constant of 75 kilometers per second per megaparsec). It is
this beginning that is known as the Big Bang.
The Big Bang theory has many predictions. In the 1940s, physicist
George Gamow realized that the very early Universe must have been very
dense and very hot. As the Universe expanded and cooled down, this hot
radiation should cool down, eventually being observable in the radio region
of the spectrum. In the 1960s Penzias and Wilson discovered the cosmic
microwave background radiation: a uniform radio hiss that implied a temperature
of about 3 degrees Kelvin. Later, the COsmic Background Explorer (COBE) took
very detailed measurements of the spectrum and spatial distribution of this
radiation, confirmed that it is extremely uniform, is of the spectral shape
predicted by theory, and corresponds to a temperature of 2.7 degrees Kelvin.
This observation provides strong support for the Big Bang theory.
There are many fascinating branches of the story that I haven't even
mentioned. Here are some references you should look at:
S. Hawking "A Brief History of Time", C. Sagan, "Cosmos", S. Weinberg "The
First Three Minutes". All are extremely readable, and written by great
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From the American Heritage Book of English Usage:
Okay, Could You Explain
Just What A Gerund Is?
Gerunds are verb forms ending in -ing that act as nouns. They can be the subject of a sentence (Skiing is her favorite sport), the object of a verb (She enjoys skiing), or the object of a preposition (She devoted her free time to skiing). Gerunds can be modified like nouns (That book makes for difficult reading). But they can also act like verbs in that they can take an object (Convincing him was never easy) and be modified by an adverb (Walking daily can improve your health).
gerund and possessives (fused participle). Some people insist that when a gerund is preceded by a noun or pronoun, the noun or pronoun must be in the possessive case. Accordingly, it is correct to say I can understand his wanting to go, but incorrect to say I can understand him wanting to go. But the construction without the possessive, sometimes called the fused participle, has been used by respected writers for 300 years and is perfectly idiomatic. Moreover, there is often no way to “fix” the construction by inserting the possessive. This is often the case with common nouns. Thus you can say We have had very few instances of luggage being lost, but not … of luggage’s being lost.
Sometimes syntax makes using the possessive impossible. Consider the sentence What she objects to is men making more money than women for the same work. Changing men making to men’s making not only sounds awkward, but it requires women’s at the other end to keep the sentence parallel, and women’s simply does not work.
Be aware that sometimes nouns ending in -s can be confused with a singular noun in the possessive. Thus I don’t approve of your friend’s going there indicates one friend is going, and I don’t approve of your friends going there indicates that more than one friend is going. | <urn:uuid:b7fd7155-6f43-4275-a2b8-32ceb9e478e3> | {
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WASHINGTON — Climate warming could spell disaster for much of the multibillion-dollar U.S. wine industry.
Areas suitable for growing premium wine grapes could be reduced by 50 percent — and possibly as much as 81 percent — by the end of this century, according to a study Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The paper indicates increasing weather problems for grapes in such areas as California’s Napa and Sonoma valleys.
The main problem: An increase in the frequency of extremely hot days, according to Noah Diffenbaugh of the department of earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue University.
Grapes used in premium wines need a consistent climate. When temperatures top about 95 degrees they have problems maintaining photosynthesis and the sugars in the grapes can break down, Diffenbaugh said in a telephone interview.
“We have very long-term studies of how this biological system (of vineyards) responds to climate,” said Diffenbaugh, and that gives the researchers confidence in their projection. Diffenbaugh is a co-author of the paper.
Scientists and environmental experts have become increasingly alarmed in recent years by accumulating gasses such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as a result of the burning of fossil fuels.
A panel of climate scientists convened by the National Academy of Sciences reported last month that the Earth is heating up and “human activities are responsible for much of the recent warming.” The scientists said average global surface temperatures rose by about 1 degree in the 20th century. While that may not sound like much, many blame it for melting glaciers, weather changes — perhaps even more hurricanes — and threats of spreading diseases.
'Huge concern' for industry
James Kennedy, a professor of food science and technology at Oregon State University, said he was shocked by the report on the potential effects on wine grapes.
“The lion’s share of the industry is in California, so it’s a huge concern from a wine quality standpoint,” he said. For people in the industry “this paper is going to be a bit of a shocker.”
While problems are seen for California wine country, the paper suggests grape-growing conditions might improve in parts of the Northwest and Northeast.
However, the researchers note that the Northeastern and Northwestern states have higher humidity levels than the current top wine regions.
High humidity is associated with fungus outbreaks and other potential growing problems, Diffenbaugh said, “so it could be very expensive to produce premium wines in those areas.”
“Our simulations suggest that the area suitable for the production of premium wine grapes will both contract and shift over the next century,” the researchers concluded.
“Production potential was almost completely eliminated in the Southwest and central United States; only high elevations were marginally suitable in the Intermountain West,” they reported.
Some favorable regions remain in coastal California, Oregon, Washington and New England.
Lesson from Vikings?
A thousand years ago when Viking explorers arrived on the coasts of eastern Canada and New England they named the region Vinland, a designation that has perplexed many historians since grapes are uncommon there now.
The weather was warmer then, however.
In Medieval times there were vineyards in England that were later knocked out by a colder period known as the Little Ice Age, Diffenbaugh recalled. Now, wine grapes are being grown in England again.
The research was supported by the National Science Foundation, National Center for Atmospheric Research and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:8460d4f0-3248-4cf8-8f44-1aa7164366f1> | {
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A new study of Gulf War veterans found an association between poor sleep quality and reduced gray matter volume in the brain's frontal lobe, which helps control important processes such as working memory and executive function.
"Previous imaging studies have suggested that sleep disturbances may be associated with structural brain changes in certain regions of the frontal lobe," said lead author Linda Chao, associate adjunct professor in the Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. "The surprising thing about this study is that it suggests poor sleep quality is associated with reduced gray matter volume throughout the entire frontal lobe and also globally in the brain."
Results show that poorer subjective sleep quality was associated with reduced total cortical and regional frontal lobe gray matter volumes after controlling for potentially confounding variables such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, Gulf War Illness, trauma exposure and psychotropic medication use. The study may help explain the link between poor sleep quality and impaired psychosocial, physical and occupational functioning.
"This study emphasizes the importance of seeking medical help if you are troubled by the poor quality of your sleep," said American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr. M. Safwan Badr. "A board certified sleep medicine physician can identify the cause of your sleep problem and develop an effective treatment plan for you."
The cross-sectional study was led by senior author Dr. Thomas Neylan, professor in the UCSF psychiatry department and director of PTSD research and deputy associate chief of staff for research at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco. His research team conducted a secondary analysis of imaging and clinical data of 144 Gulf War veterans.
Total cortical, lobar gray matter, and hippocampal volumes were quantified from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and subjective sleep quality was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the association of sleep quality with total and regional brain volumes.
According to the authors, the cross-sectional design of the study did not allow them to determine a causal relationship between sleep and frontal lobe volume. They noted that additional research is needed to determine if effective treatment of disturbed sleep leads to improved structural and functional integrity of the frontal lobes.
Sleep is one of the three key components of health that make up the Performance Triad, Army Medicine's operational approach to help soldiers optimize their own health in order to improve their performance and resiliency.
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Testing for broken fibers, the Integrity Test or IT.
The Integrity Test (IT) procedure drains an entire rack of modules of water and then pressurizes the casing of the modules on the outside of the hollow fibers with air to 30 psi . The fibers must hold air pressure for 5 minutes without a pressure decay of more than .289 psi. When a rack shows signs of air decay, we check the clear coupling at the top of the modules for visible signs of bubbles from the module. This test is done daily to ensure that none of the hollow fibers have broken. If an air molecule can get through the wall of a fiber, so can other contaminants in the water get into the fitlered water.
When the Integrity Test results in a module displaying air bubbles rising from the fibers…….., locating, isolating and plugging the broken fiber(s) is accomplished by the process called “pinning”.
A module has 6,350 individual hollow fibers bundled together inside a 6″ PVC housing. The raw water enters the lower end of a module through 1/2″ molded ports in a solid epoxy plug that encases and seals the lower end of all 6,350 individual fibers. The water floods the entire module around the outside of the hollow fibers. The water is forced through the micro pourus skin of the fibers and into the hollow center of the tiny hollow tubes, this is where the filtration action occurs. Water passes through, contaminants are stopped and trapped on the skin of the fibers. At the upper end of the module there is another epoxy plug, but this time only the tiny, open ends of the hollow fibers have an opening and the 1/2″ molded ports are sealed off. From these thousands of hollow fibers, clean, filtered water flows out of the module and into the finished water collection header.
This picture is the upper end of the module with the top cap removed. The bubbles indicate broken fibers and are allowing air to enter those fibers. These “bubbling” fibers we must “plug” or “pin” which isolates and inactivates the broken fiber because it is no longer an effective tool for filtering out contaminates.
When the module displays bubbles in the upper, clear coupling, we drain the rack and open the leaking module. We carefully bring up the air pressure to the rack and we now observe the open module and watch for where the bubbles are coming from. As the bubbles begin forming, we use our finger to locate the proximity of the leaking fiber. Finding the general area of the leaking fiber(s) we then use a stainless steel pin to locate the exact fiber that is producing the bubbles. As we gently press the tip of the pin into the end of the fiber we can finally find the leaking fiber. Pressing the pin into the fiber end we then gently tap the pin down into leaking fiber and that fiber becomes isolated from the bundle of fibers and becomes a dead end. Other fibers may still be bubbling, continue the isolation process until all leaking fibers have been pinned. Cut off the excess portion of pin that is sticking up to ensure that the top cap does not touch the pins. Assemble the module and bring the rack back on line.
You may see bubbles occur from the modules as you fill the rack and bring it on line, this is normal because the racks have been drained of water during the “Pinning” process, and you are forcing the air from the fibers as water floods into the membrane. We have found that running an RF after filling the rack really helps in purging out the rest of the air from when we pinned the module.
Do you have any questions, comments, suggestions, experiences you want to share? [email protected] | <urn:uuid:20513764-6e05-49b5-ab30-d26b6b291108> | {
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We are biased to believe that what others are telling us is the truth. Researchers call this the “truth bias”. But why are we truth biased?
The traditional account sees the bias as an error in judgment, resulting from default or automatic ways of thinking that we just can’t control – in short, people are thought to be naïve and gullible, which is built into the very structure of how they think (e.g., Gilbert et al., 1990). But our account argues that the truth bias is not an error nor an uncontrollable way of thinking – rather, the bias is an indication of how people are making smart and informed guesses. This is embodied in the Adaptive Lie Detector or ALIED theory (Street, 2015).
Because the clues to deception are highly unreliable (DePaulo et al., 2003), we usually have to make a guess if someone is lying to us or not. How do we make that guess? We can rely on more general information about the context – for instance, most people tell the truth most of the time in our daily lives (Halevy et al., 2013). So it makes sense to guess people are telling the truth more often than guessing they are lying – and this, ALIED argues, is the source of the truth bias. If people expect others to lie, then, they should show a lie bias when they are unsure – and this is what we see (Street & Richardson, 2015a).
We have shown that general context information (most people will lie/tell the truth) has little effect when there are highly reliable clues. But as those clues become less and less reliable, people rely on more generalized context information to make an informed guess (Street, Bischof, Vadillo & Kingstone, 2015).
But what if people are not forced into making a lie-truth judgment at all? If they are usually guessing because the clues are usually unreliable, then presumably we can get rid of the truth bias by not forcing people into guessing. This is exactly what we have found. We find that people look like they can’t help but believe everything they hear (Gilbert et al., 1990), but that’s only because they are forced into guessing. When they can explicitly say they are unsure, this bias disappears (Street & Kingstone, 2016; Street & Richardson, 2015b).
In Street (2015), ALIED theory is outlined by building on research from decision making, person perception, child development, psycholinguistic, and neuropsychological evidence, amongst other subdisciplines. The theory also has clear impact for the practitioner: to increase lie detection, we need either to make the clues to deception more telling, or else we need to reduce the bias by preventing context-based guesses.
In a recent book chapter (Street, Masip, & Kenny, in press), we have argued that even a simple theory like ALIED can generate detailed research streams, with a number of as-yet untested predictions outlined.
Street, C. N. H., Bischof, W. F., Vadillo, M. A., & Kingstone, A. (2015). Inferring others’ hidden thoughts: People make smart guesses in low diagnostic worlds. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 29(5), 539-549. doi: 10.1002/bdm.1904. [pdf] [blog]
Street, C. N. H., Masip, J., & Kenny, M. (2018). Understanding lie detection biases with the Adaptive Lie Detector theory (ALIED): A boundedly rational approach. Manuscript in press.
Street, C. N. H., & Masip, J. (2015). The source of the truth bias: Heuristic processing? Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 56, 254-263. [pdf]
Street, C. N. H., & Richardson, D. C. (2015a). Lies, damn lies and expectations: How base rates inform lie-truth judgments. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 29(1), 149-155. [pdf]
Street, C. N. H., & Richardson, D. C. (2015b). Descartes versus Spinoza: Truth, Uncertainty and Bias. Social Cognition, 33(3), 227-239. [pdf] | <urn:uuid:c663c1ba-1091-478d-b774-7fceb1cee0bd> | {
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