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Chemical Weapons: Made in Europe
Amateur videos show police in Bahrain shooting gas grenades into houses – a practice banned under international law. As the houses fill with suffocating tear gas, seniors and children die first. At least 39 people are known to have died like this – a small figure in comparison to the 1,400 Syrians killed by Sarin gas last summer. But both attacks shared one thing in common: the chemicals were later traced back to Europe.
As western democracies are outraged by the use of chemical weapons – a crossed line since World War I -, this investigation reveals their hypocrisy. The Syrian regime bought chemicals from the UK, Germany and most probably, France. In Irak in 1988, Saddam Hussein slaughtered civilians in Halabja using chemical weapons. French companies have a responsibility in this massacre.
This investigation goes worldwide to reveal how Bashar Al-Assad, the dictatorship in Bahrain and Saddam Hussein were all able to buy all needed ingredients to make “DIY” chemical weapons prohibited by the international community. | <urn:uuid:8c4b8be0-798e-4808-8099-8ede91687432> | {
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The following is an update to a previous LabNotes post. The updated version was recently featured on the USDA and Forest Service blogs:
At the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), researchers sometimes get a little destructive. They bend and break wood samples of all sizes, and even shoot lumber out of a cannon at 100 miles per hour.
But explosions? That’s a bit out of their wheelhouse. Not that wood can’t handle it. Particularly when it’s used in engineered products like cross-laminated timber, or CLT, which FPL researchers have studied from many angles, including fire performance, use in earthquake-prone regions, and the effects of moisture on CLT. Made of alternating layers of dried lumber boards stacked at 90-degree angles, CLT is exceptionally strong and stable and can be used as walls, roofs, and floors in mid-rise buildings.
Recent tests of CLT structures show just how tough this material can be. In 2016 the Forest Service Wood Innovations program initiated live blast testing of CLT by Woodworks at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida. Based on the successful results of that testing, the Forest Products Lab, in cooperation with Woodworks and the Softwood Lumber Board, led a second round of live blast testing in 2017.
The objective of these studies was to demonstrate the capability of CLT structures to resist airblast loads, thereby allowing the military to incorporate mass timber materials like CLT into their construction projects. The structures survived blasts with charges large enough to potentially cause lethal injuries.
Tests were performed on three structures two stories high, each made of a different grade of CLT, all including window and door openings. The first set of tests were conducted under the structures’ own self-weight. For the second set, a load was applied to simulate the conditions associated with a five-story residential or office building. For some tests, variables in CLT panels and fasteners were altered.
The tests covered a spectrum of blast loads, and the results are promising. After the first set of tests, all structures remained intact, and the levels of damage were acceptable and matched what models predicted. All three structures remained standing after the second tests as well, even after the last blast that was intended to take the structures well beyond their design intent. Panel rupture was expected and observed, but the buildings remained intact and safe to enter.
To view all the first-round tests, you can watch WoodWorks’ CLT Massive Wall Blast Tests and you can watch our favorite – WoodWorks’ CLT Blast Testing: Test 3. While not a dramatic view of the explosion itself, this high-speed shot shows the wood panels moving with the force of the blast without being destroyed.
The results of these studies will be used to further expand the use of wood solutions for Department of Defense applications and other blast-resistant construction. The information gathered will allow engineers to use mass timber solutions where they were not previously permitted, potentially increasing market share for wood-based materials.
The Forest Service plays a lead role in researching and promoting CLT in the U.S. to open up new markets for wood products. Using smaller wood that might serve as fuel for wildfires as building materials helps reduce the damage posed by forest fires while bringing jobs back to rural communities. | <urn:uuid:e34a8d48-f74c-4551-bb86-3a0151fe5555> | {
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WinRAR to Extract and Compress Files
What and Why
WinRAR, a Windows utility to condense and expand files, is installed on college-administered Windows computers. Use WinRAR to backup and compress data, reduce the size of attachments you want to email to others, uncompress RAR, ZIP, and other files downloaded from Internet, and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file formats.
If you have gotten email with an attachment that ends in .zip or .rar, you’ll need a program like WinRAR to extract those files. [Note that on the college email system, attachments that have extensions like .zip are automatically renamed: filename.zip.virus-scan-me.virus-scan-me. After scanning the file to verify that it does not contain a virus, rename the file by removing the .virus-scan-me.virus-scan-me extension. Then double-click to launch WinRAR or start WinRAR from Start | All Programs | WinRAR
Supported File Types
WinRAR handles these compression formats: RAR, ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, ACE, TAR, GZip, UUE, BZ2, JAR, and ISO.
To extract files from a compressed format, right click on the file and select Extract files... or Extract Here or Extract to filename (shown). Extract files... lets you choose where the extracted files will be saved. Extract Here puts the files in the same directory as the compressed file. Extract to filename creates a folder with filename in the current folder and puts the extracted files there.
You can also go to Start | All Programs | Utilities | WinRAR, then use the file browser to locate the compressed file or folder. Select the files or folders that need to be extracted and continue as above.
If you select Extract files..., the Extraction path and options dialogue box (shown) opens. Select the folder to save in and set the Update and Overwrite modes. Click OK.
Creating Compressed Files
Because disk quota is always a finite resource, you may find that you need to archive files to free up space for other files. You can put archive files on a floppy disk, a ZIP disk, a flash drive, a CD or DVD, as well as leaving them on the local hard drive or network drive. Another reason to compress a file is to email a large file to someone whose mail space does not allow receiving a file as large as the uncompressed version. In both cases you can use WinRAR to compress files.
Go to Start | All Programs | Utilities | WinRAR to start the program. Use the file browser to change directories to the location of the file(s) or folder(s) you want to compress. Select the file(s) or folder(s); press the Ctrl key to select multiple files/folders. Click the Add icon at the top of the window or go to Commands | Add files to archive or press Alt + A. The Archive name and parameters dialogue box (shown ) opens.
Archive name: Name your archive; “software_docs.rar” in this example. Leave the .rar extension.
Archive format: Select RAR to take advantage of WinRAR’s superior compression and encryption. Select ZIP if you are creating a file for someone who does not use WinRAR.
Update mode: The possibilities are Add and replace files, Add and update files, Fresh existing files only, and Synchronize archive contents. Select as appropriate.
Compression method: Select a compression method: Store, Fastest, Fast, Normal, Good, Best. If speed is your concern, set to Fast or Fastest. If you want the highest compression possible, select Good or Best. Normal compression is good for regular backups.
Help: Click the Help button for information about the options.
Creating spanning archives
If you need to break a large files into small chunks (to fit onto a 1.44MB floppy disk, for example), follow the above instructions. Use the .rar extension and RAR format. Select the desired individual file size needed in Split to volumes, bytes, as shown.
Creating self-extracting archives
To create a compressed file that extracts itself when you double click on its icon, follow the instructions above, but select Create SFX archive under Archiving options.
Help and Other Information
See the consultant at the Engineering Help Desk, 1253 SC, 319-335-5055, for help using WinRAR. Use Help inside the WinRAR program.
Visit WinRAR's help site for information regarding other options and settings. | <urn:uuid:5ac051c1-eed5-4125-b22d-3a1908d7dc39> | {
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Life in the Undergrowth
An insect disguises itself as a flower or leaf. A spider lassoes its prey. A beetle persuades a bee to care for its young. This beautifully ... Show synopsis An insect disguises itself as a flower or leaf. A spider lassoes its prey. A beetle persuades a bee to care for its young. This beautifully illustrated book by veteran naturalist Sir David Attenborough offers a rare glimpse into the secret life of invertebrates, the world's tiniest--and most fascinating--creatures. Small by virtue of their lack of backbones, this group of living things plays a surprisingly large role in the evolutionary cycle. These diverse creatures (more than one million species are believed to exist) roamed the earth before us and will still be here when we have gone. They are the pollinators, cleaners, and recyclers of life on earth. Without them, we would not last long. Attenborough has studied and enjoyed these diminutive beings since he was a schoolboy in the Leicestershire countryside of England. "Life in the Undergrowth," part of his innovative series on natural history topics, looks at invertebrates the world over: their arrival on land and mastery of every habitat, and their fantastic variety of hunting, mating, and highly organized social behaviors. Adults are prejudiced against insects--handicapped by their ignorance and fears and limited by their size and vision. Children, who are closer to insects in size, notice and enjoy the tiny creatures. In this companion book to the Animal Planet television program, Attenborough shares his childlike curiosity for invertebrates, taking us down wormholes and into insect homes for an up-close-and-personal look at their habitats. As the biblical book of Proverbs implores: "Go to the ant, thou sluggard: consider her ways and be wise." David Attenborough does go. It is worth going with him. | <urn:uuid:6969ab69-6092-4f40-b25c-299ee83d9b79> | {
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is the second volume of William Manchester's brilliant three-volume biography of Winston Churchill. In this volume, we witness the war within, before the colossal war to come. During this period, Churchill was tested as few men are: relentlessly pursued by creditors, disowned by his own party, vociferously dismissed by the press as a warmonger, and twice nearly lost his seat in Parliament. Yet despite his personal and political troubles, Churchill managed to assemble a vast, underground intelligence network-both within the British government and on the continent-which provided him with more complete and accurate information on Germany than the British government. Recognizing the horrifying truth, Churchill stood almost alone against Nazi aggression and the sordid British and French policy of appeasement.
Manchester's luminous portrait never loses sight of Churchill the man-a man with limitations, especially his callousness toward others (including his supporters) and his recklessness, which could border on the foolhardy; but also a man whose vision was global and whose courage was boundless. Here is Churchill as a light in the approaching darkness, readying himself for the terrible stand to come. | <urn:uuid:b86e2bb7-6f0a-40ab-a206-752526e25b98> | {
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Botanical surveys of sensitive plant species and vegetation communities for use in project initiation and planning is a core WRA service. Our team of botanists has extensive experience conducting plant surveys according to protocols required by state and federal agencies: we prepare Biological Resources Assessments, Mitigation and Monitoring Plans, and Long-term Management Plans for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife in compliance with State and Federal Endangered Species Acts. Notably, we have also worked in a variety of protected habitats across California including native needlegrass grassland, riparian, oak woodland, coastal scrub, tidal marsh, and more.
Whether a project requires a baseline rare plant survey or analyses of potential impacts coupled with a mitigation or restoration plan for rare species or vegetation, WRA possesses the requisite knowledge and know-how. | <urn:uuid:3eb08098-6a69-48e8-a7bd-9701fb7b9ee0> | {
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Teaching Your Child About Asthma
by Anthony Martinez, BS, and Richard W. Honsinger, MD, MACP, FAAAAI
Your child has just been diagnosed with asthma. Are you ready to explain this complex disease in terms your child can understand? Here are some tips.
Keep it simple.
Don’t get bogged down in the details. When explaining asthma to your child, use simple terms. Making use of diagrams can help describe the disease to your child. Asthma is a temporary blocking of airways due to tightening of muscle surrounding the airways, mucous buildup in the airways, or swelling (inflammation) of the airways.
Talk about triggers.
Diagnosing the precise cause of asthma is sometimes difficult because two or more triggers may be present in one child. Examples of common asthma triggers are
- allergens, such as pollen or pets;
- irritants, such as second-hand smoke;
- medicines (over the counter or prescription);
- exercise (known as exercise-induced asthma); and
- colds, other viruses, or respiratory infections.
Knowing what causes your child’s symptoms is important. An allergist has specialized training and experience to help determine what is causing your child’s asthma and how to treat it.
Talk to your physician about current treatment guidelines for children with asthma. Your physician should take an active role in making sure both you and your child know how to properly use an inhaler, a nebulizer, a spacer, a peak flow meter, and any other medicines or devices that are needed for proper treatment and management.
Prepare for an emergency.
Despite your best efforts, your child may experience severe asthma symptoms that make it hard to breathe. It may be necessary for your child to have more than one inhaler. A short-acting inhaler, or rescue inhaler, helps quickly relieve the tightening of the muscle surrounding the airways. This inhaler is used in addition to daily treatment prescribed by your doctor; it is not a replacement. Put a sticker on the rescue inhaler or write “Rescue” or “911” in bold along the side of the inhaler so your child can easily identify it in the event of an emergency.
Source: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, www.aaaai.org
This article was originally published in Coping® with Allergies & Asthma magazine, July/August 2011. | <urn:uuid:9636ff66-5457-41e9-9b49-66a06ce90d86> | {
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Cellulose-Based Hydrogels and Methods of Making Thereof
Ocular bandages are used to treat abrasions and ocular surface damage caused by particulates and/or chemical exposure. Ideally, these bandages would be “ready to apply”; suitable for immediate field application by a nonprofessional; provide protection to the injured eye; release antibiotics to decrease risk of secondary infection; and be compatible with an ocular adhesive. However, there is currently no biomaterial with sufficient strength and transparency to facilitate ocular wound healing. Current bandages lack sufficient strength for robust surgical handling, are expensive, or are not readily available because they require donor tissue.
In response to this need, a team of materials researchers from The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins has synthesized a new class of cellulose fiber-reinforced hydrogel composites with the strength, transparency, and biocompatibility required for ocular applications. Specifically, cellulose fibers were used because of their biocompatibility, enhanced wound-healing properties, high strength, and ability to be processed into transparent gels. After carrying out extensive optical, mechanical, and oxygen permeability characterization studies of a panel of hydrogels composed of different cellulose varieties, the team developed a cellulose hydrogel synthesis method to obtain a hydrogel of the desired curvature, size, and thickness. In addition, the biocompatibility of the new material has been demonstrated through keratocyte cell culture experiments. Finally, the adhesive computability and functionalization of the material has been evaluated.
The team anticipates conducting near-term pilot surgical studies using cadaver eyes from tissue banks and carrying out additional work to further optimize the cellulose hydrogel material. The team is also working on the additional application of using the material to create an artificial cornea.
Patent Status: U.S. patent(s) 8,871,016 issued.CONTACT:
Dr. G. R. Jacobovitz
Phone: (443) 778-9899 | <urn:uuid:33e5399e-2a6b-429e-97b0-e881ee084bf0> | {
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The country I chose for this assignment is Russia. In order to prepare myself to be culturally responsive to a family with this country of origin, I would do the following things:
- Ask the child to bring in pictures of his/her family and create a “My Family” book for the student to share with the class and have easy access to each day in order to feel more secure and comfortable in the classroom.
- Based on the fact that families are large and the family structure is so important to Russians, invite the whole family into the classroom for a “meet and greet” session.
- To better understand the family’s home life and structure, I would give the child an opportunity to draw their family and who lives in their home and then share this drawing with their class.
- Because grandmothers are often a lifeline of support to Russian families, I would want to incorporate and introduce this person to the classroom and create opportunities for her to volunteer in the classroom or come to a grandparent’s day.
- To give his/her classmates more of an opportunity to learn about Russian food, language, and other elements, I would create a share time in which students could bring in elements reflecting their cultural backgrounds.
I think these preparations would be beneficial to both myself and the family because it would advocate for the child and family in transitioning to a new culture. It would help in fostering a safe place for the child and would help in cultivating a relationship with the student and partnership with the parents.
(n.d.). In MasterRussian.com. Retrieved February 21, 2015, from http://masterrussian.com/russianculture/russian_family.htm | <urn:uuid:fa81675d-fad3-48b3-aa38-2be675abce44> | {
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In order for nanoparticles in sunscreens to be considered dangerous, they have to firstly penetrate the skin, then go somewhere they can do significant damage. For now, there is no solid proof this can happen.
How it works
To get through the skin, the particles have to be small enough. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are often manufactured in nano-size particles, but they tend to clump together. These “clumps” are known as “aggregates”, which can in turn clump together to form "agglomerates". While agglomerates break up fairly easily, aggregates require enormous amounts of energy to break up, and wouldn’t do so in the normal use of sunscreens. Sunscreen maker Hamilton Laboratories commissioned testing of their own sunscreens, which contained primary particles in the nano range, but in the finished products found no nanoparticles, suggesting the primary particles had formed larger aggregates. When we tested sunscreens in 2010, we found few nano-size particles present in sunscreens, suggesting either the primary particles were mostly aggregating or that the primary particle size used was larger than the nano-range.
What manufacturers say
Manufacturers argue that aggregates over 100nm don’t qualify as nanoparticles because they’re too big; however, critics argue the aggregates still have similar properties to nano-particles – one of which is high reactivity due to a large surface area – which could be an issue if they penetrate the skin.
Some manufacturers prefer to keep the particles from aggregating because it improves the transparency of the product. Nanoparticles can be coated so they don't aggregate. However, these coated nanoparticles are less reactive than uncoated particles, so even if they do penetrate the skin, they may not do much damage.
What scientists say
Can nanoparticles really penetrate the skin?
The key to the safety debate is whether the nanoparticles can penetrate the outer “dead” layer of skin into underlying live tissue where they can penetrate living cells and cause damage. Under laboratory conditions with pieces of skin tissue, scientists have been able to get nanoparticles to pass through the tissue. However, research to date has not found this to be true in 'live' healthy, intact skin, although there’s some suggestion they may penetrate mechanically stressed skin (when exercising, for example) or broken skin (caused by acne, psoriasis or wounds). An Australian study found that when zinc nano-compounds were applied to skin, tiny amounts of zinc had penetrated. But it was unclear whether it was actually the nanoparticles themselves, or zinc ions from the nanoparticles which had dissolved and diffused through the skin. Ions are not the same as nanoparticles - and zinc itself is an essential nutrient. If they penetrate, the nanoparticles have to be sufficient in quantity to have a measurable or noticeable impact.
How much gets through?
In studies where researchers successfully get metal oxide ions to penetrate skin, the amount getting through appears to be tiny.
Do metal pigment nanoparticles cause DNA damage in living cells?
If the nanoparticle makes its way to living tissue, it has to enter the cell and access cellular components such as mitochondria and DNA. Studies using cultured human or mammalian cells, bacteria or naked DNA to test the effect of nanoparticles of all kinds have found damage to DNA. However, in almost all cases the nanoparticles tested were not directly comparable with nano metal oxides: they were different forms of particle or different substances (and the substances tested were often more hazardous than zinc or titanium). As such, results cannot be generalised between different forms of nanoparticles and different substances.
Living cells have all sorts of protective mechanisms against oxidative damage that aren’t necessarily present in the laboratory cells, and certainly not present in naked bacterial DNA. Some scientists have been confident that these protective mechanisms will kick into action against nano-sunscreens. However, a recent study of mice who'd been given titanium dioxide nanoparticles in their drinking water found significant DNA and chromosomal damage occurred. So, no protective effect evident.
What the regulators say
At present, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which has jurisdiction over sunscreens, does not distinguish between nano- and non-nano variants of a particular ingredient. However, it hasn’t been completely oblivious to their emergence in the market, and conducted two large research reviews in 2006 and 2009.
It concludes “there is evidence from isolated cell experiments that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can induce free radical formation in the presence of light and this may damage these cells. However, this would only be of concern in people using sunscreens if the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide penetrated into viable skin cells. The weight of current evidence is that they remain on the surface of the skin and in the outer dead layer of the skin.”
Regulators in most other countries also tend to focus on “new chemicals” and existing chemicals produced at the nanoscale are not considered to be “new” for regulatory purposes, despite their differing properties. In Europe, however, cosmetics will soon be required to indicate the presence of nanoparticles in their ingredients labelling. The TGA, in cooperation with international agencies, is continuing to monitor scientific research.
The weight of evidence shows that not using sunscreen is more dangerous than using sunscreen, given there is no firm evidence that nanoparticles found in sunscreens can penetrate the skin and make their way to living cells. But a lack of evidence doesn’t mean it can’t happen; more research is needed, preferably using real people and relevant products. This is reason enough to invoke the precautionary principle, and nanoparticles should be proven to be safe before they hit the market. Some companies have found ways to make larger, non-nanoparticle forms of zinc oxide transparent, and there are also ways of treating nanoparticles so they’re less reactive. We would prefer to see these technologies be used. We want nanoparticles to be labelled on products so consumers can choose to avoid them if they’re concerned. | <urn:uuid:eb704ce2-2369-4c86-bf54-dc80edca2d57> | {
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AUG 8, 2011
The British 'Schindler' who saved Austrian Jews (BBC News)
The British 'Schindler' who saved Austrian Jews
By Mike Thomson
The controversial work of the Reverend Hugh Grimes - which began the day after Nazi Germany annexed Austria - is little recognised yet it led to what could be called Britain's own "Schindler's list".
It all began with the Anschluss (annexation), when Hitler made Austria part of the Third Reich just before the start of World War II.
Thousands of people lined the streets of Vienna to cheer the arrival of his troops, who came officially to unite all German-speaking peoples.
But this was the start of terrible times for the country's Jewish population, then one of the largest in Europe.
Many were beaten in the streets and forced to scrub Vienna's pavements. Hundreds of people are thought to have committed suicide.
Lucien Meysels, now 86, remembers those dark days well.
"As we walked back home, suddenly the mob was coming in - a howling mob, which I've never seen before. Smashing shop windows, just barbaric. That moment we knew we had to get out, and had to get out fast."
The Reverend Hugh Grimes was chaplain of Christ Church in Vienna, a little piece of England in Austria.
Concerned about what he saw happening around him, he came up with a plan.
Before long, the trickle of baptisms at his church - which mainly catered for British embassy staff and other expatriates in the city - turned into a flood.
British artist Christopher Wentworth-Stanley, who lives in Vienna, has been researching this story for many years.
Much of this time has been spent poring over a collection of old blue ledgers belonging to the church.
These contain the many names of Jews baptised there in 1938. There is, he says, a discernable pattern in the timing of these services.
"You can actually fit the baptisms to the chronology of what was going on in Vienna. On the 23 July, the identity card was introduced with a "J" on it.
On the day after that, 129 people were baptised here. The following day there were 229. I mean, the church itself only sits 125 people."
Before long, baptism queues were forming down the street outside Christ Church.
The reason for all this appears to be the hope that baptism certificates would help the city's increasingly persecuted Jews escape the country.
Historian Giles MacDonogh has been researching how this could work.
"If you had a particularly stroppy border guard, he might have said 'You're a Jew and not an Anglican, and no, you can't leave the country'.
"But in many cases that didn't happen. Providing you had baptismal papers that showed you were not a Jew but a Christian, you could pass into any one of those countries which did not see at that stage - like many countries - that Judaism was not a racial thing but simply a religious matter."
As the numbers of Jews baptised at the Church grew, so did concern among senior members of the Church of England.
They had begun to view this sudden wave of baptisms in Vienna as little more than conversions of convenience, performed for political rather than religious reasons.
When the Reverend Grimes returned to England in the summer of 1938, he was told that he would not be returning to Vienna. But his replacement at Christ Church, the Reverend Fred Collard, continued to baptise hundreds more Austrian Jews.
Little is known about what those in the Jewish religion thought about the controversial conversions back then.
But looking back, Jewish historian Professor David Cesarani of Royal Holloway, University of London, is appalled by what appears to him like a crass recruitment exercise of vulnerable people by a proselytising church.
"Any Christians who took advantage of the pressure on Jews to baptise them were doing just that. They were using leverage of the most terrible sort.
"There were many other ways that members of the Christian clergy could have helped Jews - offering hiding places, false papers and other kinds of assistance."
There is no evidence to suggest that the Reverend Hugh Grimes or his replacement Fred Collard were motivated by anything other than a desire to help Vienna's Jews flee the country.
As many as 1,800 Jews had been given baptism certificates before the conversions were finally stopped by an increasingly critical Church of England.
There has been little recognition of what happened since then.
This could be down to concerns about these controversial baptisms among members of both the Christian and Jewish faiths.
It might also be due to the fact that Austria's surviving Jews went to many different places and it is almost impossible to know how much of a role these baptism certificates played in aiding their escape.
But Randy Schoenberg - whose great uncle, Egon Zeisl, escaped from Austria in 1938 - has nothing but praise for the help Vienna's Jews were offered.
Randy, who lives in California, only discovered his uncle's baptism certificate a few weeks ago. He is very keen that what he calls Hugh Grimes' bravery be remembered.
"He was someone with an extremely good heart who saw desperate people in need and offered them at least a hope of escape from Austria. I think he really is an unsung hero of that terrible period."
Randy plans to display the certificate in the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum to help ensure that the deeds of the Reverend Hugh Grimes are never forgotten.
Listen to Mike Thomson's full report in Document on Monday 8 August 20:00 BST BBC Radio 4. Or catch up later on the BBC iPlayer.
Go to BBC News to see pictures and the entire article. | <urn:uuid:0ce8e072-9c24-4f81-b926-a33e45341431> | {
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Reporting from SoCap 2010:
There’s a lot of buzz in the social and environmental sector about the innovative entrepreneurs who are changing the mindset of business as purely profit-driven. But what about the large, established multinationals of the world? Are these companies, with their massive infrastructure and wide reach, really committed to creating a sustainable future? The 200 companies that form the World Business Council for Sustainable Development appear to be. The WBCSD was established in 1992 following the Rio Earth Summit to start a conversation around how businesses can catalyze a change towards sustainable development. Now, a subgroup of 29 companies has created “Vision for 2050,” a map of the strategic milestones that must be met to achieve sustainability by the middle of this century.
The 29 companies involved in this initiative, including Boeing, PricewaterhouseCoopers, P&G, Infosys, among others, started by creating a goal: 9 billion people living well and within the limits of the planet by 2050. Based on this goal they developed a pathway to sustainability broken down into 9 elements: people’s values, human development, economy, agriculture, forests, energy & power, buildings, mobility, and materials. They back-casted the “must-haves” and “must not happens” for each element. These are the major strategic initiatives that must be obtained and the major scenarios that must be avoided decade-by-decade (full details are available on WBCSD’s report).
Speaking at SoCap 2010, Bob Horn of Stanford University described the implications of having developed the vision, which was recently unveiled at the World CEO Forum, and the necessary steps to turn the vision into action. The first major implication is that there is now a first draft of a “standard world tool” for scenario analysis and progress checking that does not require any unachievable scientific breakthroughs. The second is that there is a first draft of the 50 concrete global metrics of success and, more importantly, that 29 major multinational corporations have actually agreed to these metrics. The corporations have publicly adopted the Global Footprint Network concept as a way of thinking about their companies’ and consumers’ impact on sustainability. Finally, there is a call to take action based on these metrics. The WBCSD is asking that its member companies sponsor one of the “must haves” by gathering world business leaders to start the conversation.
Weyerhaeuser is one WBCSD company that is demonstrating how companies can start work on the pathway to sustainability. As a forestry products company, Weyerhaeuser understands the importance of forestry management and protection to achieving a sustainable 2050. They have found that businesses are starting to understand that forests are, in essence, a marketplace not just for sourcing wood products, but for sourcing renewable energy, developing efficient water systems, and learning better industrial design through biomimicry. Weyerhaeuser is working with Alcoa to meet Alcoa’s goal of replacing 30% of the coal used to power steel smelters with biomass. They are purchasing forest land in Brazil to plant for fuel. However, as Bob Ewing of Weyerhaeuser explained at SoCap, Alcoa needs an additional financial incentive to make this initiative attractive. As a result, Weyerhaeuser is helping Alcoa develop additional revenue streams from environmental offsets and new forestry-sourced product lines.
Of course, there are still questions about this vision for a sustainable 2050, many of which were voiced at the SoCap panel. For example, what does “living well” really mean? Does it mean that 9 billion people are living at the same standard of living, and as result the same consumption factor, as Americans are currently living? Does the focus on pure financial incentives open the door for potential abuses? And how can WBCSD ensure that companies are turning their vision into action?
Vale is a second year MBA student at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and is interested in how for-profit businesses are finding innovative ways to create social and environmental value and how capital is being driven towards those businesses. Prior to enrolling at Fuqua she was the Deputy Director at Empowerment Group, a non-profit microenterprise development organization based in Philadelphia. This summer she interned with B Lab, auditing certified B corporations and working on the organization’s policy and capital markets initiatives. Vale has a BA in Economics and Political Science from Swarthmore College. | <urn:uuid:cd511a0c-03e3-4ba4-ba79-3af9a148889a> | {
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Despite being a total success, the USAF’s Airborne Laser was killed by the Pentagon back in December 2011. Now she’s resting wrapped in her death shroud with the rest of planes in “permanent storage” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
The high-energy laser ballistic missile interceptor was developed by Boeing and the US Air Force. Mounted on a Boeing 747-400F, they called it the Boeing YAL-1. It took 16 years of development and $US5 billion to reach its final and successful test, on February 11, 2010.
It happened at 8:44 Pacific Standard Time, at the Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division Sea Range off the central California coast. A missile simulating a SCUD launched from a platform at sea. The Airborne Laser Test Bed’s sensors detected the launch, tracking its trajectory with a low-energy tracking laser. A second laser was focused on the missile to measure the atmospheric disturbance, gathering data to achieve the perfect firing solution. Seconds later, the ALTC unleashed its megawatt-class High Energy Laser, causing a massive structural failure in the missile as it was rising in the sky. Ka-boom.
Sad to see her that way. At least, the Pentagon is now using the experience to develop drones with lasers. Which, let’s face it, sounds pretty cool, even while it would probably cost us another $US5 billion to make the first (or two Curiosity rovers). [Flight Global] | <urn:uuid:3f4f22d5-5eeb-4da0-9d5d-b4bfc3bd740a> | {
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U-M's MLK Day children's event to highlight King's dream 50 years later
- Related story: U-M, EMU plan MLK Day celebrations in honor of 50th anniversary of historic 'I Have a Dream' speech
2013 marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s booming civil rights address, delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
In the 50 years since Aug. 28, 1963, when King first echoed “I have a dream” in front of more than 200,000 civil rights supporters, his dream has evolved, allowing others to share in it.
Annually, U-M hosts and helps to organize a series of events that commemorate the work and life of King. This is the 27th U-M MLK symposium.
In tandem with the symposium, U-M’s School of Education, School of Social Work and the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives will welcome children in grades K-12 from throughout southeast Michigan to participate in a day of celebration.
Students throughout the state have MLK Day off from school. If parents are looking for a way to engage their kids in the meaning of the federal holiday, the MLK Children and Youth Day is exactly that type of opportunity.
Children are divided into three age groups and participate in skits, raps, poetry, storytelling, guided discussions, group projects and a range of musical performances to learn about King’s life and impact.
Program organizer and U-M professor Henry Meares said every year the event is similarly structured, but organizers try to bring in some different experiences that tie in with the symposium’s theme.
He said for 2013, the 50th anniversary, the goal is to “empower students to make decisions, negotiate and think for themselves.”
“The message behind the theme is how important it is for them to be citizens and to recognize the value of that citizenship,” Meares said. “ And ultimately, we hope to breed activists. Because the only way to change your world, your environment, your neighborhoods is when you become actively involved.”
The MLK Children and Youth Day runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21 at U-M’s Modern Languages Building, 812 E. Washington St., downtown Ann Arbor.
Meares said in year’s past, the event has attracted as many as 750 children from Detroit, Inkster, Ann Arbor, Romulus and other southeast Michigan towns.
The theme of this year’s symposium was carefully chosen for the 50th anniversary of the “I have a dream” speech, as the website outlines. The university’s MLK Symposium Committee talked about how King’s message has evolved throughout the years to empower a population.
“The narrative of the speech shifted from ‘I Have A Dream’ to ‘We Have A Dream,’ as individuals and organizations worked to bring fruition to his vision,” the website states. “The goals of the 1963 March on Washington have evolved to include demands for health care for all and for equal rights for gays and lesbians. Though Dr. King’s speech centered on the African American population, it is now echoed by Native Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, the poor, the disabled and all groups that are systematically excluded from the American Dream.
“The dream has evolved from equality to equity, from representation to valuing diversity, from tolerance to appreciation and from the right to vote to governing as the head of state.”
- Read the MLK Symposium Committee’s complete theme statement here.
- View a full list of symposium-related events throughout the year and other MLK Day events here. | <urn:uuid:58dafe24-28be-40b9-be21-2fb7febe6b92> | {
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There is a danger zone for cyclists next to parked cars. A car door springs open in a fraction of a second, and if a cyclist is passing by at that moment close to the car they can be knocked off balance or onto the ground, resulting in serious injury and possibly death. This kind of collision is known as “dooring.”
What cyclists should know
Stay out of the “dooring” danger zone, about one metre from parked cars. That way, even if a motorist opens a door without warning, you're far enough away to avoid it. Follow sharrows where they have been provided, which assist with cyclists’ positioning in a shared lane. Take extra space in the lane if you need to do so. Remember that you have the right to “take the lane” if necessary.
Don’t weave in out between parked cars, since this will make it more difficult for motorists to anticipate your movements. Ride in a straight line a safe distance away from parked cars.
What motorists should know
Take care when opening your car door. Look first and open your car door slowly. You are required by Section 165 of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act to check for traffic – including cyclists – before opening your car door. A quick turn of your head is all it takes.
Park close to the curb in order to minimize how far your car door opens into the adjacent lane.
Share the road with cyclists who must “take the lane” for safety reasons. | <urn:uuid:60582f61-78ba-48e9-aea8-674f464a5b74> | {
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One of the keys to a properly functioning data center with high availability is ensuring that clean, steady power reaches the IT equipment. Part of this critical task falls to uninterruptible power supplies and backup generators, but this power must be distributed effectively and safely. Breakers protect branch circuits from overloading, but this safety precaution can become a tremendous hassle is the circuit isn’t loaded properly. Furthermore, increased energy efficiency can be difficult to achieve without knowledge of how circuits perform over time. To address these and other concerns, branch circuit monitoring systems (BCMSs) can give data center managers the information they need to identify potential problems, avoid branch circuit overloading and identify candidates for efficiency improvements.
Why Monitor at the Branch Circuit Level?
Tracking overall data center power consumption along with overall IT power consumption is sufficient for calculating the power usage effectiveness (PUE) metric, but it lacks the granularity required to know what’s happening on individual branch circuits. Tracking power consumption down to the level of individual components or even power strips may be impractical, however, but monitoring power at the branch circuit level, although slightly less granular, can yield information that enables the data center manager to identify problems and avoid downtime.
Consider, for instance, the circuit breaker on a branch circuit. These devices are designed to ensure that a circuit is not overloaded, creating a potential hazard, by breaking the circuit when a certain maximum current is reached. When this happens, equipment connected to the circuit loses power. The problem with circuit breakers is they are unforgiving: they don’t care if the heavy power load is at a time of day when downtime could really hurt business.
Part of the difficulty with circuit breakers is that IT power loads can vary significantly over time. Relying exclusively on the manufacturer’s power ratings for equipment may leave a margin of safety when loading a circuit (i.e., the circuit load is the sum of the equipment ratings, and that sum does not exceed the maximum power of the circuit), but it can also leave the circuit’s capacity vastly underutilized. If a circuit is loaded with servers that, for instance, never reach half their rated power levels, that circuit will never exceed half its capacity. Data centers, thus, may often “overload” the circuit (in the sense that if every piece of equipment on the circuit reached maximum power consumption, the circuit capacity would be exceeded) to avoid wasting costly infrastructure. But as computational loads vary, this overloading can lead to a “real” overload, tripping the circuit breaker. Such an occurrence can easily correspond with heavy usage of the data center—a terrible time for an outage!
Furthermore, changes in the configuration of a data center, even if tracked carefully, can still increase the chances of overloading—or result in greater underutilization of circuit capacity. In a facility that is growing or making regular upgrades or adjustments, the number of changes can easily cause problems in this regard.
The problem is thus a lack of information: without measurements of power usage on branch circuits, data center managers can’t be sure that the load on the circuit isn’t too much. When connecting equipment, data center managers must choose an appropriate estimate of the power consumption of that equipment—usually some kind of average consumption. But an average doesn’t take into account the effect of power spikes, particularly if several pieces of equipment all exceed their average consumptions all at once. An Eaton white paper (“Who tripped the circuit?”) clearly summarizes this situation: “Under normal operating conditions, data center managers could mistakenly assume there’s plenty of capacity on a branch breaker or panel board. After all, day-to-day power consumption seems well within limits. But there’s always the potential for one or more servers to increase computational load, draw more power to match the workload, and cause a branch breaker to trip. With the increased use of denser, more space-saving equipment, the risk of overloading a branch breaker is higher than ever.”
Benefits of BCMS for the Data Center
This situation makes clear some of the benefits of a branch circuit monitoring. But simply taking periodic measurements of a circuit (e.g., with a handheld current meter) cannot detect the short-lived surges in power consumption that can still trip a breaker. A branch circuit monitoring system (BCMS) takes (nearly) continuous readings of current in each connected branch circuit, collecting the data and presenting it to the data center manager for analysis and, if necessary, action. By looking at power consumption trends over the course of a day or many days, the data center manager can identify loads that are in danger of tripping a breaker (or that significantly underutilize the circuit’s capacity).
In discussing the benefits of its Powerware Energy Management System for the data center, Eaton notes some of the benefits of tracking power consumption at the branch circuit level: “With this information, you always know how close a circuit is to exceeding its overall rating—and whether or not a device can be added to a branch circuit or panelboard. This insight enables you to operate at maximum efficiency, using data center assets, energy and space wisely. Without this insight, you wouldn’t know if you’re pushing the limits of a breaker or any safety factor.”
A good BCMS, like many other types of data center infrastructure management (DCIM) products, provides both local and remote access to collected data and information. A centralized interface enables the data center manager to monitor and review branch circuit data from anywhere—inside the data center or beyond. BCMSs often include data analysis tools as well, providing trending and information to aid the data center manager in getting a comprehensive power picture.
In addition to helping achieve optimal loading of branch circuits, a BCMS can also provide information that the data center manager can use to increase power efficiency. Examining power consumption at the branch circuit level—rather than just the facility level—enables better isolation of equipment that is underutilized or inefficient, aiding in equipment consolidation and other efficiency improvement projects.
Many data center best practices are justified by the low capital and operational costs of added infrastructure relative to the massive business costs of data center downtime. As data center managers seek to do more with less, underutilized and inefficient branch circuits are a drag on an optimally running facility, but overloading can result in downtime when usage is at its highest—a dreadful proposition for the business. Branch circuit monitoring through a centralized BCMS can enable better utilization of capacity while avoiding too close an approach to maximum circuit capacities, which, if exceeded, result in tripped breakers and thus downtime. Furthermore, continuous power monitoring at the branch circuit level allows the data center staff to identify potential problems and inefficiencies. Although some operational and maintenance costs are associated with a well-deployed BCMS, the benefits—particularly relative to the costs of downtime—can quickly outweigh these costs for many data centers.
Photo courtesy of Tom Raftery
Related Posts : | <urn:uuid:f7e131ac-d226-4292-9653-b491bcbba29a> | {
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Hello, I am currently really new with MATLAB and my lectures didn't really provide sufficient practice and exposure to how to function a MATLAB and I have an assignment due really soon so I hope I could get you guys to teach me how to deal with these questions.
1. The dice game craps is played as follows. The player throws two dice, and if the sum is seven or eleven, then he wins. If the sum is two, three of twelve, then he loses. If the sum is anything else, then he continues throwing until he either throws that number again (in which case he wins) or he throws a seven (in which case he loses). Estimate the probability that the player wins. You need to add commands to estimate the probability.
The code provided is,
I really have no idea how to do this at all. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Event_W = 0;
a= %Simulate the throw of two dice using the function 'randunifd'
if %Add code such that player obtain a 7 or 11
Event_W = Event_W +1;
elseif %Add code such that player obtains a 2,3 or 12
Throw = 1;
while %Add condition such that we keep playing until player either wins or loses
if %Add condition such that player wins
Event_W = Event_W+1;
elseif %Add condition such that player loses
RelFreq = Event_W/nreps
2. Consider the following experiment. We toss a fair coin 20 times. Let X be the length of the longest sequence of Heads.
(i) Estimate the probability function p of X. That is for x = 1, ....,20, estimate
Thanks for your help! (:
(ii) Give an estimate of the mean value of X.
You need to add commands where indicated in the MATLAB file.
Here's the MATLAB file I got :
p=zeros(1,20); %p is a vector of size 20 such that p(i)=P(X=i)
n_heads = 0; %Length of current Head sequence
max_heads= 0; %Length of maximum length sequence so far
for %Add code to toss a coin 20 times
if %Add condition to obtain a Head
n_heads = n_heads +1;
n_heads = 0;
if %Add condition to see if current sequence is the longest
max_heads = n_heads;
%Add code to increment p(max_heads) by 1
RelFreq = p/nreps
%Add code to estimate the mean of X | <urn:uuid:2cb22050-dbb8-4991-8e89-4485cb689a6d> | {
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Front facade facing a narrow street
|The narrow church front was resurfaced in 1797 according to an inscription on the facade (see plaque below). Nine talvera tile panels depict religious figures and the whole front, including the curved top, is outlined with blue and white tiles in a regular alternating pattern.|
The nine narrative panelsThe panels are in a wall "set with red ladrillo and traditional blue azulejo tile in an intriguing diamante pattern of petaled azulejos laid square against lozenge shaped ladrillos" (quoted from an unpublished manuscript by Richard Perry). Starting from the left bottom and going clockwise, the narrative panels depict: the robed figure of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception on a globe; St. Joachim, the father of Mary; St. Mark with his symbol, the lion; the archangel Gabriel, the angel of the Annunciation holding the lily; St. Michael at the top holding the scales of judgment; the archangel Raphael with a fish (a reference to a story in the Book of Tobit); St. John with his symbol, the eagle; St. Anne, the mother of Mary; and at the bottom right, St. Joseph on a globe.
Details of the facade including the plaque with the date of the refurbished front
Views of the side with its enormous buttresses (topped by a beautiful scroll design) and of the cupola
Guía. Arquitectura representativa de la ciudad de Puebla. Puebla: Centro para la Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural Tangible e Intangible A. C., L'Anxaneta Ediciones, 2008.
Go to the Mexico Index.
Click here to return to index of art historical sites.
Click here to return to index of artists and architects.
Click here to return to chronological index.
Click here to see the home page of Bluffton College. | <urn:uuid:3aea90f8-7394-48e2-a185-3468d313b50e> | {
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PALMYRA, N.Y. — Scattered throughout what Mormons call the Sacred Grove are a few living witnesses of the First Vision of Joseph Smith. These are the trees that were there in 1820 when young Joseph saw God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.
Today about 150,000 people come each year, walk through the grove and pass by these silent witnesses: beeches and ironwoods that were among those trees that Joseph thought would burst into flames when touched by the glory of God.
There are no monuments. No signs. No indication which trees are which.
__IMAGE1__One man knows these trees like a shepherd knows his flock. For 45 years, he has walked the paths of the Sacred Grove. For almost a dozen years, Bob Parrott has been its caretaker.
Parrott, owner of Custom Forestry Services in Palmyra, remembers how the grove used to be.
"It was just open and park-like. It was so open that from one side you could see right out the other side. Every tree and branch and twig that came down was cleaned up and hauled away," Parrott said in a telephone interview. "It was pretty — and some people like that parklike appearance — it bore little or no resemblance to the forest that the Smiths would have encountered or that Joseph would have gone to."
It was almost an artificial environment with little wildlife and almost no indigenous wildflowers.
When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints first acquired the 100-acre farm in 1907, the forested grove was only about seven acres, according to Parrott. After the church acquired Hyrum Smith's farm to the north, the church-owned grove expanded to about 13 acres. It remained that size until 1998, when the church acquired adjoining wooded property. bringing the number of mature forested acres to 30 with another 30 acres of younger reclaimed forest that are 30 to 50 years old.
"Ultimately we'll have in the neighborhood of 150 acres of forest with the original grove right at the center of it, where it will be protected from winds and storms and so forth," 61-year-old Parrott said.
When the church decided in 1997 to reconstruct the Smith family's original log cabin, Parrott was hired to haul the logs from a nearby section of forest. The next year, 1998, the church decided Parrott was the person to implement a new forestry management plan, the Sacred Grove Conservation Program.
"The church wants it to look as much as it did in 1820 as possible," Parrott said.
Since the new plan was implemented, a lot has changed. Wildflowers have returned. Ferns are growing. Colorful fungi and moss are on the decaying logs. Wildlife has come back. Songbirds' music rings again through the grove.
"Ten years is very little time, in nature's time frame, for that sort of change to take place. But it's been very dramatic. It's been so dramatic that people often ask now ... 'Why does it look so different?'" Parrott said. "I think it is due, in part, to the management direction we've initiated. And it's due, in part, to Heavenly Father's saying, 'There. If you do the right things, this is what you get.'"
"He's an artist. Honestly, he's an artist with nature," Elder Marlin K. Jensen, LDS Church Historian, said of Parrott. "I was just stunned by what he can do with the management of a forest."
But the forest has also done things with Parrott, who is not a Mormon.
"In my view, I feel there is no question that that's where the vision took place and that the vision did take place, and the events that Joseph described were as it happened," Parrott said. "I always feel the Spirit in the grove, regardless of the season or the weather. The Spirit is always there. There's no question in my mind that what we now call the grove is, in fact, where Joseph went and where the vision took place."
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- Sweeping size of Payson Temple reflects... 17 | <urn:uuid:cd5eeee0-39cc-43f2-a608-b87e1db15406> | {
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Stevia is a natural, zero-calorie sweetening ingredient named after a plant that has been used to sweeten foods and beverages in many parts of the world for hundreds of years. The leaves contain the sweet compounds, called steviol glycosides. The purified steviol glycosides compounds are used to sweeten soft drinks, juices, flavoured milks, yogurts, baked goods, cereals, energy-reduced jams and jellies, confectionery and chewing gum, and can also be used as a table top sweetener. Stevia is useful for people wanting to reduce their calorie intake and for people with diabetes wanting sweetness of taste, but with lower carbohydrates.
In this podcast, Dr. Mary Friel, Food Safety and Risk Communication Manager in EUFIC, interviewed Dr. Mauro Fisberg, Associated Professor of the Pediatrics Department of the Escola Paulista de Medicina in Brazil and Scientific Advisor to the Global Stevia Institute
, about the low calorie sweetener Stevia. The interview was recorded at the 20th International Congress of Nutrition, Granada, September 15th -20th 2013. How to use a PODCAST? About the speaker Mauro Fisberg, MD, PhD
Dr. Fisberg is member of the Board of Directors of the International Danone Institute and a fellow from Kellogg´s Foundation (Partners of the Americas Leadership program) and United Nations University (World Hunger Program). He is a Scientific Advisor to the Global Stevia Institute
and is past president and general secretary of the Latin American Society for Pediatric Research (SLAIP). He served as Latin American editor of NUTRITION (2002-2008) and an ad hoc editorial member of JPGHN, Revista de Saude Publica, and others. He has experience in nutrition, focusing on Adolescent Nutrition in the following areas: childhood obesity, food intake and consumption, anemia and nutritional intervention. Dr. Fisberg graduated in Medicine from the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Federal University of Sao Paulo) in 1976 where he specialized in pediatrics and nutrition. He obtained his Ph.D in pediatrics from the Universidade Federal de São Paulo in 1987. He is currently Associated Professor of the Pediatrics Department of the Escola Paulista de Medicina, UNIFESP, and Scientific Coordinator of the Healthy Lifestyle, International Life Science Institute ILSI Brazil. | <urn:uuid:6f902c7c-4183-4168-bf48-2ce832e6d44d> | {
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Please do not submits sites selling products in this category.
Sites in this category must be Japan-related and in English.
Please submit only sites dealing with Japanese traditional tea ceremony in this category. Sites in Japan selling traditional goods/art should be listed under Japan: Business and Economy: Services: Traditional Goods. Sites selling goods outside Japan should submit their sites in Shopping: Ethnic and Regional: Asia: Japanese
No site is guaranteed placement in the Open Directory. Any site unrelated to Japan, or still under construction, submitted to multiple inappropriate categories, using multiple URLs for multiple submissions, or consisting primarily of affiliate links will be deleted and may be permanently banned.
The editors reserve the right not to list a site; or delete it after its inclusion.
The Japanese Tea Ceremony ("chanoyu" or "chado") developed during the Momoyama period (1570 - 1600 AD). The upper (and, later, upper-middle) class enjoyed formal tea parties held in small rooms ("chashitsu") specially designed for the occasion. There are many schools of tea art ("ryuuha") current in Japan: for example, Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushanokoujisenke.
The special tea ("matcha") used in the tea ceremony is made from tea leaves that have been ground into a green powder. The matcha is put into the cup first. Hot water is then added and the tea is mixed with a special utensil. The host serves the tea to the guests one at a time. Each guest tastes and appreciates the tea before the next guest is served. | <urn:uuid:f052d760-cc57-4b44-863d-5b9a6c7ed6e1> | {
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Sinus infection, or sinusitis, is an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. A sinus infection can cause a headache or pressure in the eyes, nose, cheek area, or on one side of the head. A person with a sinus infection may also have a cough, a fever, bad breath, and nasal congestion with thick nasal secretions. Sinusitis is categorized as acute (sudden onset) or chronic (long term, the most common type).
It’s important to rule out exactly where the sinus infection is originating from. Oftentimes, sinus infections stem from a dental infection that spreads into the sinuses.
We have found with our DRT testing that sinus infections clear up well with our natural nasal sprays in combination with cranial adjustments, spinal adjustments, needle-free acupuncture, and light and sound. | <urn:uuid:68f6435a-2c5d-44e4-8624-0ca4cdb9a99b> | {
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A Chinese beetle with an appetite for tamarisk may help solve Dinosaur National Monument's invasive weed problem.
Referred to in the science community as the Fu Kang beetle, in reference to its home region in China, the insect is scheduled to be released in Echo Park this spring.
Tamarisk, also known as salt cedar, has plagued the national monument since the 1930s, as it has much of the arid West, said botanist Tamara Naumann.
Tamarisk grows in riparian habitat, or wetlands, absorbing large quantities of water, destroying fish spawning bars, and killing native plant species.
Monument staff already mechanically removes tamarisk with the help of volunteers in the Weed Warrior Program.
This year, 522 volunteers have spent 3,560 hours manually removing tamarisk in campgrounds and research sites.
The monument also uses herbicides to kill tamarisk. But both methods are labor intensive, and herbicides are expensive and pose a risk to the environment, Naumann said.
"With the kind of funding we have now, tamarisk is going to outrun us," the botanist said. "We're making a dent, but we're not going to win the race."
Enter the beetle.
In February the monument applied for a beetle test program, and the state Department of Agriculture selected Echo Park as one of four test sites in Colorado that will try the biological control in the spring.
The beetle eats the leaves of tamarisk, and though it doesn't kill the plant the first time it eats it, successive defoliations eventually kill it.
Naumann provided assurances that the exotic beetle won't eat native plants or crops.
Scientists have been studying the beetle for the past 20 years. Tamarisk is native to Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean and China, and scientists studied beetles that eat the plants in those regions in an attempt to find a strain of the beetle that only eats tamarisk.
"They're finally 20 years into it ready to rock with one bug," Naumann said.
That bug is Diorhabda elongata. It already has been released in Lovelock, Nev., which is on almost the same latitude as Echo Park, and scientists there have experienced excellent results.
But the beetle doesn't eat and kill entire populations of tamarisk.
As the beetle eats, its population will grow, and as the tamarisk population dwindles, so will the beetle population.
"If everything goes well, the target weed will be reduced to the level where it's a normal member of the plant community or at most a nuisance," Naumann said.
Because no native plant species in North America genetically resemble tamarisk, Naumann said it would be highly unlikely for the beetle to begin eating anything other than its target crop.
Tamarisk is a problem along the Yampa and Green Rivers, and Naumann said the beetle population could continue along both river corridors.
Monument staff has met with officials from Moffat and Uintah counties, and commissioners of those counties have approved of the monument's plans, Naumann said.
But she emphasized that no invasive weed management technique was risk free.
"It behooves us to be humble and realize 50 years from now, someone might look back and criticize our decision.
"But I do believe professionally and in my heart that it's the right thing to do," she said.
Rob Gebhart can be reached at 824-7031 or by e-mail at [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:585f7a48-3fda-432f-b251-2bb24a7dc98a> | {
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Faroe Islands profile
- 21 April 2016
- From the section Europe
The Faroes, an archipelago of 18 islands in the North Atlantic, constitute an autonomous region of Denmark.
While the islands' rugged coastlines and extensive bird life are a draw for some, the Faroes also offer the prospect of major offshore reserves of oil and gas.
These potential resources have given extra weight to the argument for full independence from Denmark.
But a planned referendum on the issue was shelved in 2001 after Denmark said it would halt aid within four years if voters favoured the independence proposals.
A local parliament - the Loegting - looks after the islands' affairs, although Copenhagen is responsible for defence and foreign relations.
The Faroes were first settled by Irish monks in the 6th century AD. The first Norse settlers were farmers.
The islands became part of the Kingdom of Norway in the 11th century and came under Danish control in the 14th century when Norway joined the Kingdom of Denmark. Under the 1948 Home Rule Act the islands became self-governing.
The islanders' traditional hunt for pilot whales has attracted international attention. Supporters of the hunt say whale meat is an important source of food over the winter. Animal rights activists have called for the cull to be banned.
Fishing is the main economic activity on the islands, and Danish subsidies remain an important source of income. Copenhagen has said it will review the subsidy agreement should the Faroes profit from offshore energy reserves. | <urn:uuid:b3a931df-7bd7-4ddc-a586-8cc66e829b04> | {
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Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Pedro Nunez
Mathematician and astronomer, b. at Alcacer-do-Sol, 1492; d. at Coimbra, 1577. He studied ancient languages, philosophy, and medicine at Lisbon and mathematics at Salamanca. In 1519 he went as inspector-general of customs to Goa, India, returning to become in 1529 royal cosmographer. After lecturing for three years at Lisbon, a professorship of higher mathematics was established for him at the University of Coimbra, which he held from 1544 to 1562. His utterances on science plunged him into discussions with foreign savants, particularly the French mathematician, Oronce Fine. Having been tutor in the reigning family, he was enabled to spend his last years in ease.
To mathematics, astronomy, and navigation, Nunez made important contributions. He devised a method for obtaining the highest common divisor of two algebraic expressions. In his "De crepusculis" he announced a new and accurate solution of the astronomical problem of minimum twilight and suggested an instrument for the measurement of angles. The nonius, never in common use, consisted essentially of forty-six concentric circles divided into quadrants by two diameters at right angles to each other, each quadrantal arc being divided into equal parts, the number of parts diminishing from ninety for the outermost arc to forty-five for the innermost. If one side of any angle is made to coincide with one of the radii, the vertex of the angle falling at the centre of the circles, the other side of the angle will fall on or near some point of division of one of the arcs. If then a is the number of parts intercepted and n is the whole number of parts in the relevant arc, the magnitude of the angle will be 90×(a/n)degrees. In "De arte navigandi" he announced his discovery and analysis of the curve of double curvature called the rumbus, better known as loxodrome, which is the line traced by a ship cutting the meridians at a constant angle. His collected works were published under the title "Petri Nonii Opera" (Basle, 1592). Among them are: "Tratado da sphera com a theorica do sol e da lau e o primeiro livro da geographia de Claudio Ptolomeo Alexandrino" (Lisbon, 1537); "De crepusculis liber unus" (Lisbon, 1542); "De arte atque ratione navigandi" (Coimbra, 1546); "De erratis Orontii Finei" (Coimbra, 1546); "Annotatio in extrema verba capitis de climatibis" (Cologne, 1566); "Livro de algebra em arithmetica e geometria" (Antwerp, 1567); "Annotações á Mechanica de Aristoteles e ás theoricas dos planetas de Purbachio com a arte de Navegar" (Coimbra, 1578).
MONTUCLA, Histoire des Math. (Paris, 1799, 1802); NAVARRETE, Recherches sur les progrès de l'astromonmie et des sciences nautiques en Espagne, Fr. tr. DE MOFRAS (Paris, 1839); STOCKLER, Ensaio historico sobre a origem e progressos das mathematicas em Portugal.
Paul H. Linehan. | <urn:uuid:3b2e0151-7fd1-49c9-b85c-22841490c302> | {
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A first-edition work by Galileo on sunspots published in Rome in 1613 was Book Number Two Million, a milestone acquisition marked in Gasson 100 on Dec. 4 with a talk by Monan Professor of Law Daniel Coquillette titled, "Five Cheers for Galileo."
The 390-year old volume by Galileo, History and Demonstrations Concerning Sunspots and Their Properties, was among books and papers of the late Italian mathematician and astronomer Pasquale Sconzo (1908-1994) acquired by the Burns Library.
Sconzo's work as a scientist for NASA helped put man on the moon. He was among a team of scientists who developed the mathematical calculations needed for successful docking maneuvers by orbiting spacecraft.
His books and papers were donated to the Burns by his daughter, Wega Firenze, and her husband, Angelo, of Belmont, honored guests at the Two-Millionth Book reception in Gasson Hall last month.
The Burns Library, which houses the University's rare books and special collections, has accounted for an estimated 100,000 of the million books added to BC library shelves since 1987.
"That advance has come at a time we were supposed to be downplaying the book and becoming a 'paperless society,'" said Burns Librarian Robert O'Neill.
"Boston College has continued to treasure the printed book itself."
The sunspot study by Galileo (1564-1642) contributed to the development of modern physics by announcing the principal of inertia, which Newton later applied to the orbital motions of planets, firmly establishing the Copernican view of the solar system.
Return to Jan. 22 menu.
to Chronicle home page | <urn:uuid:4f2dfcbb-370d-42ae-907f-c360f877bc09> | {
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(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved. Contact us for information about using this image.
George Fuller (1822-1884) of Deerfield, Massachusetts, spent three winters working in the Deep South as an itinerant portrait painter. He also produced many sketches of slaves and southern plantation life. Fuller wrote to his sister Harriet in 1858 that he was "keeping bachelors hall and have a cheerful fireside of our own. A good looking yellow boy takes care of it for us." The boy of whom Fuller wrote was probably the subject for a sketch Fuller drew in February of "Our Page Harry." The term "yellow" referred to the lighter skin color of African Americans of mixed white and black ancestry. Fuller was generally silent on the subject of slavery in his journals and in letters home. A rare glimpse of his views on the subject appeared when Fuller wrote indignantly about a slave auction he witnessed in 1850. One of the people sold at the auction was a young woman who, like "Harry," was of mixed parentage. Fuller wrote that "The blood of the white and dark races is at enmity in her veins...about 3/4 white says one dealer. Three fourths blessed, a fraction accursed. She is under thy feet, white man...Is she not your sister?" | <urn:uuid:2245204f-087a-4eac-88a8-828730b5c5fe> | {
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PMC Weekly Review – July 1, 2019
The European Parliament (EP) is an important forum for political debate and decision making at the European Union (EU) level. The Members of the European Parliament, or MEPs, are elected in the member states and represent the interests of the EU’s inhabitants. Over the years, and with subsequent changes in European treaties, the EP has acquired substantial legislative and budgetary powers. The EU consists of 28 member states, including most of the formerly communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and is viewed largely as a formula for global peace and prosperity. For much of the last decade, however, many EU countries have faced considerable economic and social difficulties. Chief among them include the rise of illegal migrant crossings into Europe, suffocating indebtedness of the southern members, rising populist nationalism, high unemployment, and low productivity.
EP elections took place May 23-26. Voter turnout jumped to more than 50%. In fact, it was the second-largest election in the world behind India, with 350 million eligible voters across 28 European countries choosing who should sit in the 751 seats of the EP, which is located in Strasbourg, France. Parliamentary seats are appropriated to each country according to the size of its population. Germany, the EU’s most populous state, has 96 representatives, whereas small countries such as Cyprus, Malta, and Luxembourg have six each. That said, MEPs do not always vote along national lines. Once elected to the EP, they join larger parties and coalitions. MEPs are elected to five-year terms and oversee diverse sets of polices and guidelines, ranging from trade deals, how to fund European defense, and regulating the European economy. The EP has eight political groups at present, and forming a new group requires at least 25 members from a minimum of seven countries. Today, the largest groups are the center-right European People’s Party and the center-left Socialists and Democrats, both of which have been dominating European politics for decades.
The election revealed that Europe’s long-dominant centrist party is weakening. For the first time since 1979, Christian Democrats and Social Democrats, the reliably pro-European bloc, no longer hold the majority among the MEPs, putting the EP at a crossroads. The recent election results have left the continent polarized and more fragmented. In France, the National Rally Party won the most seats. It is a right-wing populist party founded on French nationalism, controls rules on immigration, and often has been accused of fostering xenophobia and anti-Semitism. The United Kingdom (UK) voted (even though Britain is planning to leave the EU, and its EU lawmakers will lose their jobs as soon as Brexit happens), and the vote showed a universal anger at the two long-dominant parties, the Conservatives and Labour, who have led the UK into Brexit gridlock. Nigel Farage’s Brexit party catapulted the governing Conservatives and seized victory. And in Italy, the populous League Party won by a landslide, headed by its hard-line leader, Matteo Salvini, who positioned himself as the leader of the European populist movement and delivered his trademark criticism of the EU. Salvini has become the dominant force and created a Pan European far-right group, denouncing the EU’s pro immigration policy, describing Islam as the biggest security threat to Europe, and pledging to return control of the EU to its citizens. His party won 25% of the Parliament, representing a referendum on Europe’s future, up from just 6% at the last European election in 2014.
But Europe is not only changing to the right. In Germany, the two ruling parties (center-right Christian Democratic Union and center-left Social Democratic Party) had their worst national election results since World War II. The centrist, pro-European Green Party, focused on climate change and European solidarity, won more than 20% of the vote, its best results ever. As for German chancellor Angela Merkel’s chosen successor, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, unless she changes her policies, voters will likely continue to drift away from Germany’s post-1945 two big parties. These two parties have focused far too much on serving the older generation and supporting pensions at the expense of involving younger voters. A green wave also extended to Finland, Ireland, Portugal, and Belgium. Undoubtedly, these pro-European parties (a thin majority) must unite to maintain their voice, and their candidates must combine with Emanuel Macron’s party in France and small pro-European parties in the UK to maintain their pro-EU majority position in Parliament.
This new organic force, like the Green Party, has further fractured the pro-European assembly that was traditionally held by the center-left or the left-center-right parties. The 28 European member states’ leaders must forge new alliances to keep a majority stronghold on their pro-European agenda. This transformation puts the EP to the test of whether it can align its common goal of fiscal, social, and political cohesion.
Next month, on July 2, the MEPs will elect an incoming chamber and a new President of the European Commission (the EU’s executive body). Member states nominate a candidate for the post, but in doing so, they must take account of the European election results. Party group leaders are likely to signal what kind of alliance might hold, and who might be the best candidates for the EU's top jobs. The new EP will set the stage as its members gather to see where the economic and political pieces lie. It is clear Europeans are not unified in political alliance now. This election will likely show their strengthening power to reject the status quo in today’s political climate. The result could reshape Europe’s political landscape for years to come, which could further weigh on an already stressed global economy.
Senior Investment Analyst, AVP
Sources: WSJ, Financial Times, Reuters
The information, analysis, and opinions expressed herein are for general and educational purposes only. Nothing contained in this weekly review is intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting, securities, or investment advice, nor an opinion regarding the appropriateness of any investment, nor a solicitation of any type. All investments carry a certain risk, and there is no assurance that an investment will provide positive performance over any period of time. An investor may experience loss of principal. Investment decisions should always be made based on the investor’s specific financial needs and objectives, goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. The asset classes and/or investment strategies described may not be suitable for all investors and investors should consult with an investment advisor to determine the appropriate investment strategy. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Information obtained from third party sources are believed to be reliable but not guaranteed. Envestnet|PMC™ makes no representation regarding the accuracy or completeness of information provided herein. All opinions and views constitute our judgments as of the date of writing and are subject to change at any time without notice.
Investments in smaller companies carry greater risk than is customarily associated with larger companies for various reasons such as volatility of earnings and prospects, higher failure rates, and limited markets, product lines or financial resources. Investing overseas involves special risks, including the volatility of currency exchange rates and, in some cases, limited geographic focus, political and economic instability, and relatively illiquid markets. Income (bond) securities are subject to interest rate risk, which is the risk that debt securities in a portfolio will decline in value because of increases in market interest rates. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are subject to risks similar to those of stocks, such as market risk. Investing in ETFs may bear indirect fees and expenses charged by ETFs in addition to its direct fees and expenses, as well as indirectly bearing the principal risks of those ETFs. ETFs may trade at a discount to their net asset value and are subject to the market fluctuations of their underlying investments. Investing in commodities can be volatile and can suffer from periods of prolonged decline in value and may not be suitable for all investors. Index Performance is presented for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the performance of any specific investment product or portfolio. An investment cannot be made directly into an index.
Alternative Investments may have complex terms and features that are not easily understood and are not suitable for all investors. You should conduct your own due diligence to ensure you understand the features of the product before investing. Alternative investment strategies may employ a variety of hedging techniques and non-traditional instruments such as inverse and leveraged products. Certain hedging techniques include matched combinations that neutralize or offset individual risks such as merger arbitrage, long/short equity, convertible bond arbitrage and fixed-income arbitrage. Leveraged products are those that employ financial derivatives and debt to try to achieve a multiple (for example two or three times) of the return or inverse return of a stated index or benchmark over the course of a single day. Inverse products utilize short selling, derivatives trading, and other leveraged investment techniques, such as futures trading to achieve their objectives, mainly to track the inverse of their benchmarks. As with all investments, there is no assurance that any investment strategies will achieve their objectives or protect against losses.
Neither Envestnet, Envestnet|PMC™ nor its representatives render tax, accounting or legal advice. Any tax statements contained herein are not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding U.S. federal, state, or local tax penalties. Taxpayers should always seek advice based on their own particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.
© 2019 Envestnet. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:e0f32b2f-9d6e-48bf-8753-b7ea456d9244> | {
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Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart
Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart (1739–1791)
The poet and musician Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart, who has now been largely – and unjustly – forgotten, studied theology in Erlangen. He was a musical virtuoso and accomplished poet, and even impressed Goethe. Schubart was the publisher of Deutsche Chronik, the most widely read German newspaper at the time. Alongside political articles, he also published poems and short stories by renowned writers, and gave music and literary recommendations which helped introduce Goethe, Schiller, Lessing and Mendelssohn to a wider public.
Schubart caused controversy throughout his life due to his lifestyle and his rebellion against authority. He published his criticisms in Deutsche Chronik. In 1773, he was excommunicated, removed from his post as organist and musical director in Ludwigsburg and exiled from the country because he had published sharp criticism of the clergy and the aristocracy. In 1777, his political views and criticism of Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg sealed his fate. He was drawn into a trap and, without a trial, kept prisoner by the duke for more than ten years under terrible conditions in the prison in Hohenasperg. Every aspect of the process was unlawful; Schubart was imprisoned without trial or verdict, he was not a citizen of Württemberg and had not printed his newspaper there. He dictated his famous poem ‘Die Fürstengruft’ (the prince’s crypt) to another prisoner through the pipe between their cells, as he was denied any writing equipment.
Schubart was the most famous political prisoner of his time. His crime was to criticise the absolutism of the rulers, and for this he was imprisoned like a dangerous criminal, until even the shirt on his back decayed.
Image: FAU University Library | <urn:uuid:e485fe49-267f-4a3b-ac98-b285316d04d8> | {
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Rain forest:. What makes up a tropical rain forest? Why are rain forests important? What problems are there for the rain forest? What is our responsibility to the rain forest?. This power point was done using many different sources as well as personal pictures and information.
What makes up a tropical rain forest?
Why are rain forests important?
What problems are there for the rain forest?
What is our responsibility to the rain forest?
This power point was done using many different sources as well as personal pictures and information.
The following were really helpful:
Virtual field trips done by Gerald R. Urquhart
A power point by Paula Weigelt
The climateof a tropical rain forest is very hot and humid so the animals and plants that exist there must learn to adapt.
In the emergent layer, trees can be 200 feet high. Most trees are broad-leaved, hardwood evergreens. Sunlight is plentiful. Animals found here are eagles, monkeys, bats and butterflies.
The canopy layer forms a roof over the two remaining layers and is a very dense layer. The leaves on most trees are smooth and come to a point. Food is abundant for animals such as snakes, toucans and tree frogs.
Little sunshine reaches this layer so the plants have to grow larger leaves to reach the sunlight. Plants in this area seldom grow to 12 feet. Animals that live here include jaguars, red-eyed tree frogs and leopards and many insects.
This layer is very dark, so no plants grow here, Things decay very quickly here. A leaf that might take one year to decompose in a regular climate will disappear in only 6 weeks. This is the home for giant anteaters.
Of the millions of animal species in the world, over half are found in the rain forest and nowhere else on Earth.
People have lived in the rain forests for thousands of years. They live in harmony with the forest, plants and animals. Their traditions and customs are unlike other people.
They don't need walls on their houses because it doesn't get cold t here. Natives don't need much privacy at all. Privacy is a
lot different than what you may be used to and we do go into houses without asking.
of work and they get up early in the morning.
The girls look after their little sisters, brothers, nieces, or nephews. They also help cook, grate manioc, carry heavy backpacks, and get water.
The boys in the village have to do some work, too. They fish, farm, and weave baskets with the men in the village. They also spend much time in the jungle as part of their learning and training to become excellent hunters and providers for their families.
In their free time, both boys and girls love to go swimming in the river, and there are plenty of rivers around in the rain forest.
They also like to watch the animals in their village.
The girls like to play with their hand-made dolls
(since there are no stores around here to buy them).
Boys like to shoot their bows and arrows and play in the forest.
Why is the rain forest so valuable?
with help from rain
In addition to being one of our most precious natural resources, tropical rain forests are among the most endangered habitats on earth because of deforestation.
Causes of Deforestation:
* clearance for roads and railways
* forest fires
* mining and drilling for fuel wood
* international timber trade
*collection and clearance for living space
Humans already have destroyed half of the rain forest area, with most damage occurring in the last 200 years.
Rain forests are important to everyone on the planet-not just to those who live in or near them. They help control the world's climate. When the rain forests are burned and cleared, carbon is released into the atmosphere.Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere prevents the sun’s radiation from escaping back to the atmosphere. This causes the weather to be much hotter on the whole planet.
to the rain forest?
the changes that
would happen if
we lose the rain forest
Forest PeopleForest people will lose their homes, and their culture. Their knowledge of the forest is also lost .
Last Songbirds Thesongbirds, which help farmers in the U.S. by eating insects, will no longer winter in tropical forests.
Changed ClimateBurning huge areas of rainforest releases carbon, which causes changes in wind currents and rainfall around the world.
Undiscovered MedicinesPlants that might provide new medicines extinct before they can even be studied.
ExtinctionThousands of species of rainforest plants and animals will be lost.
Here is a website you can use that is really neat. You are finished with the slide show at this point. | <urn:uuid:f86ae1d5-2d08-4467-8882-6b266a4b0d35> | {
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So, your student has crossed over from elementary, through middle school, and now into high school. A whole new journey awaits you! This article doesn’t cover the various options for high school gradation, but you do need to have your route planned in order to pick the right curriculum.
Selecting the right curriculum in high school is a bit more simple, there aren’t quite as many options as there are for elementary, but still enough to choose from and ways to get creative. Just as you would for any age, begin with setting goals. The most important step is to determine the direction you are headed. If you’re following state credit requirements, your subjects are pretty well decided for you. But you can still, within those parameters, find something that interests your student.
No matter the age, we want to account for the student’s learning style when planning the courses. Much of high school content is covered through reading, but there are still ways to incorporate different learning modalities. Much of the freedom in high school comes not as much through the dissemination of information, but the ways in which the student can demonstrate their learning. This is the shortfall I find in a lot of curriculum – they don’t use a lot of creativity in their assessment options. By high school, students usually have an aptitude one area or another that they would eagerly apply to school if given the option (creative writing, theater, technology, art, etc).
High school is the time when content gets deeper and more complex. You want to look for age appropriate content and skill level. Most publishers will tell you what grade level the curriculum is designed for. Sometimes this is for maturity levels, sometimes it’s because they expect the student to have foundational concepts before covering this material. It’s important to pay attention to the description of the material’s level.
You want to look for content and material that builds on your student’s prior learning, particularly in the areas of math and science. Once you find a math curriculum that suits your student’s level and learning style, I recommend sticking with it so that they don’t get lost in learning different methods, or skipping content. For science, it’s not quite as important to stick with the same publisher every time, but it is important to note the skills and knowledge they are expected to have before starting it.
Subjects such as grammar, spelling, and language are not primary subjects in high school, as they are expected to have a working mastery in those areas. There are books you can find for students that still need improvement in those areas. English is the study of literature and the art of writing. Reading a rich variety of literature, and writing in a variety of genres and for various purposes is important in high school. Writing must be integrated into other subjects for research papers, or other forms of assessment. Reading skills should continue to develop as students learn to read for a variety purposes, and more challenging content.
Occupational education and practical life skills should have highly practical applications. Once again, these don’t have to be learned through books, but can be learned through hands-on, real-life experience. This is the age in which students should be earning some sort of income, and be gaining some practical life skills through work, and home responsibilities. Cooking, managing money, car maintenance, etc. are all great areas in which high school students should become proficient.
PE and health are both a combination of book studying, research projects, and physical activities. There are curricula designed for high schoolers; sports teams, and gyms with PE classes for homeschoolers. These are all great ways to get your student involved in these subjects.
Don’t be afraid to get creative and have fun with your high schooler. This is a great time when their capabilities and interests are more likely to match your own. Do this together. Involve them in the planning and listen to their ideas. This is their education after-all! Not all learning comes from books, so don’t be afraid to shake it up and think outside the box. | <urn:uuid:dc7ccb84-a1c4-4edb-80fc-cb776ac4c513> | {
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Hello I am Reporter #18. I am going to bring you the highlights from this week. This week was short because of the holiday. Our week started on Wednesday with morning work. Then we went to Math and learned how to round on number lines. We did a study guide on number lines. We changed classes to Social Studies. We talked about the Hopi Tribe. We also did our informational essay on the Inuit Tribe. We then went to computer lab and worked on Stride Academy. We answered questions in Reading in order to get coins to play more games on Stride Academy. Next was Language Arts. We learned about combining sentences. We glued a paper into a journal about combining sentences. After lunch, we went to recess. Then we headed to Science. We learned about food webs and food chains. When finished with our work, we got to play games. Reading is last for the day. We worked on our center packets.
On Thursday, our day began with morning work. In math, we talked about our morning work about adding and subtracting. We went over the correct answers for the study guide on number lines. After switching classes to Social Studies, we did worksheets on the Hopi Tribe. We studied for our test. We went to Writing Lab and wrote using beginning words such as First, Next, Then and Finally. Then we went to Language Arts. We did work on sentence fragments and sentence order. We ate lunch and went to recess. During Science we studied for our test about food webs and chains. In reading we glued a question strip into our reading anchor chart journal about sharks. We finished our center packet.
On Friday, we did morning work and then went to Math. After checking our homework, we had a math test on word problems and rounding number lines. We had another test on rounding number lines. Then, we went to Social Studies and had a test over the Hopi Indians. We then started learning about Nez Perce tribe. We then had PE and everyone was excited. We did our warm-ups and ran around the track. We worked on our underhand and overhand throws. Then we played a game of quiet ball. After PE, we went to Language Arts. We had a test over combining sentences. Then we practice punctuation. In Science we had another test! We were tested on food chains and food webs. We reviewed our homework. Finally, we went to Reading; our last subject for the day. We worked on center packet, which is reading about sharks.
It was a great short week! | <urn:uuid:0f5c7a0a-a02c-4481-977c-9705e8ff5914> | {
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The melon (Cucumis melo) is one African fruit that is already known around the world. All the warm regions produce it, and every day millions enjoy a melon for breakfast, lunch, or dessert. Certain countries—among them Iran, Pakistan, Japan, and the United States—look upon themselves as “mothers of the melon,” little realizing that the real parent is Africa. Few Americans, Australians, Chinese, Russians, Italians, or Iranians realize that the cantaloupe, muskmelon, or Persian melons on their plates originated from wild (and often impossibly bitter) fruits of Africa’s drylands.
Like ourselves, melon is African in ultimate origin. Quite a few species of its genus, Cucumis, occur across the continent, and the wild plants that gave rise to today’s melon are native in subSaharan eastern tropical Africa. Probably, it was domesticated after other major crops but, when it left Africa, widely different forms quickly arose in various corners of the world.
The crop succeeded first in the drier, longer-season parts of ancient Persia, India, and Southwest Asia (including Egypt); in fact it naturalized in India, which is regarded as a secondary region of novel germplasm. From “Persia” it spread East and West, including all the historic Mediterranean world. It captured the French imagination after reaching there about the fifteenth century; one intellectual produced a treatise enumerating fifty different ways to eat melons, including in soup, fried, or served simply with salt and pepper. The English aristocracy prided itself on the perfect melons their gardeners produced in glasshouses. From Europe, the melon journeyed on westward to the colonies of the Americas.
Melons are reasonably priced and seasonably available across countries that span many climatic zones, such as Russia and the US. While lacking a long shelf life, many varieties are tough enough to ship long distances at cool temperatures. Although most people consider it a sugary nothing in nutritional terms, it can be an important source of some nutrients, especially provitamin A.1 Combined with its welter of flavors, textures, sizes, and colors, melon is one of the most promising fruits for further development.
Despite its international success, however, the crop is far from being exploited to its fullest, even in the areas that know it best. Indeed, today’s | <urn:uuid:ca0e5de5-b83a-441a-91bb-50a2fb9c4551> | {
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AbstractThe salient features and drivers of wintertime warm and cold spells in the high Arctic are investigated. The analysis is based on the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts interim reanalysis dataset. It is found that the warm spells are systematically associated with an intense sea level pressure and geopotential height anomaly dipole, displaying a low over the Arctic basin and a high over northern Eurasia. This configuration creates a natural pathway for extreme moisture influx episodes from the Atlantic sector into the Arctic (herein termed moisture intrusions). Anomalous cyclone frequency at the pole (largely attributable to local cyclogenesis) then favors a deep penetration of these intrusions across the Arctic basin. The large-scale circulation pattern associated with the warm spells further favors the advection of cold air across Siberia, leading to the so-called warm Arctic–cold Eurasia pattern previously discussed in the literature. On the contrary, cold Arctic extremes are associated with a severely reduced frequency of moisture intrusions and a persistent low pressure system over the pole. This effectively isolates the high latitudes from midlatitude air masses, favoring an intense radiative cooling of the polar region.
Journal of Climate – American Meteorological Society
Published: Feb 7, 2018
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“My last article couldn't be possible without the platform @deepdyve that makes journal papers cheaper.”@JoseServera | <urn:uuid:98771342-e2b1-4ce4-bf0e-36a717691921> | {
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Samuel A. Whitney was the youngest brother of Thomas Heston Whitney. Samuel was born in Glassboro on July 7, 1819, to Ebenezer and Bathsheba Whitney. He was the grandson of Col. Thomas Heston and Hannah Heston.
After being educated in a private school, Samuel entered Samuel Reeve's store in Haddonfield, at age 15, to learn the mercantile business. After learning how to operate a store, Samuel came back to Glassborough and was apprenticed to learn glassmaking.
Samuel next became an assistant in the company store and eventually general manager of the business. Samuel then went to Philadelphia and managed the company warehouses. In 1842, Samuel Whitney became a partner with his brother, Thomas, and the company name was changed to Whitney and Brothers.
Samuel and Thomas Whitney with their mother, Bathsheba Whitney, had the St. Thomas Episcopal Church built in Glassborough. It was constructed with South Jersey sandstone from the Chestnut Branch quarry. The cornerstone was laid on April 18, 1846 by Bishop Doane.
In 1849, Samuel and Thomas Whitney had a new home built in Glassborough. It, too, was constructed with the sandstone from the same quarry they used for the church.
They had chosen the Italianate style, which was very popular during the Victorian era.
Their home has been called the Whitney Mansion and the Whitney House.
One of its residents was Dr. Edgar Bunce, the second president of Glassboro State Teachers College in 1937. According to Mrs. Lester Bunce (Elizabeth), daughter-in-law of Dr. and Mrs. Bunce, Mrs. Julia Bunce had noticed an abundance of holly bushes surrounding their new home. Julia Bunce needed stationery printed with her new address. She thought "Holly Bush" would be appropriate as the letter head. Julia told her husband. "This will be our home for a long time, and I am using 'Holly Bush' for its name." So she named the college president's residence "Holly Bush" and was the first to use that name. Eventually Hollybush became the popular name for the Whitney Mansion. Hollybush became famous as the site for the 1967 Johnson-Kosygin talks.
In 1853, Samuel Whitney erected a new glass house at Glassborough. It used anthracite coal experimentally. Wood for fuel was running short in South Jersey. The coal fields of Pennsylvania and West Virginia had become the main source of fuel for industry.
Samuel Whitney also wanted to see foreign lands. In 1855-56 he toured Egypt, the Holy Land and the East.
The Whitneys were also involved in other glassworks. In 1860, the Whitney brothers and brother-in-law Woodward Warrick leased the Malaga Glass Works in Franklin Township.
On January 1, 1861 Samuel Whitney of Glassborough was issued a patent for an "Improved Glass Stopper for Bottles." The stopper was made to screw into internal threads that were formed in the neck of the bottle. The patent states, “especially designed for use in connection with mineral-water bottles and as such as contain effervescing wines, malt liquors, etc.”
The Whitneys exhibited their glass products at the Centennial in Philadelphia. Also in 1876, a baby bottle was patented as "Samuel A. Whitney Patent." The bottle was flat and oval shaped. It too had a stopper made to screw into internal threads on the neck of the bottle.
Samuel Whitney was involved in the most efficient form of transportation to ship the company's glass to market. He was instrumental in the development of more turnpikes from Glassborough — the Glassborough-Westville Turnpike, the Clayton-Glassborough Turnpike, Glassborough-Carpenter's Landing.
Samuel was also greatly involved in bringing the railroad to Glassborough. Once the West Jersey Railroad was finished from Woodbury to Glassborough, the Whitney Glass Works had expedited the time for glass products to reach the market. Samuel also organized the Land Improvement Co. on the West Jersey Railroad, which founded the town of Wenonah.
Samuel Whitney retired in the late 1870s. The Whitney Family had a home in Cape May. The July 29, 1890 Camden Daily Telegram announced the death of Samuel Whitney: "A Pioneer Manufacturer and last of three brothers."
Samuel Whitney had died at Cape May. The following Tuesday, Whitney was buried in St. Thomas' Episcopal Cemetery, Glassboro. "Factory gates were closed at noon and all work suspended. Attending services were J.M. Moore and W. D. Moore of Clayton, J. Bodine of Williamstown, W. Warwick of Glassboro, B. Hay of Winslow and nearly all the glass manufacturers of South Jersey."
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Our approach to E-Safety and Internet use
We feel that we have a duty to provide quality Internet access to pupils as part of their learning across many subject areas and to establish computing skills for the future. We also have a duty to make sure learners are safe and vigilant while using the Internet, both at school and at home.
Therefore our E-Safety programme educates pupils about the benefits and risks of using Internet-enabled technology, and provides safeguards to enable them to control their online experience.
When a parent applies for a school place, they will be asked whether they consent for their child to use computer equipment and the Internet in school. Additionally, at the start of the year, children are given an ‘Acceptable Use’ agreement with some rules to understand and agree to:
I will only use the Internet and computing equipment
with an adult’s permission and I will use it carefully.
I will keep my login and password information secret.
I will not send my phone number, address or a photo
of me to anybody.
I will only use activities that an adult has allowed me
to use and I will ask for help if I am not sure what to do.
If I see something that makes me feel unhappy
I will tell an adult.
Parents and carers are asked to read the rules with their child, sign and return the agreement. Parents and carers are also given their own ‘Acceptable Use’ agreement to sign. Both agreements need to be signed before a pupil can use the Internet at school.
While it is ultimately impossible to ensure pupils are totally safe from threats on the Internet, all appropriate action is taken to safeguard the children while it is used in school. The school’s Internet service is filtered, and use of the Internet by pupils is always overseen by the class teacher and teaching assistant. Virus scanning and monitoring is also in use on all school computers.
If you have any worries or questions about the school’s use of the Internet and other technology, please let your child’s teacher know. The head teacher may also be able to help you with more detailed enquiries.
Some useful E-Safety links
Does your child use a phone or tablet to access the Internet at home? Here are some useful links to keep your child safe online…
CEOP (run by the National Crime Agency) is the national body that works to protect children online and prosecute offenders. If you are concerned about your child’s safety online, you can report it to CEOP. If you or your child is in immediate danger, always phone 999 for police assistance.
Visit CEOP Safety Centre to report any concerns or incidents online (opens in new tab)
Thinkuknow is a Government website for children to help them use the internet safely at school and at home. The star of the website is Hector, who learns how to keep safe online with his ocean friends. There are cartoons, games and practical activities for you and your child to take part in.
Visit CEOP Thinkuknow 5-7 website (opens in new tab)
CEOP also runs a parental advice section, with information about the latest technology and social media apps and sites.
Visit CEOP Thinkuknow For Parents (opens in new tab)
It is important to be aware that children and adults alike can access materials on the Web that can radically change their world view. The website below offers simple steps you can take to help your family avoid extremist material online.
Families Matter – Extremism Online (opens in new tab)
The ParentZone website contains the latest information, resources and advice for parents with children of all ages to help them with the challenges of parenting, including safety online. | <urn:uuid:fd108e53-a988-4bd8-bca5-8a98feca72ba> | {
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Let them run wild!
We believe strongly that early experience of the outdoor environment helps babies and toddlers develop into outgoing children who thrive on adventure and challenge. Aside from the obvious benefits of getting plenty of fresh air and vigorous exercise, we aim to encourage children to explore and be curious about what they find in woods, rockpools, beaches and parks.
- Foraging for and collecting leaves, insects and shells;
- Splashing in mud, digging and building shelters;
- Lighting fires and cooking outdoors;
- Water and rope play.
At this age we aim for the activities to be about playing and be child led - essentially it needs to be fun and exciting! Sessions tend to be less structured than those for older age groups, but can be led and inspired by story-telling and music. Weather is not an obstacle and we have high quality insulated and waterproof clothing and wellies that allow us to go out in wet and cold weather. This is usually the time when children love to play most in the puddles and snow! Getting outdoors in all seasons allows children to build their mental and physical resilience and strength - we build them tough in Scotland...
We can cater for early-years groups on site with a brand new outdoor learning adventure park area at our Kingswells base. This has:
- Low ropes challenge course
- Pond dipping and wetland habitat areas
- Outdoor seating/break out areas
- Creative Arts modules
- Mini beasts habitats(Insects etc)
- Multi sensory tunnels,
- large digging tubs for earth, pebbles and sand
- Giant water bowser for guttering and messy play,
- Shelter-building zones!
- Treasure hunt courses
- Picnic benches, Toilets, indoor classrooms, changing, showers and lockers are all on location.
This space is designed to be an inspiration for teachers, parents and children and we try to show how you can do a lot with very little. The emphasis is on recycled equipment and inexpensive resources. Please come and visit and share your ideas. Many of our staff have children of this age, or past experience of inspiring their own, or other children to share their love of the outdoors. We try to pass on the tips and tricks we've learnt the hard way so you can get outside with your children more easily. We also visit schools in an advisory role to develop early-years outdoor play and we're always available on the phone or via email if parents, independent groups or schools need advice, or wish to borrow our equipment. We hope to see you out there - and remember you're never too young (or old) to play outside. | <urn:uuid:aa88678d-4ea8-4582-9dd3-f86753574c0b> | {
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Gender Imbalance in China
China's one-child policy, which was created as a measure to find the ever growing population, has backfired has created a serious gender imbalance. Even though the one-child policy has since been abandoned, with couples allowed two children now, the former policy has still made its dent. Many parts of China prefer male children and sometimes take drastic measures in ensuring they have a male child. This has caused a gender imbalance of 122 males to 100 females born in 2008 and it is estimated that by 2020 there will be 30 million more males have marrying age than females. This type of huge gender imbalance will have negative impact many men as it will make finding a partner more difficult. For more information about the impact of this huge gender imbalance, make sure to check the source below. | <urn:uuid:507b99b6-4120-461a-b824-a1612f1c7910> | {
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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in the United States. The disease generally occurs in people over age 50 and the risk of vision loss increases with advancing age. Nearly one-third of people over the age of 75 have some eye changes due to AMD, and about 7 percent have the advanced form in which vision is affected. Approximately 1.8 million people in the United States have vision impairment from AMD, with more than seven million additional individuals at substantial risk for vision loss.
In people who develop AMD, central vision becomes disturbed. Common symptoms include a blurred or blank spot, distortion of objects or simply blurred vision.
AMD damages the light-sensitive layer in the back of the eye called the retina. The tiny central region of the retina is known as the macula. No larger than a pencil point, it is responsible for the sharp straight-ahead vision that allows us to read, drive, and distinguish faces.
In the early stage of age-related macular degeneration, yellow fat-containing deposits called drusen form in the macula. These deposits are quite common in the normal population over 40 years of age, but become larger and more numerous in those eyes that will develop AMD.
Two forms of age-related macular degeneration are generally recognized:
In the most common form of macular degeneration, the retina, its pigmented cells, and the adjacent blood vessel layer gradually become damaged over months and years. Most people with dry AMD have little or no vision loss. However, in its advanced form, known as “geographic atrophy,” slowly progressive vision impairment can occur.
Vision loss is more rapid (usually over days, weeks, or months) and severe, and is characterized by newly formed blood vessels growing under the retina. These unwanted vessels, termed “choroidal neovascularization,” leak, bleed, form scar tissue, and commonly lead to severe loss of central vision.
While AMD can cause loss of central vision and legal blindness, it does not cause total vision loss, even in advanced cases. People with AMD may lose the ability to read, drive and distinguish fine details, but they will retain their ability to perform most other activities and maintain their independence. Magnifiers and other special optical devices can help individuals with advanced AMD maximize their visual potential.
The cause of AMD is not yet clearly understood. A combination of genetic and environmental factors contributes to the disease. Variations of several genes associated with the development of AMD have been discovered, and personal and environmental factors like age, cigarette smoking, and nutrition appear to play a role. Certain antioxidants and zinc supplements are beneficial in specific stages of the disease. | <urn:uuid:1327d116-6f83-4022-8689-833d234161af> | {
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UNIT FOUR: COMMENTARY
- Assuming that your course participants are all working in a school of some kind it is almost certain that they will be required to prepare things called lesson plans. These may take the form of brief notes to enter into a class record book or, as in many state school systems, detailed documents that have to be submitted, often a term or even a year in advance, to a designated official. Unfortunately, these documents, which serve an essentially administrative purpose, are very often confused with teaching plans. If teachers have spent hours writing up these documents it is not surprising that they should want to use them in the classroom, even though they are largely useless for that purpose.
In this session we consider the nature and purpose of lesson plans and we focus on the structure of lessons and how we can describe the different parts of a lesson. We do not present a template for how to set out a lesson plan. If a lesson is appropriately and clearly structured in the mind of the teacher it does not really matter how it is set out on the piece of paper the teacher takes into the classroom.
- We start our discussion with something the course participants should remember from Unit One of the programme. Among other things, the discussion should cover a comparison with the lesson plans the course participants have to write and how much information is necessary in a lesson plan to be able to teach effectively. Ask the participants what is missing from this example lesson plan. The answer? - Timing. An experienced teacher will be able to estimate the time needed for different elements of the lesson. Less experienced teachers will find it useful to work out how long things should take in order to achieve a balanced lesson. (If you have time, you might ask the course participants to suggest timings for the lesson as a group activity.) Could the course participants teach a lesson from this plan?
- Lesson plans are used for different purposes. These include at least:
By administration, I mean documents produced before the course, the term or the school year to satisfy the institution’s, or the Ministry’s, bureaucracy. These tend to be far too detailed and might best be regarded as pious wishes rather than useful teaching aids.
Lesson plans produced for reporting purposes will usually take the form of brief notes compiled after the lesson and written into a class record book.
A teaching lesson plan is whatever an individual teacher finds most helpful to take into the classroom to assist in the achievement of an effective lesson. You may well find yourself discussing the merits or otherwise of the “administrative” lesson plan and the formats required by your course participants’ various institutions, but the focus of this session is on the teaching lesson plan.
Course participants should sit in small groups and be given 10 minutes or so to work individually on this. Then they should look at the plans produced in the group and discuss the differences. The point of this is to get course participants thinking about how they write lesson plans, to compare different lesson plan formats and to consider the relative “teachability” of the documents produced. Note that further activities in this session should lead course participants to reconsider how they write lesson plans, so don’t waste time assessing the effectiveness of the lessons. For now, just note the differences and get people thinking about how some lesson plans (and not necessarily lessons) might be more effective than others.
You will also probably want to go on to discuss the relationship between lesson plans and lessons. A coherent lesson plan should make it more likely that the teacher will present a coherent lesson. A lesson plan, however, is only a plan and we all know what happens to the “best laid plans”. So a good plan can never guarantee a good lesson and a good lesson may result which differs widely from what the plan envisaged. Certainly, no teacher should ever expect a lesson to turn out exactly as the plan prescribes. Whatever happens in the classroom, however, the teacher should always begin with a clear idea of what the learners should be able to do at the end of the lesson and of the path he or she expects to follow to achieve these aims.
A lesson plan provides a framework for an imagined lesson. It is inevitable that when we talk about the parts of a lesson plan we are also largely discussing ideas about possible divisions of a lesson. So getting people to suggest terms for parts of a lesson plan indicates what they believe to be the desirable format for a lesson. However old-fashioned it may seem, it is likely that the terms Presentation, Practice and Production will be proposed as forming the principal divisions of a lesson plan and, therefore, of a lesson. This should lead you into a discussion of the value of terms such as these.
A principal drawback of the 3Ps lesson structure is its rigidity. It implies a sequence which does not necessarily reflect the most productive way of organising a lesson.
A (Authentic Use): focus on communication (speaking, reading or writing); using whatever language is needed to do the job.
R (Restricted Use): communication is controlled in order encourage the practice of particular bits of language.
C (Clarification and Focus): introduction, explanation and specific practice of bits of language. (If you have access to the first edition of Jim Scrivener’s book, you will find a useful page of examples illustrating the terminology on page 134.)
Applying the terminology to the lesson descriptions on the handout you get:
Lesson 1: C, R, R, A
Lesson 2: R, C, R
Lesson 3: A, C, A
All terminology has porous borders and you may find yourself using an “It depends what you mean by …..” in your discussion. The main idea is to highlight the fact that there are other ways to plan and describe lessons than using the Presentation, Practice and Production sequence.
1. C, R, A
2. R, C, A
3. A, C, A
You will need to point out, if it does not come from the course participants, that most lessons will not consist of single examples of A, R and C. You may have a sequence of exercises, for example, and you may have more than one occurrence of any type of activity throughout the course of a lesson.
As a result of the discussion you should have a list of characteristics which includes at least the following:
- Clear aim: you need a clear idea of what you want the learners to be able to do by the end of the lesson.
- Appropriate activities: e.g. exercises, explanations, games that are at an appropriate level and have appropriate topics for a particular group of learners.
- Well-organised activities: you need to know exactly how things are going to work in the classroom. How are the learners going to be grouped? Who will talk to whom? How will you introduce each activity? What aids do you need?
- Variety: see below!
- A usable document: can you take the plan into the classroom and use it? Is it clear? Is it legible?
The feedback discussion should include at least:
- Pace: fast/slow; intense/relaxed
- Topic: the lesson may well have an overall topical theme, but you can add variety by doing an unrelated game to finish off.
- Organisation: individuals, pairs, small groups, large groups, whole class.
- Language activity: listening, speaking, reading, writing and a variety of combinations.
- Difficulty: more or less demanding; more or less simple.
- Mood: serious concentration/fun.
- Engagement: just follow instructions/use personal initiative. | <urn:uuid:f4734445-268d-413d-aea1-98f7610c1a86> | {
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Historic England Position on Contested Heritage in Listed Building Decisions
By 'contested heritage' we mean historic objects, buildings or places whose received or conventional narratives are currently challenged.
The markers and symbols of the past are a powerful means of understanding and interpreting the past. Around the world, both in conflict and in peace time, throughout history, individuals and groups have focused on aspects of the historic environment to help them to assert, defend or deny a particular version of history. When an object or place becomes contested, strongly held views tend to emerge on all sides.
We are acutely aware that certain representations of history in our public realm can cause pain, distress or offence for particular groups. The buildings and monuments we choose to keep and protect are often taken as representative of our values as a society, even though some are very much at odds with contemporary values - for example representations of Edward Colston in Bristol that praise his achievements and don't acknowledge his role in the transatlantic slave trade. Historic England encourages contemporary responses to contested heritage that do not lead to removal or significant alteration of protected historic sites or monuments.
When an object or building becomes contested, there are sometimes calls to remove or alter the building or monument. As the Government's adviser on the historic environment, we believe that removing difficult and contentious parts of the historic environment would risk harming our understanding of our collective past. Instead, we would usually recommend that clear, long-lasting and/or innovative reinterpretation at or near a contested object or site can be used in order to reflect a changed context and contemporary understanding of the (say) statue or memorial.
Histories may be re-told or reinterpreted but, once lost, the historic environment cannot be re-made. This built historic record remains our shared physical legacy of humankind. It prompts us to address our past, as understood and narrated by each generation. New responses can involve re-interpretation, new layers and installations, new artworks, displays and counter-memorials, as well as intangible interventions, such as education programmes.
Historic England advises central government on matters including the listing and de-listing (designation and de-designation) of buildings and advises local government on heritage applications in the planning system such as those for listed building consent. The fact that a person or activity commemorated at a designated site represents a disputed view of the past is not likely, in itself, to be a sufficient reason for de-designation. However, it would be appropriate to amend and update the formal list description to reflect the latest historical narratives. The DCMS Principles of Selection for Listing set out the grounds on which listing (or de-listing) are made . Anyone can add factual information about a nationally designated heritage asset to the National Heritage List for England through the Enriching the List process.
In relation to our role in advising planning authorities on heritage applications, we work within the planning system in relation to sites of contested heritage in the same way as we would for other sites. We are of course mindful that the emphasis of the narrative about the person, event or place may have changed, as other circumstances will have changed since it was first erected, such as its setting or its function.
You can read our checklist to help local authorities to deal with contested heritage listed building decisions.
Ultimately, it is for the planning authority as decision-maker to weigh the harm against the public benefit, especially given that some of those benefits are likely to range beyond heritage issues. Local authorities will also deal with locally listed and other non-nationally designated heritage assets and in these cases Historic England has no statutory role.
Historic England's Conservation Principles provide an overarching approach to how we advise on applications for listing and for alteration and/or removal. Our Planning Charter sets out when and how we engage in specific cases. | <urn:uuid:bde5cff4-c65f-4fc3-b77f-4ce3d4d4ed41> | {
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What is Plum Pox?
Plum pox is caused by a virus from the genus Potyvirus. These are one of the largest groups of plant viruses. The plum pox potyvirus is the only known potyvirus known to infect stone fruit (Prunus sp.). Several aphid species can serve as carriers for plum pox virus. Among the most important species are the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), leaf curling plum aphid (Brachycaudus helichrysi), peach leafroll aphid (Myzus varians), damson-hop aphid (Myzus humili), thistle aphid that overwinters on plums (Brachycaudus cardui) and the spirea aphid (Aphis spiraecola) as well as many less commonly found aphids. It is important to realize that some aphids such as cherry aphid (Myzus cerasi), mealy plum aphid (Hyalapterus pruni) and non-aphids such as leafhoppers (Edwardsonia plebei), lecanium scale (Lecanium corni) and plant bug (Lygus pratensis) are not capable of transmitting the virus. There have been four strains of plum pox virus (PPV) identified in the world. Those are PPV-M, PPV-EA, PPV-C, and PPV-D. The PPV-D strain is widely spread thoughout western Europe. This is the only strain found in the western hemisphere, first in Chile then in Pennsylvania, Canada, New York, and Michigan.
History of Plum Pox
Plum pox is also called Sharka. It is considered one of the most serious virus diseases of stone fruit in Europe. First disease symptoms were observed as early as 1910 in Macedonia (part of formally Yugoslavia). Growers in Bulgaria reported seeing "pox" on plums during 1915-1918. A Bulgarian researcher, Atanasoff, was the first to write about the disease and its virology in 1932. Since then the disease spead slowly until after World War II. By the mid-1980's it had spead to most of Europe (with the exception of Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands where it was presumably eradicated). By the late 1980's PPV had spread to Cyprus, Egypt, Syria, and India. Plum pox was first found in North America in Pennsylvania in October of 1999. It was later discovered in eastern Ontario and Nova Scotia in 2000 and western New York in early July 2006, it was also confirmed in Michigan that same time.
Current Situation in the U.S.
As of August 2007 only Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York are the only states that have detected PPV. All three states are conducting extensive surveys and only New York has found 13 suspected samples. Michigan and Pennsylvania have yet to find any positive or suspect samples.
In Europe, there are some 100 million trees infected presenting serious economic problems. Susceptible varieties can have up to 100 percent crop loss due to diminishing quality or massive fruit drop about 10 days prior to harvest. In the United States plum pox poses a significant threat to the stone fruit industry as mainly peaches and plums are most at risk from the strain of the plum pox virus found in North America. | <urn:uuid:92060ba7-5731-40fd-9433-de7d93272824> | {
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In 1996, the city of Escondido halted plans to develop the historic Daley Ranch by purchasing its 3,058 acres as habitat preserve.
The city manages Daley Ranch “in perpetuity for preservation of a biologically unique and diverse habitat area of regional importance,” the city says. Habitats found on Daley Ranch include oak woodland, coastal sage scrub and chaparral, grassland and riparian.
More than 20 miles of trails on six main routes are open to hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. They offer wide-open views of colorful meadows, three year-round ponds and lots of oaks.
Most of the oaks are Engelmann or coast live oaks, both of which are used by more 300 species of birds, including raptors, according to the city’s Daley Ranch web pages. The ponds attract aquatic birds, including cranes and osprey, but I saw only a few coots.
The Engelmann oak woodlands were once relatively widespread but now are one of the most endangered in California.
The most common habitat here is chaparral, and typical plants include chamise, scrub oak, black sage and ceanothus (wild lilac).
There are also lots of boulder outcroppings on the ranch that provide homes for many reptiles, including rattlesnakes. I saw a few snake tracks — wavy lines cutting horizontally across the dirt road — including a couple that looked like some big specimens had slithered their way back into the brush.
The boulder caves, as evidenced by their soot stains, provided homes to the native Kumeyayy and Luiseno tribes for centuries here, the city’s web pages say. Metates (shallow holes) and morteros (deep holes), used for grinding oak acorns into flour, are also found here.
Daley Ranch is one place where it helps to print out a copy of the trail map before you head out. There are lots of intersections and loops, and it makes a difference when you can consult the map on the trail.
I carved out a route that covered mostly moderate trails for a total of about 3.5 miles round trip. To help determine my route, I also consulted the map on the placard at the trail head that showed which trails were moderate or more difficult.
From the ranch’s southern parking area at the end of La Honda Drive, I started on the Ranch House Trail, which goes uphill for the first third of a mile or so on an old paved ranch road. After about three-quarters of a mile, I came to the old Daley ranch house itself.
Built in 1928 out of single-board heart redwood, the house is undergoing complete restoration. The workers told me it would take another two years to complete, and then the house would be open to the public in some form.
Robert Daley was the first European settler to come to this valley as a young immigrant from England. He settled here in 1869 and built a small log cabin, which now sits at the bottom of the one of the ponds. Around 1880, he moved to a small pine house, which still stands (although not sturdily, it appears) on a knoll across from the main ranch house. The Daley family farmed and raised horses here.
After Robert Daley died in 1916, his family moved to Jamul but continued to use the Daley Ranch as a dairy and summer getaway. The 1928 ranch house’s massive fireplace was built with cobblestones brought here by clipper ship.
From the ranch house, I continued on a short part of the Jack Creek Meadow Loop to reach Sage Trail, which took me to the big Mallard Pond and provided fine views to the southwest overlooking the lower ponds.
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Henry V (play)
Henry V is a play by William Shakespeare. It is called a history play. Shakespeare's source was The Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland by Raphael Holinshed. The play was probably first acted between 1598 and 1599. It was first printed in 1600. Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branaugh have both made movies of the play. | <urn:uuid:e4f726af-2841-45df-ad97-e50770ef4cc7> | {
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To make Comments write directly to Jim at [email protected]
For a few years, I taught writing and editing courses for businesses. Some workshops flew; others foundered on the simplest points.
Pharmaceutical companies, in particular, often hired Asian immigrants. I’ve no doubt they were well qualified, highly trained, even brilliant. They had studied English. But they came from languages that didn’t use little things like prepositions. Or articles. Or even commas.
“Why you need ‘the’ before noun?” someone might ask.
Or perhaps, “Why sometimes ‘agree with,’ sometimes ‘agree to,’ sometimes ‘agree on’?”
I offered examples. They would ask, “Where we find book that teach us these rules?”
There isn’t one. Or more accurately, there are hundreds.
Categories: Soft Edges
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National Register of Historic Places: Listed January 28, 2004
New York City Landmark: Designated July 9, 1985
The General Electric Building was originally designed and built for the RCA-Victor Corporation in order to create a highly visible image for the company, which, by the late 1920’s was in the forefront of the radio and communications industry. Architects Cross and Cross designed the building in the Gothic mode of the Art Deco style that is both representative of the building’s original intended tenant, RCA, and symbolic of the power and modern development of radio. Waves, bolts of lightning, and faces of “electric spirits” that project out from the facades are incorporated into the exterior ornament, directly convey this symbolism. This symbolic representation of the client through architectural ornament became a signature of Cross and Cross that they perfected through a variety of stylistic idioms, however nowhere was this more expertly executed than the General Electric Building.
The General Electric building is an Art Deco style skyscraper. The General Electric Building is a fifty-story office building located in mid-town Manhattan at the southwest corner of Lexington Avenue and East 51st Street. The main facades face east on to Lexington Avenue, where the main entrance is located, and north onto East 51st Street. The building sits immediately adjacent to St. Bartholomew’s Church to the west and a 25-story office building to the south. The General Electric Building’s slender tower rises from the twenty-sixth floor of the building, setting the building apart from the adjacent buildings. The unique spire characterizes the building as one of midtown’s most distinctive office high-rises.
May 1930- December 1931
When RCA acquired the property, the block was dominated by period-revival buildings, including Byzantine-Romanesque style St. Bartholomew’s Church to the west and the Academic Gothic style Cathedral High School (no longer extant) to the south. A conscious effort was made by Cross and Cross for the new building to be compatible with the existing adjacent buildings aesthetically. While the General Electric Building rises dramatically above the existing St. Bartholomew’s church, the use of Gothic inspired ornament and compatible materials and colors, prevents the building from visually dominating the church, and rather it is viewed as a contextual contribution to the block. On the other hand, the General Electric Building is not merely backdrop for St. Bartholomew's Church; it's a work of art in its own right.
The RCA building is rather conventional from a technical point of view. It is a steel frame skyscraper with a brick and terracotta envelope.
By the late 1920's, the RCA-Victor Corporation was a leader in the radio and communications industry and was in need of a headquarters building. The corporation had only come into existence at the end of the previous decade as a result of the rapid acceptance of radio technology that began at the turn of the century. A group of companies were merged to form RCA as a subsidiary of General Electric. By 1929, RCA had experienced tremendous growth, with subsidiaries that included the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO, a leading producer, distributor, and exhibitor of motion pictures) and had also acquired the Victor Talking Machine Corporation, officially becoming RCA-Victor Corporation. In order to best solidify their burgeoning corporate identity, RCA-Victor wanted a building that physically expressed their new independent image and the power of the radio industry.
Also at this time, American architects who were classically-trained, often at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, began to work with a new stylistic expression. The Art Deco style in particular allowed for the exploration of new creative avenues, seemingly without reference to the past, but without a dramatic technological change to the structure of buildings. Additionally, the 1920's saw a development boom in mid-town Manhattan that led to the proliferation of Art Deco skyscrapers in this area. In this climate of an emergent radio industry, a new architectural expression, and rampant high-rise development, the unique design General Electric Building was born.
The RCA building exemplifies the characteristic of the Art Deco's innovative adaptation of traditional motifs to modern forms. The General Electric Building main goal was to express the power of radio and importance of the RCA-Victor company as a corporate entity through its architecture. One architectural convention remains common to most designs by Cross and Cross, and that is the high quality of a building's ornamental program, regardless of style or scale. Often a personification is applied or emerges in the ornament, like a signature of their work. With the development of the high rise office building, Cross and Cross's use of symbolism in ornament becomes more distinct and dually significant as a form of advertisement. This is clearly, and best, articulated in the General Electric Building, where the brick and terracotta ornament inspired by electricity and radio waves is artfully expressed throughout the design. The ornament is a metaphor for not only the building's vertical dynamism, but also the building's initial clients and the power of radio. John Walter Cross explained his efforts to make the building symbolic of radio: "Romantic though radio may be, it is at the same time intangible and elusive--a thing which can be captured visually only through symbolism. It is energy in almost the pure state, which challenges us to depict in design the very fundamentals of our universe." He further dramatized the wonder of his symbolism by describing: "at night an aura of colored light will shoot out from the crown of forked lightning which each figure will wear as a symbol of the speed of radio" (Real Estate Record and Guide, May 30, 1931). By using its architectural features to express a heavily symbolic design aesthetic, the General Electric Building embodies the modern ideal of ornament derived from the structure and theme of the building.
Although specifically designed for RCA, the building’s deliberate ornamental program was equally suited for the company that later occupied the building for over sixty years, General Electric. In 1929, RCA-Victor, a subsidiary of General Electric, had experienced tremendous growth, and plans were begun for a new headquarters building designed by Cross and Cross at East 51st and Lexington Avenue. RCA put together a corporate entity called the Bartholomew Building Corporation to acquire property and construct a building. By the end of 1929, the property had been acquired and a building permit was issued, and construction began on the following May. Meanwhile, General Electric began negotiating a move of RCA to Rockefeller Center, which was still in the planning stages. In order to be released from GE’s constraints on manufacturing, RCA negotiated a deal that included trading large blocks of RCA stock and the office building under construction at 570 Lexington Avenue for exclusive manufacturing rights and royalties. In January 1931, the RCA-Victor Building officially became the General Electric Building.
Upon completion in December 1931, the General Electric Building won unanimous acclaim from both critics and the general public for the design's contextual juxtaposition of two buildings of different scale, type and age. J. Clydesdale Cushman, whose firm managed the new building, praised the sensitivity of the architects in the face of the all too prevalent disregard for adjoining properties in Real Estate Record and Guide in April 1931: “In the instance of the RCA Building, however, an advanced step has been taken in that consideration was given by its architects to the previously established styles and color schemes of the existing abutting buildings with the happy result that a new note of harmonious treatment of the ensemble has been struck which I am convinced is a great step in the right direction towards the setting of a new style in New York.” (Excerpt from the New York Landmarks Commission’s General Electric Building Designation Report, 1985).
The design of the General Electric Building melds the soaring verticality and decorative intricacy of the Art Deco style. Its inventive ornamental symbolism was part of a broader search for a new modernist architectural symbolic language for the Jazz Age. The building is a sophisticated piece of urban infill that responds to the adjacent building context while also evoking the dynamic energy of radio transmission and electrical currents. From its chrome and marble lobby to its radio waves crown, the General Electric Building articulates symbolism and metaphor for both advertising and design through its architecture. The building is the best example of Cross and Cross’s iconographic design and one of New York City’s finest expressions of the Art Deco style.
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, General Electric Building Designation Report (LP-1412). Report prepared by Charles C. Savage. New York, July 9, 1985.
National Register of Historic Places, General Electric Building Nomination. Prepared by Kathy Howe, Waterford, New York, August 25, 2003.
Breeze, Carla. New York Deco. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, 1993.
Bletter, Rosemarie Haag, and Cervin Robinson. Skyscraper Style: Art Deco New York. New York: Oxford University Press, 1975.
Gray, Christopher. “Cross and Cross.” Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects. New York: Macmillan and Free Press, 1982, 477-78.
New York City. Department of Buildings, Manhattan. New Building Docket Books.
New York County. Office of the Register. Abstracts of Conveyances.
“RCA Building Considers Its Neighbors.” Real Estate Record and Guide, April 4, 1931, p.7.
“Sketch of the New RCA Victor Building.” American Architect, 137 (May 1930), 59.
T-Square. “The Skyline.” New Yorker, 7 (June 13, 1931), 45-47. | <urn:uuid:9bc3c88f-929c-4ad0-8d13-1d0ac3cac2af> | {
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Like combined mean, the combined variance or standard deviation can be calculated for different sets of data. Suppose we have two sets of data containing and observations with means and , and variances and . If is the combined mean and is the combined variance of observations, then combined variance is given by
It can be written as
The combine standard deviation can be calculated by taking the square root of.
For a group of 50 male workers the mean and standard deviation of their daily wages are Dollar 63 and Dollar 9 respectively. For a group of 40 female workers these values are Dollar 54 and Dollar 6 respectively. Find the mean and variance of the combined group of 90 workers.
Here , ,
Combined Arithmetic Mean | <urn:uuid:149fe7b4-6c82-49db-9099-c56930700aaf> | {
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Aesthetic values of Palm Leaves• Exquisite art form Palm Leaf Painting was practicedlong back in few regions of India. This adoring andunique art is made up on palm leaf by engraving.• Palm leaf is a leaf on which all the spiritual book’s likeRamayana, Mahabharata & all the Vedas, Upanishadsare written in ancient times.• The tradition of palm leaves painting is closely linkedwith the worship of Lord Jagannath and claims adistinct place of its own because of its exquisiteworkmanship.
Origin and Paintings• Rare paintings of ODISHA.• The origin of paintings is traced to a moving legend in theChitralakshana, the earliest known treatise on painting. It issaid that when the son of the King’s highest priest died,Brahma asked the king to paint a lifelike likeness of a boy sothat he could breathe life into him again and this becamethe first painting.• Single painting takes around 6 to 15 weeks to completedepending on details of painting where rows of the samesized Palm leaves are arranged and sewn together and thenfolded in such a way to make a neat pile.
Who am I ?• Defines Orissa best with its aesthetic value ofOdishi culture, tradition, the picturesquelandscape.• Its unique theme that brings together theimmensity of life and the diversity of theDivine to stand as One.
What am I ?• Spiritual - Concerned with or affecting thespirit or soul• Blessings of Lord Jagannath.Flip CurtainsGiftsGreetingsBookmarksWall HangingOur Product
For Whom am I ?• Age 24 and above• Gender- Male and Female• Individuals having disposable income– Art lovers– Spiritual and religious people– Tourists - aesthetic value of Odissi culture andunforgettable memory from Odisha.– Decoration
Why Me?• Heritage painting• Devoted to Lord Jagannath• Unforgettable memory• “PARAMPARA” | <urn:uuid:e304abef-6a00-40d4-a04b-e8cdaa1c9e96> | {
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This section will help you learn more about clinical trials and provide resources to help you decide if participating in a clinical trial is right for you.
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a research study in which volunteers help researchers to find better ways to improve health. For additional information, visit the following U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) links:
How can I find detailed information on clinical trials?
ClinicalTrials.gov is a registry and results database of federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the United States and around the world. ClinicalTrials.gov gives you detailed information about a trial; its purpose, who may participate, locations, contact phone numbers and summary results, if available.
- Belmont report
The Belmont Report is the “Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research”. Finalized on April 18, 1979 by The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, this document identifies 3 primary ethical principles: Respect for Persons, Beneficence, and Justice.
- Research glossary
Help with terms that may be used in research and in a subject information and consent form.
- Newly approved drugs
FDA gives general information about newly approved prescription drugs.
Clinical trial websites
- National Institute of Health
Program dedicated to latest information regarding health issues and ongoing scientific research and special reports.
- National Cancer Institute
NCI website provides a great deal of information for clinical trials. Although the information is primarily focused on cancer research, this can be useful for any type of research.
- National Institute of Mental Health
NIMH website provides a participant’s guide to mental health clinical research.
- WebMD Clinical Trial Services
This site contains various types of information regarding clinical trials. This website provides a common sense guide for clinical trials which includes information such as commonly asked questions and a glossary.
- CenterWatch Clinical Trials Network
Clinical trial information and listing of available research studies being conducted in US.
- Clinical Trials Information: clintrials.gov
Provides patients, family members and members of the public current information about clinical research studies.
If you can’t find the answer to your questions, contact us for more information.
If you have any concerns or questions about your rights as a research subject or want to discuss a problem, get information or offer input, you may contact Copernicus Group Independent Review Board (CGIRB) at 1-888-303-2224 (toll free) or [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:a381a43a-0f4e-4a5c-8b6f-d9b5236f4a3c> | {
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The early thirteenth-century romance Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach features several African characters. Perhaps the most intriguing is Feirefiz, the mixed-race son of Parzival’s white Christian father, Gahmuret, and the black pagan queen, Belkane. Wolfram marks Feirefiz’s mixed parentage by giving him mottled black and white skin “like a magpie.” These unusual features have presented complications for illustrators over the centuries, and, while there are varied artistic depictions of Feirefiz, he is often not included in illustrations of the text. These images are taken from Engelmann’s 1888 illustrated children’s version of Parzival. Engelmann does not include Belkane in his version, but he does introduce Feirefiz at the end of the tale, when he comes to Christian Europe in search of his father but instead encounters his half-brother Parzival. Contrary to what one might expect, the book and its images do not directly reflect the racism of the colonial era but instead reflect more the sentiment of the medieval text.
Engelmann’s depiction is remarkable since many modern versions—most notably Wagner’s Parsifal—exclude both Feirefiz and his mother altogether. In these images Feirefiz is identifiably black, with dark skin and characteristically short, tightly curled hair. He has no visible light patches on his body, although not much of his skin is visible in general and his face is never fully shown. He is given other distinctive markers associated with Saracens: a turban-wrapped helmet, a scimitar, and a gold hoop earring in one ear. It is unclear why Feirefiz is depicted as simply black, but perhaps, his accessories offer some clues. They suggest an exoticism recognisable in contemporary depictions of non-white men and identify him as an archetypal non-white foreigner. Perhaps the absence of Feirefiz’s light skin suggests a reluctance to reconcile this foreign black half with Feirefiz’s white Christian half, an uneasiness with miscegenation characteristic of the era.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that Feirefiz is not depicted as characteristically different from the other knights; like other white knights courtly women swoon over him, and one image shows him marrying the white Repanse. In this image their white and black hands meet clearly in the center of the image as a sign of their union. Like the medieval text, Engelmann’s version of the story depicts Feirefiz as an ‘honourable heathen’ and does not describe him in otherwise derogatory language.
The images and corresponding text of Engelmann’s Parzival exemplify a continuity between the depictions of the medieval period and the colonial period which may seem surprising, especially considering other artistic representations of the Parzival text from the late nineteenth century. For example, Wagner’s erasure of black characters from his 1882 Parsifal is perhaps the result of Wagner’s known racism. A painting of Parzival and Feirefiz in Neuschwanstein castle, on the other hand, depicts Feirefiz as lighter-skinned—perhaps as Middle Eastern and Muslim—with barely visible black spots on his face. Engelmann’s depictions thus stand out. They are possible because Engelmann remains close to a text predating the era of scientific racism and its subsequent visual and literary depictions.
Source: Emil Engelmann, Parzival. Das Lied vom Parzival und vom Gral (Stuttgart: Paul Neff, 1888).
Depicting Feirefiz in the age of empire (1888) by Isobel Sanders is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Persuasive essay thesis statement worksheet
Underline the thesis statement twice © this writing worksheet is from wwwteach-nologycom persuasive essay examples. Worksheet/outline for analytical/argument essays 1 does my thesis accurately predict my essay's direction supportable thesis statement. Good sat essay thesis statement worksheet answers justify essays sentence for persuasive starters argumentative essay on the yellow wallpaper william. Personal essay vs personal narrative videos ap literature test essay questions key persuasive essay thesis statement worksheet middle school. Find persuasive thesis statements lesson plans and teaching resources quickly find that inspire student learning.
Thesis statements – web worksheet by nancy armstrong i functions and purposes of a thesis statement • to announce the topic to the reader. Persuasive essay editing worksheets br/ thesis statements unc your thesis statement will thesis format style essay outline layout easybib google images. Persuasive thesis statement worksheet visit the post for more.
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Find and save ideas about thesis statement on pinterest | see more ideas about writing a thesis statement, essay writing help and thesis writing. Business plan writers malaysia persuasive essay worksheet need to with these persuasive essay writing worksheets and a clear thesis statement. Persuasive essay worksheets - free worksheets & resources for teachers & students learn to argue both sides of a persuasive topic, use a lead and more. Abortion thesis statement for persuasive essay persuasive essay brainstorming worksheet xfdl persuasive essay brainstorming worksheet xfdl logan: october 30, 2017.
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Persuasive thesis statement worksheet not sure whether a certain writer suits your needs view three samples of papers completed by a writer recently for just $5 and. Persuasive essay thesis statement worksheet notes isaac: november 2, 2017 #essay for leadership examples of expository composition statistics. A p essay thesis statements by october 29, 2017 persuasive essay graphic organizer worksheet zoom aiden: october 31, 2017. | <urn:uuid:7e0fd8b1-33eb-4c75-9083-7871b1f1f6cb> | {
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March 23, 2006
Aricept, currently approved for those with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, may offer modest benefits to those in the more advanced stages of the illness, researchers report. The drug appeared to reverse some of the memory loss and day-to-day deterioration seen in men and women with severe Alzheimer's disease, though the effects were not dramatic.
About one in five people with Alzheimer's have severe disease. These later, more advanced stages of the illness are a particularly stressful time for families and patients, as patients become increasingly unable to wash, bathe, communicate, and care for themselves. Many must leave the home and enter a nursing home.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only one medication, Namenda (medical name memantine) for the advanced stages of Alzheimer's. Aricept (donepezil) is currently approved only for the mild to moderate stages of Alzheimer's, though it is sometimes given along with Namenda for those with advanced disease. Aricept belongs to a class of drugs called "cholinesterase inhibitors," which work differently than Namenda. Other drugs in the group include Exelon (also called rivastigmine) and Reminyl (galantamine). While these drugs may cause modest delays in deterioration of memory and thinking skills in early stages of the illness, they do nothing to stop the relentless progression of the disease.
The current trial, published in the medical journal The Lancet, assessed the role of Aricept alone in severe disease. In the study, researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden recruited men and women age 50 and older with severe Alzheimer's who were being cared for in Swedish nursing homes. Ninety-five were given Aricept, while ninety-nine were given a placebo (dummy pill). After six months, those taking Aricept did better on tests designed to measure thinking skills. They could also better carry out some daily activities compared to those taking the dummy pill. Side effects were similar in both groups.
"Our findings indicate that donzepezil [Aricept] can improve cognition and preserves function in patients with severe Alzheimer's disease," the authors write. "Overall, our data suggest that donepezil is an effective and well tolerated treatment, even when initiated in patients with severe Alzheimer's disease."
It remains uncertain whether costly medications such as Aricept are worth giving to people in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease. Indeed, studies suggest these drugs may have limited benefit even in those in the early stages of disease. [See the article, "New Study Claims Limited Benefits for Aricept".] Further study is needed. Still, the study authors believe that Aricept may be warranted in advanced disease. "If treatment can help patients in the late phase of dementia, without necessarily increasing the length of time they have severe Alzheimer's disease, then this is a treatment option that should be available," they state.
Ultimately, it is up to patients, patients' families, and their physician to decide whether a drug, or combination of drugs, should be given to those with severe Alzheimer's disease. Risks and benefits must be carefully weighed.
The current study is only one of many showing various degrees of effectiveness for drugs and other therapies. We at the Fisher Center recommend that anyone with Alzheimer's and their caregivers consult their doctors before considering any medication as a treatment option. At the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, the search for more effective treatments, and a cure, continues.
Bengt Winblad, Lena Kilander, Sture Eriksson, et al: "Donepezil in Patients with Severe Alzheimer's Disease: Double-blind, Paralle-group, Placebo-controlled Study." The Lancet, published online, March 23, 2006.
David B. Hogan: "Donepezil for Severe Alzheimer's Disease" (Comment). The Lancet, published online, March 23, 2006. | <urn:uuid:82c706cc-8e1a-4018-b8f4-61f95f0a3ce3> | {
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About the Periodic Table of The Elements?
The periodic table is the most important chemistry reference there is. It arranges all the known elements in an informative array. Elements are arranged left to right and top to bottom in order of increasing atomic number. Order generally coincides with increasing atomic mass.
The different rows of elements are called periods. The period number of an element signifies the highest energy level an electron in that element occupies (in the unexcited state). The number of electrons in a period increases as one traverses down the periodic table; therefore, as the energy level of the atom increases, the number of energy sub-levels per energy level increases.
Using the data in the table scientists, students, and others that are familiar with the periodic table can extract information concerning individual elements. For instance, a scientist can use carbon's atomic mass to determine how many carbon atoms there are in a 1 kilogram block of carbon.
People also gain information from the periodic table by looking at how it is put together. By examining an element's position on the periodic table, one can infer the electron configuration. Elements that lie in the same column on the periodic table (called a "group") have identical valance electron configurations and consequently behave in a similar fashion chemically. For instance, all the group 18 elements are inert gases. The periodic table contains an enormous amount of important information. People familiar with how the table is put together can quickly determine a significant amount of information about an element. | <urn:uuid:e2234e5b-0d64-4da4-9caf-1647a1d3409a> | {
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VVS Sudoku S60 Free - The playing field is a square of 9x9, divided into smaller squares with sides of 3 cells. Thus, all the playing field consists of 81 cells. They are already at the beginning of the game are some numbers (from 1 to 9), because the playing field blank does not make sense. Depending on how many cells are already filled, the concrete puzzle can be attributed to easy or complicated. In the puzzle has only one rule. You must fill free squares with numbers from 1 to 9 so that every row, every column and every 3x3 small square each digit would be met only once. How many cells are blank, the complexity depends on the game. Some puzzles can be solved in a few minutes, others can spend hours. | <urn:uuid:06669ed2-fc16-488a-824f-79f11ea04de1> | {
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Making a Hybrid
Grade Level: 5th - 8th; Type: Biology
Create a hybrid species of fish.
The purpose of this experiment is to take fish of two different species in an attempt to create a hybrid of the two.
- What types of animals have successfully bred with other species in the wild?
- What types of animals have been successfully bred to form hybrid species by humans?
- What types of animals have been genetically modified to form hybrids?
- Why are most hybrids incapable of breeding?
Hybrid species do not occur often in nature, though there are a few known instances. Usually, hybrids are created with the help of humans. Hybrid animals are often useful to us in some way, such as the hybrid cross between a horse and a donkey known as a mule. For many species that are capable of creating a hybrid, the offspring are unable to breed. This helps keep a species from being polluted with the DNA of another species. Occasionally, though, the hybrid is able to breed, though it will sometimes have difficulty doing so.
- A 5-10 gallon aquarium with a heater and filter
- 5 male guppies
- 5 female endlers
- Aquatic plants for the fry to hide in
- (optional) digital camera
- (optional) an extra aquarium
You can borrow a tank from a friend or science teacher if you don’t want to purchase one. Guppies and endlers can be bought from a pet store but you’ll need to make sure that you get true endlers. Check the shape of the tail that it is round and short.
- Set up the aquarium and get it ready for the fish.
- Place the fish in the tank.
- Feed the fish daily, as the instructions on the food say.
- Take daily observation notes, checking the fish for signs of pregnancy.
- Guppies and endlers give birth to live young. Gestation is generally about a month. With 5 males and 5 females in the tank, there is a high chance that the fish will successfully breed within the first month.
- Make detailed observations of the young that are born.
- If you have an extra tank, you may want to move the young so that their parents don’t eat them. Alternatively, make sure there are plenty of places for the fish fry to hide.
- (optional) Take digital photos of the young.
- (optional) As time allows, you can attempt to breed the hybrid fish to find out whether they are able to produce offspring of their own.
Terms/Concepts: Hybrid; Species; Genetic modification; Artificial insemination; Viable; Infertile
Warning is hereby given that not all Project Ideas are appropriate for all individuals or in all circumstances. Implementation of any Science Project Idea should be undertaken only in appropriate settings and with appropriate parental or other supervision. Reading and following the safety precautions of all materials used in a project is the sole responsibility of each individual. For further information, consult your state’s handbook of Science Safety. | <urn:uuid:df5df84c-936b-4833-9302-b76ac7b123da> | {
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The Coriolis effect is a (fictitious) force which acts upon any moving body (an object or an parcel of air) in an independently rotating system, such as the Earth. In meteorology, the horizontal component of the Coriolis force is of primary importance, as the most well known application of the Coriolis force is the movement or flow of air and ocean currents across the Earth. The effect is named after the French physicist Gaspard de Coriolis (1792-1843), who first analyzed the concept mathematically.
The Earth rotates about its axis from west to east once every 24 hours. This daily rotation of the earth means that in 24 hours a point on its equator moves a distance of some 40 000 kilometres, giving it a tangential velocity of about 1670 kilometres per hour (or roughly 1000 mph). A point at the latitude of, say, Rome, travels a shorter distance in the same time and therefore has a lower tangential velocity - about 1340 kph (840 mph), while the relative tangential speed at the poles is zero. Consequently, an object or current moving above the Earth in a generally northerly or southerly direction (away from the equator) will have an greater eastward velocity than the ground underneath, and so will appear to be deflected in relation to the rotation of the Earth. This deflection acts towards the right (or clockwise) in the, in the Northern Hemisphere and towards the left (or anti-clockwise) in the Southern Hemisphere.
Moving air undergoes an apparent deflection from its path, as seen by an observer on the Earth. This apparent deflection is the result of the Coriolis acceleration (or Coriolis force). The amount of deflection the air makes is directly related to both the latitude and the speed at which the air is moving. Therefore, slowly blowing winds will be deflected only a small amount, while stronger winds will be deflected more. Likewise, winds blowing closer to the poles will be deflected more than winds at the same speed closer to the equator. The Coriolis force is zero right at the equator and becomes a maximum at the poles.
The Coriolis force only acts on large objects like air masses moving considerable distances. Small objects, for example ships at sea, are too small to experience significant deflections in direction due to the Coriolis force. Therefore the Coriolis force is particulary significant with regards to winds, ocean currents and tidal streams. The idea of the Coriolis effect was developed independently by William Ferrel in America. | <urn:uuid:99ff3b7e-c07f-4b6b-abb1-aabe2709cebe> | {
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Is Easing the Answer?
In his testimony to the Joint Economic Committee on May 21st, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Alan Greenspan, said that the Fed views deflation as a potential threat to the economy. For the time being, however, the Fed Chairman believes that the likelihood of deflation is not very high.
Moreover, if deflation were to strike, Greenspan has assured us that the U.S. central bank has all the necessary means to tackle this phenomenon. Also, according to most experts on the present paper standard, as opposed to the gold standard, deflation can be easily countered by central bank monetary policies.
On a gold standard, when commercial banks expand credit, it leads to price inflation, growing imports and falling exports. This results in the outflow of gold and thus lowers the support for paper money. This in turn raises the risk of bank bankruptcies and therefore causes banks to curtail the expansion of credit. The result is a decline in money, and a fall in economic activity and prices.
However, because the present system is not bound by gold, the central bank is free to print as much as it deems necessary to lift the economy and prevent price deflation—or so experts say.
Moreover, according to experts there is no need to be concerned with the possibility that on account of monetary pumping short-term interest rates will approach the zero level and thereby diminish the U.S. central bank's ability to reflate the economy. What matters is the amount of money injected.
More money, so it is held, will lift consumer and business expenditure, which in turn will revive the economy. Monetary pumping, according to experts, will also arrest price deflation and this in turn will arrest people's tendency to postpone buying, thus helping to kick start general expenditure in the economy. In short, what matters here is that more money must be injected to prevent the emergence of deflation. This is precisely what the Fed can do according to the experts.
Some economists, however, are of the view that there is a need to alter the present emphasis of monetary policy. According to this view the Fed may be limited in loosening its monetary stance effectively because the U.S. central bank targets interest rates rather than money supply. In other words, in order to maintain a particular interest rate target the Fed's monetary pumping must take into account banks' demand for reserves, which are in turn determined by bank lending and economic activity.
So if the economy weakens and demand for reserves follows suit, in order to prevent a fall in the Fed Funds rate below the target, the Fed will be forced to slow down, or even contract monetary injections. According to Milton Friedman this is precisely the error that the U.S. central bank committed during the 1930's when a low interest rate was interpreted as an indication that the monetary stance was easy1.
Hence critics argue that what is needed now is to move rapidly towards targeting the monetary base and not interest rates. According to a Joint Economic Committee study,
In pursuing an easier monetary policy stance, for example, the Federal Reserve would expand the supply of reserves until this easier policy stance registered on intermediate indicators or guides deemed reliable in low inflation environments. Monetary aggregates or market price indicators might serve this latter purpose. Reserves could be increased, for example, until some specified reflation occurred in broad commodity price indices, thereby signalling that deflation concerns are on the wane.2
In short, the Fed should pump as much as it takes until prices and economic activity start moving ahead. Once this framework is adopted the whole issue of interest rates falling to nil becomes of secondary importance, since what matters is the increase in money supply.
The belief that this is the right policy to overcome an economic slump on account of price deflation emanates from Milton Friedman’s and Anna Schwartz’s research, which concluded that the reason for the Great Depression of 1929–1933 was the failure of the Fed to prevent a collapse in the money supply.3
At the Conference to honor Milton Friedman's 90th birthday, Fed Governor Bernanke promised Friedman that the Fed will not make the same mistake again.
Let me end my talk by abusing slightly my status as an official representative of the Federal Reserve. I would like to say to Milton and Anna: Regarding the Great Depression. You're right, we did it. We're very sorry. But thanks to you, we won't do it again.4
In short, it seems that the Fed is likely to act aggressively on any sign of emerging price deflation. Fed policy makers are so confident that Milton Friedman's prescription is the correct way to tackle an economic depression that they are not even ready to consider the possibility that this prescription may actually make things much worse.
If Friedman's way of thinking is correct, why hasn't it worked in Japan, which for over a decade now has been struggling to stage a meaningful economic recovery? In fact according to the latest Bank of Japan report on the economy, the economy is continuing to deteriorate.
The usual response from the adherents of monetary pumping is that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) has not done enough—it hasn't been pumping enough money. But how can this be, if in July 2001 the yearly rate of increase in monetary pumping, as depicted by the BOJ balance sheet, stood at over 44%? If one allows for lags from rises in monetary pumping to economic activity surely by now the Japanese economy should have been booming.
The view that more money can revive an economy is based on the belief that money transmits its effect through aggregate expenditure. With more money in their pockets, people will be able to spend more and the rest will follow suit. Money, then, is seen as a means of payment and means of funding.
Money, however, is not a means of payment but the medium of exchange. It does not have life of its own; it only enables one producer to exchange his produce with another producer. Means of payments are always real goods and services, which pay for other goods and services. All that money does is to facilitate these payments. It makes the payments for goods and services possible.
Thus a baker exchanges his bread for money and then uses money to buy shoes. He pays for shoes not with money but with the bread he produced. Money just allows him to make this payment. Also, note that the baker's production of bread gives rise to his demand for money.
When we talk about demand for money, what we really mean is the demand for money's purchasing power. After all, people don't want a greater amount of money in their pockets so much as they want greater purchasing power in their possession.
On this Mises wrote,
The services money renders are conditioned by the height of its purchasing power. Nobody wants to have in his cash holding a definite number of pieces of money or a definite weight of money; he wants to keep a cash holding of a definite amount of purchasing power. 5
In a free market, in similarity to other goods, the price of money is determined by supply and demand. Consequently, if there is less money, its exchange value will increase. Conversely, the exchange value will fall when there is more money. In short, within the framework of a free market, there cannot be such thing as "too little" or "too much" money. As long as the market is allowed to clear, no shortage of money can emerge.
Consequently, once the market has chosen a particular commodity as money, the given stock of this commodity will always be sufficient to secure the services that money provides. Hence, in a free market, the whole idea of the optimum rate of growth of money is absurd.
According to Mises:
As the operation of the market tends to determine the final state of money's purchasing power at a height at which the supply of and the demand for money coincide, there can never be an excess or deficiency of money. Each individual and all individuals together always enjoy fully the advantages which they can derive from indirect exchange and the use of money, no matter whether the total quantity of money is great, or small . . . the services which money renders can be neither improved nor repaired by changing the supply of money. . . . The quantity of money available in the whole economy is always sufficient to secure for everybody all that money does and can do. 6
In a market economy the purpose of production is consumption. In other words, people produce and exchange with each other goods and services in order to promote their life and well-being—their ultimate purpose. This in turn means that consumption cannot arise without production while production without consumption will be a meaningless venture. Hence in a free-market economy both consumption and production are in harmony with each other. In short, in a free-market economy consumption is fully backed up by production.
What permits the baker to consume bread and shoes is his production of bread. Thus a portion of his bread goes to his direct consumption while the other portion is used to pay for shoes. Note that his consumption is fully backed up, i.e., paid by his production. Any attempt then to elevate consumption without the corresponding production leads to unbacked consumption, which must come at somebody else's expense.
This is precisely what monetary pumping does. It generates demand which is not supported by any production. Once exercised, this type of demand undermines the flow of real savings and in turn weakens the formation of real capital and stifles rather than boosts economic growth.
It is real savings and not money that fund and make possible the production of better tools and machinery. With better tools and machinery it is possible now to lift the production of final goods and services, and this is what economic growth is all about.
Contrary to the popular way of thinking, setting in motion an unbacked-by-production consumption by means of monetary pumping will only stifle and not promote economic growth. This is because unbacked consumption will weaken the flow of real savings and thus weaken the source that funds real economic growth. If it had been otherwise then poverty in the world would have been eliminated a long time ago. After all everybody knows how to demand and how to consume.
The only reason why in the past loose monetary policies seemed to grow the economy is because the pace of real savings generation was strong enough to absorb increases in unbacked consumption.
However, once the pace of unbacked consumption reaches a stage where the flow of real savings disappears all together the economy falls into a depression. Any attempt by the central bank then to pull the economy out of the slump by means of more pumping makes things much worse, for it only further strengthens unbacked or nonproductive consumption, thereby destroying whatever is left of real savings.
The collapse in sources of real economic growth exposes commercial banks’ fractional reserve lending and raises the risk of a run on banks. To protect themselves, banks curtail their creation of credit out of "thin air." Under these conditions further monetary pumping cannot lift banks’ lending. On the contrary, more pumping destroys more real funding and destroys more businesses, which in turn makes banks reluctant to expand lending.
Under these conditions banks would likely agree to lend only to creditworthy businesses. However, as an economic slump deepens it becomes much harder to find many creditworthy businesses. Even more, good businesses, on account of price deflation, are reluctant to borrow. Furthermore, on account of loose monetary policy, the low interest return against the background of growing risk further diminishes banks’ willingness to expand credit. All this puts downward pressure on the stock of money.
Hence, the central bank may find that despite its attempt to inflate the economy, the money supply will start falling. Obviously the Fed could offset this fall by aggressive monetary pumping. The central bank could monetize the government budget deficit or mail checks to every citizen of the U.S. All this, however, will only further undermine real savings and devastate the real economy.
Can one be certain that Alan Greenspan will go all the way to pre-empt price deflation? It seems that this may be the case if economic indicators continue to display further weakening. One can only hope that the economy can stage an economic recovery soon—otherwise the implementation of misguided ideas are likely to set back the U.S. and world economies for many years to come.
Frank Shostak is an adjunct scholar of the Mises Institute and a frequent contributor to Mises.org. Send him MAIL and see his outstanding Mises.org Daily Articles Archive. Special thanks to Michael Ryan for his comments. Follow the dollar and the markets at Mises.org.
- 1. Friedman, Milton, and Anna Jacobson Schwartz. 1965. The Great Contraction 1929–1933. Princeton, N.J.
- 2. Jim Saxton, Vice Chairman Joint Economic Committee United States Congress May 2003.
- 3. Friedman, Milton, and Anna Jacobson Schwartz. 1965. The Great Contraction 1929–1933. Princeton, N.J.
- 4. Remarks by Governor Ben S. Bernanke on Milton Friedman's Ninetieth Birthday, November 8, 2002.
- 5. Mises, Ludwig von. 1966. Human Action, 3rd rev. ed. Contemporary Books. P. 421.
- 6. Ibid. | <urn:uuid:54a20c1d-28dd-4faf-ad25-f26f35bbae9c> | {
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(Check out our complete collection of Green Art, Design and Technology.)
A green roof can be much more than just a lawn on a building, and the concept is much older than many people realize. Creative green roof designs date back to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the original ancient wonders of the world. As impressive as those were, however, some modern examples have begun to rival them in terms of complexity, ingenuity and (of course) sustainability. Here are eight examples that help tell the strange story of the evolution of green roof design.
In Scandanavia green roofs are nothing new and green roofed architecture dates back centuries. Residential and farm structures used simple grass-covered green roofs primarily to absorb rainfall and provide thermal protection. There are even some contemporary buildings set in vernacular styles, such as this liquor store, that employ semi-traditional green roofs.
This Kelsey-Hayes Corporation bomb shelter design incorporates a green roof a hobbit would feel right at home in. This green roof design engage the structure aesthetically with the landscape, keeps the structure cool and even shrouds it from view in case of air attack. A dated approach to be sure, but also a compelling prefab idea that is results in something quite different from traditional suburbia.
Speaking of Hobbit holes, Pembrokeshire, Wales is home to a family with a house straight out of this classic fantasy tale. This amazing architectural wonder is created virtually completely from the natural materials found around the residence. The walls are made out of stone and mud and water enters the house by gravity from a nearby spring, and the roof is entirely green.
The idea of goats on a green roof might also seem fantastical or antiquated, but has likewise become a modern-day reality in Wisconsin. Sure, there is an element of whimsy and tourist-baiting to this design but it is also quite practical both for the maintenance of the roof as well as for the health (and perhaps entertainment) of the goats.
More contemporary green roof strategies are in many cases correspondingly more ambitious. Take this Japanese green roof for example, that sits on a massive building containing offices, retail space, a theater and a museum. The roof itself features over 30,000 plants of over 70 different species and brings usable green space to a dense urban core.
The Hundertwasser building is another great example of a contemporary green roof that is as impressive as the architecture below it is bizarre. The Waldspirale (or “forest spiral”) features over 100 apartments and wraps around a shared landscaped courtyard space with an actual flowing stream. The irregular forms and vibrant colors reflect the interests of the architect, who was both a designer and a painter.
When it is finished, the Vancouver Exhibition Center will have the largest green roof in Canada. This building is extremely aggressive in its environmental undertakings, with greywater treatment, energy efficient lighting and other strategies. Even the footings sunk into the water below it will foster the growth of marine life. In terms of style and ambition, this project is set to outdo the largest green roof in the world, a ford plant in Michigan. Want more green? See related articles on bizarre green art and creative guerilla gardening. | <urn:uuid:b9b3b226-9d6f-44ba-b831-db88e82790fa> | {
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Idaho State Representative Phil Hart became concerned about the federal government’s illegal introduction of Canadian gray wolves in Idaho because they pose a public danger. The federal government and Idaho agreed to allow a population of 100 wolves into the state, but the Canadian wolf population far exceeds that number now, and is estimated to be 1000 to 2000 wolves that can weigh as much as 140 to 180 pounds. The federal government mismanaged the wolf program under the Endangered Species Act.
The wolves are now a very serious threat to humans and livestock because they carry disease and tapeworms. Tapeworms from wolf feces can be fatal to humans; it is especially alarming that tapeworms can remain dormant for 20 years.
Phil Hart, working with Dane vonBriechenruardt, director of the US Bill of Rights Foundation and a team of legislators including Judy Boyle, devised a creative plan to protect the people of Idaho: legislation was written to declare a State of Emergency to place the power with the State, removing it from federal agencies. Declaring a State of Emergency can be used as a model for other issues that threaten life and property, and to preserve the 10th Amendment and States’ Rights.
Just before the State of Emergency bill was to be signed into law, Congress de-listed the Canadian gray wolves, which transferred control from the federal government to the state. It appears that the feds may have wanted to avoid a confrontation over the 10th Amendment.
Federal court jurisdiction is limited to federal statutes, so the feds would have had no authority if a State of Emergency was declared under State police power. | <urn:uuid:908656d7-254d-4dcd-8bc3-6df71b987118> | {
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Chicks’ distant psychokinesis (23 kilometres)
80 groups of 7 chicks were used to test their ability to influence the trajectory of a robot bearing a candle as the unique source of light in the room. The robot is driven, via telephone line, by a random generator located 23 kilometres away. When chicks are present, the robot moves preferentially into their direction (66.25% out of 80 trials). This is significantly different from the non specific displacement of the machine in the absence of chicks and observer (p<0.00001). The random generator being the source of movements, this result suggests that chicks are able to influence it over a long distance.
In previous work (Péoc’h, 1986), we have shown that chicks aged 1 to 7 days were able to influence the trajectory of the "Tychoscope", a robot driven by a random generator (Janin’s model). The chicks were first conditioned to recognise it as being a maternal substitute. For that purpose, they were regularly put into contact with the robot during several days (see the work from the Nobel Price Konrad Lorenz about the imprinting phenomenon). Then they were placed in a transparent cage at distance of the visible and randomly moving Tychoscope, and its trajectory was measured. The results showed that the robot was moving 2.5 times more often in the direction of the imprinted chicks than in the direction of non-imprinted animals or of an empty cage (p<0.001). This suggested that the imprinting, the "psychological links", was responsible for the observed psychokinetic-like effect.
In another experiment the ability of chicks to influence a bigger and slower robot (Tychoscope II; Péoc’h, 1994) was further investigated. During daytime, chicks hate to be in the dark. 15 non imprinted chicks were then placed in a transparent cage, in a room with a candle put on Tychoscope II as the unique source of light. In 71.25% of 80 trials, the robot was significantly moving towards the chicks (p<0.01) further suggesting a psychokinetic influence of the animals on the robot.
In this experiment, we have tested the possibility for long distance psychokinesis using the "candle protocol". The difference with the former experiment relies in the fact that the random generator is located 23 kilometres away from the robot, both being connected via telephone line.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
Male and female WARREN ISSA chicks, aged 12 hours, born during the night in an incubator were used. Grouped by 7 in cardboard boxes (20x21x13cm) correctly oxygenated, at 28°C, and submitted to natural daylight cycle, they were kept from seeing the Tychoscope during 7 days so that they cannot imprint to it. Then, each group is running once the following protocol : chicks are placed in a transparent glass cage (30x18cm) situated on the border of a rectangular arena, at mid distance of its ends (Fig.1). The cage is elevated in such a way that chicks a re at the same height as the flame of the candle. The flame is about 4cm high and the candle (3cm in diameter, at least 10cm high) is placed on the Tychoscope.
The Tychoscope used in this experiment and its settings are the same as previously described ("Human influence on the Tychoscope", Ö). Briefly, the robot is set to randomly move for 20 minutes at 7cm/sec on the plane rectangular arena (1x1.6m), its centre being the starting point. It is radio-guided by a computer placed in the same room (PC1) which is itself controlled, via telephone line, by another computer (PC2) directly connected to the random generator. Both PC2 and the random generator are located 23 kilometres away from PC1. The direction and length of each move is determined by the random generator.
The coordinates of the centre of the arena are X0=0 and Y0=0. It is the departure point for the robot. The X axis is perpendicular to the border containing the cage and the Y axis is parallel to it (Fig.1). Each time the robot is rotating or is drawing a straight line, its X and Y coordinates are measured by PC1. At the end of the 20 minutes experiment, the mean value for X and Y at the rotation points are calculated. A positive value for X indicates that the Tychoscope preferentially moved in the direction of the animals.
At the same time, PC1 and PC2 are recording the trajectory decided by the random generator, and the online displacement of the robot is drawn on a paper thanks to a pencil fixed in its centre. The 3 recordings are identical.
80 experiments were realised with 80 groups of 7 chicks in the cage and 100 control experiments were done without any chicks or observer in the room.
In 53/80 experiments with chicks (66.25% of the cases), the mean value for X is positive and the machine is preferentially moving towards the animals (Fig.2). On the contrary, there are about as much control experiments with a positive mean value for X (48/100) than control experiments with a negative value (52/100). Applying the ≤ test (chick : 53/80 positive – 27/80 negative versus control : 48/100 positive – 52/100 negative) proved the results of the chicks group to be significantly different from the ones of the control group (≤=6.01; df=1; p<0.02).
In addition, the mean of the mean value for X of the control group is Xcont=+3.005. It is not different from 0, suggesting a random trajectory of the Tychoscope when chicks are absent. On the opposite, the mean of the mean value for X of the chick group is large (Xchicks=+88.757) suggesting an influence of the animals on the robot. These means are statistically different one from the other (E=2.47; p<0.015).
Finally, the mean value for X of both the chicks and control groups were transformed as series. The arena is divided in units corresponding to 100 engine pitches done by the robot (Tab.1). The Mann & Whitney test used to compare both series shows that the distributions are significantly different (Z>4.5; p<0.00001).
As clearly shown in this experiment, chicks are able to influence the trajectory of a robot (p<0.00001). This effect seems to depend on the mental state of the animal and on the significance of the target rather than on the presence of the chicks alone. Effectively, if the same experiment is run in clear daylight without any candle on the Tychoscope, the random trajectory of the machine is not deviated by the animals (p<0.8, data not shown). The psychological state of the chicks and / or the importance attached to the target are thus the key points for this effect to take place.
It is also interesting to note that even though the random generator is 23 kilometres away from the robot and that the chicks do not know its localisation, they are able to influence its trajectory. Because it is very likely that this influence directly affects the random generator, the phenomenon shown is probably long distance psychokinesis.
An important issue in parapsychology is to determine the nature of psi. A strategy commonly used to answer that question is to try to block psi. Here, we showed that distance is not a valid parameter to block it. However, our apparatus could prove to be useful to address that question because the random generator is physically disconnected from the driving computer (PC1). In future experiments, we are planning to try to block the psychokinetic effect by isolating the random generator in a Faraday cage, a lead cage or with a 1 meter column of water for example. Each of these materials proved efficient to block certain waves. Another advantage of our model is the use of chicks. Rhine’s "psi missing" effect (1952), leading human beings to do the contrary of what they are supposed to do, is, if it exists, probably less pronounced in animals due to their lack of known preconceptions.
Beside the interest of our model, the present results raise important questions. For example, the fact that psychokinesis can occur independently of distance or of the localisation of the target is of great importance. Among other things, it suggests that psi can have a very wide range of action over matter. Does psi really need the knowledge of what it is influencing to have an influence on it ? This looks a little bit similar to what is happening in the brain, when we are able to select the appropriate neurones to move a given muscle without explicitly knowing their exact localisation. These experiments lead us to the frontier with the metaphysical field.
Fig.1 : Schematic representation of the apparatus. The robot is initially placed in the centre of the arena (O) and its trajectory is described with the X and Y value at the end of each movements. The chicks (P) are placed on a border of the arena.
Fig.2 : Histogram representing the mean value for X for each of the 80 experiments involving chicks. Note the clear tendency for X to be directed toward the chicks.
Fig.3 : Histogram representing the mean value for X for each of the 100 control experiments. Note the homogenous distribution of the Xs.
Fig. 4 : Example of an experiment where the Tychoscope clearly moved towards the chicks (Xmean=+440).
Tab.1 : Mean values for X of the chicks and control groups respectively, expressed as a function of the number of engine pitches done by the robot. The distribution of the X for the chicks group is significantly shifted towards the animals (p<0.00001; see text). | <urn:uuid:cb4da184-e26f-4a92-90ea-d12f92dceca6> | {
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Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a standard protocol used for the secure transmission of documents over a network. Developed by Netscape, SSL technology creates a secure link between a Web server and browser to ensure private and integral data transmission. SSL uses Transport Control Protocol (TCP) for communication.
In SSL, the word socket refers to the mechanism of transferring data between a client and server over a network.
When using SSL for secure Internet transactions, a Web server needs an SSL certificate to establish a secure SSL connection. SSL encrypts network connection segments above the transport layer, which is a network connection component above the program layer.
SSL follows an asymmetric cryptographic mechanism, in which a Web browser creates a public key and a private (secret) key. The public key is placed in a data file known as a certificate signing request (CSR). The private key is issued to the recipient only.
The objectives of SSL are:
SSL is the predecessor of Transport Layer Security (TLS), which is a cryptographic protocol for secure Internet data transmission. | <urn:uuid:ea6664d1-ddb0-481e-9b88-cdb5dd1e7525> | {
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Fetal Non-Stress Test
Pregnancy brings with it myriad changes in a woman's body and life. As the baby grows and develops, a loving bond grows between mother and baby, and the mother can tell so much about her little one, even before the baby is born. Movements are an indication of so may things. Awake times, excitement, playing, and on the other side of things, sometimes distress.
Why Do I Need A Fetal Non-Stress Test?
If a woman has passed her due date, or if the pregnancy is rated as high-risk during the last month or so of gestation, the health care provider may request a non-stress test to ensure everything is okay with the baby. It is called a non-stress test because there is no stress or pressure on the baby. This simple procedure is painless and is a way for the doctor to evaluate the baby's condition. The baby's heartbeat is monitored at rest and then while the baby is moving. The baby's heart rate should increase with movement, which is normal.
A non-stress test may be required if the mother has diabetes and is being treated with insulin, or if she has high blood pressure, or another condition that may affect her pregnancy. Pregnancy hypertension, intrauterine growth restriction, low amniotic fluid and a baby that is less active than normal are all reasons a non-stress test would be administered. Additionally, if the baby was breech and the mother had an external cephalic version (turning the baby), or an amniocentesis in the third trimester to determine the extent of the development of baby's lungs, then the doctor may want to have a non-stress test to ensure the baby is doing fine. Going past the due date is another cause for a non-stress test as the doctor will want to know how the baby is holding up during the time. Finally, if the mother had lost a baby during the later half of the pregnancy from an unknown reason, then the doctor will want to monitor the next pregnancy closely.
How Is The Fetal Non-Stress Procedure Done?
The procedure is very simple and easy. The mother may be asked to eat something small beforehand to stimulate the baby to move around more. It's a good idea to go into the test with an empty bladder since the test can take up to an hour being strapped to a monitor. During the testing, the mother lies on her left side, usually leaning back against a wedge. Two monitors are strapped to her belly, one for the baby's heartbeat and movement, and the other to monitor uterine contractions. The technician listens to the baby's heartbeat and watches the monitor, which the contractions are recorded on a paper that is printed in the monitoring machine. If the baby isn't moving, it could be that s/he is asleep. The technician will nudge baby to get movement, or ask the mother to drink something with the hope of waking the baby.
What Do The Results Mean on a Fetal Non Stress Test?
Reactive results mean that the baby's heart beats faster during movement (at least 15 beats per minute more than the resting heart rate), and when this is measured twice during a 20 minute interval, then everything is normal for the time being. The test may be done again in a week or so. If the baby's heart rate doesn't go up, or if the baby doesn't move for 90 minutes or more, the result is considered to be nonreactive and another test may be given such as a contraction stress test or a biophysical profile.
A nonreactive result may indicate the baby is oxygen-deprived. There may be an issue with the placenta also. If the doctor feels the baby is in distress, there may be a decision to induce labor. If the baby's heart rate drops during a contraction, it may indicate a problem with the placenta which is causing an oxygen shortage. | <urn:uuid:0e1626e8-3085-42df-a3e2-71a1d8923fde> | {
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In what sounds more like the lead-up to a punchline, not the latest in state-of-the-art medicine, Canadian rocket scientists and brain surgeons have teamed up to create a one-of-a-kind tool for the operating room.
The surgical robot, dubbed neuroArm, unveiled yesterday at the University of Calgary, removes the physical constraints of the neurosurgeon to offer a rock-steady hand for precision procedures and superhuman vision to the microscopic level.
At the same time, it has been engineered using plastics, titanium and other non-conductive material to create the only robot in the world that can work on a patient who is placed inside a magnetic resonance imaging machine.
Any metallic material -- including jewellery on a patient -- is banned from such a room for safety reasons because of the strength of the magnetic field emitted by all MRIs.
The invention allows surgeons to see real-time pictures of what is happening in the brain -- to blood vessels, tissue and tumours -- with every poke, cut and stitch being performed by the robot.
"The goal of this is to make difficult surgery easier and make impossible surgeries possible," said Alex Greer, a robotics engineer at the University of Calgary who helped design neuroArm and yesterday took the controls during a demonstration.
The $27-million project began in 2001 with the backing of a number of individual philanthropists and foundations as well as with federal and provincial government grants.
MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. was called on five years ago to introduce their space technology to Earth-bound medical applications.
The Richmond, B.C.-based company designed the Canadarm and Canadarm2 for the Canadian Space Agency and is now working on a robotic arm called Dextre for use on the International Space Station.
Bruce Mack, a vice-president with the company's space missions group, said neuroArm is a prototype based on his company's existing space engineering know-how, but the robot could be used in hospitals around the world.
"It could be modified for lower cost, new capabilities," he said.
Garnette Sutherland is credited with inventing the robot, but the professor of neurosurgery at the University of Calgary is humble in describing the genesis as more of a "cumulative event" involving a number of scientists, researchers and engineers who shared a dream to improve patient health.
"That little eureka moment took six years to accomplish," Dr. Sutherland said.
NeuroArm, which is about the size of a dishwasher with two robotic arms, is small enough for one arm to work within the tube of an MRI machine. But the surgeon operates it from a separate room.
Yesterday, Mr. Greer sat at the controls. In each hand was a handle he worked as if they were chopsticks.
Those handles have been designed so that whoever is holding them can sense the weight and texture of whatever objects the robot is touching.
Healthy tissue and tumours feel different to the trained surgeon.
The work station is surrounded by screens.
One showed the MRI of a brain. Another was a view of the work being done by the robot's left arm, the other of its right arm. A touch screen can be used to manipulate the view of the robot itself.
A speaker set up on a desk pipes in sounds from the operating floor. Healthy tissue and tumours also sound different to an expert.
In front of him was a set of eyepieces that provide stereoscopic vision -- a close-up, three-dimensional view of the surgery.
Inside the operating theatre, each hand of the robot was responding to Mr. Greer's commands by opening and closing as if it were picking up tools and performing tricky tasks such as picking up elastics bands.
Unlike a surgeon who cannot escape shaky hands -- especially as he or she ages -- neuroArm eliminates tremors and can extend a surgeon's shelf life in the operating room, Dr. Sutherland said.
It could also ease the nerves of patients.
Tracy Durfy, who had surgery 18 months ago on a benign brain tumour, still remembers her pre-op jitters.
"I'm thinking to myself the night before the surgery, I sure hope he doesn't sneeze," she recalled.
"It could be a leap of faith going in, but you know we're all open to human error in whatever job we're in and if you're doing brain surgery and you have to sneeze, there's no warning to that. You could just do it. What happens?"
NeuroArm could also allow procedures never done before, Dr. Sutherland added.
Even with his many years of practice, Dr. Sutherland said he is accurate within one to two millimetres while working on side-by-side vessels in the brain.
The robot has something called "motion scaling" which allows the surgeon to be precise within 0.01 mm.
"Now I can join together vessels that are much smaller," Dr. Sutherland said.
Assessing brain tumours will be more precise while speed and accuracy will also be increased, officials said.
They hope this could mean better results for patients and lower overall costs to the health-care system.
Among the first to see the merit of the project was Calgary's Seaman family, who donated $2-million.
"A robot doing brain surgery," recalled Daryl (Doc) Seaman, an oilman and co-owner of the Calgary Flames.
"It's a bit of a tough sell."
NeuroArm, which is housed at the Seaman Family MR Research Centre, a joint venture of the University of Calgary and the Calgary Health Region's Foothills Hospital, will be put through its paces in the next month during preclinical trials.
Tests will be conducted on mannequins, cadavers and tissues to prove to Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that it is safe for people.
Officials hope neuroArm will be used to treat its first patient this summer. | <urn:uuid:7a9303fe-b638-423b-9549-a40801a58cc4> | {
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In English, many things are named after a particular country – but have you ever wondered what those things are called in those countries?
- Glacial, periglacial, fluvial, and mass-movement processes dominate in mountain environments.
- As the basin filled, or the rate of subsidence relative to the influx of material lessened, subaerial fluvial deposits were emplaced.
- The first cycle initiated in the early Paleocene and represents a transition from Cretaceous marine turbidites and shales to subaerial fluvial sandstones and conglomerates.
- These units are conformably overlain by fluvial and lacustrine volcaniclastic deposits, tuffs and hyaloclastites.
- It has been suggested that fluvial and lacustrine source rocks were locally deposited in grabens created along the transtensional edges of these rotating microcontinental blocks.
English has borrowed many of the following foreign expressions of parting, so you’ve probably encountered some of these ways to say goodbye in other languages.
Many words formed by the addition of the suffix –ster are now obsolete - which ones are due a resurgence?
As their breed names often attest, dogs are a truly international bunch. Let’s take a look at 12 different dog breed names and their backstories. | <urn:uuid:cf426fbd-855c-4d8b-8b17-a05b08d4a9b3> | {
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Dating services in texas hill country Adult intert chat toledo
During the Progressive Era, President Theodore Roosevelt was in power and although he supported health insurance because he believed that no country could be strong whose people were sick and poor, most of the initiative for reform took place outside of government.
In the Progressive Era, which occurred in the early 20th century, reformers were working to improve social conditions for the working class.
This marked the end of the compulsory national health debate until the 1930’s.
Opposition from doctors, labor, insurance companies, and business contributed to the failure of Progressives to achieve compulsory national health insurance.
On several occasions, advocates believed they were on the verge of success; yet each time they faced defeat.
The evolution of these efforts and the reasons for their failure make for an intriguing lesson in American history, ideology, and character. | <urn:uuid:3cc64fa0-cd44-487b-abee-d525ef85deb7> | {
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Your only option is to cover your garden when the temperature gets too hot to avoid a destructive sun. But doesn’t that defeat the purpose of growing a prize-winning garden? So rather than hide your beauties under straw or mulch, try these three tips to keep your garden alive through the summer heat.
#1: Plant Shading Trees and Plants on the West
During the summer, the sun remains high and in the sky a lot longer than it does in winter. No matter where you are, the sun is going to set in the west.
That’s why you should plant your garden on the west side of your home so the sun isn’t beaming down on your garden at the hottest point during the day. Also, you could plant certain types of trees and vining plants to protect your more sensitive flowers from the summer heat. Try sunflowers, perennials and Asiatic lilies.
#2: Choose Plants and Flowers That Like the Heat
One of the easiest ways to protect your garden through the summer heat is to add plants and flowers that thrive in the heat. Some examples of beautiful and colorful flowers that withstand a lot of heat include:
- Salvias, which tolerate extreme heat and extreme cold.
- Coreopsis flowers, which are bright yellow and need very little water to thrive.
- Coneflowers that come in a rainbow of colors and can grow up to three feet.
- Rudbeckia, also known as “black-eyed Susan” perennials, which are drought-resistant and grow 48 inches high. Plus, you can cut them and stick them in a vase inside the house; they last longer than most cut flowers.
If you are growing a fruit and vegetable garden, tomatoes are surprisingly hearty against summer heat. Other vegetables like eggplant and black-eyed peas and certain fruits will also thrive in hot and humid weather.
#3: Water Your Plants in the Early Morning
Finally, you want to be careful about how you water your plants. There are several things you may not know that will help keep your plants from drying out this summer. The first rule is to water your plants early in the morning. If you water your plants at night, chances are you’ll get some of the leaves wet. Overnight, that water can turn into mildew and disease.
Once the sun rises, the heat is going to burn off the water too fast for your plants to absorb it. In the morning, they will have a better chance of absorbing water. Second, just because it rains, it does not mean that your plants have had enough water.
You can measure by leaving a tuna can outside in the rain. One can equals an inch of rain. Your plants need a third of that every few days to thrive. If your soil gets too dry, it could become resistant to water and will need more water than usual. | <urn:uuid:2283efc4-434a-41de-a519-88c639c585df> | {
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Where the Words “Geek” and “Nerd” Came From
Today I found out where the words “geek” and “nerd” came from.
The first documented case of “geek” dates all the way back to 1916. At the time, the term was used to describe sideshow freaks in circuses. Specifically, it was typically attributed to those circus performers who were known for doing crazy things like biting the heads of various small live animals or eating live insects and the like. These performances were often called “geek shows”. The word itself, “geek”, came from the word “geck”, which was originally a Low German word which meant someone who is a “fool/freak/simpleton”.
The first documented case of “nerd” was in Dr. Seuss’s If I Ran the Zoo, in 1950. The specific text was: “a Nerkle, a Nerd, and a Seersucker too”. It was just one year after the Dr. Seuss book, in 1951 in a Newsweek magazine article, that we find the first documented case of “nerd” being used similarly to how we use it today. Specifically, they used it as being synonymous with someone who was a “drip” or a “square”.
There are two popular theories as to where the word derived from. The first is that it was perhaps derived from “drunk” spelled backwards, “knurd”. This was fitting to describe people who studied instead of going out with friends and partying. A somewhat more popular theory suggests that it came from a modification of “nut”, specifically “nert”, which meant “stupid or crazy person” and was common in the 1940s, directly before the term “nerd” showed up. The word nerd ended up becoming fairly popular in the 1960s and by the 1970s was hugely popularized by the TV show Happy Days, where it was used frequently.
- Where the Word “Meme” Comes From
- Where the Word “Wiki” Comes From and Why It’s Mispronounced By Nearly Everyone
- The Origin of “Tip” as in “Leaving a Tip”
- Where the Term “Rock and Roll” Came From
- The Word “Dinner” Used to Refer to Breakfast
- Before “geek”, “nerd”, “dork”, etc, the proper terms for these same ragamuffins were “Dewdroppers”, “Waldos”, and “Slackers”. Other common old slang words that were somewhat similar in meaning: pantywaist, oil can, drip, stinkeroo, mullet, roach, schnookle, kook, dimp, dorf, squid, auger, square, Joe Zilch, and dudd.
- A similar term to “geek”, in British slang, is “anorak”. This is typically used synonymously with “geek”, though it tends to imply an even greater level of awkward behavior patterns, more akin to someone who has Asperger’s Syndrome.
- Another British slang term that is somewhat similar to geek/nerd/etc is “boffin”; this is someone who is incredibly smart. Its closest American slang term equivalent is probably “egghead”.
|Share the Knowledge!| | <urn:uuid:cc7a2a36-6314-49d7-bbd5-c8d8abb97fca> | {
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A manual of Jewish belief (a guide to real Judaism) for the thinking individual.
Copyright © 1977 by R' Avi Shafran
[Web Page Last Revised: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 02:33 PM ]
Chapter 14. The Basic Obligatory Beliefs
There are certain principles of belief which constitute the essence of Judaism and the very basis of the Torah. The absence of any of these beliefs renders the non-believer a despicable excuse for a human being, the thought conveyed by the Hebrew terms "kofer", "min", and "apikoros".
There are two primary medieval sources for the cataloguing of these beliefs. First there is Maimonides' "Thirteen Principles of Faith" and secondly, Rabbi Joseph Albo's Book of Basics. Let us deal with the latter first.
The Book of Basics is a work devoted to the categorizing and elaboration of the essential dogma of the Jewish faith. In his book, the author discusses the thirteen principles laid down by Maimonides (with which we will deal shortly) in addition to the attempts of other scholars of the day to form their own lists of basic beliefs. He comes to the conclusion that all the essential articles of faith can be incorporated into three general categories: 1) the existence of G~d, 2) the existence of divine reward and punishment, and 3) the divine origin of the Torah.
There are outbranchings of these three principles, but they need not be gone into in detail here. Most of them are quite simple to deduct and are included in the list of Maimonides. Maimonides is not really differing with Rabbi Joseph Albo's conclusion of three basics when he lists, in his commentary to the Mishna, thirteen basic articles of faith. He has expanded upon the three, counting among his basics things that Rabbi Joseph Albo left for deduction. It is, however, interesting to note which corollaries Maimonides deems as important enough to rank among his thirteen basics and which he only leaves to be deducted. The "Thirteen Principles of Faith" follow:
To avert the danger of misleading the reader, an important point should be made. Every letter of the Torah, every word of the Talmudic Rabbis (synonymous with the Oral Law) is from G~d and is holy. Anyone who denies the truth or divine origin of one letter of the Torah is a kofer. Every letter of the Torah is a "basic" of our belief.
Which raises a small problem. Why are three or thirteen "basics" listed by the great Jewish thinkers as being the essentials of our religion? Why are these few thoughts more basic to Jewish belief than any small verse or law? Belief in the entire Torah is necessary, for the name "believer" to be applied!
To resolve this difficulty, it has been suggested that, though denial of any part of the Torah is automatically denial of Real Judaism, ignorance of any law or group of laws does not detract from the meaningful relationship between man and G~d, between man and Real Judaism. However, the "basics", be they three or thirteen, are thoughts that each Jew must actively believe, to remain a part of his religion.
If, for whatever reason (ignorance as well as conviction) a man does not believe one of the basics, he cannot be considered a part of the Jewish religion. Not to say that he loses his Jewishness; if he was born to a Jewish woman he can never become a non-Jew. Rather he cannot function as a working member of the Jewish People without definitive belief in the basics of Real Judaism.
To pursue a slightly different train of thought in answering our problem, we might suggest that the "basics" are thoughts that we must constantly think, philosophical dogma which we must constantly live by. The other commandments need only be considered when a situation meriting their application arises (or when they are studied to fulfill the commandment of Torah-study). The "basics" however, must constantly be among our thoughts and never be absent from our minds.
* * *
Previous Chapter - Next Chapter
Return to: Introduction - Table of Contents - Other Divrei Torah - Chateau Mezcal | <urn:uuid:88756b60-1818-466d-9eac-fca31ebb0865> | {
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Topics: Declarative expression. Temporal Logic. PSL. Assertion Synthesis to H/W Monitors. Stimulus generation.
Declarative programming involves writing assertions that hold for all time.
For instance, on an indicator panel never is light A on at the same time as light B.
Assertion-based design (ABD) is an approach that encourages writing assertions as early as possible, preferably before coding/implementation starts.
Assertions are (conjunctions of):
All four can be proved by formal techniques such as pen and paper, theorem provers and model checkers.
Dynamic validation is simulation while checking properties. This can sometimes find safety violations and sometimes find deadlock but it cannot prove the liveness.
Assertions can be imported from previous designs or other parts of the same design for global consistency.
Formal proof shows up corner case problems not encountered in simulation.
A formally-verified result may be required by the customer.
|1: (C) 2008-13, DJ Greaves, University of Cambridge, Computer Laboratory.| | <urn:uuid:29e5e36c-9447-40b1-8376-1fc4d46e2347> | {
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[Zine] Ferguson - Mike Brown & The 21st Century Race Riots
Following a new zine that just got released. It talks about the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, which sparked protests, lootings and riots for several days. The day the zine was written, these unrests were still going on. We try to throw a quick spotlight on the background of this racist police killing, as it is not only part of a warfare against Black population, mainly men, but only embedded in a long tradition of racial segregation and violence in Missouri. At last, the text tries to give a brief analysis on the counter insurgency the insurgents are faced with. Not only that the state sent its heavy armed police forces and set up a military style-occupation to regain control, also hierarchies within the "communities" worked to pacify the revolts.
With this zine, we not only try to give information on this war within the US, we also want to give input for a discussion on racism and counter insurgency strategies outside of the US-context. Please spread, copy and share this text.
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RACIAL TENSION OF MISSOURI
The racial tensions and segregation in Missouri have been constant throughout it’s history. In 1820 the Missouri Compromise passed admitting Missouri as a slave state to maintain the “balance of power” between slave and free states in Congress. St. Louis was a major slave auctioning center in which businesses and individuals could buy and rent slaves.
In the early 20th century African American immigration to St. Louis increased due to it’s industrial center and lure of factory jobs. This, however, led to resentments and tensions by whites against the black migrations. Ultimately these tensions boiled over in the summer of 1917 when white mobs began to set fire to the homes of black residents. The choice remained between burning alive in their homes, or run out only to be shot at by white gunmen. In other parts of the city, white mobs began to lynch African Americans against the backdrop of burning buildings. As darkness came and the National Guard returned for the second time that year, the
violence began to wane, but did not come to a complete stop.
Similar resentments towards African Americans remained throughout the century by real estate agents and city leaders conspiring to keep blacks out of the suburbs. This was achieved through the use of zoning ordinances and restrictive covenants. Those who did manage to buy into a white neighborhood were greeted with hostility as recalled by Alyce Herndon, a black woman, who in the 1970s moved with her family to, what was then the mostly white town, of Jennings, in St. Louis County. She said some of their white neighbors stuck an Afro pick (hair comb) in their front lawn and set iton fire. Later in the decade however these barriers began to fall and whites moved out even further creating what is known as “white flight.” In addition to this these areas are known as the rust belt in which the decline of industry has left impoverished neighborhoods, underfunded schools and an overall diminishing livelihood.
In Ferguson white flight can be seen when in the ’90’s the town was 73.8% white and 25.1% African American. By 2010, those numbers flipped and the town was 29.3% white, 67.4% African American. The only racial aspect of Ferguson that did not change was those who hold positions of power, who remained largely white. Majority-black Ferguson has a virtually all-white power structure: a white mayor; a school board with six white members and one Hispanic, which recently suspended a highly regarded young black superintendent who then resigned; a City Council with just one black member; and a 6 percent black police force. This is echoed in the amount of harassment and unfair treatment residents of Ferguson receive. In Ferguson last year, 86% of stops, 92% of searches and 93% of arrests were of black people — despite the fact that police officers were far less likely to find contraband on black drivers (22 percent versus 34 percent of whites).The end result in Ferguson is an example of white power gone wild.
Michael Brown graduated from an unaccredited school district that expired not long before he was killed. He and his peers – specifically, those strivers willing to transfer to a better school district – were told they were not wanted by certain districts in the region, once those they were no longer required to accept them perpetrating the racial segregation experienced in Missouri.
It is then no surprise that the murder of Mike Brown is the outlet for the injustices and
abuse suffered from acts of police brutality. Many recount their experiences of police violence they have suffered for some time now. James Williams experienced the death of his mother as a 10 year old when she was shot by police during a drug raid for wielding “a shiny object.” The St. Louis county prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch declined to charge the cop who shot his mother and is the same prosecutor appointed for the ruling of the shooting of Mike Brown. Brian Curtis also recalls one time, in the winter, about two years ago when returning home with some friends from a convenience store when police stopped and slammed them into the snow. One of their friends had a broken arm, they said, but the officer still made him put it behind his back. Other examples of brute force can be seen in the beating of the innocent Henry Davis who was mistaken for someone else then arrested, brutally beaten and then charged with property destruction for “bleeding on officer’s uniforms.” Former Ferguson, Missouri police officer Kim Tihen who took part in these beatings is now part of the city council in which she is the fifth white person out of 6 (one is Latino).
THE SHOOTING OF MICHAEL BROWN
The narrative around the actual shooting is a battleground, in which the winner can define history and legitimice or delegitimice the event, its consequences and the deeper roots of it. Since the killing was witnessed by various from the neighbourhood, the following description is based on their reports as well as the results of the autopsy. On saturday noon, August 9th 2014, 18-year old Black Michael Brown and his friend Dorian Johnson were walking down the street of their neighbourhood, coming home from the grocery store. Behind them the white police officer Darren Wilson drives up in his car, telling the two young men to get off the street and use the sidewalk. He first continues driving but as he notices the two are not obeying his order and continue
to walk on the street, he turns around. He stops his car just directly next to them and when he wants to jump out, the door bumps back from hitting against Michael Brown, due to the small distance between the car and Brown. Wilson grabs Brown through the window and starts choking him and when Brown tries to free himself from the grip, the cop fires a shot. In the seconds of confusion, the two young men start running, when Wilson gets out of his car and aims at Michael Brown. He turns around, puts his hands up and says „Don’t shoot“ - but the cop does. At least 6 bullets hit Michael Brown, the first four in the right arm and shoulder. Witnesses say, that Brown got down on his knees at this point, bowed down and surrendered, still alive. Wilson shoots him two more times in the head. The later autopsy confirms statements by the witnesses and reveals that all shot were from a long range distance, disproving the statement released by police saying there was a struggle for the cop’s gun emphasizing that it was an execution-like killing. Some of the observers state the cop seemed angry about the disrupted authority by disobedience of the young Black men. The body of Michael Brown stays uncovered for four hours in the middle of the street, what is considered as an additional disrespect. People gather quickly at the scene of the killing and news of a young man beeing killed by a cop in the neighbourhood spread fast.
CHRONICAL OF EVENTS
Sunday, August 10th
People from the neighbourhood lay down roses at the place where Michael Brown died and walk together towards the local police station, to demand an official statement on the incident and the name of the murderer. This is denied and police lines try to push people back. In the evening there is a candlelit vigil at the appartment block where Michael Brown lived. Cops shut down the streets for cars so people have to walk towards the rally. Getting closer to the apartment block, a crowd of approximately 1500 people grows, chanting slogans and walking through the neighbourhood. The local cops are stressed, it is obvious they never had to deal with a demonstration before. During the first hour of the protest most people try to avoid confrontations with police, out of fear of getting shot too. But when police lines try to stop the march, people get outraged and start throwing bottles at them. The cops call for back-up, which then gets stopped and attacked, too, several of the cop cars window’s are broken, applause and cheering is heard. At this moment most people have lost fear of being shot. Young men are not the only ones who attack police, gender and age varies. At this point it becomes obvious that the neighbourhood belongs to the protesters now. Although there are disagreements among them, considering strategies and the level of violence towards police, people treat each other in respect and see themselves as comrades in a struggle against racist police violence. With the approaching night, people start looting and burn down the QuickTrip-gas station, which is rumoured to have called the cops on Michael Brown. From that on, the ruins become the protesters spot for meetings, communication and discussions. Several other stores get looted, too. During this first night, the neighbourhood belonged completely to the people, reclaimed by a full scale riot. The cops try to re-establish authority by randomly attacking people. A witness talks about three cops, one black and two white, attacking people who are standing at an intersection. The black cop starts regulating the traffic away from the scene, while the two, white cops shoot teargas at a small group of people and then release the dogs on them. Of course, this leads to further outrage against the police. It is said that the first lootings were permitted because the crowd might have charged at them, and they didn’t have the capacities to contain it. It is also suppossed that the lootings would be reason enough to call in heavy riot police and SWAT teams. It wasn’t until the protestors reached the Wal-Mart that they began to worry because they knew it had an arms and artillery department.
Monday, August 11th
The parents of Michael Brown hold the first press conference. Demonstrations continue throughout the day, streets blocked either by protesters or by police. Until then people were confronted with local police without riot gear, during this time it was that the newly equipped local riot police gets sent in, to disperse demonstrations and crowds. At night clashes intensify, police intensifies the teargas, rubber bullets and wooden bullets are shot at everyone on the streets. The neighbourhood begins to look like an occupied war zone.
Tuesday, August 12th
Similar scenes as the day prior, the situation intensifies as clashes erupt during the day. Wednesday, August 13th Demonstrations continue, solidarity actions and declarations are spread via social media, Palestinians declare solidarity with Ferguson, both are shot at with the same teargas canisters.
They also give advice on how to handle the teargas. Meanwhile, police begin arrests and attacks on journalists wanting, them out of the area.
The Al Jazeera-camera team gets teargassed as they try to set up a live stream.
Thursday, August 14th
The hacking activist group Anonymous threatened to publish identity and information about the cop they presume to be the murderer of Michael Brown. The local police denies the information, and the Anonymous twitter account is suspended. Changing police strategies the governor puts highway patrol Capt. Ron Johnson in charge of the police operation. All things considered it is a cheap attempt to reduce the image of a highly militarized and aggressive police. More people are outraged, solidarity continues to spread and people continuing resisting, a growing number of people adapt militant strategies against the hightening state occupation. The state needs a deescalation and a pacification of the situation. Ron Johnson is a Black cop and himself grew up in Ferguson. Under his command, police is told to stop using tear gas and rubber bullets, the militarized police is withdrawn from demonstrations and waits out of sight, while regular police in small numbers observes the scenery. As image campaign, Johnson lets himself be photographed joining in a peaceful demonstration, hugging one of the community activists. The deescalation concept seems to work for that day and night.
Friday, August 15th
Fergusons police chief releases the name of Michael Brown’s murderer: Darren Wilson. This is most likely due to the rising pressure by the Anonymous-action and the rage of the streets, which has been heightened by the protection of the killer cop. But also president Obama had previously demanded „more transparency“. Definetely, Wilson is the sacrificial lamb in the ongoing pacification strategy. Not with big risks though, because he already left the state with his family and without any legal accusations. At the same press conference, the police kicks off a smear campaign against Michael Brown, accusing him of having robbed a store shortly before his death. Some people, seemingly relieved, pick up this story to delegitimize the ongoing protests and riots and portrait Brown not as a martyr but a criminal. Others are angry about that respectless smear campaign, Browns parents accuse the police of not just destroying their son’s life but also his character. Some say, Michael Brown was innocent and a shy and homely person. And some, who are confronted with repression by police and as well „peace makers“, community leaders and activists from within their own neighbourhood, actually don’t say so much in public but act:at night, riots erupt again. People are looting once more and among the collectivized stores is the one, where Michael Brown is said to have stolen from.
Saturday, August 16th
By the early morning, the calm as well as the police’s deescalation concept from thursday are gone. Demonstrations grow during the weekend and again riot police are sent in, attacking protesters and shooting teargas and rubber bullets. The Governor declares a state of emergency and announces a curfew for the night. People massively resist that curfew, either actively by demonstrating or passively by simply being unable to get home because of the police lines which cut through the neighbourhoods prevent anyone from passing. A group of 150 mainly young militants is setting up barricades, beeing prepared for a confrontation with police, armed with bottles, stones, molotovs and guns („No justice – no curfew“, „We ready“)
Sunday, August 17th
A large crowd tries to walk towards the police command center, which is outside of the neighbourhood at a parking lot. Police fights them back with heavy force. Lootings continue. One police van gets shot at, and cops also get attacked from the top of a roof with stones and molotovs. Militants seem to get further organized and lay their plans. The understanding of the police forces as state occupation is widely established in the neighbourhood and people try to block police from entering their streets and fight for sending them out. Police are aggressively attacking people but are too scared to have cops standing around in the streets. Vans of SWAT-teams race through the streets and are hunting people. One protester gets shot in the leg, as a van drives up, police opens fire at a small group at an intersection and then dashes off. It is said to be the most violent night of the Ferguson crisis.
Monday, August 18th
The Governor calls in the National Guard, a volunteer-based inner state military reseve. He also declares an end to the curfew, since it was obvious that people disobey and it heats up the atmosphere. Also, the results of the autopsy of Michael Brown are released. Obama declares he will send Attorney General Eric Holder to Ferguson, to investigate the case and talk to community leaders. (An Attorney General is kind of a state lawyer and min-
ister of justice. Eric Holder is the first Black Attorney General in the history of the US.) At night, clashes continue, police shoots live rounds at protestors, who themselves shoot back.
Tuesday, August 19th
Capt. Ron Johnson, still commanding the police forces, is calling the people for protesting at daytime because of „dangerous dynamics at night“. The ruins of the QuickTrip get fenced as police try to take away this central spot of the protesters. In the afternoon, news breaks that police shot another Black men on a street in St. Louis, not far from Ferguson. He walked towards the police with a knife in his hands and said „Shoot me!“. Why the police was called is not clear, it is said that he stole two drinks from a store. In Ferguson, the number of protesters and clashes decrease. The night stays relatively calm, some protesters throw bottles filled with urine and ice (lack of stones) at the police.
Wednesday, August 20th
Attorney General Holder meets with community leaders, FBI investigators and Grand Jury to establish „peace and justice“. The day and the night stays relatively calm, thanks to community activists who have a pacifying effect on the youth, as Ron Johnson puts it. The police publishes the number of arrests so far: a total of 155, 123 of them charged with „refusal to disperse“, a few other with „unlawful use of a weapon“. The office of the Governor gets blocked by supporters, the 90-year old holocaust-surviver Hedy Epstein gets arrested.
On Monday, August 25th the public funeral of Michael Brown will take place.
The USA is a globally active empire, built on a history of racial and class-divided genocide, with its structure fundamentally remaining as such until today. An empire of this kind, which is aiming for further influence and production outside of its state territory, in other words, is constantly fighting wars on the other side of the globe, is fighting the same war inside of itself. Though permanent crisis and conflict are present, social calm needs to
be enforced for the empire’s reproduction. A lid needs to be put on the boiling pot, every articulation of dissent needs to be silenced or put into the words of the ruling classes, every outburst of the coherent conflicts needs to be repressed. Doing so, war and peace, front and hinterland are terms that are not seperable from each other but are each others ́condition.
We have seen that the (at the moment we are writing this, still ongoing) protests and riots after the death of Michael Brown were hard to stop and silence. In the first days, police aggressively tried to disperse every gathering of people and to silence the media. When this did not succeeded and even intensified the outbursts of conflict, strategies of de-escalation and pacification were starting to be used. Now, within the questionable and unstable calmof the last days, a new debate about racism in the US has started. Where it will lead to, is yet to be seen.
We also have written here that the killing of Michael Brown is based on a deeper social structure of class and racial segregation with a long history. Because the continuity of this history will not be broken and the segregation will not be overcome by those who benefit from it but by those who are fighting against it and the writers of this text understand themselves as joining this global struggle, we find it important to take a look at the full scale of the counter-insurgency strategies we have to face. Because the enemy is not only well equipped but also closer to us then sometimes think.
COUNTER INSURGENCY STRATEGIES
The most obvious force countering the protests is the police. According to the Defense Department’s 1033 program, local police stations can get military level gear for free on request. This leads to a militarisation of police and makes heavily-equipped troops within even the smallest region available and ready to mobilize. In the early 1990s, after the downfall of the Soviet Union and the loss therefore of a strategically important exterior enemy, the US possessed an extremely inflated military. A disarmament would lead to a decrease of production, and so the government declared its „war on drugs“. In 1990, the congress enacted the National Defense Authorisation Act, allowing the transfer of military equipment from the Department of Defense to local agencies. In the years that followed, regular police stations collected heavy military gear and special commandos have been trained. With the increasing focus of NATO-forceson crowd control and the Occupy-movement in the US of 2011/2012, this equipment and military tactics are starting to be used by police against demonstrations and uprisings.
The police have been using the following equipement in Ferguson:
* Camouflage uniforms, for an intimidating and authoritarian appearance
* pepper spray
*handguns, automatic rifles and sniper rifles, all aimed at protestors and journalists, several
* grenade launchers, shooting teargas and flashbang grenades
* rubber and wooden bullets
* shotguns, shooting rubber shots (dozens of small rubber balls)
* armored personnel carriers, transporting in- or outside, ready to jump-off or shot at when driv-
* Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), a sound cannon, usually attached to the roof of a truck. The
noise it makes is not only painful loud, it also is on a frequency that causes psychological instabil-
ity, strong discomfort and panic. Originally created as an anti-pirate measure at sea, it is now
used to disperse crowds.
* drones and helicopters for surveillance
In the first days of the Michael Brown unrest, this equipment was excessively used for intimidation and breaking down protests. When it became obvious that people are not intimidated by the show of force, but instead even more outraged, and when in reaction people started to get themselves organized as militants and when scenes of the obviously ongoing civil war got public internationally, a de-escalation concept has been used by the state officials and their helpers. It is important to mention that the excessive force of the early days is not necessarily an overreaction but rather an attempt to silence people’s rage as quickly as possible and when this did not function, to control the crowd and give time until a „better“ strategy is conceptualized and executed.
This de-escalation concept was officially starting to be practiced in Ferguson, when Capt. Ron Johnson took over. Already his persona is part of the concept, beeing a Black Cop from the neighbourhood, who claims to „understand the protests“. The previously openly visibleracist police structure blurs its face. Under his command, protests have been allowed as long as they stay „peaceful and non-violent“, observed by a few officers in regular uniform,
while the same militarized police forces from the days before were waiting outside of the neighbourhood, ready to intervene when necessary. Johnson stated, that times in Ferguson now would change and the community will be respected by the police. Naturally, the de-escalation concept is strongly limited and only works when the majority of people obeys and calms down. Just being exercized for a day, the concept had its first crisis with the outrage and new riots because of the smear campaign against Michael Brown which came alongside the release of the name of his murderer. That does not mean that the deescalation concept was forgotten, but that it needed to be intensified and linked with other military strategies.
One of them was a curfew at night, which was announced for the weekend, naturally the time a larger mass of people would join the streets. It made it legally possible to arrest everyone on the streets at night and aimed for clearing the streets through arrests and scaring people off, telling them to stay at home. Not without reason, the most arrests have been made in the time from the curfew on, the majority of the arrest being made for „refusal to disperse“. The curfew is a tool for limiting mobility in the neighbourhood. So are the police lines and checkpoints, that cut through the area, not allowing passage of any civilian cars at all and making it practically impossible to get across even by foot. It is needless to say that all public transport has been shut down already a while ago.
The police is cutting the neighbourhood from the outside world and is seperating it into controllable pieces within itself. People resisted the curfew massively and it led to an intensification of the clashes, with people getting prepared for militant attacks on police and more people realizing the terror of the state occupation. It is not clear, if the curfew was cancelled because of this intensification and ongoing disobedience or simply because the weekend was over and there was no need for it anymore.
Fact is, that people got more militant these days and police got in serious danger in some situations. For the nights of the most heavy clashes, they had to change their presence in a way, which makes the set-up of the state occupation most visible. In front of the insurgent area is the police headquarter, their commande centre. On a big
parking lot of a shopping mall (which is of course shut down) is a highly restricted and secured area, the main assembly point for police and National Guard. Cops are having their briefings and breaks here and get prepared for their mission. Also it is the area, where journalists are advised to go – far off from the actual happening. Arrests are getting concentrated here, until they are released or brought into a police station.
This headquarter is at a strategically important spot, with a big main road that is leading directly into the neighbourhood. Along this road are heavy checkpoints, at every corner are full police cars, along the sides of the street vans with machine guns on top, pointing at the passing by cars, which have to identify themselves and are getting checked.
At the end of this road, closer to the neighbourhood, are heavy police lines and further check points, which prevent people from entering the neighbourhood without beeing controlled and if considered necessary denied entrance. Also they keep the people inside the area from getting out.
Within the conflict zone are further police lines, limiting mobility or preventing masses from moving to a certain spot. Groups of cops are standing at street corners, observing and intervening. Sometimes, this got too dangerous and then armoured vehicles were chasing through the streets of the neighbourhood, making a quick attack on everyone in the streets, shooting teargas, rubber bullets or live ammunition and then dashing off again.
Another important weapon in counter-insurgency is information. People are not supposed to get information from any sources, the only information that they should get are from thestate. Not only that police are attacking and arresting journalists and keeps them within their controlled headquarter, where the only one you can speak to is the police spokesperson, but also cable-TV has been cut-off in Ferguson. But not all, because otherwise people
might get out of the house and on the street. Witnesses say they had the Disney channel, but none of the news broadcasts.
A monopoly on information is used to take away knowledge and instead give orders, to lead discourses in a certain direction and delegitimate or discourage protestors, like when Michael Brown was accused of being a criminal.
At last we want to write on the pacifying effect that the so-called social dialogue has. It is probably one of the most essential and important aspects in counter insurgency and reproducing a „functionable“ society along the needs of capitalism and racial inequality. The relation between people and the state is not a simple face-off, counter insurgency is not just shooting tear gas at a crowd of people and telling them to calm the fuck down. The state has its foot in our door and is not controlling us with brutal force but also with dialogue and compromise.
Police officers, conservatives and president Obama have been calling for community leaders, activists and spokesperson to get in dialogue with their neighbourhoods, calm them down and talk with the state officials themselves. One of the first things Ron Johnson, commander of the police mission in Ferguson, did was to get photographed hugging oneof the well known community activists at the beginning of the de-escalation concept and
marching for „social justice“ alongside pro-state oriented protestors. Obama sent Attorney General Holder to Ferguson, to talk to community activists and spokespersons and establish a dialogue.
In general, these „community leaders“ are people from within a certain group, who have a certain social capital and value and function as a bridge between state and population. On a local level these are members of the church, education institutions, local politicians, activists who are commiting themselves for the neighbourhood and „social justice“ or just charming neighbours. On a bigger scale it can be famous people with a certain recognition
– for example the rapper Nelly was visiting Ferguson and giving a speech on the street, calling for peace with the argument, one should not give the racists their arguments by acting violent. Fortunately, he got booed down and called out for disrespecting „the brothers in the system“. In the very early days of the uprising, Reverend Al Sharpton was visiting Ferguson and giving a press conference together with the parents of Michael Brown, giving his wordslegitimation. Al Sharpton is a very rich Black man, with lots of social capital and recognition. He is a self-procalimed spokesperson of „the Black community of the US“ and is considered as a „radical critic of social and racial injustice“ while at the same time he calls-out for peace and a dialogue with the oppressor and reportedly has snitched on militants. „Fuck Al Sharpton, Fuck Obama“ the masked youth of Ferguson shouts.
In everyday-life in the community there are people who take away the peoples voices by funtioning as a spokesperson, who end a riot before it even started by preaching a culture of social dialogue, who want to create peace where there is constant war. They work together with state authorities, not as some kind of conspiracy but simply because it is where they gain their power and their capital from: being the bridge between oppressor and oppressed, keeping the lid on the pot and the flow of rage in channels.
Then there are the political activists, too, whose job it is to do politics. It is not about sharing knowledge, sharing strategies, liberating desires and creating new collectivities, for them it is about finding recruits for their political programme. For them, a crowd of people is a herd of sheep and themself are preaching truth. In Ferguson, there were the leftists who tried to organize and institutionalize the movements, to put them in another dialogue with power and let the organisation be the only voice heard. There was the New Black Panther Party, who blamed complicity between black and white militants, for enforcing their own identity-based and pacified politics.
These groups need to be considered as part of the counter insurgency program. „Police can handle a dozen or so leaders, they can’t control a street of 1000+ people. [...] Working with the police and with the government to get justice for Mike Mike is a cul-de-sac – a dead-end intentionally created to destroy our energy and take power away from us again.“, anarchists from St. Louis write.
The insurgents of Ferguson create perspective, when they attack big media instead of talking in front of the camera, when they use their voice to boo down spokespersons, when they get together with their friends and make plans instead of joining political groups, when they mask up to show their real face, when they attack police occupiers instead of respecting them and when they negate politicians instead of putting hope in them.
It is important to support the insurgents of Ferguson and create international solidarity. Not only because we as well are faced with counter insurgency strategies, but because we are also struggling against racism, class-division and the colonisation of our lives.
You can donate to a legal fund set up by anarchists from St. Louis, the money goes to the
arrested at Ferguson.
Nevertheless, let yourself be inspired by the courage of the uprising and the militants of Ferguson. Join the struggle and the debates whereever you are, send words and actions of solidarity to those fighting in the US. | <urn:uuid:eb8e4c71-9e47-4dcc-bce4-4c3c841d2af3> | {
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To study the effects of selected dietary patterns, particularly a DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) eating pattern, on body mass index (BMI) throughout adolescence.
Prospective National Growth and Health Study.
Washington, DC; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Berkeley, California.
A total of 2327 girls with 10 annual visits starting at age 9 years.
Individual DASH-related food groups and a modified DASH adherence score.
Main Outcome Measure
The BMI value from measured yearly height and weight over 10 years.
Longitudinal mixed modeling methods were used to assess the effects of individual DASH food groups and a DASH adherence score on BMI during 10 years of follow-up, adjusting for race, height, socioeconomic status, television viewing and video game playing hours, physical activity level, and total energy intake. Girls in the highest vs lowest quintile of the DASH score had an adjusted mean BMI of 24.4 vs 26.3 (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) (P < .05). The strongest individual food group predictors of BMI were total fruit (mean BMI, 26.0 vs 23.6 for <1 vs ≥2 servings per day; P < .001) and low-fat dairy (mean BMI, 25.7 vs 23.2 for <1 vs ≥2 servings per day; P < .001). Whole grain consumption was more weakly but beneficially associated with BMI.
Adolescent girls whose diet more closely resembled the DASH eating pattern had smaller gains in BMI over 10 years. Such an eating pattern may help prevent excess weight gain during adolescence.
Obesity is a major public health problem, with 17% of American children overweight and 67% of adults either overweight or obese.1- 3 Excess weight during childhood leads to numerous health problems and is even associated with premature death as an adult.4,5 Few studies have examined the relation of food-based dietary patterns with weight gain, especially in children.
The examination of food-based dietary patterns acknowledges the synergistic effects on health that food nutrients may have when eaten together.6 One example is the DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diet pattern. It emphasizes increased intakes of low-fat dairy products; fish, chicken, and lean meats (to decrease saturated fat and increase calcium levels); and nuts, fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and legumes (to increase potassium, magnesium, and dietary fiber levels).7 The DASH eating pattern was originally studied in clinical trials of adults as a treatment for hypertension8; these clinical trials assessed the effects of increased fruit and vegetable intake, with or without increasing the intake of low-fat dairy products. In these studies,9- 11 the combined diet (rich in fruit, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products) led to the greatest reductions in blood pressure. The DASH pattern has also been studied in relation to the metabolic syndrome and selected cardiovascular end points.8- 14 Little has been done, however, to examine the effects of a DASH eating pattern on measures of excess weight, frequently a precursor of the aforementioned conditions. In addition, the DASH eating pattern has been infrequently studied in children, and the American Academy of Pediatrics states that there is no reason to suggest that using DASH would not be safe as long as protein and calories are consumed in quantities adequate to support child and adolescent growth and development needs.15 In this study, we examined the effects of adherence to a DASH-style eating plan and its components on the change in body mass index (BMI) in a racially diverse sample of adolescent girls.
The National Growth and Health Study was initiated by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to investigate racial differences in dietary, physical activity, family, and psychosocial factors associated with the development of obesity in black and white girls. The National Growth and Health Study enrolled 2379 girls aged 9 and 10 years in 3 cities (Washington, DC; Berkeley, California; and Cincinnati, Ohio) in 1987-1988 and observed them for 9 years. Data were collected in a longitudinal manner on 10 occasions via follow-up at annual examinations. Height and weight were measured by trained study staff using standardized assessment protocols at each examination. Additional details of the methods used for ascertaining data are described elsewhere.16 Almost 90% of the girls originally enrolled were observed through study year 10. This study was approved by the Boston University institutional review board.
The main outcome of interest was BMI (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) at each age from 9 to 19 years.
Dietary data were collected using 3-day diet records; the collection included 2 weekdays and 1 weekend day during each of 8 examination years. Participants were trained by a study nutritionist to record detailed dietary information using standard household measuring instruments for the estimation of portion sizes. Standardized debriefing was performed, and diet records that were considered unreliable by the research dietitian were excluded.
Dietary data were entered into the Nutrition Data System of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, to estimate the intake of total calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients.17 The Nutrition Data System also outputs food codes for each food and each ingredient from composite foods (eg, from lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and even condiments). The Nutrition Data System food code data were combined with the US Department of Agriculture's survey food code database, the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies, version 2.0.18 By matching these food codes, the child's average daily intake was derived in each of the 5 major food groups and in all the subgroups as defined by Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the US Department of Agriculture.19 Thus, we derived total servings for each group and subgroup. For example, fruit servings included fruit from all sources, such as whole fruit, fruit-based desserts, 100% fruit juice, and that portion of fruit drinks derived from fruit juice.
We created a modified DASH food group score based on a previous publication by Levitan et al.20 This original score was designed to reflect adherence to a DASH eating pattern as described in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.21 Levitan et al20 compared DASH scores for this scale with those of another DASH score by Fung et al13 and found them to be moderately well correlated (r = 0.61). Because the Dietary Guidelines for Americans differs across levels of energy intake, we used energy-specific standards for intake in each food group. The score contained 10 food groups or subgroups, 3 of which were excluded from the modified score: added sugars, discretionary fats and oils, and alcohol. Added sugars were excluded because the high intake of sugar in this population led to almost all the participants having a score of zero for this component. Discretionary fats and oils contributed nothing to the prediction of BMI in this analysis, and the alcohol component was excluded because of the ages of the girls. Therefore, we focused on the 7 DASH-related food groups in these analyses: fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, total and whole grains, lean meats, and nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Low-fat dairy products were defined as those containing 2% fat or less. Lean meat was defined as fish, eggs, beef, and poultry that was 85% lean or greater. To obtain more stable estimates of intake, we included only girls with 2 or more sets of 3-day diet records collected between ages 9 and 17 years (2330 of the original 2379 participants). One girl with an average intake of less than 1000 kcal/d and 1 with an average of more than 3500 kcal/d at ages 9 to 17 years were excluded from the study, as well as 1 girl with absent physical activity data, leaving a final sample of 2327 girls with available data who were included in these analyses.
We followed the scoring protocol of Levitan et al.20 Each food group was assigned a score ranging from 0 to 1. For total grains, meats, low-fat dairy products, and nuts, seeds, and legumes, participants with intake meeting the guidelines were assigned 1 point. Those with intake above the recommended levels were assigned partial points as follows: 1 minus the percentage of intake over the guideline. For intake below the guideline level, partial points were assigned by dividing the actual intake by the recommended intake. For fruits, vegetables, and whole grains where optimal intake was deemed to be at or greater than recommended, a full point was assigned to those who consumed the recommended level of intake or higher. Partial points were given only for those who had less than the recommended intake. Because DASH recommends that most grains be whole, we used 50% of the total grain recommended as the goal for whole grain intake in accord with American Heart Association guidelines.15 The total DASH score was, thus, a sum of the scores for each individual food group.
Potential confounding factors that were evaluated for inclusion in these analyses included race, height at each age, socioeconomic status (SES), physical activity level, television viewing and video game playing (hours per day), total energy intake, and other dietary factors.22 The SES was classified as low, moderate, or high by combining information about parental income and education. Low-SES families were those with incomes of less than $10 000 per year or parental education level of less than high school; high-SES families included those with incomes of at least $40 000 per year and at least a high school education. All the other participants were classified as moderate SES. Physical activity was measured at each visit using a validated questionnaire that asked the participants to report the frequency and duration per week (during the school year and summer) of participation in a variety of structured physical activities in the past year.23 These data were combined with published information on metabolic equivalent levels to obtain a final score estimating daily energy expenditure.24- 26
Confounders were evaluated using a forward selection method. Factors determined to be confounders and those that were independent predictors of the outcome were retained in the final models (ie, race, height, SES, physical activity level, television viewing and video game playing, and total energy).
Categories of average intake in each of the DASH food groups were determined by balancing information about the distributions of the intake population (which affects study power) with the recommended intake levels. For example, DASH recommended intake level of fruits is 4 to 5 servings per day, but the category cutoff values used in the analysis were less than 1, 1 to less than 2, and 2 or more servings per day because few participants actually consumed 4 to 5 servings. Additional analyses were conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of the results to subtle changes in category definitions.
To determine the association between level of DASH food group intake and BMI over time, we used longitudinal data analysis methods, accounting for correlated observations from the repeated-measures data. In separate models, each categorical food group variable was entered as the main exposure variable, with age as an interaction factor, while controlling for fixed and changing potential confounders as previously described. This allowed us to estimate the adjusted mean BMI at each age in each category of intake for each food group. Analyses were conducted using an unstructured covariance matrix in Proc Mixed with the repeated option in SAS (SAS Institute Inc, Cary, North Carolina).22 The same longitudinal mixed modeling methods were used to estimate the adjusted mean BMI at each age according to quintile of DASH score.
In each model, the interaction of age and food group was examined first. When a significant interaction was found, further testing was performed to evaluate differences between the slopes, intercepts, and BMIs at the end of follow-up. When there was no significant age–food group interaction (P > .05), the statistical significance of the fixed effects for the main dietary exposure variable was examined (using type III sums of squares). Approximate linearity of the relationship between age and BMI was assumed. All analyses were performed using a commercially available statistical software program (SAS, version 9.1).
Dietary and population characteristics by quintile of DASH score are presented in Table 1. The overall mean DASH adherence score was 3.1, with a median of 3.1 (range, 1.3-5.2). Food group means in each quintile show that higher DASH scores were associated with higher intake in most food groups. Higher DASH scores were also associated with higher total energy intake. Black participants and those with lower SES were more likely to be in a lower quintile of DASH scores. In addition, there was higher mean physical activity and lower mean television viewing and video game playing hours in the highest quintile of the DASH score.
The distribution of actual intakes for each food component of the DASH score is given in Table 2, along with the recommended DASH intakes. Even study participants in the 95th percentile of intake had relatively low intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products compared with the DASH recommendations. The average intake of added sugars was approximately 10 times higher than recommended. Discretionary fat intake was also relatively high, although no direct equivalent DASH recommendation applies.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 show the adjusted mean BMI at each age associated with average intake in 4 DASH food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. Participants who consumed 2 or more servings of fruit per day had the smallest gain in BMI over time (P < .001) and the lowest BMI at the end of follow-up (23.6, 25.0, and 26.0 for low, moderate, and higher intakes of fruit, respectively) (Figure 1 and Table 3). No differences were noted in BMI according to intake of vegetables (Figure 2 and Table 3). Highest (vs lowest) whole grain intake conferred lower BMI increases over time (P = .01) and a lower BMI at the end of follow-up (Figure 3 and Table 3). Higher intake of low-fat dairy products led to lower BMI gains over time (Figure 4 and Table 3). In data not shown, we compared models including and excluding total energy and total and saturated fat as a percentage of energy intake. No substantive differences in the BMI trajectory were observed.
Body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) over 10 years associated with fruit consumption (mean servings per day). Adjusted for race, height, socioeconomic status, physical activity level, television viewing and video game playing hours per day, added sugar, total dairy, vegetables, total grains, nuts/seeds/legumes, processed and nonprocessed meat, and total energy intake. Slopes: P < .001 for differences between each line. Difference in BMI at end of follow-up: less than 1 vs 1 to less than 2 servings, less than 1 vs 2 to less than 8 servings, and 1 to less than 2 vs 2 to less than 8 servings, P < .001 for all.
Body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) over 10 years associated with vegetable consumption (mean servings per day). Adjusted for race, height, socioeconomic status, physical activity level, television viewing and video game playing hours per day, added sugar, total dairy, fruit, total grains, nuts/seeds/legumes, processed and nonprocessed meat, and total energy intake. For the overall difference between age and total grain interaction, P = .16. For the overall difference between intake categories, P > .99. The BMI at the end of follow-up did not statistically differ significantly among the 3 consumption groups.
Body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) over 10 years associated with whole grain intake (mean servings per day). Adjusted for race, height, socioeconomic status, physical activity level, television viewing and video game playing hours per day, added sugar, total dairy, fruit, vegetables, nuts/seeds/legumes, processed and nonprocessed meat, and total energy intake. Slopes: less than 0.25 vs 0.25 to less than 1 serving, P = .62; less than 0.25 vs 1 to less than 7 servings, P = .05; and 0.25 to less than 1 vs 1 to less than 7 servings, P = .01. The BMI at the end of follow-up: less than 0.25 vs 0.25 to less than 1 serving, P = .51; and less than 0.25 vs 1 to less than 7 servings, P = .002.
Body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) over 10 years associated with low-fat dairy products intake (mean servings per day). Adjusted for race, height, socioeconomic status, physical activity level, television viewing and video game playing hours per day, added sugar, fruit, vegetables, total grains, nuts/seeds/legumes, processed and nonprocessed meat, and total energy intake. Slopes: less than 1 vs 1 to less than 2.25 servings, P = .001; less than 1 vs 2.25 to less than 5 servings, P < .001; and 1 to less than 2.25 vs 2.25 to less than 5 servings, P = .02. The BMI at the end of follow-up: less than 1 vs 1 to less than 2.25 servings, P = .007; and less than 1 vs 2.25 to less than 5 servings, P < .001.
Figure 5 shows adjusted mean BMIs at each age associated with quintiles of the DASH score, averaged over ages 9 to 17 years. Girls in the highest quintile had the smallest gains in BMI over time and the lowest BMIs at the end of follow-up (Table 3). In addition, at age 19 years, those in the lowest quintile of the DASH score (compared with those in the highest quintile) had a mean BMI that was greater than the threshold for overweight as defined by the 85th percentile for age.27
Body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) over 10 years associated with DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) adherence score (quintile). Adjusted for race, height, socioeconomic status, physical activity level, television viewing and video game playing hours per day, and total energy intake. Slopes: quintiles 1 to 4 vs quintile 5, P < .05. The BMI at the end of follow-up: quintiles 1, 3, and 4 vs quintile 5, P < .05.
In this longitudinal cohort of adolescent girls, we found that higher adherence to a DASH-style diet resulted in a consistently lower BMI between the ages of 9 and 19 years. These findings were stable over a 10-year follow-up and after controlling for nondietary factors associated with eating patterns and excess weight gain.
Few studies have examined dietary patterns in children or used longitudinal data to examine their effects on weight gain. A cross-sectional study28 of Korean preschool children found that a diet pattern that shares components of the DASH eating pattern was not associated with measured weight status. One longitudinal study29 of women showed that a pattern of intake lower in fruit, vegetables, and low-fat foods was associated with a greater chance of becoming overweight, and another study30 showed that a diet consisting of many components present in the DASH pattern resulted in smaller gains in BMI over time.
The present findings for the DASH score were mirrored by the effects of some of the individual food group components. In particular, higher consumption of fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products led to less weight gain. The observed fruit intake in this study was well below the DASH recommendation of 4 servings per day; on average, at 9 to 17 years of age, only 15% of girls reached this goal. In addition, higher vegetable consumption was not associated with decreased weight gain over time. It is possible that relatively low intakes of vegetables and the narrow range of types of vegetables consumed (ie, a predominance of starchy vegetables) may explain the absence of a protective effect. Indeed, in a subanalysis, a higher intake of nonstarchy vegetables was associated with a lower BMI at the end of follow-up (data not shown).
The diet records used in the present study may provide more precise ascertainment of total fruit intake in children than do Frequency Food Questionnaire methods because we extracted fruit servings from composite dishes, as previously described. Thus, the present study is likely to have less nondifferential misclassification of diet exposures and a greater ability to detect meaningful associations between diet and BMI.
Higher low-fat dairy product consumption resulted in smaller increases in BMI during adolescence. Data on dairy consumption and excess weight change during adolescence show mixed results in the larger literature. Two small studies31,32 found no effect of dairy intake on weight gain, and another study33 showed an adverse effect of higher dairy consumption on weight gain, even for low-fat milk, although the effect seemed to be mediated by excess energy intake. In contrast, 2 other studies,34,35 one using diet records and another using the Frequency Food Questionnaire, found that higher dairy intake protected young adults from excess weight gain.
The present study may be the largest long-term study using diet records that has shown a protective effect of dairy intake on weight gain. Dairy may act to decrease weight gain through a variety of possible mechanisms, including an association with a healthier diet in general; its protein content has been shown to increase satiety.36
Higher intakes of whole grains were associated with decreased BMI gains during study follow-up. Although there are few studies on grain intake and weight in children, the present finding is in line with other studies37- 40 showing grain to be protective. Although the level of whole grain intake across this study population was low and well below the target threshold of 50% of total grains, it was nonetheless protective. Whole grain intake may result in less weight gain via its higher fiber content and, thus, higher satiety or as a marker for a healthier lifestyle, something we may not have been able to completely capture in the multivariate models.
The study strengths include use of a large socioeconomically and geographically diverse sample that incorporates more than 50% black girls, a population particularly beset by the obesity epidemic. An additional strength is the availability of detailed dietary information that allows us to examine the change in BMI in relation to food group exposure, a method that has seen little study in the adolescent literature so far. Finally, the use of repeated measures collected in a longitudinal manner over 9 years of study increased power substantially and likely decreased random variation in exposure and covariate data.
A limitation of this study is the low level of intake in certain food groups that may have restricted our ability to detect true beneficial effects of these food groups. In addition, there are food groups that other studies have found to be important predictors of obesity, such as sugar-sweetened beverages that are not a part of the DASH eating pattern and unavailable in this analysis, that may be important predictors of excess weight gain.41,42 Finally, it is possible that there is biased reporting for some dietary factors, especially in obese individuals, that could affect the results of these analyses. However, the longitudinal nature of the study and the multiple measures of dietary intake beginning in preadolescence suggest that this explanation for these findings is unlikely. In conclusion, greater consistency with the DASH eating plan resulted in lower excess weight gains in girls from early adolescence to young adulthood.
Correspondence: Jonathan P. B. Berz, MD, MSc, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave, Second Floor, Boston, MA 02118 ([email protected]).
Accepted for Publication: December 23, 2010.
Author Contributions: Drs Berz and Moore had full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: Berz and Moore. Acquisition of data: Singer, Daniels, and Moore. Analysis and interpretation of data: Berz, Guo, and Moore. Drafting of the manuscript: Berz and Guo. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: Berz, Singer, Daniels, and Moore. Statistical analysis: Guo and Moore. Obtained funding: Daniels and Moore. Administrative, technical, and material support: Singer and Moore. Study supervision: Moore.
Financial Disclosure: None reported.
Funding/Support: This work was supported by grant 5R21DK075068 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Role of the Sponsor: No sponsors or funders had any role in the design and conduct of the study; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and in the preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.
Additional Contributions: Di Gao, AS, Caroline Apovian, MD, Gheorghe Doros, PhD, and M. Loring Bradlee, MS, assisted with statistical analysis, data presentation preparation, and insight.
Berz JPB, Singer MR, Guo X, Daniels SR, Moore LL. Use of a DASH Food Group Score to Predict Excess Weight Gain in Adolescent Girls in the National Growth and Health Study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2011;165(6):540–546. doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.71 | <urn:uuid:70df18f3-51db-4028-bb67-c6ac41eb5a64> | {
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The DPG Division Particle Physics was founded in 1951 and has over 3500 members (as of 2019).
Particle physics studies the elementary constituents of matter and the fundamental forces acting between them. The present knowledge in this field is summarized int the standard model of particle physics. It describes the properties of leptons and quarks and the electromagnetic, weak and strong forces between them. A central element of the standard model is the Higgs sector, which generates the masses of the elementary particles. The standard model has been thoroughly checked experimentally. It is a fundamental cornerstone of scientific knowledge.
However, essential theoretical and experimental questions remain: Are there still unknown particles and new symmetries at very high energies? Does space have more than three dimensions? What is the nature of dark matter? What is the reason for the asymmetry of matter and antimatter in the universe?
Particle physics also provides the basis for our understanding of the formation and evolution of the universe. The research field of astroparticle physics has established itself in this area. Large observatories for the detection of cosmic protons, photons and neutrinos allow an extended view into the universe, and detectors in underground laboratories trace rare reactions such as nuclear collisions with dark matter particles. The simultaneous measurement of gravitational waves, particles and light from cosmic events allows for completely new astronomical observations.
The close interaction of astroparticle physics, cosmology and particle physics, as well as the worldwide research and development of cutting-edge technology for powerful particle accelerators and detectors, large observatories and satellite-based detectors bring the ambitious scientific goals within reach. | <urn:uuid:7b0cf123-f796-496c-8469-af8525dbfd8d> | {
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QR codes have data encoded inside them using QR code generators. These generators are online and make it simple to make a QR code with the user’s needs in mind. While conventional bar codes are only capable of storing twenty digits; QR codes are capable of handling up to several hundred times more information than the traditional bar code. QR codes can handle such data as numeric and alphabetic characters, Kanji, Kana, symbols, and control codes. QR codes hold up to seven thousand characters that can be encoded in one symbol.
A QR code or Quick Response code is a two-dimensional bar code that consists of black modules arranged sporadically in a square pattern on a white background. QR codes were created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994 to track vehicle parts in the manufacturing process. QR codes can be decoded at high speeds and are the most popular two-dimensional bar codes.
There are numerous standards when the physical encoding of QR codes is taking place. The amount of data stored in the QR code encoder depends on the version, the character set and the error correction level.
A QR code encoder records two things, the error correction level and the mask pattern used. Masking is used to make scanners work more efficiently by breaking up the pattern. The black modules corresponding to the dark areas of the mask are then inverted; this is complicated by the alignment patterns and multiple interleaved error correction blocks.
At the highest error correction level it makes it possible to create visually appealing QR codes that can still scan correctly. A QR code encoder can also incorporate logos, colors, and brand. This assists companies to get advertisements or promotions to a larger consumer base.
How to create QR code:
Use of QR Codes Is Exploding: | <urn:uuid:a6f8acc0-5e7d-4b1c-bab8-5d0c6f32b0bf> | {
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Question 1. What are the struggles with regard to a healthy body weight?
Question 2. For those of you who have already read this week’s material, why is the apple distribution more susceptible to health problems than the pear? Who can describe the waist-to-hip ratio? What are its advantages? Are there any disadvantages?
question 3. There are 3 components related to energy expenditure: BMR or basal metabolic rate, TEF or the thermic effect of food, and physical activity (which varies according to the individual).The first one, BMR can vary among people. What factors affect BMR? What percentage does it represent from the total 100% of energy expenditure?
How many calories do you think you need each day?
Question 4. What causes one to have an eating disorder?
Question 5. it looks like you have identified emotional eating as one reason why we choose the food we eat. What about eating in response to stress? Do you think they are the same?
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Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry. | <urn:uuid:71ac64a1-5056-4f3e-a1b4-ac9e079511fa> | {
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Nasser Hanna, MD
Despite advances in prevention, early detection, and treatments, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Although cigarette smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, about 10% of these patients are lifelong never smokers for whom the molecular composition of the disease, among other things, differs from smoking-related disease. To shed light on this interesting and complicated clinical phenomenon, The ASCO Post recently spoke with nationally regarded lung cancer expert Nasser Hanna, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis. Dr. Hanna’s research has focused on thoracic oncology, specifically the study and management of all forms of lung cancer.
Risk Factors Beyond Smoking
There has been an uptick in lung cancer in never smokers, especially in women. Do we have scientific data explaining the cause of this clinical phenomenon?
In the United States, about 20% of women with lung cancer are never smokers, and about 7% of men with lung cancer are never smokers. There is no definitive answer as to why never smokers develop lung cancer; however, there are several major risk factors outside of cigarette smoking -associated with lung cancer. Radon exposure is the number-two cause of lung cancer. Radon is ubiquitous in soil, so there is a greater incidence of exposure by those who work underground, even in people whose homes have basements in which they spend time. There is also a link between lung cancer and asbestos exposure in certain work places or older homes with concealed asbestos. Another occupational hazard is working in environments with chronic exposure to lung irritants.
There is also an increased risk for lung cancer in those who have underlying medical conditions, such as certain autoimmune disorders, and in those who develop scars in their lungs from nonmalignancy-related issues. In Asia, about 50% of women who develop lung cancer are never smokers, which may be partially related to second-hand smoke, due to the high incidence of male smokers in many Asian countries. Air pollution and high-temperature cooking techniques without adequate fume extractors are also thought to contribute to lung injury, with cancer developing later in life.
Potential Gender and Biologic Differences
Why is there such a demonstrable difference in the incidence of never-smoker lung cancer between women and men?
There are no definitive answers, but there are hypotheses. For instance, we have long considered an individual’s ability to metabolize carcinogens, as a risk for cancer, and there may be differences between individuals. So equal exposure to carcinogens may not result in equal risks.
What do we know about the biologic differences in tumors of never smokers vs smokers?
In some cases, the tumors in never smokers behave differently, and the DNA mutational spectrum looks quite different from that in smoking-related lung cancer. Never smokers who develop lung cancer almost exclusively have adenocarcinoma. Squamous and small cell cancers develop in the large airways, where smoke has caused not only DNA mutations but also chronic irritation, whereas adenocarcinoma does not typically occur in the air tubes but rather in the periphery of the lungs.
It may be that small inhaled particles, which are not particularly caustic to the central airways, lodge in the periphery of the lungs, which may be why never smokers almost exclusively develop adenocarcinoma. Smokers do not tend to take as deep inhalation as nonsmokers, which may be why cancer-causing particles lodge in different parts of the lungs.
About 75% of the time, never smokers have a targetable mutation, as opposed to smokers, where there is a targetable mutation about 15% of the time.— Nasser Hanna, MD
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The other difference between the tumors of never smokers and smokers comes to light when you study the DNA mutational spectrum. About 75% of the time, never smokers have a targetable mutation, as opposed to smokers, where there is a targetable mutation about 15% of the time. DNA mutations in a smoker tend to carry about 20,000 to 100,000 DNA point mutations. However, in never smokers, we see about 3,000, up to 10,000 mutations. So it is a one-log difference—90% fewer mutations among never smokers.
Moreover, never smokers are more likely to have a single oncogenic driver. In other words, they have far fewer mutations than smokers, but the ones they have really count. About half of never smokers will have a mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene, which contrasts with smokers, in whom less than 10% have an EGFR mutation. Never smokers are also much more likely to have an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene abnormality and also in ROS1 and MET. In addition, HER2 and RET abnormalities are much more prevalent in never smokers. Smokers do have these mutations but at a much lower incidence level. On the other hand, smokers tend to develop mutations on the KRAS and BRAF genes more frequently than never smokers.
Response to Immunotherapy
How do never smokers and smokers respond to -immunotherapies?
Interestingly, never smokers are less likely to have high expressions of the protein programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), which is a biomarker for immunotherapies. This makes never smokers less likely to respond to these new agents. Ironically, smokers with high mutational burdens are more likely to express PD-L1, making them more responsive to immunotherapies.
Immunotherapy tends to work better in smokers with lung cancer who have squamous cell histology and high mutational tumor burdens than in never smokers. Now there are never smokers who respond to immunotherapy, but far fewer than smokers. Never smokers tend to do better on targeted therapies than smokers.
Smoking Cessation Initiatives
Smoking-related lung cancer is still the greatest cancer killer in the United States. What’s your opinion on the current smoking cessation initiatives across the country?
To affect smoking rates in a substantial way requires consistent and relentless messaging, not intermittent and random. We really cannot let up on our efforts if we want to reduce smoking rates. Smoke-free work environments, taxation rates, restriction of tobacco access to minors, and constraints to marketing and advertising of cigarettes are all very effective antismoking strategies.
With the explosion of targeted and immunotherapies, it is not unusual for patients with metastatic disease to live 2, 3, 4 years, and beyond.— Nasser Hanna, MD
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides general per state estimates of how to provide an effective tobacco control program. Apart from a few states, such as California, which does a good job, most states miss the mark by quite a bit in terms of their commitment to resources to cessation initiatives.
That said, as long as tobacco is a legal product, we will never get to zero use. If you look at Utah, for instance, it has the lowest smoking rate in the country (about 10%) because of its Mormon population; so if we could target a national smoking rate of 10%, I think that would be an attainable goal.
During the Obama administration, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was granted the power to regulate tobacco, which was a 100-year law in the making. The Agency is considering ways to dramatically reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes. Lowering the nicotine levels would make cigarette smoking markedly less addictive.
Any closing thoughts on the state of lung cancer -moving forward?
We’ve made more advances in the past 5 years than in the previous 50 years combined to help a patient diagnosed with lung cancer. In the past, it was unusual to see patients with metastatic lung cancer live beyond 6 to 12 months. Over the past 5 years, with the explosion of targeted and immunotherapies, it is not unusual for patients with metastatic disease to live 2, 3, 4 years, and beyond. Moreover, we have recently seen data suggesting we are on the verge of making big advances in curing patients with earlier stages of lung cancer. The advances are based on the great DNA and immunologic scientific work, and credit should be spread around to all parties involved. We are truly in the middle of an outcomes shift in some patients with lung cancer, unfortunately not all. But the future is bright.
The most important aspect of lung cancer is realizing we could eliminate 90% of the disease if we got rid of tobacco. That, of course, is not going to happen, but with continued cessation programs, we will see major reductions in tobacco use in the United States over the coming years, which will greatly reduce the suffering and death related to lung cancer. ■
DISCLOSURE: Dr. Hanna reported no conflicts of interest. | <urn:uuid:bdff16eb-59b8-418d-83e0-e2367b94aafc> | {
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The Life 2.0 project aims at generating innovative services to support elderly people’s independent living. The services will use location technologies and social networking to enhance elderly peolocalple’s access to information about what happens in their neighborhood.
The project will be based on the hypothesis that technological infrastructure, such as Web applications (e.g. google maps, social networks) Internet based communication tools (e.g.skype or Twitter), and geographicalpositioning tols (e.g. GPS devices) can be integrated in meaningful applications that allow elderly people to “extend” their social life beyond the walls of their home, to increase the possibility to create “intersections” between their life and the life of other people (elderly or younger) around them and to create an “augmented neighborhood”, in which individual capabilities are exchanged and social interaction is enhanced. Such applications can provide elderly people with a constantly updated map of friends, relatives, helpers and services available in the area. Having a chance to know who is around would make it easier to find someone to spend some time together, to join for a walk or for lunch, to ask for a favor or for help.
The challenges and the innovation content
The challenges of this project, and consequently the area were this project is expected to produce innovative knowledge, can be exemplified in the following questions:
- To what extent can the use of those application support social and healthcare services in local context? Can those applications really support the activation of elderly people and reduce the costs of healthcare services? What technologies can be used to support people working in those services? How can those technologies be integrated in those people’s everyday life?
- Can new forms of social/support service emerge from the use of those technologies? Can elderly people become providers of some of those services, beside being the target for traditional health services?
- Social networks have been developed for youngsters or relatively young adults, can they be used by the elderly, too? What kind of change would motivate elderly people to use those technologies?
- Elderly people have always been unfamiliar with computers, however the coming generation of elderly people will have spent a good part of their professional work using computers. To what extent will this facilitate the creation of social networks for the elderly?5. Social networks are substantially indifferent to geographical location: facebook or skype can be used in the same way by people working in the same building or people communicating across the planet. Yet some applications, such as google maps, are giving more relevance to geographical locations; but can those applications be integrated and strongly linked to a local context? | <urn:uuid:10be7c39-4d15-4174-a738-b61a6972fa02> | {
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Although I had outlined (to a degree) this blog, in the process I wanted to refresh my memory on the three taxonomies of objectives, essentially started by Bloom, et. al., around 1956. I googled "Learning Taxonomies" and was overwhelmed by the material available to the reader. I will let you do your own googling of the term and let you seek your own information. What surprised me was how much recent material had been done. You have to dig to find the original concept of objective classification. Totally overwhelmed me.
I have used two (cognitive domain and the affective domain) of the taxonomies in my lectures, on my "Blackboard" web page, in assignments and in lesson plans. Over the years I have studied and struggled with the psycho-motor domain. Someday I'll feel more confident with it. This is strange because for years, I taught sailing which is a highly psycho-motor skill.
Before I proceed, we need to define the term, "Taxonomy". [an aside: the word, taxonomy is from the Greek word Taxis which means arrangement] It is a term we educators swiped from the Biologist who spent much of their time classifying their material. Rather than reinvent the wheel we borrowed the technique for the behavioral paradigm. But the main task for Bloom and others was to classify the relationship between levels of behavior in learning. How about that!
We academic educators found comfort in the taxonomies--it was something we could hold up to the light much like the mathematics department having their "proofs", or the chemistry people with their substances and properties. I think every education professor at one time or another had their students study levels of objectives. For a time I did study teachers in the classroom looking to see if they had learning objectives for their students. The overwhelming result was that teachers have "objectives", not necessarily written in Bloom's behavioral language, but they do have objectives.
For those of you who haven't read Bloom's Taxonomies recently I highly recommend that you google those terms and see the difference between the old and the new versions. It's an easy read. And also, think about "No Child Left Behind" testing--where on Bloom's taxonomy does it fall (fail?)?
For one thing I asked to see teachers' lesson plans. Mostly they gave me a large notebooks provided by the school district with two pages for each week and boxes for time and day. Many of the objectives were cryptic like "p 87". Nothing more. Some were more complete, for example, "finish health and summarize--give test." When questioned about these objectives most teachers knew what they wanted to do and in some cases had other lesson plans stashed away from previous years. The large notebook was for complying with administration edicts. Indeed, I remember one teacher saying that their principal made it mandatory that it be on the front left hand corner of their desk before going home at night.
While I ponder some thoughts about objectives, I wonder how many of today's teachers have objectives for their class on the web? Now there is a good master's degree research project.
The reason I just wrote the preceding paragraph is that I remember Jo Tillia teaching me how to write lesson plans when I first started teaching fifth grade. Here was her method.
- Take a standard piece of writing paper with inked margin. Fold in half lengthwise.
- Write what you want your students to learn in the top blank of the page (the objective for the lesson)
- In the margin write the time for each of the following activity
- On the left had of the fold, write what you (the teacher) will do. Read, give instruction, show on the blackboard, pass out material, etc.
- On the right side of the fold, write what the students will do. Read, listen, start assignment, watch experiment, write a paragraph, etc. (it has to be observable)
- On the back side, on the top, list material that students/teacher will need. Scissors, glue, textbook, pencil and paper, etc. On the lower back side is space for an evaluation of the learning lesson.
Some lessons might take two or three sheets of paper to complete. Now I could take my lesson plans and put them on a clipboard and carry them around with me with essentially my notes guiding what I wanted to do.
When I first started doing this method of lesson plans (yes, I did the little boxes as well to satisfy the principal), the kids on the early morning school bus would come to class and some being nosy would take my clipboard for the day to see what they were going to do. I, of course, said, "hey, those are mine for me to use." But what i found was that those kids who looked at our assignments for the day were getting organized either in the minds or attitudes. It didn't take me long to write a simplified set of objectives on the blackboard for the whole class to see.
Another good thing about that type of lesson plan was that I could file it in folders under the appropriate labels--reading, arithmetic, health, geography, etc. and save it for next year.
As I look at Bloom's taxonomy today I realize I did little at the grade school level to get my students to the level of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. I know a number of grade school teachers who do reach those levels all the time.
Most of my classroom objectives were in the Cognitive Domain. Knowledge, Comprehension and Application for the most part. The real skill was deciding which knowledge came first. You have to add before you multiply. You have to read words before you read sentences before you read paragraphs. Some teachers have an intuitive knowledge of being able to present learning to children. When I see this I think teachers are born not taught. But I do see teachers who are constantly improving in the skills. Then I think, we can teach how to teach.
To the professor that made me read Bloom's taxonomy, my grateful thanks. To those teachers who taught me how to compose a good lesson, my sincere thanks. And thanks to all the teachers who push their students to learn knowlege and understand it, to apply that knowledge while being analyitical and then evaluating and creating new knowlege. You are amazing. | <urn:uuid:49b3fc9e-9915-49f7-b95c-643c82f7cecf> | {
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Better late than never!
The small ranching town of Milnesand in eastern New Mexico passes as a blur of a few buildings as one drives past on NM route 206. All the residents live scattered around the crossroads on countless acres of ranch lands and the unique landscape of sand dunes covered with stunted bushes. This apparently featureless area, a place where early explorers and settlers got disoriented without any visible landmarks on the horizon, supports a unique ecosystem home to a species sought after by many birders: the Lesser Prairie-Chicken. Each year, Milnesand welcomes birders, photographers, and nature enthusiasts to its little crossroads to learn about the landscape, explore the natural history of the eastern New Mexico plains, and, of course, see prairie-chickens.
The Lesser Prairie-Chicken, Near Milnesand, 17 Apr 2011. Photo by J. N. Stuart, from Flickr. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Most grouse-like birds are known for bizzare mating rituals and displays by males. Prairie-chickens, sage-grouse, and the Sharp-tailed Grouse congregate on leks, open areas that are used solely for these displays. Males inflate air sacs in their necks with which they make hooting or popping noises, puff up their body and some head feathers, and stamp around alternatively trying to intimidate other males or impress the females that wander by. The chickens start displaying before first light and stop within an hour or so of sunrise, so birders who want to see the fascinating display must wake up early enough to get to a lek before the birds do.
Male Lesser Prairie-Chicken in full display, near Milnesand, 12 Apr 2012. Photo by J. N. Stuart, from Flickr. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Here is a video by YouTube user LM1313 of a Lesser Prairie-Chicken displaying:
This past spring, I was invited to attend the festival as a trip leader and guide birders on short excursions around Milnesand during the day. Although the prairie-chickens are the stars of the festival, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and migrant songbirds make for nice distractions later in the day. In fact, I guaranteed all my trips that we would see Scissor-tails and I was right!
I rode down to Milnesand with Christopher Rustay who has been birding in New Mexico for many years. We stopped at a few spots along the way including Santa Rosa where we found a singing Eastern Phoebe and the always-popular Melrose Trap which was fairly active with birds. Two Northern Parulas and White-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireos stole the show, but the most unusual bird was a Worm-eating Warbler that took a bit of time to track down.
The center of operations for the Milnesand festival is the community center next to the fire house. Here all 100 official participants plus trip leaders were fed and entertained by community members. Local residents went all out on the meals!
Inside the community hall.
Buffet lunch. Those are real cowboy hats!
The first night there, I stayed in a guest house on the Weaver ranch east of town. The trees and small pond acted as a small migrant trap and the next morning we found a few birds in the area including Spotted Sandpiper and Field Sparrow. I also heard, for the first time, Lesser Prairie-Chickens off in the distance.
The guest house.
The pond at the ranch house with Spotted Sandpiper on the floating tire.
The denser trees around the Milnesand Crossroads are famous for drawing in migrating songbirds. The star of the show this year was a bright male Hooded Warbler that almost everyone got to see. A Summer Tanager, Bullock’s Oriole, and an Indigo Bunting rounded out the color show. Great Horned Owl nestlings just outside the community hall were a big attraction for the many photographers.
My tiny camera just couldn’t compete. Look hard in the middle of the picture and you might see a fluffy owl.
The field trips I led were fairly uneventful in terms of rare birds, but those who came with me on the Saturday afternoon trip enjoyed seeing Long-billed Curlews and a Ferruginous Hawk on a long drive west of town. My other officially led trip went to a private area known as Baker Playa near the Texas border. We were hoping for some shorebird migrants or Cassin’s Sparrows, but came up empty. We even missed the nesting Barn Owl in a dry water tank that I had seen the previous day on a scouting trip.
The road to Baker Playa.
Those small bushes in the photo above are shin oak, a tree that rarely grows more than shin high. The bulk of the tree is underground and the small bushes are actually the branch tips of trees mostly covered by sand. Shin oaks play a large role in stabilizing the sand dunes on the plains. Fires are common and without the oaks, sand spreads across the landscape.
Baker Playa, a small pond of water.
Mesquite around the playa.
The smoke trail on the horizon was from a small fire over the Texas border. It didn’t burn long, but was a reminder how susceptible the area is to wildfires. Although wildfires are beneficial to healthy ecosystems in many cases, the situation is complicated by people’s towns and houses as well as threatened and endangered species.
A cool barrel cactus by the playa.
The cactus had a nearby companion.
The remains of an old wagon.
After visiting the playa, we drove to a small corral with some trees in the hopes of some migrants. We didn’t find much, but the van driver got the van stuck for a bit. With some boards and a little luck, we got the van out of the sand trap without too much trouble.
Birders at the corral.
The stuck van. Many local churches donated the use of their vans for the weekend. The Milnesand area loves having birders visit each year and they know how much ecotourism can help a community.
The highlight of the whole weekend, however, is getting up around 3:30 to go see the prairie-chicken displays! Most people at the festival go out in the vans and watch the birds from the relative warmth of an enclosed vehicle. For a little extra money, those who want an open-air experience can sit in a re-purposed horse trailer for better photography. One of the participants on my Saturday trip graciously offered me his spot in the trailer on Sunday morning. He had hoped to go with his brother, but they couldn’t get a spot together on the same day. Also, he had been in the trailer other years and insisted that I go. Thanks Charles! Although I only had my little point-and-shoot, it was a great chance to sit comfortably in chairs and experience the displays with some great photographers and videographers.
In the trailer after sunrise.
Two males facing off on the lek.
One male crouched down. Was this submission or some other signal?
I enjoyed watching the various behaviors of the males and the one female that wandered by.
Colin Adams, a birder from Albuquerque, and his father offered to drive me back to Albuquerque Sunday evening. We birded along the way home including a detour south to Tatum and its lovely sewage ponds and wetland habitat where some rare birds had been seen earlier in the day. We didn’t find much.
The wetland habitat downstream of the sewage ponds. It doesn’t smell much until you get around the back.
We also stopped at Boone’s Draw, a large stand of cottonwoods west of Portales that has held some very rare birds over the years. We were not lucky and a coming thunderstorm encouraged us to move on. Melrose trap was similarly slow and the wind and rain sprinkles didn’t help. We did find a large young Great Horned Owl sitting out in the open in an aspen.
This owl is easier to find!
Here are some video clips I took with my small camera.
Booming in the dark:
Male running past female:
I’m very grateful to Tish McDaniel, who organizes the festival each year, for running such a great event and to Chrisropher Rustay, who asked me to help lead trips. | <urn:uuid:ae601fc7-b116-4393-b230-c340b067eb7f> | {
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The Great Fire in Rome occurred in 64 A.D. Nero himself burned the city. Though an inhuman brute, he was a great builder. It was in order to build a new and grander Rome that he set fire to the city, and fiddled in glee at the sight of it. The people suspected him; and historians have commonly regarded it as a fact that he was the perpetrator of the crime. In order to divert suspicion from himself he accused the Christians of burning Rome.
Nero’s persecution of Christians is the direct background of 2 Timothy, and was the persecution that brought Paul to his martyrdom, and, possibly Peter as well. Our source of information is the Roman historian Tacitus. He knew that the Christians did not burn Rome. But somebody had to be made the scapegoat for the Emperor’s crime. Here was a new and despised sect of people, mostly from the humbler walks of life, without prestige or influence, many of them slaves. Nero accused them of burning Rome, and ordered their punishment.
In and around Rome multitudes of Christians were arrested and put to death in the cruelest ways. Crucified. Or tied in skins of animals, and thrown into the arena to dogs, for the entertainment of the people. Or thrown to the wild beasts. Or tied to the stakes in Nero’s gardens, pitch poured over their bodies, and set afire as human torches to light Nero’s gardens at night, while he drove around in his chariot, gloating over the agonies of his victims.
It was in the wake of this persecution that Paul was re-arrested and brought back to Rome. This time as a criminal, by the agents of Rome, not on some technical violation of Jewish law as before (when arrested by the Jews). We do not know specifically what crime he was accused of, but he was the leader of the people being punished for burning Rome. Whatever the crime was, his trial had proceeded far enough that he knew there was no hope of escape. While waiting in the Roman dungeon for the “time of his departure,” he wrote this last letter to Timothy, his “beloved son” and co-worker, encouraging him to be faithful, in spite of everything, as a minister of Christ, and to hurry on to Rome before winter.
In that dark hour is one of the noblest passages of Scripture. Paul would be executed for a crime of which he was not guilty, his friends forsaking him and leaving him to suffer alone. The cause for which he had given his life was being blotted out in the West by persecution, and in the East by apostasy. Yet there is no hint of regret that he had given his life to the service of Christ and the Church. No hint of doubt that the Church, though now apparently suffering defeat, would eventually be triumphant. And no doubt that the moment of his execution he would go straight to the arms of HIM whom he had loved and served so devotedly. This Epistle is the exultant cry of a dying conqueror. (Above information adapted from Halley’s Bible Handbook)
Day One Study
Where do we begin? Have you ever heard the saying: “You can’t see the forest for the trees”? The best way to study any book of the Bible is to begin with the “forest” – read the whole book – and then proceed to the “trees” – the individual parts (verses).
After Paul’s release from his first Roman imprisonment (around AD 62), he and Timothy traveled to Ephesus where Timothy was left to care for the house churches there. Paul wrote a letter (1 Timothy) around AD 64 to encourage Timothy in his work. Around AD 67, Paul wrote another letter (2 Timothy), his last letter and the most tender and moving of all of Paul’s letters. Let’s begin to discover its treasures.
1. The background information above gives you a better idea of what was happening around Paul as he wrote this second letter to Timothy. Describe what Paul was experiencing.
2. Read 2 Timothy twice to get the feel and atmosphere of this letter and to gain Paul’s perspective on everything that he shares. Mark key words and phrases as well as anything of interest to you. Pay attention to any themes in the letter. What do you notice?
Day Two Study
One of the themes in Paul’s pastoral letters (those written to Timothy and Titus) is “teach and maintain truth and sound doctrine; guard against/avoid error.” This theme really breaks down into positive vs. negative.
3. Let’s start with the positive. Read the following verses. What does Paul keep emphasizing?
· 2 Timothy 1:13-14—
· 2 Timothy 2:2—
· 2 Timothy 2:15—
· 2 Timothy 3:14-17
· 2 Timothy 4:2,5—
4. What specifically is the truth or sound doctrine? See also Romans 1:1-5a.
· 2 Timothy 1:8-11—
· 2 Timothy 2:1—
· 2 Timothy 2:8—
5. Now for the negative aspect of this theme. Read the following verses to see what we are supposed to do when we encounter error.
· 2 Timothy 2:14—
· 2 Timothy 2:16-18—
· 2 Timothy 2:23—
6. Read 2 Timothy 3:2-7 and 4:3-4. Where does error lead?
7. Once again, Paul emphasizes over and over a common message. In your own words, what is Paul teaching them to guard against…and why?
8. To Live Faithfully: Certainly you can agree that if Paul made this many comments on the same subject, it should be taken seriously.
· What could happen to the local church … therefore you … therefore the world … if we do not seriously and energetically apply Paul’s emphatic message to Timothy and the church?
· What specific actions can you or do you take in your daily life to ensure that you don’t wander away from God’s truth or sound doctrine?
Related Topics: Curriculum | <urn:uuid:d1581009-ab68-4d61-9d79-d5124a91b8ef> | {
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Bites may occur:
You may be bitten by:
Bites can happen when you are playing with a pet or trying to feed a wild animal. They may also happen even if you have not approached the animal.
Some animals, such as cats, have very sharp, pointy teeth that tend to cause puncture wounds. A puncture wound may not look like it is anything to worry about, but bacteria may have been pushed deep into the wound. Puncture wounds are hard to clean, so bacteria may be left in the wound. All bites can get infected, but these puncture wounds are more likely to get infected than some other kinds of animal bites.
Human bites happen more often than most people realize. Human bites are often more dangerous than animal bites because the human mouth has more bacteria in it than most animals’ mouths. It is very easy for a human bite to become infected. However, any bite that breaks the skin can become infected and should be treated by your healthcare provider.
Bites may cause:
If the bite becomes infected, signs of infection include redness, pain, swelling, and pus. You may also have swollen glands or a fever and feel sick. These symptoms often mean you have a serious infection, especially if you have red streaks on the skin around the wound.
Your healthcare provider will look at the bitten area. Your provider will ask how the bite happened to see if you need more tests. For example, your provider will ask if you knew the animal and if the animal seemed to be acting normally. If the bite is deep and your bone could have been damaged or is at risk of getting infected, you may have X-rays. Bone infections can be very serious and hard to treat.
Some animals such as snakes or spiders inject venom into the skin, which can cause illness and even death. It can be very helpful to your healthcare provider if you know what type of animal has bitten you.
Treatment depends on how you were bitten and how badly you are injured.
Follow these first aid measures for all bites that break the skin:
In all cases of animal bites, call your healthcare provider. Your provider may suggest that you:
In all cases of human bites, call your healthcare provider right away. Don’t wait a day or two to see your provider. These bites get infected even more often than animal bites and can cause serious infections.
The time it takes for wounds to heal depends on the extent of the damage and your overall state of health. If the bite is infected, the infection will usually heal in 7 to 10 days with treatment.
A deep bite may cause scarring. It might damage nearby nerves.
Be aware of how animals act before they bite. For example, they may raise or flatten their ears, show their teeth, growl, or snarl. Don’t approach or touch strange animals.
Use precautions to protect yourself from attack:
To help protect others from animal bites you can:
If you see an animal behaving strangely or foaming at the mouth or if an animal has bitten someone:
If you regularly handle animals that could have rabies, be sure to get shots of the rabies preexposure vaccine. This vaccine can help keep you from getting rabies if you are bitten.
Teach your children not to approach or touch strange animals. | <urn:uuid:d3c4d62c-b15b-4cf6-96a7-0014074b883e> | {
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Heroin History: 1900s
At the end of the 19th century in both America and Britain, opium and morphine were popular for medical and recreational purposes. While heroin was first derived at about this time by boiling morphine, it would be a while before it too would become a popular drug.
Working-class families in England used opium for all types of illnesses and injuries. Coughs (common for those with tuberculosis or pneumonia), sleeplessness or injuries would be soothed by these drugs. Many of those who supplied the drug were not doctors, and overdoses were not unusual. Some mothers who gave the drug to calm fussy babies inadvertently killed them by giving too much.
In the US, the liquid opium called laudanum was mostly used by women, as men could find relief in alcohol. Opium use accompanied the Chinese who came to the West to build railroads. Opium dens were therefore found in San Francisco and Denver, as well as other larger western cities.
When the Civil War came, morphine was the drug of choice to alleviate the terrible injuries of the soldiers. Doctors of the time had few tools or drugs. When a person was shot in the leg, the normal treatment was amputation. Morphine was the only thing that made the gunshot, amputation and recovery tolerable. But thousands of soldiers became addicted to the drug and remained addicted after the end of the war. Addiction to morphine became known as the "Soldier's Disease."
Heroin's Marketing Begins
In 1898, the Bayer pharmaceutical company began an aggressive marketing campaign to sell its commercial preparation of Heroin. That was the name they gave to their formulation of diacetylmorphine, or the product of boiling morphine for several hours. Heroin was heavily promoted as being non-addicting, and therefore an excellent treatment for morphine addiction. Bronchitis, tuberculosis and other cough-inducing illnesses were also treated with Heroin. In 1906, the American Medical Association approved Heroin for general use, and recommended that it be used in place of morphine.
This free rein soon resulted in a population of 200,000 heroin addicts in New York City. In 1914, the Harrison Narcotics Act was passed that was an attempt to stop abuse of cocaine, heroin and cannabis. Under this law, it became illegal to own, use or be addicted to illicitly-obtained narcotics. Doctors and pharmacists were required to register and pay a tax on all prescriptions. This was the beginning of arrests for drug abuse. In some areas, the majority of prisoners in federal facilities would be incarcerated there on drug charges.
In 1924, the deputy commissioner of the New York Police reported that 94% of all crimes were being committed by heroin addicts. Soon after, the drug was outlawed for both medical and illicit use. The League of Nations followed with more restrictions, and manufacture and export of heroin began to be controlled.
The French Connection
These regulations and bans just moved heroin production from factories in Europe to clandestine labs in China. Trafficking channels to Europe and the US began to be controlled by organized crime in Europe, resulting in the "French Connection": the importing of unrefined heroin to Marseille, France, where it went through its final refinement before being shipped to Northeastern US cities and Europe.
During World War II, heroin supplies into the US were restricted due to increased security. Many American addicts were no longer able to get the drug and the numbers of addicts fell. But this new pattern only lasted until the end of World War II. Then the crime syndicates went back into business. Not too long after that, America's participation in conflicts in Southeast Asia put millions of GIs right in the crosshairs of heroin manufacturers and traffickers.
The shifting of heroin manufacture from Turkey to Southeast Asia came as a result of complicated political plays that occurred in the wake of World War II. When the dust settled, American and European crime syndicates transferred their supplier routes to the Golden Triangle - where Burma (now Myanmar), Thailand and Laos converged.
In the next twenty years, nearly four million American service men and women would be stationed in this area or nearby. This would be one of the influences that would lead to American heroin addiction rates that were of a whole new order of magnitude.
- Book: Medicine in the Old West: A History, 1850-1900. Jeremy Agnew, McFarland & Company, Jefferson, North Carolina, 2010. | <urn:uuid:5145e3ce-ab96-4b69-ae55-73f162b654ef> | {
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Why can’t we solve California’s devastating housing shortage?
Perhaps it’s because the proposed solutions — sprawling construction, denser construction, granny flats, affordable housing mandates, and regulation exemptions — are all built on the same flawed premise: that housing must exist solely on land.
And California’s combination of strict regulation and anti-density NIMBYism makes it impossible to build enough housing on land to serve our population.
So what if we build our housing future at sea?
If you haven’t heard yet of seasteading — that’s the ocean form of homesteading — you soon will.
Because where else does California have to go?
Floating cities are an ancient idea; Consider Plato’s dialogues on the lost city of Atlantis.
And communities at sea are a durable cultural trope, from the Kevin Costner film Waterworld to the BioShock video games.
In this season of joy, it’s worth noting that the world’s hardiest seasteader is Santa Claus himself, laboring tirelessly among the Arctic ice floes of the North Pole.
Less mythically, a half-century ago, L. Ron Hubbard and other leaders of the Church of Scientology created the Sea Organization, or Sea Org, a training compound of ships that mostly stayed at sea, away from the prying eyes of the authorities.
More recently, seasteading has gained ground among libertarians, particularly those who drink from Silicon Valley’s dream-inducing waters. For a time, techies contemplated how to build cities far from shore, in international waters, so they could live by their own laws.
At the forefront now is the non-profit Seasteading Institute, which envisions such communities enabling “the next generation of pioneers to peacefully test new ideas for how to live together.”
In 2008 the institute received high-profile backing from PayPal founder Peter Thiel, who preached for ocean communities as an “escape from politics in all its forms.”
More recently the venture capitalist has publicly soured on the idea and sought to escape political reality by backing Donald Trump.
In some sense, Thiel’s newfound skepticism is justified. Such experiments have yet to realize the vision of urban ocean realities — it’s costly and complicated to build a city on the sea.
Among the Seasteading Institute’s findings: the open ocean may be too rough to support a city, but protected coastal waters look promising.
For California, that’s good news: we have 840 miles of coast.
While seasteading may sound like science fiction, it’s no less Star Trekian than median housing prices that exceed seven figures in San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties and approach $1 million for new homes in Orange County.
While previous visions of sea cities have incorporated futuristic aquafarms or novel modes of energy production, more modest efforts — with the straightforward goal of providing housing for Californians — might be more viable.
One might start with boats housing the homeless population, as former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos has urged.
Of course, California’s regulators and environmentalists would raise objections to people living in coastal waters. So it’s vital to sell the idea not merely as a response to housing (since the housing crisis demonstrably doesn’t move Californians to action) but as a far-sighted answer to the two problems our state’s leaders care most about: climate change and the drought.
Desalination has been considered too costly and inefficient as a water source, but perhaps financing desalination plants with the proceedings of new offshore houses, attached to the plants, could change the economics.
Seasteading also could mitigate climate change. With sea-based housing providing a dry run — okay, a wet run — for the not-so-distant future, when rising sea levels inundate California’s greatest coastal cities and force millions of us to live on the ocean.
In this way, cities on the sea would further our climate change leadership.
It’s hard to overstate how much the ocean can teach us. I’ve always loved the 1960s story of California-born teenager Robin Lee Graham and his five-year sailing voyage around the world.
“At sea,” Graham wrote, “I learned how little a person needs, not how much.”
That’s a lesson all of California could learn if we’re willing to build a future just off the coast.
Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zócalo Public Square. | <urn:uuid:9cc29064-696d-40d4-82bc-4cffff250f67> | {
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In an era where technology boosts the speed and extensiveness of knowledge turnover within the society, it’s hard to deny the fact that modern technologies such as social media platforms have influenced the human lives. As the digital age continues, the parental phenomenon dubbed as “Sharenting,” where parents share too much details about their children on social media (from conception to toddlerhood) have become rampant online.
Based on a 2010 survey, more than 90 percent of toddlers aged 2 and more than 80 percent of babies in the United States have already established their online presence through various social media sites. It also revealed that many of these kids have debuted online through the ultrasound images their proud parents posted on Facebook but “sharenting” could have some unfavorable effects on them
Even though these baby pictures are adorable and cute, it raises the issues on content, privacy and most especially on the parent-child relationship. According to The Atlantic, even though parents are not sharing their children’s images maliciously, they forget the fact that posting too much information online bring a lot of risks such as digital kidnapping and identity theft.
With that said, experts have been devising a plan to develop a public health campaign that aims to raise awareness on the deep-seated clash between the freedom to publish of parents and the right to privacy of a child. University of Florida’s Levin College of Law and the school’s Center on Children and Families associate director Stacey Steinberg revealed that parents who practice “sharenting” haven’t considered the risks and the potential reach of what they’re sharing online.
Based on Steinberg’s new paper, “Sharenting: Children’s Privacy in the Age of Social Media,” which is scheduled to be published in the Emory Law Journal in the spring of 2017, the author revealed how a child’s social media image could be a target of various threats of safety and security. Steinberg also explained that even with private social media groups or protected accounts could still be vulnerable to a ton of risks such as misuse of images, among many others.
Even though parents only think and do what’s right and true to their children, sometimes it’s virtually unavoidable to be trapped and fall victims to the overwhelming influence of social media and of the digital age, where even the traditional parenting approach become a major paradigm shift.
Aside from “sharenting,” another parenting issue has also emerged regarding parental choice. Based on a blog post published in The Huffington Post, writer/blogger Michelle Grant outlined her experiences as a new mother who faced unwarranted prejudices due to her decision of going back to work while her husband was taking care of their daughter at home.
Grant even asked why it was so easy for people to judge others for the choices they made. She also stressed that parents deserve respect for the choices they made, which they think is the best for them. | <urn:uuid:4c1b1094-cccb-4882-b094-fc734278237c> | {
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[ A.K.A SEKMINËS – Seventh Sunday after Easter
In Lithuania and in neighboring countries, traditions of Pentecost are
related with the end of sowing and the start of summer labors. This is
a spring gathering and shepherds' holiday. The most distinctive feature
of Pentecost is nature worship. The power of nature was attributed to young,
green birch trees. It was believed that the birch tree can pass her vitality
to the soil, to animals, protect from illness and all evils. On the eve
of Pentecost, village girls dispersed in fields and woods in search of
flowers and greenery that were used to make wreaths. Young men picked branches
off birch trees, which they placed around doors, gates, inside porches
and in living rooms. Wreaths and bunches of flowers decorated the entire
house. Tables were covered with linen tablecloths, garden paths were sprinkled
with sand and greens. It was believed that the souls of the dead, while
visiting homes on Pentecost, rested on birch tree branches. Shepherds decorated
cows with birch wreaths, to keep them calm and together, be good milkers
and to please the mistress of the house so she would be kind and generous
throughout the year.
The writer, B.Buraèas described this tradition of decorating
the herds in his writings, saying that on the night before Pentecost, shepherds
returning home with the herd dressed the animals with birch and marsh marigold
wreaths. They even tied birch branches to cattle horns.
In some regions women placed a piece of bread in a white linen kerchief,
tied it with three double birch branches and tied this kerchief to their
apron sash believing this to be a protection from snake bites. Whipping
with bathing birch- rods in bathhouses was believed to chase all ailments
out of the body. On Pentecost morning, the master of the house whipped
his cows to make them more active while grazing in the fields.
When Christianity came to Lithuania, churches began blessing grasses.
Then on this holiday, churches were decorated with birch trees and other
greenery. People arrived in church carrying bunches of greenery , which
were blessed. These blessed greens were set on fire and their smoke was
used to incense dying persons, new buildings and storm clouds. It was believed
that smoke from Pentecost greens had the power to chase away evil spirits,
protect buildings and send storm clouds away. Wayside crosses and ritual
tables were also decorated with Pentecost greenery.
J.Balys wrote in " Lithuanian Calendar Holidays" how plants are used
in charmings. First of all, many wreaths were twined and each one was given
a man's name. The largest wreath was given the name of the girl who wanted
to know the name chosen name. The wreaths are thrown into the well or into
the pond in the evening, so as not to be seen by anyone. Early in the morning
the girl went to see if her wreath was beside the largest wreath. If it
was, she would marry him.
Before Pentecost one must twine a large wreath of cornflowers with
three branches of rue in it. Before evening this wreath is placed on the
girl's head and fastened to the hair so it would not fall off. He, who
in a dream removes this wreath, will be the one too take away her virginity.
N.Gimbutas in " Baltic Mythology" , wrote that there was tradition
to go to the woods on Pentecost. A birch tree was picked out, decorated
and taken into the village. About hundred years ago this was an important
ritual which involved the entire community.
On this holiday there are fire and water glorification rituals. The
church on Pentecost blessed fire and water. In many regions holy water
was sprinkled on grain seeds, so that they would sprout fast and that birds
would not peck at the grain. Sprinkling with holy water was meant to keep
insects away from the crops and keep ponds and rivers safe from drownings.
To keep horses well and give them shinny coats, their food was also sprinkled
with holy water.
After Pentecost, according to the folk calendar, it was safe to swim
in rivers and lakes, especially if these bodies of water were close to
churches, they were blessed by the priests to protect the swimmers from
drownings. Country folk poured holy water into their wells and ponds for
Pentecost is one bright day in the shepherds' year. This day was begun
by the blare of the herdsman's trumpet before sunrise, awakening the shepherds.
That day, every shepherd planned to take his herd out at the earliest and
play his small horn. Each shepherd made his own small horn for Pentecost
from osier or alder wood and added a hollow cow's horn to give it a better
As the animals were leaving the barn, they were incensed with burning,
dried herbs by the mistress of the house. The herd grazed until noon, then
the shepherds decorated the entire herd and themselves and returned to
the village singing and playing their horns. Then the feasting began, hosted
by the head herdsman.
Shepherds' outings were organized on Pentecost, called shepherds' omelet,
[ a.k.a. pautienë ]. In some regions shepherds stopped at homesteads
in the morning to pick up prepared foods, while in others they asked for
eggs, flour, butter, milk and salt so that they could bake their own omelet.
In Dzûkija the following greeting was voiced, " happy Pentecost,
spent happily and peacefully with horses neighing and cows mooing. I was
sent to you by the oxen for bread, for milk by the cows, by sheep for flour,
by hogs for bacon and fat, by the motley hens for eggs, by the rooster
for pancakes and by the shepherds for money". If some households gave nothing,
the returning herd was decorated with nettle wreaths and brooms tied to
the cows' horns, so that everyone would know about the stinginess of that
household.. However, most homeowners were generous because they knew that
by not giving the cows' milk would be decreased.
After collecting all he goodies, the shepherds went to feast, picnic
in the woods. After the omelet was baked, the shepherds went into the forest,
climbed a tree and called out to wolves and bears to come and have breakfast
with them, saying, " if you do not come out now, you will never come out
during the coming year". This is an ancient prayer, an incantation.
In some regions of the Highlands [ a.k.a. Aukðtaitija ], shepherds
were allowed to sleep in while the herding in the morning was carried out
by girls. They herded out very early, before the larks awakened. Hearing
the larks, village lads came out playing reed and pan pipes. They also
brought food, lit bonfires. The important ritual was made up of a game
called " Arrange a Wedding". The prettiest girl was chosen to play the
bride and a lad was chosen to play the groom, while other girls dressed
as bridesmaids. After the wedding rites, the newlyweds were taken to bed
in a granary, a tent made of tree branches. After that came their awakening
and the end of the wedding ritual games. People in ancient times believed
that peoples' sexual love and fertility stimulate earth's productivity.
On the second day of Pentecost, the hired hands together with the owner's
sons carried on in the same manner as the shepherds. They provided drinks
and music while maidens prepared the food. The maidens walked along fields
of grain, singing songs with magical meanings:
You osier, clover,
Green bush, clover,
How tall you grew, clover,
At the first gate, clover,
The sun rose, clover,
At the second gate, clover,
The moon trundled, clover,
At the third gate, clover,
The maiden walked, clover.
Entire families visited the rye fields. Checked both theirs' and neighbors'
fields and shared farming advice. In some regions, hired hands brewed beer
before Pentecost so that they could treat the owners after their walks
in the grain fields. Everyone gathers to eat and drink , while the young
people sing and dance.
Girls had separate amusements. They sat in a nice spot on a hill, twined
wreaths, cast lots, told tales, sang and walked around grain fields.
When Christianity spread throughout Lithuania, priests turned these
ancient walkings around grain fields into blessings of the grain fields.
People gathered in one farmstead upon the priests' arrival and went together
to bless the grain fields. Feasting took place after the blessing.
This tradition disappeared at the beginning of 20th
century, when villages broke up into individual farms. | <urn:uuid:3a16fd44-7721-48a6-a5a5-3373efd12ec3> | {
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Monsanto's Roundup Pesticide is a
Major Threat to Public Health
From PANNA, Pesticide Action Network North America
August 5, 2005
A recent study of Roundup presents new evidence that the glyphosate-based herbicide is far more toxic than the active ingredient alone. The study, published in the June 2005 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, reports glyphosate toxicity to human placental cells within hours of exposure, at levels ten times lower than those found in agricultural use. The researchers also tested glyphosate and Roundup at lower concentrations for effects on sexual hormones,
reporting effects at very low levels. This suggests that dilution with other ingredients in Roundup may, in fact, facilitate glyphosate's hormonal impacts.
Roundup, produced by Monsanto, is a mixture of glyphosate and other chemicals (commonly referred to as "inerts") designed to increase the herbicide's penetration into the target and its toxic effect. Since inerts are not listed as "active ingredients" the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not assess their health or environmental impacts, despite the fact that more than 300 chemicals on EPA's list of pesticide inert ingredients are or were once registered as pesticide active ingredients, and that inert ingredients often account for more than 50% of the pesticide product by volume.
The evidence presented in the recent study is supported by earlier laboratory studies connecting glyphosate with reproductive harm, including damaged DNA in mice and abnormal chromosomes in human blood. Evidence from epidemiological studies has also linked exposure to the herbicide with increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and laboratory studies have now begun to hone in on the mechanism by which the chemical acts on cell division to cause cancer. A Canadian study has linked glyphosate exposure in the three months before conception with increased risk for miscarriage and a 2002 study in Minnesota connected glyphosate exposure in farm families with increased incidence of attention deficit disorder.
Studies have also documented glyphosate's toxicity to wildlife and especially to amphibians. Recently, studies conducted in small ponds with a variety of aquatic populations have presented evidence that levels of glyphosate currently applied can be highly lethal to many species of amphibians.
Glyphosate is the world's most commonly used agricultural pesticide, and the second most-applied residential pesticide in the U.S. Recent evidence notwithstanding, glyphosate is considered less hazardous than other herbicides, an attitude that has increased the pesticide's use and desensitized policymakers to its impacts. The spraying program in Colombia to eradicate coca and opium poppy-the raw materials for cocaine and heroin-is one example. A mixture of glyphosate and several inerts has been sprayed aerially over more than 1.3 million acres of farm, range and forest lands in that biologically diverse nation for five years. The U.S. Drug Czar recently noted that despite the spraying, which is funded by the U.S. government, the number of hectares in coca production has remained essentially unchanged. A report on the impacts of the spraying produced for the Organization of American States has been sharply criticized by AIDA, an environmental organization, because the analysis failed to assess the impacts of deforestation resulting from movement of illicit crops into previously forested areas, adverse effects on endangered and endemic species, substantial collateral loss of food crops, livestock and fish, and human health effects. Authorization of next year's funding for the spray program is now underway in the U.S. Congress, where the Senate Appropriations Committee
complained in a non-binding narrative report, "The Committee is increasingly concerned ... that the aerial eradication program is falling far short of predictions and that coca cultivation is shifting
to new locations."
The herbicide is used in forestry in North America to reduce grasses, shrubs and trees that compete with commercial timber trees. Glyphosate is also widely introduced into the
environment and the human food chain through cultivation of transgenic, or genetically engineered crops that are tolerant to the herbicide and contain glyphosate residues. "Roundup Ready" crops have been responsible for increased use of the herbicide in recent years. Monsanto's sales of glyphosate have expanded approximately 20% each year through the 1990s, accounting for 67% of the company's total sales as of 200l. EPA estimates glyphosate use in the U.S. is 103-113 million pounds annually. | <urn:uuid:cd4c44b6-2ee6-460d-9fa0-3340be8b6d8a> | {
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July 19, 2007 — Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has expanded its FOCAS technology to include a FOCAS Hot Gas Test Rig (HGTR®) along with its original gasoline burner-based catalyst aging system.
Catalytic converters became a part of the vehicle exhaust system in the mid-1970s to meet emission regulations mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since the introduction of the three-way catalyst, engineers and scientists have worked to optimize the performance and durability of these devices to meet increasingly stringent emissions and durability standards. Vehicle manufacturers are required by the EPA to demonstrate that catalyst systems meet the emissions regulations for the useful life of the vehicle on which it is used.
When conducting emission testing of new vehicle models, manufacturers use catalysts that have been operated or "aged" for a period that simulates the vehicle's useful life. The classic approach to aging uses an engine bench stand to accelerate the aging of the catalyst. FOCAS offers a method of aging the catalyst that is much faster and more precise than an engine-based approach.
Unlike engine-based aging, where oil consumption is inherent in engine operation and changes with engine wear, the FOCAS system consumes no oil during fuel-air combustion. Lube oil can be injected into the hot combustion products with a metering and measurement system. Because burning oil decreases the efficiency of a catalyst system, this process allows the user to age catalysts with or without oil poisoning effects.
FOCAS uses a gasoline-fueled burner with an integrated, computerized control system to age catalytic converters. The flow of exhaust gas from an engine can be simulated under a variety of load conditions, allowing full-sized automotive catalyst systems to be rapidly aged. The system is capable of producing exhaust gas at elevated temperatures for extended periods.
"The FOCAS burner-based catalyst-aging system can produce much higher exhaust temperatures than an engine, allowing catalyst aging time to be significantly reduced, saving automotive manufacturers time and money," said Cynthia Webb, a principal engineer in SwRI's Engine, Emissions and Vehicle Research Division.
"FOCAS has several advantages compared to engine aging including lower maintenance, higher efficiency for potential fuel savings, fewer moving parts for reduced mechanical wear; a power fault protection for operation during inclement weather, wide-range lambda operation and control window, and operation with or without lubricating oil."
In addition to FOCAS, the FOCAS HGTR is a high-flow, diesel-fueled burner-based catalyst aging system that expands on the capabilities of SwRI's FOCAS aging system. SwRI designed the hot gas test rig to accommodate full-sized catalyst systems and provide user-designed programmable aging cycles, allowing users to create aging cycles to meet specific needs.
As an independent, multidisciplinary research and development organization, SwRI offers an unbiased, third-party perspective. The Engine, Emissions and Vehicle Research Division has achieved certification to ISO 9001, an internationally recognized quality standard, and ISO 14001, an environmental management system standard. In addition, SwRI has the expertise to perform combustion visualization, detailed airflow analysis, combustion bomb evaluations, and competitive engine and vehicle benchmarking. The division also develops specialized instruments, control systems, test apparatus and data acquisition systems to help achieve engine and vehicle performance and emissions goals.
For more information about FOCAS, visit focas.swri.org. FOCAS systems are available for purchase with or without the optional lube oil injection system. SwRI can provide FOCAS training at SwRI or at a client's facility. In addition, FOCAS systems are available for contract catalyst aging at SwRI.
For more information, contact Rob Leibold at +1 210 522 2258, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, PO Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX 78228-0510. | <urn:uuid:161ff832-d5e0-4b9b-b60a-621c0aa35fb1> | {
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The peoples we refer to as the “Vikings” are the Germanic cultures known as the Norwegians, Swedes, and Danes, collectively called the Norse. Most today know them only as pirates, which is what the word “Viking” roughly translates into, and many were pirates, but the Norse were also farmers, fisherman, merchants, and many other occupations. However it was piracy that they first became notable for as they raided monasteries and villages in Scotland, Ireland, and England (and master pieces like the Book of Kells narrowly survived their pillaging). They made their merciless raids from their highly mobile ships, which brings us to their first art form we’ll look at. Not only were their long ships well designed from a functional standpoint, many of them were also floating art exhibits. One of the first long ships to be evacuated intact is the Oseberg Ship. The book notes it’s beautiful interlaced beast designs that frame the margin of the ship. Such designs will ring a bell with anyone who looked at the Kells page earlier in the chapter, as well as the jewelry from other Germanic tribes in earlier chapters. One striking detail not discussed is the gorgeous metal dragonhead, decorated with a similar aesthetic, but appearing far more abstract. The Oseberg ship has some enigmatic features as well, such as a bucket with a figure who looks suspiciously similar to Buddha. Here there are below:
Such images made it possible for the Norse to travel all over their known world, evidently diversifying their art while they were at it. At first they were content with raiding and trading, but soon they tried their hand at conquest and colonization. The Danes nearly conquered all England, fictionalized Bernard Cornwell’s excellent Saxon Series, and colonized the Faroe Islands. The Swedes set up a successful colony known as the Rus, which would eventually evolve into Russia. Most successful were the Norwegians who conquered Normandy, founded Dublin and Iceland, and set up ill fated colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland. Wherever they went, they took their fine art with them. Despite our image of them as brutal killers, they seemed driven to beautify the items around them.
The Norse made such a profound impact so it is little wonder today they are more myths than men. The sagas and poems they left behind actually seem to reinforce that. Both their actions and their art have served as inspiration for artists ever since. | <urn:uuid:7d49d4c6-495f-4fbb-98b1-1151ff2c66fe> | {
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Seismic Experiment in Patagonia and Antarctica (SEPA)
The SEPA project was a deployment of broadband PASSCAL instruments in Chilean Patagonia, the South Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula. The initial ten broadband seismographs were deployed during January and February, 1997. Additional sites were added in 1998 and 1999. A complementary 6 month deployment of ocean bottom seismographs in the Bransfield Strait and South Shetland Islands (BSOBS) took place in early 1999. Most of the seismometers were removed in December 1999, but one Patagonia station and three Antarctic stations continued to operate until November 2001. The purpose of SEPA is to study the tectonics and structure of the region.
Maps and Station Locations | <urn:uuid:4f080fe2-afe8-4c35-a728-08cc598c6f54> | {
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Germany Sets Aside $130 Billion for Renewable Energy
German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on 30 May that Germany, the world's fourth-largest economy and Europe's biggest, would shutter all of its 17 nuclear power plants between 2015 and 2022, an extraordinary commitment, given that they currently produce about 28 percent of the country's electricity.
Underlining the government's seriousness in changing the country's energy matrix, Germany's Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (German Development Bank) is to underwrite renewable energy and energy efficiency investments in Germany with $137.3 billion over the next five years, Germany Trade and Invest reported. Overall, the German government's 6th Energy Research Program has made an extraordinary $274.6 billion available for joint funding initiatives in energy storage research over the next three years.
It is by any yardstick an extraordinary (and expensive) commitment that may well have the collateral benefit of unlocking similar funding worldwide for renewable energy projects.
The new Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau loans and projects are designed to underwrite a broad array of energy areas, including energy efficiency and smart grids, as well as wind and solar energy generation. Last year Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau financed 40 percent of all photovoltaic installations in Germany.
Germany is already the world's strongest photovoltaic market and also accounts for Europe's largest share of installed wind capacity. Moving resolutely into the field of renewable energy, by 2020, renewable energy sources are expected to account for 35 percent of Germany's energy output, soaring to 80 percent by 2050. Germany now produces 20 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources, now, up from just 6 percent in 2000. The effort is in turn creating thousands of jobs and new industries.
Industry expert Tobias Homann observed, "With the decision to abandon nuclear power earlier this year, it was clear that the road ahead would be challenging. But Germany is in a very promising position to be the first industrialized country to rely entirely on renewable energy."
One of the current major shortfalls of the renewable energy market is its inability to store generated energy but Germany is working on this dilemma, focusing on the development of battery and smart grid technology.
According to Germany Trade & Invest CEO Jurgen Friedrich, "Germany has established the ideal prerequisites for the rapid development of the energy storage industry. The unique combination of renewable energy generation, innovation and implementation through such projects makes Germany an optimal location for companies looking to enter this budding industry."
Germany is also assiduously pursuing improving solar technology. Germany's photovoltaic installations and solar facilities recently surpassed hydropower in Germany's total energy generation matrix.
In the area of offshore wind power generation, Germany projects 4,000 turbines off its Baltic coast producing electricity by 2030. Germany's northeastern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state on the Baltic will produce 100 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2015-2017, and then export the excess to other German states. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern premier Erwin Selling told reporters, "Renewable energy has become extremely valuable for our state. It's just a great opportunity - producing renewable energy and creating manufacturing jobs. From an industrial point of view we'd been one of Germany's weaker areas. But the country is abandoning nuclear power. That will work only if there's a corresponding and substantial increase in renewables. It'll be one of Germany's most important sectors in the future. We want to be up there leading the way."
The picture is not completely rosy, however - there have been delays in expanding and upgrading the national grid of high-voltage transmission lines from sparsely populated coastal regions such as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to areas where the power is needed in Germany industrial and densely populated western and southern regions. While Berlin is working to remove infrastructure bottlenecks, if the nation's electrical grid is not expanded soon it could cause future problems when more off-shore wind power goes on line.
Such problems aside however, Germany, as Europe's leading creditor nation and technological powerhouse is surging forward on weaning itself off of nuclear energy and strongly moving towards alternative renewable energy sources, an experiment that will doubtless be watched by other industrialized societies from Tokyo to Washington.
By. John C.K. Daly of Oil Price | <urn:uuid:ce53ea82-ee7e-410a-80f9-6c45af39301a> | {
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Bunker Hill: Historical MonumentStanding 221 feet above the ground, the Bunker Hill Monument is a majestic reminder of an inspiring battle during America's fight for independence. Although it was actually a colonial loss, the Battle of Bunker Hill played a central role in boosting military morale, thanks to significant losses suffered by the British. Between 1827 and 1843, the towering granite obelisk was erected to honor the courage and sacrifice of the inexperienced militiamen who fought in the battle. Today, this monument has become a popular tourist attraction based on its historical significance and architectural beauty.
- Historical Site
- Scenic Views | <urn:uuid:f4aa0f36-c15d-4dc5-a84b-3b2d16a4fc73> | {
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The mission of the Educational and Outreach Program at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) is to promote stewardship of Illinois' natural resources, foster public understanding and support of environmental programs, and nurture interest in the sciences. The primary goals of the Program are to provide information about water and atmospheric resources to the public, develop a new generation of good stewards who respect natural resources, and entice students to become scientists. The staff at ISWS is working to achieve these goals by participating in various educational and outreach activities. Provided below is our growing list of links to educational sites on the ISWS Web site and the web abroad. Many water topics are covered.
Private Well Class - The Private Well Class is designed to help a homeowner better understand how to properly care for their water
well, to ensure their water remains safe to drink. By understanding the basic science of water wells and following best practices to maintain and protect your water supply,
this class will provide the tools you need to ensure a safe water supply and help extend the life of your well.
Rain Check Network - Think about the weather. How much rain fell in your backyard during the last storm?
Is this month wetter or drier than the last? Don't know? Use a rain gauge and find out! The Rain Check Network web site will let you request a free raingage,
and then use it to enter rain amounts into our Rain Check Network database. You can also search the database for results entered by yourself and others, and sort
the results by zip code, date, city, and more. The results contain entries from many U.S. cites and states.
ISWS Speakers Bureau - Do you have a question about water resource or climate issues? Would you like to find a speaker for your classroom or community group? Are you a
stakeholder in a watershed area and need further information? The Illinois State Water Survey employs individuals with many talents and educated in far-reaching specialties.
These staff members are eager to share their interests and knowledge with the public.
Illinois Water Cycle - The ISWS water cycle diagram depicts water moving through the atmosphere and on and under the surface of the earth.
Another term for the water cycle is hydrologic cycle. Water moves downward as precipitation, into the soil and through the unsaturated zone as infiltration,
and through the saturated zone to shallow and deep aquifers as recharge; laterally on the surface as surface runoff to lakes, wetlands, streams, and rivers
and underground as groundwater flow; upward as evapotranspiration from lakes, wetlands, streams, and rivers, plants, soil, and groundwater, and as groundwater
discharge to surface waters; and laterally aloft as atmospheric moisture, where condensation forms clouds.
On-line Weather Resources for Kids - A collection of climate and weather links for teachers and students. Links include live
weather radar, weather warnings and forecasts, flood information, and much more.
Educational Links Developed by The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) - A great list of precipitation and acid rain educational links as assembled by the Central Analytical Laboratory at NADP. This list
contains lesson plans aimed at teachers, and also activities for children themselves.
Nitrogen in the Nation’s Rain (Brochure) - Nitrogen is a macronutrient that is essential for all living things. Fossil
fuel combustion, animal husbandry practices, nitrogen fertilizer production and application, and other human activities add substantial amounts of
nitrogen compounds to the atmosphere every year. Higher airborne nitrate and ammonium concentrations from these activities increase the wet
and dry deposition rates of nitrogen. Increased atmospheric deposition can affect natural and agricultural systems. Information on nitrogen deposition,
such as that collected by the NADP, is important to regulators, policymakers, and land managers responsible for the protection of air and water quality in
natural and managed ecosystems.
Contact: Patti Hill | <urn:uuid:b08cca1c-3309-4c21-b286-df3afcfae1c1> | {
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Many attempts to end the rule of Al-Hamiduddine family in the northern part of present-day Yemen ware made earlier, but they all failed. Only revolution on September 26, 1962 brought successful changes to political situation in the country. The northern part of Yemen separated from the rest of the territory and declared itself the Yemen Arab Republic. It was an independent republic till 1990, until it was reunified with Yemen in October 1990 to form the Republic of Yemen.
Celebrations of September Revolution Day start with lighting a torch at Al-Tahrir Square in downtown Sana’a, the capital of Yemen. This ceremony symbolizes the beginning of the next year of the revolution and it takes place at the very same place, where the first signal of the revolution was given in September 1692. Youth from all parts of Yemen attends this ceremony and the festival, that is held till the end of the day.Remind me with Google Calendar
- Public Holidays
- september revolution day in yemen, holidays in yemen, public holiday, yemen arab republic | <urn:uuid:e367d30e-5342-4f28-9b32-b4cafb06b739> | {
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California Proposition 14 (1964)
|This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2011)|
|Elections in California|
California Proposition 14 was a 1964 ballot proposition that amended the California state constitution, nullifying the Rumford Fair Housing Act. Proposition 14 was declared unconstitutional by the California Supreme Court in 1966. The decision of the California Supreme Court was affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967 in Reitman v. Mulkey.
Rumford Fair Housing Act
The Rumford Fair Housing Act was passed in 1963 by the California legislature to help end racial discrimination by property owners and landlords who refused to rent or sell their property to "colored" people. It was drafted by William Byron Rumford, the first African American from Northern California to serve in the legislature. The Act provided that landlords could not deny people housing because of ethnicity, religion, sex, marital status, physical handicap, or familial status.
The initiative, numbered Proposition 14 when it was certified for the ballot, was to add an amendment to the constitution of California. This amendment would provide, in part, as follows:
Neither the State nor any subdivision or agency thereof shall deny, limit or abridge, directly or indirectly, the right of any person, who is willing or desires to sell, lease or rent any part or all of his real property, to decline to sell, lease or rent such property to such person or persons as he, in his absolute discretion, chooses.
Following much publicity the proposition gained the endorsement of many large conservative political groups, including the John Birch Society and the California Republican Assembly. As these and other groups endorsed the proposal it became increasingly more popular and the petition to have the proposition added to the ballot garnered over one million signatures. This was more than twice the 480,000 signatures that were required. The initiative proved to be overwhelmingly popular, and was passed by a 65% majority vote in the 1964 California elections.
Soon after it was passed, the federal government cut off all housing funds to California. Many also cited this as one of the reasons the Watts Riots of 1965 happened as Proposition 14 gave landlords the right to deny housing based on ethnicity, religion, sex, marital status, physical handicap, or familial status as they wished, in accordance with the concept of freedom of association.
With the federal housing funds cut off and with the support of Governor Pat Brown, the constitutionality of the measure was challenged soon afterward. In 1966, the California Supreme Court did not consider whether Proposition 14 was unconstitutional because it violated the equal protection and due process provisions of the California Constitution; instead, it held that Proposition 14 violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the federal Constitution. Gov. Brown's stance proved controversial; later in 1966, he was defeated in his bid for re-election by Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was a supporter of Proposition 14. In 1964 Ronald Reagan stated in a press release as "an ardent supporter of Proposition 14, and later explained, "If an individual wants to discriminate against Negroes or others in selling or renting his home, he has a right to do so." Reagan labeled fair housing laws and the Rumford Act as attempts "to give one segment of our population a right at the expense of the basic rights of all our citizens."
However, the case continued. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the California Supreme Court's decision in Reitman v. Mulkey (1967), holding that Proposition 14 was invalid because it violated the equal protection clause. The proposition was repealed by Proposition 7 in the November, 1974 election.
Reitman established a significant precedent because it held that state assistance or encouragement of private discrimination violated the equal protection guarantee of the Fourteenth Amendment. As of 2013, this precedent remains good law.
- Peniel E. Joseph (2006). The Black Power Movement: Rethinking the Civil Rights-Black Power Era. CRC Press. pp. 47–. ISBN 978-0-415-94596-7. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
- "Proposition 14". Time Magazine. September 25, 1964. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
- Robert O. Self (2003). American Babylon: Race and the Struggle for Postwar Oakland. p. 168. ISBN 0-691-07026-1.
- 64 Cal. 2d 529 (1966)
- Eymann, Marcia A., ed. (2004). What's going on? : California and the Vietnam era. Berkeley, Cal. [u.a.]: University of California Press. pp. 47, 220. ISBN 9780520242449.
- Skelton, George (May 7, 2014) "Thank you, Donald Sterling, for reminding us how far we've come" Los Angeles Times
- California Voter's Pamphlet, General Election, Nov. 5, 1974 | <urn:uuid:5d8586ae-508e-417d-872d-8c938eab7a5b> | {
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Tools for Healthy Living/Exercise
Moving and physical exertion are good for you. Exercise can help reduce your weight, can prevent diseases (such as heart attack). You can get by with as little as 15 mins a day of good physical activity. However I have come up with a rule which is to exercise as many times as you eat (on most days I exercise 2-3 times a day). While aerobic exercises are a great start, building strength through weights and ab exercises go a long way in burning fat.
Simple Dos and Don'ts
- 5 Simple Dos
- Walk at least 30 mins every day
- Learn Stretching or Yoga Postures and practice them
- Build core strength through ab exercises (pilates), weights
- Do it in a team setting as often as you can. Involve your family or friends or co-workers.
- Do it in everyday activities (take the stairs instead of elevator, walk to the end of the parking lot, gardening, Saturday market shopping etc.)
- 5 Simple Don'ts
- Don't start an exercise regime without talking to your doctor.
- Don't Keep the same regimen every day Mix it up.
- Don't do it alone. Don't procrastinate, and don't buy expensive equipment.
- Don't make it boring. Keep it fun. Watch your favorite show on TV while working out, or listen to some great music or enjoy the out doors.
- Don't over exert (e.g. keep heart rate in the zone, or increase weights gradually) | <urn:uuid:a4e609e5-ddb4-4ac1-b165-8b8004eec217> | {
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|Greek philosopher, statesman, poet, religious teacher, and physiologist.
(b. c. 490 BC, Acragas, Sicily--d. 430, the Peloponnese, Greece)
According to legend only, Empedocles was a self-styled god who brought about his own death, as dramatized by the English poet Matthew Arnold in "Empedocles on Etna," by flinging himself into the volcanic crater atop Mount Etna to convince followers of his divinity. To his contemporaries he did indeed seem more than a mere mortal; Aristotle reputedly hailed him as the inventor of rhetoric, and Galen regarded him as the founder of Italian medicine. Lucretius admired his hexametric poetry. Nothing remains of the various writings attributed to him other than 400 lines from his poem Peri physeos ("On Nature") and fewer than 100 verses from his poem Katharmoi ("Purifications").
Although strongly influenced by Parmenides, who emphasized the unity of all things, Empedocles assumed instead that all matter was composed of four essential ingredients, fire, air, water, and earth, and that nothing either comes into being or is destroyed but that things are merely transformed, depending on the ratio of basic substances, to one another. Like Heracleitus, he believed that two forces, Love and Strife, interact to bring together and to separate the four substances. Strife makes each of these elements withdraw itself from the others; Love makes them mingle together. The real world is at a stage in which neither force dominates. In the beginning, Love was dominant and all four substances were mixed together; during the formation of the cosmos, Strife entered to separate air, fire, earth, and water from one another. Subsequently, the four elements were again arranged in partial combinations in certain places; springs and volcanoes, for example, show the presence of both water and fire in the Earth.
Apparently a firm believer in the transmigration of souls, Empedocles
declared that those who have sinned must wander for 30,000 seasons through
many mortal bodies and be tossed from one of the four elements to another.
Escape from such punishment requires purification, particularly abstention
from the flesh of animals, whose souls may once have inhabited human bodies.
Copyright 1994-1998 Encyclopaedia Britannica | <urn:uuid:0cf65bf5-651f-4def-b575-87d191d6ffe0> | {
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Although the Bible speaks of “covenants” in the plural (Rom. 9:4, Gal. 4:24), there is only one basic covenant, the covenant of grace, in which God bestows salvation upon fallen beings who claim it by faith. The idea of plural “covenants” arises from the various ways God has restated the essential covenant promise in order to meet the needs of His people in different times and settings.
But whether it’s the Adamic covenant (Gen. 3:15), the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 12:1–3, Gal. 3:6–9), the Sinaitic covenant (Exod. 20:2), the Davidic covenant (Ezek. 37:24–27), or the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31–33), the idea is the same. The salvation God provides is a gift, unmerited and undeserved, and the human response to that gift—in a sense, humanity’s holding up its side of the deal—is faithfulness and obedience.
The first mention of the New Covenant is in Jeremiah, in the context of Israel’s return from exile and the blessings that God would grant them. Even amid calamity and trouble, the Lord extends to His wayward people the offer of hope and restoration.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 12.
We look at how bad the world is today; that is, we see all the evil in it, and yet God still bears with us. Thus, we can only imagine just how bad things must have been in order for the Lord to destroy the whole world with a flood. “God had given men His commandments as a rule of life, but His law was transgressed, and every conceivable sin was the result. The wickedness of men was open and daring, justice was trampled in the dust, and the cries of the oppressed reached unto heaven.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 91.
The covenant God expressed to Noah was the most universal among the biblical covenants; it was with all humanity, and it included the animals and nature too (Gen. 9:12). Also, this was a one-sided arrangement: the Lord didn’t impose any requirements or stipulations upon those with whom He was establishing the covenant. He simply was not going to destroy the earth with water again, period. Unlike other covenants, nothing was conditional about it.
God then sealed His covenant with a visible sign, that of a rainbow, which symbolizes the covenant promise that the earth will never be destroyed by a flood again. So, anytime we see a rainbow, the mere fact that we are here to see it is, in its own way, a vindication of this ancient covenant promise. (After all, if we had been wiped out in a universal flood, we wouldn’t be here to see the rainbow!) Amid the constant sin and evil here on earth, at times we are blessed with the beauty of the rainbow, a sign of God’s grace toward the whole world. We can look up at it and draw hope, not only from just how beautiful it is in and of itself, but also because we know that it’s a message from God, a message of His love toward our wretched planet.
The Abrahamic covenant of grace is fundamental to the entire course of salvation history. That’s why Paul used it to help explain the plan of salvation as it was fulfilled in Jesus Himself.
Through Abraham’s seed—referring not to his many descendants but in particular to one, Jesus (see Gal. 3:16), God would bless the entire world. All who would be a part of Abraham’s seed, which happens by faith in Christ (Gal. 3:29), would find that Abraham’s God would be their God as well. Even back then, Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Gal. 3:6). Abraham was no more saved by works than the thief on the cross was; it’s always and only God’s saving grace that brings salvation. Abraham fulfilled his end of the covenant promise. His obedience revealed the faith that took hold of the promise of salvation. His works didn’t justify him; instead, the works showed that he was already justified. That’s the essence of the covenant and how it is expressed in the life of faith (see Rom. 4:1–3).
Moses and some leaders went to Mount Sinai. These leaders included Aaron and his two sons, who represented the priests, and the 70 elders and leaders, who represented the nation. The men accompanying Moses had to stop from afar, but Moses was allowed to go up to where God appeared.
Moses later returned and affirmed the covenant with the whole nation. He proclaimed what God had spoken to him, to which the nation answered with the following words: “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.” (See Exod. 24:3, NKJV.)
Of course, as sacred history has shown and as our own experience often proves, it’s one thing to make the claim to be obedient; it’s quite another to reach out in faith and surrender in order to harness the divine power that gives us the grace to do what we say we will.
Only by faith and by grasping the promises that come by faith can we be obedient, an obedience that is expressed by loyalty to God’s law. Obedience to the law was no more contrary to the everlasting covenant in Moses’ time than it is in ours. The common misperception about the law and the covenants, which usually arises from reading Paul, stems from a failure to take into account the context in which Paul was writing, that of dealing with his Judaizing opponents. They wanted to make the law and obedience to it central to the faith; Paul, in contrast, wanted to make Christ and His righteousness the central component.
Jeremiah uttered these words amid the greatest crisis the people had yet faced: the coming Babylonian invasion, when the nation was threatened with all but certain extinction. Here again, however, as in other places, the Lord offered them hope, the promise that this was not going to be the ultimate end, and that they would have another chance to thrive in the presence of the Lord.
So, the first promise of the “new covenant” found in the Bible is in the context of Israel’s eventual return from Babylonian exile and the blessing that God would grant to them upon that return. Just as the breaking of the covenant made at Sinai (Jer. 31:32) brought them into exile, so the remaking of this covenant would preserve them and their hope for the future. Like the Sinai covenant, the new covenant would be relational, and it would include the same law, the Ten Commandments, but now written not just on tablets of stone but in their minds and on their hearts, where it should have been all along.
“The same law that was engraved upon the tables of stone is written by the Holy Spirit upon the tables of the heart. Instead of going about to establish our own righteousness, we accept the righteousness of Christ. His blood atones for our sins. His obedience is accepted for us. Then the heart renewed by the Holy Spirit will bring forth ‘the fruits of the Spirit.’ Through the grace of Christ we shall live in obedience to the law of God written upon our hearts. Having the Spirit of Christ, we shall walk even as He walked.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 372.
Under the new covenant, their sins would be forgiven, they would know the Lord for themselves, and they would obey God’s law through the power of the Holy Spirit working in them. Old covenant in shadows and in symbols, new covenant in reality, salvation was always by faith, a faith that would reveal “the fruits of the Spirit.”
The prophecy of Jeremiah about the new covenant (Jer. 31:31–34) contains a double application: first, it refers to Israel’s return to God and His bringing them home; second, it refers to the work of Jesus the Messiah, whose death ratified the covenant and would change the relationship between humans and God. It’s in the New Covenant that we get the fullest expression of the plan of salvation, which before had been revealed only in shadows and types (Heb. 10:1).
The broken body of Christ and His shed blood were revealed in the Old Testament in the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb. The juice of the vine represents the blood of Jesus shed on the cross, revealed in the New Testament. The work of Jesus did not begin with the New Testament; it embraced the Old, as well, and in the Communion service we can see the link that unites what Jesus has done all through salvation history.
The bread and the juice, then, provide the shortest summary of that salvation history. Though they are just symbols, it is still through these symbols that we understand God’s incredible work in our behalf.
The Communion service points not just to Christ’s death, but also to His return, without which His death would be all but meaningless. After all, what good would Christ’s first coming be without the second, when we are resurrected from the grave (1 Thess. 4:16, 1 Cor. 15:12– 18)? Jesus established the link when He said, “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matt. 26:29). No question, Christ’s first coming is inseparably tied to His second. The first finds its ultimate fulfillment only in the second.
Further Thought: As we saw, the Bible teaches that the rainbow is a sign of God’s covenantal promise never to destroy the earth by water again. Sure, thanks to science, we now know that a rainbow occurs when sunlight is both refracted and reflected in drops of water, dispersing the light at various angles. Light enters a raindrop at one point, is reflected off the back of that drop at another, and leaves at another, creating the colors that we see. Poet John Keats feared that science would “unweave a rainbow,” but even if we could parse, measure, predict, and quantify everything about a rainbow down to the innards of each photon and the underbelly of every quark, what would that prove other than that we understand better the natural laws God used to create the signs of this covenant promise? Science might one day be able to explain everything about how rainbows are made—even to 25 digits to the right of a decimal point—but it can never explain why they are made.
We, though, know why. Because God created our world in such a way that when sunlight and mist are in right relationships to each other, the mist breaks up the light by refracting and reflecting it at different angles that create bands of electromagnetic waves, which, when reaching our eyes, imprint the image of rainbows in our minds. And He did it (the “why” that science can never explain) to remind us of His covenant promise that never again would He destroy the earth by water. | <urn:uuid:3035cb3e-8f47-4848-83b8-b9a7dd846088> | {
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Posted on Jan 18, 2010 | Comments 1
Color space is the method by which we create, visualize and specify colors. A color is described using three parameters, viz. the human brain uses brightness, the color (red, green and blue) and its intensity to define a color in a color space.
All colors are the result of our perception to a combined effect of variation in the parameters of these basic colors.
There are various color space systems e.g., RGB (red- green- blue), CMY (cyan-magenta- yellow), HSL (hue- saturation- luminance), and YCC (luminance- chrominance) etc. Use of these systems is device dependent, e.g. RGB is used in television, computer etc. while the printer uses CMY system.
Color intensity in digital imaging is coded by data of a set of bits. For each color, 8-bit code is specified per pixel in a 256-level-brightness system (the human eye can differentiate only 200 levels). One can generate 16 million different colors in this system. By increasing number of bits per pixel, more color tones or gray shades can be captured.
Production of a good image depends on many things like illumination during capture, the scanning device and each of them follows different color space system. Therefore, some mathematical manipulation of data is necessary while converting one color space into another.
As RGB system suffers from high information loss and gives 20 bit output per 24 bit data so it is converted to HSL (natural colors) or HSV (value) system (fluorescent colors) to obtain 30-36 bit resolution. In some devices the YCC is also used. The output digital image thus becomes much better in terms of clarity, color and detailing.
The digital imaging experts have formulated algorithms for converting different color spaces from one to another so that the main operant device works on a common color space (to manage the colors of image) where the different spaces of input and output device overlap. An in depth knowledge of color management module (CMM) and colorimetric tools are necessary for best results.
Steps prior to color space conversion in CMM include linearization, to remove effect of gamma correction and collected data are expressed in terms of ‘gamut’ values, next is profiling, i.e. allotting working space and storage format and space to an image for further editing followed by conversion. Color space conversion involves- translation of space data and linking them, mapping gamut for different devices and colorimetric management on the four rendering intents.
CMM is the application software involving embedded algorithms to adjust numeric values when different devices are connected.
Posted in: Digital Imaging | <urn:uuid:171c7e3d-058a-40f0-8cce-0693fb58d00b> | {
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Photon Torpedoes are the primary faster than light, FTL, weapon used by Starfleet onboard starships and starbases. Photon torpedoes were first introduced into Starfleet service in 2215 to replace earlier photonic torpedoes and nuclear warheads.
Since their introduction there have been two primary torpedo designs. The first design was a 1:1 mater-antimatter explosive device. These torpedoes contained microfussion initiators that fired frozen deuterium slugs into magnetically suspended anti-deuterium. After briefly being held by the magnetic containment, the matter/antimatter annihilation energy was released powering the warhead. These first warheads had a maximum range of 750,000 km; even though powered by a matter/antimatter reaction, the warheads had a very low yield as there was not 100% annihilation. As a result these torpedoes were only used for defense purposes.
The current photon torpedo design is a variable matter/antimatter warhead design that was first introduced in 2271. In these new torpedoes the matter and antimatter are magnetically suspended in thousands of packets that increase the surface area of the reaction when the two mix. The resulting complete annihilation, when combined, multiplies the yield of the warhead to 18.5 isotons. The range of these new torpedoes has also increased to 4,050,000 km.
The standard Starfleet torpedo design consist of a 2.1 meter long elliptical enclosure containing deuterium and anti-deuterium storage tanks containing a maximum of 1.5 kilograms each; the storage tanks are connected to a central combiner tank. The torpedo casing also contains magnetic containment equipment, guidance and targeting systems, detonation assemblies, and a warp sustainer engine. If the ship is traveling at warp velocities, the warp sustainer engine is capable of transferring a ships warp field to the torpedo when fired to allow the weapon to move at FTL speeds; though it can not effectively increase the speed of the torpedo much beyond the ships original velocity. The sustainer engine is also not capable sending the torpedo into warp if the ship was traveling at impulse velocities when fired.
On Starfleet vessels there are normally one or two forward torpedo launchers and one aft launcher. Photon torpedoes are not stored on a starship armed with a full load matter and antimatter for safety reasons. When red alert is initiated, up to four torpedoes are fueled with matter and antimatter and loaded into the launching tubes; up to ten torpedoes can be loaded into the same launcher for simultaneous launch. When the command to fire is given, the ship's targeting computers transfers initial flight instructions to torpedo's computers. Shortly after launch the matter and antimatter are transferred to the central mixing tank though they are still kept separate by magnetic fields. While in flight the ship can transfer new targeting instructions to the torpedo to make in flight course corrections. Finally, one second before the torpedo reaches the target the magnetic fields are dropped allowing the matter and anti-matter to mix.
Photon torpedoes are currently being phased out of service in favor on quantum torpedoes aboard Starfleet vessels.
Images - |
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Summary: An icebreaker where players sit in a circle and take turns saying interesting things they have never done. Each player starts with ten fingers. Each time someone says something that you’ve done, you drop a finger. The goal is to be the last player remaining.
Ages: 8 and up. Recommended # of people: 10-20. Messiness Factor: No Sweat. Materials Required: None. Recommended Setting: Indoors.
Never Have I Ever
How to Play
Tell everyone to sit in a circle. Each player holds out all ten of your fingers and places them on the floor. One by one, each person announces something that they have never done; for example, they say, “Never have I ever been to Canada.” For each statement, all the other players remove a finger if they have done that statement. So, if three other people have been to Canada before, those three people must put down a finger, leaving them with nine fingers.The goal is to stay in the game the longest (to have fingers remaining). Thus, it is a good strategy to say statements that most people have done, but you haven’t. This can be humorous (e.g. “Never have I ever skipped a class in school” or “Never have I ever soiled my pants.”) The game provides a good way to find out unique experiences and facts about people. | <urn:uuid:150cf3b9-6e1f-4236-ade4-0881e4eb8630> | {
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a person who questions the validity or authenticity of something purporting to be factual.
a person who maintains a doubting attitude, as toward values, plans, statements, or the character of others.
a person who doubts the truth of a religion, especially Christianity, or of important elements of it.
(initial capital letter) Philosophy.
a member of a philosophical school of ancient Greece, the earliest group of which consisted of Pyrrho and his followers, who maintained that real knowledge of things is impossible.
any later thinker who doubts or questions the possibility of real knowledge of any kind.
pertaining to skeptics or ; .
(initial capital letter) pertaining to the Skeptics.
Certainly it was not as a “sceptic” that you could define him, whatever his definition might be.
The Life of John Sterling Thomas Carlyle
This begets a very natural question; What is meant by a sceptic?
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding David Hume
He is a sceptic, and dare hardly give credit to his senses, which he hath often arraigned of false intelligence.
Character Writings of the 17th Century Various
He was a sceptic about everything, even about his own position.
Appreciations and Criticisms of the Works of Charles Dickens G. K. Chesterton
Of course to the sceptic this criterion may appear unsatisfactory, since it depends, not on direct knowledge, but on inference.
Animal Intelligence George J. Romanes
Napoleon, himself a sceptic, was cognizant of this slave philosophy.
The Necessity of Atheism Dr. D.M. Brooks
“Let’s hope he’s blown himself up and made an end of all that nonsense,” said the sceptic of the party.
The Wizard’s Son, vol. 3 Margaret Oliphant
It remains to say that he was not disposed, being a sceptic and a scoffer.
Other Main-Travelled Roads Hamlin Garland
Only the purest principle, or spirit, is impregnable against the attacks of the sceptic.
The Will to Doubt Alfred H. Lloyd
I said that merely to show you that a sceptic can quote Scripture to his purpose.
The Tyranny of the Dark Hamlin Garland
a person who habitually doubts the authenticity of accepted beliefs
a person who mistrusts people, ideas, etc, in general
a person who doubts the truth of religion, esp Christianity
of or relating to sceptics; sceptical
a member of one of the ancient Greek schools of philosophy, esp that of Pyrrho, who believed that real knowledge of things is impossible
of or relating to the Sceptics
an archaic, and the usual US, spelling of sceptic
chiefly British English spelling of skeptic (q.v.). Related: Sceptical; sceptically; scepticism.
also sceptic, 1580s, “member of an ancient Greek school that doubted the possibility of real knowledge,” from Middle French sceptique and directly from Latin scepticus “the sect of the Skeptics,” from Greek skeptikos (plural Skeptikoi “the Skeptics, followers of Pyrrho”), noun use of adjective meaning “inquiring, reflective” (the name taken by the disciples of the Greek philosopher Pyrrho, who lived c.360-c.270 B.C.E.), related to skeptesthai “to reflect, look, view” (see scope (n.1)).
Skeptic does not mean him who doubts, but him who investigates or researches as opposed to him who asserts and thinks that he has found. [Miguel de Unamuno, “Essays and Soliloquies,” 1924]
The extended sense of “one with a doubting attitude” first recorded 1610s. The sk- spelling is an early 17c. Greek revival and is preferred in U.S. As a verb, scepticize (1690s) failed to catch on.
. inclined to ; having an attitude of doubt: a skeptical young woman who will question whatever you say. doubtful about a particular thing: My teacher thinks I can get a scholarship, but I’m skeptical. showing doubt: a skeptical smile. denying or questioning the tenets of a religion: a skeptical approach to the nature of […]
. attitude or temper; doubt. doubt or unbelief with regard to a religion, especially Christianity. (initial capital letter) the doctrines or opinions of philosophical Skeptics; universal doubt. Contemporary Examples For all my scepticism, I had an unexpectedly romantic evening. The Great Valentine’s Day Hangover Emma Woolf February 14, 2014 Historical Examples Some say that the […]
of or relating to , scholars, or education: scholastic attainments. of or relating to secondary education or : a scholastic meet. . of or relating to the medieval schoolmen. (sometimes initial capital letter) a schoolman, a disciple of the schoolmen, or an adherent of . a person. Roman Catholic Church. a student in a scholasticate. […]
(sometimes initial capital letter) the system of theological and philosophical teaching predominant in the Middle Ages, based chiefly upon the authority of the church fathers and of Aristotle and his commentators. narrow adherence to traditional teachings, doctrines, or methods. Historical Examples In its earliest form it cannot be denied that scholasticism did good. The Catholic […] | <urn:uuid:d9cbcf5e-77ee-4b6e-b1d3-a606dc5ba069> | {
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